Zeniff 200-187 BC

The story of Zeniff in the Book of Mormon is filled with mystery, intrigue and faith. He was a peacemaker, a man of integrity who attempted to negotiate rather than use force. He learned from his mistakes and became wise in his judgments. For example, after his people suffered affliction, he recognized that they had been “slow to remember the Lord our God” and was faithful from that time forward. He not only fought battles alongside his people, he also helped to bury the dead of both sides. After he was deceived, he became wise and protective, safeguarding his people by continually preparing for an enemy attack.

Zeniff is first mentioned in Mosiah 7:9, but his record does not begin until Mosiah 9. He explained that he had knowledge of the land of Nephi–the land of “first inheritance”–and knew the language of all of the Nephites. As a soldier, he spied on the Lamanite force to find out how they could be defeated, but he discovered “what was good” in the land and the Lamanite culture and desired that it should not be destroyed.

When he returned to his expedition leader, an “an austere and a blood-thirsty man,” he suggested a treaty with the Lamanites. The leader responded by commanding that Zeniff be slain. He was rescued by the “shedding of much blood” in a great battle between these Nephites that destroyed most of the army. Those who survived returned to Zarahemla to tell the sorrowful news to the widows and children.

Despite this setback, Zeniff described himself as “over-zealous” to inherit the land of their fathers. He gathered a group of Nephites and journeyed into the wilderness, but they were soon besieged with many afflictions, because they were “slow” to remember the Lord. Eventually they camped in the area where the battle among the Nephites had been fought.

Together with four men, Zeniff, who had been appointed as king by his people, asked the Lamanite king, Laman, if they could peacefully settle in the land. The king not only agreed that they could take over the lands of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom, but he also made his own people leave the area to these returning Nephites.

The group of Nephites was industrious, repairing and rebuilding the city and producing crops for twelve years. But the deceitful king, whose own people were lazy and idolatrous, had intended from the start to overtake Zeniff’s people after they established a fruitful land. Seeing their strength, he became fearful that they could not be brought into bondage, so he stirred up his people to war.

Zeniff armed the Nephites with weapons, and they went to war with the Lamanites, trusting in God.

“Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land.”

For twenty-two years there was an uneasy peace between the Nephites and Lamanites, but after King Laman died, his son stirred up his people in rebellion against the Nephites. Wisely, Zeniff had spies watching the Lamanites and was prepared for war. When conflict was inevitable, Zeniff hid the women and children in the wilderness and he and every man—young and old—fought, trusting in the Lord.

The Nephites defeated the Lamanites with a great slaughter and returned to prospering in their land. After a reign of close to forty years, Zeniff conferred his kingdom to his son Noah.

Sources:

Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price

The Book of Mormon: Mosiah 9

Additional Resources:

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Read abot Noah in The Book of Mormon

Aaron (Son of Mosiah)*

Mosiah 27:8, 24, Mosiah 27:35, Alma 21, Alma 22, Alma 23, Alma 24, Alma 25, Alma 26, Alma 27, Alma 28, Alma 31, Alma 35

Aaron, the son of King Mosiah, was one of four brothers who persecuted Nephite Christian church members until an angel appeared, and called them to repentance. In The Book of Mormon, Aaron was a rebellious son, unbeliever, and friend to Alma the Younger, who caused much dissension in the church. After the angel’s visit and his conversion, Aaron tried to repair earlier damage, and became a great missionary after refusing to be king.

About 92 B.C., Aaron traveled as a Christian missionary to preach for 14 years to the Lamanites. Aaron preached unsuccessfully to the Lamanites (enemies to the Nephites) in the lands of Jerusalem, Ani-Anti, and Middoni. Many people contended with the missionaries, and asked Aaron why angels didn’t appear to them. The Lamanites did not listen to their teachings, cast Aaron and others into prison, and inflicted many sufferings upon them. Fortunately, God sent King Lamoni and his brother Ammon to deliver them from the Lamanite King Antiomno’s prison.

In the land of Nephi, Aaron taught King Lamoni’s father who was the king over all of the enemy Lamanite lands.

