Alma 29

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

If you desire right just things, the Lord will bless you according to those desires. You will experience joy as you help others repent and come unto Jesus Christ.

1. What message does Alma desire to spread to all? Have you ever encouraged someone to repent? How did the experience go?

2. Why do you think that he chose repentance as the message he wished to share? How do you feel about the principle of repentance?

3. What can you learn about Alma's faith from this verse? What does it mean to be content with the things which the Lord has allotted? What had Alma been allotted or assigned? (See Alma 29:13) what has the Lord allotted or assigned for you to do in life? How can your patriarchal blessing help you to know what the Lord wants you to do? How might being discontent with your allotment In life be offensive to the Lord?

"True spirituality helps us to achieve balance between being too contend with our present self and the equally dangerous human tendency we might have of wishing for more enlarged and impactful roles. Alma said, 'But behold,... I ought to be content with the things which the Lord have allotted unto me.' ... To develop that kind of justifiable contentment… is obviously one of our challenges… We may feel underused, underwhelmed, and underappreciated even though we are ignoring unused opportunities for service all around us." – Neal a Maxwell, Notwithstanding My Weakness, p. 115-116

4-5. What does the Lord grant those who have righteous desires? How might knowing that the Lord granteth unto men according to their desire in this life affect your decisions for the future? What can you do to show the Lord that you want life and salvation more than death and destruction?

9. How does Alma feel about the commands that he has received from the Lord? In what way does he desire to serve God? How can you serve the Lord in a similar way?

9-17. What things can you find in these verses that brought Alma joy? How are these similar to what brings the Savior Joy? (See D&C 18:10-16) what tongs bring you personal joy? How can you help bring joy to other members of your family, community, and others?

10. What word does Emma use to describe how he feels about helping others come unto Christ? How has sharing the gospel brought joy into your life?

13-16. When have you felt the joy that comes from helping others come unto Christ?

Alma 28

When you have faith in Jesus Christ and the promises of the Lord, you can have hope and joy in times of death.

1-14. When have you seen someone face his or her own death or the death of a loved one with hope because of faith in Jesus Christ? How would you explain the resurrection to help someone have hope in the face of his or her own death or the death of a loved one?

1-3. What price did the people of Ammon pay to keep their covenant?

6. What do you think you might have done to help deal with the sorrow and pain you would feel if you had lost a loved one during battle? How would fasting and prayer bring relief? Have you ever fasted to gain help during times of great sorrow? What can you do to make your fasts more meaningful?

"Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit. It can strengthen us against times of temptation. Fasting and prayer can help develop within us courage and confidence. It can strengthen our character and build self-restraint and discipline. Often when we fast, our righteous prayers and petitions have greater power. We mature spiritually and emotionally and sanctify our souls. Each time we fast, we gain a little more control over our worldly appetites and passions. Fasting and prayer can help us in our families and in our daily work… Fasting in the proper spirit and in the Lords way will energize us spiritually, strengthen our self-discipline, fill our homes with peace, lighten our hearts with joy, fortify ass against temptation, prepare awesome four times of adversity, and open the windows of heaven." – Joseph B Wirthlin, GC, April 2001

4-6. How much death affected the knee fights? How does knowledge of the plan of salvation change the perspective of those whose loved ones have died?

11-12. Why do you think some people might experience fear when a loved one dies? Why are some people able to feel hope when loved ones die?

13-14. What lessons do you find in these verses that Mormon intended for you to learn from the story in this chapter?

Alma 27

When we are fully converted it to the Lord, we keep the covenants we have made with him.

2-3. How determine where the Anti-Nephi Lehi's to keep the covenant that they had made with the Lord? If you were one of the Anti-Nephi Lehi's, how difficult might it have been for you to keep your covenant and not go to battle to defend yourself and your loved ones?

4-14. Why do missionaries feel so strongly toward those who may have worked with? What feelings do you think converts have towards those who taught them? What do you find in these verses that show of bond between missionaries and converts?

7-8. How willing with the Anti-Nephi-Lehi to do what the Lord wanted them to do? How willing are you to seek and follow the Lords counsel?

11-12. What instruction did Ammon received from the Lord in regards to the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's? How do the Lords words to Ammon help you know of His love and care for those who would follow Him?

16-19. Consider a time when you felt great joy and happiness. What were you doing? What caused the great joy and happiness described in these verses? Compare these feelings with those described in verses 1-2. What does this teach you about what leads to joy and what leads to bitterness and anger? What can you do to feel the joy described in these verses more frequently?

