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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome.  Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4).   This priority was not only reflecte...
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Alma 40 - The Spirits of All Men Are Taken Home to That God Who Gave Them Life


In chapter 40, Alma continued to instruct his youngest son Corianton. It is interesting to compare the main themes of Alma's messages to his three sons. 

 Helaman 36-37

  • "That there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance" (Alma 36:21, 42) 
  • "Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God as they are written" (Alma 37:20). 

Shiblon 38

  • "I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God" (Alma 38:2)
  • Conversion Story (Alma 38:6-9)
  • "As ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things" (Alma 38:10)

Corianton 39-42

  • "And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good. But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day" (Alma 29:7-8)
  • "And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people" (Alma 39:15)

To his son Heleman he emphasized the importance of the word of God and its role in his conversion. Alma would pass on the responsibility of keeping a record of God's dealing with the people to Heleman and may have wanted to impress upon him the significance of this calling. Shiblom was a righteous missionary, and so Alma's comments to him were the most brief and focused on practical advice to be successful in his ministry. Corianton was Alma's wayward son, and so Alma spent the most time with him to emphasize the dangers of sin. He then went on to teach extensively about the mission of the Savior and the afterlife and resurrection. At first reading I was confused by Alma's focus on what seem like doctrinal nuances about the afterlife. If I had a son or daughter who had committed serious sin and I was trying to reach out to them and help them return to a safe and healthy path, would I talk about when and how we are resurrected? 

 So why did Alma teach the doctrines he did to his Son? He emphasized the coming of Christ to show the importance of the mission he was called to to preach to the Zoramites. He also taught in detail about the resurrection for reasons that are not clear until chapter 41. Corianton had doctrinal concerns that may have been stumbling blocks to his testimony. Perhaps by clarifying these doctrines Alma was building Corianton's faith and opening a channel for the Spirit to help him through the repentance process. Additionally, Alma was stressing to Corianton that we are all held accountable for our thoughts, words, and actions, and that our choices in this life will have a significant impact on our eternal state in the next life .

 Not only was Alma aware of Corianton's crisis of faith around the doctrine of the resurrection, he studied and prayed and sought diligently to receive revelation on the subject. Most revelation, both personal revelation and revelation for the whole church received through his prophet, is predicated on our sincere and urgent desires. As alma explained, "there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know—that is concerning the resurrection" (Alma 40:3).

Alma taught that we will all return to meet with God after we die. Even before we are resurrected "... the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40:11). Imagining this reunion and the conversation that I will have with my Creator, Father, and God can be a powerful motivator to try to live as He would have me life. I imagine Him filled with empathy and love, with a perfect understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. I wonder if in that moment He will share his observations of how I did in this life, or if it will simply be a joyful reunion. 

 After our initial audience with God, and a period of time as spirits without our bodies, Alma taught that our spirits and bodies will "be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works ... The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame" (Alma 40:21-22).

 Alma shared these details with his son to help him appreciate the ramifications of his actions, and to illustrate that we will always exist. We will continue with our same personalities, attitudes, and knowledge. The only way we can grow past our sins and shortcomings is through the atonement of Jesus Christ and our sincere efforts to repent.
Application Questions

 What doctrines could we teach that would be most helpful to our children? What are the most important things you want to teach your children before they are grown?

 How does knowing about God and His plan for us shape our attitudes and behavior?

 How will I want to feel when I am reunited with my maker? What am I doing now to make that possible?
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