Alma 17:1-9

I would like to move away from Alma(2) for a time and study the record of Alma(2) talking about the experiences of the sons of Mosiah(2).

An account of the sons of Mosiah, who rejected their rights to the kingdom for the word of God, and went up to the land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites; their sufferings and deliverance—according to the record of Alma.

Comprising chapters 17 to 26 inclusive.

Here we learn that the record Mormon is abridging is a record made by Alma(2). 

Chapter 17

The sons of Mosiah have the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—They go their several ways to declare the word to the Lamanites—Ammon goes to the land of Ishmael and becomes the servant of King Lamoni—Ammon saves the king's flocks and slays his enemies at the waters of Sebus. Verses 1–3, about 77 B.C.; verse 4, about 91–77 B.C.; and verses 5-39, about 91 B.C.

1  AND now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.

2  Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

3  But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

4  And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years [from 91 B.C. to 77 B.C.] among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him.

 Alma 17:1-4 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) had left Gideon after preaching there, and to his surprise, he saw his old friends, the sons of Mosiah.  The joy the four men experience had to be something special.  But what was even more joyful was that the sons of Mosiah were “still his brethren in the Lord.”  These five men were still faithful to the Lord all these years later.

Alma(2)’s record tells us they were very faithful.  They fasted and prayed; they had the spirit of revelation and had the power and authority of God.

Their fourteen-year mission had strengthened them.  Their successes had brought many to the Lord. 

Writing about their mission, John Tvetdnes explained its importance.

“The mission of the sons of Mosiah among the Lamanites has generally been seen as one of the greatest missionary efforts in the Book of Mormon. This is undoubtedly true. One cannot diminish the importance of the spiritual conversion of many thousands of Lamanites to the gospel and of the miracles and faith that accompanied that conversion.

“There is, however, another aspect to the mission that is generally overlooked. It is that the Nephite princes were seeking a means whereby their nation could be relieved of the burden of war with their Lamanite neighbors. Mosiah's sons

“… returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them ... that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites — that perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land. (Mosiah 28:1-2.)”  (Emphasis mine)

The Sons of Mosiah: Emissaries of Peace, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 31, 2011

The desire to bring peace between the Nephites and Lamanites was important consideration.  The wars cost much, in money, casualties, time, resources, etc.  Bringing peace would benefit both sides.

John Tvedtnes also wrote of Alma(2)’s joy at seeing his brethren.

“So emotionally charged were Alma's memories of the angel's first visit that he reflected on it when, after a fourteen-year hiatus, he was reunited with the sons of Mosiah, who had been with him during the angel's original visit. These men had just returned safely from a lengthy mission to the land of Nephi, during which time they had succeeded in converting thousands of Lamanites.”  (Emphasis mine)

The Voice of an Angel, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 31, 2011

5  Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit.

6  Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them, and also this was the minds of the people;

7  Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.

8  And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto the Lamanites.

9  And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

Alma 17:5-9 (Emphasis mine)

The record takes us back fourteen years to the departure of the sons of Mosiah and their group.  While they journeyed in the wilderness, they fasted and prayed that they might have success preaching to the Lamanites. 

Richard Rust wrote about the mission of the sons of Mosiah.  As they begin their mission, his words are very appropriate.

“The missionary endeavor of the sons of Mosiah, found in a single chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon (Alma 17 through 20 in the current edition), is one of the most interesting stories in the Book of Mormon. By looking at this narrative as a single story, one discovers that its center is the kingdom of God in contrast with the kingdom of man, the power of God in contrast with that of man … This acceptance of God's power and denial of earthly glory is emphasized in the first paragraph of the 1830 edition. The sons of Mosiah, we are told, ‘taught with power and authority, even as with the power and authority of God ... having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them’ (cf. Alma 17:3, 6)”

“Leaving behind a presumably comfortable life in Zarahemla, the sons of Mosiah depart into the wilderness to go among ‘a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people’ (Alma 17:14).

Recurrence in Book of Mormon Narratives, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 31, 2011

Tomorrow’s entry will take our devoted group into the lands of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 18:1-6

 Chapter 18

Alma preaches in private—He sets forth the covenant of baptism and baptizes at the waters of Mormon—He organizes the Church of Christ and ordains priests—They support themselves and teach the people—Alma and his people flee from King Noah into the wilderness. About 147–145 B.C.

1  AND now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—
2  Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.
3  And as many as would hear his word he did teach.  And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king.  And many did believe his words.

