Alma chapters 36–38
Alma chapter 31:30 teaches that a disciple may experience pain in your soul when surrounded by wicked cultures. It is natural to be sorrowful at the wicked decisions made by others. In other verses, Alma teaches that the hearts of others can become hard or in his words. “began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word.”
the inspiration from these verses comes from what Alma decided to do about what he saw and felt. He did not simply become discouraged or cynical about the poor decisions that his communities were making. Alma chapter 35:16 that he gathered his sons together and taught them things pertaining to righteousness. he taught his family that “there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness”
Mosiah chapter 5:7
And now, because of the covenant which you have made, you shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day, he half spiritually be you; for you say that your heart are changed through faith on his name; therefore, you are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
these are powerful ideas about what a covenant should do when we make one and take one with God. Covenant is an exercise of faith and that exercise of faith should change your heart. That change of heart is a spiritual rebirth called being spiritually born again. When someone is spiritually born again , makes a covenant with God, and has their heart changed. They become children of Christ. in Mosiah chapter 27:25–26 Josiah teaches that when one is born of God, they are changed from their carnal and fallen state to a state of righteousness, because they are redeemed of God. They become a new creature and even more importantly, unless we do this, we can know, eyes inherit the kingdom of God. In other words faith makes a covenant with God and is changed from the inside out being “born of God“ being changed from a carnal, natural man, hard hearted state to a state of righteousness, kindness, gentleness, meekness, love, and faint, becoming redeemed, they cannot be exalted.
I believe these are some of the first verses I have ever discovered in my life outside of those in the doctrine and covenants that connect making covenants with being exalted.
what does it mean to be born of God? Does being born of God mean you are different, a new person, receive a fresh start?
verb
adjective: born
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come into existence as a result of birth.“she was born in Seattle”
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be perfectly suited or trained to do a particular job or hold a particular role.“they are born to rule”
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(of an organization, movement, or idea) be brought into existence.“on January 1 1992 the new company was born”
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exist as a result of (a particular situation or feeling).“his work is born of despair”
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adjective
suffix: -born
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1.having a specific nationality.“a German-born philosopher”
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2.having a natural ability to do a particular job.“he’s a born engineer”
when someone is born, they start to exist in a new state. So, if someone is born of God, they are born or another words begin to exist in a new state. The modifier of God implies the day become a part of God and as such take on his attributes, His thoughts, his feelings, his understandings. You become one with God. God of sin, God loves Christ, and all mankind, God is forgiving of others mistakes, God sees all and has an enlarge perspective that genders, patience, and long suffering. Perhaps the essence of being born of God is becoming one with God. That experience purifies every cell and particle of your being it changes the way you think the way you feel the way you smell the way you touch and interact with every creature experience, trial and tribulation and opportunity. You take on God’s attributes. It’s perhaps why you are now called a child of God or a children, child of Christ. This begins with making covenants the first covenant we make is at baptism. The second covenant is every week when we partake the sacrament by taking of the sacrament we are spiritually reborn again because we are participating in a faithful act of covenant making, and it’s these covenants that align us or begin to help us have the strength to be purified and be born again. make is in the temple when we receive an endowment when we take our make covenants that give us strength to be spiritually born again to make a covenant when we’re sealed to our spouses. And finally, we make an ultimate covenant when we receive our second endowment. These opportunities to enter into covenants with God, propel our progression forward and becoming more like God – which is the ultimate purpose of our being. It’s all connected when one is born of God they enter into the covenant path that leads to changing us and purifying us so that our thoughts are God‘s thoughts, and our ways are God‘s ways the natural man no longer has power over our hearts or minds.
Alma chapter 36:6–17
Powerful insights on how one repent why one should repent any experience you go through as you are repenting. It includes filling the spirit, being humble, then you remember your sins you think about them they come to you remembrance you’re aware of them. And these memories hurt you because you remember when you rebelled against God and did not keep his commandments. You become fearful of judgment day and realize that you are damned. These memories cause pain but then it leads to Hope. You pray to heavenly father and beg for mercy, you pray, and you plead to remove the pain of your sins. Then the light comes! Your soul is filled with joy! The joy is exceeding as was the pain!
Powerful insights on how one repent why one should repent any experience you go through as you are repenting. It includes filling the spirit, being humble, then you remember your sins you think about them they come to you remembrance you’re aware of them. And these memories hurt you because you remember when you rebelled against God and did not keep his commandments. You become fearful of judgment day and realize that you are damned. These memories cause pain but then it leads to Hope. You pray to heavenly father and beg for mercy, you pray, and you plead to remove the pain of your sins. Then the light comes! Your soul is filled with joy! The joy is exceeding as was the pain!
“verse 21. Yay, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter, as were my pains. Yay, and again I say to you, My Son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. “
Someone that is repenting sees visions and angels of the afterlife and of heavenly father and you long to be with heavenly father. Your physical body gain strength. You have a desire for missionary work to teach others what you are experiencing. You actively share the gospel and find great joy in it. Joy you experience is described as tasting good and you want others to taste what you have tasted and for their eyes to see what you have now seen. Someone that recently joined the church told me that the spirit brings a greater high than anything else that this world offers. I’ve tasted that high before that spiritual high that comes from studying the gospel and inviting the spirit into your life. It’s what brings the exceedingly great joy.
