How to Get a Perfect Understanding of Events

I read 2 Nephi chapter 1 this morning as part of my daily study regimen. The contrast between 2 Nephi 1:30-31 and Alma 54:17, 23 about Nephi and Zoram’s relationship is instructive. From Nephi’s account of his experience, we read that he and Zoram ended up being good friends. It’s not hard to believe when you think that had not Nephi come along, Zoram would’ve spent the rest of his life as a servant to Laban. Instead, he and his descendants lived as free men as part of the Nephites in the New World.

Contrast that with how Ammoron, and Amalikiah's explanation of that relationship, was used to win over the Lamanites. They claimed Zoram was “pressed and brought” out of Jerusalem. They tell the story as if he was forced against his will to become a victim of Nephi's ambitions. While it's true Nephi gave Zoram a “join us or die” ultimatum, it was to travel with them as an equal, not a slave. That’s the difference in the telling of the stories. 

Zoram was better off for joining Nephi. Since that reality didn’t fit Amalikiah’s agenda, that was never mentioned. Ammoron wanted the Lamanites to believe Zoram was a slave while the Nephites knew he was a friend. That way, the Lamanites would consider Ammoron as an equal and not as an oppressor.

We see the same today in the news. The Republicans will describe something in one way to suit their agenda. Democrats will describe the same thing differently to suit theirs. How do you tell who is telling the truth? As is the case with Zoram, there are going to be elements of truth in both versions, but discerning the whole truth of the story requires study. Most of us don’t take the time to study events so we have a clear understanding of an issue. The flood of soundbites in the 24/7 new cycle doesn’t contain enough substance to give understanding. So, what to do?

While more study is good, President Nelson’s counsel in April 2018 General Conference is best. He said: improve your ability to receive revelation from the Lord. Live righteously. Make the time to study things out because good information leads to good revelation. Ask the Lord to show you where to look. Act on His answer.

That is the path to a “perfect understanding” as Captain Moroni had, of the political turmoil of our day.

Alma 32-35 - Sermons to the Zoramites

I’ve lived with the nagging fear the tale of the Zoramites is in the Book of Mormon because it’s so easy for me to slip into behaving like them. After Alma shows us how they “worship,” he records three different sermons. Each one used to reclaim these people. Each one touches a different fundamental aspect of discipleship, which if used, will help us become better disciples.

So, what topics are taught? We have Alma’s visually evocative lecture on faith. Will you ever look at a seed again the same way? He promises the test of the seed will work even if all you have is a desire to believe.

Then there’s the admonition to pray for everything: your crops (work), family, enemies and friends. That not only do you pray for them, but that you should pray often for them. I tend to forget the flip side of this in that we also need to help the needy. In effect, it’s acts of charity which give power to our prayers. Or, put another way: if you want God to answer your prayers, serve His children.

There’s a powerful lesson on the Atonement and lastly, (at least for this post) there’s the dire warning that now is the time to repent. Now is the time to improve ourselves. Those who think they’ll wait to the next life to repent will discover the spirit (God or Satan) they choose to listen to in this life won’t change at death. I learned this when I first became a missionary. Back then I thought, “when I become a missionary, I will become a mighty servant of the Lord.” Wrong. To my horror and shock, after arriving in the Language Training Mission, I found out I was still me. The only way I became a servant was by a lot of hard work, prayer, scripture study and fasting. Change came because I worked for it, not because my circumstances had.

Alma 31 - The Zoramites

It’s rather ironic Korihor met his end at the hands of the Zoramites. He died literally under the feet of people who believed exactly as he taught. I can’t help but think he would’ve fared much better at the hands of the people who best lived the religion he eschewed, the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s.

The Zoramites are caricatures of the person who is pious and religious just for show. They are also a warning to us who are striving to be true Christians. They were all about appearance and vanity: pious on Sunday, and anything but the rest of the week. They thought they were “God’s elect” saved and set aside to be redeemed while the rest of the world is destroyed. They loudly claimed from their towers to know things, which in reality were far from the truth.

My great fear is that I am an unwitting Zoramite more often than I care to admit. And that for me is the best lesson to learn from them. They thought they had a corner on the truth, which they didn’t. And they thought they were God’s special people, which they weren’t. If anyone was what the Zoramites thought they were, it would have been the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s.

Beyond that, the mission to reclaim the Zoramites contains a pithy observation by Alma: the preaching of the word had more effect on the behavior of people than any other thing, even the sword. You want to change someone’s behavior, teach them the Gospel. Once internalized, it will cause changes no amount of force could ever do. It’s why all of us here in mortality chose the Father’s plan of agency over Satan’s plan of force. Change and growth has to come from within, it can’t be forced.