THOUGHT QUESTIONS
ALMA CHAPTERS
1 - 42

CHAPTERS 1 - 23

1

Our Savior has told us to be “meek.” This is not to be mistaken for “weak.” We, even as Gideon in his old age, need to be firm in our beliefs.

• Do you think it does us or anyone else any good to initiate fights concerning our belief?  

• If we have been converted to Jesus Christ, does that make us better than others, or does it give us a responsibility to show by our example and kindness the true message of the Gospel?

2

• Can you think of other people in history who have led people into sin with “glib and lying tongues”?

• Who is the arch-enemy of Christ, having as his evil intent— “destroying all that is holy”?

• Do you think Amlici was a follower of Satan? 

• Do you think that Amlici’s supporters had opened their hearts to realize all of the wonders Christ offered them forever if they came unto Him and obeyed His righteous commandments? 

• Can you think of other areas in your life when it would be helpful for you to ask yourself questions—and then try to answer them sincerely? 

• Do you think asking the Lord questions and meditating, waiting for His answer, can help you with the scriptures and with other areas of your life? 

3

None listed

4

• Do you think when Church members today live wickedly, setting their hearts on worldly pleasures and worldly things, it causes the Church leaders to be “sorely grieved”?

• Why do you think leaders of the Church care about how other people live when they themselves could still obtain Heavenly rewards?

• Why do you think that parents care about how their children live if they themselves are living righteously?

• Why do you think that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ care about how we live when they themselves are perfect?

• Do you think the people were truly converted (by the Holy

  • Ghost) or were they just baptized to get out of trouble?

• Do you think if a person is once converted, he or she stays

  • converted no matter what?

• Do you think continual actions help or hurt ourselves and others—depending on whether we lean toward our carnal or spiritual natures?

5

Alma asked the citizens of Zarahemla to imagine themselves at the Judgment Day. Imagine yourself before the Savior at that Last Day.

• As our Lord looks into your eyes and soul, do you think that there would be anything you would want to change from how you lived your life?

• Right now there is still time, and He reaches out His Arm to steady us and help us.

• How many of us do you think reach out to meet His touch?

• What do you think Alma meant when he said he spoke “in the energy of my soul”?

6

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None Listed

7

• How do you think the Church members in Gideon felt having the Chief High Priest visit them?

• How do Church members feel in the latter days when visited by the Church President?

• Because it was the judgment-seat that prevented Alma from visiting the Church throughout all the country, why do you think he was put in as Chief Judge in the first place?

• Do you think it was necessary to have a man of Alma’s stature and righteousness as Chief Judge with the transition in the government from king to judges?

• Do you think it was necessary for Alma to lead the country during the battles with the Amlicites and Lamanites?

• Many great leaders were chosen in the pre-Earth existence.

• When do you think Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Lord?

·      Why do you think it was so important for Jesus to be the Earthly as well as a spirit Son of the Father in order to complete His difficult task on Earth?

·      What did Alma do to obtain a testimony as a spiritual part of his own being? 

·      What do we have to do to have the testimony of Jesus Christ and His mission on Earth “in us”?

8

• Do you think Alma fasted to sacrifice the needs of his body to exert the influence of his spirit over his body?

• Do you think Alma was now trying to find out how to bring these people to repentance as he himself had been brought to repentance?

• Do you think the people of Ammonihah did the same?

• Remembering that we were all given our agency, how much choice do you think the Holy Ghost has to influence people who harden their hearts against Him?

• Do you think that Satan is vindictive enough to want to “get even”?

• Is trying to persuade people that God does not exist an example of Satan’s vindictiveness?

The angel had just told Alma to rejoice—and then he told him to go back and preach to the people who had reviled him and spit on him.  

• How do you think Alma felt about the angel’s message?  

• How do you think you would have felt if an angel told you to go back to people who had treated you terribly?

9

• Why do you think the Lamanites were “given more leeway” than the Nephites?

• Do you think we are given as many blessings as were the unrepentant Nephites?

• Do you think that this raises God’s expectations for us?

