Alma 29:1 O that I were an angel…that I might go forth…and cry
repentance unto every people
“[Alma
29] is a soliloquy which finds Alma talking to Alma when none but God was near.
It is a song of praise in which he exults in God’s goodness and mercy. It is an
unselfish prayer for the welfare of each and all. In it Alma expresses the
innermost desire of his heart.” (Reynolds and Sjodahl, Commentary on
the Book of Mormon, vol. 4, p. 52)
Heber J. Grant
“I believe
that every Latter-day Saint who has received a testimony of the divinity of the
work in which we are engaged has this same feeling that Alma had--a desire that
all the world might hear the testimony of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When men and women receive a testimony of the divine mission of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, they are anxious that all the world should have that same
knowledge and faith. They are anxious that the gospel should go to every honest
soul. And there is no other labor in all the world that brings to a human
heart, judging from my own personal experience, more joy, peace and serenity
than proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“I
remember that while I was laboring in Japan, on account of my failure to learn
the language, I was not entirely happy in my work there. I remember going out
into the woods, kneeling down and praying to God that when my work was finished
there I would appreciate it if I were called to the British Isles to succeed
Brother Francis M. Lyman. Shortly after uttering that prayer I received a
cable: ‘Come home on the first vessel.’ When I arrived home President Smith
told me that they had decided to send me to Europe to succeed Brother Lyman. He
said, ‘We realize that the two years or more that you have been in Japan have
been anything but satisfactory from the standpoint of the joy that comes into
the hearts of the missionaries in bringing souls to a knowledge of the truth,
and we want you to have at least a year of real, genuine, missionary experience.’
When I went into his office and bade him goodbye, and said, ‘I will see you in
a year,’ he said, ’We have decided to make it a year and a half.’ I said,
‘Multiply it by two and say nothing about it, and it will please me,’ and that
is exactly what he did. I was there a little over three years, and never have I
had sweeter joy, more genuine satisfaction in my life than during those three
years, when I had no thought except the spreading of the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1926, p. 4)
LeGrand Richards
“While
I was touring the Northwestern States Mission, I heard a young missionary bear
his testimony…he said, ‘There isn’t a company or institution in the world that
could pay me enough money to get me to leave my mission.’ And I am sure that
almost one hundred percent of the missionaries feel the same way about their
mission when they have the spirit of their work. They hardly want to be
released.” (Just To Illustrate, p. 196)
Alma 29:3 I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath
allotted unto me
Alma is worrying about
sinning but his desire is a righteous one. How can we sin in our righteous
desires? The word “sin” in this context is a pretty strong one. Alma’s point is
that he has not been sufficiently content with all the blessings the Lord has
given to him. He still wanted more. He may have imagined himself being
foreordained to fly in the midst of heaven, having
the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth (Rev
14:6). For someone as righteous as Alma, maybe his lack of spiritual
contentment constitutes a sin, but the rest of us usually have more concerning
sins to contend with. Nevertheless, contentment is a quality of godliness. Paul
writes, godliness with contentment is great gain
(1 Tim 6:6), for I have learned, in whatsoever state
I am…to be content (Phil 4:11).
Neal A. Maxwell
“True
spirituality helps us to achieve balance between being too content 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 hath allotted unto
me.’ However, note the often ignored, but tutoring, verse that follows: ‘Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire
more than to perform the work to which I have been called?’ (Alma
29:3,6) To develop that kind of justifiable contentment to better use our
existing opportunities—is obviously one of our challenges, particularly so when
we seem to be in a ‘flat’ period of life. We may feel underused, underwhelmed,
and underappreciated even though we are ignoring unused opportunities for
service all about us.” (Notwithstanding My Weakness, pp. 115-6)
Neal A. Maxwell
“…we
serve as each other’s clinical material in the particular sample of humanity
constituting ‘what is allotted unto [us].’
The sample may shrink or swell, but most important, is what we are and what
we do within those varied allocations and in the particular ‘work to which [we] have
been called’ (Alma 29:6).
“Thus
‘the holy present’ contains the allotted acres for our disciplehip. We need not
be situated in prime time with prime visibility in order to work out our own
salvation!” (Conference Report, Apr. 2000, p. 73)
Alma 29:4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of
a just God
A harrow is a farming tool,
drawn behind a tractor to break up large clods of dirt. The verb “to harrow” is
to break down or lacerate. Alma’s concern is that his desires may be contrary
and therefore destructive to the decrees of God.
