Alma the Younger resigns as chief judge of Zarahemla
in about 83 BC.
He goes to preach the word of God
to the proud people of Zarahemla and to the humble citizens
of Gideon.
Based on actual events as recorded in the Book of Mormon:
Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
They will not listen.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
There is peace in the land.
You sent for me.
Nephihah yes.
Thank you for coming.
I've been pondering, and I've decided I'm stepping down.
I will appoint you to sit in the judgment-seat,
to judge and govern the people.
You are a wise man.
I know that you will lead our people according
to the laws which have been given.
Alma, you have walked in the ways of the Lord and judged
righteous judgments.
Why would you step down?
I've seen the wickedness of the church.
They lead others astray and are bringing on the destruction
of our people.
I've also seen the great inequality among them.
They lift themselves up in pride and persecute
the humble followers of God.
I will retain the office of high priest.
There's no way to reclaim this people except to stir them up
in remembrance of their duty, and in bearing down
in pure testimony.
I, Alma, have been consecrated by my father, Alma,
to be a high priest over the church of God.
He began to establish a church, and he did baptize his brethren
in the waters of Mormon.
And they were delivered out of the hands
of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.
And after that, they were brought into bondage
by the hands of the Lamanites; and again the Lord
did deliver them out of bondage by the power of His word;
and we were brought into this land,
and here we began to establish the church of God.
I say unto you that belong to this church,
have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance
the captivity of your fathers?
And have ye sufficiently retained
in remembrance His mercy and longsuffering towards them?
He changed their hearts; yea, He awakened them out
of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God.
Their souls were illuminated as my father
preached the word of God unto your fathers.
And a mighty change was wrought in their hearts,
and they humbled themselves and put their trust
in the true and living God.
And they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.
And now I ask, have ye spiritually been born of God?
Have ye received His image in your countenances?
Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
Can you imagine to yourselves that ye
hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you: Come
unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been
the works of righteousness?
Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart
and clean hands?
If ye have experienced a change of heart,
and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love,
can ye feel so now?
Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time,
that ye have been sufficiently humble?
That your garments have been cleansed and made white
through the blood of Christ, who will
come to redeem His people from their sins?
Are ye stripped of pride?
I say unto you, if ye are not, ye
are not prepared to meet God.
The Lord God sendeth an invitation unto all men,
for the arms of mercy are extended towards them,
and He saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
The good shepherd doth call you; and in His own name
He doth call you, which is the name of Christ.
If ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd,
ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd.
I testify unto you that I do know the things
whereof I have spoken are true.
I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know.
The Lord God hath made them manifest
unto me by His Holy Spirit.
I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea,
the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace,
and mercy, and truth.
And behold, it is He that cometh to take away
the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man
who steadfastly believeth on His name.
And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call
after you; and if you will hearken
unto His voice He will bring you into His fold,
and ye are His sheep.
I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church;
and unto those who do not belong to the church
I speak by way of invitation, saying:
Come and be baptized unto repentance,
that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.
And gather together oft, and join
in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf
of the welfare of the souls of those who know not God.
I have come having great hopes and much desire
that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves
before God, that ye had continued
in the supplicating of His grace,
that I should find that you were blameless before Him, and not
in that awful dilemma that our brethren were in at Zarahemla.
For behold, I say unto you, there be many things to come.
There is one thing which is of more importance than they
all--for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer
liveth and cometh among His people.
He shall be born of Mary, she being
a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who
shall be overshadowed and conceive
by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea,
even the Son of God.
And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions
and temptations of every kind; and this
that the word might be fulfilled which
saith He will take upon Him the pains and the sicknesses
of His people.
And He will take upon Him death, that He
may loose the bands of death which bind His people;
and He will take upon Him their infirmities,
that His bowels may be filled with mercy, according
to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh
how to succor His people according to their infirmities.
And He will take upon him the sins
of His people, that He might blot out
their transgressions according to the power
of His deliverance.
Ye must repent, and be born again;
for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot
inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized
unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins,
that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God,
who taketh away the sins of the world,
who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all
unrighteousness.
Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily
doth beset you, and show unto your God
that ye are willing to repent of your sins
and enter into a covenant with Him to keep His commandments,
and witness it unto Him this day by going
into the waters of baptism.
And whosoever doeth this shall have eternal life.
Do you believe these things?
[INAUDIBLE]
Yea, I know that ye believe them,
by the manifestation of the Spirit which is in me.
And now because your faith is strong
concerning the things which I have spoken, great is my joy.
Be humble, submissive, and gentle,
being diligent in keeping the commandments of God
at all times.
And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity,
and then ye will always abound in good works.
May the peace of God rest upon you,
according to your faith and good works, from this time forth
and forever.
Amen.