Alma 30:46-60
46 - Alma: I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart.
47 - It is better that they soul should be lost than thou should be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction. If thou shalt deny again God shall smite thee dumb.
48 - Korihor: I don't deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe there is a God. I say you do not know there is a God. Except ye show me a sign, I will not believe.
49 - This is the sing, thou shalt be struck dumb.
50 - Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.
51 - Chief judge to Korihor: Now will ye dispute more?
52 - Korihor: I know I am dumb and can't speak. I know it is by the power of God and I always knew there was a God.
53 - The devil appeared to me in the form of an angel and deceived me. I taught his words because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind. I taught them until I believed that they were true. I have brought this great curse upon me.
54 - He ask Alma to pray unto God to take away the curse.
55 - Alma: If the curse was taken away, thou would try again to lead away the hearts of the people. Therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will.
56 - The curse was not taken away. Korihor was cast out and went about from house to house begging for his food.
57 - The chief judge sent a proclamation about what happened to Korihor and declared that those who believed him lest speedily repent lest the same judgments would come unto them.
58 - All were convinced of Korihor's wickedness and were converted again unto the Lord. Korihor begs for food.
59 - As Korihor went forth among the Zoramites he was run upon and trodden down even until he was dead.
60 - And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord.
GC: "Standing with the Leaders of the Church" by Elder Ronald A. Rasband.
My friend Karin Ford who lost her son and grandson in an airplane crash on Monday shared this today on Facebook:
"Everybody has been praying and sending their love. I have felt again the 'balm of Gilead' the 'peace that surpasses all understanding.' - But, until yesterday, I didn't pray.
What good does it do? Hadn't I been praying every single night and many times during the day for nearly 2 years
that John, my good son John, would be the kind of pilot who
lived a long life. That was my prayer . . . that my son John
would be the kind of pilot who lives a long life.
After all, many, many pilots do live a long life!
I promised HIM I would muster up all my faith that John would live. Faith works. My faith, in exchange for John's
long life. Faith works I know this for myself beyond a shadow of doubt, faith and prayer works!
And right now, and all this week of waiting, I feel the effects of family, friends and even many strangers praying for us.
I feel their love...still. Still Asking that my much
loved child live a long life wasn't much to ask...was it?
And still...HE didn't listen! After all HE already had
John's father and our two youngest children.
For 34 long years now HE's had them.
Exactly the same way...tragic plane crash!
What's going on here? Doesn't HE know that was
already too much? So why talk to HIM...HE's obviously
going to have it HIS way. I wasn't angry.
It was more a feeling of pained indifference...not listening anyway.
So I turned my back like a child not getting her way.
Why talk to HIM?
Even strong, kind, bright and amazing grandson, Max, and Max's good friend Ryan left us. I know we are here on
earth to learn and to do hard things..and somehow
we can do hard things. But really?
Right now we're on an emotional roller coaster. I despise
roller-coasters. Decided years ago I would never
again get on another one. Not
even with a grandchild. Not even if he begged.
Sweet granddaughter, Jayme, was 8 the last time I went.
She had so much fun while I screamed...and not for joy.
Jayme is now 25.
Fortunately...my faith is strong. Much stronger than me and my
roller coaster emotions. I know that God lives and that HIS
purposes are great. Some day the many "Whys" will
be clearly understood. I will see the bigger picture.
I know we will all be together again.
Christ made that possible through His Atonement.
How deeply grateful I am for this knowledge.
How it sustains me and gives me hope.
How deeply grateful I am for His love of me and of
every single one of us. He wants us all back with Him
and our Heavenly Father. His deep and personal
suffering was on behalf of each and every person who
ever walked on this difficult journey called life.
He loves us deeply and I know He personally
shares our pain. He helps us carry our burdens if we but open the
door to let Him into our hearts and our lives.
He has given us repentance and baptism through His suffering
and atonement. We can come to Him...and His
perfection will cleanse us of our sins so that we may live
again with Him and our Heavenly Father. This will be the
greatest joy. We shouldn't miss this. But many will not listen.
I have felt Christ walking with me shoulder to shoulder giving me of His strength. I have never seen His face. But there's
been times when he has pulled me along like a screaming, kicking 4 years old...because I couldn't do it any more.
He told me I could. And He was right. He lent me His strength...
and then I could. And I know He will do this for me again.
He will do this for our whole family.
All we have to do is invite Him in.
He will never force any of us...and
He is always there to strengthen us.
But, it will always be our choice.
It gives me comfort to know this for my sweet
daughter-in-law, Cheryl. Christ is there for her.
She'll be walking the same road now that I was on.
She'll need to raise her children without their father.
She is strong. She's a good and loving mom.
And she's also firm. My son John was a devoted
husband. A loving father. John and Cheryl crammed so
much living into their family life since their marriage in December 1992. They worked hard to make it a good marriage...and it wasn't always easy. But they persevered. Their family had just returned from Hawaii the week before. They did everything
together...traveling, waterskiing, snow-skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving...even the boys were scuba-diving from age 12.
John's capacity for cramming 29 hours into 24 was shared by his former bishop. A wonderful family. This is not the end..
it is a new beginning. Cheryl and the children will
find their way through Christ."
I know this is long but I wanted to share because I see in this Karin working through her feelings of frustration to her faith in Christ. She is an amazingly strong woman.
Cole Davis, a member of the Show Low stake high council spoke in our sacrament meeting today. He is probably a little younger than James and I are. He shared how following the prophet has helped him throughout his life, starting with David O. McKay and ending with President Monson. It was a great talk and it brought back some wonderful memories.
Kacey was the only member of my class in attendance today. I know Zemira and Curtis went to their cousin Quince's farewell in Chandler. I am not sure where Brayling was. Tana, Kacey's sister, and Talena, both from Denice Hall's class joined Kacey and I as Sister Hall was not able to attend today. Our lesson went well as we talked about defending our rights as Captain Moroni did. And what we can do to withstand the wiles of Satan.
I worked on my next week's lesson, posted on my blog, and read from, "Christ in Every Hour", and "The Power of Everyday Missionaries." Went to bed around 9.
A stream of water near Payson.
Probably Christopher Creek.
