Alma chapter 23 through 29
do you sometimes wonder whether people can really change? There are times where I am impatient now more than at any other time in my life. Can I change that? Can I become more gentle, more easy easy to be in treated? Can I change my habits? The stories in these chapters say you can.
lite were converted through the Holy Ghost or another word through the converting power of Jesus Christ. They were a hardened and a ferocious people as described in Alma chapter 17 verse 14 but they became distinguished for their zeal towards God Alma chapter 27 verse 27 they never did fall away. they actually became distinguished. That’s the word that is used for their zeal towards God and towards men. They were perfectly honest and upright in all things. They were firm in the faith of Christ. They endured to the end.
Being someone that is distinguished for their zeal towards God and towards men is the ultimate legacy. What does it mean to be distinguished for your zeal? What does zeal mean?
Zeal is dedication or enthusiasm for something. If you have zeal, you’re willing, energized, and motivated. Zeal is often used in a religious sense, meaning devotion to God or another religious cause, like being a missionary.
in short to have zeal, you are energized and and enthusiastic about something your motivated towards whatever it is, you have zeal for. How do you maintain this motivation? You do it by being perfectly honest and upright in all things.
Alma chapter 23 verse seven clearly explains that in order to become perfectly honest in all things and upright in all things which leads to zeal towards God and your fellow man you need to identify your weapons of rebellion, identify those weapons and lay them down. What are my weapons of rebellion? Anything that is dishonest. That is the root cause of the formation of any weapon that keeps me from connecting to God. Identify dishonest actions and commit to route them out like what the athlete say. Take it “one day at a time”.
It is interesting how when someone develops zeal towards God has repented comes to the knowledge of truth is converted, but they become industrious in Alma chapter 23 verse 18 it says and they became and they began to be a very industrious people. Yay and they were friendly with any fights therefore, they did open a correspondence with them and the curse of God did no more follow them.
I have noticed in my life when I am closer to the spirit when I have a zeal towards God that I am more industrious. Right now is one of those moments when I’m making time to read scriptures when I’m writing in journals I plan more. I am happier I experience more joy. I’m more industrious.
here are some examples of how the anti-Nephi Lehigh were changed how they were converted under the Lord. How do these verses help and inspire me to do the same every day?
Alma chapter 23 versus six through seven
These people listen to talks and sermons of Ammon and his brother when they were speaking with revelation and prophecy and the spirit using the Holy Ghost “the power of God working miracles in them”. There have been times when I’ve been giving a lesson or a talk in state conference or in church where I have felt that I have felt the spirit it’s an amazing experience and a blessing of serving in the kingdom. It’s real I cannot deny it. Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed my Mission so much I felt it often then I also felt it often as a bishop. I felt it often just teaching when I was prepared not always but when I was prepared, I enjoy teaching, and this is the reason why the Lord will use peoples words to help you feel the spirit to convert you “unto the Lord“ you know this miracle has happened when you become a righteous person you bury your weapons of rebellion whatever those weapons may be you no longer fight against God you no longer fight against others you love God, you love your fellow man your heart changes you walk up brightly you feel different you think differently
Alma chapter 23 verses 17 through 18
You change your name you call yourself something different than what you have been called these people call themselves the anti-Nephi Lehigh. Perhaps the name that I call myself is a latter-day saint? You know you are changed when you become industrious and friendly towards others it’s part of the magic and the miracle of being spiritually born again
Alma chapter 24 versus 15 through 21
When you feel the miracle of the spirit and our converted, you can feel the stains being taken away from you. These people found a symbol to represent the covenant that they were entering into between God and themselves to ensure that they would stay on this path. physical symbol, a sword that would often be stained with blood symbolic of being stained by sin, they wanted to bury those swords as an act of remembrance that they are no longer stained like these swords. That is what they did. They made a promise that they would rather die than use these sorts again to shed the blood of others And more over, not just slay others, but they also made a promise that they would not commit sin. These people were converted truly converted and sacrificed, or they were willing to sacrifice the ultimate sacrifice as a token of their conversion
verse 19 says they buried their weapons of war for peace. This is true in our own lives. What weapons of rebellion or weapons of war do I have in my life that if I would just bury them, I would find peace? The kind of piece the kind of peace of mind that only comes from no longer warring with your spirit, but following your heart for peace.
In verse 20 they had to prove that they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice their lives became endangered, and they were true to their word they prayed in front of their enemies. They were humble, even when were being slayed.
