This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers Alma 39-42, which includes Alma’s counsel to his son Corianton.
Following are a few quotes from past and present Church leaders about these chapters.
Alma 39
“Alma told his son Corianton, ‘Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?’ (Alma 39:5). We cannot escape the consequences when we transgress.
“The only legitimate, authorized expression of the powers of procreation is between husband and wife, a man and a woman, who have been legally and lawfully married. Anything other than this violates the commandments of God. Do not yield to the awful temptations of the adversary, for every debt of transgression must be paid ‘till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing’ (Matthew 5:26).”
— President Boyd K. Packer, then president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2015 general conference, “The Plan of Happiness”
“In the Book of Mormon, we read about Alma the Younger counseling his wayward son. Corianton had made some serious mistakes while serving a mission among the Zoramites. Alma loved him enough to speak very directly to the problem. He expressed his deep disappointment that his son had been immoral and explained to him the serious consequences of sin.
“I am inspired every time I read these courageous words from Alma: ‘And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good … therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities’ (Alma 39:12). This early intervention by his father became a turning point for Corianton. He repented and served faithfully thereafter (see Alma 42:31; 43:1–2). …
“One of the most effective ways we can influence our sons and daughters is to counsel with them in private interviews. By listening closely, we can discover the desires of their hearts, help them set righteous goals and also share with them the spiritual impressions that we have received about them. Counseling requires courage.”
— Elder Larry R. Lawrence, then of the Seventy, October 2010 general conference, “Courageous Parenting”
“Those who receive the gospel are expected to manifest its fruits in their lives, not only for their own benefit and blessing, but for the purpose of drawing others to the truth.
“This does not suggest that all who are obedient to the principles of truth will be free of all earthly cares and concerns, for all are tested. But those who are compliant with the Lord’s plan of life will be able to meet the tests and not be overcome. They will endure. In significant ways their lives will manifest the fruits of the gospel and set them apart as a beacon to all who are seeking for light and truth.
“When we fail to measure up to this trust, we betray the covenants we have made. Not only do we then fail to gain the full benefits of the gospel for ourselves, but we become a stumbling block for others. In such a case it is with us as it was with the disobedient missionary son of Alma, who fell to the temptations of the world, and of whom Alma mourned: ‘Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words’ (Alma 39:11).”
— Elder Dean L. Larsen, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, October 1985 general conference, “By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them”
Alma 40
“Different prophets in different times warned us of another tragedy that is less perceptible but not less important, and this is the ‘awful death [that] cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God’ (Alma 40:26). …
“As parents and leaders we need to watch over our members and families, helping them to stay away from those things that could lead them to a spiritual death. … The spiritual healing of those who have been dead as to the things pertaining to righteousness comes about through the power of the Atonement [of Jesus Christ], conversion to the truth and adherence to the principles of righteousness.”
— Elder Francisco J. Viñas of the Seventy, April 2010 general conference, “Things Pertaining to Righteousness”
“These sacred bodies, for which we are so grateful, suffer from natural limitations. Some people are born with disabilities, and some suffer the pains of disease throughout their lives. All of us as we age experience our bodies gradually beginning to fail. When this happens, we long for the day when our bodies will be healed and whole. We look forward to the Resurrection that Jesus Christ made possible, when ‘the soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame’ (Alma 40:23). I know that through Christ we can experience a fullness of joy that is available only when spirit and element are inseparably connected.”
— Sister Susan W. Tanner, then the Young Women general president, October 2005 general conference, “The Sanctity of the Body”
“Alma also taught that in the resurrection ‘all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame’ (Alma 40:23).
“Many living witnesses can testify to the literal fulfillment of these scriptural assurances of the resurrection. Many, including some in my own extended family, have seen a departed loved one in vision or personal appearance and have witnessed their restoration in ‘proper and perfect frame’ in the prime of life. Whether these were manifestations of persons already resurrected or of righteous spirits awaiting an assured resurrection, the reality and nature of the resurrection of mortals is evident. What a comfort to know that all who have been disadvantaged in life from birth defects, from mortal injuries, from disease, or from the natural deterioration of old age will be resurrected in ‘proper and perfect frame.’”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2000 general conference, “Resurrection”
Alma 41
“Among the many rich blessings He has given me for serving Him as a full-time missionary are a greater faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and a stronger knowledge and testimony of His teachings … I lost my fear of teaching. My capacity to face challenges with optimism increased. By observing individuals and families I met or taught as a missionary, I learned that the teachings of God are true when He says that sin does not bring true happiness and that obedience to the commandments of God helps us prosper both temporally and spiritually (see Alma 41:10). And I learned for myself that God is a God of miracles.”
— Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis General Authority Seventy, April 2022 general conference, “Lift Up Your Heart and Rejoice”
“As another part of God’s ‘plan of restoration’ (Alma 41:2), the Resurrection will restore ‘all things … to their proper and perfect frame’ (Alma 40:23). This includes the perfection of all of our physical deficiencies and deformities acquired in mortality, including at birth or by trauma or disease.
“Does this restoration perfect us of all our unholy or unconquered desires or addictions? That cannot be. We know from modern revelation that we will be judged for our desires as well as our actions (see Alma 41:5) … Our Savior has the power and stands ready to cleanse us from evil. Now is the time to seek His help to repent of our wicked or unseemly desires and thoughts to be clean and prepared to stand before God at the Final Judgment.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, April 2019 general conference, “Cleansed by Repentance”
“God reveals to His prophets that there are moral absolutes. Sin will always be sin. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. The world changes constantly and dramatically, but God, His commandments and promised blessings do not change. They are immutable and unchanging. Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws. As Alma counseled his errant son Corianton, ‘Wickedness never was happiness’ (Alma 41:10).”
— Elder L. Tom Perry, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2013 general conference, “Obedience to Law Is Liberty”
“A helpful habit is to lift our vision daily in order to maintain an eternal perspective of the things we plan and do, especially if we detect a tendency to wait until a future tomorrow to do what we know we should pursue while we have our present today.
“Along our way we are aided in our choices through the sustaining influence of the Spirit. Now, if we choose to act contrary to the light and understanding that we have, we will experience a bad conscience, which of course does not feel good. But a bad conscience is a blessing in that we immediately are reminded that it is time to repent. … To follow evil influences can never result in a feeling of peace simply because peace is a gift from God and it only comes through the Spirit of God. ‘Wickedness never was happiness’ (Alma 41:10).”
— Elder Per G. Malm, then of the Seventy, October 2010 general conference, “Rest Unto Your Souls”
“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 (see Alma 42).”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2010 general conference, “The Blessing of Scripture”
Alma 42
“Alma 42 contains some of the most magnificent doctrine on the Atonement in all scripture. Alma helped Corianton understand that it is not an ‘injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery’ (Alma 42:1). But he noted that starting with Adam, a merciful God had provided a ‘space for repentance’ because without repentance, ‘the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated’ (Alma 42:5). Alma also established that God’s plan is a ‘plan of happiness’ (Alma 42:8).
“Alma’s teachings are most instructive: ‘For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved’ (Alma 42:24). Seen in their true light, the glorious blessings of repentance and adherence to the Savior’s teachings are monumentally important. It is not unfair to be clear, as Alma was with Corianton, about the consequences of sinful choices and lack of repentance. …
“The remarkable and celestial blessing of the Savior’s Atonement is that through repentance, sinful conduct is blotted out. After Corianton’s repentance, Alma concluded, ‘Let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance’ (Alma 42:29).”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2016 general conference, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus”
“Why does lack of repentance cause suffering and pain?
“One of the possible answers is that ‘a punishment [was] affixed, and a just law given, which brought [about] remorse of conscience’ (Alma 42:18; see also verse 16). …
“If we attempt to appease our conscience by trying to ‘excuse [ourselves] in the least point because of [our] sins’ (Alma 42:30) or by trying to hide them, the only thing we will accomplish is to offend the Spirit and delay our repentance. This type of relief, besides being temporary, will ultimately bring more pain and grief into our lives and will diminish our possibility of receiving a remission of our sins.
“For this type of suffering, the pleasing word of God also brings comfort and hope; it tells us that there is relief from the pain caused by the effects of sin. This relief comes from the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and takes effect if we exercise faith in Him, repent and are obedient to His commandments.”
— Elder Francisco J. Viñas, then of the Seventy, October 2015 general conference, “The Pleasing Word of God”
