Throughout the Book of Mormon, when a leader like Alma(1) has a serious problem, they turn to the Lord. Most of the time, it deals with spiritual issues. This time, is more a political issue. King Mosiah(2) left the problem of the dissenters directly in the hands of Alma(1). He turned to the Lord. Terryl Givens described the process.
“In at least one instance, prayer about a difficult political problem elicits an answer. Unsuccessful in his effort to transfer jurisdiction over zealous apostates to the king, Alma takes his dilemma to the Lord in prayer. ‘And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him,’ saying essentially that ecclesiastical dilemmas require ecclesiastical solutions (Mosiah 26:14).” [1] (Emphasis mine)
Alma(1)’s answer:
15 Blessed art thou, Alma,
and blessed are they
who were baptized
in the waters of Mormon.
Thou art blessed
because of thy exceeding faith
in the words alone
of my servant Abinadi.
16 And blessed are they
because of their exceeding faith
in the words alone
which thou hast spoken
unto them.
17 And blessed art thou
because thou hast established
a church
among this people;
and they shall be established,
and they shall be my people.
18 Yea, blessed
is this people
who are willing
to bear my name;
for in my name
shall they be called;
and they are mine.
19 And because thou hast
inquired of me
concerning the transgressor,
thou art blessed.
Mosiah 26:15-19
In His answer to Alma(1)’s prayer, He recounts Alma(1)’s experiences as the waters of Mormon. Mormon waxed poetic when he described the events at the waters of Mormon.
And now it came to pass
that all this was done in Mormon,
yea, by the waters of Mormon,
in the forest that was near
the waters of Mormon;
yea, the place of Mormon,
the waters of Mormon,
the forest of Mormon,
how beautiful are they
to the eyes of them
who there came to the knowledge
of their Redeemer;
yea, and how blessed
are they,
for they shall sing
to his praise forever.
Mosiah 18:30
The scriptures remind us of the importance of inquiring of the Lord. James wrote “[i]f any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1-5). In this dispensation, the Lord told Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry when they turned to the Lord “… blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.”
Those that placed their faith in the Lord, and were willing to bear His name, are blessed because, the Lord tells us, “they are mine.” How wonderful it would be to hear the Lord tell us we are blessed because we have taken his name upon and that we are His!
King Benjamin reminded us of the importance of taking upon us the name of Christ. He said that “… under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives” (Mosiah 5:8).
Jennifer Clark Lane explains the importance of adoption by covenant.
“This adoption by covenant to become the "people of the Lord" is illustrated in Mosiah 26. Here the Lord speaks to Alma about the people who were willing to enter into a covenant with him at the waters of Mormon. In his address he explicitly states that the people who are willing to bear his name are his people. "Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine" (Mosiah 26:18). Through their baptismal covenant the people of Alma received a new name and were adopted. He explains that those who are adopted by covenant and keep that covenant will receive a place at his right hand, "for behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth" (Mosiah 26:24). The Lord contrasts this promise of redemption with the fate of those who will not enter into (or keep) their covenants, receive his name, and be adopted.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
The Lord continues:
20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep. 21 And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive. 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive. 23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand. 24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.
Mosiah 26:20-24 (Emphasis mine)
The constant promise we have from the Lord is that, if we obey His commandments and serve Him, we will receive eternal life. Alma(1) is commanded to gather His sheep. Those that hear the word, accept it, and “baptized unto repentance,” shall be his sheep. This echoes the word of the Lord when He said “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14). Jacob explained that the Lord “… commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 9:23).
Marilyn Arnold explains:
“The Lord makes a rare and splendid promise to Alma: "Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name" (Mosiah 26:20). Could any covenant be grander and any calling more clear? The Lord gives him authority both to judge and to forgive (see v. 29), and Alma writes all the Lord's words "that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God" (v. 33). We are told in the same chapter that "Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church" (v. 37).” [3] (Emphasis mine)
In speaking to Alma(1), the Lord reminds him that “it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world … in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.” Christ taught this principle to His disciples in the Old World: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
Once again, the concept of baptism and repentance is front-and-center in the Lord’s words. Noel Reynolds writes:
“Because repentance includes the covenant to obey the commandments of the Lord, it is tied closely to baptism in water as the public evidence or witness of that covenant. Thus baptism in water is the appropriate sequel to repentance.” [4] (Emphasis mine)
[1] The Book of Mormon and Dialogic Revelation, Terryl L. Givens, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 28, 2012.
[2] The Lord Will Redeem His People: Adoptive Covenant and Redemption in the Old Testament and Book of Mormon, Jennifer Clark Lane, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 28, 2012.
[3] The Book of Mormon: Passport to Discipleship, Marilyn Arnold, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 28, 2012.
[4] The True Points of My Doctrine, Noel B. Reynolds, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 28, 2012.
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