Alma Chapter 36

36:2 - "...I would that ye should do as I have done..."
Alma is teaching his son in this chapter and encourages him to follow his example.
We also should look to our fathers and follow their righteous examples.


36:9 - "...and he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God..."
No matter how much some people may try, they cannot force somebody else to take their view.  We must also not seek to do the same, whether it's against the church or in behalf of the church.  To force others is a path of destruction.
We must convert ourselves and share our convictions and testimonies, but realize that we cannot force others to adopt the same beliefs.


36:24 - "...Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost..."
We must not become weary of doing good.  There are always people that need help, and there's something that we can do to help or prepare to help.


36:24-26 - "...that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste..."
When we receive great blessings, we must have the faith and actions to try to bring them to others.  We can exercise faith and hope that they will benefit from our actions.

Alma Chapter 35

35:15-16 - "...Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them...he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge..."
Alma saw the importance of teaching his own family before going back out to teach the rest of the people.  He also took his family with him to go teach again.  We should remember to do the same - make sure that we're teaching our own families first and foremost.


35:15-16 - "...having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city..."
Alma could have given up on the Zoramites and other people - but he had the faith that there were some who would still change.  That's why he acted in faith and taught his sons, then they all went back to work.
Sometimes we have difficulties with our own work.  If we follow this example to go back in faith, we have the assurance that as we work in faith and try to do our best, the Lord will help us accomplish what we need to accomplish.

Alma Chapter 34

34:2 - "...I think that it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ..."
These things were not done in a corner (Acts 26:28).
We have them made known unto us, and we really have no excuse.  When you know more, you can fall further, since you can't "not know" any more.
The whole point is that it's not about what we know - but what we do with what we know.


34:9-14 - "...For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish..."
It is expedient to have this atonement, and everything points unto it.
Why?
Elder Bruce D. Porter talked about the "why" in the November 2007 Ensign, pg. 31-32.  In this talk, he discusses having a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
He mentions, "The sacrifices mandated during the Mosaic dispensation pointed symbolically to the atoning sacrifice of the Messiah, who alone could reconcile sinful man with God."
It all testifies of Christ.  He's the one who paid the price.
Why, though, a broken heart and contrite spirit?  Again from his talk:

1. It brings humility.
2. It's a precondition to repentance
3. It serves as a shield against temptation
4. We have more gratitude

These great blessings come only as we prove we have a broken heart and a contrite spirit, which are great blessings as well.

34:14 - "...And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal..."
All things testify of Christ (Moses 6:63).
Everything about the law and the reasons that we keep the commandments point to Christ.  He was able to accomplish the atonement and made it possible for us to even be here.
We should also point to Christ.


34:15-16 - "...that they may have faith unto repentance..."
Having faith unto repentance allows mercy to take over.
If we do not repent, the plan of mercy cannot take hold because that is Christ's law.  And it's something that we can and should follow.


34:32-34 - "...For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors..."
We need to prepare now to meet God - by becoming the person that the Lord wants us to be.


34:41 - "...but that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions..."
We will have this rest one day, but until that time, we need to exercise our patience and faith.
The rest of the Lord is going to be a huge blessing.

Alma Chapter 33

33:11 - "...and thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity..."
The Lord wants to help us, and He will hear us because of our sincerity.  It shows the importance of being sincere with our prayers, and have a personal relationship with Him.


33:19-21 - "...behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live..."
We look unto Christ in order to live (or be healed).  The Brass Serpent represents the Christ (Numbers 21:4-9).
If we look unto Christ, we can be healed in the areas that we need it.


33:19-21 - "...behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live..."
Sometimes the way to be healed is very simple.  We just don't take the path because we expect it to be harder.
We need to have faith in the simple healing process - and follow it.

Alma Chapter 32

32:5 - "...what shall we do?"
This is a profound question that we see often in the scriptures when people have become humble enough to receive teachings from the Lord.
What we can do - is be humble, and be grateful.  Gratefulness leads to humility, and humility opens us up to being taught.


32:14-15 - "...and now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?..."
Those who truly humble themselves are more blessed than those who are forced to be humble.  There really are good things and good choices - some that are better than other good choices.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks talked about this in the November 2007 Ensign, pg. 104-108.
"As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good.  Other choices are better, and still others are best.  Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all."
We must prioritize and put greater value and emphasis on the best choices.  This will keep us motivated in making those best choices.


32:27 - "...if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words..."
We need to start with the desire, then let it work within us.
(Mosiah 26:3; 1 Nephi 10:17; 11:1; 15:1-3; Alma 32:5; Acts 2:38; Alma 22:15; Helaman 5:40).


32:39-40 - "...and thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life..."
If you want the fruit, you have to want it.
Go forward in faith.  That is how we get the fruit - by living the commandments, which opens us up to receiving more of the gift of faith, and the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma Chapter 31

31:5 - "...the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else..."
This relates to Helaman - where one missionary effort by 2 men made a greater difference than a huge military campaign.


31:38 - "...the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith..."
What a great blessing - and they received this blessing through faith.
You see the request in vs. 32-35 - and since it was a righteous desire, the Lord granted it to them.  This helps us have faith that our own righteous desires will be answered.

Alma Chapter 30

30:17-18 - "...and many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime..."
If we buy into this idea that everybody fares according to "the creature," then nothing really matters.  Law doesn't matter, so we can do whatever we want. We see a lot of people who have subscribed to this philosophy today.
With the gospel comes understanding of responsibility - that what we do really does matter, and that we will have to account for what we do before God.
We need to watch out for false teaching and take responsibility for our own actions.


30:44 - "...yea, and all things denote there is a God..."
We don't need to prove to anyone that He exists.  Everything around us testifies that He does exist (Moses 6:63).
However, we also do stand as witnesses of God, so even though we don't need to prove that God is there, we do need to prove that we are there for God (Acts 10:42-43).
We show through our actions, words, and thoughts that we believe in Christ, and that we believe Him.


30:44 - "...yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator..."
While we don't need to prove to others that God exists, we need to continually keep the commandments, which opens us up to more of the gift of faith in Him.  This does not come through signs, except to confirm the faith that we have.  This comes through consistent righteous living of Gospel Principles.
If we live the commandments, we open ourselves up to receive more faith as we do.