Alma 37: 9, 22
9 Yea, I say unto you, Here Alma is emphasizing the importance of the
were it not for these things that these records do contain, scriptures
which are on these plates, historically in bringing people to Christ, then stating
Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced that Helaman should work
so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; hard to preserve them because in the future, “who knoweth” but that they will be similarly needed and similarly useful. What role do the scriptures have in
yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; bringing me to repentance? They have been my daily call to repentance. They have led me to think about my state before God on a daily basis. They have assured me of the loving arms of my Savior,
that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, outstretched, reaching out to accept me. And they have led me to rejoice in His goodness. Being instructed to find as a
and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.• • • theme running through the scriptures the Mercy of God towards His children (Moro. 10: 3), I have been reminded not only of the mercy ample and available to cover my sins, but also of the mercy available to cover the sins of those around me, member or not, covenant people or not. And somehow, knowing that there is forgiveness for the whole world, not just for me, means that Mercy abounds in life (“God’s love fills the immensity of space”[link]), and makes me want to be a part of that abundance. It helps me to admiringly see God’s love extended so generously, and want to be like Him. “That [we] may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt. 5: 45) How odd that anyone should think of repentance as being separate from the Atonement that makes it possible! And yet how often am I guilty of that crime!? It seems that reading verses where the Lord has
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, said “repent or be
yea, work secret murders and abominations; destroyed” has left me thinking of repentance
therefore the Lord said, and destruction as two equally difficult things to undertake, each to
if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.• • • occur under extremely painful circumstances. But this was not the Lord’s intention. He wants to bring us into the light of His glory, but that light is so pure that it will hurt for those who are ill prepared. Repentance is not intended to be a painful process: it is intended to be a process that is full of joy, full of the satisfaction of knowing that sins are forgiven. Think of Enos’ account: I think we have a picture here of a man who felt like repentance would be a painful process and then was surprised at how benign the whole thing was. He describes it as a wrestle, not as torture (Enos 1: 2). He says nothing about feeling “the pains of a damned soul” (Alma 36: 16), but only that he “cried unto [God] in mighty prayer and supplication” (Enos 1: 4), hungry for an answer. And then it came. And it was so sudden that Enos almost didn’t know what had hit him. “[T]here came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And I said: Lord, how is it done?” (Enos 1: 5-7) In other words, “How is this possible?” “Forgiven? Already?” You can almost hear him asking “what about my suffering for my sins?” The Lord gives an answer to that query: He points out in no uncertain terms that it is not suffering that cleanses our souls, it is faith (Enos 1: 8).