Alma

1. Alma www.kevinhinckley.com

5. Moms After putting her children to bed, a mother changed into old slacks and a worn out blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her tolerance grew thin. At last she put a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with severe warnings. While leaving the room, she overheard her three-year-old say with a shaky voice, "Who was 'that'?"

6. Holocaust Survivor If there is one word that describes all the woes and threats that exits today, it’s indifference. You see tragedy on television for three minutes and then comes something else and something else. Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art if not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, its indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. Elie Weisal, BYU Commencement, Aug. 89

7. as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Mosiah 18 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, Mosiah 24 Key #1 There will be burdens- despite our worthiness! Three Grand Keys? Key #2 The Lord will make them light (lighter…) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.“ Matt 11 Key #3 …Often through the willingness of others

8. Elder Sterling Sill I was recently discussing some religious opportunities with a friend of mine. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "But I am just not religious"—the shrug meaning, "There's nothing that I can do about it." I said, "Bill, I am sure that what you say is true, that you are not religious. But have you ever thought about the circumstances that brought this situation about? How could you ever expect to be religious? You don't go to church, you don't read the scriptures, you don't pray to God. Actually, what right do you have to be religious?" I told him about the man who once said to a little boy, "Who gave you that black eye?" The little boy replied, "No one gave me that black eye, I had to fight for it." That Ye Might Have Life, 111-116.

9. What Alma taught And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi— And as many as would hear his word he did teach… And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma… And it came to pass that he said unto them… and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and: (WE Promise) are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things… Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that: (HE Promises) he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. We receive his spirit more abundantly- to do what?

10. Ancient Roman to his friend “This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see—brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please applauding crowds; under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians and I am one of them.” Quoted by Marion D. Hanks in Freedom and Responsibility, p. 11.

11. Elder Holland It is an immensely satisfying thing to be needed in the body of Christ. Whether I function as an eye or arm is irrelevant; the fact is I am needed in this most majestic organism, and the body is imperfect without me. A popular singer made a small fortune reminding us that “people who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the restored ecclesiastical body of Christ—people do need people and everyone is welcomed. This includes (in Paul’s assertion) not only the attractive, talented, “comely” members, but those of us who seem to have fewer gifts and face greater challenges, those who receive less honor and attention. In the Church of Jesus Christ “more abundant honor” is given to these. Every member matters, and the less favored member most of all.

12. LDS Writer… “Being a go-to-church Mormon…means living so close to fellow ward members that not much happens that the entire congregation doesn’t know about in five minutes tops.” “This kind of cheek-to-jowl living can be intrusive. … It also happens to be one of our greatest strengths.” “At work on Tuesday, I caught the noon news broadcast on television. A van had been obliterated in a traffic crash. A young mother and two small children were being rushed to emergency rooms by helicopter and ambulance. … Hours later I learned that the van belonged to the young couple living across the street from me…Eric and Jeana Quigley. “Here’s where all that nosiness … pays off. Although the accident occurred several miles from home, the dust literally had not settled before someone from the ward stopped and was pulling through the wreckage. The rest of the ward knew about it before the cops and paramedics showed up. “Ward members went to all three hospitals, contacted Eric at work, and organized into labor squads. People who didn’t get in on the immediate-need level were frantic for some way to help. “In 48 hours, the Quigley yard was mowed, home cleaned, laundry done, refrigerator stocked, relatives fed and a trust fund set up at a local bank. We would have given their dog a bath if they had one.” “There is a positive side to the congregational microscope my ward lives under. … What happens to a few happens to all” (Robert Kirby, “Well-Being of Others Is Our Business,” Salt Lake Tribune, July 30, 2005, p. C1).