Keep the Commandments

As I read again some of the words from Alma to his son Helaman, I was impressed by his repeated emphasis on keeping the commandments. The text of Alma 36 begins this way: “My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.” After telling of his own disobedience to commandments and conversion to the Lord, he said again in summary, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence” (Alma 36:1,30). These two statements were the bookends that framed the story he told Helaman of how he repented and was redeemed by the Savior, suggesting I believe that coming unto the Savior requires that we will seek to keep His commandments.

               In the next chapter Alma again emphasized the need to keep the commandments to Helaman. He implored, “O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said, If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.” He further warned, “If ye transgress the commandments of God… ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.” He then promised concerning the sacred records he was to care for, “But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these thigs which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you… behold no power of earth or hell can take them from you” (v13,15-16). A few verses later Alma again reiterated, “Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God.” And in case Helaman missed it, Alma said again, “O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in they youth to keep the commandments of God” (v20,35). Alma then recounted how the family of Lehi had not been obedient to commandments in their journey and had suffered because of it. His counsel to his son was that he should learn from that experience and rather keep the commandments, to “give heed to the word of Christ” (v44).

               We have one more exchange between Alma and Helaman before Alma disappeared. He asked his son if he believed in the records and in the Savior, and then he questioned, “Will ye keep my commandments?” Helaman replied, “Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all of my heart” (Alma 45:6-7). Alma left satisfied that his son was committed to keeping the commandments of the Lord that he had received and passed on. Given Helaman’s commitment to following the commandments, it is fitting that he would later be called upon to lead the stripling warriors who also were fully obedient to the commandments. He wrote of them, “Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness…. Yes, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually” (Alma 57:21,58:40). Because of that strict obedience they were miraculously preserved, and surely Helaman’s own focus on keeping the commandments was part of why they were so obedient. The words of Alma to Helaman and his story with the stripling Ammonites invites us each to consider how well we are keeping the commandments of the Lord that we have received. Surely we can each more fully commit as he did to obey the Lord’s commandments with all our heart.