The people of Ammonihah became furious when Alma told them that they were hardhearted, stiffnecked, lost, and fallen. These were frank and unflattering words, even though they were true.  

• Why do you think the people cared what Alma said if they did not believe him?  

• What part do you think Satan had in their actions? 

• Do we ever get angry with people for saying unflattering things to us whether or not we believe what they say?

10

• Do you think Lucifer’s followers in the pre-Earth existence wanted to have the rest of us subjected to themselves— like the people of Ammonihah wanted the rest of the Nephites subjected to them?

• Why do you think Amulek began his speech to the people by telling about himself and his conversion?

• The righteous people’s faith and prayers were sparing the  wicked along with themselves so far. But the wicked wanted to cast these righteous out from among them. Do you see the devil’s hand in their decisions?

• Do you know anyone today who resorts to name-calling or to challenging other’s patriotism or moral scruples when they do not agree—rather than intelligently and genuinely try to listen to another’s vantage point?

• Do you find it interesting that the people called their lawyers “wise lawyers”?

• In your opinion, who put the notion that the lawyers were “wise” into their minds?

• The people listened to the lawyers and to Satan.  

• What does that tell you about their habits of thinking for themselves?

• Nobody tried to refute what Amulek said about their wickedness (his three clear points).

• Do you think this was because they knew they could not refute them so they just wanted to turn attention to false points, away from the true points Amulek preached?

• Have you ever known people, who, when confronted with things they did wrong, simply try to blame others (such as saying, “He did it first.” or “But what she is doing is worse.”)?

• When we are confronted with our own wrong doings, do we have the courage to face up to them and try to repent?

11

None listed

12

·      When Alma said he was saying it “unto you all,” do you think it means us who are reading his words as well as the crowd he was speaking to thousands of years ago?

·      Would you rather hope rocks or mountains would hide you from the Savior—or would you rather joyfully meet Him and bow before Him with thankfulness?

​

13

• No matter where you stood on this spectrum of valiance in the pre-mortal world, where do you think you stand now?

• Did all of God’s spirit children have the same opportunity? 

·        If you are now ordained a Priesthood holder, remember that God trusted you when he called you in the Grand Council of Heaven. Think about what you are doing to use this blessing for others in this life now and what you would like to do to keep His holy trust in you.   

• If you are not a Priesthood holder now, reflect on what you think God called you to do. He kept some of His greatest spirit children to come to Earth in the latter-day dispensation.  (You may want to refer to your Patriarchal Blessing.)

·      How do Alma’s teachings apply to the people of Ammonihah?

·      Do you think Alma made reference to people throughout the world in his time being taught the Gospel—or being nourished with scripture and with prophets?

·      Do you think what Alma said may apply to us in the latter days?

·      Could what Alma said refer to both his own time on Earth (about B.C. 82) and to our time?

·      Do you think missionaries today are going throughout the world for this same reason—to prepare the hearts of the people for the (Second) Coming of the Savior?

·      Do we ever hope that when the Lord comes a second time,

o   it will be in our lifetimes?

·      Do we, like Alma, say that whenever it comes, we will rejoice? 

·      Will we be able to rejoice as well if we are in the Spirit as we can if we are still on Earth when the Lord comes again?

·      Do you think that some of the “just and holy men” of whom   Alma spoke were among those the Lord chose to be His leaders in the pre-Earth existence? 

·      Do you think Alma and Amulek may have been some of the just and holy men in the pre-Earth existence, whether or not they would be the ones called to say when the Lord would be born?

·      Since Alma felt actual pain at thinking of the terrible consequences for these people who had been so cruel to him, do you think it shows that he gained a tremendous amount of holiness since his own conversion? 

·      Do you think the Lord feels tremendous pain when He sees the wickedness of people for whom He suffered and died?

·      Do you think the Lord feels tremendous gladness when we, His spirit brothers and sisters, strive to be righteous?

·      Knowing the pain of the Lord as He sees our sins, does that make you want to repent and make the Lord glad?

·      Do you think when we care about how others behave, knowing the consequences they will reap for their deliberate sin, it shows that we, like Alma, are beginning to have the love for our fellow beings that the Savior has for us?

