This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers Alma 30-31, which includes Alma contending with Korihor and the start of Alma’s mission among the Zoramites.
Following are a few quotes from past and present Church leaders about these chapters.
Alma 30
“A life of integrity requires us to be true to our divine identity.
“We know some who were not. Of particular significance is the anti-Christ Korihor, who led away the hearts of many, appealing to their ‘carnal mind’ (Alma 30:53). Yet, in the final moments of his life, he confessed, ‘I always knew that there was a God’ (Alma 30:52). President Henry B. Eyring has taught that lying ‘is contrary to the nature of our spirits,’ our divine identity. Korihor deceived himself, and the truth was not in him.”
— Elder Jack N. Gerard of the Seventy, April 2024 general conference, “Integrity: A Christlike Attribute”
“Korihor the anti-Christ fell for such deception, disbelieving the existence of God and the coming of Christ. To him the prophet Alma testified, ‘All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator’ (Alma 30:44).
“When Korihor insisted to be given a sign before he could believe, Alma caused him to be struck dumb. Humbled by his affliction, Korihor freely confessed to having been deceived by the devil.
“We do not need to be deceived. The miracle of intelligent life constantly plays before us. And a brief gaze and reflection upon the wonders of the heavens arrayed with numberless stars and galaxies prompt the soul of the believing heart to proclaim, ‘My God, how great thou art!’ (‘How Great Thou Art,’ Hymns, no. 86)
“Yes, God our Heavenly Father lives, and He manifests Himself to us all the time in multiple ways.”
— Elder Joseph W. Sitati, emeritus General Authority Seventy, October 2022 general conference, “Patterns of Discipleship”
“Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn. … Their scornful reaction is, in reality, guilt trying to reassure itself, just as with Korihor, who finally admitted, ‘I always knew that there was a God’ (Alma 30:52). Korihor was so convincing in his deception that he came to believe his own lie (see Alma 30:53).
“The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior … Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior is — apostasy.”
— Elder Lynn G. Robbins, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, October 2014 general conference, “Which Way Do You Face?”
“There are some who might suggest that you must have physical evidence in order to believe in the Resurrection of Christ or the veracity of His restored gospel. To them I quote the words of Alma to Korihor, who was trying to persuade others not to believe: ‘Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee’ (Alma 30:44).
“You and I are living evidence of the redeeming power of the Savior. We are living evidence of the ministry of the Prophet Joseph and the faithfulness of those early Saints who remained strong in their testimony. The Church of Jesus Christ has now expanded all over the world and is growing like never before — embraced, as in the times of Christ, by humble people who do not need to see and touch to believe.”
— Elder Adrián Ochoa, General Authority Seventy, October 2013 general conference, “Look Up”
“God uses scripture to unmask erroneous thinking, false traditions and sin with its devastating effects. He is a tender parent who would spare us needless suffering and grief and at the same time help us realize our divine potential. The scriptures, for example, discredit an ancient philosophy that has come back into vogue in our day — the philosophy of Korihor that there are no absolute moral standards, that ‘every man prosper[s] according to his genius, and that every man conquer[s] according to his strength; and whatsoever a man [does is] no crime’ and ‘that when a man [is] dead, that [is] the end thereof’ (Alma 30:17–18). Alma, who had dealt with Korihor, did not leave his own son Corianton in doubt about the reality and substance of a divine moral code. …
“In a complete reversal from a century ago, many today would dispute with Alma about the seriousness of immorality. Others would argue that it’s all relative or that God’s love is permissive. If there is a God, they say, He excuses all sins and misdeeds because of His love for us — there is no need for repentance. Or at most, a simple confession will do. They have imagined a Jesus who wants people to work for social justice but who makes no demands upon their personal life and behavior. But a God of love does not leave us to learn by sad experience that ‘wickedness never was happiness’ (Alma 41:10). His commandments are the voice of reality and our protection against self-inflicted pain. The scriptures are the touchstone for measuring correctness and truth, and they are clear that real happiness lies not in denying the justice of God or trying to circumvent the consequences of sin but in repentance and forgiveness through the atoning grace of the Son of God.”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2010 general conference, “The Blessing of Scripture”
“Our faith and commitment are tested when the world offers tempting and enticing alternatives that can turn our faces from the Lord’s kingdom. Some would like to live in that eternal city and still keep a ‘summer home’ in Babylon. If we are not consciously and deliberately choosing the kingdom of God, we will in fact be moving backwards … . Choosing which way we face will determine our blessings or our burdens. The Lord invites us to cast our burdens on Him, and He will sustain us, while Mormon warns, ‘The devil will not support his children’” (Alma 30:60).