[Aaron] bowed himself before the king and said, “Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison” [v. 2]. He then said if the king would spare their lives, they would be his servants. The king refused to allow them to be his servants but said he would like them to administer unto him because he had been somewhat troubled in his mind because of the generosity and the greatness of the words of Ammon. He asked Aaron why Ammon had not come up from Middoni. Aaron explained that the Lord had called him to go to Ishmael, to teach Lamoni’s people. Aaron then taught the king about God [or the Great Spirit, as the king referred to him] and about all things from the creation and about the plan of redemption.

The king believed and prostrated himself on the ground and was struck as if dead. When the queen saw her husband as if dead, she ordered her servants to slay Aaron. They declined out of fear. She ordered them to call the people so they could slay Aaron. Aaron stretched forth his hand and raised the king. The king then administered to all of his people as they assembled. The king ordered the people not to lay their hands on Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni nor on any of their brethren. [2]

Aaron’s persistence, faith, and endurance resulted in bringing thousands of Lamanites to the knowledge of the Lord. “[He] brought many to the knowledge of the truth”. [1] These converts never fell away from their faith and became a righteous people. The example of these converts led to over 1,005 wicked Lamanites’ conversions. However, no Amulonites (descendants and followers of the wicked men Amulon and King Noah’s priests) were converted, but one of the Amalekites (apostate Nephites) did convert. Many Lamanites later remembered Aaron’s teachings and perished by fire because of their refusal to deny their belief. (See Alma 25:5).

The Lamanite king wanted a name to distinguish the believers from their wicked brethren. After consulting with Aaron, the converts chose to be called Anti-Nephi-Lehies and “laid down their arms and vowed they would never fight again”. [2] The king (father of King Lamoni) named his son Anti-Nephi-Lehi as heir of the kingdom.

Hugh Nibley suggests that “anti” is from the root word that connotes “facing,” as in facing a mirror, and thus “Anti-Nephi-Lehi” may mean that the people “mirrored” the teachings of [the ancient prophets] Nephi and Lehi. (Greg Bishop, “Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26,” 3).

Shortly after the king’s death, the Lamanites began a war against the converted Lamanites (Anti-Nephi-Lehies). However, these believers had sworn to never take up arms again, and buried their weapons “deep in the earth” rather than defend themselves. 1,005 righteous Anti-Nephi-Lehies died because they refused to fight or resist the attacking Lamanites.

One scholar has suggested that the Lamanite religion glorified warfare, bloodshed as a religious act, torture and human sacrifice. He suggests that the Lamanites came from a worldview that told them that it was essential to shed the blood of sacrificial victims. In the process of being converted, however, they learn that the only sacrifice needed would be that of a future Atoning Messiah. Thus, the reason why the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi resolve never to touch arms again is not because they believed that self-defense was wrong or immoral, but because – like alcoholics – they must be constantly vigilant. Rather than risk a return to their former taste for sacrificial blood, they chose to avoid even the very first step along that path. (See Brant A. Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4, p. 355). (Greg Bishop, “Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26”, 3).

Aaron journeyed to the land of Zarahemla with the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and “the king was concerned that they would not be warmly welcomed because of their past murders.” Aaron met up with Ammon and rebuked him for boasting too much but Ammon had been rejoicing in the glory of God. On their way, they were joyful to find Alma the Younger, who advocated for them among the Nephites in Zarahemla. The Nephites gave the Anti-Nephi-Lehies the land of Jershon and called them “the people of Ammon.” About 76 B.C., commenced the biggest battle since the beginning of the Book of Mormon.

Aaron went with Alma and others to preach to the Zoramites (apostate Nephites) in Antionum. “After preaching among the Zoramites, the missionaries [including Aaron and Alma] returned to Jershon. When the Ammonites left Jershon and went to Melek so the Nephite armies could use Jershon as a base camp, Aaron, Alma and their brethren returned to Zarahemla.”

*This article was adapted from the LDS Guide to the Scriptures and Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

Read your own free copy of The Book of Mormon

Mormon Beliefs about God’s Plan of Happiness

Read an article about Sam in the Book of Mormon

Sam is the third son of the prophet Lehi. When Lehi received his prophetic calling, Sam and Nephi were the two that believed and followed him. Not much is spoken about Sam in the Book of Mormon. He went with his father and family from Jerusalem into the Arabian desert around 600 B.C. and then by ship to the “land of promise” in the Americas.

