Alma The Younger

WHY WERE ALMA THE YOUNGER AND THE SONS OF MOSIAH ACCORDED A CALL TO REPENTANCE BY AN ANGEL WHEN SO MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE LEFT THE CHURCH AND WARRED AGAINST IT, DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN GRANTED A LIKE PRIVILEGE?

A similar thing happened on the Damascus Road to the Apostle Paul in the New Testament and no doubt others.  I have always wondered about this and thought that perhaps these men had been valiant in the premortal realm and had earned a warning.  From the book, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2, by McConkie and Millet, pages 304-305 we read:

"First, it ought be observed that if all rebellious souls were accorded a personal visit from an angel assuring the reality of the world to come with its rewards and punishments, there would be little need for faith on anyone's part.

Second, such appearances of angels would create the temptation to obtain a testimony by negative behavior rather than through righteousness.  Given that few among the faithful are privileged to enjoy the ministering of angels, it would seem a strange system of theology that freely granted such a privilege to the wicked.

Third, it could be that some appreciable number of people have had such an experience and have rejected the divine counsel and chosen not to repent and thus we have no record of the experience.  We know, for example, that Laman and Lemuel were rebuked by an angel and that they disregarded it.  (1 Nephi 3:29) And there is no evidence that they ever recorded such things.

Fourth, the Savior explained that those who reject the testimony of scripture and living prophets would also reject the testimony of angels, were they to appear to them (Luke 16:31). 

Fifth, we have the testimony of scripture that 'some have entertained angels unawares' (Hebrews 13:2) and we might suppose that in many instances angels have sought to entice transgressors from their course in unobserved or less dramatic ways than this appearance to Alma and the sons of Mosiah.

Sixth, the prayers of the righteous cannot go unheard.  Alma the Elder and Mosiah were both men of great faith who no doubt implored the heavens night and day with a plea of help to save their wayward sons.  Nor did they pray alone, for their pleadings were joined by those of all the faithful of the Church in and around Zarahemla. 

Seventh, it need be remembered that the Lord who can manifest his power in a great variety of ways is hardly limited to angelic ministrations or open visions. Many have had conversion experiences of spiritual impact and consequence equal to Alma's experience, which are the result of a growing together of circumstances divinely contrived: life-changing experiences involving such things as a confrontation with death, an inspired sermon, a caring parent or relative, or a sensitive priesthood leader."  Thus we see that a combination of factors resulted in the heavenly visitation.

Falsehoods

Jeremiah's Difficult Mission

Jeremiah, the Prophet, was promised by the Lord that he would never be killed in the Lord's service; however, he was frequently mistreated.  He was a contemporary of Lehi in the Book of Mormon and was preaching to a very wicked people.  BYU Professor, Dr. D. Kelley Ogden told an interesting story to demonstrate the challenge of fulfilling assignments:

"It was as if Daniel, Lehi and Jeremiah were called into the Stake president's office prior to their missions.  The Stake President turns to Daniel and says, 'I'd like to call you to Babylon.  You will live under the protection of the king; you'll receive an education and be a respected leader for decades.'  Turning to Lehi he says, 'I call you to escape the destruction of Jerusalem.  Your family will be sustained and blessed in the wilderness.  You will be fulfilling the birthright blessing given to Joseph of Egypt.'

He turns to Jeremiah and remarks, 'I'd like you to stay in Judah during the Babylonian attacks.  You will be beaten, put into prison and ridiculed by the people and expected to preach to a wicked and unresponsive people during your mission.'

Now, who has got the hardest mission?  Jeremiah also suffered because of false prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear.  One of these was named, Hananiah.    Jeremiah chapter 28: verses 15-17 tells us:

15. Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

16. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.

17.  So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. 

This was a very pointed prophesy about an individual.  Things like that have occurred in our day.  In his return home from Ramos, 18th of May 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith took dinner with Judge Steven A. Douglas at Carthage.

He then gave him a detailed account of the persecutions of the Saints.  He concluded his narrative with a prophesy that B.H. Roberts considers one of the most remarkable prophesies either in ancient or modern times.

Joseph said, 'Judge, you shall aspire to the presidency of the United States.  If you ever turn your hand against me or the latter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of Almighty God upon you.  You will live to see and know that I have testified the truth to you for the conversation of this day will stick to you thru life.'

Judge Douglas did aspire to the Presidency in 1860 and was nominated by the Democratic Party.  By all appearances, his election was sure, against a man named Abraham Lincoln.  But after they polled all the votes, the Judge failed miserably.  On the twelfth of June, 1857, he turned his hand against the latter-day Saints, in spite of the warning of the Prophet, in a speech he gave in Illinois, he accused the Saints, then living in Utah, of all the crimes known to the penal code, well knowing that he did so falsely to gain favor with those who were enemies of the Church."

The result was as the Prophet had told him would be the case.  He was defeated.  Abraham Lincoln carried 18 states, Breckinridge 11, Bell three and Judge Douglas only one.  Less than a year after his nomination he died disappointed and heartbroken, only 48 years old.  So there's a specific example in modern times of just exactly what Jeremiah did.  Somebody they recognized as pronouncing falsehoods.  The Lord had something specific to say to him."

