Lesson 26: Alma 23 - 29

I am a big believer in not trying to present so much information in a lesson that very little is actually taught.  The scripture block for this lesson has so many powerful lessons and teaching that it would be impossible to give it all justice in the 30-40 min allotted time.  Therefore, I have only selected one principle to explore more fully.  I invite you all to study all the chapters on your own.

Throughout our study for this lesson, I would ask you to keep the following questions in your mind:

What am I converted to?
What are the weapons of my rebellion?


We enter this lesson after the remarkable missionary efforts of Ammon and Aaron and their brothers and brethren.  We can remember in chapters 17-22 the miraculous conversions of King Lamoni as well as his father, the king of all the Lamanites.  Such conversions of key figures opened the doors the conversion of thousands of people who had been described as

a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.  Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols

With this background, the results of the missionary work are more miraculous.  Lets look in Alma 23:6.  As you read the following passage, focus on the things that stand out to you as remarkable or important.  Write them down or hold it in your mind.

And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

There are many things that may stand out to you and that we could discuss.  I would like to discuss three things here that stand out to me:

1.  "Working miracles in them"
It may be easy to read and miss this statement, but it is important to note. While many miracles were happening around these people (the king falls down, maybe dead and is then miraculously raised), more important is what is actually happening inside of them.  I believe that our own heart being softened is a miracle.  Having our mind illuminated with light and truth is a miracle.  Having our faith increased is a miracle.  These miracles happen because of the power of God as we receive a knowledge of the truth through the Spirit.

2.  "Converted unto the Lord"
There are so many things in the Church that we may be converted to.  We may be converted to the missionaries who taught us the Gospel.  We may be converted to the social structure of the Church.  We may be converted to tithing.  This list goes on and on.  However, it is all for naught if we are not converted to the Lord.  It is only through Him that we are able to be forgiven of our sins, made clean and enter into the Father's presence.  It is only through Him that our weakness may be made strong.  It is only through Him that we may entirely overcome the power and temptations of the Adversary.  He is mighty to save.  All else is meant to guide us to Him and purify our souls that we may be pure like Him.

3.  "Never did fall away"
The parable of the sower speaks of seed sown on stony ground.  They are those who receive the word with gladness, but when the sun comes up they are scorched and they quickly fall away.  We all probably know someone, it may be ourselves, that have had wonderful experiences with the spirit, but when difficulties come, old patterns of behavior reign supreme.  The trial may seem too hard to endure, or it asks that we have to change our hearts and lives too much.  Christ does not ask for a portion of our heart, for he cannot simply accept a portion of our heart into heaven while the other part is unclean and unwilling to change and live as God does.  These Lamanites made a full change and did not just slide back into their old ways when things got hard.  Take the time to look into your own heart and determine if it is fully changed that it will never go back to its previous sin.

I am sure that in our hearts, all of us desire that we might be true and faithful and "never fall away."  To learn how we might be like these Lamanites who, once converted to the Lord, never turned back.  Verse 7 is instructive here.  Read the following verse for what they did to ensure such an enduring conversion.

For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God anymore, neither against any of their brethren.

As a group, they became a righteous people.  It is essential to remember that the Gospel is not about individuals.  While we may have to stand alone in righteousness at times, there is great power in creating a God-like community.  It is called Zion.


The next statement is key.  "They did lay down the weapons of their rebellion."  There are two parts to this.  They did not fight against God, or man.  What does it mean to lay down the weapons of rebellion?  In part, to these people, it was their weapons of war.  However, as we can see from this verse, it was not just that.  Any way in which they rebelled against the commandments of God or fought against their fellow man, was a weapon.  Before reading further, take a moment to ponder and think about what the weapons of your rebellion are.  How do you fight against the commandments?  How do you fight against your fellow man (brother, sister, neighbor, co-worker, person who just cut you off on the freeway)?


To start, we may look at some very general, but violent, weapons of rebellion:

• Pride
• Fear
• Doubt
• Idleness
• Selfishness
• Procrastination
• Appearance
• Curiosity

 This list could go on.  I invite you to look deeper into your heart and explore more personal weapons.  If you have an addiction to pornography, an unfiltered internet might be a weapon.  If you have Word of Wisdom problems, a bar might be a weapon.  If you have a computer/video game addiction, any gaming console or device may be the weapon of your rebellion.  You must learn to know yourself.


