Lessons from Alma

[SwissMrs&Pitchfirecaptain of 1,000]

Alma and 450 followers were warned and thus escaped the wicked king Noah. Because of this warning Alma and his followers were able to escape all the wars and bondage that occurred to King Noah and his son king Limih’s people. But they didn’t escape persecution all together because the priests of King Noah (led by Amulon) joined with the Lamanites and when Amulon and his men found Alma and his followers Amulon forced/tricked Alma into slavery.

This was very grievous for the people of Alma and they cried “mightily to God” Mosiah 24:10. Amulon didn’t like seeing Alma and his people pray and forbid them to pray any longer saying, “whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.” Mosiah 24:11.

I believe that in the coming years as saints are taken into bondage and persecuted they too will be forced to stop calling upon the Lord their God.

Even though Alma’s people couldn’t visibly pray they continued to “pour out their hearts to him” Mosiah 24:12.

Because of their cries the Lord’s voice comes to them and comforts them promising that they will be led from bondage eventually but in the mean time “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs.” Mosiah 24:14.

I believe that the Lord will make these same promises to us as we are placed into similar positions in the future (and even now as some of us may be experiencing bondage in other senses).

The next verse (15) is such a great example of how we should respond to all of the Lords desires for us in our own lives. The people who were still oppressed and still in bondage found it in their hearts to, “submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Because of this great faith and patience which the people had, “the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.” (This seemed to be one of the main topics in the last general conference)

The people had shown their faith and that faith had been nourished through their trials. At this point they did not know how the Lord would deliver them. But they trusted that he would and so they spent the night preparing for their deliverance in the morning.

This will happen again when the man like Moses comes. The people will go through similar experiences which will help them to develop the faith and patience necessary to be counted children of God. Once their faith in Christ has grown and strengthened enough they will be led from captivity.

“And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep.” vs. 19

Guess we won’t need to learn how to make wine after all! (see the escape of the people of Limhi in Mosiah 22:10)

[Stephencaptain of 1,000]

Daniel chapter 6 serves as a very similar type or shadow. Read the story of Daniel and the lions den...this time with your conspiracy goggles on...and you will find many similarities to the account in Alma.

[John Adamscaptain of 1,000]

I believe that the Lord will make these same promises to us as we are placed into similar positions in the future (and even now as some of us may be experiencing bondage in other senses).

The next verse (15) is such a great example of how we should respond to all of the Lords desires for us in our own lives. The people who were still oppressed and still in bondage found it in their hearts to, “submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Because of this great faith and patience which the people had, “the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.” (This seemed to be one of the main topics in the last general conference)

Although I feel there probably is some more "bondage" to come, I think we're already in quite deep and I'm already prayinig for deliverance.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfirecaptain of 1,000]

Amen!