The Story of Alma Jr., and his friends: From Mosiah 27 and 28

First, an introduction:


At this point, unbelievers were persecuting the believers.  Some of the believers' own children were even persecuting the believers.


Alma had a son.  And, strange to say, it was Alma's own son (Alma Jr.) who was one of the worst persecuters of the believers in his father's church.


Alma

 



Alma, the son of Alma, was persecuting the church








And good King Mosiah also had sons who were also persecuting the church.




This is good King Mosiah, who, like Alma, was sad that his sons were wicked.



Ammon, a son of Mosiah and friend of Alma, Jr.





Aaron, a son of Mosiah and friend of Alma, Jr.

  




Omner, a son of Mosiah and friend of Alma, Jr.

 

Himni, a son of Mosiah and friend of Alma, Jr.


  Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni, King Mosiah's sons, were Alma Jr.'s friends, but they all sought to destroy the church and to persecute the believers... at first.




Here's the story, from the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 27 & 28):



...Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the ^aunbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and 

Alma, the son of Alma, was persecuting the church with his buddies

an ^bidolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much ^cflattery to the people; therefore he ^dled many of the people to do after the manner of his ^einiquities.

9 And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; ^astealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people;

.. giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his ^bpower over them.

He did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord




... As they were going about ^arebelling against God, behold, the ^bangel of the Lord ^cappeared unto them;  

and he descended as it were in a ^dcloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;



The angel sent by the Lord to Alma Jr. 



12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying:

 ---Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? ...Behold, the Lord hath ^aheard the prayers of his people, and also the ^bprayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has ^cprayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the ^dknowledge of the truth... Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of ^dthyself be ^ecast off...



18 And now Alma and those that were with him fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an ^aangel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which ^bshook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.

19  And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became ^adumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father.

20 And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power of God.


Alma Senior was thrilled that his son had been struck dumb!  His prayers were being answered.



21 And he caused that a multitude should be gathered together that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and also for those that were with him.



A multitude was gathered to see what the Lord had done for Alma's son, Alma Jr., and his friends.



23 ...After they had fasted and prayed for the space of ^atwo days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort:



Alma Jr. had a lot to say when he recovered, after days of not being able to speak or move.

24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been ^aredeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit... the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an ^ceverlasting burning, and I am born of God... I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was ^cracked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is ^dpained no more...

32... Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.



Aaron, who was also there





Ammon, a son of Mosiah who was with Alma Jr. when the angel came to tell them to repent

  




Omner, who was also there



Himni, who was also there

35 And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla...^bzealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, ^cconfessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them.

36  And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth...