8 And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written. Amen.
(Alma 6:8)
Why was Alma such an effective and powerful gospel teacher? In this verse, Mormon lists some of the reasons for Alma’s success:
- He used the scriptures. He knew the power of the revelations that had been given to his ancestors, and he used those words and stories in his teaching.
- He taught by the Spirit. He listened to the voice of the Holy Ghost, which both directed his words and carried those words to the hearts of his listeners (2 Nephi 33:1).
- He shared his testimony. Alma had “fasted and prayed many days that [he] might know these things” (Alma 5:46), and he testified to his listeners of the things he knew.
- He taught with authority from God. He had been called to be the high priest over the church. Therefore, he acted as a representative of God and tried to do God’s will, not his own, as he taught.
It’s worth noting that this list closely mirrors the instructions for teaching given in D&C 42:11-17.
Today, as I have opportunities for gospel teaching and as I prepare for teaching during the coming week, I will follow the example of Alma. I will use the scriptures. I will follow the Spirit. I will share my testimony. And I will remember that it is my job as an authorized gospel teacher to represent the Lord. I will therefore do my best to teach as He would have taught.