Book of Mormon Lesson
# 30 Alma 40–42
The Great Plan of Happiness
Introduction
Last week saw Alma’s lectures/letters to
Helaman and Shiblon and the beginning of his admonitions to Corianton. Sarah
eloquently couched these chapters as the loving last words of a dad. The son
whom he left behind on his last missionary journey, to whom he hands over the
family responsibility for the records of his people; the son who came on the
mission and was righteous, and then there’s Corianton. Now I can imagine that,
when first confronted with his increasingly bad behavior, Corianton would first
have denied it, then would have thrown back Alma’s own rebellion when he was
presumably Corianton’s age in his face. But the purpose of Alma’s discourse to
Corianton—I think, especially with the break in chapters—is to guide him
through the repentance process in 39 and then to teach him some fundamental
truths which he was obviously now ready to receive. Were all three sons
together when Alma was talking to them? Were these chapters in the form of
letters? I think they all read or heard them all and, as we read in chapter 43,
And now it came
to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the
word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went
forth. Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they
preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and
revelation; and they preached after the holy order of God by which they were
called.
I believe that Alma is now talking to a repentant Corianton
who fully understands the process his own father went through and realizes how
much he jeopardized his own eternal salvation. As Alma says to Corianton, “Wickedness
never was happiness (Alma 41:10).
1. Alma teaches Corianton about
death and resurrection. Alma 40:1–23
Elder Packer delivered a wonderful analysis of these
teachings in a 2006 Conference talk which you can find here:
I’d like to say something about what Alma refers to as outer
darkness and, as the manual points out, “refers to the place we usually call spirit
prison.” I have heard many people refer to rescuing their deceased ancestors
from spirit prison. I remember especially hearing it after my mother died,
during the year that was necessary before I could do the work for her. I
rebelled against the idea that my mother would be in spirit prison, and so I
was calmed when I read here that spirit prison is another term for “outer
darkness” which is reserved for “the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are
evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for
behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil
did enter into them, and take possession of their house” (Alma 40:13). But even
these will be taught the gospel according to Joseph F Smith’s revelation in
D&C 138: 29–31.
And as I
wondered, my eyes were opened, and my understanding quickened, and I perceived
that the Lord went not in person among the wicked and the disobedient who had
rejected the truth, to teach them; But behold, from among the righteous, he
organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and
authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel
to them that were in darkness, even to fall the spirits of men; and thus was
the gospel preached to the dead. And the chosen messengers went forth to
declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who
were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the
gospel.
Here is Elder Maxwell: “The Lord has described his plan of
redemption as the Plan of Happiness. … Conversationally, we reference this
great design almost too casually at times; we even sketch its rude outlines on
chalkboards and paper as if it were the floor plan for an addition to one’s
house. However, when we really take time to ponder the Plan, it is breathtaking
and overpowering!” (“Thanks Be to God,” Ensign,
July 1982, 51).
And more from Elder Maxwell,
God was redemptively at work long
before mortal time began on this earth—and He will still be at work even after
mortal time is no more (see D&C
88:110; Alma
40:8). … Mercifully, things then will ‘be done in [God’s] own way,’
not ours (D&C
104:16). Then God’s purposes, His patience, His power, and His profound
love, which were at work long before time was, will also be at work even after
time will be no more (see D&C
84:100; Alma
40:8). These and other truths are among what Paul called ‘the deep things
of God’ (1 Corinthians
2:10)” (A Wonderful Flood of Light
[1990], 50, 58–59).
Another clarification from the Institute manual on what Alma
meant by “taken home to . . . God” (Alma
40:11):
“Taken home to God” [compare Ecclesiastes 12:7]
simply means that their mortal existence has come to an end, and they have
returned to the world of spirits, where they are assigned to a place according
to their works with the just or with the unjust, there to await the
resurrection. “Back to God” is a phrase which finds an equivalent in many other
well known conditions. For instance: a man spends a stated time in some foreign
mission field. When he is released and returns to the United States, he may
say, ‘It is wonderful to be back home’; yet his home may be somewhere in Utah
or Idaho or some other part of the West” (Answers
to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols.