14

​

• Have you ever heard of lawyers in court today try to win their case by harping on a “technicality,” rather than by the real meaning of what was said or what happened?

• Have you heard politicians do this when they are debating their opponents or arguing a policy?

• Have you heard individuals do this to further a point? 

• Do you think when king Mosiah set up the court system he intended people to use this type of trickery?

• Do Zeezrom’s feelings remind you of the feelings that Alma once experienced?

15

• None listed

16

​

·      How many political decisions do you think are made today with the thought, “whether the Lord would [sanction it]”?

·      Do you think that Alma thought it worth all the suffering and trials he experienced as he saw the Church of the Lord established throughout the nation and the blessings of the Lord poured out among the people?

17

• Do you think this meeting was really accidental, or that God allowed the good friends to meet and strengthen each other? 

• Do you think “harvest” is an appropriate metaphor to represent the gathering of souls to God? 

• Do you agree that these missionaries were taking on a “great work”?

• Why do you think the sons of Mosiah’s words carried “Power”?

• What did the sons of Mosiah and their companions do to insure the Holy Spirit would be with them?

• Did they think they could perform the task themselves, or did they want to be willing tools in God’s Hands?

• Once Mother Teresa said that she was “a little pencil in God’s Hands.”

• Do you think fasting and prayer can help us become instruments in God’s Hands to bring others to the truth?

• What special Gift tells us the best way we can personally serve God?

• What can the lesson in patience teach us as we interact with and hope to influence those who believe differently than we believe?

• What can the lesson of meekness teach us?

·      Do you think “harvest” is an appropriate metaphor to represent the gathering of souls to God?

·      Do you notice that the devil has no power or desire to protect his followers? They are just tools. When they fall, he goes after other ones, rather than caring about the fallen. His aim is to make as many as possible miserable, as he is miserable, no matter whether or not they are his followers. 

·      Do you notice how Satan is also completely evil, having no caring, compassion, or loyalty, even toward his own followers?

·      Do you notice that the devil cannot or does not warn his followers of disastrous decisions they are making?

·      Do you think some of the reasoning is that he would be going against his own nature to help anyone—even those who follow him?

·      Do you think Ammon was filled with the Holy Ghost—to have courage to go alone against the huge outlaw gang?

18

• Do we ever claim to believe in God, yet think that things we do (even though they might be unethical or sinful) are justified?

• How do you think the king and his servants reacted to this new view of history concerning their ancestors? 

• Do you think it is amazing that the king, upon the first hearing of completely different conceptsfrom what he had been taught since he was born, immediately believed Ammon?

• Do you think the Lord helped prepare the heart of king Lamoni so that he was ready to accept the truth?

• Do you think the Holy Ghost was both with Ammon and with king Lamoni during this conversion process?

19 

·      Have you ever noticed that some people give mistaken or false reasons for something that happened, saying, “[something] is true, because…”?

·      Do you think it is wise to not hurriedly tie a cause to an effect without confirmation?

·      Do you think the Spirit of God works His understandings among people bitterly arguing?

·      Are missionaries encouraged to argue their points of view or to humbly testify of Jesus Christ?

·      Do you ever listen to an inspiring talk, perhaps in General Conference or another spiritual gathering and wonder why, when others are also listening to the same talk, they are not moved as you are?

·      Do you think it is necessary to prepare our hearts so we can truly listen to the Voice of the Spirit, rather than to merely catch physical sound waves?

·      Do you find it tragic that Satan had such hold over the hearts of some of our spirit brothers and sisters, who were Lamanites at the time of Ammon, that in spite of witnessing a great miracle, and having had the opportunity to experience such an outpouring of the Spirit, “went their way” rather than joining the fold of our God.

·      How different do you think it is to keep resisting evil even though you want to do it—comparedwith having your heart changed so you have no desire whatsoever to do evil?

·      Do you think the “change of heart” was a blessing to the servants of king Lamoni?

·      Do you think the Holy Spirit can change our hearts so we have no desire ever to do anything wrong?

·      When God is asked, in the Sacrament prayer, to “bless and sanctify our souls,” do you think this is a prayer to take away our desire to do evil so we may always have the Holy Ghost with us?

