# Alma 8

*Paraphrase*

### Alma Returns Home

Alma returned from Gideon after teaching the people and establishing the church there, just as he had done in Zarahemla. He went home to rest from all his work.

That marked the end of the ninth year of the judges’ rule over the Nephites.

### Mission to Melek

Early in the tenth year, Alma left and traveled to the land of Melek, west of the Sidon River near the wilderness border. He began teaching the people throughout Melek according to the sacred calling God had given him. People came to him from all over the region near the wilderness, and they were baptized throughout the land. When his work in Melek was done, he left and traveled north for three days until he came to a city called Ammonihah.

The Nephites had a custom of naming their lands, cities, and villages after the first person who settled them. That’s how Ammonihah got its name.

### Rejected in Ammonihah

When Alma arrived in Ammonihah, he began preaching to the people there.

But Satan had a powerful grip on their hearts, so they refused to listen to Alma’s words. Still, Alma kept at it, pouring his heart out in prayer, wrestling with God, pleading that he would pour out his Spirit on these people and let them turn back to him through baptism.

But they hardened their hearts and said to him, “Look, we know who you are—Alma, the high priest over the church you’ve set up all over the land according to your tradition. But we’re not part of your church, and we don’t believe in your foolish traditions. We know that since we’re not part of your church, you have no authority over us. Besides, you gave up the judgment seat to Nephihah, so you’re not our chief judge anymore.”

After they said this, rejecting everything he said, mocking him and spitting on him, they threw him out of the city. He left and headed toward the city of Aaron.

### An Angel’s Command

As he traveled, he was crushed with sorrow, drowning in grief over the wickedness of the people in Ammonihah. While he was weighed down like this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “You are blessed, Alma. Lift up your head and celebrate, because you have every reason to rejoice. You’ve been faithful in keeping God’s commandments since the first message I delivered to you. I’ve been sent to tell you: go back to Ammonihah and preach to the people again. Tell them that unless they turn back to God, the Lord will destroy them. Right now they’re plotting to destroy your people’s freedom, which goes against everything the Lord has commanded.”

### Amulek’s Welcome

After receiving this message from the angel, Alma hurried back to Ammonihah. He entered the city from a different route this time, coming in from the south side.

As he came into the city, hungry, he said to a man, “Would you give a humble servant of God something to eat?” The man said to him, “I’m a Nephite, and I know you’re a holy prophet of God. You’re the man an angel told me about in a vision. He said, ‘You will receive him.’ So come home with me, and I’ll share my food with you. I know you’ll be a blessing to me and my family.” The man welcomed him into his house. His name was Amulek, and he brought out bread and meat and set it before Alma. Alma ate until he was full, then blessed Amulek and his household and gave thanks to God.

After he’d eaten, he said to Amulek, “I’m Alma, the high priest over the church of God throughout the land. I’ve been called to preach God’s word to all these people, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy. I was in this land, but they wouldn’t accept me. They threw me out, and I was about to turn my back on this place forever. But I’ve been commanded to come back and prophesy to these people again—to warn them about their sins. Amulek, because you fed me and took me in, you are blessed. I was starving—I’d been fasting for many days.”

### Filled with Power

Alma stayed with Amulek for many days before he began preaching to the people.

Meanwhile, the people grew even worse in their sins. Then the word came to Alma: “Go, and tell my servant Amulek to go with you. Prophesy to these people: ‘Turn back to God, because the Lord says: Unless you turn back, I will come against you in my anger, and I will not hold back my fury.’”

So Alma and Amulek went out among the people to declare God’s word to them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were given such power that they couldn’t be confined in prison cells, and no one could kill them. Yet they didn’t use this power until after they were bound in chains and thrown into prison—so the Lord could show his power through them. They went out and began preaching and prophesying to the people, according to the Spirit and power the Lord had given them.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/alma/8)*