[1957–66], 2:85).
There are so many teachings in this chapter alone. Have you
ever wondered about what the different resurrections are? Does your patriarchal
blessing promise that you will come forth in the first resurrection. Elder Oaks
talks about resurrection here
And the Institute Manual gives a good explanation of the
timing here
This section ends with the promise that “The soul shall be
restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint
shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost;
but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame” (Alma
40:23). As we get older this promise means more and more as joints begin to
fail. For those who struggle with a disability—physical or mental—this promise
gives great hope. If the Lord is going to take such great care of our eternal
bodies, should we not take great care of our mortal bodies?
2. Alma teaches that after we are
resurrected, the righteous will be restored to happiness and the wicked will be
restored to misery. Alma 40:24–26; 41
Unfortunately there isn’t a physical “gulf of misery and
endless wo” (Helaman 5:12) that separates good from evil—righteousness and
wickedness—in this life. There is a shading from white to grey to black, and it
is up to us to decide if we are in that grey area and whether we sink deeper or
climb back. Here is Elder Cook
I recognize that, despite the
overwhelming happiness embodied in God’s divine plan, sometimes it can feel far
away and disconnected from our current circumstances. It may feel beyond our
reach as struggling disciples. From our limited perspective, current
temptations and distractions can seem attractive. The rewards for resisting
those temptations, on the other hand, can feel distant and unattainable. But a
true understanding of the Father’s plan reveals that the rewards of
righteousness are available right now. Wickedness, such as immoral conduct, is
never part of the answer. Alma said it clearly to his son Corianton: “Behold, I
say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.” Our doctrine is clearly stated
by Amulek in Alma 34:32 : “Behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to
meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their
labors.”[1]
Alma ends this chapter with the golden rule, “Therefore, my
son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge
righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall
ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye
shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment
restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again” (Alma
41:14).
3. Alma teaches Corianton about
justice and mercy. Alma 42
Bruce R. McConkie gives this view on
what it means to be in a probationary state:
As we understand the
plan of salvation, we came into this sphere of existence for two purposes.
First: We came to gain this natural body, this tangible body, this body which
here in this life is a temporary house for the eternal spirit, but which body
we will receive back again in immortality through the atoning sacrifice of
Christ. Second: We came here to see if we would have the spiritual integrity,
the devotion to righteousness, to overcome the world, to put off the natural
man, to bridle our passions, to curb and control the appetites that are natural
in this type of existence. We have been put in this environment advisedly. We
were on probation of a sort when we lived in the presence of God, our Heavenly
Father. But in that sphere we walked by sight; in that sphere we had spirit
bodies. We have been sent down here to walk by faith, and we have been given
natural bodies, which are subject to the ills and vicissitudes, the temptations
and lusts of the flesh. And now, if by obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the gospel, by keeping the standards of personal righteousness that are found
in the gospel, if by doing this, we can overcome the world, we will be taking
the bodies which we possess and transforming them into the kind of bodies that
can dwell with exalted beings (“Overcome the World,” Conference Report, April 1955, 115).
Elder Packer narrated a wonderful
video representation of the juxtaposition of justice and mercy which you can
see here
“Mercy cometh because of the
atonement” (Alma 42:23). A final quote from Elder Maxwell:
Life’s
disappointments often represent the debris of our failed, proximate hopes.
Instead, however, I speak of the crucial need for ultimate hope. Ultimate hope
is a different matter. It is tied to Jesus and the blessings of the great
Atonement, blessings resulting in the universal Resurrection and the precious
opportunity provided thereby for us to practice emancipating repentance, making
possible what the scriptures call “a perfect brightness of hope” (2 Ne. 31:20).[2]