Alma chapter 25 verses 13 through 16
This is an example when evil people are touched by humble ax many of these anti-Lehigh were spared when their enemies saw them praying.
Many of these enemies followed the example of these converted LaMmon nights. They also buried their weapons of war, and they also became a righteous people. They also did walk in the way of the Lord and observed, and kept his commandments and statutes.. these folks that were converted, lived the law of Moses, knowing that it strengthened their faith in Christ, it helped them hope through faith . they relied on the spirit.
Alma chapter27 verse 26 through 30
When these people were converted, they found great joy in living. They were distinguished by their names. They were distinguished for their zeal. In other words their motivation and excitement towards God and towards their fellow men. They were perfectly honest and they were perfectly upright. My wife is like that Andrea is perfectly honest she, she is perfectly upright someone who is converted is firm in the faith of Christ, even into the end in other words someone who is moved by the spirit every day of their life is firm in the faith of Christ, even into the end the goal is then to seek for the spirit every day find ways to fill it. Find ways to let it move you to inspire you to help you become a new creature.
when this happens, you are horrified by sin. your perspective changes and you no longer fear death. That is a promise. Your perspective changes so you understand that death is temporary and is no longer something to be feared. When you have when you have the spirit and you are spiritually reborn, you become a zealous and beloved people are highly favored person of the Lord. It becomes a big deal.
in what ways have Jesus Christ and his gospel changed me? When I’m actively feeling the spirit or searching for the spirit and having it in my life, I’m more patient. I’m more gentle. I’m easy to be in treated as the scripture say. My perspective changes. I have more courage I make better decisions.
I feel the closest to him when I make time to read the scriptures and study the scriptures. This includes writing down my thoughts and ideas letting the spirit work in me. I first experience this is a missionary and there happened too many days in my life when I haven’t sought for this joy. I hope I don’t have to learn this lesson again. I should always make time to be close to him every day.
I can tell when I’m converted or becoming converted to Jesus Christ when I feel the spirit. That is the essence of what it means to be a disciple. You walk in Grace you walk in the spirit you walk in harmony with all that is true.
The spirit is prompting me to stay on this path to make time for spiritual experiences every day to write in my journal and record my thoughts to talk through and communicate with God every day this will help me find the purpose for why I exist. This will help me succeed I have set.
Alma chapter 26 verses 12 through 22 and 35 through 37.
These are powerful verses that teach about humility and recognizing God‘s power in your life and even more inspirational, this power can be given even to those who have ventured into pass that are dark that lead to destruction as long as that soul repents by exercising faith by doing good by praying By holding onto the iron Rod and overcoming the natural man, God will show mercy, and he who repent and that soul will be in circle about with the matchless bounty of his love and can be used as an instrument to do Good.
Alma chapter 26 versus five through seven
At harvest time grain is often gathered into bundles, called sheaves and placed in store houses sometimes called Garner. What are examples of she gardeners and storms that I experience in my life? How do I find shelter in Jesus Christ?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/47nelson?lang=eng
President Nelson‘s talk as a good job helping one understand the answers to these questions. Life can hit you hard trials, failures, disappointments, and justices mistakes bad decisions physical hardships, etc. all of these things are part of Our eternal progression and growth, President Nelson has taught more so than any other prophet in my lifetime, about the power that comes from making and living within the covenants that are offered to us between God and oneself. He has taught that making, and keeping covenants brings power into your life! It gives you a superpower! Not only do you find real joy, but you also find real strength! My blessings skills, talents, opportunities are sheaves and having them organized and alive at action and protected is the Garner by foundation is in Christ and that foundation is always intact. Based on my decisions it is strong when I stay on the covenant path it is strong when I keep the covenants and live my life within those covenants within the bounds, the Lord has said my life is focused, and the strength of God comes into my heart and into my mind and into my life.
my favorite hymn when I was return, missionary was how firm the foundation as long as you sang all seven verses. this ham teaches this same truth that Christ will always be with me to strengthen me. The foundation stay strong, and President Nelson is teaching that the covenants we make is how we measure the strength of the foundation. In other words nothing can break it nothing can damage or foundationcan hurt the foundation except your own actions and decisions.
85
How Firm a Foundation
With dignity
1. How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.
3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
5. When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
6. E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.
7. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
Text: Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787
Music: Attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889
Isaiah 41:10
Isaiah 43:2–5
Helaman 5:12