·      20

·      When something wonderful happens to you, are you excited to share that experience with your family and friends?

·      Do you think it is normal that king Lamoni, having been converted to the Gospel, would want to share that blessing with his father?

·      How do you think the over-king would react if king Lamoni answered him that he was caught up in a vision to the Lord at the time and had since been establishing a Church?

·      Do you think king Lamoni would hold up under pressure from his father?

21

·      How do you think we can best protect ourselves against

o   Satan’s lies?

·      Do you think the Holy Ghost, the witness to Christ, is more powerful than Satan?

·      Who would you rather have as a companion—the Holy

o   Ghost or Satan?

·      How do you think we can get and keep the Holy Ghost as our Companion and Witness?

·      To some extent, people choose the atmosphere in which they live.  

·      Would you rather live in the atmosphere Satan offers, that of evil, anger, and dissention, or would you rather live within the calm peaceful atmosphere of the Holy Spirit of God?

·      What do you suppose was the atmosphere in prison?  Discouragement?  Resignation? Determination?

·      We do not know.  But we do know that the prisoners suffered.

·      How do you suppose the atmosphere changed when the prisoners were delivered from prison? Gratefulness? Love?  Fellowship?  Joy?

·      How do you think the atmosphere in the land of Ismael changed from how it had been before the conversion of king Lamoni?

22

• Why do you think the king had been “troubled in mind” 

• since Ammon spoke to him?

• Do you think the Lord was stirring up the heart of the old king to break up his belief in the traditions of his fathers?

• Do you think the old king had looked forward to talking with Ammon?

• Do you think he would be as receptive to Aaron and hisbrethren as he would have been to Ammon?

• Does it matter who the missionary is if the message of truth is the same?

• Have you ever looked forward to listening to a particular Church teacher or speaker—or well-loved Prophet—and then have that person substituted for another?

• Are you as receptive to the second person as you would 

• have been to the first?

• If a teacher, speaker, missionary, prophet, or other messenger of God is filled with the Holy Ghost and your heart is receptive to the same Holy Spirit, are you willing to trust in the Lord’s word, no matter what messenger He sends?

• Do you think that going to the king involved great courage and conviction on the part of Aaron and his brethren?

• Why do you think the king believed that the Great Spirit created all things?

• What do you think made him willing to listen to Aaron, promising to believe?

• Why do you think it was important for Nephites to know they could get quickly to the land of Desolation from Bountiful?

• Do you think it was even more important for them to obey

• the commandments of the Lord than to have a strategic

• escape route?

• What did the Lord promise the Nephites if they kept His

• commandments?

• What were the Nephites warned would happen to them if they did not keep the commandments?

• Do you remember that one reason the Lamanites had such

• a large population compared to that of the Nephites was

• so the Lamanites could be a “scourge” to the Nephites?

23

• None listed

CHAPTERS 24 - 42

24

·      When guilt is “taken away from our hearts,” do you suppose it means that because we have repented we no longer need to feel guilty since Jesus Christ has paid for those sins?

·      Could it also mean that in our “hearts,” we no longer have a desire to commit those sins?

·      Do you suppose it was realizing that Christ alone could atone and we need to repent and live worthily to accept this Atonement that Anti-Nephi-Lehi said, “It was all we could do to repent sufficiently”?

·      Would our own lives be easier if our decisions to keep our covenants with God were made ahead of tempting situations?

·      Would we then have the exquisite feeling of being “one” with the Holy Spirit—always realizing that Eternity, rather than life on Earth, is lasting?

·      We may not be asked to bury our physical weapons of war

o   to bring about peace as the Anti-Nephi-Lehis chose to

o   do, but do you think we have other weapons of war that must be buried to bring about peace in our homes and in our workplaces and in our lives?

·      The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were right and their enemies were wrong, yet the Anti-Nephi-Lehies buried theirweapons.

·      Could we bury the weapon of self-righteousness?  

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of contention?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of resentment?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of judging others?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of laziness?

·      What do you think are some other weapons of war we could bury to bring about peace?

