Mosiah 27

PART 1:  This chapter continues the story that began in chapter 26. This group of people is no longer unified by its religion. The Nephite society has become diversified and the groups of people are persecuting each other.

Mosiah sends out a proclamation - a new law - that the "unbelievers" should know more persecute those who belong to the church.

Then a command is sent through the churches that there should be no persecutions among them! He calls for equality among all men.

This section takes me back to my youth - the days of the Civil Rights movement. America's history of persecution is deplorable. Considering we are a land settled by people seeking freedom the hypocrisy could not be more shameful. Each group wanted freedom for themselves only and denied it to others. A civil war ensued and leftover 620,000 soldiers dead. Slavery was abolished and yet the persecution continued. And this in a nation that claimed to be founded on Christian principles.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was similar to Mosiah's proclamation. It was a statement that in a diverse society "there should be equality among all men." It was also a statement that sometimes the government has to intervene when religious institutions are not able to provide that equality.

PART 2:. The Story of Alma the Younger

The story of this mighty change of heart that we see in Alma the Younger has always been a favorite of mine. It is a story of a man who has been touched by divine love and who never will be the same again.

Yes, there is an angel that precipitates the change. That isn't going to happen to most of us. You and I are going to learn our lessons from the simple consequences of our own actions.

For that reason, I'm grateful for mirrors. Every day as I get myself ready, combing hair and brushing teeth, I see myself in the mirror. I have the opportunity to look at that reflection and decide if I like what I see. I'm not talking about hairdos and complexions although I have learned that when you don't like yourself, a beautiful hairdo doesn't make any difference and when you do like yourself a bad hair day doesn't matter.

If you are at all like me, you've had the experience of now and then not liking what you see. Something is amiss in your life. You are not being your true self.

Alma shows us what to do at such a time. You have to go to Alma chapter 36 to hear his full account. His vulnerability in sharing his story is an amazing gift to us.

"I cried within my heart, O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death." Alma 36:18. He knew that awful pain that comes when you have done something you truly regret.

And then forgiveness came. In verse 20 he says "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"

This is the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can do that can not be forgiven. Nothing. When we are sincere in our desire to change, we can go to the Lord and not just be forgiven but be cleansed and healed. His love will fill us and cleanse us. We will be filled with joy.

It has been my own personal experience that when I am at my worst and totally out of integrity with the person I know I should be, I can go to the Lord with my sorrowing heart and come away filled with His love. He has never chastised me. He has just helped me to become a better person. Those have been my most precious prayer moments for which I am most grateful.

Yes, our actions define us but we are human beings with the power to change. And so our past actions never do define us. It is the present and what we are making of ourselves now that truly matters. We only need learn from the past; we need never look back and sorrow because of it.

PART 3: A word about Mosiah 27:14

The angel is telling Alma that he (the angel) was sent because of the prayers of his father. "for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of truth. Therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee..."

I used to think that when my prayers in behalf of others weren't answered it was because I didn't have enough faith. If Alma the senior could bring about such a miracle through his faith, surely I could. So how could I show the Lord I had such faith? Should I fast more often? Did I need hours and hours upon my knees? Should I pay more offerings, do more service, etc etc?

I would find myself angry that the Lord was not interceding in the lives of those I loved.

It has taken me a while to learn to trust the Lord and allow others to choose their own course in life. The book "Healing Through Christ" has helped me a lot. I have had to learn that I don't know what others need. My faith that God will do for others what I want Him to do is not faith at all.

"We put our faith into action and make a decision to completely surrender our desires, our will and our lives and the lives of our loved ones to the care of God". (page 33 Healing Through Christ)

I have come to have faith that God is in charge, His love for all of us prevails, I can trust Him. Now I am free to just love.