President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) said:
“The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. . . .
“Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 94–95; or Ensign,May 1975, 64).
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Hey! I have a big comment --I decided to write my own little sermon to myself on what I read. Its mostly for myself, but to be a helper on the blog, I'm going to try to post it in small parts. So...here it comes..
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Here are my thoughts from the study. I entitle my little self sermon "Amulek Refined"
Refined Defined
Refine: to free from impurities or unwanted material
Refinery: a place where raw materials are changed into products of value
According to wiki, a refining process changes raw materials such as crude oil, raw gold, and sugar cane, into more useful materials—motor oil for the car, gold for jewelry, sugar crystals for baking. Although the material always had potential for being very useful and could be used for other purposes in its natural state, it must endure a process that involves heat, pressure, or chemical-induced change before it can maximize its usefulness.
Earth life can act as a refinery for souls because it allows us to experience trials that, like heat or pressure, can remove unwanted materials from our lives and then with the help of Christ’s grace, can change us into more useful servants. The Lord explained this in 1Ne 20:10 when He said—
For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
This is one of the truths of last week’s scripture study—that the refining process of enduring trials well can change and improve our character and testimonies—that I will expound.
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A Testimony Refined
In this week’s scripture study I watched a spiritual refinement occur in the testimony of a man named Amulek. The evidence I saw of this refining change occurred between the first and second missions of Amulek (as measured by comparing the testimony/sermon he shared during each mission). Although Amulek had a strong testimony after his initial conversion, it appears as trials intensified over time he experienced refining that resulted in a more perfected and beautiful testimony. As a note, both testimonies were effective in bringing many to repentance, but a difference in the later sermon reveals that he had changed and his testimony had become more refined. Specifically:
Initial sermon, Alma 10-11—It appears to me that Amulek has a young testimony at this point. This powerful, lively-green convert testimony is anchored by big events and simple understandings such as
1) Amulek’s miraculous conversion story of seeing an angel in a vision
“…an angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek return to thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord”…(Alma 10:6-9);
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2) the spiritual experience/miracle of his ancestor
“Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God…” (Alma 10:2);
3) the blessings his family experienced by following the prophet
“he hath blessed me and my women and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk; yea even all my kindred hath he blessed and the blessing of the Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake” (Alma 10:11);
4) Amulek’s working of a miracle as he read Zeezrom’s mind using the power of God
“Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in they lying and craftiness..for behold, he knows all they thoughts and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit” (Alma 12:3);
5) Amulek’s understanding of our accountability for our actions, final judgement, and resurrection
“everything shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son and God the Father and the Holy Spirit which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil (Alma 10:44).
The essence of this testimony reminds me of my own early testimony of the gospel as a youth and how my testimony was anchored to a few powerful spiritual experiences, and the miracles of my family and teachers and the idea of accountability. And I’m not knocking that—it is a great place to start.
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2) the spiritual experience/miracle of his ancestor
“Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God…” (Alma 10:2);
3) the blessings his family experienced by following the prophet
“he hath blessed me and my women and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk; yea even all my kindred hath he blessed and the blessing of the Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake” (Alma 10:11);
4) Amulek’s working of a miracle as he read Zeezrom’s mind using the power of God
“Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in they lying and craftiness..for behold, he knows all they thoughts and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit” (Alma 12:3);
5) Amulek’s understanding of our accountability for our actions, final judgement, and resurrection
“everything shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son and God the Father and the Holy Spirit which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil (Alma 10:44).
The essence of this testimony reminds me of my own early testimony of the gospel as a youth and how my testimony was anchored to a few powerful spiritual experiences, and the miracles of my family and teachers and the idea of accountability. And I’m not knocking that—it is a great place to start.
“every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea infinite and eternal (Alma 34:13-16);
3) faith and repentance—
“this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God ….do not procrastinate the day of your repentance” (Alma 34:14-45);
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4) service
“If ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted…your prayer is vain” (Alma 34:28-28);
5) prayer in very practical application
“Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea over all your household…” (Alma 34:17-28);
6) accountability for our actions not only because we will meet God, but because influence or spirit we prefer and seek in the body affects who we become here and that will rule us in the next life
“that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” (Alma 34:30-38);
7) enduring well in trials over time
“But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions” (Alma 34:39-41).
Amulek’s later testimony is a multifaceted, power packed gem of a sermon. It reminds me of the powerful talks I hear in conference and I think that he is now more familiar with living the doctrine, enduring trials well, and speaking by the Spirit.