·      How did God show lasting mercy to these martyrs, event though they died?

·      What kind of reception do you think these faithful Anti-Nephi-Lehies received on the other side of the veil as their spirits left their bodies?

·      Do you suppose some of the angels who had previously taught them were there to welcome them into the spirit world?

·      Do you think that being converted to the truth is a responsibility as well as a blessing?

·      Do you think that the responsibility itself is a blessing?

·      How do you think we can retain our testimonies once we have been given them?

​

·      When guilt is “taken away from our hearts,” do you suppose it means that because we have repented we no longer need to feel guilty since Jesus Christ has paid for those sins?

·      Could it also mean that in our “hearts,” we no longer have a desire to commit those sins?

·      Do you suppose it was realizing that Christ alone could atone and we need to repent and live worthily to accept this Atonement that Anti-Nephi-Lehi said, “It was all we could do to repent sufficiently”?

·      Would our own lives be easier if our decisions to keep our covenants with God were made ahead of tempting situations?

·      Would we then have the exquisite feeling of being “one” with the Holy Spirit—always realizing that Eternity, rather than life on Earth, is lasting?

·      We may not be asked to bury our physical weapons of war

o   to bring about peace as the Anti-Nephi-Lehis chose to

o   do, but do you think we have other weapons of war that must be buried to bring about peace in our homes and in our workplaces and in our lives?

·      The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were right and their enemies were wrong, yet the Anti-Nephi-Lehies buried their weapons.

·      Could we bury the weapon of self-righteousness?  

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of contention?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of resentment?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of judging others?

·      Do you think we could bury the weapon of laziness?

·      What do you think are some other weapons of war we could bury to bring about peace?

·      How did God show lasting mercy to these martyrs, event though they died?

·      What kind of reception do you think these faithful Anti-Nephi-Lehies received on the other side of the veil as their spirits left their bodies?

·      Do you suppose some of the angels who had previously taught them were there to welcome them into the spirit world?

·      Do you think that being converted to the truth is a responsibility as well as a blessing?

·      Do you think that the responsibility itself is a blessing?

·      How do you think we can retain our testimonies once we have been given them?

​

25

• How do you think we must live our own lives that our living may be great missionary tools to help bring others to Christ, our true and living God?

• What lesson do you think we can learn from the Lamanites who blamed others for their own misdeeds and outright wickedness?

• What lesson do you think we can learn from the Ammonihahites about believing in the Power of the Lord and His prophets’ words?

26

·      Do we, in discouragement, ever feel like we are in a “dark abyss”?

·      How do you think we can be brought, instead, to behold the “marvelous Light of God”?

·      Would you rather willingly be in God’s fold, or chained into the devil’s fold?

·      How do you think we can best be instruments in God’s Hands to help bring about His great work?

·      Can you think of a greater blessing than to be privileged to be part of the wonderful work of helping save souls?

·      With the opportunity for these wonderful blessings, do you think that we, like Ammon, should rejoice in the wonderful love and mercy of our Savior?

·      Why do you think Ammon said they had greater reason to rejoice than any men since the world began?

·      Do you suppose Ammon was thankful just because his own soul was saved, or also because he had been blessed to be an instrument in the Hand of God in saving thousands of souls?

·      Are we not all, who came from God in a pre-mortal Heavenly world, wanderers in a strange land on Earth?

·      Is God not mindful of us all, here in this “strange land”?

·      Would you choose to live in Christs marvelous Light or the Devil’s darkness throughout Eternity?

·      Where would you want your spirit brothers and sisters to live Eternally?

27

·      What sort of lives do you think the majority of Nephites were living at this particular time since the large group of Lamanites attacking them was not able to destroy them?

·      Do you think that the Lord specifically inspired the “friendliness” and “correspondence” that the Lamanite converts had with some of the Nephites—since their conversion to help prepare Nephite minds for this “new type of” Lamanite?

28

·      None listed

29

• Have you ever felt so strongly about the Gospel that you have wanted everyone to realize the truth of it from your viewpoint—that you have almost wanted to shake them?

• Was Alma’s wish entirely selfless in purpose? 