From their first stopping point on the wilderness trek, Sam and his brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to obtain a sacred record of the prophets, made on brass plates. When the brothers failed twice, nearly losing their lives in the process, Laman and Lemuel beat Nephi and Sam with a rod, because the younger brothers wanted to fulfill the command to obtain the plates. They are rescued by an angel. Nephi then goes forward alone and obtains the plates with the Lord’s help.

Before his death, Lehi blessed his children one final time. Sam’s blessing was different than all the rest. In his, Lehi states, “Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shall inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou
shalt be blessed in all thy days” (2 Nephi 4:11).

In other words, Sam would not have his own tribal distinction, and in the Book of Mormon, we see this is so. Whenever, the specific tribes are mentioned, we see Laman, Lemuel, Nephi, Jacob, Joseph, Ishmael, and Zoram’s names, but no tribal specification for Sam.

It seems Sam must have had some form of physical or mental disability that made him unable to lead his own tribe. If Sam were, for example, mentally retarded, it would make sense for Lehi to basically say, “I’m dying and can no longer care for you, so Nephi will now be your adopted father.” In doing so, Sam’s family would have someone capable to watch over and help them. They would also benefit from the blessing of Nephi’s birthright and position as leader of the righteous tribes. However, it could also be so that Sam had few descendents, as with the tribe of Benjamin among the twelve Tribes of Israel. The tribe of Benjamin was so small, it was effectively absorbed by the Tribe of Judah.

Additional Resources:

Read the Book of Mormon online

Mormonism in the Bible

Joseph Smith: A Prophet of God

Pronounced: Lem yoo ell

Basic Bio

Lemuel is the second child of the prophet Lehi. He was close to his older brother, Laman, and tended to follow him in any decisions or actions taken. Lemuel joined Laman in beating their two younger brothers, Nephi and Sam, when after failing to obtain the sacred records on brass plates, the younger brothers insisted in trying again.

In leaving Jerusalem and traveling in the wilderness, Lemuel murmured and complained against Lehi and Nephi. Camping in a valley, his father would tell him, “O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” (1 Nephi 1:10).

In his Vision of the Tree of Life, Lehi would see that Lemuel and Laman would refuse to follow him to the Tree of Life, but choose another path. This would help convince Lehi to give the family leadership and the birthright to Nephi, instead. Later, Lemuel would often conspire with Laman to kill Nephi, because they perceived the birthright and leadership of the family should rightfully be theirs.

After Lehi’s death, Laman and Lemuel conspired to slay Nephi to regain the power. Nephi, warned by God, fled with the righteous. From that point forward, Lemuel’s descendants would fall under Laman’s rule, being called Lamanites.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, Our Savior

Request a free copy of the Holy Bible

Pronounced: Lay mun

Basic Bio

Laman was the oldest son of Lehi, the first prophet and patriarch in the Book of Mormon. Living in or near Jerusalem in 600 BC as a young adult in a wealthy family, Laman had adopted the lifestyle of the city. When his father received his prophetic calling to warn Jerusalem of pending destruction and then announced to his family they were leaving into the wilderness and going to an unknown “land of promise”, Laman was critical.

Laman did not believe in his father’s visions and teachings. He had grown up in a Jerusalem where the teachings and practices of the Jews and their temple seemed orthodox and restrictive. To Laman, Lehi seemed to be out of step with what seemed normal. Laman sought to obey the law of Moses and honor his father, and so did follow him into the wilderness, but did so grudgingly.

After traveling three days toward the Red Sea, the family set up camp in a valley with a stream that emptied into the Red Sea. Lehi said to Laman, “O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the foundation of all righteousness” (1 Nephi 2:9). The statement shows Lehi’s concern that Laman would not be righteous, nor obedient.

Laman and his 3 younger brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to obtain brass plates containing the holy writings they would need on their journey. Laman went in to request the records from the owner, Laban. Laban cast him out and sought to kill him. Next, the brothers tried bribing Laban with their father’s riches still left in their home. Again Laban tried to have them killed. Laman was angry and beat his brothers Nephi and Sam with a rod, because they insisted on trying again. Only the appearance of an angel could stop Laman from continuing to whip them with a rod.

Nephi, Laman’s younger and more righteous brother, then obtained the brass plates with the help of the Lord. From this moment forward, a continual tension stayed between the two brothers. Laman always insisted he was the oldest and therefore should be leader. However, Lehi would proclaim that Nephi was the spiritual son, and would lead the family. Laman lost his birthright. To make things worse for him, in his Vision of the Tree of Life, Lehi sees himself sitting under the Tree of Life and invites his family to join him. Only Laman and his brother Lemuel refuse to join Lehi.

