Come, Follow Me Alma 43-52: Insights By Gogo Goff

I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come Follow Me Alma 43-52 (If you missed last week’s insights for Come Follow Me Alma 39-42 click here). Save this pin to read later.

We are commanded to defend our families.

“And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.” Alma 43:47

In verses 45-47 of Alma 43 the doctrines of War are outlined, and in verse 47 we get this commandment from The Lord. “Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed.”

This commandment is interesting, it does not say “Ye can” “You would be justified if” or “If you want to” It says “Ye shall” it is a commandment of the Lord to defend our families. Even unto bloodshed.

The LORD has commanded it. But most of us won’t be dealing with Lamanites, or with people who will try to kill us, so we know we are commanded even unto bloodshed, but if bloodshed is not required that does not absolve us from the commandment to defend our families.

It leads on to ask, “What attacks our families? What do we need to defend against?” The answer is simple, it is Satan and all his weapons; Porn, Abuse, Bullies, False Doctrines, contention, and more.

Honesty.

“And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter, and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold, here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you, but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will perish or conquer.”
Alma 44:8

I remember reading this verse with a less active man when I was a missionary. He was baffled that Moroni would offer him a way out and all he needed to do was to make a promise.

I explained that even though the Lamanites were wicked in so many ways their word was still their bond. It is a condemnation of today’s society where it feels like everyone lies when you realize that the Lamanites in all their sins refused to stoop as low as being dishonest.

So next time you are tempted to lie, ask yourself are you willing to be more rebellious and evil than the Lamanites? Consider the words of an Apostle: “Do we understand the gravity of the sin of dishonesty? It is not only unchristian, it is anti-Christian—it is anti-Mormon—it is anti-Christ!”
Elder Mark E. Petersen.

Patriarchal Blessings.

“And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the righteous’ sake.” Alma 45:15

In the olden days, Patriarchal Blessings were given by the father of the family, and normally on his deathbed. That was the case with Lehi, Moses, Abraham, and others. Today members of the church who have been baptized who desire to receive a Patriarchal Blessing can talk with their bishop and receive one as young as 8 years old! We don’t have to wait until our father dies to receive our own personal Liahona.

“Your patriarchal blessing is your passport to peace in this life. It is a Liahona of light to guide you unerringly to your heavenly home” Thomas S. Monson.

For the article I wrote about Patriarchal Blessings

3 Ways To Get More Out Of Your Patriarchal Blessing

Freedom.

“In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children”
Alma 46:12

Captain Moroni rallied the people to defeat the Lamanites, not with promises of goods or government-provided services, but the promises of Freedom. Freedom of Religion, Freedom to worship God. Freedom to protect one’s family. Freedom in general.

Some wise counsel from a prophet. In regards to freedom should rally every Latter-Day Saint to the cause of freedom:

“As important as are all other principles of the gospel, it was the freedom issue which determined whether you received a body. To have been on the wrong side of the freedom issue during the war in heaven meant eternal damnation. How then can Latter-day Saints expect to be on the wrong side in this life and escape the eternal consequences? The war in heaven is raging on earth today. The issues are the same: ‘Shall men be compelled to do what others claim is for their best welfare’ or will they heed the counsel of the prophet and preserve their freedom?”
Ezra Taft Benson, April 1965. Not Commanded in All Things.

Going to the Temple.

“And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in preparation to battle.”
Alma 47:7

In this verse we learn that Lehonti went to the “top of the mount” to prepare for battle, the “top of the mount” is symbolic for the Temple. We learn that from Isaiah 2:2. So in our day, we can learn 3 vital lessons from Lehonti in Alma 47:

1. Go to the temple to prepare for battle against Satan.
2. Satan, like Amalickiah, will tempt us to leave the safety of the Mount (being temple worthy). Because he has no power over us until we do.
3. If we resist, Satan will come to our very doors, we will not need to seek out sin, but it will come to us. If we like Lehonti give in, we, like Lehonti, will lose everything. If we refuse to give in, we will find peace and safety in the temple.

But the beautiful thing is if we have messed up we can be forgiven! And once forgiven, we once again get back on the mountain. In the words of Elder Holland: “If you have made covenants, keep them. If you haven’t made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them.”

Moroni, A Man Like Unto Corianton!

“Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” Alma 48:17

We often talk about Captian Moroni, and we long for men who were like unto him but there is something we often forget, the very next verse.

“Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.” Alma 48:18

This verse says Moroni was like unto Corianton, the son of Alma, the one who went after a harlot. I love this verse because it teaches that a man can go from vile sinner to a man that shakes the powers of hell.

So the next time you are inclined to judge a person instead of a sin; remember that Corianton went from vile sinner to a “Man of God.” His story is proof that through the Atonement of Christ we can be completely forgiven and healed!

“His compassion and mercy, with all their cleansing and healing
power, are freely given to all who truly wish complete forgiveness and will take the steps that lead to it.”
Jeffrey R. Holland.

Peace

“Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.”
Alma 49:30

With the war chapters, it is often easy to glaze over and become so numb from the war, carnage, and evil that we miss the little nuggets of gold. This is one of those nuggets. It declares the reason for peace. The Gospel was being declared by the leadership of the Church (Notice, Corianton is listed as one of those leaders). Only the Gospel can bring peace to a people.

Finding Happiness.

“But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.” Alma 50:23

In the verses preceding this (20-22) Mormon makes the observation that the people were blessed because of their righteousness. And that the wicked were punished for their sins.

But in this verse, Mormon makes a bold claim, that in the days of Moroni the people were happier than at any time since Nephi. That is quite impressive, Alma, King Mosiah, King Benjamin, Jacob, Enos, and others lived and taught the gospel before this time. But something about this time, a time which we often overlook as a time of war, caused the people to be happy.

Let it be a lesson to us, that even in times of war and affliction we can find inner peace and happiness, after all, we have the plan of happiness!

Fighting for Freedom.

“And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.” Alma 51:21

Often times we forget the most prevalent theme of the War Chapters. The Nephites were fighting to maintain their freedoms. They were not just fighting because they did not like the Lamanites they were fighting because they were defending their freedoms. In a matter of fact, we forget this is the theme of all wars, including the War in Heaven!

The cause of Freedom is vital to the spreading of the Gospel. So harken to the Prophet’s words.”Only in this foreordained land, under its God-inspired Constitution and the resulting environment of freedom, was it possible to have established the restored church. It is our responsibility to see that this freedom is perpetuated so that the Church may more easily flourish in the future.”
Ezra Taft Benson

Valuing Life; Even In War.

“Now Moroni seeing their confusion, he said unto them: If ye will bring forth your weapons of war and deliver them up, behold we will forbear shedding your blood.” Alma 52:37

Even in the middle of a battle, Moroni sought for ways to love, and show mercy. Moroni could’ve pressed the fight, and ended the battle in a great slaughter. According to the world, had Moroni commenced in slaughter it would’ve been a sign of a great person, but according to God, mercy, and love is the sign of greatness, because a man of God understands “The worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10) He sought not to destroy but to save the soul.

Let us also realize the worth of a soul and seek to save rather than destroy, after all, President Monson Taught: “The worth of a soul is its capacity to become as God.”