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The Fires that Refined
What exactly caused this change? Although many factors are at play I focused my study on 4 trials or in other words 4 refining fires that could have been catalysts that brought about the change in Amulek’s testimony:
Fire 1-the test of money and influence—Amulek reported that he was a successful businessman with a lot of influence, and popularity. “I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea and behold I have many kindreds and friends and I have acquired much riches by the hand of my industry” (Alma 10:4). As comfortable as that might have been, Amulek did not let these things come before God. He let the unnecessary things fall away as he put the Lord first. As the scripture reports “…Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God…” (Alma 15:16).
Fire 2- the trial of loss—Amulek suffered loss of loved ones. First, people he cared about were burned for their beliefs. It was never specified if/how he was connected to them, but they were from his town so some of these believers were possibly family members or long-time friends. Even if he was not that closely associated, he had taught and knew these people and it was his testimony that was leading them to their demise. What is even more difficult is that he may have had power to help, but was not allowed and he was forced to watch them suffer. “And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene?”. (Alma 14:8-10).
The martyrdom of his believers was not his only loss. We learn that Alma “lost” many who he was close to “he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred” (Almas 15:16). In the end the trials he faced left him so low and in need of healing that we are told he had to go to Alma’s house to recuperate (Alma 15:18). But despite all this loss, he kept on working, he kept on obeying, and counseled others to “live in thanksgiving daily for the many mercies and blessing which [the Lord] doth bestow upon you” (Alma 34:38-39).
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Fire 3 -the test of persecution—Amulek was persecuted verbally, harmed physically, and held in a prison where he was treated terribly over time as the lawyers and judges mocked him “…And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them and saying: How shall we look when we are damned…and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked…and they all went forth and smote“ them (Alma 14:20-23, 25). It wasn’t until Amulek had endured the persecution for a while that he was allowed to exercise the Lord’s power to leave the prison. Ultimately he endured well by not fighting back or even speaking back, similar to Christ’s response when he was wrongly imprisoned. Amulek later showed his hope in hard times as he taught others saying “do not revile against those who do cast you out…lest ye become sinners like unto them; but that ye have patience and bear with those affliction, with a firm hope…” (Alma 34:40-41).
Fire 4-the test of failure—Amulek dedicated his heart and sacrificed much because he thought the gospel work was of utmost import. Yet, despite his work, suffering and sacrifice to save people, his whole goal of saving the city failed “…yea every living soul of the [people where he taught] was destroyed, and also their great city... and the carcases were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.” (Alma 16:9-10). To add another failure to the list, many of his believers were burned leaving Amulek’s track record in the negative. It must have been discouraging to put his whole heart into something and still not succeed, on so many levels, especially when it is something so important. As much as he might have questioned his ability or his cause, he didn’t give up. He had an eternal perspective and answered this trial with persistence and hope and faith as he continued on another mission with Alma.
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When faced with the trials of these 4 fires, Amulek persisted and endured the heat. What remained in him at the end of the fire was only the purest and most refined material. His trials had burned away the binding chains of materialism and popularity among peer groups. It had strengthened through heat and change so he no longer was weakened by a short-term view of life that can bring despair and replaced it with an eternal view that gives powerful hope. It liberated him from selfishness and burned out all other options but trust in the Lord’s will, timing, and purpose. Amulek was refined and strengthened until he could withstand all sorts of loss, sorrow, and failure and until he knew as did the prophet Jacob that “thou has suffered afflictions and much sorrow….nevertheless...thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2Ne2:2)
Yet to be Refined
To conclude this study with application, I determined that although I and my testimony have already gone through some refining, more can be done. I need to have “unwanted materials” removed from my natural state so that I can be a more useful tool. Because it appears that the necessary catalyst for refining will be my trials. If I can identify or write down my trials and struggles, the traits and situations that keep me up at night, then perhaps I can plan ways to handle each situation as Christ would and thus maximize each trial as an opportunity for refining. If I have to endure the heat, I may as well be grateful for the growth and milk it for all the earth life change that I can.
In addition, the heat of all my fires can be endured better by knowing that God is omniscient. God is an expert at all He does—an expert creator and an expert teacher—He created an entire earth experience where refining fires are rampant and then he helps us to make the most of every fire we get. And because His favorite thing, his work and his glory, is getting me to eternal life (Moses 1:39), I believe the the expert Refiner and will succeed with His work. I’ve seen what He did with Amulek who faced far greater heats than I have. As it says in 3Ne22:16:
Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Thus, with God setting the heat levels for all my fires, I have a lot to trust in and the end result should be marvelous.
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