Alma, the Elder

Children

Alma

• Mosiah 17:1-4

1) And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him and cause that he should be put to death.

2) But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them; therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace.

3) But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him.

4) But he fled from before them and hid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken.

• Mosiah 18

Alma organizes a church.

• Mosiah 23-24

Alma and his people set up a community in the land of Helam, but become persecuted by the Lamanites until the escape to Zarahemla.

• Mosiah 25:14-24

Alma, after arriving in Zarahemla, teaches, baptizes, and establishes a church.

• Mosiah 26:7-39

Alma deals with the issue of apostates among the youth of the church.

• Mosiah 27:1

And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests.

• Mosiah 27:8

Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.

• Mosiah 29:45,47

45) And now it came to pass that his father died, being eighty and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.

47) And thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of Nephi; and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of their church.

• 3 Nephi 5:12

And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people, yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.

Why had Ammon felt like an unworthy servant, and would not baptize Limhi's people, while, Alma, did, and became the head of the church when he arrived in Zarahemla?

Did Alma actually have the priesthood? Where did he get it from? Had the people in Zarahemla lost the priesthood? (That doesn't make sense. Mosiah, son of Benjamin was a seer.) Is that why they were so open to having Alma step in as the head of the church? Were Amaleki, son of Abinadom and Abinadi both called by God to head the church in different areas? Was Amaleki not called as god's prophet at all?

What was the church structure like among the Nephites before Alma?

We first meet Alma at a trial, a counsel to judge the Prophet Abinadi. For the most part, this is a mock trial, but it is still a trial. As such, it is, in a sense, a figurative Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Alma, apparently, participates in this trial with sincerity, and it opens his eyes to the knowledge of his wickedness, which makes him an enemy to king Noah. So, having had his eyes opened, Alma flees, and hides. This is really the core idea his name refers to; that of hiding.

All of this happens in the land of Nephi; the land of the Nephites' first inheritance; symbolically, this is Eden. When the king discovers Alma's hiding place, Alma flees with his followers to the wilderness, and there founds a city named Helam, signifying "alone", and soon, he is beset by a second adversary, Amulon, who's name refers to toil and sorrow. Guards are set up to block his path, preventing him from escaping the lonely and sorrowful wilderness until the lord send him a message allowing him to escape. When they arrive in Zarahemla, they review what they have experienced and new name is taken up by many, the name of Nephites, which is a name that describes the tree of life itself, or its fruit. It is also used to mean "joy".

• Abinadi
• Alma (Name)
• Amulon
• Helam
• Land of Helam
• Land of Nephi
• Land of Zarahemla
• Mosiah, son of Benjamin
• Noah, son of Zeniff
• Place of Mormon
• Valley of Alma