Amulek adds his testimony to the testimonies of Zenos, Zenock, and Moses quoted by Alma. He testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He urges the Zoramites to pray all the time about everything in their lives. He urges them not to procrastinate repentance. And he encourages them to give things in all things.
Chapter Outline
- Amulek’s testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (v. 1-16)
- Pray everywhere about everything (v. 17-29)
- Don’t procrastinate the day of your repentance (v. 30-36)
- Final admonition (v. 37-41)
My Takeaways
- From God’s perspective, mercy and justice are not in conflict.
- None of us can pay for another person’s sins, but an infinite Being—the Son of God—can atone for our sins.
- We can pray about practical things, including our projects at work.
- We should repent as soon as possible, instead of relying our our future self to bail us out.
- We need to “live in thanksgiving.”
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The Atonement of Jesus Christ – Alma 34:1-16
Justice and Mercy
Today I’ve been pondering the relationship between two of God’s attributes: justice and mercy. Multiple Book of Mormon prophets teach us that God is both just and merciful, including Lehi (2 Nephi 2:12), Nephi (2 Nephi 11:5), Jacob (Jacob 4:10), King Benjamin (Mosiah 5:15), Alma (Alma 42:15), and Mormon (3 Nephi 26:5, Mormon 6:22). It’s…
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Sacrifice?
Early in the Book of Mormon, the concept of sacrifice appears. Lehi and his family had certainly given up much to follow the Lord’s command, abandoning their comfortable living in Jerusalem to travel in the wilderness. But Lehi’s son Nephi saves the word “sacrifice” for a more specific usage. When he and his brothers return…
How Is the Word “Atonement” Used in the Book of Mormon?
Some version of the word “atone” or “atonement” appears 39 times in the Book of Mormon in 26 different passages. Here are some key phrases from some of those passages: “Prepared from the foundation of the world” – Part of Heavenly Father’s plan, before the earth was created, was that Christ would come to earth,…
Faith unto Repentance – Alma 34:15-17
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of…
❖ Pray Always – Alma 34:17-29
What Does It Mean to Pour Out Your Soul to God?
Several times in the Book of Mormon, people pray with such intensity that they are described as “pouring out [their] whole [souls] unto God.” After Enos’s sins were forgiven, he “began to feel a desire for the welfare of…the Nephites.” As a result, he says, “I did pour out my whole soul unto God for…
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…
For the Welfare of Those Who Are Around You – Alma 34:27-28
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. 28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all;…
Cry Unto Him over the Crops of Your Fields – Alma 34:24-25
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. 25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. (Alma 34:24-25) Today, I made a deliberate decision to pray about the projects I’m working on at my job. I know that Amulek’s words are true,…
❖ Don’t Procrastinate – Alma 34: 30-36
Why Is It Important Not to Procrastinate Repentance?
Three times in the Book of Mormon, prophets warn people not to procrastinate their repentance. Alma tells the people of Ammonihah, “I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of…
Procrastination
Twice in the Book of Mormon, we are urged not to procrastinate. When Alma and Amulek teach the people of Ammonihah, Alma ends their joint sermon with a call to action: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh;… I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with…
“Now Is the Time” – Alma 13:21, Alma 34:33
After teaching the people of Ammonihah about the Fall of Adam and Eve and about how to receive the grace of God, Alma issued a call to action. Extending his arm toward his audience, he proclaimed, “Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh” (Alma 13:21). He urged the people…
That Same Spirit – Alma 34:33-35
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our…
❖ Amulek’s final admonition – Alma 34:37-41
What Does It Mean to Be “Ripe in Iniquity?”
In this life, there is a space between choices and consequences. That’s what makes it a period of probation. We are not trained animals, taking actions with the expectation of immediate rewards or punishments. Instead, we are often left alone, to see what we will choose to do in the absence of either positive or…
Live in Thanksgiving Daily – Alma 34:37-38
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ;38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you…
Old Testament Foundations
To Day
David said that our deadline to repent is “today.” So did Paul, Jacob, Alma, and Amulek. Paul explains that the deadline of “today” applies to us. President Nelson added that we should repent every day, because repentance is not an event. It’s a process.