If Nephi is the protagonist in this story, Laman is the antagonist. Where possible in the Book of Mormon narrative, Laman seeks to stop Nephi, and even attempts to kill him on several occasions. He sees Nephi as a threat to his right to leadership and blessings in the family. In Lehi’s final blessings to his family, Nephi is promised the birthright, but Lehi promises the children of Laman that while their father may be disobedient and cast out of the Lord’s presence, the day would come when the descendants of Laman would be blessed with the gospel light.

When Lehi died, Laman planned again to slay Nephi. Nephi was warned by the Lord to move his people to a new area. Laman became head of the disbelievers, now known as the Lamanites. Through the centuries of Nephite existence, the Lamanites would be the thorn in their side to humble the Nephites and bring them back to repentance whenever they rebelled against God.

Today, Latter-day Saints believe that Laman is a literal ancestor of some modern day Native Americans, and a cultural ancestor to all native peoples throughout the Americas.. The day will come when these descendants of Laman will discover they are members of the House of Israel, and will retake their place among the covenant people of Israel. The conversion of millions of South Americans of native descent to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is evidence of this happening.

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The Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer

Mormonism in the Bible

Pronounced: Nee Fie

Basic Bio

Nephi is the fourth son of the prophet Lehi. He is the author of the first two books in the Book of Mormon. Nephi begins his story (around 600 B.C.) describing the holy calling of his father as a prophet of God. In preaching to the people of Jerusalem, where they live, Lehi is rejected, and the Lord commands him to flee into the wilderness with his family.

After three days’ travel into the wilderness toward the Red Sea, the family settles in an isolated valley with a running stream. Nephi and his older brothers are sent back to Jerusalem to obtain a set of scriptures engraved on brass plates. Only Nephi refrains from murmuring against his father or the Lord. Twice, the brothers fail at obtaining the sacred writings. On the third attempt, Nephi enters alone into Jerusalem at night. He encounters the keeper of the record, Laban, drunk in an alley. The Spirit of the Lord commands Nephi to slay him, and Nephi, although reticent, obeys. He then dresses himself as Laban, and is able to obtain the brass plates.

Later they are sent back to Jerusalem to invite the family of Ishmael to join them, wherein the brothers each find a wife among Ishmael’s daughters.

As with Joseph and his father Jacob in the Bible, Nephi is the obedient son and chosen to receive the birthright, even though he is not the oldest. His older brothers Laman and Lemuel often plot his death, but through the Lord’s protection, Nephi is delivered time and again from them.

The family travels along the ancient Spice Trail by the Red Sea, and then turns east. During their travels they often suffer hunger, thirst and danger. At one point, Nephi’s bow breaks, which is a challenge, as the other bows have lost their spring. As they cannot find food, hunger leads the family to murmur against God. Nephi shows himself to be the obedient servant of God. He makes a bow and arrow from wood, then asks his father to pray to God to see where he should go to obtain food. The Lord leads Nephi to obtain food for the family, and they humble themselves.

Arriving at the ocean, the Lord commands Nephi to build a ship to travel to the Promised Land. Nephi only asks where he can find ore, so that he can make tools to build the ship. His brothers laugh at him when Nephi asks them to assist. The Lord fills Nephi with power, and in touching his brethren, they receive a shock that knocks them to the ground. They see that God has empowered Nephi, and they begin helping him build the ship.

During the ocean crossing, Laman, Lemuel and others begin to party in a vulgar manner. Nephi objects and they bind him to the mast of the ship. Storms begin that throw the ship off course. For four days Laman and Lemuel try to command the ship, but it will not respond in the face of the storm. We are told that only in the face of certain destruction do they humble themselves and loosen Nephi’s bands. He prays to the Lord, who ends the storms and allows them to arrive safely to the Promised Land.

In the new land, Lehi instructs that Nephi shall be the ruler of the people. Soon after Lehi’s death, Laman, Lemuel and others in the group decide to overthrow Nephi. He is warned in a dream, and takes the believers with him to another location. Nephi builds a temple similar to Solomon’s temple.

He finishes his record sharing important gospel teachings, including writings from isaiah and his younger brother, Jacob, who was also a prophet.

