Close your eyes and bring your attention to your body. Let go of any tension you are holding in your face, jaw, head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, torso, legs, feet, and toes. Lean your body slightly from front to back and side to side until you rest into a comfortable posture where you feel centered, balanced, and relaxed.

Now bring your attention to your breath. Inhale deeply, hold for two seconds, now breathe out all the tension, stress, or negativity you might be feeling. One more time. Breathe in deeply, hold, exhale slowly all the way.

As your breathing returns to normal, gently turn your thoughts and attention to the Book of Mormon, specifically to Alma the Younger.

Alma was rebellious and antagonistic to the church until he experienced a profound conversion event which ultimately changed his heart and brought him to Christ. He then went on to become the chief judge over the people. But he eventually abdicated the judgment seat to devote all of his time to sharing the gospel and preaching repentance to the church members throughout the land.

Chapter 5 of the book of Alma contains his first missionary speech, given to the church members in the city Zarahemla who were having a hard time keeping their covenants and following the teachings of the gospel. This speech is most well-known for being made up of question after question that Alma poses to his listeners. There are fifty questions in total,[1] and law and religion scholar John W. Welch has split them into eight categories. (Welch, John W.. "Alma 5-7." In John W. Welch Notes, 548. Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020.) 

As we work our way through Alma’s speech, liken the scriptures to yourself by pondering Alma’s questions as if he were talking to you.

Remembering

To begin, Alma briefly recaps his father’s story. His father, also named Alma, established a church in the land after hearing the gospel from the prophet Abinadi. He and those he baptized were delivered out of danger and captivity by the Lord. The first five questions Alma asks church members in his speech pertain to remembering. Professor Welch points out that 

The first five questions asked the audience if they could remember God’s great acts for his people, their heritage, and God’s deliverance. . . . He didn’t only ask if they had remembered; he asked if they had “sufficiently remembered.”

Each of the first three questions begins with the phrase, “Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance....” In Hebrew, the word for remember . . . does not just mean to remember in the sense of recalling. It means to remember in the sense of obeying. When your mother said, “Remember what I have taught you,” she wasn’t asking if you could pass  a recall test. When she said “Remember it,” she meant, “Do what I have taught you.” And that is what we see in the Book of Mormon. The word remember does not just mean to think about it, but to do it. 

The questions are:

1. Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?

2. Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance God’s mercy and long-suffering towards your fathers?

3. Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

4. Were your fathers destroyed?

5. Were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled your fathers about, were they loosed?

Professor Welch modernizes the questions by rephrasing them in terms of the early church members in the United States: 

Have we remembered  enough?  Have we remembered sufficiently the captivity, or the problems that Joseph Smith faced, or that our ancestors were plagued with as they came to settle [the Salt Lake] valley? In verse 9, [Alma] asked, “Were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled your fathers about, were they loosed?” Do you think God acted in their lives? Do we even know enough about our ancestors, about our heritage, to answer that question?

(Welch, John W.. "Alma 5-7." In John W. Welch Notes, 555. Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020.)

In between his questions, Alma testifies that God “changed their [fathers’] hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness, nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them . . .” But the bands of death were broken and the chains of hell were loosed and “their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved.” (Alma 5:7-9)

Take a few moments to visualize the imagery in Alma’s words: changing hearts, “awaking unto God,” your soul being illuminated by the light of the gospel, being freed from the bands of death and the chains of hell, your soul expanding, and singing “redeeming love”.

Conditions for Salvation

Next, Alma describes the conditions for which their fathers were saved. He asks

6. On what conditions were your fathers saved?

7. On what grounds had they to hope for salvation?

8. What is the cause of your fathers’ being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the chains of hell?

9. Did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi?

10.  Was Abinadi not a holy prophet?

11.  Did Abinadi not speak the words of God?

12.  Did my father Alma believe them?

Alma’s questions in this section answer themselves: salvation comes through faith in the gospel as taught by God’s holy prophets. There are two parts to that: faith in the gospel, and faith that the prophets teaching the gospel are authorized by God as his messengers.

Alma testifies that this faith leads to “a mighty change” in one’s heart. (Alma 5:12). This change allows a person to humble themselves, trust in God, and remain faithful to the end. 

Another lesson Alma is teaching here is that our actions have consequences. Their fathers were saved because of the positive consequences of their righteous decisions. This implies that unrighteous decisions will have corresponding negative consequences.

What are the conditions for your salvation? On what grounds do you have to hope for salvation?

