Alma 40 - select phrases

Verse 11

. . . The spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil . . .

Verse 13

The spirits of the wicked, yes, who are evil, the spirit of the devil did enter into them and take possession of their house

These shall be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth

Verse 14

This is the state of the wicked, yeah, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them.

They remain in this state until the time of their Resurrection.

Verse 17 

The resurrection of the souls is a consignation to happiness or misery.

Verse 26

Behold, and awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they died as two things pertaining to things of righteousness, for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God, but they are cast out . . . And they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.

In 2002 we went to Italy to visit family who were stationed at a naval base there. before getting to their home we visited Rome and Florence and we especially were excited to visit some of the beautiful churches - St Peter's, Saint Paul's, the Duomo, and any other we found along our way.

I am not an art aficionado. I am just a Christian who enjoys being in sacred edifices where through the centuries Christ has been worshiped. I love the big cathedrals with their stained glass windows. It feels so good to sit in that environment and pray and ponder.

I was not prepared for artwork inside the churches with devils reaching out to grab people. I remember sitting on a pew looking up at a picture of a devil grabbing a man and thought, "What would it be like to be a child and look up at that photo? Why would they have such a piece of art in their chapel?" It was frightening.

I feel that same way when I read scriptures like these in Alma 40. What am I supposed to get from this passage describing eternal misery?

Are people really just either good or evil? Is the next life in fact heaven or hell? Are the degrees of Glory really degrees of Glory or is everything less than celestial just another name for hell?

my choice is to say as I have before that I believe that for too long mankind has believed you can frighten a person into being "good". Was Alma trying to frighten Corianton into changing his ways?

At the same time there is a portion of truth in these words. It is misery indeed to catch yourself being unfaithful to what you personally know to be good and true. But for most os us, that misery is the sorrow that precipitates change. We see it in Scrooge.

"Men's courses will foreshadow certain end, to which, if persevered in, they must lead." Said Scrooge. 'But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!"

I am not the only one who has struggled with passages like this and wondered about the eternal fate of those we call our brothers and sisters but who have departed from gospel paths.

And the November 1995 Ensign magazine "The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness" Elder Boyd K. Packer wrote:

"Some years ago I was in Washington, D.C., with President Harold B. Lee. Early one morning he called me to come into his hotel room. He was sitting in his robe reading Gospel Doctrine, by President Joseph F. Smith, and he said, “Listen to this!

“‘Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission.’” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1939, p. 442; emphasis added.)

“There is never a time,” the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpardonable sin.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 191; emphasis added.)

And so we pray, and we fast, and we plead, and we implore. We love those who wander, and we never give up hope."

I believe it is so. May we focus on glorious outcomes in store for all - recognizing that growth come step-by-step and is often one step forward two steps back for each of us. Let us love and encourage and believe in each other and cheer our efforts.

Quoting James E. Talmage on pages 420-421 of his book, The Articles of Faith

"Eternity is progressive; perfection is relative; the essential feature of God's living purpose is its associated power of eternal increase."