Key spiritual concepts we learn from Nephi

1. In one grand vision, Nephi sees what is called the Vision of the Tree of Life. His father Lehi had a vision of the Tree of Life, and Nephi also desired to know the things his father had seen. While meditating and praying on it, he was caught up to a high mountain and saw his father’s vision. In the vision, the Holy Spirit guides him through a sequence of symbolic manifestations. He sees the lowly world, represented by a great and spacious building of the proud and rebellious, mocking the righteous. Other wicked were wandering off into mists of darkness, strange paths, and a river of filth. He sees (as did Jacob of old) a path or staircase with a banister of iron (the Iron Rod is the Word of God) leading upward to heaven. In this instance, heaven is symbolized by the Tree of Life, and the white fruit is the atonement of Christ, which is shed upon all who will receive it. The fruit of the Tree of Life symbolizes a holy supper for those willing to receive the covenant of Christ.

After seeing the Tree of Life, Nephi then sees the life of Christ, from His virgin birth to His death on the cross. He is told this is the condescension of God, as Christ descends below all things to save mankind. Nephi then sees the resurrected Christ.

His vision moves forward, showing him the future of the Nephite nation, with its periods of righteousness and wickedness. He sees that the resurrected Christ would visit his descendants, and they would become a holy people for several generations. Eventually, they would rebel against their witness of Jesus, and be destroyed for embracing evil. Nephi notes that he cannot share all things he has seen, as many of them would also be witnessed by the apostle John, who had the responsibility to write his Revelation to the world.

2. Nephi also taught important concepts regarding Christ and His atonement. He noted the importance of witnesses, and so writes the last portion of his second book in conjunction with three witnesses of Christ: his brother Jacob, Isaiah, and himself. He quotes both Jacob and Isaiah to demonstrate the covenant of Israel with Christ, and how it applied to his own people, the Nephites. Major studies have been done in conjunction with this, showing Nephi clearly had a deep understanding of how the covenant worked with Israel and God.

3. Nephi sets a symbolic pattern throughout his writings of Creation, Fall, Atonement, Covenant/Ordinance, and Returning to the Presence of the Lord. We see a major example of this as follows: 1) He shares the creation of his family; 2) Laman and Lemuel rebel and are “cast out of the presence of the Lord”; 3) Nephi shares the teachings of Jacob and Isaiah to demonstrate the Atonement of Christ for Israel, the Gentiles, and us as individuals; 4) He discusses the covenant we make at baptism; and 5) how all of this leads to us returning to God’s presence.

4. Nephi also teaches the “Doctrine of Christ.” He explains that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are “one God”, and that we must be one with them. For us to be like God and Christ, we must follow through a continuous cycle of Faith in Christ, Repentance, Ordinance/Covenant (such as baptism), and the receiving of the Holy Ghost. As we go through this process, we gain greater faith, have more desire to repent, desire to renew our covenants through the ordinances (baptism, holy supper/Sacrament, temple ordinances), and then we receive a larger outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which brings us to a holier state. Through this process we are washed clean in the blood of Christ (justified) and made holy (sanctified) through the purifying power of the Holy Ghost. (Nephi’s record is contained in 1st Nephi and 2nd Nephi, and the Book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon.)

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Mormonism in the Bible

God’s Plan of Happiness

Mosiah 27:8, Alma 1, Alma 2, Alma 3, Alma 4, Alma 5, Alma 6, Alma 7, Alma 8, Alma 9, Alma 10, Alma 11, Alma 12, Alma 13, Alma 14, Alma 15, Alma 16, Alma 27-35, Alma 36-42, Alma 43-44, Alma 45

Alma the Younger was the son of the convert Alma (King Noah’s priest), and he rebelled against his father’s Christian teachings and sought to destroy the Church with King Mosiah’s four sons. Alma lived in the city of Zarahemla, as recorded in The Book of Mormon, which contains the history of the Lamanites who battled the Nephites because of their Christian beliefs.