Alma 19:4 he granteth unto men according to their desire
Boyd K. Packer
“There
is something important about our deciding that we want to be a good teacher-a
good parent. There is something equally important about making that desire
known to the Lord. Many of us have the desire, but we keep it to ourselves. An
important key is turned when we go through the formality of stating our desires
to Him who can grant them.” (Teach Ye Diligently, p. 14)
Neal A. Maxwell
“Desire
denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than
passive preferences or fleeting feelings. Of course our genes, circumstances,
and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly. Yet there
remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate. In this
zone lies the essence of our individuality and our personal
accountability…Mostly, brothers and sisters, we become the victims of our own
wrong desires…Like it or not, therefore, reality requires that we acknowledge
our responsibility for our desires…Righteous desires need to be relentless,
therefore, because, said President Brigham Young, ‘the men and women who desire
to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom will find that they must battle every
day’ (Journal of Discourses 11:14). Therefore, true Christian soldiers
are more than weekend warriors…Some of our present desires, therefore, need to
be diminished and then finally dissolved.” (Ensign, Nov. 1996, pp. 21-22
as
taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K.
Douglas Bassett, p. 228)
Alma 29:4 he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees
which are unalterable, according to their wills
In the beginning, the decrees
of God with respect to his spirit children must have provided the framework for
foreordination. The plan is God’s; the allotments and decrees come from him.
Alma, like the rest of us, had only a veiled knowledge of his allotments. If he
were not foreordained to speak with the trump of God as an angel, he should not
desire that which was not to be his privilege. We do not know, however, whether
or not the Lord might grant this wish unto Alma, for…he
granteth unto men according to their desire, and there are many angels
who have messages for the inhabitants of the last days (see DC 88:103-7; Rev.
14:7-8). Maybe one of them will be the resurrected Alma.
At any rate, Alma’s
juxtaposition of the doctrine of foreordination and free will is interesting.
One minute he is talking about the unalterable decrees of God and the next he
is talking about the will of man. In the pre-mortal sphere, the decrees and
allotments were given according to their wills,
but during mortality, that same will power can be exercised to reject the
Lord’s allotment.
The finite mind has
difficulty fully comprehending the width and depth of this doctrine. What is
clear is that foreordination does not equal fatalism. Because one is
foreordained to perform some work does not mean that free will cannot be
exercised in opposition to God’s plan. Nevertheless, the wayward soul can never
change their assignment. If they knew what they had been assigned to do, they
might wish to be unforeordained, but this could never happen, for the
decrees of God are unalterable. Neal A. Maxwell said, “We will not be able to
invoke, justifiably, either deprivational or circumstantial evidence in our own
behalf later on to show that we were dealt with unjustly. The record will be
clear.“ (We Will Prove Them Herewith, p. 6) At the last day, those who
have failed to live up to expectations will again remember and have remorse for
their rebellious choices.
Neal A. Maxwell
“…All
of this brings us now to the need to examine a doctrine within a doctrine
within a doctrine. Within the plan of salvation is the doctrine of premortal
existence; we then encounter the delicate but important doctrine of
foreordination.
“The
doctrine of foreordination is one of the doctrinal roads ‘least traveled by.’
Yet it clearly underlines how very long and how perfectly God has loved each of
us and known each of us, with our individual needs and capacities. It is so
powerful a doctrine, however, that isolated from other doctrines, or
mishandled, it can induce false pride, stoke the fires of fatalism, impact
adversely upon agency, cause us to focus on status rather than service, and
carry us over into the false doctrine of predestination.
“…The
truth about foreordination also helps us to taste of the other deep wisdom of
Alma: he said we ought to be ‘content with the
things which the Lord hath allotted unto’ each of us (Alma 29:3). If,
indeed, the things allotted to each of us have been divinely customized, then ‘why should I desire more than to perform the work to
which I have been called?’ (Alma 29:6)
“So
should we regard the dispensation of the fulness of times-even when we face
stern challenges and circumstances. ‘These are great days!’ Our hearts need not
fail us. We can be equal to our challenges.” (But
For a Small Moment, pp. 95-101)
Henry D. Moyle
“I
am sure today in our lives many of us wish that we were something other than we
are, thinking likely that their lot is preferable to our own. But Alma said
further: Yea,
I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and
the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God that
there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am
a man, and do sin in my wish, for I ought to be content with the things which
the Lord hath allotted unto me. (Alma 29:2-3)
“I
believe that we, as fellow workers in the priesthood, might well take to heart
the admonition of Alma and be content with that which God hath allotted us. We
might well be assured that we had something to do with our ‘allotment’ in our
pre-existent state. This would be an additional reason for us to accept our
present condition and make the best of it. It is what we agreed to do.
