Alma 37:11 – Therefore, I Shall Forbear

This is a verse that has never really stood out to me before.  There are things Alma has been told through the spirit that he doesn’t know from beginning to end.  As he’s talking with Helaman about the records and why they need to kept, he’s not certain of the full impact they will have throughout the history of the world, he just knows it’s important.  He tells Helaman, “Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.”

What are mysteries?  The dictionary says “something that is difficult or impossible to understand”.  There are a few things in my world currently that are mystifying me – most of them too personal to post in a blog. 

I had a bit of a bump yesterday at church as I was given another calling.  I’ve felt like I was running faster than I have strength and the Lord gives me more.  Obviously, I’m not getting something, and the Lord wants me to learn something I haven’t yet learned.  I will do this calling, and I will give it 100% of what it deserves.  Is the Lord telling me that my personal agenda is not important?  Well, maybe He is.  For sure, in order to make time for this new calling, something will be neglected.  It will most likely be music – the one flexible part of my life that calls to me constantly and just as constantly gets put aside.  Oh, there are others, not the least of which is genealogy.  I can’t seem to find the time to get that one off the ground. 

So why do I even mention these things?  I don’t know why the Lord has called me to this task.  That is the mystery.  But I shall forbear.  What does it mean to forbear?  The dictionary says “politely and patiently restrain an impulse to do something.  The “something” in this case would be to say “no!”  It’s not in me.  I know the Lord knows something here that I do not know – a mystery.  Therefore, I too shall forbear. 

Alma 32 – Humility, Faith and Endure to the End

As I was reading Alma 32 this morning, my heart nearly exploded as I remembered reading this chapter for the first time – or at least digesting this chapter.  I know I must have read it in seminary in High School.  I guess I didn’t feel I needed this information then.  But ten years later, when my world was in shambles and I was searching for answers, this chapter rang true to me and my heart did sing!

This morning, I noticed that the first step to change is humility, i.e. having the courage to ask the question.  What is the question?  “How can I have peace again?”  At least that’s what it was for me.  I was miserable, in a miserable marriage, raising a daughter without gospel principles I remembered to be true.  I wanted change, but didn’t have a clue how to get it.  Yes, ask the question!  (V9) There will be someone there to start answering the questions.  You will be guided to the answers in the scriptures.  Your heart will sing as you “remember” the things you once knew.  What if you were never LDS as I was?  No problem.  You see, we learned these things before we came to earth.  They ring true to the Spirit as we hear the truth.  It’s a beautiful thing.

So what can we expect to happen as we start the search?  Alma teaches with a beautiful visual in the planting of a seed.  Before going there, however, he tells the people if they can only exercise a particle of faith (v27), or no more than desire to believe, that we can let that desire work in us until we know it is a truth. 

The visual is in the planting of a seed.  If it is a good seed, it will Swell (sprout), Enlarge and Enlighten the soul, and it will be Delicious (SEED).  He calls this an experiment on the word (v28-29).  I didn’t realize I was going through these steps.  It was a natural progression.  However, I do remember that I was so excited as I learned new things and applied them to my life.  It all seemed to happen so fast, and I was walking around with a perma-grin on my face all the time.  I was so happy!  The fruit was delicious, and I could not get enough.  I started attending firesides and extra meetings to get more of what was enlightening me.  It was an amazing time in my life.

It is my testimony that this type of experience awaits anyone who has a desire – however small, to change.  Ask the question!  Then look around you.  There will be someone come into your world very quickly to give you sincere guidance to your questions.  Be humble and have the faith to pray about the answers, applying them to your own life and growing in the gospel. It’s a beautiful truth.  It is invigorating and something that will forever be a delight to look back on and ponder.  I am amazed at the growth that has taken place for me since those days.  It is a process, and one that is a thrill.  I’m so grateful to my Heavenly Father for His amazing “Plan” that enables us to repent when we find we have veered off the chosen path.  This has been such a blessing in my life.  This knowledge has brought me joy every day since then.  There aren’t bad days – some days may be better than others, but there are not bad days.   

Alma 22 - Missionary Template

This is an instructive chapter as it pertains to teaching someone the gospel from the ground up.  Let’s see if I can follow the pattern.

1.     Aaron asks King Lamoni if he believes in God.  A good place to start!

2.     Aaron tells the king that this God created all things (John 1:3)

3.     Aaron tells the king of the creation of Adam and Eve

4.     Aaron taught the Fall of man.  AKA the breaking of the commandment not to eat the fruit.

5.     Aaron taught about the Plan of Redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all whoever would believe on his name. 

a.     There are sub parts to this one.  The pre-existence would need to be covered, because isn’t that the foundation of the world? 

b.     The war in heaven

c.     Satan and his role in this war

d.     The continuation of that war upon the earth. 

e.     Jesus Christ and his role in this “war”.

f.      Jesus Christ’s redemptive powers

g.     While we’re at it, the law of obedience would be a good one to cover.

h.     The need for the Savior’s redemption.

6.     At this point, it would become prudent for the person listening to be challenged to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior.

a.     Admitting error in ones ways would be the next step

b.     Exercising faith to pray for forgiveness for those sins.

It is really a rather simple formula.  Even though one has been raised in the gospel and should know these things, it is critical that these steps be used even still.  Once we have been removed from the Spirit, we forget.  Somehow there is a very dark veil that covers our eyes of remembrance.  Our feelings of unworthiness somehow creates that situation.  At least that was my experience.  I’m so grateful there were missionaries I worked with who saw my need to be reminded of the things I was taught as a child.  For me, it was a line-upon-line experience, and as teachers and missionaries we need to remember that.