In the story of the missions of Alma and the sons of Mosiah, many different groups of converts come to the Lord in very different circumstances. Anyone who has ever tried knows how hard it can be to save souls. Church leadership often encourages my congregation to engage in missionary work, but it is daunting for all of us.
This last time reading the story, a verse struck me as very surprising, and pointed to what I believe is the "Key Ingredient" to lasting change in a person, to conversion, etc.
So, a certain group of Lamanites is getting very concerned- the Lamanite nation is getting "corrupted" by Nephite lies and religion very quickly. The High King of the Lamanites has just given King Lamoni full sovereignty over his kingdom, and now they've been getting all religious ever since that Nephite Prince Ammon came to visit. Now the High King has been converted, as well as his Prince son. The High King has just declared that these Nephite boys are to be allowed to teach throughout the kingdom at will. Now the High King has died and his son is taking the throne, His son who has taken a new name Anti-Nephi-Lehi, the name these new believers are calling themselves! Time to put an end to this foolishness!
They go to war against their brothers the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, who have shown up to the battlefield without shields or any weapons. They're laying on the ground praying? It must be a trick! They run in and start slaughtering them. Something's wrong. They're just dying. No tricks. Alma 24:24-27 says:
How could these Lamanites possibly be brought to a knowledge of the truth? There was no message preached! There were no scriptures quoted, and no fellowship meetings with refreshments served! How could they have been brought to a knowledge of the truth?
The single most powerful "Truth" in conversion can be taught without words, but with a lot of humility and submission (aka LOVE). The truth is that who you have been is pathetically and embarrassingly inadequate, deplorable, repugnant, and loathsome.
The Lamaintes suddenly realized that they were savage murderers, which probably had never occurred to them because they were just like all of their friends. "It was normal to get what you want by killing others! It's Lamanite culture that has been passed down for generations and generations!"
Today, our culture is not much different from the Lamanite culture. On a national as well as a domestic scope, we often seek to find justification to destroy others' lives when they have what we "need" or when their opinions threaten our lifestyle. Financial gurus and businessmen are always seeking to squeeze more money out of the masses, frivolous lawsuits, tax evasion, fraud, abortion, the list goes on and on. Yet we fly our flag and we say we live in the land of the free, home of the brave, that we're the best country in the world. I don't know if that is true, but if it is, it doesn't mean much.
Living your life honestly and kindly may be extremely painful in our "take-what-you-can-get" culture, as it was for the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. One reward is super-power tranquility amidst chaos. Another is the assurance that there is nothing more powerful in creating a lasting and wonderful change in others. Submit to the disadvantages and suffering of honesty and good-will to others, and you will make a lasting and beautiful change in those around you. You will likely even be found among the ranks of a great host who builds a bright and beautiful future for our country (and world) through great suffering.
So, a certain group of Lamanites is getting very concerned- the Lamanite nation is getting "corrupted" by Nephite lies and religion very quickly. The High King of the Lamanites has just given King Lamoni full sovereignty over his kingdom, and now they've been getting all religious ever since that Nephite Prince Ammon came to visit. Now the High King has been converted, as well as his Prince son. The High King has just declared that these Nephite boys are to be allowed to teach throughout the kingdom at will. Now the High King has died and his son is taking the throne, His son who has taken a new name Anti-Nephi-Lehi, the name these new believers are calling themselves! Time to put an end to this foolishness!
"Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done. ...for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them. And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved. And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth; thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people."
How could these Lamanites possibly be brought to a knowledge of the truth? There was no message preached! There were no scriptures quoted, and no fellowship meetings with refreshments served! How could they have been brought to a knowledge of the truth?
The single most powerful "Truth" in conversion can be taught without words, but with a lot of humility and submission (aka LOVE). The truth is that who you have been is pathetically and embarrassingly inadequate, deplorable, repugnant, and loathsome.
The Lamaintes suddenly realized that they were savage murderers, which probably had never occurred to them because they were just like all of their friends. "It was normal to get what you want by killing others! It's Lamanite culture that has been passed down for generations and generations!"
Today, our culture is not much different from the Lamanite culture. On a national as well as a domestic scope, we often seek to find justification to destroy others' lives when they have what we "need" or when their opinions threaten our lifestyle. Financial gurus and businessmen are always seeking to squeeze more money out of the masses, frivolous lawsuits, tax evasion, fraud, abortion, the list goes on and on. Yet we fly our flag and we say we live in the land of the free, home of the brave, that we're the best country in the world. I don't know if that is true, but if it is, it doesn't mean much.
Living your life honestly and kindly may be extremely painful in our "take-what-you-can-get" culture, as it was for the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. One reward is super-power tranquility amidst chaos. Another is the assurance that there is nothing more powerful in creating a lasting and wonderful change in others. Submit to the disadvantages and suffering of honesty and good-will to others, and you will make a lasting and beautiful change in those around you. You will likely even be found among the ranks of a great host who builds a bright and beautiful future for our country (and world) through great suffering.
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