Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 39:12-13

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 39:12-13

"And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities;

That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and the wrong which ye have done."

This chapter begins the counsel Alma has for his son Corianton. While on the mission to the Zoramites Corianton forsake the ministry...and went after the harlot Isabel. Because of his conduct the Zoramites would not believe Alma's words. Alma rightfully was concerned for his son for in his youth he had caused great damage to the church by his actions. He also was warned by an angel to "seek to destroy the church no more....and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off." (Mosiah 27:16) The damage done to another's testimony or faith is not easily undone. Part of the repentance process was to return to them and acknowledge what he had done was wrong. It takes a converted heart to do that. Alma was not asking his son to do anything differently than what he and the sons of Mosiah had done in repenting of their sins. 

"And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were believers, being smitten by many of them." (Mosiah 27:32)

I have this quote in my notes. 

"President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) warned of the seriousness of leading people away from the truth: 

"I think the greatest crime in all this world is to lead men and women, the children of God, away from the true principles. We see in the world today philosophies of various kinds, tending to destroy faith, faith in God, faith in the principles of the gospel. What a dreadful thing that is.

The Lord says if we labor all our days and save but one soul, how great will be our joy with him; on the other hand how great will be our sorrow and our condemnation if through our acts we have led one soul away from this truth.

He who blinds one soul, he who spreads error, he who destroys, through his teachings, divine truth, truth that would lead a man to the kingdom of God and to its fulness, how great shall be his condemnation and his punishment in eternity. For the destruction of soul is the destruction of the greatest thing that has ever been created."

(Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954-56], 1:314).

Day 1897