Alma 46:39

And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.

The whole point of life is to die rejoicing. We are going to die one way or the other. We can be fearful about it, or miserable, or full of dread; or we can look forward to it as a welcome rest and a step in our progression. If we believe, as these people did, that Christ has redeemed us through his atonement and we have received a remission of sins and have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, death does not have to be a terror. If we accept Christ's resurrection as proof not only of his divinity but as surety for his promise that we shall all live through him, we can have peace now until the end. We may even find ourselves longing for that transition, even as we might look forward to going home after a long and arduous trip through unfamiliar territory. Although the natural man within us will war with our spirit and try to convince us that this mortal life is all there is, our spirit knows better. We know the power of God is overcoming the natural man in us when the desperate need to cling to the mortal body diminishes, and what lies ahead is exciting and joyful. We were never meant to remain in mortality in corruptible bodies for ever. When the semester is over and the final exam is done, it is time to go home. We may be sad to leave our school chums, but how marvelous it will be to once again be in the presence of our Father, Mother, and Brother. Should such a reunion not cause us to rejoice?

Alma 46:9

Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.

One wicked man gains power only when we give it to him.  This we learn from history. When we become complacent and turn over responsibility for our lives to someone else, we abrogate our agency. The only person we can trust with our agency is God. Everyone else will misuse it for their own gain. Thus, the way to stop a wicked person from getting control is to refuse to give it to him, be it political, financial, emotional or spiritual.

Alma 46:7

And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.

We must be constantly vigilant that we do not let pride overtake us. When things go well, it is easy to take our blessings for granted and think that we somehow manufactured them on our own or that we are entitled to them. The natural man is cunning and stealthy. He will hide in the background of our minds until just the right moment, and then he will whisper in our ear, even as we are praising God, "Look at what we did. We're awesome! Let's celebrate our great achievement, and then let's just admire ourselves for a while. We worked hard and we earned it. Right?" He is insidious, and he never rests. We must watch for him and throw him out at any moment. Otherwise we will start to believe our own press clippings, and that leads only to disaster.

Alma 44:9

Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords. Behold, it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.

Hear the words of Zerahemnah, which are echoed today by secular humanists. Miracles are seen through the eyes of faith. A miracle to a believer is a mere coincidence to an unbeliever. They both see the same thing, yet their spiritual inclinations alter their perceptions. To a disciple, God is a living power in their life. To an atheist, God is just an excuse for logical actions and reactions, with a little mix of random coincidences and happy accidents to explain the unexplainable. If you want to talk about faith, one has to be more gullible to believe in pure chance than to believe in a living, loving God. One may choose to live without God in the world, but that does not alter the reality of God's existence or his interest in our lives.

Alma 44:5

And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us.

Power is found in faith, in worship, in true religion, in faithful activity in church, in doing our duty towards our families, in support of righteous causes, and in the study of the scriptures. We don't need superheroes, we need super faith.

Alma 42:30

O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.

Alma invites his son to let the principles of the gospel work upon his thoughts and feelings. "Don't deny justice to make yourself feel better about sin," he pleads, "but don't deny the mercy of the atonement, either, and cripple yourself with guilt. Let them work together." Justice demands that we do our best. Mercy acknowledges that our best is never good enough, and so it makes provisions for mistakes and shortcomings so we are not eternally condemned while we learn. Taken together, it is a glorious plan for happiness.

Alma 42:27

Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

We will be judged by our desires, which motivate our deeds. We will end up where we genuinely want to be. Not everyone wants to be in the celestial kingdom. Not everyone wants to live that kind of life and have that kind of responsibility. Our own agency is always the deciding factor.

Alma 42:23

But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.

When we repent, we can receive mercy. Christ can offer us mercy because of his suffering and death through the atonement. Because he died as the final sacrifice of the atonement, he could exercise the keys of the resurrection, first for himself and then for the rest of us. The resurrection restores not only our physical bodies, but it restores us to the presence of the Father. Whether we get to remain in his presence depends on what we did with our lives and what we have become. God will apply justice in his judgment, but we need not fear justice if we have applied for mercy through the atonement. Mercy will be applied first, and only those who refuse mercy will have to face justice straight on. Christ saves us from sin, from ourselves, and from the grasp of justice that otherwise would banish us from the Father's presence forever.

