Alma 46:19-22 We need to defend our religious freedom.

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. What we can do to defend our freedom?

 “First, we can become informed. Be aware of issues in your community that could have an impact on religious liberty.

“Second, in your individual capacity, join with others who share our commitment to religious freedom. Work side by side to protect religious freedom.

“Third, live your life to be a good example of what you believe—in word and deed. How we live our religion is far more important than what we may say about our religion” (Robert D. Hales, “Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 113).

Alma 43:16-22 We are growing up in enemy territory and must be prepared.

President Packer

“Youth today are being raised in enemy territory with a declining standard of morality. But as a servant of the Lord, I promise that you will be protected and shielded from the attacks of the adversary if you will heed the prompting that come from the Holy Spirit”

“Dress modestly; talk reverently; listen to uplifting music. Avoid all immorality and personally degrading practices. Take hold of your life and order yourself to be valiant… You are never far from the sight of your loving Heavenly Father” (Council to Youth, Ensign Nov 2011, p18).

Alma 37:35-37. Lean in your youth to keep the commandments

President Gordon B. Hinckley planted a young tree near his home soon after he was married. He paid little attention to it as the years passed. One day he noticed the tree was misshapen and leaning to the west because winds from the east had bent it while it was young and supple. He went out and tried to push it upright, but the trunk was too thick. He tried using a rope and pulleys to straighten it, but it would not bend. Finally, he took his saw and cut off the heavy branch on the west side, which left an ugly scar. He later said of the tree:

“More than half a century has passed since I planted that tree. My daughter and her family live there now. The other day I looked again at the tree. It is large. Its shape is better. It is a great asset to the home. But how serious was the trauma of its youth and how brutal the treatment I used to straighten it.

“When it was first planted, a piece of string would have held it in place against the forces of the wind. I could have and should have supplied that string with ever so little effort. But I did not, and it bent to the forces that came against it” (“Bring up a Child in the Way He Should Go,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 59).

Alma 36 Chiasmus

Alma 36:19 Remembering our past sins helps us avoid making the same mistake.

President Uchtdorf

“Satan will try to make us believe that our sins are not forgiven because we can remember them. Satan is a liar; he tries to blur our vision and lead us away from the path of repentance and forgiveness. God did not promise that we would not remember our sins. Remembering will help us avoid making the same mistakes again. But if we stay true and faithful, the memory of our sins will be softened over time. This will be part of the needed healing and sanctification process. Alma testified that after he cried out to Jesus for mercy, he could still remember his sins, but the memory of his sins no longer distressed and tortured him, because he knew he had been forgiven (see Alma 36:17–19).

“It is our responsibility to avoid anything that would bring back old sinful memories. When we continue to have a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit’ (3 Nephi 12:19), we may trust that God will ‘remember [our sins] no more’ [D&C 58:42]” (“Point of Safe Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 101).

Alma 36:11-12 What does it mean to be racked, harrowed, and tormented?

Alma 36:11-12 To better understand the words racked, harrowed, and torment, read the following statement by President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

President Boyd K. Packer

“Racked means ‘tortured.’ Anciently a rack was a framework on which the victim was laid with each ankle and wrist tied to a spindle which could then be turned to cause unbearable pain.

“A harrow is a frame with spikes through it. When pulled across the ground, it rips and tears into the soil. The scriptures frequently speak of souls and minds being ‘harrowed up’ with guilt.

“Torment means ‘to twist,’ a means of torture so painful that even the innocent would confess” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Touch of the Master’s Hand,” Ensign, May 2001, 23).

Alma 31:8-11 Worshiping the Lord by doing the small things will keep me on the path.

“During the past years I have at times been asked by the Brethren to meet with repentant members of the Church and interview them for the restoration of their temple blessings. This has always been a spiritually moving experience to restore the blessings of those wonderful people who have repented. I have asked some of them the question, ‘What happened in your life that caused you to temporarily lose your membership in the Church?’ With tear-filled eyes they answered: ‘I didn’t obey the basic principles of the gospel: prayer, attending church regularly, serving in church and studying the gospel. I then gave in to temptations and lost the guidance of the Holy Spirit’” (Rulon G. Craven, “Temptation,” Ensign, May 1996, 76).

Alma 30:52. “I always knew that there was a God”

Elder Robert D. Hales - If we do not yield to the gentle influence of the Holy Ghost, we stand in jeopardy of becoming like Korihor, an anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon. Not only did Korihor disbelieve in God, but he also ridiculed the Savior, the Atonement, and the spirit of prophecy, falsely teaching that there is no God and no Christ.

               Korihor was not content merely to reject God and quietly go his own way. He mocked the believers and demanded that the prophet Alma convince him with a sign of God’s existence and power. Alma’s response is as meaningful today as it was then: ‘Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.’ [Alma 30:44.]

               Eventually Korihor was given a sign. He was struck dumb. ‘And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: … I know that nothing save it were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God.’ [Alma 30:52.]

               Brothers and sisters, you may already know, deep in your soul, that God lives. You may not know all about Him yet and do not understand all His ways, but the light of belief is within you, waiting to be awakened and intensified by the Spirit of God and the Light of Christ, which you are born with. (“Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 31–32).

Alma 30:18 Anti-family is Anti-Christ

Sister Julie B. Beck. Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Satellite Broadcast; August 4, 2009

I’m finding verse 18 interesting: “Thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms.” A lot of the antifamily messages that you are hearing are targeting young women. Satan knows that he will never have a body; he will never have a family. He will target those young women who create the bodies for the future generations and who should teach the families.

They don’t even know what they’re being taught in the messages. It’s just seeping in, almost through their pores. Because Satan can’t have it, he’s luring away many women, and also men, and they’re losing confidence in their ability to form eternal families.

Korihor was an anti-Christ. Anti-Christ is antifamily. Any doctrine or principle our youth hear from the world that is antifamily is also anti-Christ. It’s that clear. They need to know that if it’s antifamily, it’s anti-Christ. An anti- Christ is antifamily.

Linda S. Reeves, "Worthy of Our Promised Blessings", October 2015 Conference

Mormon also testified that in Alma’s day, Korihor, the anti-Christ, “did preach … , leading away the hearts of … many women.”

 Sisters, Satan has raised a Korihor-like banner in our day with increasing success. What are some of his tools? Seductive romance novels, TV soap operas, married women and old boyfriends connecting on social media, and pornography. We must be so careful, dear sisters! We cannot play with Satan’s fiery darts and not get burned. I know of nothing that will qualify us for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as much as virtue...

When we are involved in watching, reading, or experiencing anything that is below our Heavenly Father’s standards, it weakens us. Regardless of our age, if what we look at, read, listen to, or choose to do does not meet the Lord’s standards in For the Strength of Youth, turn it off, rip it up, throw it out, and slam the door.

Alma 22:15-18. The Lord requires the sacrifice of all earthly things in order to obtain Eternal Life.

“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life;.... When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life” (Lectures on Faith by the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr).