Alma and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies

The sons of Mosiah met up with Alma as they traveled into the land of Zarahemla to seek a place of refuge for the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.  Alma was traveling somewhere else when he found the sons of Mosiah in this unplanned reunion.  Alma turned around and “conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla” and helped them seek approval from the Nephites for bringing these Lamanite converts into Nephite land (Alma 27:20).  After the voice of the people gave them the land of Jershon, Ammon “returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with him.”  I’m not sure I’d really paid attention to that detail before, but Alma went with Ammon to see the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi for the first time and gave them the news that the Nephites would accept them.  What caught my attention was this line: “And Alma also related unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren” (Alma 27:25).  Here they were in the midst of this very tenuous situation, with thousands of these Lamanite converts fleeing from their Lamanite brethren who sought their death.  They were in the wilderness, in limbo, waiting to see if the Nephites would accept them; if not, they would all be killed.  The Lamanite armies “had followed their brethren into the wilderness” and surely were not far from them, preparing for battle (Alma 28:1).  And yet, in the midst of all of this, Alma took the time to bear his testimony and share his conversion story, and these faithful converts took the time to listen to him.  Hearing his witness “did cause great joy among them” (Alma 27:26).  The gospel was everything to these converts—both Alma and the sons of Mosiah as well as these Lamanites—and temporal affairs were simply not as important to them.  They rejoiced in Jesus Christ and nothing else came close in importance, even the potential loss of their lives.  I think we could learn a lot about priorities from these brethren who forsook the world for the gospel’s sake.