The Acceptable Year of the Lord
David pleaded with God to save him “in an acceptable time.” Paul and Amulek both testified that the acceptable time is now. Part of the Savior’s mission was to proclaim that grace is available to us immediately if we are willing to receive it.
The Harvest Is Over
The prophet Jeremiah lamented the suffering his people were enduring because they had turned away from God and failed to repent. “Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people,” he said, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:19-20). The Lord used the same language in…
Poured Out
As Jacob traveled to Padan-aram to live with his uncle, he had a dream in which the Lord renewed the promise He had made to Jacob’s father and grandfather. Waking the next morning, Jacob built a stone pillar and poured oil on it as a form of worship. (See Genesis 28:18.) Years later, after Jacob…
“Seek Me Early”
When something is important to you, you want to do it right away. You prioritize it over other things. The Hebrew word shachar (שָׁחַר) means “dawn” or “morning.” Twelve times in the Old Testament, it appears as a verb instead of a noun. What does it mean to “dawn” something? It means to do it…
With Thanksgiving
Many of the psalms encourage us to express our gratitude to God. For example: These passages depict a spontaneous and joyful expression of thanks. When Isaiah speaks of Israel’s return to Zion, he describes it in similar terms: Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Isaiah 51:3, 2 Nephi…
New Testament Parallels
What Does It Mean to “Work Out Your Own Salvation?”
After teaching a group of Zoramites that Jesus Christ would atone for their sins and that they should exercise “faith unto repentance,” Amulek made the following plea: I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the…
Come Forth!
The Savior’s instruction to Lazarus as he lay in the tomb—”Come forth!” applies to us as well. We can come forth by spending time with other people, stepping out of our comfort zones, and doing challenging things even if they are highly visible.
“In Spirit and in Truth”
Sacred times and places are important, and we benefit from treating them with reverence. But as Jesus taught the Samaritan woman, and as Alma and Amulek taught the Zoramites, the ultimate goal is communion with God.
Redeeming the Time
Paul urged the Ephesians, “Redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Undisciplined time attracts low-value activities, but our intentional use of time redeems it. As Amulek reminded the Zoramites, our time on earth is finite, so we must use it wisely.
In Everything Give Thanks
Paul advised the Thessalonians to give thanks continually. Amulek gave the same counsel to the Zoramites. President Nelson has taught us that gratitude is one of the surest antidotes for despair, discouragement, and spiritual lethargy.
Beseeching
In Paul’s epistle to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, he uses the word “beseech” instead of “enjoin.” This word conveys his depth of feeling about the request while also showing appropriate respect for Philemon’s agency.
Impart
The wealthy man passed the beggar every day, but he never felt sufficient compassion to share. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus provided a name for the beggar but not for the wealthy man, indicating where His sympathies lay. The rich man lived comfortably, even extravagantly. He “was clothed in purple…
Watchful
Amulek exhorted the people of Ammonihah to be “watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil” (Alma 34:39). Moroni later used the same phrase to describe the role of the church in the lives of believers: They were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and…
If Ye Turn Away the Needy – Alma 34:28
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in…
Church History Connections
Mighty to Save
Isaiah describes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in the form of a dialogue between the people and the Savior. The people are caught off guard by His arrival and by His appearance. They ask, “Who is this that cometh from Edom [a country south of Israel with whom Israel had had significant conflict], with dyed garments from Bozrah [a…
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…
Wise in Time
How do we choose to spend our time, and what do those choices say about our character? In December 1831, the Lord gave the following promise to a group of church leaders gathered in Kirtland, Ohio: He who is faithful and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father. Doctrine and…
“The Time Is Past”
I’ve been thinking this week about a stern message the Lord gave to Oliver Cowdery in an 1829 revelation. Oliver had sought the gift to translate and had been given permission to try. When he failed, the Lord instructed him to resume his role as scribe. The problem, apparently, was that Oliver hadn’t realized the…
Thy Daily Walk
The Lord emphasized to Martin Harris that we need to focus on our “daily walk,” living every day according to the counsel we have received. Two essential components of our daily walk with Him are prayer and gratitude.
