Alma 17:10-17

10  And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted.  And they were comforted.

11  And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

12  And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.

Alma 17:10-12 (Emphasis mine)

The group prayed to the Lord and received an answer.  I can’t help but think it wasn’t quite what they hoped.

They were told that they had to be “…patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me…” (verse 11).  In answer to their prayer, they were told there would be “afflictions” as they went forward.  Even so, they were to be patient during these times so they would be good examples.  Through the examples they set, they would be “… instrument[s] … my hands unto the salvation of many souls.”  (verse 11).

Successful preaching could have the added benefit of fewer wars. (see previous post), Let us further explore the writings of John Tvedtnes.

“The Book of Mormon stresses that they were going to ‘a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them’ (Alma 17:14). Many long years of war had taken their toll on the Nephites. Taking young men away from agricultural and other pursuits for military service undoubtedly had an adverse effect on the economy, in addition to the loss of life. If the sons of Mosiah could somehow change the hatred of the Lamanites for the Nephites to an acceptance of the Nephites as brothers in the gospel, this would certainly improve the lot of both peoples.”

The Sons of Mosiah: Emissaries of Peace, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 1, 2011

3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 5:3-4 (Emphasis mine)

4  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

2 Corinthians 6:4 (Emphasis mine)

22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 (Emphasis mine)

2  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (Emphasis mine)

24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2 Timothy 2:24 (Emphasis mine)

2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:2 (Emphasis mine)

2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:2-4 (Emphasis mine)

19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

James 1:19-20 (Emphasis mine)

Even knowing there would be afflictions and suffering, they moved forward.  They went forth with courage and faith, ready to preach the word to the Lamanites. 

13  And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.

Alma 17:13 (Emphasis mine)

The point-of-no-return had been reached.  There were ready to enter into the land of the Lamanites.  At this time, the group separated and went their own way, being guided by the Spirit (see verse 10).

37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:37-38 (Emphasis mine)

14  And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.

15  Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of repentance.

16  Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption.

17  Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and power of God which was given unto him.

Alma 17:14-17 (Emphasis mine)

These verses seem to break the narrative.  We have the account that they each went their way (verse 13).  Then we read a description of the Lamanites, portraying them in a very poor light (verses 14-15).  The next two verses repeat what we have already been told.  These verses are most likely “editorial comments” by Mormon. 

While the Nephites tended to have this negative image of the Lamanites as a ferocious people, from the Lamanite perspective, they believed they were justified for their wars and hatred of the Nephites.  The problems go back the hatred of Laman and Lemuel for Nephi.

“The Nephite record gives a further explanation for those wars, in words directly quoted from Lamanite documents. In 63 B.C., Ammoron the Lamanite king wrote to Moroni about a prisoner exchange and explained why they fought: ‘For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them’ (Alma 54:17). The war would stop, Ammoron said to Moroni, if you ‘lay down your arms, and subject yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth rightly belong’ (Alma 54:18). Ammoron referred, of course, to Laman's complaint that Nephi ‘thinks to rule over us,’ when Laman himself claimed the right of rulership.

“…the Lamanite response followed the line of the ancient story. How were the Nephites to be stopped from their habitual robbery of their brethren? Bind them, smite them, kill them. The father of Lamoni turned on Ammon with a sword, and that was always the way. Nephi said his brothers' hearts were like flint, and the most common Nephite characterization of the Lamanites described them as ferocious. They were a ‘wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them’ (Alma 17:14). It was nearly impossible for many of the Nephites to see anything gentle or loving in Lamanite life, because the boundary between the two peoples was defined by the founding saga as one of perpetual war.”  (Emphasis mine)

The Lamanite View of Book of Mormon History, Richard L. Bushman, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 1, 2011

The next post will begin to deal with the missionary activities of Ammon.

2 Nephi 31:9-13

9  And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the agate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
10  And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
11  And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

2 Nephi 31:9-11 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi(1) continues his comments on the baptism of the Savior by emphasizing the example He set.  Through His example He shows us the path we should follow as his disciples.

Then Nephi(1) makes an important point.  How can you follow Jesus if you don't keep His commandments? He tells us to follow Him.  Can a person truly follow Him if he doesn't follow His example?  No!  Christ's life is an example for us.  He shows us the way.  To follow Him, we must obey the commandments.  And one of the commandments is to repent and be baptized in Christ's name.

14  Ye are the alight of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16  Let your alight so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 (Emphasis mine)

12  So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13  Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

John 13:12-15 (Emphasis mine)

21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Peter 2:21 (Emphasis mine)

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin discussed following Christ in the April 2002 General Conference.

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to have lived in the days of the Savior? If you had been there, would you have heeded His call “Follow me”?  Perhaps a more realistic question might be, “If the Savior were to call you today, would you be just as willing to leave your nets and follow Him?” I am confident that many would.But for some, it may not be such an easy decision. Some have discovered that nets, by their very nature, are sometimes not so easy to leave.  Nets come in many sizes and shapes ... Nets in this context can be our work, our hobbies, our pleasures, and, above all else, our temptations and sins. In short, a net can be anything that pulls us away from our relationship with our Heavenly Father or from His restored Church ...Jesus the Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life: no [one] cometh unto the Father, but by [Him].”  As a special witness of Him, I testify to you this day that the time will come when every man, woman, and child will look into the Savior’s loving eyes. On that day, we will know with a surety the worth of our decision to straightway follow Him.That each of us may hear the call of the Master and straightway leave our entangling nets and joyfully follow Him is my earnest prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  (Emphasis mine)

12  And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
13  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 31:12-13 (Emphasis mine)

After baptism, there is more.  Once we are baptized in His name, we will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  This will allow us to "speak with tongue of angels and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. " This special gift will allow us to not only become closer to Him, but it will allow us to be even better followers of Him.

Merely following Him is not enough.  Nephi(1) teaches us we must follow him with full purpose and real intent.  We must avoid hypocrisy and deception.  We must repent of our sins.  We must show our purpose and intent by following him through baptism and taking upon his His name.  He expects much of His followers.  He gives us much more in return.

what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:37-38 (Emphasis mine)

29  ¶ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Acts 5:29-32 (Emphasis mine)

 10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 4:10-12 (Emphasis mine)

In the October 2010 session of General Conference, Elder David A. Bednar said:

The Holy Ghost is manifested to men and women on the earth both as the power and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The power can come upon a person before baptism; it is the convincing witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, sincere investigators can acquire a conviction of the truthfulness of the Savior’s gospel, of the Book of Mormon ...We first should desire, yearn for, and seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost. You and I can learn a great lesson about righteous desires from the faithful disciples of the Master described in the Book of Mormon:

“And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus. … And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them” (3 Nephi 19:6, 9).  

Do we likewise remember to pray earnestly and consistently for that which we should most desire, even the Holy Ghost? Or do we become distracted by the cares of the world and the routine of daily living and take for granted or even neglect this most valuable of all gifts? Receiving the Holy Ghost starts with our sincere and constant desire for His companionship in our lives. (Emphasis mine)

I would like to close this post with a few of Elder Bednar's closing words.

I pray we will sincerely desire and appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our daily lives. I also pray each of us will faithfully obey God’s commandments and in reality receive the Holy Ghost. (Emphasis mine)