22-24. How did the Nephites say they would help the Aanti-Nephi-Lehi's? Why do you think the Nephites were willing to protect their former enemies? In what way did the Nephites help and assist their brethren, the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's, in keeping the covenant that they had made with the Lord? What can you do to assist your brethren in the Gospel in keeping the covenants that they have made with the Lord?

25-30. How can taking upon yourself the name of Christ make you different? What was the new name that the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's were given? What people were they numbered among? How would you describe their membership in Christ's church? How can you tell they understood there was life after death? Why would they be considered a highly favored people of the Lord? In what ways does this story show her new converts take part in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

27-30. What impresses you most about the people of Ammon? Why? What do you learn from these verses about the relationship between being converted to the Lord and keeping covenants? Who in your life has been an example of this principle?

Alma 26

You experience joy of you faithfully serve the Lord and his children. The Lord is merciful to all who repent and believe on his name.

Chapter 26. What is a psalm? [See Bible dictionary] what verses in this chapter express praise? Take a few minutes and write a psalm expressing praise for your blessings.

3. What do you think it means for someone to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord? In what ways were Ammon and his fellow missionaries instruments in the hands of God? What did the Lord accomplished through Ammon and his fellow missionaries?

5.  What do the sheaves of wheat represent? What does the sickle represent? Why was that wheat gathered into garners?how can you help new converts not be wasted, meaning how can you help them not fall away from the truth once they have received it?

"Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with the good word of God" – Gordon B Hinckley, GC, April 1997

6. What blessings are promised those who are faithful? What storms do you face every day? What can you do to ensure that the storms of life do not penetrate your heart?

8-16. Who would be considered the instrument in these verses? Who is really doing the work? Why is the person using the instrument more important than the instrument is self? Which should receive the most praise, the instrument or the user? Why? What work is being done? Why is it important to give credit to the Lord? What would be wrong with boasting in your own strength? What does that tell you about Ammons humility? What are some specific ways you could apply Ammons example in your own life?

12. How does Ammons statement in this verse relate to being an instrument in the Lords hands?

13-16. What reasons does Ammon give for his rejoicing? What principles can you learn from these verses? Why do you think that you experience joy when you are in the service of the Lord?

17-20. What kind of people were Ammon and his brothers before they were converted?

17-21. Define the word justice. Define the word mercy. Which word best describes getting what you deserve? Which word best describes getting better than you deserve? What do you learn in these verses about Heavenly Father's love for his children? What are some of the merciful blessings you have received from God? What do you think you can do to show God your gratitude for his mercy in your life?

22. What four things do you find in this verse that you can do to help bring others to repentance? Why does the Lord require his servants to do these things?

23-25. According to what the Nephites told Ammon his brethren, what were the Lamanites like before they were converted?

23-29 what obstacles did Ammon and his brothers face in their service to the Lord and the Lamanites? Which of these obstacles do you think missionaries my face today? What motivated Ammon and his book fellow missionaries to continue to serve?

31-34. What results were yielded from the labors of Ammon and his brethren among the Lamanites?

35-37. What reasons do you have to rejoice in the goodness of God?

"The Gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness." – Boyd K Packer, GC, October 1995

36. What was the focus of Ammons life? What do you think he wanted to do with the rest of his life? Why do you think more people don't feel about doing Gods work the way that Ammon did? How do you feel about doing Gods work?

Alma 25

The Lords word to his prophets will always be fulfilled.

1-3. Think of a time when you became angry over something that happened. Did you feel it was your fault or someone else's fault? Did you say something like: he or she made me so angry!? Can someone else really make you angry? Did you have a choice about how to respond to the situation? Why were the Lamanites angry? Who did they believe it was the cause of their feelings? How did they decide to respond to their feelings? Rather than repent or change, what did the Lamanites choose to do? What can you learn from the Lamanites about what to do when you make mistakes in your life?

11-12. What does the phrase 'these words were verified' mean? (See D&C 1:38)

13-14. What impresses you about the Lamanites actions?

13-17. Who can you think of in the Scriptures who made changes for good in their lives? What do you think caused their change? Who made some major changes in these verses? Why did the Lamanites choose to make changes in their lives? How can you tell that their conversion was sincere? How did they feel about the Savior? How did the missionaries who taught them feel about this change? What changes can you think of that the Gospel has made in your life?

17. How was the success of the sons of Mosiah an example of the words of the Lord being verified?

Alma 24

If you do all you can to repent, God will take away your guilt and help you remain clean. as you keep your covenants, you can help others become converted.

