God has a hand in preserving the records - does this imply all records? Alma 37:4

God has a hand in preserving the records - does this imply all records? Alma 37:4

Alma is talking to his son Helaman. He gives him the plates of Nephi and commands him to record sacred things on them. He also gives him the brass plates with their genealogy, which Nephi and his brothers got from Jerusalem from Laban (and which most latter-day saints understand to mean the Old Testament). He says that these records - both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon (then in progress) were prophesied to be handed down from one generation to the next, to be preserved, and to "go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon." Mysteries such as: God exists, he loves us, he sent his son Jesus Christ to be our Savior, Jesus Christ has a church today and stands at the head of that church, you can be a part of it.

My question was this: is it implied that all records are preserved by the hand of the Lord? 

Answer:

I think that God is certainly aware of all records. I think that he does know what he's doing with them. I think that there are scriptures out there that have not come to light yet, but will someday. I know there are many, many genealogy records which have not come to light yet. I trust that God is aware of these records and will make them available someday, because all the world's genealogy needs to be discovered, untangled, and ordinances done for every human who ever lived. 

What is it about this life that is so important? Alma 34:33

What is it about this life that is so important? Alma 34:33

Alma is preaching and he basically says this:

I told you this before, and you have had many people tell you also, so please, PLEASE do not procrastinate your repentance until the very end. This life is temporary, and it's given to us to prepare for eternity, and if we don't spend our time improving our decisions while we are here, then afterward we will not have the chance to do so, because we can't do anything after we die.

It sounds like Alma is saying that the dead cannot repent.

We know that the dead can at least partially repent, or accept vicarious ordinances done for them. It's true that they themselves cannot perform those ordinances (they're dead). "The dead who repent will be redeemed by obedience to the ordinances of the house of God." Doctrine and Covenants 138:58. I even made up a little tune to go with this verse and my kids have it memorized - the reason is because this principle is very important to me, and I wanted a scriptural basis for it.

Things about this life that we have that we did not have in our premortal life and will not have in our immediate postmortal life:

- a body

- agency <-- we had some agency, and we will continue to have some agency, but what I mean is this: the veil which surrounds us, which forces us to walk by faith, that also imparts the gift of agency to us. We have to rely on our own experience to distinguish good from evil.

- the chance to create families 

- living on a terrestrial planet

- sin <-- reliance on the Savior

Someday we will be reunited with a perfect version of our body. This is the resurrection. It is a gift to all humanity given to us by Jesus Christ. It is not limited to just his righteous followers. But for some reason we need to experience trials and repentance before the resurrection.

Answer:

I think all of these factors are tied into the first one: a body. It is our physical bodies that make these other things possible.

Why does Alma describe the atonement as "joy"? Alma 33:23

Why does Alma describe the atonement as "joy"? Alma 33:23

Answer:

The atonement brings relief from your guilt, hope for salvation and reunification with God, and it is evidence that God loves us personally, individually, and eternally. Alma describes the atonement of Jesus Christ as "joy" because that is what it means, brings, fulfills, and symbolizes. Alma experienced multiple levels of joy when he went through his conversion process, and he is confident that all of us have the capacity to experience the same joy because the atonement is universal.

Is Alma explaining to Shiblon why he was allowed to be disfigured? Alma 38:7

Is Alma explaining to Shiblon why he was allowed to be disfigured? Alma 38

Alma shares some details of his conversion experience with Shiblon, including how he was in the "gall of bitterness" for three days, until he cried out to Jesus Christ for mercy. He describes how the only way he was able to obtain peace was through reaching out to the Savior, and then testifies that he knows Jesus Christ is the only way that mankind can be saved.

If Shiblon was disfigured or harmed in some other way by the stoning he experienced earlier, perhaps the words that his father is sharing here have multiple layers of meaning. Perhaps they are more than just sharing the message of Jesus Christ's redemptive power in a general way; maybe the message has a more personal intention and meaning. Maybe we, as readers many centuries later, can apply both the general and the personal meanings to our own lives, causing these passages to be more valuable.

Is Shiblon's health permanently affected by the stoning? Alma 38:5

Is Shiblon's health permanently affected by the stoning? Alma 38:5

Answer:

We don't really know, but I do wonder. 

So, Shiblon was stoned? Alma 38:4

So, Shiblon was stoned? Alma 38:4

Alma is talking to his son Shiblon and says the following:

3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the ^aZoramites.

4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with ^apatience because the Lord was ^bwith thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.

Answer:
Yes, apparently he was stoned. I wonder if Shiblon's experience being stoned also may have had some kind of permanent effect on him, perhaps causing him to be disabled or disfigured. 

5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your ^atrust in God even so much ye shall be ^bdelivered out of your trials, and your ^ctroubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

What causes me to wonder that is the reference to Shiblon's trials, troubles, and afflictions. We all have them, but the fact that they are specifically referenced nearby each other makes me suspicious.

Is what follows Alma's own words? Alma 35:16

Is what follows Alma's own words? Alma 35:16

Alma gathers his sons to give them each their own father's blessing.

Answer:

Yup. 

Why is it easier for righteous people to not fear to help refugees? Alma 35:9

Why is it easier for righteous people to not fear to help refugees? Alma 35:9

Once again, the people of Ammon prove to be some of my favorite people in the whole Book of Mormon. Not only do they become fully converted and lay down their swords, committing to become lifelong pacifists, but they also aren't afraid of welcoming and serving refugees.

The Zoramites were those people who did not allow the poor people to worship God, instead treating them as outcasts. The Ammonites welcomed ALL the poor Zoramites, feeding them, clothing them, giving up their land, and administering to their wants, not just to their needs. 

Basically, the Ammonites are an example of the attitude that we should have towards the poor and needy among us today, including real life refugees. See this article for more about the church's initiatives towards refugees. 

Answer:

One of the big side effects of faith seems to be the removal of the scarcity mindset that so often plagues us as humans. We begin to see other human beings as our brothers and sisters, and our eternal perspective allows us the space to relax our control and share with others. I am sure that there is a connection between faith and generosity, though it's true that it's not necessarily tied to religious activity. Some of the more generous people I know seem to have a strong aspect of a certain quality of faith, though they may not even believe in God or keep some of the more basic commandments. Yet, there is some kind of belief in there that humankind is valuable. To me, that belief shows faith.

Is stirring people up to repentance the typical purpose of famines? Helaman 11:4

Is stirring people up to repentance the typical purpose of famines? Helaman 11:4

Basically, yes, though it is probably also a result of natural human consequences.

I've read that famine is more often a human-caused disaster than a natural disaster. It's the reason why during the Potato Famine in Ireland in the 1840's, they were actually exporting food (!!!). It's a social problem caused by a lack of compassion and humanity.