ALMA, THE GOOD FATHER

 

Some time ago I wrote about the father-son relationships in the Book of Mormon. I find nothing more endearing than a strong father figure. When I read this touching declaration in the Book of Mormon: "I am Helaman, the son of Alma" (Alma 58:41), I go weak at the knees. Alma’s legacy of righteousness and service had no doubt great impact on his sons, but his parenting was not a whit behind. Alma took the command he received to teach his sons with great seriousness (Alma 39:12). His counsel to them reads like personalised scripture sermons.

To Helaman, the heir apparent, Alma entrusted the gold plates and impressed upon his mind the seriousness of his charge and the importance of scripture. He stressed that the record in his possession was sacred because it will be the instrument of salvation for future generations  (Alma 37:18). He impressed upon him that the safety of the record depended upon Helaman’s obedience to the commandments (v 16). And then the warning: if he transgressed the commandments, the plates will be taken away from him ‘by the power of God’ and he shall be delivered up unto Satan, ‘that he may sift him as chaff before the wind’ (v 15). I think you cannot get more serious than this. Considering who Helaman became, we can conclude that he understood that. “I am Helaman, the son of Alma” has more meaning than just a parental lineage, I think it also stands for “I am my father’s son”……..

Whereas Helaman’s counsel consisted of two lengthy chapters, the righteous Shiblon who was chosen for the mission to the Zoromites, only received one relative short one but the emotive tone of this chapter is unmistakable. Shiblon’s faithfulness, patience, diligence and long suffering during his ministry was rewarded with terrible treatment from the Zoromites to the point of stoning (Alma 38:4). It makes one weep to read of it. One cannot fail to feel Alma’s joy about this obedient son. His main counsel to Shiblon was to remember to put his trust in God, always, for his deliverance (v 4). I think Alma felt Shiblon would need that remembrance for future trials he might have to suffer.

Alma recounted his conversion experience to both Helaman and Shiblon but not to Corinaton who engaged in serious sin and abandoned his mission (Alma 39:2-3). His counsel to Corinaton was extensive and covered four chapters during which he called him ‘my son’ 24 times. The anguish and compassion and love is unmistakable in these chapters. It is evident that all three sons received counsel they individually needed. What Alma addressed in his talk with Corinaton was what he ‘perceived’ this son needed to hear (40:1; 42:1). This was obviously needed more than his father’s conversion story because Corianton repented and resumed his missionary labours (Alma 42:31). He remained ‘a just man walking uprightly before God’ like his brother Shiblon (Alma 63:2).

Reading ‘my son’ so many times in four chapters reminded me of someone else who said the same. When Joseph was a prisoner in Liberty jail in 1839 he called upon the ‘Lord God Almighty’ out of his anguish and in response he received: ‘My son, peace be unto thy soul….” (D&C 121:4,7). In 1830 Joseph received a revelation for Emma in which the Lord addressed her as ‘my daughter’ (D&C 25:1). As a side note, this is another proof of Joseph’s validity as a prophet because it would have never occurred to him to call his wife ‘his daughter’.

The Saviour confirmed that ‘all those who receive His gospel are sons and daughters in His kingdom (D&C 25:1), therefore every bit of advice, every bit of counsel, every warning, every expression of love, mercy and tenderness in the scriptures given to us from the Saviour is counsel, guidance and command from a concerned, loving and invested Father. He is the ultimate ‘Alma’. May we view the scriptures we hold in our hands as the fatherly counsel we should cherish all the days of our lives. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Suffer the Children to Come Unto Me by B. Laura Wilson)