Filled with testimony of the Savior, these chapters also show a lot of history goes unwritten in the Book of Mormon. Alma spent a year preaching to the people of Zarahemla and Gideon. All we have to show for it are Alma chapters 5-7. Most of those are taken up in two sermons. While I’m not a prolific writer, a year of my journal takes up a lot more room than that, and I barely touch on what happens in my life.
That said, this is not a criticism of the Book of Mormon, just an observation. The truth is, most of my life is rather mundane and hardly worth mentioning. I suspect there’s a lot Alma did that was also mundane. But as he had his moments, such as when he spoke to the people of Zarahemla or to Gideon, we have ours. We have these powerful sermons because Alma recorded them. Do we record our experiences? While few if any of us will have the prominence of Alma, what we write will one day be read by our ancestors. What stories are we leaving for them to read?
I like the angelic visit Alma has in this passage too. After being rejected by the residents of the City of Ammonihah, he travels to another city determined to never return. The Lord had other plans. He sent an angel to turn Alma back. The standout aspect of this visitation is when the angel admits he’s the same one who appeared to warn him to stop trying to destroy the church. I’m certain this was a much more enjoyable mission for the angel.
In a great show of faith, Alma turns about and returns where he is met by Amulek who had an angel appear to him too. Thus the stage is set for their mission to Ammonihah. Speaking from experience, a rich life, full of marvelous experiences await us when we lead with faith. When we trust Heavenly Father in the placement of our feet, we will live a higher quality of life possible no other way. There’s no promise it will be easy, in fact it will often be difficult and soul stretching. Yet if you want to experience true inner peace, it’s the only game in town.
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