THOUGHT QUESTIONS
ALMA CHAPTERS
43 - 63

Thought Questions from Alma, Chapters 43-63

43

ü Knowing that God intended the Lamanites to be a “scourge” among the Nephites, to stir them up in remembrance of their God, how do you think the two major ideas from Chapter 35 relate to each other?

ü Why do you think Mormon, in abridging the Large Plates, interrupted the commentary of what was happening in Book of Mormon history and politics, and took the space to record Alma’s teachings?

ü Do you think there is much that modern day readers of The Book of Mormon can learn from the concept-dense teachings of the last seven chapters?

ü Why do you suppose Alma “could not rest” and simply turn the preaching entirely over to his three sons?

ü Do you think the Spirit of the Lord told Alma to continue to preach the Gospel? 

Many Nephites were turning away from God at this time, which is why Alma, with his sons and other missionaries, preached throughout the land. But there were righteous Nephites who already “hearkened” to the admonitions of the prophet.

ü What does the fact that they were willing to go to war—and did not expect the people of Ammon to participate—tell us about the leaders of the Nephites at this time?

ü What does it tell us about the majority of Nephites, who were ready to defend and protect the Ammonites as well as themselves?

ü Why do you think it was important for the preservation of the Nephite nation that the citizens worship God and keep His commandments?

ü Do you think Mormon’s admiration for this early chief captain may have influenced him to name his son Moroni in Captain Moroni’s honor?

ü What does the fact that Moroni sent messengers to ask Alma to inquire of the Lord tell us about Moroni’s faith in the Lord?

ü What does the Lord’s answer, through Alma, tell us about how God loves to answer prayers asked in faith?

ü Do you agree with Moroni that the defensive war conducted by the Nephites was justified?

ü Do you think Moroni was justified in using any necessary strategies to plan the defense?

ü Although a major reason the Nephites fought was to preserve their religion, do you think they were praying hard to God, or had they relied more on Moroni’s stratagems?

ü How do you suppose Moroni was able to send these thoughts of inspiration to his men in the heat of battle?

ü Is the Lord able to reach the hearts of people under any circumstances?

ü Do you think Moroni understood the strength of the Nephite army was only in the Lord?

ü Do you think even Moroni’s stratagems were inspired by the Lord to help the Nephites?

44

None listed

45

ü What do you think is the difference between worshiping God and worshiping God with great joy?

The prophecy that Helaman recorded would be fulfilled in the days of Mormon, the prophet and abridger of the Large Plates.

• What do you think were Mormon’s feelings as he read the prophecy Alma had revealed almost 500 years earlier?

Although the scriptures said that Alma blessed the Earth, he cursed it “unto destruction” for those who would “do wickedly.”

• How is cursing the land for the wicked actually blessing it for the righteous?

God is completely perfect—completely without sin. He reaches out His Arm constantly to the sinner to repent of sin and come back to Him. But He is absolutely intolerant of the sin itself. He set aside the Promised Land for a great and holy work [among which work was the great Restoration of the Gospel].

• Why do you think the Lord could not look upon sin in the Promised Land with the least degree of allowance?

• Why do you think the Lord cannot look upon our sins with the least degree of allowance?

• What do you think this has to do with repentance and the Atonement?

We often hear people say, “He is worth $2,000,000,” or another such sum. 

• By equating “personal net worth” in terms of dollars and cents, do you think we are giving the worth of a soul a false value?

46

Nephi said we should always “liken” the scriptures unto ourselves—or see their application in our lives. Let us consider the situation with the Nephites at this time and try to understand the lesson the Lord—and through Him, Mormon—had for us when He chose to include the record of this dissention in The Book of Mormon.

ü Can you imagine how God must have sorrowed to see so many rebel against Him just after He had saved all of them from slavery or total annihilation?

ü Do we ever receive great blessings from God and then forget to be grateful soon after we are blessed?

ü Do you think it is important to constantly remember that   the Lord loves us and that we need to keep faith in Him at the center of our lives for our own good as well as for gratitude’s sake?

