Book of Mormon Story:
Alma and Amulek

(See Alma 4:6–5:1; Alma 8:8–10:12; Alma 34:1, 7–31.)

Let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto [God] continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you (Alma 34:27).

The Savior teaches that we must “forgive one another” (Mosiah 26:31). When we do, we come to better love not only the people who have hurt us but also Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We also come to better feel Their love for us.

Alma loved his people and felt very sad about the wicked things that they were doing. He went from place to place, preaching the gospel to them to help them see that they needed to repent. Some of the people listened to him and did repent, but when he went to the land of Ammonihah, the people rebelled. They spit on him and cast him out of the city.

While Alma was on his way to another city, an angel appeared to him and told him to go back and preach again in Ammonihah. As he entered the city the second time, he asked a man for food.

The man was Amulek, and he took Alma to his home and fed him. He told Alma that an angel had appeared to him in a vision and told him that a man of God was coming, that he, Amulek, should take him home and care for him. Alma stayed with Amulek for many days; then they went out together to preach. Alma spoke first, and the people were angry and tried to capture him and cast him in prison.

Then Amulek spoke up. He reminded them that he was a respected person in Ammonihah, that although he, too, had hardened his heart, an angel of the Lord had appeared to him and told him that Alma was a prophet of the Lord. Amulek bore his testimony and preached the gospel to them. He taught them about repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, about the blessings they would receive for being faithful and righteous. He also taught them about the importance of prayer, of humbling themselves before God and asking Him to bless not just themselves but their fields (crops), their flocks (animals), and the people around them.

Like Alma, when others do bad things and hurt our feelings, we need to pray for them and forgive them and help them. When we do, we are showing our love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We will be blessed for it and our love for Them will grow.

Illustrated by Jerry Harston