When we first learn of him, he is a wicked and idolatrous man… However, an angel of the Lord appeared to them and [him] them to repentance. Alma became dumb and weak and had to be carried before his father. The priests fasted and prayed for two days, after which time he regained his strength and told of his repentance and redemption. From then on, he and the sons of Mosiah went throughout the land confessing their sins and trying to repair the damage they had done earlier. [1]

After his miraculous conversion, he became “the first chief judge over the Nephite nation” [2] and protected his people as God’s prophet. He condemned Nehor to death for murdering Gideon. He killed the enemy Lamanite named Amlici during battle. The Nephite leaders Zoram, Lehi, and Aha asked the prophet Alma for help when the enemy Lamanites took prisoners. He prayed to the Lord for directions to find and rescue the Nephites. During his tenure as chief judge, over 3,500 people were baptized, but he gave up his position as chief judge in order to teach the gospel, during the 9th year of the reign of the judges in about 83 B.C.

He organized church affairs and preached as a missionary in the Nephite cities of Zarahemla, Gideon, Melek, Ammonihah, Sidom, Manti, and Jershon. He taught among righteous people; the humbled poor; and also wicked people, who were unreceptive, and attempted to imprison him. He reminded the sign-demanding Korihor that he was paid nothing for preaching and Nehor the Anti-Christ was struck dumb. He converted his mission companion Amulek and was falsely accused by the lawyer Zeezrom who “tried to bribe Amulek into denying the existence of a Supreme Being” [1]. Zeezrom converted and was healed from a feverish guilt, but Alma and Amulek were bound and forced to watch the scriptures thrown into the fire, and sincere believers burned to death. Then they were mocked, hit, and spat upon in prison, until an earthquake collapsed the prison walls, killed everyone within, and they walked out unbound, and free from harm. Despite the rejection of the gospel by the people of the city, he “wished that he could be an angel to cry repentance to all the world.”

Alma called upon God in prayer to bless his people, and he also recorded many scriptural prophecies and doctrines of Christ. Alma was given charge of keeping record of his people, and his book has the most chapters compared to other books within The Book of Mormon. Alma wrote about the famous Nephite army leader Moroni and of the protection God gave His people during battles with the Lamanites. Alma prayed for his missionary companions to have success and rejoiced when he met up with his childhood friends after their 14 years of missionary service among the Lamanites.

Alma was a wise father who taught his sons the gospel of Jesus Christ. He counseled his son Helaman to continue writing the scriptural records. He gave advice to his son Shiblon and reprimanded his son Corianton for his disobedience. Alma and his sons preached to the Zoramites (apostate Nephites led by Zoram). Those who converted joined the people of Ammon, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The wicked Zoramites joined with the Lamanites to start war. Beginning with chapter 45 of Alma, his son Helaman became “keeper of the record.” Alma the Younger, at an advanced age, and after years of endeavoring to build up the Church of Christ, disappeared, and nothing was known about his death or burial. The record supposes that God had taken Alma and he was “translated” (or taken up without tasting death) like Moses.

As a high priest, missionary, and Nephite prophet, he taught many important sermons and prophesied of Christ as recorded in The Book of Mormon: [1]

Alma preached that to gain salvation men must repent and keep the commandments, be born again, and do the works of righteousness. He taught that Christ, the Good Shepherd, calls his people, and calls them by his name. Also, if a man does good works, he follows the voice of the Good Shepherd; if he does evil works, he follows the voice of the devil. He also taught that the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life.

… He told them that the coming of the Redeemer was not far away. The Redeemer would be born of Mary, a virgin, in Jerusalem. He would go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind, taking upon himself death that he may loose the bands of death, and taking upon himself the infirmities of his people. People must repent and be baptized and be born again or they cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Filthiness cannot be received into the kingdom of God. If the people have humility, faith, hope, and charity, they will always abound in good works.

… He explained… the mysteries of God can be given only to the faithful; men will be judged by their thoughts, beliefs, words and works, etc. He also discussed the plan of redemption and taught that this life is a probationary and preparatory state. Mercy comes through the Only Begotten Son.

… Alma taught that men are called as high priests and ordained after the manner of the order of God, and that they are called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God and because of their exceeding faith and good works. Others were on the same standing with their brethren, but they hardened their hearts and, therefore, were not called as high priests. Alma elaborated on the holy priesthood and the responsibility of high priests to teach the commandments. He referred to Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes, and said there were others before and after him, but none greater than Melchizedek. He stressed that angels of the Lord were declaring glad tidings throughout all the face of the earth, even to the peoples who were scattered, and that “angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory” [3].

… Faith and knowledge are not the same. If you have knowledge, you do not need faith. Alma also taught that if a person has knowledge and falls away from the truth, his curse is greater than if he “only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression” [4]. He compared the word unto a seed.