ü How can we keep our lives full of the Light of Christ so that we can guard against Satan—who cares nothing for our own good, but who wants to make us as miserable as himself?

Some Nephites were descendants of Jacob directly from Joseph through his sons Manasseh (Lehi’s ancestor) and Ephraim (Ishmael’s ancestor). Some were descended from Judah (Mulekites in Zarahemla who chose to become Nephites). Throughout Book of Mormon history, apostates dissented—or broke away from—the Church and from the main body of Nephites.

ü Do you agree with Moroni (verse 27) that the ones who dissented were fulfillments of Jacob’s prophecy?

ü Do you think other dissenting Nephites were also part of the prophecy?

ü Do you think dissenters from Christ’s latter-day Church also are part of this prophecy?

ü The Nephites recruited by Moroni knew they were risking their lives to go into battle. Do you think that believing in the Eternal Life offered by God helped them to be brave enough to enlist?

ü Do you think Moroni was doing well to “liken” scriptures to his own time?

ü Do you think we could “liken” Jacob’s words to our own time?

ü In what ways do you think Amalickiah’s desires and actions fit in with what we know about the devil?

ü Do you remember how the devil tried to gain eminence over God, the Father, striving to gain the Father’s glory and Power?

ü Do you remember how Lucifer (the devil) was willing to use the rest of God’s spirit children to attain his own unrighteous goals?

ü From your observation of how he has behaved and reacted in what we have studied, do you think the devil cares about his followers, or does he abandon them when they are no longer of service to him?

ü Does the devil lie, as Amalickiah lied, to his followers?

ü Do you think the devil would care what happened to Amalickiah if the other Nephites captured him, or would he just look around for another instrument to promote evil among the people?

Moroni was a man of God who did as God commanded. God’s chose to let the captured prisoners reenter ranks of the Nephite nation.

ü Do you think the Lord was generous with these captured Amalickiahites?

ü Does the Lord let us, through repentance, have the opportunity for Eternal Life, even though we sin—if we repent?

ü Do you think there is a connection between these situations?

47

ü Does this again remind you of Satan, who, although routed and cast out of Heaven, continues to seek unrighteous power?

ü Throughout Book of Mormon history, do you notice that Satan seems to find many who have the same unrighteous ambitions that he has?

ü Can you think of any examples since Captain Moroni’s time, including now, of people who also demonstrated power-hungry ambitions at the expense of others?  

ü Do you think these power-hungry people have a kinship with Satan?  

ü Why do you think the Lamanite king listened to Amalickiah to the point that Amalickiah stirred up the king into proclaiming another war against the Nephites?

ü Do you think Amalickiah had ever shown himself to be trustworthy—either to his nation or to his own men?

ü If a person justifies himself by betraying his own country and people, do you think he or she is likely to be truly loyal to others?

ü There are some people who “cheat” on their own spouses or families; do you think these people are likely to be trustworthy to others?

ü Have you ever heard the expression “if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true”?

ü How do you think you would react if people told you that they were betraying their own people—those they are supposed to be leading or commanding? 

ü If Amalickiah was willing to betray the king and his own troops, do you think that Lehonti used good sense to think Amalickiah would be a good and loyal second commander to him?

There is a saying that: If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with flees.

ü How might this saying have applied to Lehonti?

ü How might this saying apply to us today?

ü If we make bargains, entering into agreements with dishonest people, how can we expect them to honor their agreements with us?  

48

ü Do you notice, in our time, when politicians want to sway public opinion, they speak from “towers,” such as radio and television broadcasts and internet networks as well as from daises in auditoriums?

ü Can you imagine why people who need to re-sort out their lives through contemplation or “unwinding,” began to call vacation spots resorts?

ü Can you think of another time in history where people have been forced to take up arms to defend their religion, their families, and their freedom?

ü Does Mormon’s evaluation of Moroni (verse 17), and the implications of how living like him would affect the whole world, make you want to live as Moroni did—active in faith in God and living according to righteous principles?

49

ü Why do you think these people considered the oath to kill the inhabitants of Noah more binding than the oath they had made at the river Sidon not to come again against the Nephites in battle?

