Alma 33 – Mission to the Zoramites: Believe in the Son of God

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After Alma teaches the Zoramites about faith, they ask him how to begin. In response, he quotes Zenos, Zenock, and Moses, three prophets who taught that our faith must be in the Son of God. Alma explains that the Zoramites can begin by “[believing] in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people.”

Chapter Outline

  1. The question: How can we exercise faith? (v. 1)
  2. Zenos: God answers my prayers because of His Son (v. 2-13)
  3. Zenock: God bestows mercies because of His Son (v. 14-17)
  4. Moses raised a type in the wilderness representing the Son of God (v. 18-22)
  5. Plant this word in your hearts, and nourish it by faith (v. 23)

My Takeaways

  1. We receive mercy because of the Savior.
  2. We can begin or reinitiate our spiritual growth by praying, believing in Jesus Christ, and repenting.
  3. God hears us wherever we pray.
  4. A very small effort on our part can enable us to receive God’s infinite grace.
  5. We should find a private place to pray and talk with Him about everything.

Featured Blog Posts

Who Were Zenos and Zenock?

The authors of the Book of Mormon quoted a number of prophets who lived in Israel before Lehi’s family left Jerusalem (about 600 B.C.). Some of those prophets, like Moses and Isaiah, also appear in the Bible. But others do not. Two of these prophets are Zenos and Zenock. Here’s what we know about them:…

❖ The question – Alma 33:1

How to Plant the Seed – Alma 33:1

When the poor Zoramites first approached Alma, they had a simple question: How can we worship God when we are not able to go to church? In response, Alma taught them about humility and faith. He also shared an elaborate analogy, comparing the word of God to a seed and saying that, if they planted…

❖ Zenos – Alma 33:2-13

Wilderness, Field, House, and Closet

Zenos listed four places where God had heard him. Amulek specifically connected the last one, closets, with the first, wildernesses. We need to share the most uncomfortable parts of our lives with God in order to learn from Him and receive His grace.

What Does It Mean to Pray in Your Closet?

Which room in your home would you be least likely to invite an acquaintance to visit? Perhaps a closet or a storage room, a place that may not be as well organized as the rest of the house, and which, in any event, is not intended for entertaining. The prophet Alma quoted the words of…

Thou Didst Hear Me – Alma 33:3-11

3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? 4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and…

Thou Art Merciful, O God – Alma 33:4-11

4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry…

❖ Moses – Alma 33:18-22

Whosoever Would Look Upon It Might Live – Alma 33:19-21

19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who…

❖ Final admonition – Alma 33:23

You Can Do This!

Alma taught the humble Zoramites how to turn to God, and he expressed faith in their ability to do so with God’s help. “All this can ye do if ye will,” he said. Modern church leaders have expressed the same sentiment: You can do this!

Old Testament Foundations

The Spirit of Heaviness

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would replace negative things in our lives with positive ones: ashes with beauty, mourning with joy, and “the spirit of heaviness” with “the garment of praise” (Isaiah 61:3). The word “heaviness” is a translation of the Hebrew word kehah (כֵּהָ֣ה), which means literally dim or faint. Other English translations render…

Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord

Based on: Psalm 55 Core message: God will ease our burdens as we draw nearer to Him. Even if He doesn’t take them away, He can make them seem light. Related Book of Mormon passages: Mosiah 24:14-15, Alma 33:23

Because of Thy Son

Our Heavenly Father loves us and is eager to bless us because we are His children. He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to make it possible for us to receive blessings we could receive in no other way. King David testified of God’s love for us and acknowledged the role of the Savior in…

What Can We Learn from the Brass Serpent?

As Moses led the Israelites to the promised land, they came to a place where there were “fiery serpents.” Many people were bitten by the snakes and died. God told Moses to make a snake out of brass and place it on top of a pole. Whenever any of the people was bitten by one…

Church History Connections

Prayers, Public and Private

As Alma and Amulek preached to the Zoramites, they characterized prayer as a ubiquitous part of a disciple’s life. Alma quoted a passage written by the prophet Zenos, in which he spoke of praying in the wilderness, in his field, in his house, in his closet, in the midst of congregations, and after being cast…

All Posts Referencing Alma 33

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