Every One His Charge, Separately

Alma spent the final ten years of his life preaching to the people, and we have an account of the words he spoke in Zarahemla, Gideon, Ammonihah, and Antionum. He gave his all trying to teach and warn and testify among the Nephites as he invited them to come unto Jesus Christ and be saved. We might be wonder if all of these missionary labors caused him to neglect his own family, but I think the text gives us some pretty good clues that he didn’t. After the end of his mission to the people of Gideon, “He returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself from the labors which he had performed” (Alma 8:1). After his mission in Ammonihah he did the same thing, taking Amulek with him, “Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord” (Alma 15:18). Surely in both these cases, returning to his home gave him time to be with and strengthen his own family. This certainly was the case after his final recorded mission when he was among the Zoramites. Mormon recorded that Alma and his sons “returned to the land of Zarahemla” and “being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them,” Alma turned his focus towards his family: “Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness” (Alma 35:14-16). Clearly his family was every bit as important to him as those he taught among the various cities of the Nephites, and I love that single word used to describe his teachings to his sons: “Separately." He took the time to be with each one individually and spoke what was needed to each one. Surely that is an important example for us as we interact with our own children—we must find opportunities to be with each one, separately.

               I love the fact that the final teaching of Alma and others in the Book of Mormon was to their children. After speaking at length to his three sons individually Alma preached for a little longer but then turned back to his son Helaman as recorded in Alma 45. Then as a final act before presumably being translated, “Now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons” (Alma 45:15). We of course saw a similar thing with Lehi, who taught his children and grandchildren with great tenderness at the end of his life. This was his last act for Nephi recorded, “Lehi, had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. And it came to pass that he died, and was buried” (2 Nephi 4:12). It is also fitting that the last words of Mormon that we have, at least in order in the book as we have it, are two letters to his son in Moroni 8 and 9, with this powerful conclusion: “My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up…. May the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ… be, and abide with you forever” (Moroni 9:26). Similarly, Jacob’s final words included instructions to his son Enos, and the last words we have of Helaman, son of Helaman, were to his two sons Nephi and Lehi: “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation” (Helaman 5:12). What mattered most to these Nephite prophets at the end of their lives was bearing testimony to their children of the Savior and His gospel.