Verse 27 says that part of the blessings that come from repenting are filling is feeling supported in your trials and troubles and in your afflictions. God will deliver you from prison from Barnes and even from spiritual death. You learn to put trust in him and he delivers us.
the way a person could repent every day is to have a sacred Grove experience of their own every day, including praying and reading scriptures. Because when we were pent, we have the Holy Ghost with us and we have the Holy Ghost with us. We have true joy the best way to fill that tent to pray and study the scriptures every day.
Alma chapter 36:6–17
Powerful insights on how one repent why one should repent any experience you go through as you are repenting. It includes filling the spirit, being humble, then you remember your sins you think about them they come to you remembrance you’re aware of them. And these memories hurt you because you remember when you rebelled against God and did not keep his commandments. You become fearful of judgment day and realize that you are damned. These memories cause pain but then it leads to Hope. You pray to heavenly father and beg for mercy, you pray, and you plead to remove the pain of your sins. Then the light comes! Your soul is filled with joy! The joy is exceeding as was the pain!
Powerful insights on how one repent why one should repent any experience you go through as you are repenting. It includes filling the spirit, being humble, then you remember your sins you think about them they come to you remembrance you’re aware of them. And these memories hurt you because you remember when you rebelled against God and did not keep his commandments. You become fearful of judgment day and realize that you are damned. These memories cause pain but then it leads to Hope. You pray to heavenly father and beg for mercy, you pray, and you plead to remove the pain of your sins. Then the light comes! Your soul is filled with joy! The joy is exceeding as was the pain!
“verse 21. Yay, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter, as were my pains. Yay, and again I say to you, My Son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. “
Someone that is repenting sees visions and angels of the afterlife and of heavenly father and you long to be with heavenly father. Your physical body gain strength. You have a desire for missionary work to teach others what you are experiencing. You actively share the gospel and find great joy in it. Joy you experience is described as tasting good and you want others to taste what you have tasted and for their eyes to see what you have now seen. Someone that recently joined the church told me that the spirit brings a greater high than anything else that this world offers. I’ve tasted that high before that spiritual high that comes from studying the gospel and inviting the spirit into your life. It’s what brings the exceedingly great joy.
Verse 27 says that part of the blessings that come from repenting are filling is feeling supported in your trials and troubles and in your afflictions. God will deliver you from prison from Barnes and even from spiritual death. You learn to put trust in him and he delivers us.
the way a person could repent every day is to have a sacred Grove experience of their own every day, including praying and reading scriptures. Because when we were pent, we have the Holy Ghost with us and we have the Holy Ghost with us. We have true joy the best way to fill that tent to pray and study the scriptures every day.
Alma chapter 37:6
“Now you may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold, I say to you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances death found the wise.“
There are many scriptures that teach this principle. Details matter. And even though someone may think that it doesn’t mean much it’s small it’s useless, it does mean a great deal, small and simple things diligence and doing the small things every day is how you grow great things, including large enterprises Healthy families, trees, faith. The argument that the church is so small compared to the world and why would God ever do this or use an instrument like this to bless us is answered here. It’s a small and simple thing.
I was able to talk to Savannah today this morning on her mission and her new convert Eduardo was there. It was amazing to see and hear his conversion story. He read the book of Mormon and seriously studied it seriously read the Bible and he felt something different. He had a spiritual experience. He could just taste the song of redeeming love and it was a spirit that converted him through the book of Mormon. I’m so glad That Savannah was able to experience this wonderful, wonderful, wonderful miraculous conversion and be a part of it. It’ll affect her for the rest of our life and all of her teacher generations. It is my hope and prayer that she never forgets these things. I’ve Began to understand better, how important the spirit is in our lives. It is what refines us brings us joy converts us. It is the ultimate gift of our fruit of being a disciple of Christ longing for the spirit. Every day is a small And simple thing that we should seek for because with that spirit in our lives, guiding us great things can come to pass. One of the more interesting things that Eduardo said is that once he felt the spirit and began to walk with it and seek for it every day the world had more color is what he said had more color. I think too often for members of the church you have had the spirit since they were eight years old The world’s always had color. They don’t know what it feels like not to see the world the way they have. Does the buffetings of trials and time continue on sometimes they let go of what they want and experiment with darkness. Their world becomes gray and bleak. And hard.
Alma 37:41
“Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence, and then those marvelous work ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;” This is a powerful verse to remind us to read scriptures every day and say prayers every day. These things may seem small and simple, but they required discipline and diligence slothful person ignores them and then you lose the spirit you no longer experience, prosperity as defined inverse 13 and when the peaceful spirit leaves you, it’s difficult for you to progress in your journey!
Alma 37:44-47
“ For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our father to give heat to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And I say, is there not a type in this thing? For justice, surely as this Director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this veil of sorrow into a far better land of promise. Oh My Son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; so was it with our father; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look, they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and we will look we may live forever. And now, My Son, see that you take care of these sacred things, yay, see that you look to God and live.”
Alma 37:40
“And it did work for them, according to their faith; therefore, if they had faith in to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore, they had this miracle, and also many other miracles, wrought by the power of God, DAY BY DAY.”
I’ve never before recognize this phrase “day by day “in the scriptures. But it is very true true to the human experience. Small and simple things happen and miracles are brought to pass in our lives day by day. Someone would say that living in the present means living in the day And learning how to truly experience life to its fullest is learning how to be mindful of your days experiences.