Alma 1

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Happy Memorial Day! It is interesting that we are embarking on the book of Alma today, as it contains most of the records of the valiant soldiers of the Book of Mormon. All through time good men and women have raised arms to fight for what they believed in, and we pay tribute to them.

There is a saying I like, "Truth is truth, regardless of opinion."  In verse 3 we learn that Nehor preached 'what he termed' to be the word of God. But, we know, as Alma Jr did, that it wasn't. We hear that a lot in the world today, people telling us what they believe is the word of God. That is why personal revelation is so important--it's the way we can sift through the false preachers and doctrine of this world and discover the real truth, the only truth, His truth.

Gideon was an amazingly bold, passionate, and faithful man. In my eyes, he died a martyr. So sad.

Nehor is a prime example of how our actions speak louder than our words. He professed to be a man of God, a holy man, yet he murdered one who opposed his view. It that holy? He knew very well-and admitted so--that he was preaching false doctrine to the people. But he didn't care. He used pleasing words to get what he wanted. He got what he deserved.

How amazing were the Nephites who withstood persecution and the fall away of many and kept their faith. They knew what they believed and who they believed in, and no other person's opinion could change that.

(And if you're curious about ignomanious:

ig·no·min·i·ous  

/ˌignəˈminēəs/

Adjective Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame: "ignominious defeat".

Synonyms disgraceful - infamous - shameful - scandalous