The Book of Mormon Part 70

Alma 27:19 19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great, and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their joy was not that to exceed their strength.

Alma 27:20 20 And now it came to pa.s.s that Alma conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.

Alma 27:21 21 And it came to pa.s.s that the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 27:22 22 And it came to pa.s.s that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.

Alma 27:23 23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness.

Alma 27:24 24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to a.s.sist us that we may maintain our armies.

Alma 27:25 25 Now, it came to pa.s.s that when Ammon had heard this, he returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and made known unto them all these things. And Alma also related unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren.

Alma 27:26 26 And it came to pa.s.s that it did cause great joy among them.

And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after.

Alma 27:27 27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of G.o.d. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards G.o.d, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

Alma 27:28 28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.

Alma 27:29 29 Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite them.

Alma 27:30 30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord.

Alma 28 Chapter 28

Alma 28:1 1 And now it came to pa.s.s that after the people of Ammon were established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites had followed their brethren into the wilderness.

Alma 28:2 2 And thus there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one as never had been known among all the people in the land from the time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of the Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.

Alma 28:3 3 Yea, and also there was a tremendous slaughter among the people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land.

Alma 28:4 4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people of Nephi--

Alma 28:5 5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred who had been slain.

Alma 28:6 6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.

Alma 28:7 7 And thus endeth the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi;

Alma 28:8 8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of Jershon. And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless their souls forever.

Alma 28:9 9 And this is the account of the wars and contentions among the Nephites, and also the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites; and the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges is ended.

Alma 28:10 10 And from the first year to the fifteenth has brought to pa.s.s the destruction of many thousand lives; yea, it has brought to pa.s.s an awful scene of bloodshed.

Alma 28:11 11 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.

Alma 28:12 12 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 G.o.d, in a state of never-ending happiness.

Alma 28:13 13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.

Alma 28:14 14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life.

Alma 29 Chapter 29

Alma 29:1 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of G.o.d, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Alma 29:2 2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our G.o.d, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

Alma 29:3 3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

Alma 29:4 4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just G.o.d, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

Alma 29:5 5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.

Alma 29:6 6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?

Alma 29:7 7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

Alma 29:8 8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

Alma 29:9 9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of G.o.d to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

Alma 29:10 10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their G.o.d, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

Alma 29:11 11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord G.o.d, the G.o.d of Abraham, the G.o.d of Isaac, and the G.o.d of Jacob, did deliver them out of bondage.

Alma 29:12 12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same G.o.d who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.

Alma 29:13 13 Yea, and that same G.o.d did establish his church among them; yea, and that same G.o.d hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

Alma 29:14 14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.

Alma 29:15 15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!

Alma 29:16 16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.

Alma 29:17 17 And now may G.o.d grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of G.o.d; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may G.o.d grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.

Alma 30 Chapter 30

Alma 30:1 1 Behold, now it came to pa.s.s that after the people of Ammon were established in the land of Jershon, yea, and also after the Lamanites were driven out of the land, and their dead were buried by the people of the land--

Alma 30:2 2 Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness of their numbers; neither were the dead of the Nephites numbered--but it came to pa.s.s after they had buried their dead, and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer, (and it was in the sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) there began to be continual peace throughout all the land.

Alma 30:3 3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of G.o.d, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.