Alma 9

Remember the Lord’s Blessings

How has the Lord blessed you? What does He expect you to do after receiving those blessings? When Alma and Amulek called the people of Ammonihah to repent, the people rejected their teachings. Alma taught that the Lord expected them to be more righteous than the Lamanites, who had not been taught the truth. He urged the people to remember the blessings of the Lord. This lesson is intended to help you recognize and remember the blessings the Lord has given you.

The Lord’s blessings to you

In your study journal, take a few minutes to list blessings you have received from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. (Consider including blessings that have come because you are a member of Christ’s Church.)

• How does remembering these blessings and gifts affect you?

• How often do you think about these blessings? Is there something you can do to focus on them more?

As you study today, you will have opportunities to add to your list. Seek Heavenly Father’s guidance to recognize His blessings to you and to know how you can remember them throughout your life.

Alma and Amulek preach to the people of Ammonihah

When Alma and Amulek preached the word of God to the people of Ammonihah, the people were hard-hearted.

Read the words Alma spoke to them in Alma 9:8–11, 20–22, looking for words and phrases that indicate blessings the Lord gave these people that they had forgotten.

• What did you find?

• What characteristics of the Lord did Alma highlight in verse 11? (Consider marking these traits in your scriptures.)

It may be helpful to know that the term long-suffering refers to the Lord’s patience and restraint when there is cause for anger.

Take a moment to ponder the ways the Lord has shown you patience. You may want to add these examples to your list of blessings.

Later, Alma testified of additional characteristics of the Lord that can help us understand Alma’s message. Read Alma 9:26 and consider marking these characteristics. It may be helpful to know that in the scriptures the word equity means “fair” or “just.”

As Alma continued preaching, he emphasized that Jesus Christ is full of grace, equity, truth, patience, mercy, and long-suffering. Ponder why Alma wanted the people of Ammonihah to understand these characteristics of the Savior.

Comparing and contrasting two peoples

The scriptures often compare or contrast ideas, events, and people in a way that teaches gospel principles. Looking for these comparisons or contrasts can be a useful scripture study skill. Alma compared two groups of people who were in different situations—the Lamanites and the people of Ammonihah. Fill out the following chart in your journal. Look for how Alma emphasized the Savior’s traits.

1. Fill out the following chart in your study journal and think about what else you can learn about God by making these comparisons.

   	What you learn about the people	How the Lord demonstrates grace, equity, truth, patience, mercy, or long-suffering toward these people
   Lamanites (Alma 9:14–17)
   People of Ammonihah (Alma 9:20–25)

• How did sending Alma and Amulek to warn and testify to the people of Ammonihah show the Lord’s mercy?

• Why do you think that Alma’s teachings about God in Alma 9 are important for us to remember in our day?

What has the Lord given you?

Alma marveled at how quickly the people of Ammonihah forgot the blessings the Lord had given them as a people (see Alma 9:8–11). To help them repent and turn back to the Lord, Alma reminded them of the many blessings they had received (see verses 20–24).

• What are some reasons we may forget what the Lord has done for us?

As you read the following questions, ponder how you may have received some of the same blessings that the people of Ammonihah received. Consider adding these blessings to your list.

• What has the Lord “made known unto [you] according to [your] desires, and [your] faith, and prayers”? (Alma 9:20).

• How have you been blessed by the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in Alma 9:21?

• How has God delivered you from trials? (See Alma 9:22.)

2. Complete the following activity and summarize what you did in your study journal.

   Take a moment to do something to help you remember the blessings the Lord has given you. The following are some ideas:

   • Take a picture of the list you made in class and put it where you can see it often, such as the wallpaper on your phone.

   • Write your feelings in your study journal and make a plan to record your blessings regularly.

   • Set a reminder in your calendar to regularly reflect on what the Lord has done for you.

Optional: Want to Learn More?

What are some of the blessings the Lord has given to members of His Church?

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared some of the gifts the Lord has given us:

Some ask, “Aren’t there many of other faiths who love Christ?” Of course there are! However, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having a witness of His reality not only from the Bible but also from the Book of Mormon; knowing His priesthood has been restored to the earth; having made sacred covenants to follow Him and received the gift of the Holy Ghost; having been endowed with power in His holy temple; and being part of preparing for His glorious return to the earth, we cannot compare what we are to be with those who have not yet received these truths. ‘Unto whom much is given much is required’ [Doctrine and Covenants 82:3].” (Neil L. Andersen, “Never Leave Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 41)

Sister Sheri L. Dew, who served as a counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, testified of similar blessings:

We are unique. We are unique because of our covenants, our spiritual privileges, and the responsibilities attached to both. We are endowed with power and gifted with the Holy Ghost. We have a living prophet to guide us, ordinances that bind us to the Lord and to each other, and the power of the priesthood in our midst. We understand where we stand in the great plan of happiness. And we know that God is our Father and that His Son is our unfailing Advocate.

With these privileges comes great responsibility, for “unto whom much is given much is required” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:3). (Sheri L. Dew, “We Are Women of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 98)