Book of Mormon Monday

Scripture of the Day:

Alma 36:17-21

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus ^aracked with torment, while I was ^bharrowed up by the ^cmemory of my many sins, behold, I ^dremembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, ^ahave mercy on me, who am ^bin the ^cgall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting ^dchains of ^edeath.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my ^apains ^bno more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what ^ajoy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

Historical Background:

This scripture is an excerpt of a conversation between Alma and his son Helaman at the later end of Alma's life. Alma had grown up as a son of the prophet of the church of Christ in that time period. As a young man, he decided to go against the beliefs and teachings of the gospel and seek to destroy the church that his father had been working so hard to guide. Because of a major spiritual experience, Alma changed his life around and became dedicated to serving in the Church and following the Savior. At the latter end of his life, Alma sits each of his sons down and has a conversation with them in order to give them counsel. Because of the responsibilities that Helaman was to be given, Alma felt it necessary to discuss with him this conversion experience that he had.

Gospel Principles Outlined:

1) The Atonement of Jesus Christ is mighty to save.

2) When we have faith in the Savior, He can and will always help us overcome.

3) Forgiveness comes when we remember our Savior and turn to him in repentance.

4) Repentance brings peace and joy.

5) Always share your testimony of the Savior with others. You never know when they might use it to change their lives.

What I Learned Today:

Sometimes when things feel their darkest is the exact moment that the light of the Savior can come penetrate our lives. Joseph Smith had a similar experience in the Sacred Grove. Right before his experience with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith was surrounded by thick darkness and felt "doomed to sudden destruction" (Joseph Smith- History 1:15). Often we go through experiences in our lives when we feel surrounded by the darkness. We may be caught in a vicious habit that tempts us to our sorrow and destruction. We may feel the darkness of having lost someone that we love. We may even be battling with physical, emotional or spiritual ailments that seem to shake our whole strength. Our Savior knows EXACTLY what we are going through. He knows EXACTLY how we are feeling. If we "remember" the Savior in those moments, just as Alma and Joseph Smith did, we will receive the peace and comfort that we need. It is important to note that in both situations, adversity was not removed from their lives; instead they were given the strength to meet those challenges with faith and trust. We can experience the same thing with our adversities.

Things I Will Implement:

Today, I feel a strong desire to "trust patiently." (For examples see this talk by President Uchtdorf) I know of the great blessings and opportunities that they Lord has placed before me and I know that some of the promises will take time and work. I resolve to be more committed to the work that I have before me so that I can achieve the other things He is preparing for me. Today, I will continue to learn and do my stewardship before the Lord.