Alma 7

November 27, 2012

Alma 7

Verse 9

Alma is calling for the people to repent and prepare for the coming of the Savior. He is preparing them for the first coming of the Lord on the earth, but we today are being asked to do the same.  Now is the time to repent and prepare for the Second coming of the Lord.  I need to make some serious changes in my life so that I can prepare the path for the Second Coming.   I want so much to be where I should be spiritually.  In order to that I need to make changes NOW!

Verse 10

Alma is prophecing that Christ will be born of Mary in Bethelehem.   It is almost Christmas time.  It is a time that I can look at the birth of this Savior and Elder Brother of Mine.   A lot of people make resolutions with the New Year.  I want to make some changes now.  What a good time to do that as a gift to my Savior of a renewed heart and soul.

Verse 13

I find this verse so intersting.  The Savior could have learned by revelation how to succor us in our times of need, be he chose to learn by Flesh.  That means he literally felt each heartache and pain that we go through in our lives in order that he would know the best way to help us through this life.  President Eyring gave a talk about this in a general conference that I love and that gives me so much peace.  I will add a link to it for future reference.  "

It will comfort us when we must wait in distress for the Savior’s promised relief that He knows, from experience, how to heal and help us. The Book of Mormon gives us the certain assurance of His power to comfort. And faith in that power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience. Here is the account from Alma:

“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.

“Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, [so] that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.”

 http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/04/adversity?lang=eng

Verse 22

I need to have a new sense of duty awakened inside of me!   I need to walk in more holy paths and make better choices.

Verse 23-24

Alma gives the people some characteristics and attributes that they need to develop.   These are also attruibutes that I need to include in myself.  I will list them and then spend times studying each of these.

-Humble:
-Submissive
-Gentle
-Easy to be entreated
-Full of Patience
-Long Suffering
-Temperate
-diligent in keeping commandments
-ask for what you need (spiritual and temporal)
-return thanks to Heavenly Father
-Faith
-Hope
-Charity
-Abound in Good works.

Verse 27

I love this blessing that Alma leaves the people with
 "may the ^apeace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. "

Alma 6

September 8, 2012

Alma 6

Verse 5

I love this.  It says that they didn't keep the truth from anyone.  They allowed all to hear the words and come unto the church if they chose to do so.  I love that the gospel is there for all men.   It is something that we all need in our lives.  We need to hear the words and change our lives to fit within the bounds which our Father in Heaven has commanded.  This is where true happiness comes.

Verse 6

We are commanded to fast and pray on behalf of those who do not know God.  I am too selfish in my prayers and fasts.  I need to stop thinking about myself so much and try to be more Christlike and charitable. 

Alma 5

September 7, 2012

Alma 5

This chapter is full of lots of questions for self reflection.  I am going to type them out as my blog post tonight.

1) Do you remembered the captivity of your fathers?
2) Do you remembered His mercy and long suffering?
3)  Do you remember that he delivered their souls from hell?
4)  Were their captive fathers destroyed? (No)
5)  Were the bands of death and chains of hell loosened? (Yes)
6) What conditions were they saved?
7) What grounds had they hope to be saved?
8) What was the cause for the bands of death and chains of hell to be loosened?
9)  Have you been spiritually born of God?
10) Have you received his image in your countenance?
11) Have you experienced the might change of heart?
12)  Do you exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?
13)  Do you look forward with an eye of faith and view this mortal body raised in immortality and corruption raised to in corruption to stand before God and be judged?
14) Can you imagine that you hear the voice of the Lord saying Come unto me ye blessed for your works have been works of righteousness?
15)  Do you imagine you can lie to the Lord and say our works have been righteous and that he will save you?
16) Can you imagine being brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse having a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness and the defiance to the commandments?
17)  Can you look to God with a pure heart and clean hands?
18) Can you look having the image of God on you countenance?
19) Can you think of being saved when you have yielded to become subjects to the devil?
20)  How would you feel standing before God with you garments stained with blood?
21) What would the bloody garments testify against you?
22)  Will the bloody garments testify that you are murders and guilty of all manner of wickedness?
23) Can someone with bloody garments have a place to sit in heaven with the prophets who have garments clean and white?
24)  If you have received that mighty change of heart and felt to sing the song of redeeming love, do you still feel that now?
25)  Have you walked blameless before God?
26) If you die could you say you have been sufficiently humble?
27)  If you die could you say you garments have been cleansed and made clean through the blood of Christ?
28) Are you stripped of pride?
29) Are you stripped of Envy?
30) Do you mock your brothers or cause persecution?
31)  If you are not in the Fold of the Good Shepherd, who's fold are you in?
32)  Who can deny that if you are not in God's Fold than you are in the devil's?
33) Does Alma no this of himself?
34) How does Alma know of the surety of these things?
     - Made known to him by the Holy Spirit after fasting and praying many days.  HE has the spirit of revelation.
35) Can you resist the things of God and be lifted up in pride?
36) Will you continue to try to be better than others and turn away from those in need and persecute and mock and do hurtful things towards your fellow men?
37) Do shepherds allow wolves to come into their flocks?
38) If a wolf enters, doesn't the shepherd drive him out?





