Alma, Amulek, Zeezrom Oh My

This last week, as I was reading in Alma, I discover one of my favorite person in the Book of Mormon.

His name was Zeezrom.

He was a lawyer among the people of Ammonihah.  Alma and Amulek were teaching the people in the city, and because the wickedness  and hardness of their hearts, they would not listen, they were angry with them, and had the lawyers and judges come to question them.

Alma 10:31 " And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people"

A few verses into chapter 11, we see that the lawyers would stir up the people to riotings, disturbances and wickedness, that people would hire them to take their cases and the judges/lawyers would gain money from working with them during the trials and crimes.

Thus making the lawyers and judges wicked, for they were using the people to get gain, not only were they getting money from this, the whole city has became wicked because of the desires of those people hearts.

So after Amulek taught them, the people were angry and wanted the judges and lawyers to cross their words against them

Alma 11:16 And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the words which he should speak.-- Alma 10:13-16

Now Zeezrom began to ask Amulek questions and in verse 22 of chapter 11, we see Zeezrom trying to offer Amulek a lot of money, if he would deny the existence of a Supreme Being.

Amulek then goes off on him for a little bit in a way, I would say calling someone a "child of hell" would be going off on them... hah. and Zeezrom asked questions about God, the son of God, and would the Son of God save us while we were in our sins.

"Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people—as though he had authority to command God." Alma 11:35

As you can see, still trying to make Amulek slip up with his words. Amulek then preach again and

Now Zeerzom asked in verse 38 "Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?"

At this point, when he asked that question, I believe that his heart has started to be soften.

Amulek answered his question, and  talked about salvation, how Christ will come to redeem his people, how we will be judged by Him.

"Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written." Alma 11:46

Alma 12:1 "Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done."

Couple more verse in, we see Zeezrom starting to want to learn more

verse 8: " And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma: What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works?"

Alma went on with preaching and answering Zeezrom's questions.
Zeezrom begins to believe in what Alma and Amulek had to say, some of the people who were listening also believed, the non-believers stoned and cast them out of their city.

Zeerzrom and the other believers went over to the city of Sidom. Alma and Amulek were cast into prison, the walls later fell down and the wicked who were around the prison died, Alma and Amulek were told to go to Sidom.

In Sidom they found Zeezrom and the other believers, Zeezrom was sick.
Alma 15:3

"And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat."

Alma was able to heal Zeezrom because of Zeezrom's faith in Christ, he was baptized and started to preach to the people throughout his days.

I like to compare Zeerzom, Alma the younger, and the sons of Mosiah to Laman and Lemuel.

They all had one big thing in common... they were all wicked, once Zeezrom, Alma, and the sons of Mosiah took the truth to their hearts, and had a broken heart and a contrite spirit, they were able to change.

Laman and Lemuel saw an angel, just like Alma the younger did, but they were never converted, they were quick to forget. Alma 45:8 "  Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one."

I would like to think, that Alma the younger saw a part of himself in Zeerzom, how he used to be, fighting against the word of God, and how much joy he must of felt, for Zeerzom when he started to believe the teachings, to know of his Heavenly Father, and of Jesus Christ, who would come to the earth to die for the sins of all mankind. To be baptized and start teaching the people

This wasn't included in the chapter, but I also believe that Alma would of shared his own conversion story to Zeerzom, we know that Alma shared his conversion story to his son Helaman. in Alma chapter 36.

I've heard people compared  Laman and Lemuel to his brother Nephi, which is all fine, but Nephi was already righteous and had faith in God

Alma the younger, the Sons of Mosiah, Zeerzom, King Lamoni and I'm sure of many others were once wicked and once they heard the truth and gain their own testimonies and became converted, they had the change of heart, they had a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Zeerzom gave up his riches of the world, I would say he was pretty wealthy, if he was an "expert" in his line of business. He gave up his worldly things to become converted, he never went back to being a lawyer and he started to preach the people throughout the rest of his days. King Lamoni said in Alma 22:18 "I will give away all my sins to know thee" Are there somethings that you could give up and to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?



Watch this Mormon Message video too.

Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

My "Cool Story Bro" Attitude Towards Reading Scriptures

"But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them"
-Alma 33:20

A couple of verses within this chapter, were talking about how the prophets of old were speaking of the Son of God, and how he will come down to the earth, to atone for our sins.

Alma 33:19 "Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And now many did look and live"

The type was the brass serpent that was on the pole, and whoever would look upon it, would be heal from their wounds, but there were many who would not cast their eyes upon it, because they didn't believe by looking, they would be heal, that it was to simple... to easy to look and be heal, so they perish. It symbolize Christ being on the cross and atoning for our sins.


Alma 33:21  "O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

As I was reading this chapter and got to verses 20 and 21. I had the thought come to mind " Like wise to not reading"

I haven't been the best with reading the Book of Mormon, I have read it once all the way through, I thought it was great, and I gain a testimony of it that first time. this was back in 2011 and since then I've read it here and there, (Meaning, I never really got past 2nd Nephi again) haven't even finished it for a second time yet.

                                  Hardness Of My Heart 

I've been to many conferences, may it be stake conference. Priesthood night?... I forgot what that was called. the Conference which your stake would do, for all the Aaronic Priesthood holders and their fathers. Watch General Conferences. Heard stories of how you need to read the scriptures and all that.