ü Do you know people who choose to keep only “selected” promises?

ü If people recklessly break oaths, or promises, what does this do to their character?

ü Why do you think Amalickiah swore a personal vendetta against Moroni?

ü Do you think Moroni may have once been Amalickiah’s commander when Amalickiah was in the Nephite army before he turned to evil? 

ü Does this remind you of how Lucifer was once the “son of the morning” under the great and good Gods Heavenly Father and Jehovah in the pre-mortal world, and then, through horrible power-lust, greed, and selfishness he turned to evil and is even yet trying to destroy Jehovah and His and Heavenly Father’s purposes?

ü Do you think this can be a lesson to us to “endure to the end” in loyalty and love of God and worthy principles?

50

The Lord never changes, and although the Lamanites were receiving the Gospel in great numbers at this time (as well as in some other Book of Mormon times), many Nephite groups “dwindled” in unbelief, and people are always at risk when they join these groups. The devil is involved in all these apostate situations.

ü How do Mormon’s words have implications for other times in the history of the world?  

ü How do you think they apply to the present time?  

ü Do you think that there is a way Mormon’s words could be a lesson for us in the future?

51

Amalickiah, following a life of murders and lies and cowardly actions, was dead.

ü What good do you think his fraudulent kingship did him then?

52

ü Do you believe, like some do, that death is the “great equalizer”? 

ü How do you think Amalickiah felt when he was suddenly in the Spirit World and realized he could no longer manipulate people and gain the unrighteous power he sought?

53

ü Which do you think was most important—for Ammonites to help protect the freedom of the Nephites by going shoulder to shoulder into battle with them—or for them to keep the oath they made to the Lord that they would never again kill, even in battle or self-defense?

ü How do you think the Ammonites from both generations were brave in their own ways?

ü What do you think it says about the character of the young men that they wanted the leader of the Church to also lead them forth into battle?

54

ü Why do you think Moroni said that Ammoron rejected God?

Ammoron was not ignorant of God. As a Nephite, he was brought up to believe in God. 

• There is a temporary destruction of the body that comes at death for everyone, but what do you think Moroni means by utter destruction (from verse 10)?

55

None listed

56

ü Do you notice that Helaman, a man having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, shares a brotherly love with Moroni, who is also a man of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

ü Do you remember that Moroni and Lehi, both men of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, also have a deep brotherly caring for each other?

ü Do you think, with the war and tragedy, it was important to acknowledge the great common bond, their testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, as they strengthened and supported each other?

ü Do you feel a special bond with others who also have faith in our Lord?

ü Do you think people with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ help and support each other in their faith and can mutually help each other in remembering the true meaning of life here and Eternal Life hereafter?

ü Do you think it is only in time of war that we can acknowledge and support each other—or should this be an ongoing attitude in all circumstances of everyday life—  such as ministering to one another?

ü Does the fact that many of our ancestors were righteous assure us a place in the Kingdom of Heaven?

ü If some of our ancestors may not have been righteous, are we prevented from obtaining Eternal Life with our Lord?

ü Do we ever have a tendency to judge others negatively because of their race or ancestry?

ü Conversely, can righteous ancestors be inspirations to us if we choose to follow their examples?

ü Do you think we can help and support our family members by setting an example of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

ü How do you think you would have felt after marching as fast as you could go for several days, pursued by a huge murderous and ferocious army?

ü Would you want to keep running from them, or would you want to turn and fight them to help protect another group of people?

ü How do you suppose it would have made the mothers of the stripling warriors feel to know that the Light of their faith was transferred with so much impact to their sons?

ü Do you think it would make a difference to our friends or to our family members if all of us who believe in Jesus Christ had the kind of faith those mothers had?

57

Consider Ammoron’s motive contrasted with Helaman’s motives during this message exchange. Ammoron wanted only to reinforce his army, while Helaman, although confident that the Nephites could recapture Antiparah without giving up Lamanite prisoners, was willing to negotiate for the purpose of saving the lives of Nephite prisoners.

