I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come Follow Me Alma 32-35 (If you missed last week’s insights for Come Follow Me Alma 30-31 click here). Save this pin to read later.
Signs, witnesses, and testimony.
” 17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.” Alma 32:17-18
Often times we unintentionally seek signs. I know I have done it. The reason why we do it varies, but it does not help that most of the examples in the scriptures are extreme signs. Or so I thought. ..
“Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” D&C 6:23
Not all Prophets and Apostles had amazing conversion stories, to Oliver Cowdery one of the greatest men of the restoration God spoke peace to his mind, and then God said WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?
It taught me something. Signs be they angels or even the voice of God is not the greatest witness, as they rely on your senses. You might be inclined to say, Alma saw an angel… Well when Alma was pressed for a source of his testimony he said
“Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.”
Alma 5:46
The greatest witness is when His Spirit speaks to our Spirit.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Understanding Mercy.
“For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.” Alma 33:16
What are the “mercies” that Alma is referring to? To be simple, The Atonement. The Atonement is often misunderstood, we think we put in all our effort, and Christ makes up the rest. When in reality Christ has paid the full price.
A common fallacy is when we require others to repent before we forgive them. We think “they have not earned” our forgiveness. We must remember, that they are not the ones who paid the price, it is Christ, is His death not enough?
Faith Unto Repentance.
“Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;”
Alma 34:17
True faith will always lead unto repentance, that is just how it works. Amulek teaches and admonishes that the people pray for faith, that leads unto repentance. Why? Because it is hard. But it will bring mercy.
Neal A. Maxwell
Taking Offense
“Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people…and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.” Alma 35:15
In this verse Alma laments the wickedness of the people, they are taking offense at the truth. When confronted with true doctrines, instead of humbling themselves they get angry and “offended” at the word. Just like Lamen and Lemuel who as 1st Nephi 16:2 said “Took the truth to be hard”
Let us not be like Lamen and Lemuel, or the wicked Nephites, let us humble ourselves and not take offense at what others say or do, even if it is intended to offend us! But certainly, let us not when it is true doctrine being taught to us.
Brigham Young