How by reading you'll have more joy etc, whatever it may be, I heard it.

I never really took it to heart though. I was like "Cool story bro" I'll get to it later.

As with anyone on this earth, I have made some mistakes, and I couldn't see how reading and praying would help with any of that, the Book of Mormon is 531 pages, would it really do anything if I were to read it?.. the answer is yes, it will do something... it will be everything.

2nd Nephi 32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 

we're suppose to feast upon the words of Christ.. I was merely nibbling, would use my scriptures on Sundays at church, and I was "good"

I didn't understand how just by reading would help, as with the people who's hearts were so hardened that they would not look.

Read this, with how I read it, the 2nd time through 

"But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not read, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not read is because they did not believe that it would heal them"

Alma 33:21  "O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

replace the temporal death *perished* to a spiritual death.

Alma 12:24 "And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead."

Just like how Nephi has said, for I did liken all scriptures

My question for you guys to ponder is.. is there anything which you've hardened your heart against, which you can fix?, to work on, to improve?

                                  

                                     The Change Of Heart

The change of heart came when I actually started to read.. and to put forth the effort to sit down and read. the beginning of this past week I was near the end of Mosiah, had a couple chapters until I got to Alma. read 2-3 chapters a day.. one day read 5 and the last couple of days I've been reading 10 chapters daily. I am now in Alma chapter 60.

I am feasting upon the words of Christ, when I finish the 10 chapters for the day, it feels like a cliffhanger and I want to read more. 

Elder Richard G. Scott has said

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and

inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ." from his talk The Power Of Scriptures

D&C 88:63 "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

That there speaks truth.

It will take action on our part, to draw near unto Him and he'll draw near unto us.

Once I finish the Book of Mormon this time around, I'll start reading it again, and once I've finish it a 3rd time, I'll start over again and so on. through these pages you learn so much, you learn something new every time you read.

I remember from years ago, attending one of those Aaronic Priesthood Conferences, and a speaker shared this story of a young man, who went to his Bishop for help to break his addiction. He told his Bishop that he didn't want him to tell him that he needed to read his scriptures and to pray, because he wouldn't do it. Time went on and he did actually begin to read and to pray and he was able to break his addiction.

What I'm getting at is, I... you, can't be the exception, we can't have the mindset of this young man, who wanted to break his addiction, but didn't resort to drawing near unto Him for help.

I would like to challenge you all, to read the scriptures daily, and learn from them, study them. your hearts will be soften.

I've been through a good amount of spiritual experiences (As you can read throughout my blog) I wasn't reading my scriptures often, I had the thought as to "I've had these experiences, without daily scripture study, I'll be fine" But from this week alone, by reading I've came up with many ideas for teaching opportunities, as that what I want to become, a speaker to the youth within the church.
I can only imagine how many more ideas I would have, if I was studying the scriptures for the last couple of years. It is never to late to start though.

                     Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

A Silence Mouth

When I was learning how to talk, I knew I wasn't saying the words right, my mom said I stopped talking all together and didn't talk that much until I was 5...

I've said what's above once or twice on my blog.

But... a couple of days ago I made the realization that once I knew what I would say was dumb, or weird because of Aspergers, (Not because of my stutter^) I began to not talk even more. yes I am a introvert, and that adds into not being that out going.

For an example though.. that one time when I was on a camp out, and said how I have a good habit of brushing my teeth everyday. that had nothing to do with being an introvert, but did have everything to do about having Aspergers. I wanted to be apart of the conversation, I just didn't know how to be, so I blurted out that.

So once I realize what I would say was weird, I just... stopped talking to a point. If someone would ask me a question, I would answer. but being in classes at church, if the teacher asked a question, I would answer it in my own head, without saying it out loud, and someone else would actually say it.

As I'm writing this post, a memory came to mind of this one time, when I was a older primary kid, two girls were talking and one said something how her cousin Mike got married.

Me thinking it would be funny, because I had the same name, I said "Oh yeahhh" or "You betcha" I guess it wasn't that funny to them, but more weird. hahaha

This is where it gets to be a problem, after years of being afraid of what I would say, that turned into a habit of hardly talking. As with any habit, it's hard to break, I'm not really afraid of what I would say now, because I've learn what is acceptable and what isn't. but from this habit, I closed my lips

I would tell myself, people don't want to hear what I had to say, I don't want to try to join a conversation, just for me to crash and burn. I didn't want to talk, just in case I would say something slightly weird. It got to the point... instead of not wanting people to hear what I had to say, I didn't want myself to hear what I had to say.

When I was around 12 years old or so, we had the Missionaries over for dinner, and I remember talking to this one Elder, I had no problem talking to him. He said something how it's nice to talk to people. I got the impression that before his mission, he didn't talked a whole lot.

I long for the day, when talking just comes natural to me, not just when I'm talking to my friends. being an introvert I will still need my alone time, to relax, and take a breath. after being around people for so long. but I wish to be able to commentate with people still and I'll get there.

So I think that having this habit, has caused me to not be that talkative. but I'll be able to break it.
I think it's kinda funny, with how observant I was/am. I noticed I wasn't saying the words right, with how people would say them, so I stopped talking.. I noticed what I would say would be weird, so I stopped talking to a certain extent.

But yeah, that's about it for this post, was just something I thought about recently so I figured I should share it on my blog.