Verse 7

I love this verse.  It illustrates how the word of God takes people from dark and deary into the light and beauty.  It tells us how the gospel changes our heart sand awakens us from a deep sleep.  It illuminates our souls.  It also breaks the bands of death and the chains of hell.  The gospel is so essential to our eternal salvation and happiness.  I am so grateful that I have it in my life and I want to live it more fully!


Verse 9

The scriptures sometimes mention singing the songs of redeeming love.  And I am sure it is not a literal song, but I like to think that it is.  I love the hymns of the church and I feel that as I sing them, I am being reminded of His redeeming love.  I think that they are songs of redeeming love. 

Verse 11

Alma reminds the people that his father Alma was saved because he hearkened to the words of Abinadi who was a true prophet of God.  It was because of the change that Alma had in his heart that he was able to teach their fathers.  And it is these words that caused them to have a mighty change of heart.  It was this that humbled them and taught them that there is a true and everlasting God.  What great news!

Verse 21

We must be clean and pure in order to be saved.  We must have our garments washed white and be purified.  We cannot be saved in our sins.  This is why the Savior came to the earth.  He made it possible for us to be saved as we strive to do our best and as we repent daily of the things that we do in error to the will and commands of our Heavenly Father.  What a tremendous blessing!

Verse 28

The scriptures tell us flat out, if we are not stripped of pride we are not prepared to meet our Father in Heaven.  There are many aspect to pride.  Unwillingness to keep the commandments, not recognizing where gifts and blessings come from, not repenting and taking advantage of the atonement.  These are all ways in which pride can play a role in our life.  I need to work on being less prideful.  

Verse 31

Now is the time to repent and prepare for meeting our Father in Heaven.

Verse 32

Heavenly Father offers this call to everyone.  He tells us all to repent and then he will receive us in.  His hands of Mercy are extended out towards us all.



I am really glad that I read this chapter as I did.  I need to spend some time studying each of these questions and answering them honestly for myself.  I want to be a part of the fold of the Good Shepherd and know that I can stand before God at the last day knowing I did all that I could and that the Mercy of His son will do the rest.

Alma 4

September 6, 2012

Alma 4

It is amazing how quickly the people of the church can go from being righteous and remembering their duties, to be caught up in pride and things of the world and forget from whom those gifts are given.  I guess I in a way have similar problems.  I forget sometimes to do things that I know I should do, like reading scriptures and saying prayers.  I get caught up in other things and I fall from where I should be.  This is something I need to be more mindful of.  I need to remember that I desire to stay on the path which will lead me to eternal happiness. 

Alma 3

September 5, 2012

Alma 3

Verse 26

We choose how we are rewarded eternally.  If I am righteous I will receive eternal happiness.  If I am wicked I will receive eternal misery.  Personally I like the thought of eternal happiness.  So knowing that I have that choice, why so I make choices in this life that take me farther from that eternal happiness.  I need to make sure that I have an eternal perspective more fully in my life so that I choose the right path.

Verse 27

I will receive the wages from the Master I choose to obey and I would like those wages to be from my Father in Heaven.

Alma 2

September 5, 2012

Alma 2

Verse 12

They did prepare against wicked.  They knew before hand how they would react in situations of evil and wickedness.  I need to be more prepared against my enemies and temptation.

Verse 18

The Lord strengthened the hands of the Nephites.  I need to live worthy of the Lord's strength in my own personal life.  I need his strength for I am so weak.  I know with him all things are possible.  I know with him I can overcome all the trials place before me.  With his strength I can do hard things.  With this strength I can do all things.

Verse 28

The key to the Lord strengthening the hand of the Nephites was their mighty prayers for deliverance from the wickedness.  Because of this prayer and their righteous desires the Lord heard them and strengthened them.

Verse 30

I want to be a woman of God, just as Alma was a Man of God.  I want to have enough faith to say 'O Lord have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people.'

Alma 1

September 5, 2012

Alma 1

Verse 25

Despite the trials and persecution which the people of the church faced, they remained steadfast in their desires to serve God and do what is right.  I sometimes am not as steadfast in my times of trial or depression.  I forget the source for true comfort and peace.  I want to turn to my Father in Heaven more and know that in order to do that I need to make Him the priority in my life.  I have not been doing this.  This is something that must change.  For my happiness and my spirit depend on this.  I need a better relationship with my father in Heaven.  I struggle with the fact that I do not have a man in my life to love me and care for me.  I want a family so badly.  But I know that in this time when it is just me that I should be working on my relationship with my Father as well as my relationship with myself.  When these things are in order, then will the Lord see fit to bless me with the relationships I desire.