These Lamanites knew themselves.  They had murdered and plundered for their whole lives.  Having weapons is not a sin.  However, for them, it was a gateway into falling back into their sinful life.  They knew they could not hold onto them without returning to sin.


When we remove sinful behavior/thoughts/desires from our lives, if we leave that part empty we invite ourselves to pick up new/different weapons of rebellion.  We must be conscious of what we put in the place of the weapons of rebellion we lay down.  Again, let us read the example of these Lamanites.  They chose to actually bury their weapons deep in the earth, and Alma 24:19 states why.  Pay close attention to the phrase "rather than."

And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God,and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

As you identify the weapons of your rebellion, start identifying your "rather than's." What will you do instead of your behaviors?  Will you have patience with your kids and speak with kind words rather than yell and scream and tell them everything they are doing wrong?  Will you read your scriptures at night for 30 min. rather that watch the latest sitcom?

I want you to place yourselves in the shoes of these Lamanites.  They had made a decision to not use their weapons anymore.  This probably seemed like a really good idea at the time.  They were probably sure of themselves and pleased with the decision to commit to the Lord.  And then this big group of angry Lamanites decides that they are not too happy that they chose to follow the teachings of the Nephites.  So angry in fact, that they decided to come against them to battle.  To kill them.  With weapons.  I can imagine myself thinking... "Well, maybe it would be ok to grab my sword in self defense, that's not a sin, right?"  And then after defending myself, the excuses for using it again would start to enter, and subtly and gradually, that sword would be strapped to my belt and I would be back in my old ways.

This is the amazing thing about these group of converts.  Knowing that a mortal threat was coming, what do they do to maintain their freedom from sin?

Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they maybe kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at theday that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby. 

And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall ago to our God and shall be saved. 

And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

There is an enemy coming  who would seek to take our lives.  He is subtle and insidious.  Are you willing to make such a sacrifice to be converted to the Lord and never fall away?  This is the main principle I hope we can all take away from this lesson: 


Being converted to the Lord requires sacrifice.

When these Lamanites, now voluntarily distinguished as Anti-Nephi-Lehites, threw their weapons deep into the earth, it was a sacrifice on many levels.  The obvious one is the possible sacrifice of their lives.  However, this was also a material sacrifice.  It is quite possible that many family heirlooms and precious weapons were buried in that pit.  Things that had more meaning than simply an instrument for war.  And yet, either way, the sacrifice was made willingly to keep the covenant they had made with the Lord.

As you recognize the sacrifices that you must make to bury the weapons of your rebellion, be aware that some might seem more challenging than others.  Some might require you to explain to others why you are no longer doing something.  This may be awkward or embarrassing at times.  It may require humility.  However, this is how we come to the Lord.

What are you willing to sacrifice to be converted to the Lord?

Also, we must keep in mind the effect that this great sacrifice of the Anti-Nephi-Lehites had on others.  In the process of the massive slaughter where upwards of a thousand people were killed without raising a hand to defend themselves, a great miracle occurred.  These hardened, bloodthirsty Lamanites were pierced in their hearts.  Not by any man made weapon, but by guilt and the Spirit of God.  It pierced them so deeply that they too laid down the weapons of their rebellion and fell to the earth in sorrow and remorse.  That day, a greater number of people were brought to repentance than were sent to their Maker.

The powerful message here is that of the power of significant sacrifice.  There is probably nothing else that would have brought those Lamanites to their knees in repentance than the ultimate, fearless sacrifice of those they were killing.  The same is true for us.  If we desire our own example to have the power to bring others to desire to change and come unto Christ, it cannot based in half-hearted sacrifice.  It will only be through the serious sacrifice of consecrating our lives and wills to the Lord that will pierce the hearts of those with whom we come in contact.

A last word.  The Lord would have us be separate from the world.  The people of Ammon exemplified this.  Read the following to see how they were distinguished from those around them:

And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God, 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.

They were not only distinguished from the Lamanites, but also from the Nephites.  They were perfectly honest and upright in all things.  They were firm in their faith of Christ.  They did what was necessary to retain a remission of their sins.  They buried the weapons of their rebellion.  We too must distinguish ourselves from the world around us, be willing to sacrifice the weapons of our rebellion that we may be converted to the Lord and never fall away.