Last chapter, we read about Alma struggling with unbelievers who were dragging church members down. Now, it gets personal. Among those detractors were Alma’s son (also named Alma) and the four sons of King Mosiah. As they traveled, seeking to destroy the church of God, an angel appeared to them, calling them to repentance. Alma was unconscious for two days, and when he regained consciousness, he testified that he had been born again and redeemed of God.
Chapter Outline
- King Mosiah forbids persecution of unbelievers (v. 1-7)
- Alma and the sons of Mosiah see an an angel who calls them to repent (v. 8-17)
- Alma is paralyzed for two days. When he recovers, he testifies that he has been born of God (v. 18-31)
- Alma and the sons of Mosiah work to repair the harm they have done (v. 32-37)
My Takeaways
- Pride makes it harder to feel peace.
- God hears the prayers of parents on behalf of their children.
- Jesus Christ can make a fundamental and permanent change in our nature, which we call being “born again.”
- We need to let people change, and support them in their improvement.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Mosiah forbids persecution – Mosiah 26:1-7
They Should Let No Pride Nor Haughtiness Disturb Their Peace – Mosiah 27:3-4
3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men; 4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for…
❖ An angel appears to Alma and the sons of Mosiah – Mosiah 26:8-17
The Lord Hath Heard the Prayers of…Thy Father – Mosiah 27:14
14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come…
“Remember the Captivity of Thy Fathers” – Mosiah 27:16
The angel who appeared to Alma the Younger gave him a specific instruction: Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has…
“If Thou Wilt of Thyself…”
When someone’s choosing unwisely, you might propose they think about the impact of their actions on other people. Alma’s angel took the opposite approach, urging him to think about their impact on him. Are your choices making you stronger and happier?
❖ Alma is born again – Mosiah 26:18-31
All Mankind Must Be Born Again – Mosiah 27:25-26
25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; 26 And thus they…
❖ Alma and the sons of Mosiah strive to repair the harm they’ve done – Mosiah 26:32-37
Brother Saul
When the Lord told Ananias to visit Saul, he was understandably concerned. But the Lord knew that Saul had changed. People change all the time. We need to be careful not to let our prior experiences interfere with our pereception of who they are now.
Motivated by Love
When we experience a change of heart, we want others to have that experience too. After Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah were miraculously converted to the gospel, they got to work immediately: And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who…
They Did Publish Peace – Mosiah 27:35-37
35 And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and…
Old Testament Foundations
“Thy Words Were Heard”
Prayer is an act of faith because we don’t see or hear the One we are talking to. When I participate in a conversation, I am constantly monitoring the reaction of the other person to the words I say. I pay attention to their responses, even non-verbal ones, to understand how my words are being…
Rachel Weeping
In the middle of a message of hope and optimism, Jeremiah pauses to paint a picture of a devastated mother observing the suffering of her children: Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Jeremiah 31:15 Ramah was a…
Restitution
The Hebrew word shalam (שָׁלַם) means to make something complete or whole. It is sometimes translated into English as “make restitution.” The word appears many times in the context of our obligation to repair the damage we do. Consider the following specific examples: Reference Action Consequence Exodus 22:5 If a man shall cause a field…
New Testament Parallels
Alma and Saul
Both Alma and Paul experienced sudden and miraculous conversions to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although our own conversion experience is likely to be more gradual, we can learn a lot about the conversion process by understanding their experiences.
Every Knee, Every Tongue
In his epistle to the Philippians, Paul writes poetically about the Savior’s humility as evidenced by His willingness to descend from heaven and dwell with us. We honor Him not only because He created this world but also because He loved us.
The Gall of Bitterness
Peter told Simon that he was in the “gall of bitterness.” Gall is bile. It is a bitter substance which our bodies use for digestion. Alma taught that Jesus can help us overcome spiritual bitterness. When we recognize our need and ask for help, He is there
“When He Was Yet a Great Way Off”
The father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son waited patiently for his son’s return and never gave up on him. This poem by Mary Lyman Henrie beautifully conveys the patient, hopeful love of this father while his son was lost.
