9 Yea, I say unto you,
were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these
plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of
the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records
and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the
knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
10 And who knoweth but
what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also
many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening
their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
11 Now these mysteries
are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.
12 And it may suffice
if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known
unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are
straight, and his course is one eternal round.
13 O remember,
remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said:
If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not
his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.
14 And now remember,
my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which
he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose
in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations. (Alma
37:9-35)
Alma continues telling Helaman about the importance of the records
he would receive.
With out the records, Ammon and Aaron could not have
convinced thousands of Lamanites the traditions of their fathers were wrong.
“I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things,
which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and
understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes,
that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been
like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things,
or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the
traditions of their fathers, which are not correct” (Mosiah 1:5).
“Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the
creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the
things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the
records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the
prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem” (Alma
18:36).
“And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would
believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading the scriptures
unto the king—how God created man after his own image, and that God gave him
commandments, and that because of transgression, man had fallen” (Alma 22:12).
The records caused them to repent and learn about Jesus
Christ, their Redeemer. And, who knows but they will bring thousands of Nephites
to the knowledge of Christ.
Alma again reminds Helaman the records are preserved for a
wise purpose known to God. He counsels wisdom over all his works. “Without
counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are
established” (Proverbs 15:22).
“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to
take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth
in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works” (Jacob 4:10).
His paths are straight and his course is on eternal round. “For
he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be
unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as
in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore,
the course of the Lord is one eternal round” (1 Nephi 10:19).
“I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the
testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he
vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the
right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong;
therefore, his course is one eternal round” (Alma 7:20).
He must remember how strict God’s commandments are. “Strive
to enter in at the strait [narrow] gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24).
The Lord promised if we keep his commandments, we will prosper
in the land.
“Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto
Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper
in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my
commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
“Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the
Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from
the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word of the Lord has been
verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence,
from the beginning of their transgressions in the land” (Alma 9:13-14).
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that
love thee” (Psalm 122:6).
“And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search
[the plates] diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should
keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the
promises which the Lord made unto our fathers” (Mosiah 1:7).
“Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be
blessed, inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the
land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall
be cut off from the presence of the Lord” (Alma 50:20).
God has entrusted the sacred records to him. He is to
preserve them.
“And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these
[the brass plates], that we may preserve unto our children the language of our
fathers;
“And also that we may preserve unto them the words which
have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been
delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even
down unto this present time” (1 Nephi 3:19-20).
“And we had obtained the records which the Lord had
commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even
of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the
Lord unto our children.
“Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry
them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise” (1 Nephi
5:21-22).
He will preserve them for a wise purpose and will show His
power to future generations.
“Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord
that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be
an account engraven of the ministry of my people.
“Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the
reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these
plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the
more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.
“Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates
for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.
“But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning;
wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of
men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. (1 Nephi
9:3-6).
“Through the scriptures, God does indeed “show forth his
power” to save and exalt His children. By His word, as Alma said, He enlarges
our memory, sheds light on falsehood and error, and brings us to repentance and
to rejoice in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.”[1]
[1] The
Blessing of Scripture, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, April 2010 General
Conference.
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