Adam

Adam: A Latter-day Saint Perspective By Robert Millet, former Dean of Religious Education at BYU, (From the book Man Adam, pages 189 - 193)

"About twenty years ago I read a book by a noted psychoanalyst which discussed at length the episode in Eden. In the opening chapter the writer detailed the Genesis story and particularly focused upon the serpent's temptation of Adam and Eve. "Yea, hath God said," the serpent asked, "Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Gen. 3:1-5.) The learned writer then spent the remainder of the book discussing Adam and Eve's decision to partake of the forbidden fruit as the beginning stages and symbolic representation of mankind's consuming passion for power and dominion. Imagine-he said, in effect-man seeking to know and be as God is. Why, the very idea is blasphemous and unthinkable!

Some years later I was driving across the country, listening to the car radio as I traveled. I especially enjoy listening to religious channels and networks to better understand the perspective of our Protestant and Catholic friends. On one channel the host of a rather popular program was taking calls from the listening audience, soliciting religious questions.

One caller asked, "Reverend, why did Adam and Eve take the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?" The minister's answer was simple. "I don't know," he said.

"That's the dumbest thing anyone could have done! Why, if Adam and Eve had not been so selfish, so power-hungry, we might all have been in paradise today!" The answer at the time caused me to chuckle.

I have since thought again and again about his answer and looked more soberly and sympathetically upon a Christian world which desperately needs what we as Latter-day Saints have to offer.

And what of Adam? Through the modern seer, Joseph Smith, we learn that Adam was earth's first Christian. To Adam the gospel was first preached. To him and his posterity came the doctrine and proclamation, the commandment that we should do all that we do in the name of the Son, and that we should repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore (Moses 5:8). Adam-his very name means man or mankind. Adam-his very title implies the first man of all men, which are many (Moses 1:34). Indeed, in the words of President Brigham Young, "The name that was given to Adam was more ancient than he was. Through the work of the Restoration, the knowledge of antiquity and the understanding of God's dealings with earth's first prophets and Apostles-special witnesses of him and his message-have been made known.

Because God has spoken anew in our day about Adam and Eve, we know things about ourselves- about our nature and true relationship to Deity-that we would not know otherwise.

For example, through Joseph Smith's inspired translation of the early chapters of Genesis-some of which constitutes "Selections from the Book of Moses" in our Pearl of Great Price-we know the following:

1. Adam and Eve were vital parts of God's purpose and plan-the plan of salvation-which plan has been in existence since the days that they first walked the earth. The Saints today, and all who will listen, become privy to a foundational truth concerning Christ's eternal gospel-the knowledge that Christian prophets have taught Christian doctrine and administered Christian ordinances since the days of Eden.

2. Adam and Eve's doings in Eden are not to be understood in a spiritual vacuum.

 And Lucifer's actions in the garden must be seen as a part of his malevolent mischief begun in the premortal councils. The War in Heaven simply continues on earth. (See Moses 4.)

3. The fall of Adam and Eve was an essential part of God's plan. Thus the Fall is viewed by Latter-day Saints with an optimism that is uncharacteristic of traditional Christianity. Simply stated, Adam and Eve came into the Garden of Eden to fall. In fact, their partaking of the fruit was as much a part of the foreordained plan as the atonement of Christ. "Because that Adam fell," Enoch explained, "we are" (Moses 6:48; compare 2 Ne. 2:25).

4. God forgave Adam and Eve their transgression in the Garden of Eden. Though children are "conceived in sin"-though conception becomes the vehicle through which the effects of the Fall are transmitted to man; they are free from any original sin or guilt. Little children are whole from the foundation of the world. These blessings come as unconditional benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ. (Moses 6:53-55.)

5. Through the redemptive labors of Christ and their own repentance, Adam and Eve were forgiven of their sins, born again, changed from a carnal and fallen state to a state of righteousness; they were justified, sanctified, and made ready for an entrance into the eternal presence (Moses 6:57-60). We can receive these blessings as well. Through the ordinances of salvation, Adam, Eve, and their posterity are "quickened in the inner man," are born of the Spirit, and thus become the sons and daughters of Christ (Moses 6:64-68). Then, through receiving the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, these Saints may ultimately qualify to become sons and daughters of God the Father and receive, as joint-heirs with Christ, all that the Father has.

In summary, much of what we know of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement-the three pillars of eternity-we know in large measure because of what God has revealed, principally in the latter days, regarding our first parents.

Sadly, it seems that most in society live in ignorance in regard to the role of Adam. A large segment of the world's population dismisses him as myth and metaphor. Others, like my minister friend, spurn his actions in Eden and condemn him as rebellious. Still others, also misinformed and misled, worship him as a god. To misunderstand Adam is to misunderstand our own identity, as well as our relationship to the Lord and his plan.

The gospel light has shone forth, and people need not wander in darkness as to who they are, whose they are, and what they may become. Searching the revelations and attuning ourselves to the living oracles in our own day will prepare us for a time when further light and knowledge concerning the Adamic dispensation will be given (D&C 107:57), a time when the faithful will know "things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof-things most precious" (D&C 101:33-34).  A knowledge of the origin and destiny of man-this is the legacy of the Latter-day Saints."