He Has Prayed with Much Faith – Mosiah 27:14
14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come…
Church History Connections
After Much Tribulation
Hard times happen for a reason. The changes we need to make, the growth God wants us to experience, don’t come easily. When life seems particularly difficult, we may be experiencing a “growth spurt.” When the prophet Abinadi was executed by King Noah, Alma, who had been one of Noah’s priests, was horrified at what…
Esteeming Your Brother as Yourself
The Lord commands us to esteem others as ourselves. Book of Mormon prophets teach this principle and warn us against placing ourselves above others. Peer relationships may generate unhealthy competition, but when we see one another through God’s eyes, we can overcome this temptation and recognize the infinite worth of each of His children.
All Posts Referencing Mosiah 27
- Carnal, Sensual, and Devilish (1/23/2026)
- A Proclamation (10/31/2025)
- Mahaleel and Our Times of Awakening (9/25/2025)
- Convinced of Our Ungodly Deeds (9/14/2025)
- The Former Sins (7/23/2025)
- Creatures, Living Things, and Beasts (7/16/2025)
- Biblical References in Doctrine and Covenants 76 (7/8/2025)
- Confession (6/6/2025)
- After Much Tribulation… (6/3/2025)
- Esteeming Your Brother as Yourself (4/24/2025)
- Prepare to Be Judged (10/31/2024)
- Received or Cast Out (8/9/2024)
- “Every Creature”, “Any Human Soul” (6/2/2024)
- “If Thou Wilt of Thyself…” (6/1/2024)
- Being the Father and the Son (5/19/2024)
- “What Great Things” (1/5/2024)
- Every Knee, Every Tongue (10/13/2023)
- Rending That Veil (9/12/2023)
- Brother Saul (7/16/2023)
- Alma and Saul (7/13/2023)
- The Gall of Bitterness (7/12/2023)
- “When He Was Yet a Great Way Off” (5/2/2023)
- Their Angels (4/21/2023)
- “Thy Words Were Heard” (11/5/2022)
- Rachel Weeping (10/19/2022)
- The Fast That I Have Chosen (10/6/2022)
- Fasting with Purpose (7/19/2022)
- Restitution (5/8/2022)
- Fasting: How Long and How Often? (4/29/2022)
- 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10 (2/16/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Angels (11/9/2021)
- We Need Our Ancestors—and They Need Us (11/5/2021)
- After Much Tribulation (9/18/2021)
- Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People (4/20/2021)
- Pray in Faith (4/15/2021)
- “That Ye May Not Shrink” – 2 Nephi 9:46 (2/27/2021)
- “All That We Could Do” – Alma 24:11, 15 (7/2/2020)
- Motivated by Love (5/24/2020)
- “Remember the Captivity of Thy Fathers” – Mosiah 27:16 (5/22/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Affirm? (12/28/2019)
- How Can I Be a Better Missionary? (12/19/2019)
- What Are the Roles of Persuasion and Punishment in Motivating Good Behavior? (12/4/2019)
- What Are the Purposes of Fasting? (11/18/2019)
- Will We Be Judged by the Apostles? (10/9/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Publish Peace?” (9/26/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Become the Sons and Daughters of Christ? (9/23/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church? (9/18/2019)
- What Is Haughtiness? (9/3/2019)
- How Can I Find Peace? (7/23/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Teaching the Gospel in Families? (7/16/2019)
- How Can I Be a Better Father? (6/17/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Being an Effective Parent? (5/15/2019)
- How Can I Be More Humble? (5/13/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Complacency? (5/11/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?” (3/10/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Long-Suffering?” (3/1/2019)
- What Are Some Examples of People Coming Unto Christ? (2/14/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Grace? (1/28/2019)
- He Has Prayed with Much Faith – Mosiah 27:14 (3/16/2018)
- All Mankind Must Be Born Again – Mosiah 27:25-26 (3/15/2018)
- They Did Publish Peace – Mosiah 27:35-37 (1/31/2017)
- They Should Let No Pride Nor Haughtiness Disturb Their Peace – Mosiah 27:3-4 (1/29/2017)
- Let No Pride Nor Haughtiness Disturb Their Peace – Mosiah 27:3-4 (8/12/2016)
- Born Again – Mosiah 27:25-26 (2/8/2016)
- The Lord Hath Heard the Prayers of…Thy Father – Mosiah 27:14 (5/25/2015)