Alma 10

Nothing deep and profound today... instead, just kind of a funny thought.

verse 32 Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got gain according to their employ.

Apparently there is a long-established tradition of not having positive feelings toward lawyers. Even the Book of Mormon participates! LOL

Alma 8-9

When Alma preaches to the people of Ammonihah I read through it and wonder - how on Earth can they listen to the prophet telling them to repent or be destroyed and yet they don't hear him and don't change their ways? How can they just ignore him that way?

And then I wonder what things I have heard the prophet or other general authorities say that I haven't taken seriously enough. I'm sure there are many...

We turn on conference each year, but I know sometimes I don't listen as closely as I should. This year my goal is to really and truly listen to the speakers and hear what they are saying. I've been thinking about making general conference packets for the kids to help them pay attention. Maybe what I really need is a packet for myself!

Alma 7

Verse 15:
Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, 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.

Soemthing about this verse just speaks to me. "Fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you." Sin is so easy to slip into. Stop paying attention for just a short time and you can slide into small sins. Which lead to larger and larger. And it's all so easy - much easier than always doing what you know you should. But fear not, because there is always a way back. Christ's sacrifice allows us to repent of our sins and return to a state of grace.

Alma 6

Verse 2 caught my attention today:

And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church.

I just love the reminder that repentence is available to us. No matter what our sins, we can repent and be washed clean. It reminds me of a favorite quote of mine: "It doesn't matter how far you've travelled down the wrong path; you can turn around."

Alma 5

Alma speaks a lot of strong words about repentance in this chapter. A reminder that we should be repenting every day and trying our hardest to do the things we should. We never know when the day will come that we are going to meet God, so we should live our lives in such a way that we will be prepared whenever that day comes.