Alma 28:11-12

"And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth, while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo.
While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness."
Alma 28:11-12


These are very different ways to mourn.   One group is full of sadness, not only because they don't get daily contact anymore, but because they are also thinking that their loved ones are probably suffering.   The other group is sad in missing daily contact, but is happy in other ways because they are thinking that their loved ones are in a better place.  The chapter goes on to say that this illustrates the inequality of man, and the reasons for sorrow and rejoicing... and although while we live, I think that we all have a fairly equal chance... knowledge of good and evil, and access to the Lord, when we die, that changes.  It kind of cements our life into what it has been, and you lose some of those possibilities for changing and doing better.  This life is a test, and the test gets graded based on that life that you have when you die.  So, if we die doing something evil, or just in a freak (picnic, lightning) accident, having not repented, then our state is lamentable.  Not to say that people don't continue to have possibilities beyond the grave... just to say that, even if we all see the light and have all the ordinances eventually, our one static, unchangeable life is still there, and as far as I know, that's what our final grade depends on... so, let's get out there, repent, and do some good while we still have a chance to improve our grades. :)

Alma 26:37

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."
Alma 26:37


This scripture makes me think of how crazy Nationalism is... in the sense of caring about your country and your people, and thinking that they are better than the rest of the world.  Or even on a smaller scale... defending and protecting your family and taking advantage of "other" people.  Not that country or family are bad things to be loyal to, at all. :)   It just seems that we block out the rest of the universe sometimes, or take these ideals to extremes... "My country, right or wrong" or anger and violence against groups that we don't identify with.   We think "those people" are taking our jobs... when we're actually all part of each other, bound together.  Today, let's try to expand our comfort zones a little, and be inclusive of some people we usually exclude... love some people we usually ignore.

Alma 23:14

"And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither were any of the Amulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and all their villages and all their cities."
Alma 23:14


This is sort of scary.  Ammon and his brethren come to preach to the Lamanites, and they have amazing, miraculous success… except among the people that actually know about the gospel already.   I think that this shows us how hard it is to get back if we forsake the gospel… in this verse ONE person does it, and seriously, that one person in my eyes is amazingly cool, to walk away from his rebellion.  What is worse, at least to me, is that not only did they stubbornly resist this free second chance from God (which we all seem to get now and then), but they also influenced other people to join them in their rebellion.   The Lamanites, who in other parts of the land were accepting the gospel in droves, here resisted the call, because of the influence of the former Nephites.   Let’s be careful today, and always, to influence others for good, and to not let our own private rebellions become public causes.