Being Personally Converted

Alma’s next five questions have to do with personal conversion. As we go through them, ponder them as if Alma is posing them to you. He asks:

13.  Have you spiritually been born of God?

14.  Have you received his image in your countenance?

15.  Have you experienced this mighty change in your heart?

16.  Do you exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?

17.  Do you look forward with an eye of faith?

This is where we will stop for now. We will ponder the remaining questions in parts two and three of this three-part series.

When you are ready, take a final deep breath and slowly turn your awareness back to your body. As you open your eyes and return to your surroundings, take a moment to jot down any thoughts, promptings, or questions that came to mind while you were pondering. And, if necessary, make a plan to act on those things.

Close your eyes and bring your attention to your body. Let go of any tension you are holding in your face, jaw, head, neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, chest, stomach, hips, seat, thighs, calves, feet, and toes. Lean your torso slightly from front to back and side to side until you rest into a comfortable posture where you feel centered, balanced, and relaxed.

Now bring your attention to your breath. Inhale deeply, hold for two seconds, now breathe out all the tension, stress, or negativity you might be feeling. One more time. Breathe in deeply, hold, exhale slowly all the way.

As your breathing returns to normal, gently turn your thoughts and attention to Alma the Younger’s missionary speech in Alma chapter 5.

We previously pondered some of the questions Alma posed to his listeners. Now we will continue where we left off, starting with Alma’s invitation for his listeners to imagine themselves at judgment day.

Ponder how you would answer these questions if Alma were posing them to you.

Visualizing the Judgment Day

Alma asks

18.  Do you view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

19.  Can you imagine to yourself that you hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me you blessed, for behold your works have been works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

20.  Or do you imagine to yourself that you can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, my works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?

21.  Or otherwise, can you imagine yourself brought before the tribunal of God with your soul filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that you have set at defiance the commandments of God?

22.  Can you look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?

23.  Can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenance?

The next questions are more accusatory. Alma’s remarks are specifically directed at the people of the church who are struggling with specific sins. Alma challenges them with the following questions.

24.  Can you think of being saved when you have yielded yourself to become subject to the devil?

25.  How will you feel if you shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?

26.  What will these things testify against you?

27.  Will they not testify that you are a murderer?

28.  Will they not also testify that you are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

Alma, a former chief judge, has a legal background. His view of judgment day is similar to a legal proceeding, with two adverse sides trying to prove their case. On the one hand, our good works and righteousness will justify us and stand as evidence of our worthiness for salvation. But on the other side, Alma suggests that our wrong choices and sins and weaknesses will be used to testify against us—to make the case that we are not worthy for salvation. 

This is why the atonement, and thus repentance, is so important—it can wipe out all the evidence against our salvation, and give us the change of heart that is required for salvation. And while salvation isn’t something you earn through good works, it is something that you have to learn and apply and become, and that comes through the mighty change of heart that Alma mentions so many times in his speech. (See Brad Wilcox, “His Grace is Sufficient,” BYU Devotional, July 12, 2011).

With the accessibility of the atonement firmly in mind, ponder Alma’s next question:

29.  Do you suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

Assessing One’s Spiritual Condition

The next section of Alma’s speech invites listeners to assess their own spiritual condition. As you ponder these next seven questions, be honest but gentle with yourself. Remember that perfection is an end goal, not an immediate expectation.

30.  If you have experienced a change of heart, and if you have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can you feel so now?

31.  Have you walked, keeping yourself blameless before God?

32.  Could you say, if you were called to die at this time, within yourself, that you have been sufficiently humble?

33.  Could you say that your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ?

34.  Are you stripped of pride?

35.  Is there one among you who is not stripped of envy?

36.  Is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions? 

Professor Welch recalls one of his professors,

Robert K. Thomas  once  saying, “The reason that mocking and laughter is so pernicious is because there is no answer for it.” When so attacked,  you  cannot  rationally  reply.  And  of  course,  you  cannot  laugh  or  even  mock back. That just makes matters worse. Maybe we can laugh at ourselves, and deflect the mocking  a  little  bit,  but  laughter  is  something  that  you  cannot  respond  to,  it  stops  the conversation,  and  people  who  mock  know  that.  Once  the  damage  is  done,  there  is  no way to recover from it, so we must be really careful.

(Welch, John W.. "Alma 5-7." In John W. Welch Notes, 560. Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020.)

After asking these tough questions, Alma reminds his listeners that Christ invites all men to come unto Him, and His “arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.” (Alma 5:33).

