OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER

 

The legendary missionary labours of the sons of Mosiah are worthy of admiration. I came to Alma 17 in my Book of Mormon study today and was overcome with the spirit of these men. It is mind blowing to think that they would choose to engage in missionary labours with a hostile, wild, hardened and a ferocious people who delighted in murdering the Nephites (v14). Besides their miraculous conversions and new found testimonies, I can see another reason why they would do so.

When the sons of Mosiah approached their father for permission to engage in their missionary labours, they did so with a desire to ‘impart the word of God to their BRETHREN the Lamanites’ (Mosiah 28:1).  Mormon mentions that they desired to be instruments in the hands of God to bring ‘their BRETHREN the Lamanites’ to the knowledge of the truth (Alma 17:9). He also mentions the Lord’s admonition to them to ‘go forth among the Lamanites, thy BRETHREN’ to establish His word (v 11). It is easy to see that the recognition of the Lamanites as their ‘brothers’ fueled the motivation for such a dangerous mission.

Another thing of importance that struck me this time around studying Alma 17 is the principle of fasting. Not only did these men do it as a means of obtaining revelation and prophecy but that they might bring their brethren to the knowledge of the truth (v 3, 9). In other words, they also fasted for those who they would teach, for their hearts to be opened,  because they understood that those they served held strong beliefs (see Introduction to Alma 17-22, Institute Student Manual).

Elder M Russell Ballard said something that pricked my soul in regards to fasting for the unbelievers: “In gospel-sharing homes we pray for guidance for ourselves, and we pray for the physical and spiritual well-being of others. We pray for the people the missionaries are teaching, for our acquaintances, and for those not of our faith. In the gospel-sharing homes of Alma’s time, the people would ‘join in FASTING and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God (Alma 6:6)” (In Conference Report, Apr 2006, 88; or Ensign May 2006, 85). I do not think I have ever fasted in this way since my mission. This, my friends, is being ‘our brother’s keeper’.

Before the Saviour began His mission He fasted for 40 days (Luke 4:2; Matt 4:1,2). No doubt He was tutored, strengthened, received instruction and was apprised of what to expect during his Atonement but I somehow cannot help but believe that He also fasted for His ‘brethren’…..that they might receive His message, believe His words, and accept Him and the salvation He brought. The sacrifice for the unbelieving, the wicked, the unrepentant, the hostile, the highly iniquitous, did not deter Christ from His appointed mission, not even at the peril of His life, which in the end He freely gave. Why did He do it? Because, besides wanting to preserve His Father's glory, He is His brothers' keeper......

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus of Nazareth by Greg Olsen)