On Monday (8/1) we drove the 2 young women in the Vila Real branch (Anastasia & Kelvia) to Porto to attend FSY. In Porto we went to the beach, toured the Bolsa Palace, and road a cable car. On Tuesday, August 2nd Isidro Alvarez Da Silva-83 years old passed away and later that same day his funeral was held. He was buried the following day!
SCRIPTURE POWER
Sustaining those that have repented.
It appears that Mormon, in Mosiah chapters 26-27, discreetly describes the results of a ‘membership council’ in which Alma the elder presided. This council was held to consider the actions of “many (including Alma and the 4 sons of Mosiah)…accused of their brethren...And they do not repent.” (Mosiah 26:11) This event was known as: “..the dissensions among the brethren” (Mosiah 26:5)
Alma the elder had previously “repented of his sins and iniquities” (Mosiah 18:1) “did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance” (Mosiah 23:9)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written: "Alma the son of Alma, baptized in his youth but as yet spiritually dead, ...he had been taught by his father, and he had received baptism, probably when he was eight years of age. But in the wisdom of his own conceits, he was going about with the sons of Mosiah to destroy the faith of the saints." (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 283 & 228.)
As a result of “the dissensions among the brethren…they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins” (Mosiah 26: 5-6) “Alma [the younger]..was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities. And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church..causing much dissension among the people” (Mosiah 27:8-9) “Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction” (Alma 36:14)
Alma “did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord ” (Mosiah 27:10) Therefore, “Alma did not know concerning them” (Mosiah 26:9)
Even though “king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church…Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king..that thou mayest judge them.” (Mosiah 26: 8,10,11) Inasmuch as they included king Mosiah’s 4 sons. “But king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.” (Mosiah 26:12)
Later king Mosiah does assist when “the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church…did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah.” (Mosiah 27:1) After consulting with his priests Mosiah sends a “proclamation throughout the land.. that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God.” (Mosiah 27:2) Apparently, the proclamation did not dissuade Alma, as the angel asks him: “why persecutes thou the church of God?” (Mosiah 27:13) “seek to destroy the church no more” (Mosiah 27:16)
Feeling the weight of being a judge in Israel. “And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God. And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:…if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:13-14, 29-30 )
However, those brought before Alma “they do not repent of their iniquities” (Mosiah 26:11)
Lastly Alma is told: “Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward.” (Mosiah 26:32)
Alma writes down the revelation (Mosiah 26:33) and the policy is put in practice. Interestingly, about 20 years later Alma the younger in speaking to the members of the church in Zarahemla, asks them 50 questions dealing with conversion and commitment to Christ (Alma 5) “And it also came to pass that whosoever did belong to the church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble themselves before God—I mean those who were lifted up in the pride of their hearts—the same were rejected, and their names were blotted out, that their names were not numberedamong those of the righteous.” (Alma 6:3) Similarly, over 400 years later “..if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ. But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.” (Moroni 6:7-8) (see also JST Ex. 32:14 and D & C 64:12)
A Christian writer Philip Yancey said: “Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he did meet skeptics he could not convince and sinners he could not convert. Forgiveness of sins requires an act of will on the receiver’s part, and some who heard Jesus’ strongest words about grace and forgiveness turned away unrepentant.” (“The Jesus I Never Knew”)
“And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their inquiry, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out.” [excommunicated] (Mosiah 26:36) This would have included Alma the younger and the 4 sons of Mosiah, “the very vilest of sinners” (Mosiah 28:4) The result was: “Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them” (Mosiah 27:8)
They go about “seeking to destroy the church” (Mosiah 27:10)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “..a few eager individuals who lecture the rest of us about Church doctrines in which they no longer believe. They criticize the use of Church resources to which they no longer contribute. They condescendingly seek to counsel the Brethren whom they no longer sustain. Confrontive, except of themselves, of course, they leave the Church, but they cannot leave the Church alone.” (“Becometh As a Child”, Ensign, May, 1996)
An angel appears to them and says: “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 mightiest be brought to the knowledge of the truth” (Mosiah 27:14) Further described as: “the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer” (Mosiah 27:36)
How great that Jacob taught: “many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their redeemer.” (2 Ne. 10:2)
“Alma..became dumb…and.. helpless” (Mosiah 27:19) “racked with eternal torment…racked with all my sins. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities” (Alma 36:12-13) for 3 days and 3 nights. After receiving strength his first words are: “I have repented of my sins” (Mosiah 27:24)
Alma later teaches his son Corianton “Mercy is for those who repent-All others are subject to God’s justice” (Alma 42-chapter heading)
There was apparently some period of time perhaps several years before the sons of Mosiah began their 14 year mission and Alma was appointed the first chief judge and high priest. During this period of time Alma and the 4 sons of Mosiah traveled round about the land of Zarahemla, “preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them." (Mosiah 27:32)
Perhaps as required by Alma, as part of their repentance process, the 5 of them went throughout all the land "zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins" (Mosiah 27:35)
Years later when Alma's youngest son Corianton is guilty of a serious moral sin, part of his repentance is to: " return unto them, [the Zoramites] and acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done" (Alma 39:13)
Included in the revelation Alma received is the principle of forgiving others and sustaining those who the presiding officers recommend. “And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he [the bishop] says that he [the neighbor] repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.” (Mosiah 26:31)
The members of the church forgive and sustain Alma the younger, as their high priest and first chief judge (Mosiah 29: 42)
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