Mosiah 18:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi has died.  He taught the word of the Lord to the people, ignoring the consequences.  Mormon records that Abinadi failed at bringing the people to repentance and following the proper gospel.  There is only one recorded convert - Alma(1), the former priest of King Noah; but, oh what a convert he was.  As we will learn, through Alma(1)'s faithfulness, many people are brought to the truth.  The seed was planted and grew.  Alma would continue to plant seeds and they would grow; his converts would continue planting seeds and they would grow; and so.  

Who was Alma(1)?  What do we know of him?  L. Gary Lambert wrote about Alma.

"Alma(1) (c. 174—92 B.C.) was the first of two Almas in the Book of Mormon. He was a descendant of Nephi(1), son of Lehi, and was the young priest in the court of king Noah who attempted a peaceful release of the prophet Abinadi. For that action, Alma incurred royal vengeance, banishment, and threats upon his life. He had been impressed by Abinadi's accusations of immorality and abuses within the government and society and by his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mosiah 17:2). Subsequently forced underground, Alma wrote out Abinadi's teachings, then shared them with others, attracting sufficient adherents—450—to organize a society of believers, or a church." (Emphasis mine)

Alma(1), L. Gary Lambert, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.

Hugh Nibley wrote about what he taught (see verse 2). 

"Now what happened? Alma fled from the servants of King Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and then went about privately among the people and began to teach ... And this is what he taught—the absolute basics of the gospel. These are the big questions, these are the essentials. Without them you have no gospel; with them, you have everything. The first is resurrection of the dead. Is there any more [after this life] (sic)? That's a terrible question, you see. Is this all there is? The answer is no, as we saw the last time. There's much more, and it's the resurrection of the dead. The second is that you're not only resurrected to make life possible but to make it endurable and enjoyable. I don't want to live forever, if I've got to suffer forever. No that's not it, but to make life desirable for eternal life—to make it possible and then to make it desirable. And that's the same thing. Redemption of the people. That is atonement, bringing them back to the presence of God, and that happens through power. Things are done through power. It's a physical, real thing that happens. The suffering and death of Christ and his resurrection and ascension—now that's the atonement. What he's preaching here is resurrection, redemption, atonement, buying back again, bringing together again where you were. Notice all these words that begin with re. That means again. A re-surrection means 'a rising up again.' That means you were in the flesh before. Of course we're here now, and then we will rise up again. But then after, it is the redemption. You are bought back again. You came down here, you suffered the Fall, you committed all these sins, etc. Then you're freed. Emptio is 'to buy something,' and redemption is 'to buy somebody back again who was with you before.' See, you were in the presence of the Lord before; now he's buying you back into his service again after you've been out of it for a while. You've been serving the devil. That's what he [Alma] (sic) preached." (Emphasis mine)

Lecture 36: Mosiah 16-18, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011. 

As he secretly taught the words of Abinadi, his church began to grow. 

4  And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.
5  Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king.
6  And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither to hear his words.

Mosiah 18:4-6 (Emphasis mine)

Alma hid at a place that will be known as the Waters of Mormon.  It is hear the his followers come to hear his preaching. 

Hugh Nibley

"Alma's hideout at the waters of Mormon was in open country, as we have seen: 'a fountain of pure water, . . . a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime, and where he baptized 'in the forest that was near the waters' (Mosiah 18:5, 30). Streams in arid countries, as we all know, are usually bordered by extensive 'thickets of small trees,' like willows or mesquite, that provide excellent concealment." (Emphasis mine)

The Nature of Book of Mormon Society, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.

Gordon Thomasson discussed the etymology of the word Mormon.

"Names can have multiple meanings and functions. The Greek "pre-historic" word Mormo (which is to say it is a loan word into Greek, probably from some other Mediterranean culture) refers to the sound made by wild animals, a growl or a murmur, and is an example of onomatopoeia. If the place name Mormon has the same root as Mormo, it is quite appropriately used, based upon this etymology, to refer to the wilderness area where Alma's young Church began, a place characterized by the text as being 'infested, by times, or at seasons, by wild beasts' (Mosiah 18:4). The word Mormon almost immediately took on other associations, however, linked with the covenants entered into by the members of the new Church. It may also have good Egyptian meanings, including associations with wild animals and even with the concept of 'more good.' "(Emphasis mine)

What's in a Name? Book of Mormon Language, Names, and [Metonymic] Naming, Gordon C. Thomasson, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.