Post by King Mosiah –
Our people are so moved by our unification. With the people of Lemhi being brought back and Alma and his people returning, we have rejoiced and sorrowed together. Alma has been given authority over the church and with it tremendous challenges. Many of our people were but children at the time my father King Benjamin spoke to our people. At such a young age, they could not understand his words and now don’t believe our traditions. They don’t believe what we’ve taught about the resurrection of the dead nor the coming of Christ.
This unbelief naturally leads to not understanding the word of God and therefore their hearts harden. They refuse baptism, nor will they join the church and thus have become a separate people as to their faith. It may be harsh to say but they’ve become carnal and sinful. At first there were not so many of those I will refer to unbelievers—even far less than half. They however, are cunning and are deceiving, with flattering words those who are in the church, leading them to commit sin. This problem has become so challenging for the church, Alma, who is our High Priest was so troubled in spirit he brought the dissenters to be judged by me.
This was the first time anything like this happened in the church. I felt this was not my responsibility as king but should be left in the hands of Alma. After some time, Alma rehearsed back to me his experience inquiring of the Lord about what to do with this problem.He was so concerned he might be doing wrong. I had no worry he would follow the Lord. Alma is a writer and naturally wrote his experience and shared it with me. For me, he broke down the experience he had with the Lord when he poured out his soul to God. With his permission I share his five points here.
“First the Lord comforted me. He said I was blessed because of my faith in the words of Abinadi. The people baptized in the Waters of Mormon are blessed because of their exceeding faith. He said I was blessed because I’ve established a church among the people and they will be blessed and will be His people. He said the people are blessed who are willing to bear His name; for in His name they will be called because they are His. He also blessed me for my concern for the transgressor.
Then He covenanted with me that I shall have eternal life and will serve Him and go forth in His name to gather his sheep. Those that will hear His voice will be His sheep and we will receive them into the church. It is His church and whoever is baptized will be baptized unto repentance and whomsoever we receive the Lord will freely forgive.
Then He taught me how he will take upon himself the sins of the world, and because He is the one that created us, it’s Him who grants to those of us who believe until the end, we will have a place at His right hand. He said when our name is called, if we know Him we will come forth and have a place eternally at His right hand.
Then He warned me that those who do not know Him will be called at the second trump. They will know He is their redeemer, but they rejected Him. He will confess to them that He never knew them and they will then be sent to everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. So those who will not receive Him and hear His voice, we will not receive them into the church and in the last day He will not receive them.
Then He exhorted me to judge those who transgress against Him. Those who confess and repent, we and He will forgive. And as often as that happens we and He shall forgive. We should also forgive one another for if we don’t we won’t be forgiven. Those who will not repent will not be numbered among His people.”
The great thing about Alma is; he not only wanted to know what the Lord wanted him to do, but he wanted to do what the Lord wanted him to do. So Alma went and regulated all the affairs of the church and as he did, we began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.
So, Alma and his fellow laborers who were over the church, walked in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God.
They admonished their brethren; and they were also admonished every one by the word of God, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.
