Stories of Change in Alma

I wrote yesterday how the book of Mosiah provides numerous examples of how people can truly change through repentance.  The people of King Benjamin, Alma the Elder and his converts, the people of King Limhi, Alma the Younger, and the sons of Mosiah all were able to receive the word of God and make fundamental changes in their lives.  There are many as well in the book of Mosiah who did not repent when they had the opportunity—such as Noah, his priests, and the people of Alma who “would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity”—and these highlight the difficulty of real change (Mosiah 26:36).  The book of Alma likewise continues with these themes of repentance, and despite many who reject the word—such as the majority of the people of Ammonihah, Amalickiah and his followers, and the most hardened of the Lamanites who murder the Anti-Nephi-Lehis—there are again many stories of those who make monumental changes in their lives to reject evil and choose good.  These stories help give us confidence that we too can make changes in our own lives even when breaking negative habits and patterns seems impossible. 

               The stories testifying of the ability of people to truly repent in the book of Alma are numerous.  When Alma went to the city of Ammonihah for the second time he found Amulek who was clearly in the process of repenting of his own rebelliousness.  He would later tell the people how he “would not hear” the word of the Lord and “went on rebelling against God” until he had the visit of an angel and then subsequently Alma (Alma 10:6).  After this he became a powerful witness for the Savior, withstanding intense persecution in his own city.  Another person to make a similar change at Ammonihah was Zeezrom.  He was at the beginning “the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma” and he was “expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good” (Alma 10:31, 11:21).  And yet despite that he still was able to be touched by the Spirit through Alma and Amulek’s teachings, and he was brought down to his sickbed “on account of his wickedness” (Alma 15:3).  He ultimately repented and became a powerful missionary for the Lord.  There were likewise others at Ammonihah, though they were in the minority, who “did believe on [Alma’s] words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures,” even though they were cast out and killed because of it (Alma 14:1)         

               The accounts of the sons of Mosiah among the Lamanites also are powerful witnesses of the ability for people to turn from wicked traditions hundreds of years old.  We see how Lamoni, who previously was willing to kill his own servants for losing sheep, was so moved to forsake his sins that he cried out to the Lord, “O Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people” (Alma 18:41).  His wife likewise was so changed that she cried out in front of the people, “O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!” (Alma 19:29)  Similarly Lamoni’s father, who at first desired to slay Ammon, turned from his sins and pled fervently the Lord, “O God… wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day” (Alma 22:18).  His “whole household were converted,” and ultimately thousands were converted, including the people in the lands of Ishmael, Middoni, Nephi, Shilom, Shemlon, Lemuel, and Shimnilom (Alma 22:23, 23:9-12).  These Lamanites—whom most of the Nephites had given up on because they were a “stiffnecked” people “delight[ing] in the shedding of blood” and spending their time in the “grossest iniquity”—were able to completely change their ways through faith in Christ and repentance (Alma 26:24).  If we ever wonder if this or that person could ever change, we need only look at these Lamanites for reassurance that yes, it is indeed possible.  We can’t make people change, but repentance is available to anyone willing to embark on the Savior’s path.     

               There are yet other stories in the Book of Alma showing people who repented and made real change in their lives.  While most of the Zoramites rejected Alma and his companions, there were many who “were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren” and were cast out into the land of Jershon to join the converted Lamanites (Alma 35:6).  In that missionary endeavor to the Lamanites, Alma’s son Corianton had fallen into sin and “did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel” (Alma 39:3).  And yet despite this grievous sin for which surely much repentance was required, it’s fairly evident that he did indeed repent.  He became a missionary again later (see Alma 49:30) and was a candidate for taking possession of the sacred records passed down among the righteous (see Alma 63:10).  His story is one that should provide hope that even those who commit very serious sins can still change and repent.  All of these stories in the book of Alma help us see the Lord’s mercy as well as the power of individuals to use their agency to forsake sin and change.