Mosiah
35 verses
Alma, who had fled from the servants of King Noah, repented of his sins and wrongdoings, and went privately among the people, beginning to teach the words of Abinadi—
And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—
He spoke about what was to come, including the resurrection of the dead and the redemption of the people, which would happen through the power, sufferings, and death of Christ, as well as his resurrection and ascension into heaven.
Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.
He taught everyone who was willing to listen to his message. He taught them in private so the king wouldn’t find out. Many people believed what he said.
And as many as would hear his word he did teach. And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king. And many did believe his words.
Everyone who believed him went to a place called Mormon, which had been named by the king. It was located on the edge of the land and was sometimes overrun by wild animals.
And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.
In Mormon, there was a fountain of pure water, and Alma went there. Near the water was a thicket of small trees, where he hid himself during the day from the king’s searchers.
Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king.
Everyone who believed him went there to listen to his words.
And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither to hear his words.
After many days, a large number of people gathered at the place of Mormon to hear Alma’s words. Everyone who believed his message came to listen. He taught them and preached about repentance, redemption, and faith in the Lord.
And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word, to hear him. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord.
He said to them, "Here are the waters of Mormon (for that is what they are called), and now, since you want to join the fold of God and be called his people, and are willing to carry each other's burdens so they will be lighter;
And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
And are willing to mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who need comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places you may be, even until death, so that you may be redeemed by God and be counted among those of the first resurrection, so you may have eternal life—
Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
If this is what you truly want, what reason do you have not to be baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that you have made a covenant with him to serve him and keep his commandments, so that he can pour out his Spirit more abundantly on you?
Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
When the people heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy and said, "This is what we truly want.
And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.
Alma took Helam, who was one of the first, and went and stood in the water. He called out, “O Lord, pour out your Spirit on your servant, so he can do this work with a pure heart. ”
And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.
After he said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said, "Helam, I baptize you, having authority from Almighty God, as a testimony that you have entered into a covenant to serve him until you die physically. May the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you, and may he grant you eternal life through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.
And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.
After Alma said these words, both Alma and Helam went down into the water; then they came up out of the water rejoicing, filled with the Spirit.
And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.
Alma took another person and went into the water a second time, and baptized him the same way as the first, except Alma did not immerse himself in the water again.
And again, Alma took another, and went forth a second time into the water, and baptized him according to the first, only he did not bury himself again in the water.
He baptized everyone who went to the place of Mormon in this way. There were about two hundred and four people, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon and filled with the grace of God.
And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God.
They were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time on. Whoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests—one priest for every fifty people—to preach to them and teach them about the things related to the kingdom of God.
And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
He commanded them to teach only what he had taught and what had been spoken by the holy prophets.
And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.
He commanded them to preach only repentance and faith in the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
He commanded them not to argue with each other, but to look forward with one purpose, having one faith and one baptism, with their hearts united in unity and love toward one another.
And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
He commanded them to preach, and they became the children of God.
And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God.
He commanded them to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, and to give thanks to the Lord their God every day.
And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God.
He also commanded them that the priests he had ordained should work with their own hands to support themselves.
And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support.
One day each week was set aside for them to gather together to teach the people and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as they were able, to meet together.
And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together.
The priests were not supposed to depend on the people for their support; instead, through their work they would receive the grace of God, so they could grow strong in the Spirit and gain knowledge of God, allowing them to teach with power and authority from God.
And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God.
Alma also instructed the people of the church to share what they had, each person according to their own means. If someone had more, they should give more; if someone had little, only a little would be expected from them; and anyone who had nothing should receive help.
And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given.
They should give of their possessions willingly and with good intentions toward God, to the priests who were in need, and to every needy, destitute person.
And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.
He told them this because God had commanded him; and they lived righteously before God, helping each other with both physical and spiritual needs according to what each person needed and wanted.
And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants.
All of this happened in Mormon, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest near the waters of Mormon. The place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, and the forest of Mormon are beautiful to those who came to know their Redeemer there. They are truly blessed, for they will sing his praise forever.
And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.
These things were done in the outskirts of the land so that the king would not find out about them.
And these things were done in the borders of the land, that they might not come to the knowledge of the king.
The king discovered that something was happening among the people, so he sent his servants to watch them. On the day when they gathered to hear the word of the Lord, they were found out by the king.
But behold, it came to pass that the king, having discovered a movement among the people, sent his servants to watch them. Therefore on the day that they were assembling themselves together to hear the word of the Lord they were discovered unto the king.
The king said that Alma was stirring up the people to rebel against him, so he sent his army to destroy them.
And now the king said that Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him; therefore he sent his army to destroy them.
Alma and the people of the Lord were informed that the king’s army was coming, so they took their tents and their families and left into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness.
There were about four hundred and fifty people.
And they were in number about four hundred and fifty souls.