# Alma 41

*Simple English*

### Alma Explains Restoration

I need to tell you something about restoration. Some people have misunderstood what the scriptures say about this. They have gone far off the right path. I can tell that you’re worried about this too. But I will explain it to you.

I tell you, my son, that God’s plan of restoration is fair. Everything must be put back in its proper order. It is right and fair that each person’s soul will be put back together with their body. Every part of the body will be put back where it belongs.

God is fair. So people must be judged by what they have done. If their actions were good in this life, and the things they wanted in their hearts were good, then on the last day they will get back good things. And if their actions are evil, they will get back evil. So everything will be put back in its proper order. Everything will go back to how it should be. Dead bodies will become alive forever. Bodies that broke down will never break down again. Those who chose good will be raised to never-ending happiness. They will live in God’s kingdom. Those who chose evil will have never-ending sadness. They will live in the devil’s kingdom. One group on one side, the other group on the other side. One person is raised to happiness because he wanted to be happy and wanted to be good. The other person gets evil because he wanted evil. If someone wanted to do evil all day long, then when night comes, he will get his reward of evil. It works the other way too. If someone has turned away from his sins and wanted to do right until the end of his days, then he will be rewarded with what is right.

These are the people the Lord saves. These are the ones who are taken out and set free from that never-ending night of darkness. And so they stand or fall. They are their own judges. They choose whether to do good or do evil. God’s laws cannot be changed. So the way is ready. Anyone who wants to can walk on it and be saved.

### Wickedness Never Brings Happiness

So my son, don’t sin against your God one more time because you misunderstood these teachings. You have already risked sinning because of this.

Don’t think that just because we talk about restoration, you will be restored from sin to happiness. I tell you, being wicked never made anyone happy.

My son, all people who are in a natural state—or I should say, in a sinful state—are full of bitter anger. They are tied up in sin. They don’t have God in their world. They have gone against the way God made them to be. So they are in a state that goes against happiness.

Does the word restoration mean to take something from its natural state and put it in an unnatural state? Does it mean to put it in a state that is opposite to how it should be?

### What Restoration Really Means

No, my son, that is not the case. The word restoration means to bring back evil for evil. To bring back sin for sin. To bring back what is from the devil for what is from the devil. To bring back good for good. To bring back what is right for what is right. To bring back what is fair for what is fair. To bring back mercy for mercy. So my son, make sure you are kind to your brothers. Treat people fairly. Judge in the right way. And keep doing good. If you do all these things, then you will get your reward. You will have mercy given back to you. You will have fairness given back to you. You will be judged in the right way. And you will have good things given back to you. What you send out will come back to you and be restored. So the word restoration shows the sinner is wrong. It does not let him off the hook at all.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/simple/alma/41)*