This is where we will stop for now. We will ponder the remaining questions in the last part of this three-part series. 

When you are ready, take a final deep breath and slowly turn your awareness back to your body. As you open your eyes and return to your surroundings, take a moment to jot down any thoughts, promptings, or questions that came to mind while you were pondering. And, if necessary, make a plan to act on those things.

Close your eyes and bring your attention to your body. Let go of any tension you are holding in your face, jaw, head, neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, chest, stomach, hips, seat, thighs, calves, feet, and toes. Lean your torso slightly from front to back and side to side until you rest into a comfortable posture where you feel centered, balanced, and relaxed.

Now bring your attention to your breath. Inhale deeply, hold for two seconds, now breathe out all the tension, stress, or negativity you might be feeling. One more time. Breathe in deeply, hold, exhale slowly all the way.

As your breathing returns to normal, gently turn your thoughts and attention to Alma the Younger’s missionary speech in Alma chapter 5.

In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we pondered many of the questions Alma posed to his listeners. Today we will continue where we left off, starting with Alma’s imagery of a sheep following a shepherd.

Identifying with a “Fold”

Alma uses this imagery and these next questions to teach the simple truth that we are all sheep in a fold. And if we are not in God’s fold, then we are in the devil’s fold. Alma asks:

37.  If you are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what fold are you?

38.  The devil is your shepherd, and you are of his fold; and now who can deny this?

Alma continues to explain the binary nature of our choices by testifying that anything good is from God and anything evil is from the devil. (Alma 5:40). If a person does good works, that person is listening to and following the Good Shepherd; if a person does evil works, that person listens to and follows the devil. (Alma 5:41). And the being we listen to and follow is the being we will receive our wages from. (Alma 5:42).

Consider the black and white simplicity of Alma’s teachings. Do you believe it holds true?

The next two questions are from the very end of Alma’s speech, but I mention them here because they continue the imagery of shepherds and sheep. What is Alma trying to teach us about the Savior when he asks the next two questions?

39.  What shepherd is there having many sheep doth not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his flock?

40.  If a wolf enter his flock doth the shepherd not drive him out?

Obtaining Spiritual Knowledge

Alma’s next two questions are about his own testimony and how he obtained spiritual knowledge. After asking

41.  Do you not suppose that I know of these things myself?

42.  How do you suppose that I know of their surety?

He explains how he came to know, not just believe, of himself, not through reliance on others’ testimonies: he “fasted and prayed many days” and the “Lord God hath made them manifest unto [him] by his Holy Spirit” through the spirit of revelation. (Alma 5:46). He then bears his testimony of the things he has said, of the Holy Ghost, of Jesus Christ, of prophecy and revelation, and of his holy calling.

What testimony would you bear if asked to address a large portion of the church?

Refusing to Repent

After bearing his testimony, Alma begs his listeners to repent. His last several questions challenge their pride and stubbornness and their refusal to call upon the Lord and ask for forgiveness. 

Keep in mind that Alma was addressing specific, existing problems within the church at the time, so these questions are pretty accusatory. As you ponder them, honestly but gently translate them into questions you can use to evaluate your own life. If you are humble and willing, the spirit will help you know what things you most need to work on in your life.

43.  Can you withstand these sayings?

44.  Can you lay aside these things and trample the Holy One under your feet?

45.  Can you be puffed up in the pride of your heart?

46.  Will you still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your heart upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches?

47.  Will you persist in supposing that you are better than another?

48.  Will you persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into his church having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance?

49.  Will you persist in turning your back upon the poor and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?

50.  The names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will [God] grant an inheritance at [His] right hand. What have you to say against this?

Now that you have pondered these warnings and questions from an ancient prophet, ponder the following quote from Elder Quentin L. Cook’s conference talk in 2012 that discussed Alma’s speech:

Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made unwise choices. Some are casual in their observance of sacred covenants. Others spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser causes. Some allow intense cultural or political views to weaken their allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some have immersed themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases, invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect conclusions that can affect testimony. Any who have made these choices can repent and be spiritually renewed.

Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment. When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined. 

(Quentin L. Cook, “Can You Feel So Now?” General Conference, October 2012)

 When you are ready, take a final deep breath and slowly turn your awareness back to your body. As you open your eyes and return to your surroundings, take a moment to jot down any thoughts, promptings, or questions that came to mind while you were pondering. And, if necessary, make a plan to act on those things.