“…we
had our own free agency in our pre-mortal existence and whatever we are today
is likely the result of that which we willed to be heretofore. We
unquestionably knew before we elected to come to this earth the conditions
under which we would here exist, and live, and work. So little wonder it is
that Alma of old said that we sin in the thought, or in the desire or in the
wish that we were someone other than ourselves...
“I
have a conviction deep down in my heart that we are exactly what we should be,
each one of us, except as we may have altered that pattern by deviating from
the laws of God here in mortality. I have convinced myself that we all have
those peculiar attributes, characteristics, and abilities which are essential
for us to possess in order that we may fulfil the full purpose of our creation
here upon this earth.
“Once
again, that allotment which has come to us from God is a sacred allotment. It
is something of which we should be proud, each one of us in our own right, and
not wish that we had somebody else's allotment. Our greatest success comes from
being ourselves.
“I
think that we can console ourselves best by believing that whatever is our
allotment in life, whatever is our call in the priesthood, the Lord has been
wise and just, and I might add, merciful, in giving to us that which we need to
accomplish the particular purpose of our call.” (Conference Report, Oct.
1952, p. 71)
Alma 29:8 the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation
and tongue, to teach his word
Orson F. Whitney
“Many
beautiful lessons might be drawn from this passage (Alma 29:1-9) of scripture,
but I have only time to dwell upon one. It tells me that Providence is over
all, and that he holds the nations in the hollow of his hand; that he is using
not only his covenant people, but other peoples as well, to consummate a work,
stupendous, magnificent, and altogether too arduous for this little handful of
Saints to accomplish by and of themselves. Alma seems to have thought, for the
moment, that man was doing God's work for him, instead of which it is God, who
is doing his own work, and using men as his instruments. Nor is he limited in
the choice of instruments to his own people. He sways the scepter over all
nations, and they are all playing into his hands, knowingly or unknowingly.
Alma knew this, but had momentarily lost sight of it.
“All
down the ages men bearing the authority of the Holy Priesthood -- patriarchs,
prophets, apostles and others, have officiated in the name of the Lord, doing
the things that he required of them; and outside the pale of their activities
other good and great men, not bearing the Priesthood, but possessing profundity
of thought, great wisdom, and a desire to uplift their fellows, have been sent
by the Almighty into many nations, to give them, not the fulness of the Gospel,
but that portion of truth that they were able to receive and wisely use. Such
men as Confucius, the Chinese philosopher; Zoroaster, the Persian sage; Gautama
or Buddha, of the Hindus; Socrates and Plato, of the Greeks; these all had some
of the light that is universally diffused, and concerning which we have this
day heard. They were servants of the Lord in a lesser sense, and were sent to
those pagan or heathen nations to give them the measure of truth that a wise
Providence had allotted to them.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1921, pp.
