Lesson Highlights

• Alma gives a powerful discourse on the priesthood and foreordination.
• Alma, Amulek, and other believers are persecuted for their righteousness.
• Zeezrom is healed and baptized.
• The words of Alma are fulfilled as the Lamanites destroy Ammonihah.

Scripture references for study:  Alma 13–16
    Note: Underlined scripture references have been hyperlinked to the LDS Scriptures at LDS.org and will open in a new window.

Lesson 24 Handout (PDF format)

Alma 13

1. READ ALMA 13:1-6.
• ACCORDING TO ALMA, WHAT IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE WHO HOLD THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD?
• "to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest" (v6).
• WHAT OTHER IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES ARE TAUGHT IN THESE VERSES?
• It teaches of our pre-existence and our agency.
• We were left to choose between good and evil (v3).
• Ordinations were "called and prepared from the foundation of the world" (v3).
• Joseph Smith: "Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was. I suppose I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council." (TPJS, p365)
• Those ordinations were confirmed in this life according to the exercise of faith (v3).
• Others who had been foreordained to great callings, did not receive their calling in this life because they did "reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds" (v4).
• President Harold B. Lee: "I fear there are many among us who because of their faithfulness in the spirit world were 'called' to do a great work here, but like reckless spendthrifts they are exercising their free agency in riotous living and are losing their birthright and the blessings that were theirs had they proved faithful to their calling. Hence as the Lord has said, 'there are many called but few are chosen'." (Decisions For Successful Living, p169)
2. In Alma 13, there are several references to "entering into the rest of the Lord" (see verses 6,12,13,16, & 29).
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ENTER INTO THE REST OF THE LORD?
• Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "The rest of the Lord, where mortals are concerned, is to gain a perfect knowledge of the divinity of the great latter-day work.  [President Joseph F. Smith said,] 'It means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else; we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive.'  It is 'rest from the religious turmoil of the world; from the cry that is going forth, here and there--lo, here is Christ; lo, there is Christ.' The rest of the Lord, in eternity, is to inherit eternal life, to gain the fulness of the Lord's glory." (Mormon Doctrine, p633)
• HOW CAN WE BECOME WORTHY TO ENTER INTO HIS REST?
• READ ALMA 13:27-29. Alma pleads with the people to repent.
• IF WE UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF REPENTING, WHY DO MANY OF US PROCRASTINATE THE DAY OF OUR REPENTANCE?
• HOW CAN WE OVERCOME THIS TENDENCY TOWARDS PROCRASTINATION?
• Hold to the rod - it will provoke us to change our ways and move us in doing good works.

Alma 14

1. HOW DID THE PEOPLE OF AMMONIHAH RESPOND TO ALMA'S CALL TO REPENTANCE?
• READ ALMA 14:1-3.
• WHY DO SOME PEOPLE BECOME ANGRY WHEN THEY ARE CALLED TO REPENTANCE?
• Pride. There is a loss of humility. They actually believe they are in the right and when it is challenged they become defensive.
• They like their sins. They have become comfortable and content in their iniquitous lifestyle and see no reason to change.
• HOW CAN WE OVERCOME FEELINGS OF PRIDE AND ANGER?
• HOW CAN WE APPROPRIATELY HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO REPENT?
• "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile- Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death." (D&C 121:41-44)
2. HOW DID THE PEOPLE OF AMMONIHAH RESPOND WHEN ZEEZROM CONFESSED HIS SINS AND PLEADED FOR ALMA AND AMULEK?
• According to verse 7:
• They reviled him.
• They spit on him.
• Cast him out from among them and also those who believed in the words of Alma and Amulek and sent men to cast stones at them.
• Sometimes the obstacles in repenting are great. We may not face the being cast out, as did Zeezrom, but there may be those who fail to respect our choices and may even seek to intimidate us. How committed are we to making the tough, yet correct choices?
• While on my mission, I had the privilege of teaching the discussions to a wonderful couple. They listened intently and applied the principles of learning truth. They were serious about choosing baptism and changing their ways, until they started discussing this change with their friends. Their friends said that they could not accept this change. Though this couple had learned the truth, they were unable to overcome social ostracism and so chose not to be baptized. My hope is that they have since reconsidered. If not, what have they given up for social acceptance?
3. The events in Ammonihah reached a climax when those that believed Alma and Amulek were burned.
• READ ALMA 14:8-11.
• WHY DID THE LORD ALLOW THE WICKED PEOPLE OF AMMONIHAH TO KILL THE RIGHTEOUS?
• The Spirit constrained Alma that he must not extend his hand.
• Certainly the Lord could have saved these righteous souls.
• The Lord would receive these people unto himself.
• The blood of the innocent would stand in judgment against the wicked people of Ammonihah.
• President Spencer W. Kimball: "Now, we find many people critical when a righteous person is killed, a young father or mother is taken from a family, or when violent deaths occur. Some become bitter when oft-repeated prayers seem unanswered. Some lose faith and turn sour when solemn administrations by holy men seem to be ignored and no restoration seems to come from repeated prayer circles. But if all the sick were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended.

    "If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil--all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency, no Satanic controls.
    "Should all prayers be immediately answered according to our selfish desires and our limited understanding, then there would be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death; and if these were not, there would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, eternal life, and godhood." (Improvement Era, Mar 1966, p180 & 210)

Alma 15 & 16

1. After the repentant people of Ammonihah were burned, Alma and Amulek were challenged.
• They refused to answer and were thrown into prison.
• They were able to escape from prison when it miraculously collapsed and all within the prison were killed.
2. Zeezrom's sickness.
• READ ALMA 15:3.
• CAN OUR SINS AFFECT OUR PHYSICAL WELL BEING?
• WHAT MUST WE DO?
• See Alma 15:6-11. We must believe and have faith in the redeeming power of the atonement.
3. DID AMULEK LOSE BY CHOOSING TO LIVE THE GOSPEL AND SERVE AS A MISSIONARY?
• WHAT DID HE LOSE?
• See Alma 15:16-18.
• His gold, silver, and precious things (car, stereo, nice clothes).
• Rejected by his friends and family.
• WHAT DID HE GAIN?
• Eternal life.
• The peace of having served God and blessing the lives of others.
• A wonderful friend in Alma and the other members of the Church.
• WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU MADE IN CHOOSING TO LIVE AND TEACH THE GOSPEL?
• HOW HAVE YOU BEEN BLESSED FOR THIS?
4. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF AMMONIHAH?
• READ ALMA 16:9-11.
• Wickedness will receive its due reward in time.
• "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.  I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." (2 Nephi 4:34)
• HOW CAN WE TRUST MORE IN GOD AND LESS IN WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE, POWER, OR POSSESSIONS?

Gospel Doctrine Notebook

1. Record your thoughts on the teachings and experiences of Alma and Amulek? What lessons have you learned that can be applied to your life?

Resources Used In This Lesson

• Decisions For Successful Living by Harold B. Lee.
• Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie.
• Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS).
• The Improvement Era.

Next Lesson

Lesson 25:  Alma 17–22