great is my joy.
Alma 7:18
18 For as I said unto you from the beginning, that I had much
desire that ye were not in the state of dilemma like your
brethren, even so I have found that my desires have been
gratified.
Alma 7:19
19 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I
perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of
God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight.
Alma 7:20
20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the
testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths;
neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath
he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that
which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is
one eternal round.
Alma 7:21
21 And he doth not dwell in unholy temples; neither can
filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the
kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come,
yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is filthy shall
remain in his filthiness.
Alma 7:22
22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto
you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that
ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy
order of God, after which ye have been received.
Alma 7:23
23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive
and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and
long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in
keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for
whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal;
always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do
receive.
Alma 7:24
24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye
will always abound in good works.
Alma 7:25
25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless,
that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the
world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments
are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.
Alma 7:26
26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto
you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul
doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and
heed which ye have given unto my word.
Alma 7:27
27 And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your
houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that
you possess, your women and your children, according to your
faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus
I have spoken. Amen.
Alma 8 Chapter 8
Alma 8:1
1 And now it came to pass that Alma returned from the land of
Gideon, after having taught the people of Gideon many things
which cannot be written, having established the order of the
church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla,
yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself
from the labors which he had performed.
Alma 8:2
2 And thus ended the ninth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi.
Alma 8:3
3 And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma
departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of
Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders
of the wilderness.
Alma 8:4
4 And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek
according to the holy order of God, by which he had been called;
and he began to teach the people throughout all the land of
Melek.
Alma 8:5
5 And it came to pass that the people came to him throughout all
the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side. And
they were baptized throughout all the land;
Alma 8:6
6 So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed
thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land
of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.
Alma 8:7
7 Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their
lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their
small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them;
and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.
Alma 8:8
8 And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of
Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.
Alma 8:9
9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people
of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words of Alma.
Alma 8:10
10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with
God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the
people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he
might baptize them unto repentance.
Alma 8:11
11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him:
Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art
high priest over the church which thou hast established in many
parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of
thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.
Alma