The People Argue with Alma
I, Alma, had been told by God to take Amulek and preach again to the people in the city of Ammonihah. When I started to preach to them, they argued with me. They said: “Who are you? Do you think we will believe one man? Do you think we will believe you when you preach that the earth will pass away?” They didn’t understand what they were saying. They didn’t know that the earth will pass away.
They also said: “We will not believe your words. We won’t believe that this great city will be destroyed in one day.” They didn’t know that God could do such amazing things. They were hard-hearted and stubborn people. They said: “Who is God? Why does he send only one man to tell us the truth about such great and amazing things?” They stepped forward to grab me. But they did not. I stood with boldness to tell them the truth. I spoke to them with boldness. I said:
Alma Speaks Boldly
“You wicked and stubborn people! How have you forgotten what your fathers taught you? You have forgotten God’s commandments so quickly. Don’t you remember that God brought our father Lehi out of Jerusalem? Don’t you remember that God led them all through the wilderness? Have you forgotten so quickly how many times he saved our fathers from their enemies? God kept them from being destroyed. He even saved them from their own brothers. If it had not been for God’s great power, his mercy, and his patience toward us, we would have been cut off from the earth long before now. We would have been in a state of endless suffering.”
“I tell you, God commands you to repent. If you don’t repent, you can’t enter God’s kingdom. But there’s more. God has commanded you to repent. If you don’t, he will destroy you completely from the earth. He will come to you in his anger. When he is very angry, he will not turn away. Don’t you remember the words God spoke to Lehi? He said: Because you keep my commandments, you will do well in the land. He also said: If you will not keep my commandments, you will be cut off from the Lord’s presence. Remember that because the Lamanites have not kept God’s commandments, they have been cut off from the Lord’s presence. We see that the Lord’s word has come true in this. The Lamanites have been cut off from his presence since they first sinned in this land.”
A Warning to the Nephites
“But I tell you, it will be easier for them on the day of judgment than for you, if you stay in your sins. It will even be easier for them in this life than for you, if you don’t repent. The Lord has made many promises to the Lamanites. It is because of what their fathers taught them that they remain in ignorance. Because of this, the Lord will be kind to them. He will let them live in the land longer. At some time they will come to believe in God’s word. They will know that what their fathers taught them was wrong. Many of them will be saved. The Lord will be kind to all who call on his name.”
“But I tell you, if you keep doing wicked things, you will not live long in the land. The Lamanites will be sent to attack you. If you don’t repent, they will come when you don’t expect it. You will be completely destroyed. This will happen because of the Lord’s anger. God will not let you live in your sins and destroy his people. I tell you, no. He would rather let the Lamanites destroy all the people of Nephi. This is because you could fall into sins after having so much light and knowledge from the Lord your God. You have been such a blessed people of the Lord. You have been blessed more than any other nation or group of people. You have been told all things you wanted to know, based on your desires and your faith and prayers. God has shown you things that happened in the past, things that are happening now, and things that will happen in the future. God’s Spirit has visited you. You have talked with angels. The Lord’s voice has spoken to you. You have had the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation. You have had many gifts: the gift of speaking in tongues, the gift of preaching, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of translation. God brought you out of the land of Jerusalem. He saved you from hunger and from sickness and all kinds of diseases. You have been made strong in battle so that you wouldn’t be destroyed. You have been brought out of slavery again and again. You have been kept and protected until now. You have done so well that you are rich in every way. I tell you, these people have received so many blessings from the Lord. If they now sin against the light and knowledge they have, I tell you it would be much easier for the Lamanites than for them. The Lord’s promises are given to the Lamanites. But they are not for you if you sin. Hasn’t the Lord clearly promised and firmly decided that if you rebel against him, you will be completely destroyed from the earth?”
The Angel’s Message
“So that you may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people. The angel told them they must go and cry out to you. The angel said: Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is very close. In just a few days, the Son of God will come in his glory. His glory will be the glory of the Father’s only begotten Son. He is full of grace, fairness, and truth. He is full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering. He is quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers. He comes to save those who will be baptized to repent, through faith in his name. So prepare the way for the Lord. The time is close when every person will get a reward for their works. This will be based on what they have been. If they have been good, they will get salvation for their souls. This comes through the power and saving work of Jesus Christ. If they have been evil, they will get punishment for their souls. This comes through the power and control of the Devil. This is the voice of the angel crying out to the people.”
“My dear brothers, you are my brothers. You should be loved. You should do works that show repentance. Your hearts have been hard against the word of God. You are a lost and fallen people.”
The People Get Angry
When I had spoken these words, the people were angry with me. They were angry because I said they were hard-hearted and stubborn people. They were also angry because I said they were a lost and fallen people. They were angry with me. They tried to grab me so they could throw me in prison. Then Amulek went and stood up. He started to preach to them too. Not all of Amulek’s words are written down. But some of his words are written in this book.