Today I read Alma 45, the last prophecy of Alma before he died. Except Alma didn't die, the thought is he was translated just like Moses was. That gives me great hope as it should to everyone.
We all know that Alma the Younger was one of the young men who went about seeking to destroy the church. By his own admonition he was one of the very vilest of sinners and he spiritually murdered several people. You don't get much worse than that. If we really think about it, he probably committed every sin in the book except denying the Holy Ghost and committing murder. And yet here he is being translated, or being received straight up to heaven without having to die first.
2 verses above this verse it talks about how God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. We know this to be true, and yet He took Alma into His bosom. Do you understand what that means? The Atonement works! I know that we all understand that the Atonement does what it is supposed to, but most people at some point will doubt the efficacy of the Atonement.
Last Sunday we had Stake Conference, as I have mentioned. Our Stake President spoke first during the Sunday session and one of the things he said really stuck with me. He said that many, far too many, people feel like they can never forgive themselves, that they have sinned too much. His response to those people kind of surprised me at first, but it doesn't anymore. He said he tells them that to think that way is to deny the Atonement. It's as if we were standing before the Savior and said to Him, "I know you have suffered for the sins of others, but you did not suffer for mine." Such thoughts are a mockery of the most sacred event that has ever happened.
He also said that this goes the same for people who say they cannot forgive themselves. In all honesty, yes I know Alma was an amazing man and prophet, but I can't help but wonder if his story is given such a central stage for so much of the Book of Mormon as an object lesson to others that yes, there is hope for you, the Atonement DOES work. I mean think about it. The sons of Mosiah were just as bad as Alma, and yet they are only given central stage in the Book of Mormon for 9 chapters.
Now, Alma also kept the record of the church for almost 20 years before his translation. However, I believe that was purposeful too. With a few exceptions, none of us will sin more than Alma did in his youth. And yet the Atonement worked for him. It worked so well that he was fully converted and could not sit idly by the scriptures say but was compelled to go out and preach the word. Some days I wish I could fully devote my life as he did to preaching the word of God. The only people I am aware of that do that in this day though are the apostles. So I have to be content to just be a good example and spread the gospel to those in my sphere of influence, and of course by writing this blog.
We should never fall into the trap of believing anything the devil tells us, especially if it concerns the Atonement. If you ever have questions about the Atonement, make it a matter of prayer and study the Atonement. You will quickly be put back on the right path. But I will end with this thought that again comes from my Stake President during Stake Conference that later Elder Bednar wholeheartedly endorsed. The Savior has already paid the price for every sin we will ever do! It's already been done. All we have to do is stop sinning and move on to better things. And I repeat, to not forgive ourselves is to deny the Atonement.
The Atonement works, and we have evidence of it here in Alma 45. Don't take it lightly, and if you have in the past, it is time to repent. Until tomorrow.
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