"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth."
(Alma 29:1-2)
I love these verses, and the hymn that carries these words. This time though I reflected on the "voice of thunder" and the meaning those words would have had for Alma. He along with the sons of Mosiah had seen an angel of God, that spoke to them in the voice of thunder, and called them to repentance.
"And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were the voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;"
(Mosiah 27:11)
"And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us."
(Alma 26:7)
Later after serving his own mission, and having been cast out of the city of Ammonihah, this same angel appeared to him.
"And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him saying:
Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you."
(Alma 8:15)
How Alma must have rejoiced at those words. How much deeper his dedication in preaching the gospel must have been. All he desired was to do more.
Day 1887
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