They Went Forth Again

While Ammon was having all of his missionary success among the Lamanites in the land of Ishmael, others from his group were not quite so fortunate.  Aaron preached first in the city Jerusalem and was rejected there: “They were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake.”  He then went to a village called Ani-Anti where Muloki, Ammah, and others were preaching.  But again there, “They saw that the people would harden their hearts.”  So they left that city after “they contended with many about the word,” and they went to Middoni.  Again the work was very difficult there, and “Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were taken and cast into prison.”  Mormon recorded simply that “those who were cast into prison suffered many things.”  We don’t know how long they were in prison or how long they had been among the Lamanites, but clearly they had faced many hardships and difficulties as they sought to bear their witness of the gospel message.  Given all of that, I was struck by this verse that follows the description of their deliverance from prison: “And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they had suffered” (Alma 21:10-15).  Despite the suffering and struggles that they had gone through, they were not deterred and immediately started to preach the gospel again after being let out of prison. What faith and devotion to the Lord they had to persevere even after their initial rejection and suffering!

               There are of course many such examples in the scriptures of those prophets and missionaries who persevered unflappable despite setbacks and difficulties.  Jeremiah, Job, Daniel, Lehi, Nephi, Alma, Samuel the Lamanite, Mormon, Moroni, Peter, Paul and many others showed great devotion to the Lord despite rejection by the people.  In fact, it is hard to think of significant prophets in the scriptures who have not showed such sticktoitiveness in the face of challenges, and their examples encourage us to stick to the gospel no matter what setbacks arise in our lives.  For me in my life right now, the most important application is that in raising children.  Some days, despite our best efforts, it can seem like we have failed as we see fighting and yelling and disobedience among them.  Like Aaron and his brethren in Middoni, sometimes my wife and I go to bed feeling that we have lost the battle and that our teachings have been rejected by our most important audience.  But, I know that the next morning I need to get up and try again to teach my children the gospel no matter how they act or receive it from me.  Each day we must “go forth again” to raise our children in truth and righteousness.   And it is comforting to know that Aaron eventually did find success in his missionary labors—in fact, it was he who taught the king over all the land of the Lamanites and helped to convert him.  Eventually the people of Middoni, where he had been in prison, also accepted the gospel (see Alma 23:10).  No matter what the setbacks are today, and “notwithstanding their hardness,” we must never give up trying to preach the gospel, especially to those whom we love the most.