• Did he want any money or treasure from doing this?

• Was there anything wrong with his wish?

• Some people might think it would be easier to never have been taught the truth so they cannot be held accountable for their sins.

• Do you think that the Lamanites who repented and came to Christ feel that it was better for them to have received the Light of Christ and live in that glorious knowledge—or would they rather have stayed in the darkness of Satan, continually doing evil?

• Do you think that living with ignorance, not knowing the joy of the Gospel and living in the Light of Christ, would be a more comfortable life than responsibly living the Gospel, simply so we could be lazy about being good?

• Do you think that those who are covered by the Atonement through ignorance, experience in this life, the type of joy the sons of Mosiah experienced?

• Do you think we feel good when we do good things—large and small—for other people?

• Do you think that the more good we do—and the more Christ-like we become—increases this joyful feeling within our hearts?

• Do you think that if God has given us the opportunity to know the Gospel and live the Gospel, He trusts us with that which He has allotted us?

• Do you ever ask yourself a question, reflect on that question, and then answer the question yourself?

• Do you think the Holy Ghost can help you answer questions?

• Do you think the Holy Ghost helped Alma attain his wish?

• Do we “glory” in the callings the Lord gives us, rather than wish we had another person’s calling?

• Do we remember that the purpose of our callings is to help build the Lord’s Kingdom and to bring other souls to repentance—rather than to satisfy ourselves?

• Do we feel a “state of great gratification or exaltation” in doing whatever the Lord has “allotted” us to do?

30

• Do we realize what a great and humbling privilege it is to serve the God of the universe, who has done everything for us?

• Should this realization make us more willing to magnify our callings and to live our lives as He would have us live them?

• Do you think that Joseph Smith was ever called “crazy” because he believed in angels and God and revelation?

• Do you think that so-called “learned” people today patronize believers, calling them “crazy” or “foolish” for believing in the scriptures, in God, and in Christ?

• Why do you think the people of the land of Zarahemla were so quick to listen to a messenger of the devil?

• Do you think he was telling them things they wanted to hear?

• Do you think that communities as a whole tend to develop certain standards of righteousness?

• Do you think righteous people like to be around other righteous people?

• Do you think if values are not deeply imbedded in people’s hearts, they are quicker to give them up?

• Do you think Korihor did some serious re-thinking about his own cleverness when he realized he could not hear or speak?

• Do you think the devil—whom Korihor had willingly followed as he taught evil throughout the land—would now try to help his disciple?

• From your experience, do you know of people who are not sorry for the wrong they do, but are only sorry that they get caught doing it?

• Do we ever feel this way ourselves?

• Is just being sorry for being caught true repentance?

31

·      Does the attitude of the sons of Mosiah teach us a lesson in humility?

·      Are we reminded that in answering the Lord’s calls that our most important goal in life is to make our goal the work and glory of our God—to bring souls unto Him? 

·      Does the calling of his helpers to go to various places remind you of the general authorities and missionaries called to go to particular places and often are reassigned according to the needs of the work of God?

·      Do you think there is a good reason why the hymn, “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord” has been so popular and inspirational among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for decades?

·      Could the great loss the Nephites feared be loss of life?

·      Could it be loss of land?

·      Could it be loss of liberty?

·      Could it be loss of righteousness?

·      Could it be all of these things? 

• Does realizing the pain of Alma’s soul and his actual sickness of being touched by such wickedness give us even a tiny glimpse of what the pure Savior experienced by the agony of having all the sins that have ever or will ever be committed, in combination with all pain, sickness, and sorrow ever experienced, come upon Him?

• If we do not realize that we are lost—or cannot get back to God in our sins—and we do not realize that we do not have the capacity to pay for our sins—do you think we would be likely to accept the sacrifice of our Savior, and the agony He went through to assure us an opportunity to gain Eternal Life?

• If we do not realize that we are sinning when we sin, are we likely to be receptive to the principle of repentance?

• If we think we are better and more deserving of Heaven than other people, are we likely to try to help them get back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

• Do you think this was an unusual perception—to be thankful for poverty and for being cast out of the synagogues?