All Posts Referencing Alma 34
- Christ Our Passover (4/1/2026)
- Infusing the Light of Christ into My Life (8/28/2025)
- Receiving All Things with Thankfulness (7/20/2025)
- “The Harvest Is Past” (5/7/2025)
- Standing in Holy Places (5/6/2025)
- Soul: Spirit and Body (4/16/2025)
- Book of Mormon Elements in Doctrine and Covenants 20 (3/14/2025)
- Thy Daily Walk (3/9/2025)
- Pray Vocally (3/5/2025)
- Bountifully (7/28/2024)
- Wilderness, Field, House, and Closet (7/25/2024)
- Prayers and Pride (7/21/2024)
- “Give Thanks in All Things” (5/29/2024)
- In the Wilderness (5/11/2024)
- The Plan of Salvation (4/18/2024)
- Mercy (3/26/2024)
- Letters to the Seven Churches (12/7/2023)
- Developing Christlike Attributes (11/25/2023)
- Thanksgiving (11/23/2023)
- Ask Not Amiss (11/14/2023)
- Good Things to Come (11/10/2023)
- To Day (11/2/2023)
- Beseeching (10/29/2023)
- In Everything Give Thanks (10/17/2023)
- Praying Always (10/8/2023)
- Redeeming the Time (10/7/2023)
- “All Things” (6/8/2023)
- Come Forth! (5/7/2023)
- “In Spirit and in Truth” (2/12/2023)
- The Acceptable Year of the Lord (1/31/2023)
- He Will Save (12/4/2022)
- The Harvest Is Over (10/14/2022)
- Thy Name, My Name (9/25/2022)
- The Book of Psalms and the Book of Mormon (8/27/2022)
- How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling-place (8/21/2022)
- The Mercy Seat (5/3/2022)
- Hardened Hearts (3/30/2022)
- Moses (3/22/2022)
- Wrestling (3/1/2022)
- Call Upon His Name (1/16/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Mighty to Save (11/16/2021)
- Anointed (10/31/2021)
- Poured Out (10/3/2021)
- Impart (9/14/2021)
- How to Worship (8/29/2021)
- “Seek Me Early” (8/13/2021)
- Prayers, Public and Private (7/21/2021)
- Thanksgiving (7/17/2021)
- Wise in Time (7/1/2021)
- Watchful (5/16/2021)
- A House of Prayer (3/29/2021)
- How Can I Recognize the Voice of the Lord? (1/31/2021)
- “The Time Is Past” (1/30/2021)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- How to Plant the Seed – Alma 33:1 (7/19/2020)
- Procrastination (7/18/2020)
- Who Were Zenos and Zenock? (7/17/2020)
- “Now Is the Time” – Alma 13:21, Alma 34:33 (6/18/2020)
- Justice and Mercy (4/4/2020)
- When Should I Express Gratitude? (11/29/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Ripe in Iniquity?” (11/23/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Sacrifice? (11/17/2019)
- How Can I Avoid Being an “Unholy Temple?” (11/14/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Pour Out Your Soul to God? (9/17/2019)
- Why Is It Important Not to Procrastinate Repentance? (9/15/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Work Out Your Own Salvation?” (9/11/2019)
- What Is “the Immediate Goodness of God?” (9/8/2019)
- How Can I Be More Patient with Myself? (6/26/2019)
- What Is the Plan of Redemption? (6/16/2019)
- How Can I Be More Humble? (5/13/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Complacency? (5/11/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Patience? (4/11/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Pray in Your Closet? (3/27/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Our Garments to Be “Washed White Through the Blood of the Lamb?” (2/1/2019)
- How Is the Word “Atonement” Used in the Book of Mormon? (1/30/2019)
- For the Welfare of Those Who Are Around You – Alma 34:27-28 (11/29/2017)
- Live in Thanksgiving Daily – Alma 34:37-38 (11/24/2016)
- Faith unto Repentance – Alma 34:15-17 (10/15/2016)
- Immediately – Alma 34:31 (10/10/2016)
- Live in Thanksgiving Daily – Alma 34:38 (5/5/2016)
- If Ye Turn Away the Needy – Alma 34:28 (4/4/2016)
- I Will Testify unto You of Myself – Alma 34:7-8 (7/21/2015)
- Cry Unto Him over the Crops of Your Fields – Alma 34:24-25 (7/20/2015)
- That Same Spirit – Alma 34:33-35 (7/20/2015)
- Alma 34:20-21, 24-25 Cry Unto Him When Ye Are In Your Fields (11/14/2014)