Alma’s Advice to His Son
My son, listen to what I say. I promise you that if you obey God’s commands, you will do well in this land. I want you to do what I have done. Remember when our fathers were captured. They were slaves, and no one could save them except the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he did save them from their troubles. My son Helaman, you are still young. So please listen to my words and learn from me. I know that anyone who trusts in God will get help during their hard times and troubles. God will lift them up at the last day.
I don’t know these things from my own mind. I know them from God. If I had not been born of God, I would not know these things. But God sent his holy angel to tell me. It wasn’t because I was good.
The Angel Stops Alma
I used to go around with the sons of Mosiah. We tried to destroy God’s church. But God sent his holy angel to stop us. The angel spoke to us. His voice was like thunder. The whole earth shook under our feet. We all fell to the ground because we were scared of the Lord. But the voice said to me: Stand up. So I stood up and looked at the angel. He said to me: If you want to destroy yourself, keep trying to destroy God’s church.
Then I fell to the ground. For three days and three nights, I could not open my mouth. I could not move my arms or legs. The angel said more things. My friends heard them, but I did not. When I heard the words about destroying myself, I was filled with fear. I was scared that I would be destroyed. I fell to the ground and heard nothing else.
Alma Remembers His Sins
I felt terrible pain. My soul hurt so much because of all my sins. I remembered all my sins and bad things I had done. They made me hurt like I was in hell. I saw that I had turned against God. I had not kept his commands. I had hurt many of his children. I had led them away to be destroyed. My sins were so bad that just thinking about standing before God filled me with terrible fear. I thought: I wish I could disappear completely. I wish my soul and body could be gone. Then I would not have to stand before God and be judged for what I did. For three days and three nights I hurt like this.
Alma Calls on Jesus
While I was in all this pain and remembering my many sins, I also remembered something. I remembered hearing my father tell the people about Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God who came to pay for the sins of the world. When I thought of this, I cried out in my heart: O Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me! I am trapped in bitterness and wrapped in the chains of death.
When I thought this, I could not remember my pain anymore. I was not hurting from my sins anymore. What joy I felt! What amazing light I saw! My soul was filled with as much joy as I had felt pain. I tell you, my son, that nothing could be worse than my pain. And I also tell you, my son, that nothing could be better than my joy. I thought I saw what our father Lehi saw. God was sitting on his throne. So many angels surrounded him. They were singing and praising God. My soul wanted to be there.
Alma Teaches Others
Then my arms and legs got strong again. I stood up and told the people that I had been born of God. From that time until now, I have worked hard to bring people to turn from their sins. I want them to taste the great joy that I tasted. I want them to be born of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
My son, the Lord gives me great joy because of my work. Because of the word God has given me, many people have been born of God. They have tasted what I tasted. They have seen what I saw. So they know these things just like I know them. And what I know comes from God.
God Has Always Saved His People
God has helped me through all kinds of hard times and troubles. God has saved me from prison, from chains, and from death. I trust in him, and he will keep saving me. I know he will raise me up at the last day to live with him. I will praise him forever. He brought our fathers out of Egypt. He destroyed the Egyptians in the Red Sea. He led our fathers by his power to the promised land. He has saved them from being slaves and captured many times. He brought our fathers out of Jerusalem. By his power, he has saved them from being slaves and captured many times, even until today. I have always remembered when they were captured. You should remember it too, just like I have.
But my son, this is not all. You should know, just like I know, that if you obey God’s commands, you will do well in this land. You should also know that if you do not obey God’s commands, you will be cut off from him. This is what God has said.