• Can you think of any time adversity has helped anyone to be humble—or brought him or her to a place to more fully accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

• Were most of Jesus’s Apostles people in high and wealthy political places or were they people in more humble circumstances?

32

• In what way do you think the metaphor “delicious,” referring to “how the word of God feels to us,” is an appropriate comparison?

• How could the word of God continue to symbolically swell and sprout within our hearts?

• What type of nourishment do you think a growing Gospel tree would need to gain roots?

• What would be the literal meaning of “heat of the sun” coming to scorch the tree with no roots?

• Do you know of anyone to cast away a withering testimony when it was actually that person who made the testimony weak because of neglect?

• Do you think what Alma told the Zoramite people gave them a way to work toward partaking of God’s love?

• To work to partake of the love of God, do we need to have faith in Jesus Christ, and then know of God’s holy Plan of Salvation?

• Is knowing the word of God, which teaches the Plan of Salvation, an important step toward partaking of His love?

• Is doing the will of our God, or doing our part in the Plan of Salvation, important in partaking of His love? 

• Are continuing in faith, repentance, and working for further Light and knowledge important steps toward partaking of His love?

• Is helping others understand God’s word, such as Alma did when he taught the poor among the Zoramites, important in partaking of God’s love?

• Did the rich and haughty Zoramites grow to understand God’s love when they were glad thinking that others were not accepted of God? 

• Is the “seed,” as the “word of God,” represented in Alma’s sermon on faith similar to the “iron rod” represented in the vision seen by Lehi and Nephi?

• Does God, in every generation, want His children to learn and accept His great Plan so that we can all feast upon His love?

• Is it any wonder that we will never “hunger” or “thirst” again if we feast upon the love of our God, Heavenly Father, and the love of His Son, Jesus Christ?

33

·      How often do we find answers to our concerns when we truly and sincerely search the scriptures?

• From what “people” do you think the unbelievers will be cut off?

34

·      Do you think that as the Holy Ghost causes us to remember, the devil can cause us to forget, if we submit ourselves to his control?

·      What do you think was meant by the “power of your enemies” against which we may cry?

·      Who is the enemy of all righteousness?

·      Could closets, secret places, and wilderness be within us as well as actual places?

·      If we felt “wilderness” in our soul, would that be an important time to pray to the Lord?

·      Do you think the lesson Amulek gave on charity can be applied to the way we should live the Gospel today?

·      Do you think Mormon included these great lessons so we can “liken” them to our own lives?

• Which group of Zoramites were actually proving themselves to be as “dross”—the rich ones who cast the others out of the synagogues—or the poor ones who were humble enough to listen to the missionaries?

• Do you think there could be a danger today of those who become converted to the Gospel to think they are better than others?

• Do you think that both humility and charity are important for everyone?

35

• Have you heard of any so-called “popular” people who are greedy and use others as their power-base?

• Do you think that even before they left the land of the Zoramites that Alma and the other missionaries had an idea there would be many refugees who would come to the land of Jershon?

• Can you think of other groups of people who have been driven from their land because of their beliefs?

• Do you know of people who not only get rid of former acquaintances or friends but do not want anyone else to befriend them?

• Since many Nephites did not appreciate God’s rewards, 

  • do you think they would have done well to remember what

• Amulek told the Zoramites—that they would not want the

• devil’s reward?

• How much do we thank God when we are blessed, as well as go to Him for help when we need Him? He is always there for us—in our sorrows and in our joys!

36

• Alma told Helaman that he would “prosper in the land” if he kept God’s commandments.

• Do you think the blessing was to make Helaman wealthy so he could relax and indulge himself in worldly comforts—or that he would be expected to use his prosperity, if it was personal wealth, to serve God and his fellowmen?

• Do you think that when we prosper as we keep the Lord’s commandments, it is a symbol of what will happen Eternally when we keep them?

• Do you think the fact that Alma “beseeches” Helaman tells how important it was for Helaman to hear and heed what his father had to tell him?

• What do you think that trusting in God has to do with the great power of faith?

