Come Follow Me for July 27-August 2 - Alma 39-42

07/26/20 • 68 min

Alma counsels his son Corianton, who was struggling with keeping the commandments and had a few basic questions about the Plan of Salvation. Corianton was likely guilty of two sins: violating the law of chastity and preventing others from accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one of which ranks #3 on the hierarchy of sins. Alma shares his understanding of what happens to our spirits after we die and teaches that the resurrection is best understood as a restoration of things to their natural order. He reminds his son of the justice of God, and the need for mercy, which is made possible by the atonement of Jesus Christ and can only be accessed by repentance. Justice and mercy go together, like yin and yang, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. In addition to the covered chapters, this lesson also draws from (1) Elder Jeffery R. Hollands classic talk “Of Souls, Symbols and Sacraments,” (2) “The Sin ‘Next to Murder’” by Michael Ash, and (3) Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation.

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Come Follow Me for July 20-26 - Alma 36-38

Alma teaches his sons Helaman and Shiblon about faith in Jesus Christ by sharing his conversion story. His journey to Christ tells of him recognizing his sinful and fallen state and learning that the only way he can be saved is through the grace and mercy of Christ. The means in which he recounts his conversion uses an ancient Hebrew literary device called a chiasmus. He also teaches the importance of doing the “small and simple” things and trusting God that through those means He is able to accomplish his work.

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Come Follow Me for August 3-9 - Alma 43-52

Discussion of the first part of the war chapters in the Book of Alma. In this lesson we search themes that Mormon may have wanted us to pick up on and that we can apply to our lives, of which I find eight: (1) the Nephites were motivated by a better cause, (2) the Nephites were prepared for Lamanite attacks, (3) the Nephites recognized the hand of God in their actions, (4) the Nephite success in battle strengthened the church, (5) Nephite leaders were men of God, (6) the Nephites recognized the link between religion and freedom, (7) the Nephites knew that most people are decent, but they can be led to do bad things, and (8) the Nephites were happy even in the midst of challenges. In addition to the covered chapters, this lesson also draws from Hugh Nibley’s 1983 BYU commencement addressed titled “Leaders and Managers.”