I must admit. Although I love reading the Book of Mormon, there are certain parts that I wish I could just skip. Not that it’s not interesting, but because the bad guys are at the advantage. One of these is in Alma chapter 14. It was painful to read the cries of the women and children being burned by the people of Ammonihah; and the beating and mocking of Alma and Amulek by the evil judges, lawyers, and teachers was more than enough for me to be repelled by this chapter.
It’s like watching an intense scene in a telenovela where the antagonists get the upper hand. The anger and emotions I felt while reading makes me imagine that I was – or wish I was – there to twist those villains’ necks.
Today I was reluctant to read and contemplated to skip, or just read parts of it to make it bearable. But I prayed that I could have the strength to read and finish the whole chapter and try to learn a lesson or two from this brief but dark period of Alma’s ministry. And I was not disappointed.
First lesson I learned, there is a reason for every problem. Life is not fair, even for great prophets. Bad things can happen to us even though we’re trying to be and do good. Like Amulek, who wanted to save those martyrs from burning by the power of God, I wished that God would just take over when I face a challenge so He could fix it. But Alma restrained his companion, saying that the spirits of the martyrs are received by the Lord “in glory and he doth suffer that they (the bad guys) may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgements which He shall exercise upon them in His wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.” (Alma 14:11)
That was comforting, but it would require patience in my part to find justice to those who had offended me or my love ones this way. And that’s were lesson number two arrives: patience.
After witnessing the deaths of the believers, Alma and Amulek suffered abuse, both physical and mental by their tormentors. The scripture is silent to how long these two prophets endured although it is only recorded by “many days” (see verses 22 and 23). As I read on, I imagined: What if I was in their position, with the images of dying women and children (possibly my family) burned in my mind and their screams constant in my ears, and corrupt leaders taunting, slapping and spitting on me? Would I have broken down and say, “Sorry. We won’t do it again.” “We’re just kidding. What we said wasn’t true.”? I may have gone mad already at this point.
But they held on and did not waver and their patience was rewarded by breaking from their bonds, their tormentors killed when the walls of the prison fell upon them (justice prevailed!) and walking away safe and free.
What they went through just amazes me. Their endurance and patience was extraordinary. And then I read this powerful passage: “And the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ.” (Alma 14 28).
It struck and hit me. It was faith that had sustained them from the horrors of death and abuse. It was faith that had freed them from their bounds. It was faith that spared their lives when the walls came crushing down.
Faith. Often rebuffed and mocked by many in our generation but all so important in our day. Some of us may be struggling with a sinful habit or addiction. Some of us had experienced trauma or personal or family crisis. Some of us are or were victims of abuse or suffering from the wrong decisions of a loved one. Many of us are trying to be the best yet we feel burdened and despair with all the challenges that dropped on our backs. We should, and I was comforted, by these words, “And the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ.”
I had already read this chapter many times, and it is still my least favorite part. But the truth in it was a reminder for me that faith, a simple principle in the gospel of Jesus Christ, can work miracles in my life and yours. Bad things do happen to good people, but faith helps us wade through trials, see why it happens, or/and have the strength to endure them.
Today I did not feel like reading Alma 14. But the lesson I learned – or properly termed as reminded of – made reading it more than worth it.
Writer Within 