Alma 42:13

Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.

Mercy overrides justice only when we participate in the process. We must make some sort of effort to qualify for mercy. That does not mean we earn mercy or that we can pay even a single penny towards our ransom. Christ pays the full price. He can pay for us, however, only if we ask, and we ask not just with our lips but with our hearts as demonstrated through our actions. Justice demands evidence, not just testimony.

Alma 42:12

And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience.

We are fallen not just because of Adam's transgression, but because we each individually fall from grace through our disobedience. We may blame Adam for introducing physical death into the world, but we have only our own selves to blame for our personal sins and mistakes. We do not inherit sin and its consequences, we make it ourselves, a fresh steaming batch every day. Our goal is to retake our lost perch on the right hand of God by gaining a little more ground each day than we lose. The power of the atonement boosts us forward even as the natural man drags us back down. If our faith and trust in Christ is just a little stronger than the gravitational pull of sin, we are headed in the right direction. Once we are following the right vector, it simply becomes a matter of acceleration and velocity.

Alma 42:10

Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.

God intentionally set up our mortal experience to pit carnality against spirituality, the devil against Christ, our physical nature against our spiritual nature, so we could choose. We have to have opposition with enticements in both directions. The test of life is all about choice.

Alma 42:8

Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.

God is not in a hurry to relieve us of temporal death, for it serves a useful purpose. It allows us to be mortal and to experience mortal time. With Adam's fall, life had a beginning and an end, and time became linear. We could thus have distinguishable pasts, presents, and futures. We could repent and put things in our past. We could exercise our agency in the present in the hope of creating a better tomorrow. Without a beginning and an end with linear time in between, we could not repent, for our sins would be ever in the present tense. God needed us to experience time as part of our mortal probation.

Alma 41:14

Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

"Deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually." The motto for a righteous life. Drop the mic.

Alma 41:2

I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.

Alma uses the word "requisite" three times while speaking of justice and restoration. "Requisite" means simply "required." God's sense of justice requires that all things be restored to their proper place. Our bodies, which have been ravaged by the rigors of mortality, have to be restored to full health, and all the parts must work. Our spirits likewise must be returned to the condition they should be in based on our intentions and desires, regardless of how ravaged they may be by mortal temptation and sin. Our physical and spiritual restoration are made possible by the atonement of Christ so that the Father's justice can be perfect. Without the atonement, God could not fix us and still be just and fair. Through the atonement, however, he can fix everything and make all things as they should be. His sense of justice demands restoration, and the atonement enables it.

Alma 39:17-19

And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming? Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children? Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as after the time of his coming?

The logic of continuing revelation is compellingly simple. God does not change. His love for every one of his children does not diminish. People needed revelation before Christ came to know he was coming, they needed it when he came to know he had arrived, and they needed it after his death and resurrection to know what he had done. If God sent angels in the past, he will send them now, and he will continue to send them in the future. Why would anyone want to resist such simple and pleasing logic?

Alma 39:15

And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.

Alma was certain that Christ would come. He would "surely come." Nothing would stop him or hinder him in his mission to save the world from death and all who would repent from hell. Christ would bring the happiest of news -- that we would not be left to our mortal fate and natural weaknesses without help. He would surely come, without fail, and bring ransom, rescue, deliverance and salvation with him. For those who were discouraged he would bring hope. For those who were in despair he would bring renewal. For those who had failed he would bring another chance. For those who sorrowed and grieved he would bring peace and joy. His coming would be the best news and the gladest tidings of all.

Alma 38:14

Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times.

It is tempting, when things are going well, to want to think that we ourselves are somehow responsible for the good things that surround us. We may work, and we may see fruits of our labors. But we should never think that we have earned a blessing or that we are entitled. We ourselves are never truly worthy of the blessings God chooses to give us. He gives gifts, not because we have purchased them with our righteousness, but because he loves us and wants to help us. When we remember our unworthiness, especially in the face of continued blessings, we keep things in perspective. At the center of that perspective is Christ and his atonement.