1-10. What are some reasons people join the church? How can you tell if a person is truly converted to the Lord? How might his or her behavior change? What are some ways you will know if a person's conversion is sincere or not? What are some things members of the Church do that are different from what the world teaches?

6. In this time of strife, what did the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's determine they would not do?

7-10. How grateful we are the people of Ammon, even in the midst of trials? How is this a sign of true conversion? What can you do to better show others that you love the Lord?

7-15. What blessings from the Lord did the people of Ammon recognize in these verses?

9. What was one of the sins the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's had previously committed?

11. What do you think the king meant when he said, "It has been all that we could do… to repent"?

11-13. The Anti-Nephi-Lehi's done with their swords before their conversion? How did their miss use of their swords make them feel? What a commitment were they willing to make as a result of their conversion?

13. Why did the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's refuse to fight in battle?

14-17. Why did the people of Ammon feel they should bury their weapons of war? Why was it significant that they buried their weapons rather than simply promising not to use them again?

15-16, 18. How many times does the word testimony appear in these verses? How did burying their weapons deep in the ground serve as a testimony? 

"In abandoning sin one cannot merely wish for better conditions… He must be certain not only that he has abandoned the sin but that he has changed the situations surrounding the sin. He should avoid the places and conditions and circumstances where the son occurred, for these could most readily breed it again. He must abandon the people with whom the sin was committed. He may not hate the persons involved but he must avoid them and everything associated with the sin." – Spencer W Kimball, the miracle of forgiveness, [1969], 171-72

16-19. What did the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's do to ensure that they would remain clean? What did the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's do to avoid conditions and people that might entice them to resume their former sins? Are there any circumstances in your life that you need to change in order to repent of and forsake a sin that you have been struggling with? What can you do to make this happen?

17. What are some examples of what bins of rebellion that people lightly down or  bury as they become converted to the Lord?

"It takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say "I'll change" – and mean it. Of course there will be problems to work out and restitution is to make. You will spend – indeed you had better spend – the rest of your life proving your repentance by it's permanence." – Jeffrey R Holland, New Era, October 1980

18. How did the decision of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's to bury their weapons show their love for their fellow men as well as for God?

19, 27, 30. What principles does Mormon want you to understand from these verses?

20-22. How do you think the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's might have felt after they buried their weapons and then discovered that a Lamanite army was coming to attack them?

20-27. In what ways does conversion increase a person's love for others? How did the unconverted Lamanites react when they saw that the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's would not take up arms against them? How many joined the people of God that day?

23-27. How does this account influence your desire to keep your covenants? What can you do to strengthen your desire and ability to keep the covenants you have made with the Lord?

Alma 23

(Below is a list of questions and quotes that help me think about each verse as I read it. The numbers represent the verses in the chapter.)

Conversion means changing and becoming a new person through the power of God.

1-6. How can you consistently make the right choices? When you face difficult circumstances and adversity, why is it important that you become converted to the Lord rather than to other people or ideas?

"Each of us has observed how some individuals go through life consistently doing the right things. They seem happy, even enthusiastic about life. When difficult choices are to be made, they seem to invariably make the right ones, even though there were enticing alternatives available to them. We know that they are subject to temptation, but they seem oblivious to it. Likewise, we have observed how others are not so valiant in the decisions they make. In a powerfully spiritual environment, they resolve to do better, to change their course of life, to set aside debilitating habits. They are very sincere in their determination to change, yet they are soon back doing the same things they resolved to abandon. What is it that makes the difference in the lives of these two groups? How can you consistently make the right choices?" – Richard G Scott, GC, April 2002

6.  What two things helped bring about the conversion of the Lamanites? Why do you think it was important that Amann and his brother and taught the Lamanites according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy? What do you think it means that the power of God worked miracles in the Lamanites? When have you experience the power of God helping you become converted? When have you seen the power of God working to help someone else become converted?

7. What weapons did the Lamanites used to fight the Nephites? What weapons did they use to fight against God? What weapons do we use to rebel against God? What weapons of rebellion do people use today?

8-15. Why was the mission of the sons of Mosiah so successful? Why wasn't it successful among the Amalekites and Amulonites?

16-18. What evidence do you find in these verses of the Lamanites conversion? Why did the converted limonite want to be called by a new name? How was the people's desire for a new name evidence that they had changed? Why do you think their conversion made them more industrious, friendly and happy? How might those who are converted today be distinguished from others? When a person is trying to repent or change his or her life, how might it be helpful for him or her to associate with other people who are converted?