God promised to "provide for" the families of His twelve apostles as they continued to do His work in Missouri in 1838. He similarly "provided for" Alma and his missionary companions in Antionum. When we accept and fulfill callings, we may endure hardship, but God's compensatory blessings will outweigh the sacrifice.
The Savior’s Instructions to Missionaries, Ancient and Modern
The Lord's instructions to missionaries in Doctrine and Covenants 84 mirror His instructions to His ancient apostles: Avoid distractions. Trust me to provide the things you need. Those who receive you will be rewarded. If someone rejects you, move on and keep working.
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.
The Worth of a Soul
Remembering the infinite worth of each child of God affects how we treat each other, how we treat ourselves, and how we pray.
“O God…”
The expression "O God" is characteristic of the Old Testament, and particularly the book of Psalms. The few times it appears in the Book of Mormon, it conveys a special earnestness. So, it's fitting that the sacrament prayers would begin with those words.
“He Caused That His Sons Should Be Gathered”
When Alma saw that his people were hardening their hearts, he gathered his sons to "give unto them every one his charge." Sometimes, instead of focusing on the people who need help, we need to recruit and train helpers, to magnify our efforts.
Prayers and Pride
Alma lamented the memorized prayer of the Zoramites, which was an expression of pride. We can make our prayers more humble by thinking of others, acknowledging our weakness, recognizing context, focusing on service, and being receptive to guidance.
Take No Thought
Jesus taught that we should avoid distractions and focus on the things that matter most. He promised that God will help us meet our needs if we focus on doing His work. Alma and his colleagues did just that, and "the Lord provided for them"
Swords and Words
The Zoramites used words that demean and divide. Alma used words and uplift and unite. He knew that outreach and persuasion are more effective than combativeness and confrontation. Our words should recognize the value of others and bring them together.
Learning from General Conference
Twice a year, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather for a global two-day conference. Here are some principles from the apostle Paul to help us prepare to participate in general conference.