Scriptural Giants:
Convert to the Truth

By Sherrie Johnson

(See Alma 11–15, 31.)

“Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you?” a skillful lawyer named Zeezrom asked Alma as he and Amulek were preaching in the land of Ammonihah.

“Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me,” Amulek answered.

But instead of asking a question about the gospel, Zeezrom offered Amulek six onties of silver (a large sum of money), saying, “All these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.”

“O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me?” Amulek answered. “Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?

“Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more than him.

“And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me.”

Despite Amulek’s exposing him as a servant of the devil, Zeezrom continued to question Amulek, wording his questions very carefully to try to make Amulek seem foolish to the crowd that had gathered about them.

Amulek, however, stood firm and testified boldly of the Savior, who would come to save mankind from their sins. So powerful was Amulek’s testimony that, when he had finished, Zeezrom began to tremble.

“Now Zeezrom,” Alma said, “thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit.”

As Alma explained the plan of salvation, Zeezrom’s trembling increased, for he was now convinced of the power of God. He knew that Alma and Amulek were prophets, and he began to inquire earnestly concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ, asking about the Resurrection and about the judgment of God.

As Alma spoke, some of the people believed his words and repented. But many of the people became angry. They took Alma and Amulek, tied them up with strong cord, and cast them into prison.

By now Zeezrom realized how wrong he had been. His heart was grieved because he knew that it was his words that had originally turned the people against Alma and Amulek. Desperately he cried out to the people, “Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God.”

Zeezrom pleaded for Alma and Amulek to be set free. But the multitudes turned against him. “Art thou also possessed with the devil?” they asked Zeezrom. Cursing Zeezrom and spitting on him, they cast him out of their presence.

Zeezrom, sick in his soul because of the evil he had done, found his way to the city of Sidom. He was sure that Alma and Amulek had been killed because of his words. The guilt tormented him so much that his body was scorched with a burning fever, and he lay helpless on his bed.

But the Lord had helped Alma and Amulek escape from prison and had sent them to Sidom. When Zeezrom heard that the prophets had come, his heart filled with hope. He immediately sent a message to Alma and Amulek, asking them to come to him.

As soon as they received his message, Alma and Amulek went to the house where Zeezrom lay ill. When Zeezrom saw them, he stretched forth his hand and begged them to heal him.

“Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?” Alma asked.

“Yea,” Zeezrom answered. “I believe all the words that thou hast taught.”

“O Lord our God,” Alma prayed, “have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ.”

Zeezrom was healed immediately. He leaped to his feet and began to walk about.

Later Alma baptized Zeezrom, and from that time forth Zeezrom preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Five years later, when Alma went on a mission to the Zoramites, Zeezrom went too. He taught the people well and tried to help others escape the terrible despair that comes when people disobey the word of God.

Illustrated by Paul Mann