Alma 38:12

Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

To bridle means to restrain, guide or control. A passion is a strong emotion. To be an effective servant and teacher, it is important to control our strong emotions so we can be sensitive to the Holy Ghost. The Spirit speaks most often through our feelings. If our emotions are out of control, the Spirit will not be able to communicate with us. Without the Spirit, we cannot teach. In addition, love -- the greatest passion -- needs room in our hearts to flourish. If we are filled with negative emotions, love cannot grow. Without love, we can neither teach nor serve. Unbridled passions are a characteristic of the natural man. We have to rely on the atonement and the grace of Christ to overcome the natural man and bridle his passions.

Alma 38:11

See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.

Pride appears when we put more trust in ourselves than in God or when we think we are superior to another. When we have pride, we compete and compare. Pride blocks out the influence of the Holy Ghost. If we are prideful in our callings, we will lack the power that comes from the Holy Ghost. Trying to fulfill a calling under our own power without God's help and support is a recipe for failure and disappointment. The best teachers of the gospel teach with quiet confidence. They do not show off or boast of their great knowledge. Diane Nelson, my seminary teacher, was such a teacher. She had a great depth of knowledge, but she never tried to overwhelm us or intimidate us or impress us. Her only desire was for her students learn and gain testimonies. She knew what she knew, and she did not have to prove it to anyone.

Alma 38:10

And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.

Diligence and temperance are important traits of those who teach and serve. Diligence is careful, conscientious, and consistent effort. Temperance is self-control. When we serve God, we cannot be half-hearted in our efforts. If God exists, to get to know him must be our highest priority, and to serve him must be our greatest work. To believe a loving God rules the universe and yet to not put our best efforts into communing with him and obeying him is illogical.

When we teach, we must be diligent in our own efforts to live what we teach. We cannot expect our hearers to do what we ourselves will not do. This is where self-control comes into play. We must control ourselves before we can have any positive influence on others.

Alma 38:5

And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Blessings are predicated upon obedience. Trust in God is synonymous with faith in him. When we have faith in him, wonderful blessings will come into our lives. Of course, for us to recognize blessings, we must also have opposition. Shiblon is promised a full load of adversity, but the promised deliverance is greater than the trials from which he will be delivered. When we are faced with great trials, if we exercise faith, we can expect miraculous deliverance.

Alma 37:40

And [the Liahona] did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

Faith is manifest in works. As long as Nephi's family believed that the Liahona pointed them in the right direction and they followed it, God caused the spindles to point out their course. As soon as they stopped following the Liahona and tried to choose their own way, the device stopped working. No sense in giving directions that people won't follow. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. As long as we believe we can receive direction from the Spirit and follow diligently the direction we receive, the Spirit will keep working with us. But as soon as we quit listening and decide our own way is better, the Spirit will stop trying to coach us. No sense in giving us directions we won't follow.

Alma 37:37

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

This is another version of "pray always." We are to pray over everything, not just the big stuff. Everything matters. Our last prayer of the night is a report of our day's endeavors, with all of its triumphs and failures. Each morning our first thought should be of God, with gratitude for a new day to start over and try again to learn and do his will as we battle the natural man. When we live a prayerful life, God will not let us fail.

Alma 37:36

Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

God should be first in our lives. He is not an afterthought, he is our first thought. All that we do should be with an eye single to God. It may seem extreme and impractical to direct every habitual, mundane act towards God. But if we are doing things without understanding how they either serve God directly or enable us to serve him, we have good cause to challenge why we are doing them at all. We spend so much of our lives engaged in distractions!

This attitude is based on the following premises:

1. God is real.
2. God knows us.
3. God cares about what we do and is willing to be involved in the details of our lives.
4. God wants not only to save us but to exalt us.

If any element of this hypothesis is false, then eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. But if these four assertions are true, we have far more in store for us in this life and the next than we can even imagine.

Alma 37:17

For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.

The scriptures record God's fulfilling of promises to previous generations and dispensations, and thus provide us with hope. For God is the same yesterday, today, and always. Because he has kept and honored covenants with previous people, we can have confidence that he will act with integrity towards us.

Alma 37:12

And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.

Sometimes we have to act in faith and accept the fact that God has a reason for everything, even if he chooses not to tell us his reasons at the moment. We should not suppose that God is whimsical or that he does not know or care about what we do. If we trust in him, he will not let us down.