ü If you were a warrior, under which commander would you rather serve?

Two thousand young Ammonite warriors had previously volunteered to fight with Helaman against the aggressing Lamanites. Now, as sixty of their younger brothers were growing up, they also came to join Helaman. Furthermore, their parents continually sent or brought provisions to help support the army.

ü What kind of faith and commitment did both the Ammonite mothers and fathers have to sacrifice like they did?

ü Are we so committed that we would be willing to give “our own lives if necessary” to protect both our country and fellow-citizens against this kind of aggression?

ü Do you know anyone who has already willingly done this?

ü What do you suppose will be the Eternal blessings of those willing to risk their lives for righteousness?

ü How do you think we might apply the lesson of exceeding faith, demonstrated by the young Ammonite warriors, in our own lives?

58

ü How can this lesson in prayer help us in our own lives?

ü What do you think Helaman meant when he used the metaphor “We did pour

    out our souls in prayer to God.”?

ü Do we “pour out our souls” when we pray to our God?

ü The wilderness was completely dark.  How do you suppose the Nephites were able to travel at night?

ü How do you suppose Helaman knew of another way back toward Manti?

The Lord had given the Nephites assurance that they would be delivered (verse 11). 

ü Do you think the Spirit of God led the Nephites back?

The Nephite army still had to put forth a lot of strenuous effort. They also had to trust in Helaman, God’s chosen leader.  

ü How can we apply this lesson in our own lives as we pray for God’s help?

ü Do you think Gid was chosen for his tasks before he was born?

ü Do you think Gid recognized the Lord’s blessings as Gid and Teomner and

    Helaman worked out and then executed the strategy to recapture the city of

    Manti? 

ü Think of what Gid did before and during the battle at Cumeni—and what he

    said afterward.  How do you think this shows Gid’s faith in God?

ü What do you think could we learn from Gid?

59

• Moroni, through the course of this long war had surely suffered many setbacks.  Why do you think this tragedy was especially bitter for him?

• At first Moroni questioned the righteousness of the people—and then, as far as our record tells us, he turned his anger to the government. Do you think, as more and more refugees poured into his camps, telling their tragic stories, it changed his perspective?

• Is it easy to jump to conclusions when terrible things happen?  Is it natural to place blame for these things?

• Did Moroni ever blame God for the troubles?

60

Causes, when caused by people, are behaviors or actions that make certain events (consequences)happen. Consequences are effects; these effects often become causes for other effects—so there is a chain reaction.

ü Is there somewhere within the cause-effect chain a cause that could be broken—and the effectchanged?

ü Reflecting over our own lives, are there causes, or behaviors, within our control that could make a difference of effects that happen (good or bad)?

ü Is there anything we could do now to change any bad effects or to continue the good effects by purposely controlling the things that cause them? 

61 

ü Pahoran rejoiced in Moroni’s greatness of heart.  What do you think about the greatness of Pahoran’s heart?

62

As the top Nephite official, the Chief Judge Pahoran had received his authority by election as prescribed by king Mosiah (Mosiah 29:25-39).  

ü Do you think Pahoran was required to go into battle or could he have sat out the war safely at his judgment bench in Zarahemla?

ü Do you think using Moroni’s plan for prisoners-of-war—getting them to take a “peace oath” or be executed—would work in today’s world?

ü Do you think any of the Lamanite soldiers’ families were reunited with them after they went to live with the Ammonites?

ü Do you think if Teancum had known he would die while going to kill Ammoron that he would have still done it?

ü Do you think Teancum’s death made Moroni and Lehi even more determined to rid their land of the enemy?

ü Do you think Teancum helped with the Nephite victory by killing the leader, Ammoron?

ü How can the lesson of “not what happens but how we react to what happens” apply to our lives?

ü Do you think any of Helaman’s “brethren” could have been his warrior “sons,” who grew up as righteous young men and were ready to go on missions?

ü What often happened when the Nephites were blessed with prosperity?

63

ü Do you think there were survivors who found safety and shelter on some Pacific islands and began to inhabit them?