I have been teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for most of
my life. As a missionary, my efforts were meager, but I tried as hard as I could
to stick to the truths as given in the scriptures. My knowledge of the Bible
and The Book of Mormon was basic but over the years more of the truths found therein
began to stand out and help in the progress to goodness.
This year is another chance to study deeper in the
translated words of Mormon and the other prophets who contributed to the work. Students
have been very willing to dig down and discover hidden gems of faith that invite
the Holy Ghost to testify of Christ. My own study has increased, as new
insights are discovered and shared with those I love.
That brings me to today’s experience.
We are working our way through the book of Alma, a
conglomeration of truths/stories assembled by the prophet Mormon. Just before
Christmas we spent a full day on Alma chapter 7 where the purpose and experience of the Savior’s atonement was
described. The moving words of Alma help us to find comfort in the sacrifice
Jesus provided for ALL of God’s children:
For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing of more importance than
they all… And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and
temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which
saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he
will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his
people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be
filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the
flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. (Alma 7:7,
11-13, emphasis added)
These wonderful verses have been a comfort to me (and many others) as I have
pondered the things that happen in mortal life. And I rejoice because according
to Alma, sin has an enemy that will swallow all the pain and anguish it causes –
if the individual will allow Christ to be involved in the process.
I believe completely in the power of the Savior’s atoning
sacrifice to change us as we seek His help, but as I studied further in the
book of Alma there was another discovery that helped me anchor this truth in my
heart.
In chapters 8-11 in the book of Alma, we find a story about
the missionary efforts of Alma the younger, the once wayward and now repentant
son of Alma, the first Chief Judge of the people in Zarahemla. Alma the younger
was appointed to the Chief Judge position when his father retired. Additionally,
he was also given the responsibility to guide the church as presiding
priesthood leader (Prophet). His efforts to bless the people had him working
hard in Zarahemla, traveling to the city of Gideon and Melek (finding much
success in both) and finally arriving in the city of Ammonihah.
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| Alma rejected in Ammonihah |
The reception in Ammonihah was ‘chilly’ – maybe even ‘frosty.’
So little success was found that Alma determined to move on to another city rather
than take the abuse of the leaders. But as he made his way along the path, he
was instructed to return to Ammonihah with the assurance that new circumstances
would improve the outlook. Immediately, Alma turned around and entered the city
by a back way. As he wandered the streets, he stumbled on a resident of the
city and asked for food and lodging for the night.
The man, Amulek (a lapsed
member of the church), recognized Alma and invited him to his home for rest and
refreshment. Over the next days, Alma and Amulek developed a friendship based
in a common desire to serve the Lord in His work. Both men recognized that
there were souls in the city who could benefit from the blessings of Christ, so
they prepared to share their message – despite Alma’s previous experiences.
When the two men were prepared they went to the place where
they could find people who would listen to their words. As expected, they
encountered resistance from the same crowd that rejected Alma in his first attempt
to teach. But with Amulek, some of the people had a little more incentive to
listen to the message.
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| Alma and Amulek teaching Zeezrom |
While probably not a polished as Alma, Amulek began his teaching
stating his place in the city as a well-known citizen and recounting the
conversion that brought him to his present circumstance. Various individuals
asked questions of him and some attempted to trick him into making a mistake in
his message, but Amulek was able to answer each question and challenge to the
satisfaction of the listeners.
One of the listeners, a lawyer named Zeezrom, took another
route to turn the situation to his own benefit. Offering a great deal of money,
he invited Amulek to recant his testimony of Christ and the doctrines He taught.
This Zeezrom was a well-spoken man who had proven his abilities to twist the
truth for his own benefit. His confidence in those abilities gave him the chutzpah
to stand up to Amulek’s confession of faith.
How disappointed he must have been when Amulek refused the
money AND chastised him for his misbegotten plan. And his disappointment turned
to fear as the missionaries taught him the true doctrine of Jesus Christ and
the Atonement. In fact, the fear of destruction left Zeezrom physically weak
and unable to continue his rantings against Alma and Amulek. In the end,
Zeezrom recognized his own sins and the damage he had done to the faith of the
people. His change of heart caused his former friends to cast him out of the
city forever.
Alma and Amulek continued to preach and were eventually
driven from Ammonihah, only to find Zeezrom on his death bed in another town. Laying
hands on his head, Alma and Amulek healed the former enemy and raised him up
off his death bed. Then they taught him the gospel and helped him enter the church
of God. Zeezrom became a powerful instrument in the spreading of the doctrines
of Christ among many of the Nephites.
Now, that’s a pretty common story when it comes to religious
conversions. A former unbeliever becomes a believer through a spiritual
experience that changes their heart (see Saul for example). But that’s only
part of the message I think Mormon is trying to give us in these chapters.
If you remember, Alma 7 explained, in detail, the blessings
that would be available to those who accepted the Atonement of Jesus Christ and
repented of their sins. That redemption is meant for ALL of God’s children, not
just a select few. In chapters 8-11 we encounter three individuals who are in
varying stages of mortal life.
1.
Alma,
a rebellious son of a prophet of God, has been converted and is now doing his
best to repair the damage he caused in his younger days. His success is impressive,
and we are all inspired by his efforts.
2.
Amulek,
a ‘less-active’ member of the church, has been re-converted and invited to help
bring other souls to the fountain of Christ. He was not necessarily antagonistic
toward the Savior, but he was apathetic in his testimony.
3.
Zeezrom, an
opponent of Christ and all He offers. This man had wealth and power as his god
and tried to destroy anyone who would try to affect his plans but found peace in
the teachings of Christ.
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| The resurrected Christ appears to the Nephites |
The placement of each of these individual characters is a
testament to the wisdom and inspiration of Mormon as he assembled the records. It
was not by chance that the stories of Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom were given after the teachings of the Atonement of
Christ. No, Mormon wanted us to see a deeper application of Christ’s work. Mormon shows
us that there is every possibility, despite current circumstance, for anyone to
be redeemed by the blood of Christ.
Jesus did His work for the benefit of all His
Father’s children – the rebellious,
the apathetic, and the most virulent
opponent – each has access to the
redeeming grace of Jesus Christ as they acknowledge their need for His redemption.
This experience in my own awakening reminds me that there is
a plan in place to guide us all back to our heavenly home. And the most
valuable and powerful ‘tool’ is given as we access the Atoning sacrifice of
Jesus Christ which prepares us for that future day.