32-33)
Heber J. Grant
“Perhaps
there is no other passage, no single chapter, in all the Book of Mormon, that I
have preached from as often as I have from that twenty-ninth chapter of Alma…I
commend to all Latter-day Saints when the conference pamphlet is published, to
read what Elder Orson F. Whitney said about the inspiration of God being given
to men in all parts of the world. We endorse his remarks.” (Conference
Report, Apr. 1921, p. 202-3)
Joseph Fielding Smith
“In
this present glorious dispensation, in which all things are to be gathered in
one, and the work of the Lord, eventually, to be consummated so far as the
salvation of men is concerned, the Lord has placed within our power the means
by which the voice may be carried forth to all parts of the earth; not in a
manner to shake the earth, but in a manner that the message of salvation may be
proclaimed to the thousands, perhaps millions, scattered on all the face of the
earth. In the days of Alma such powers were not available to the preachers of
the plan of eternal life, and they were to be content with the things which the
Lord allotted unto them, but in this day these means have, by the grace of God,
been placed at our disposal.” (The Restoration of All Things, p. 6)
Elder Charles A. Callis
“The
Prophet Joseph Smith was only 25 years of age when the translation of this book
was completed. How did he know that the gospel was to be preached unto every
nation, in their own tongue? How did he know, except by the spirit of
revelation, that you Latter-day Saints would raise up sons unto the Lord who
would be instructed in foreign languages and, leaving their mountain home,
would go forth and preach the gospel in Germany, Russia, Scandinavia, England,
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and on the isles of the sea preaching in the tongue
of the people to whom they are sent? This prophecy is being fulfilled…O how our
hearts should rejoice to know that the divine mission of Joseph Smith is being
proclaimed every day of our lives, and in almost every country on the earth.” (Conference
Report, Apr. 1909, p. 18)
Alma 29:9 this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in
the hands of God
Heber J. Grant
“I
know of no joy on earth that can compare with that which comes to the heart of
the man who is an instrument in the hands of God of saving some soul and
turning it from that broad way that leadeth to destruction, into that straight
and narrow path that leadeth to life eternal.” (Conference Report, Oct.
1922, p. 188)
Alma 29:10 when I see many of my brethren truly penitent…then is my
soul filled with joy
Alma was a shepherd in the
truest sense of the word. He was the kind of shepherd who could not bear the
thought of losing even one of his flock (Mosiah 28:3).
What man of you,
having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and
nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it:
And when he hath found it,
he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing…
I say unto you, that
likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over
ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance…
Likewise, I say unto
you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth
(Lu 15:4-10).
The affections of Alma are
the same as the affections of the angels of God because both are filled with
great joy at the soul that repents. His actions and ministry confirm that these
are not idle words, for he had given up the judgment seat so that he could
gather the scattered sheep (Alma 4:18-19). His great success was turned into
joy just as the shepherd who returns symbolically carrying the lost sheep home.
Again, as we examine the
ministries of Alma and the sons of Mosiah, the word of the Lord to Joseph Smith
is brought to mind—almost as if it were the motto of these great missionaries: And if it so be that you should labor all your days in
crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how
great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your
joy will be great with one soul…how great will be your joy if you should bring
many souls unto me! (DC 18:15-16)
LeGrand Richards
“I
do not believe we could go anywhere in the world and find men engaged in the
ministry, I care not how great their salaries are, who would testify that the
Lord has satiated their souls with fatness and that they are satisfied with the
Lord’s goodness to them, as are those brethren who bear the priesthood of God
and are privileged to feed the flock under his divine leadership and
inspiration. We are dealing with the most precious things in all the world, the
souls of men.” (LeGrand Richards Speaks, comp. by G. LaMont Richards, p.
75)
Alma 29:11 I also remember the captivity of my fathers
The internal consistency in
the Book of Mormon is a great testimony to its authenticity. As Alma speaks of
remembering the captivity of his fathers, he is giving us another example of
that consistency. When the angel first appeared to Alma, he instructed him to
remember the captivity of his fathers (Mosiah 27:16). Alma never forgot this
instruction. Rather, he invited the people of Zarahemla to remember the
captivity of their fathers (Alma 5:5). He tells us in this verse that he has
not forgotten the mercies of the Lord to his fathers. He repeats this same
concept when teaching his son, saying, I would that
ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers
(Alma 36:2). See also Alma 36:29. So, we see that this theme was important to
Alma, and he sprinkled this concept throughout the Book of Mormon with such
internal consistency that we are forced to confess, “this can’t be the work of
any man.”
Alma 29:16 my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from
the body
Another theme of the lives
of Alma and the sons of Mosiah is the theme of being carried away in the
Spirit. Alma was overcome after the angel first appeared unto him (Mosiah
27:19). King Lamoni was also carried away on two separate occasions (Alma
18:42; 19:13). The queen and her servants were carried away (Alma 19:13,16).
Ammon was overcome (Alma 19:14), and Lamoni’s father was overcome at the
teaching of Aaron (Alma 22:18). The extremes of sorrow for sin and eternal joy
are, on occasions, too much for the mortal frame to endure. It is in these
situations that the soul can be carried away. Nevertheless, this is not the way
in which the greatest joy can be felt. While the mortal body cannot endure a
fullness of joy, a resurrected body does not have this weakness, For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit
and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when
separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy (DC 93:33-4).