Alma quoted Zenos and Zenock to illustrate that a person can pray and worship anywhere and that mercy is bestowed because of the Son. He also said that Moses had lifted up his staff in the wilderness so that those who looked on it would live. It was a type of the Son of God.

… He prophesied that the people would dwindle in unbelief 400 years from the time Jesus Christ manifests himself unto the Nephites. There would be wars, pestilences, famines and bloodshed until the Nephites became extinct.

*This article was adapted from the LDS Guide to the Scriptures and Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

Read your own free copy of The Book of Mormon

Mormon Beliefs about the Lord Jesus Christ

Gideon in the Book of Mormon

Amulon*

Mosiah 17:12, Mosiah 23:32, Mosiah 24, Alma 25

Amulon lived in the ancient Americas around 130 B.C., as recorded in The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ). Amulon was a wicked Nephite, who deserted his people, and later became a Lamanite leader. As the leader of the priests of wicked King Noah, Amulon pretended to teach the people the gospel of Jesus Christ but didn’t live it. Amulon helped King Noah unjustly accuse and murder the prophet Abinadi for his Christian beliefs. The prophet Abinadi asked him,

If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil against this people?” (Mosiah 12:29).

Throughout The Book of Mormon, the Nephite people believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Lamanites constantly waged war with the Nephites for their Christian beliefs. When the enemy Lamanites entered their lands, Amulon and King Noah fled and left behind their people, wives, and children. Once King Noah was burned to death by his disgruntled followers, they hid in the wilderness from the angry Nephites. They abducted some of the Lamanites’ daughters, and when the Lamanites discovered this, the captive wives pleaded their case before them and they joined the Lamanite people.

The Lamanite people found Alma (previously a priest with Noah who had converted) and his people in Helam. Amulon became the tributary king over them. The Lamanite king favored Amulon and the other wicked priests and made them teachers over the people. In the Mormon book, Amulon persecuted Alma’s people with heavy burdens. He threatened them with death if they were caught praying to God. Fortunately, God helped Alma’s people escape to Zarahemla when Amulon’s guards were in a deep sleep.

Later in The Book of Mormon, the Lamanites killed 1,005 of their own people who had converted to Christianity. They eventually laid down their weapons of war, and renamed themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Out of anger, they proceeded to battle the Nephites, and destroyed the people in a city called Ammonihah. During these battles, the Nephites killed almost all of Amulon’s descendents, and the seed of the priests of Noah. The Lamanites who had not died in battle escaped into the wilderness. Amulon’s remaining descendents “usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, and caused that many of the peaceful Lamanites should perish by fire because of their belief” (Alma 25:5). Some Lamanites rebelled and hunted, captured, and killed them. Many of these Lamanites left the land of Ishmael and buried their weapons of war to join the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in the land of Zarahemla. God fulfilled his prophet Abinadi’s prophecy that the wicked priests such as Amulon would ultimately be hunted and killed.

*This article was adapted from Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

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Mormon Beliefs: Are Mormons Christians?

Noah in The Book of Mormon

King Noah*

Mosiah 7:9, Mosiah 11, Mosiah 17, Mosiah 17:3, Mosiah 19

Noah was the son of Zeniff, and the father of Limhi, who lived in the land of Nephi. Noah was a Nephite, who lived in the ancient Americas, about 160 B.C., as recorded in The Book of Mormon. Unfortunately, Noah was a wicked king, who killed the prophet Abinadi; accused his priest Alma of sedition; and didn’t protect his people from their enemies (called the Lamanites).

He ruled in wickedness and had many wives and concubines. He taxed the people heavily for his own use and that of his friends and associates: the priests and their many wives and concubines. He built many elegant and spacious buildings, including a spacious palace and throne. He also built a high tower near the temple and another on the hill north of the land Shilom. He planted vineyards and built wine-presses and became a wine-bibber, as did the people. The Lamanites began to come upon them. Noah and his people became proud over their victories. (Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

King Noah taxed his people and built himself up. He became prideful and did not focus on serving his nation. Fame and riches can lead one to become prideful if one is not willing to be humble, repent of his mistakes, and recognize God’s hand in his life. “Beware of pride” is a repeated message taught throughout The Book of Mormon. Modern prophets also teach, “The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen… Pride is essentially competitive in nature… The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives”. [1]