— Sister Sharon G. Larsen, then the second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, October 1999 general conference, “Agency — A Blessing and a Burden”
Alma 31
“Mormon teaches that the words of Christ have ‘a great tendency to lead the people to do that which [is] just’ and that they are more powerful than anything ‘the sword’ can accomplish (Alma 31:5). As I have searched for God’s wisdom in dealing with my own challenges, always as I have tried the ‘virtue of the word of God’ (Alma 31:5), I have felt inspired and enabled to make wise decisions, overcome temptations, and bless my life with increased faith in Christ and love for those around me. … Needed revelation will come as we try the ‘virtue of the word,’ and that word will be more powerful than anything else we could try or imagine.”
— Elder Takashi Wada, General Authority Seventy, April 2019 general conference, “Feasting upon the Words of Christ”
“Through discipline, the child learns of consequences. In such moments it is helpful to turn negatives into positives. If the child confesses to a wrong, praise the courage it took to confess. Ask the child what he or she learned from the mistake or misdeed, which gives you, and more important, the Spirit, an opportunity to touch and teach the child. When we teach children doctrine by the Spirit, that doctrine has the power to change their very nature — ‘be’ — over time.
“Alma discovered this same principle, that ‘the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just — yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword’ (Alma 31:5). Why? Because the sword focused only on punishing behavior — or ‘do’ — while preaching the word changed people’s very nature — who they were or could become.”
— Elder Lynn G. Robbins, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2011 general conference, “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?”
“If you feel you have been wronged — by anyone (a family member, a friend, another member of the Church, a Church leader, a business associate) or by anything (the death of a loved one, health problems, a financial reversal, abuse, addictions) — deal with the matter directly and with all the strength you have. … And, without delay, turn to the Lord. Exercise all of the faith you have in Him. Let Him share your burden. Allow His grace to lighten your load. We are promised that we will ‘suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ’ (Alma 31:38). Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually.”
— Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, April 2010 general conference, “Turn to the Lord”
“In Alma’s day ‘the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just — yea, it … had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them — therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God’ (Alma 31:5).
“True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.”
— President Boyd K. Packer, then the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2004 general conference, “Do Not Fear”
“Let there be cultivated an awareness in every member’s heart of his own potential for bringing others to a knowledge of the truth. Let him work at it. Let him pray with great earnestness about it. Let each member pray, as did Alma of old:
“’O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing [others] again unto thee in Christ.
“‘Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee’ (Alma 31:34–35).
“My heart reaches out to you missionaries. You simply cannot do it alone and do it well. You must have the help of others. That power to help lies within each of us.”
— President Gordon B. Hinckley, then President of the Church, April 1999 general conference, “Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep”
“Alma was the leader of a people faced with destruction by ferocious enemies. In the face of that danger, he could not do everything, so he had to choose. He could have built fortifications or created armaments or trained armies. But his only hope of victory was to get God’s help, and for that he knew the people must repent. And so he chose to try one thing first:
“’And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just — yea, it had … more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them — therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God’ (Alma 31:5).
“The word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and by His prophets. Alma knew that words of doctrine had great power. They can open the minds of people to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye. And they can open the heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth.”
— Elder Henry B. Eyring, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 1999 general conference, “The Power of Teaching Doctrine”
“Whenever I think of the shepherd’s loving and caring efforts on behalf of the one, I’m reminded of the Savior’s deep and abiding love for each of us. Oh, how He rejoices when a lost soul is found by a faithful undershepherd and then is tenderly and lovingly brought home again! …
“Though even the best of us cannot love others as perfectly as Christ does, the sentiments expressed by Alma come close. As he left the land of Zarahemla to head a mission to reclaim the apostate Zoramites, Alma expressed his love for them and his hope for their return to the fold of Christ in this way:
“’O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
“‘Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee’ (Alma 31:34–35).”
— Elder Alexander B. Morrison, then of the Seventy, April 1992 general conference, “Nourish the Flock of Christ”
