Alma — Chapter 31
1 After Korihor died, Alma heard news that the Zoramites were changing God’s commandments, and that their leader, Zoram, was teaching them to pray to false gods. The people’s sins made his heart sick.
2 It made Alma very sorry to know about people sinning, so his heart was very sad to know about the Zoramites leaving the Nephites.
3 The Zoramites had gathered together in a land they called Antionum, east of the land of Zarahemla, near the sea, and south of the land of Jershon (near the south wilderness, where many Lamanites lived).
4 The Nephites were very afraid that the Zoramites would become friends with the Lamanites, and that this would make the Nephites very weak.
5 Since preaching the gospel seemed to help people do what was right more than using swords or anything else, Alma thought it best to try to teach them the gospel.
6 So he took Ammon, Aaron, and Omner with him, along with Amulek and Zeezrom, who were in Melek, and also two of his sons. He left Himni with the church at Zarahemla.
7 He did not take his oldest son, Helaman, but took his sons Shiblon and Corianton with him to teach the gospel to the Zoramites.
8 The Zoramites had been Nephites, but had left them, so they had known the gospel before.
9 But they had made changes and many serious mistakes because they would not obey the commandments God gave in the Law of Moses.
10 They also would not worship as the church did. They did not pray to God every day to keep them from giving in to temptation.
11 Yes, they changed many of the Lord’s ways, and this was why Alma and his brothers went to their land to teach the gospel to them.
12 When they came into the land, they were very surprised to find that the Zoramites had built churches, and that they gathered together one day of the week, which they called the Lord’s day. They worshiped in a way Alma and his brothers had never seen before.
13 In the middle of their church they had built a high place that only one person could stand on at a time.
14 Whoever wanted to pray had to stand on top of this place. They would raise their hands to heaven, and shout:
15 “Holy, holy God, we believe you are God, and we believe you are holy, and that you were a spirit, and are a spirit, and will be a spirit forever.
16 “Holy God, we believe you have led us away from our brothers and sisters. We do not believe what our brothers and sisters teach, which their foolish ancestors handed down to them. But we believe you have chosen us to be your holy children, and you have told us there will be no Christ.
17 T“You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You have chosen us to be saved, while you will throw everyone else down to hell in your anger. We thank you for this holiness, O God. We also thank you that you chose us not to be led away by the foolish teachings of our brothers and sisters, making them believe in a Christ, which takes their hearts far away from you, our God.
18 “And again we thank you, O God, that we are a chosen and holy people. Amen.”
19 When Alma and his brothers heard these prayers, they were very surprised and amazed,
20 Because every person said the same prayer.
21 The Zoramites called this place “Rameumptom,” which means “the holy stand.”
22 Every person said the same prayer to God on this stand, thanking God for choosing them, and not letting them believe the teachings of their brothers and sisters, and not letting their hearts be tricked into believing in things to come which they did not know anything about.
23 After all the people thanked God like this, they went home, and never talked about God again until they came together again at the holy stand, to thank God in this way.
24 Alma’s heart was sad because he saw they were a wicked and stubborn people. Yes, he saw that all their hearts wanted was gold, and silver, and riches.
25 Yes, he saw that their hearts were full of boasting and pride.
26 So he prayed, saying: “O Lord, how long do your servants have to live here on earth and see such terrible wickedness among the people?
27 “See, O God, they pray to you, but their hearts are full of pride. O God, they pray to you with their mouths while they are full of pride about all the vain things of the world.
28 “See, O my God, their rich clothes, and rings and bracelets and jewelry, and the other rich things they wear. Their hearts care only about these things, but they pray to you, ‘We thank you, O God, that you have made us your chosen people, while others will die.’
29 “Yes, and they say you have told them there will be no Christ.
30 “O Lord God, how long will you let such wickedness and sin be among this people? O Lord, please give me strength so I can work, even though I am weak. I am weak, and such wickedness gives my soul pain.
31 “O Lord, my heart is very sad. Please comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, please give me strength so I will have patience in the troubles which will come to me because of this people’s sins.
32 “O Lord, please comfort my soul, and give me success, and give my fellow workers success, too–Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Amulek, Zeezrom, and my two sons. Yes, please comfort all of them, O Lord. Yes, please comfort their souls in Christ.
33 “Give them the strength they will need to get through the troubles they will have because of this people’s sins.
34 “O Lord, please give us success in bringing them back to you again in Christ.
35 “O Lord, their souls are dear, and many of them are our brothers and sisters. So give us, O Lord, power and wisdom so we may bring our brothers and sisters back to you again.”
36 After Alma said these words, he put his hands on all those who were with him, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
37 Then they all left each other, and did not worry about what they would eat or drink or wear.
38 The Lord gave them what they needed so they would not be hungry or thirsty. He gave them strength so the joy of Christ would help them through all their troubles. This was how the Lord answered Alma’s prayer, because of Alma’s great faith.
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