The commandments of Alma to his son, Helaman, Comprising chapters 36 and 37.
CHAPTER 36.
Alma recounts his sinful past, his miraculous conversion, and his subsequent zeal in the ministry.
1. My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of Godde ye shall prosper in the land.
2. I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers and mothers; for they were in bondage and none could deliver them except it was the Godde of Abraham and Sariah, and the God of Isaac and Rebekah, and the God of Jacob and Leah and Rachel; and they surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
3. And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in Godde shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
4. And I would not that ye think that I know of myself — not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of Godde.
5. Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of Godde I should not have known these things; but Godde has, by the mouth of their holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself;
6. For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of Godde; but behold, Godde sent their holy angel to stop us by the way.
7. And behold, the angel spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of Godde came upon us.
8. But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.
9. And the angel said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of Godde.
10. And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
11. And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my companions, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words — If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of Godde — I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12. But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my Godde, and that I had not kept their holy commandments.
14. Yea, and I had murdered many of their children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my Godde did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15. Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my Godde, to be judged of my deeds.
16. And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
17. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of Godde, to atone for the sins of the world.
18. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of Godde, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
21. Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
22. Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, Godde sitting upon the throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their Godde; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
23. But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of Godde.
24. Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of Godde, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
25. Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Divine Parents doth give me exceeding great joy in the fruit of my labors;
26. For because of the word which they have imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of Godde, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of Godde.
27. And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, Godde has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in them, and they will still deliver me.
28. And I know that they will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with them in glory; yea, and I will praise them forever, for they have brought our mothers and fathers out of Egypt, and they have swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and they led them by their power into the promised land; yea, and they have delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time.
29. Yea, and they have also brought our fathers and mothers out of the land of Jerusalem; and they have also, by their everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, the captivity of our forebears.
30. But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of Godde ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of Godde ye shall be cut off from their presence. Now this is according to their word.
CHAPTER 37.
Helaman entrusted with the records and other sacred relics — Gazelem — The Liahona a type of the word of Christ.
1. And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been entrusted with me;
2. And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.
3. And these plates of which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the genealogy of our forebears, even from the beginning -
4. Behold, it has been prophesied by our mothers and fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of Godde until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.
5. And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.
6. Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
7. And Godde, our Heavenly Parents, do work by means to bring about their great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Divine Parents do confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
8. And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in Godde that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their Godde unto the salvation of their souls.
9. Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brothers could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers and mothers; yea these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of Godde their Heavenly Parents, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
10. And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brothers and sisters, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
11. Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.
12. And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto Godde; for they do counsel in wisdom over all their works, and their paths are straight, and their course is one eternal round.
13. O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of Godde. And they said: If ye will keep our commandments ye shall prosper in the land — but if ye keep not our commandments ye shall be cut off from our presence.
14. And now remember, my son, that Godde has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which they have kept sacred, and also which they will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in them, that they may show forth their power unto future generations.
15. And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of Godde, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of Godde, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.
16. But if ye keep the commandments of Godde, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Father and Mother doth command you, (for you must appeal unto Godde for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for Heavenly Mother and Father are powerful to the fulfilling of all their words.
17. For they will fulfill all their promises which they shall make unto you, for they have fulfilled their promises which they have made unto our fathers and mothers.
18. For they promised unto our mothers and fathers that they would preserve these things for a wise purpose in them, that they might show forth their power unto future generations.
19. And now behold, one purpose hath they fulfilled, even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and they have shown forth their power in them, and they will also still show forth their power in them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved.
20. 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 Godde as they are written.
21. And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.
22. For behold, Godde the Eternal Father and Mother saw that their people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore Godde said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
23. And the Divine Parents said: We will prepare unto our servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that we may discover unto our people who serve us, that we may discover unto them the works of their kin, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24. And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of Godde might be fulfilled, which they spake, saying:
25. We will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent we will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and we will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
26. And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of Godde has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness and made known unto us.
27. And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fail into darkness also and be destroyed.
28. For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of Godde, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.
29. Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and abominations and their murders.
30. For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Mother and Father who came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Divine Parents for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and thus the judgments of Godde did come upon these workers of darkness and secret combinations.
31. Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.
32. And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but I teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.
33. Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
34. Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.
35. O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of Godde.
36. Yea, and cry unto the Eternal Father and Mother for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto them, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in Godde; yea, let thy thoughts be directed unto Godde; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon your Heavenly Parents forever.
37. Counsel with Godde in all thy doings, and they will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto Godde, that they may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto Godde; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
38. And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers and mothers call a ball, or director — or our forebears called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Divine Parents prepared it.
39. And behold, there cannot any man or woman work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our mothers and fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.
40. And it did work for them according to their faith in Godde; therefore, if they had faith to believe that Godde could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of Godde day by day.
41. Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;
42. Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.
43. And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers and mothers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.
44. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our mothers and fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our forebears, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46. O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers and mothers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47. And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to Godde and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.
CHAPTER 38.
The commandments of Alma to his son Shiblon. Commended for faithfulness and counseled to observe meekness and self-control.
1. My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of Godde ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of Godde ye shall be cast off from their presence.
2. And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto Godde; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Eternal Parents, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping their commandments; for blessed are they that endureth to the end.
3. I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites.
4. For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because Godde was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Father and Mother did deliver thee.
5. And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in Godde even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
6. Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of Godde which is in me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been born of Godde I should not have known these things.
7. But behold, the Eternal Parents in their great mercy sent their angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among their people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and the angel spake with me, and the voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.
8. And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.
9. And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby men and women can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.
10. And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.
11. See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
12. Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.
13. Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of women and men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
14. Do not say: O Godde, I thank thee that we are better than our brothers and sisters; but rather say: O Godde, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my sisters and brothers in mercy — yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before Godde at all times.
15. And may the Eternal Father and Mother bless your soul, and receive you at the last day into their kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and teach the word unto this people. Be sober. My son, farewell.
