32 And now it came to
pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who
were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about
through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had
heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being
greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of
them.
33 But notwithstanding
all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their
faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the
commandments of God.
34 And four of them
were the sons of Mosiah; and their names were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and
Himni; these were the names of the sons of Mosiah.
35 And they traveled
throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under
the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which
they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the
things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to
all who desired to hear them.
36 And thus they were
instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth,
yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.
37 And how blessed are
they! For they did publish peace; they
did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the
Lord reigneth.
Mosiah 27:32-37
After explaining his conversion to the multitude, he began
an effort to teach the people the gospel, undoing the damage he had done. The sons of Mosiah, Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and
Himni, also went through out the land preaching the gospel.
As we have read the story of Alma1, as well as
the conversion story of Alma2 as well as the sons of Mosiah, we must
keep in mind we have read or will read the stories about the efforts of,
arguably, the six most important figures in the Book of Mormon church
(excluding Christ’s ministry among the Nephites, of course). Alma1 established and organized
it. Alma2 became a
missionary, the first chief judge, the leader of the Nephite church, and
continue his missionary efforts. Ammon,
Aaron, Omner, and Himni will preach the gospel among the Lamanites, bring
thousands of Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth. “Had these dissenters not
been reclaimed, the Nephites, Lamanites, and modern church would have been
without some of the greatest leaders and teachers of faith of whom we have any
record (Alma 4–43).”[1]
“The passage in Mosiah 27:32–28:1 tells of a
little-known mission to the Nephites by Alma and Mosiah's sons, seemingly between
one and eight years in duration…”[2] I would think that they were quite popular
among the sinners before their conversion.
Now, the sinners turn on them. The
preached “the word of God in much
tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those were unbelievers, being smitten
by many of them.”
What about the authority of Alma2?
After his spectacular angelic
conversion, it has been claimed, "Alma does not wait for an ordination by
any human authority."37 Even
here, it is possible that Alma the Younger, son of a priest, had already been
ordained to some office in the priesthood by the time of his conversion. But it
requires no ordination to report a spiritual experience, and this is all that Mosiah
27:32 tells us that he was doing.[3]
It is not unreasonable to assume both Alma2 and the
sons of Mosiah had been ordained earlier in life. Alma1 was head of the church;
Mosiah was a seer (see Mosiah 8:13-17).
They may have been ordained priests earlier in life, or they may have
been ordained by their fathers before they began their mission. Based on the fact the church had an
organizational structure, it seems virtually impossible for them to have began
their missionary efforts without the proper authority.
Even though the five suffered at the hands of the
non-believers, the members of the church appreciated their efforts. “[T]hey
did impart much consolation to the church.”
Their example of faithfulness in the face of persecution is one we
should all follow.
As they travelled, they went throughout Mosiah’s
kingdom. They “zealously” worked to undo the damage and “injuries which they had done to the church.” They publicly confessed all their sins. Alma2 understood the importance of confessing
sins. He would tell Corianton, his
wayward son, “That ye turn to the Lord
with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no
more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults
and that wrong which ye have done” (Alma 39:13). They published all they had done as well as
their experiences, “explaining the
prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them.”
Mormon tells us they were “instruments in the hands of God.” David Rolph Seely explains,
The image of an instrument in
the hand of the Lord. This phrase occurs twelve times in the Book of
Mormon but not at all in the Old Testament. It refers to servants of the Lord
who help bring souls to Christ, often through missionary work. Among these are
Nephi, who brought his people across the sea to the promised land (see 2 Nephi
1:24), Joseph Smith in the last days (see 2 Nephi 3:24), and Alma the elder and
his converts (see Mosiah 23:10). The phrase appears several times for the
younger Alma and the sons of Mosiah (see Mosiah 27:36; Alma 2:30; 17:9,
11; 26:3, 15; 29:9; 35:14).[4]
They brought many to the truth, “to the knowledge of their Redeemer.”
“In Mosiah 27:36, the knowledge of the truth is equated with
the knowledge of Christ.”[5]
For their efforts, they were blessed. They published peace and tidings of
good. They left their testimony that the
Lord reigns.
[1] Dissent:
Perspectives from the Book of Mormon, Lynn D. Wardle, Maxwell Institute,
accessed December 23, 2014.
[2] Alma's
Enemies: The Case of the Lamanites, Amlicites, and Mysterious Amalekites, J.
Christopher Conkling, Maxwell Institute, accessed December 23, 2014.
[3] Authority
in the Book of Mosiah, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute, accessed
December 23, 2014.
[4] The
Image of the Hand of God in the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament, David
Rolph Seely, Maxwell Institute, accessed December 23, 2014.
[5] Notes
and Communications: Faith and Truth, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute,
accessed December 23, 2014.
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