• Did  Alma  tell  his son  there would  be no trials, troubles, and afflictions—or did he say that God would support him when he was involved in these unhappy situations?

• Alma the Elder and the members of the Church had been praying for young Alma’s soul and for the preservation of the Church.  

·      Do you think, since they lived in the Light of Christ, they were able to share some of their Light through their prayers?

• Imagine for a minute Alma’s situation. He had just spent much time and effort trying to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ. Now he was calling on this very Jesus Christ for mercy.  

• How do you think Jesus would react to this call for help?

·      Do you think this prayerful fast helped Alma remember some of what he had been taught of Jesus Christ?

37

• Do you think that the Eternal “brightness” of the Plates was spiritual as well as physical?

• Do you think the bright messages of The Book of Mormon bring Light into our lives in this latter-day?

• Do you think studying the scriptures today can enlarge our memories even back to the pre-mortal world?

• Do you think the scriptures can help convince us of the errors of our ways?

• Do you think the scriptures can bring us to the knowledge of our God unto the Salvation of oursouls?

• How does it make you feel, knowing that Alma, over 2000 years ago, was prophesying to his son about our generation as well as his own?

• How are The Book of Mormon scriptures showing forth God’s Power in this day?

• Nephites were already becoming hard-hearted and wicked. Alma wanted to bring them back to the Spirit of Truth and Light—so he made an inspired decision to not lay before them more evil plans to focus upon.

• Considering Alma’s decision to not explicitly state the devil’s pattern of evil oath-taking and signs, do you know of people who carelessly “play” with evil and dangerous things, and thus are led step by step into the devil’s trap?

• Have you heard of gangs, terrorists, or other wicked organizations that do use evil oaths and signs to promote the devil’s work?

• As Mormon was summarizing Alma’s words to his son, what do you think were his feelings—seeing the Nephite nation, in all their wickedness centuries later, traveling the same path of destruction that the Jaredites took?

• Do you think the relationship with the Liahona is similar to what the earlier Children of Israel experienced when they did not exercise faith in God or His prophet Moses, although a cloud led them by day and a pillar of fire by night?

• Do you think our relationship with our “Divine compass,” the Holy Ghost, affects our progress in our lives?

38

• How are steadiness and faithfulness to God related qualities?

• How do you think the five characteristics that Alma attributed to Shiblon are valuable to missionaries—or any of us—today?

39

• How do you think not doing something can cause as much damage to our souls as doingsomething could cause? 

·      Do we ever try to excuse ourselves from doing wrong with the argument, “everybody’s doing it”?

• Do you think the sexual sins of fornication and adultery, or the sin of pornography, is also shown to be abominable?

• Does the devil, “the liar from the beginning,” (D&C 93:25) try to make things that are wicked appear to be good?

• Do you think that Alma told Corianton the Lord’s feelings toward this sin to condemn him—or because he wanted him to repent for his own Eternal Salvation?

• Do you think sexual sins begin with unclean thoughts that are allowed to continue to fester and lead to unclean acts?

·      Do you think that Alma set a good example by confessing his earlier sins to his sons, and by explaining with all his heart how much better he was now that he was a follower of Christ rather than a damned follower of Satan?

·      Do you think turning to the Lord with our entire “mind, might, and strength” will bless us in our Earthly lives as well as bless us spiritually?

·      Can you think of an angel who was sent to declare good tidings after the life of Christ on Earth?

40

• How do you think Alma “perceived” that Corianton was worried, or confused, about the Resurrection of the dead?

• Does the Holy Spirit give us insights that we would not otherwise have?

·      What do you think the word “house” (that the wicked evil people permitted the devil to enter and possess), means?

• What do you think the metaphor, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, means literally?

• What do you think the wicked recognize about their own parts in deserving to live in such an awful state?

41

• Do you think it is wonderful that the Lord prepared the way for us to live with Him forever and that—through our own choices—we may “walk therein,” or on His Covenant Path, to meet with Him in Eternal glory?

42

·      How do you think this simple reasoning of Elder Ludlow reflects the fairness, or justice, of God?

·      Do you think the “Tree of Life” is an appropriate name for the tree if mortals prematurely eat from it?