At the end of Alma’s life, he invited his son Helaman to reaffirm his faith and commitment. He blessed Helaman, and then prophesied about the final destiny of the Nephites, after the coming of Christ. He then blessed his other sons, the earth, and the church, and then he simply walked away. No one knows what happened to him, but people at the time believed that he was received in the Spirit instead of dying, just like Moses.
After Alma’s departure, Helaman preached the gospel and worked to establish the church.
Chapter Outline
- The Nephites give thanks (v. 1)
- Alma interviews and blesses Helaman (v. 2-8)
- Alma prophesies the destruction of the Nephites after the coming of Christ (v. 9-14)
- Alma blesses his other sons, the earth, and the church, and then departs (v. 15-19)
- Helaman preaches the gospel and establishes the church (v. 20-24)
My Takeaways
- When we focus on our blessings, we can worship God “with exceedingly great joy.”
- God has all power, including power over death. He can empower us to do whatever is needed to accomplish His purposes.
- We should be careful not to become “rich in [our] own eyes.” We must remember where our resources come from and what they should be used for.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The Nephites give thanks – Alma 45:1
The People…Were Exceedingly Rejoiced – Alma 45:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great…
❖ Alma’s prophecy – Alma 45:9-14
What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?”
dwindle – Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength (Oxford English Dictionary) Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi learns from the Spirit that, without the brass plates containing the scriptures, his family would “dwindle and perish in unbelief” (1 Nephi 4:13). King Benjamin later emphasized this point to his sons: “Were it not for…
❖ Alma departs – Alma 45:15-19
Was Alma Translated?
Mormon’s description of the end of Alma’s life is mysterious: He departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of (Alma 45:18). Those are the facts.…
❖ Helaman establishes the church – Alma 45:20-24
They Grew Rich in Their Own Eyes – Alma 45:24
24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God. (Alma 45:24) The people became rich, and as a result, “they grew rich in their own eyes.”…
Old Testament Foundations
Fasting unto God
Have you ever done something that seemed altruistic, but you later realized it was actually pretty self-serving? Maybe you gave a compliment which indirectly made you look good. Or you gave a gift which allowed the recipient to serve you. After the Babylonian captivity, the Lord spoke to the people of Jerusalem through the prophet…
Moses
When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered a Hebrew baby floating in a small basket in the river, she decided to adopt him. The writer of Genesis explains that she named him Moses, or Mosheh (משֶׁה) because she “drew him out of the water” (Exodus 2:10). The Hebrew word mashah (מָשָׁה) means “to draw out” or “to pull…
Church History Connections
“The Least Degree of Allowance” – Alma 45:16
At the end of Alma’s life, he held a final interview with his son Helaman. He asked Helaman to reaffirm his belief in Jesus Christ and the words of the scriptures and to recommit to obey the commandments which Alma had taught. He prophesied of dark times ahead, including the complete destruction of the Nephite…
All Posts Referencing Alma 45
- Fasting unto God (12/9/2022)
- Moses (3/22/2022)
- “A Little Sin” – 2 Nephi 28:8 (2/11/2021)
- “The Least Degree of Allowance” – Alma 45:16 (1/1/2021)
- Was Alma Translated? (8/6/2020)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Refute? (12/29/2019)
- What Should I Be Thankful For? (11/28/2019)
- The People…Were Exceedingly Rejoiced – Alma 45:1 (3/15/2017)
- They Grew Rich in Their Own Eyes – Alma 45:24 (8/4/2015)