The Lord warned Noah to repent by sending the prophet Abinadi, who prophesied and testified of Christ. However, King Noah did not listen to the prophet Abinadi’s warnings despite their truthfulness. He imprisoned him and sentenced Abinadi to death by fire, because he would not renounce his testimony of Christ. As he was dying, Abinadi prophesied that Noah would also suffer death by fire. Although Noah killed the prophet, he could not stop his people from following Abinadi’s words. One of his priests, Alma, fled with his followers, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

King Noah was a greedy, selfish man, who did not fight for the freedom of his people. In the Mormon book, he fled to a high tower from a warrior named Gideon, who had sworn to slay him. When the king was about to be slain by Gideon, he begged for his life to be spared for his people’s sake because the enemy Lamanites had entered their borders. He fled with his people pursued by their enemies. Once the Lamanites began to slay them, King Noah commanded the men to leave their families in order to retreat faster. Some refused to listen to their king, and stayed with their wives and children. The other men, who fled with King Noah, wanted to return to their families but Noah commanded them not to. The men who had been encouraged by King Noah to leave their wives burned King Noah to death, thus fulfilling Abinadi’s prophecy.

The Book of Mormon story of King Noah exemplifies the consequences of disobeying God’s prophet. The Bible teaches “believe in the Lord your God… [and] his prophets, so shall ye prosper”. People move away from God when they choose to disregard, disobey, or reject the prophets (Preach My Gospel, 33). There is safety in keeping God’s commandments, reading about Christ in the scriptures, and listening to modern prophets testify of Him. When people follow the modern prophet Thomas S. Monson, God blesses them with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, stronger faith and testimony, and increased happiness (“Message from the First Presidency,” For the Strength of Youth).

*This article was adapted from the LDS Guide to the Scriptures and Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs: The Mormon book is the word of God

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Zeniff in the Book of Mormon

Gideon*

Mosiah 19:4–8, Mosiah 20:17–22, Mosiah 22:3–9, Alma 1:8–10

Gideon was a faithful Nephite leader who opposed the wicked king Noah. As recorded by ancient prophets in The Book of Mormon, he chased King Noah up a tower to kill him yet spared his life so Noah could help his people escape the enemy Lamanites who had entered their lands. Unfortunately, Noah and several men fled for their own safety and left the women and children behind. Gideon remained to face the Lamanites and agreed to pay heavy taxes and submit to their rule. After the Lamanites had taken control of his people, Gideon searched for Noah in the wilderness. He discovered that King Noah had been burned to death by dissenters, and his priests had escaped.

When the Lamanite daughters were abducted, Gideon, captain of king Limhi’s army, reminded his king that Noah’s priests were still at large and were probably the ones who did it. Thus, king Limhi was able to persuade the Lamanite king, whom they had captured, that he and his people were not the guilty ones. The Lamanite king persuaded his people that Limhi and his people were not to blame, and they were pacified toward them Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Gideon was a righteous advisor to King Limhi (Noah’s son). He obeyed God’s commandments and became God’s instrument to help his people escape from their captors.

[King Limhi’s people] did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies. And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions. [1]

God doesn’t always deliver His people from afflictions the way they expect Him to. Fortunately, God answered their prayers and delivered Gideon’s people to safety. Gideon proposed the plan to escape through the back of the city towards the land of Zarahemla by getting the Lamanite guards very drunk. His plan was successful, and he guided his people to safety and freedom without a single fatality.

The Book of Mormon tells us that Gideon was a bold teacher for Christ’s church. In 91 B.C., he stood up for his Christian beliefs and challenged the false teachings of an apostate named Nehor, who preached false doctrines and led many people away from the truth. At the time, Gideon was an old man, and Nehor killed him out of anger. Gideon lived his beliefs and had faith in God up until his death. Gideon stood up for his beliefs and had courage. The Bible teaches, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6). The modern prophet has counseled—

It is our fervent prayer that you will remain steadfast and valiant throughout your lives and that you will trust in the Savior and His promises. As you do this, you will be an influence for good in helping to build the kingdom of God and prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior. [1]

*This article was adapted from the LDS Guide to the Scriptures and Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

Read your own free copy of The Book of Mormon

Mormon Beliefs about Christ’s Church

Lehi in the Book of Mormon