Mosiah 27:1–24

“He Has Prayed with Much Faith Concerning Thee”

Do you know what it’s like to see loved ones reject the truth? Alma and King Mosiah knew the heartache of watching family members rebel against the Savior and His Church. Through the mercy of Christ, they were eventually blessed to feel the joy of seeing these loved ones repent. This lesson can help you discover ways to help those who reject the teachings of Jesus Christ to return to Him.

There is hope through Christ

Is there anyone you are worried about because they are struggling spiritually or even rebelling against God? If so, keep this person in mind as you study today. Likewise, if you are struggling spiritually, you could keep your own situation in mind throughout the lesson.

Ponder how accurately the following statements describe you:

1. I believe it’s not too late for those who are spiritually struggling or rebelling to be healed by Jesus Christ.

2. I have seen examples in the scriptures and in people around me that give me hope for people who are spiritually struggling or rebelling.

3. I know what I can do to help people who are spiritually struggling or rebelling.

As you study Mosiah 27 today, look for reasons to have hope and what you can do to help those who are spiritually struggling or rebelling.

Helping the spiritually lost

Read Mosiah 27:1, 8–10 to see who the prophet Alma and King Mosiah were worried about.

• How do you think these young men’s choices may have affected their parents, siblings, and friends?

Read Mosiah 27:11–16, 19 to see what the Lord did to help Alma the Younger change his life and why. You may also want to watch the video “Alma the Younger Is Converted unto the Lord” from time code 3:06 to 6:59.

• What phrases from the angel’s message do you think would have been most impactful to these young men?

• How could this experience show God’s love and desire to save these young men (as well as others who are spiritually lost)?

• According to Mosiah 27:14, why did the angel say he had come to Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah? (Consider marking the answer to this question in your scriptures.)

Take a moment to ponder what principles you can learn from these verses.

One principle we can learn is that praying with great faith for those who are spiritually struggling or rebelling invites the Lord to help them come to a knowledge of the truth.

Remember that the Lord will not override the moral agency of those for whom we pray. In spite of being visited by an angel, Alma and the sons of Mosiah could still have used their agency not to repent. Although Heavenly Father may not send an angel to our loved ones, He will answer our prayers in His way and time. We can trust Him to help. You will learn more about the Lord’s role in Alma’s change in the next lesson.

• What do you imagine Alma the Elder’s prayers may have been like? What do you think it means to pray “with much faith” (Mosiah 27:14)?

• Why do you think the Lord wants us to pray for those who are spiritually struggling or rebelling?

• When have you felt that your prayers have made a difference in someone else’s life? When do you think someone else’s prayers have helped you?

Ponder specific things you might pray for when asking Heavenly Father to help someone who is spiritually struggling. You might even pause your study to pray for them now.

What more can I do?

Read the following scripture passages, looking for what Alma and others did, in addition to praying, to help his son return to the Lord.

Mosiah 27:20–24

Alma 36:17–19 (Alma the Younger’s later description of what his father had taught and how it helped him)

• What did Alma do, in addition to praying, to help his son?

Study one of the following things Alma did and record your thoughts. As you study, you might keep in mind a loved one who is struggling spiritually or even rebelling:

1. Fasting—Learn more about fasting by searching ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Gospel Library app, the Guide to the Scriptures, or other scripture passages such as Mark 9:17–18, 25–29. How could fasting help you or your loved one? Are there others you could invite to join you in fasting?

2. Testifying—Compare Alma’s experience described in Alma 36:17–19 to Enos’s experience in Enos 1:1–5. Ponder the Holy Ghost’s ability to remind people of what they have heard when they need it (see John 14:26). This can give us courage to share our testimony of Christ even with those who seem unreceptive. It can also help us remember what we know and believe about the Savior when we may need it most. How might you share your testimony of the Savior?

1. Answer at least three of the following questions:

   • What did you learn from this account about how to help those who are struggling spiritually?

   • What advice would you share with someone whose loved one doesn’t change quickly?

   • What is the Savior’s role in helping those we love? Why can you trust Him to help them?

   • What specific things do you feel prompted to do or say to help someone return to the Savior?

Optional: Want to Learn More?

How does Heavenly Father feel about those who are lost or rebelling?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

The tender image of [the prodigal son’s] anxious, faithful father running to meet him and showering him with kisses is one of the most moving and compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It tells every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the protection of His arms. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Other Prodigal,” Ensign, May 2002, 62)

Why is the change in my loved one (or in myself) taking so long compared to Alma the Younger’s experience?

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) explained:

The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road to Damascus, Enos praying far into the night, King Lamoni. Such astonishing examples of the power to change even those steeped in sin give confidence that the Atonement can reach even those deepest in despair.

But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. (Ezra Taft Benson, “A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Oct. 1989, 5)

What blessings come through fasting?

Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy taught:

What if there were a way to overcome our habits, addictions, and burdens? What if there were a way to gain sufficient confidence in the Lord that you could call down the powers of heaven? What if there were principles you could teach your loved ones that, if applied, would allow them to overcome personal weaknesses and draw closer to God?

As we properly understand and live the law of the fast, these desired blessings can be ours. (Shayne M. Bowen, “Fasting with Power,” Ensign, Apr. 2009, 64)