Alma 36-38 Study Guide

Alma 36-38 Study Guide – to be discussed April 3
Day 1: Read Alma 36:1-16, with headnote; Proverbs 1:7; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11
1. List Alma’s instructions to his son Helaman from Alma 36:1-3. What reason(s) did Alma give for his counsel?



2. According to Proverbs 1:7, what is the fear of the Lord? How did fear open the door to spiritual knowledge for Alma? Is faith necessary for this kind of fear?



3. What was the source of Alma’s exquisite pain and inexpressible horror? How long was he racked with these pains? Were they physical? Spiritual? Emotional?


BONUS: Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-11. What indications do we have that Alma’s sorrow was “Godly” sorrow?


Day 2: Read Alma 36:17-30
4. Whose words became Alma’s seed of faith when he was in that awful state? What did he DO to exercise or nourish that seed?


5. List the results of Alma’s experiment upon the word.




6. By what power was Alma delivered from spiritual captivity, or from the bondage of sin?


BONUS: Alma recorded in verse 19 that he could no longer remember his pains, and yet he recalled them in his counsel to his son Helaman. What do you think he meant when he said he could remember them no more?


EXTRA CREDIT: Compare the last three verses of Alma 36 with the first two verses. Underline or note words, phrases or thoughts that are repeated. Now work your way to the middle of the chapter, from both ends, finding words or thoughts that mirror each other. What is Alma’s central or pivotal point, framed toward the middle of this chapter?


Day 3: Read Alma 37:1-12; D&C 64:33; D&C 123:16-17
7. As Alma continued his counsel to Helaman, he entrusted five sacred relics into Helaman’s care. Name the first two of these relics as listed in the first few verses of this chapter. Why was the proper care and keeping of these relics so important to Alma? To us?


8. Read Alma 37:6-7 with D&C 64:33 and D&C 123:16-17. What do you think Alma meant when he talked about “small and simple things”?


9. List the proofs given by Alma as evidence of the power of keeping sacred records.
Day 4: Read Alma 37:13-20; D&C 82:3; D&C 1:38
10. What did Alma want Helaman to remember?


11. What was the strict warning if Helaman failed in his stewardship? Read also D&C 82:3. Are we under the same obligation?


12. Read D&C 1:38. What promises are associated with faithful keeping of sacred records?


Day 5: Read Alma 37:21-32
13. From Alma 37:21, what were the third and fourth sacred relics consigned to Helaman? What did Alma say regarding his reasons for including them?



14. What happened, ultimately, to the Jaredites (see chapter heading for Ether 15)? Why do you think Alma entreated Helaman to keep the fate of the Jaredite nation in the memories of his people?



15. Unto whom is this land cursed?


Day 6: Read Alma 37:33-47; Hebrews 11:16
16. From Alma 37:32-37, list first what Helaman was instructed to TEACH, then list what Alma told him to DO.



17. Name the fifth sacred relic entrusted to Helaman. What do the five sacred items have in common?


18. Read Hebrews 11:16 with Alma 37:45. What is the “far better land of promise” for which this and all promised lands are a type? How do we get there?


Day 7: Read Alma 38 with headnote
19. From Alma 38:1-3, list qualities Alma saw in his son Shiblon.



20. What did Alma want Shiblon to remember?



21. In what was Alma’s testimony rooted? List elements of the powerful testimony he bore.



BONUS: What counsel did Alma give to both Helaman and Shiblon?

Alma 33-35

Alma 33-35 Study Guide – to be discussed March 27 (Note: No class March 20 due to SD Schools spring break)
Day 1: Read Alma 33:1-11; Psalm 29:1-2; 2 Nephi 25:29
1. What questions did the more humble Zoramites pose after hearkening to Alma’s discourse on experimenting upon the word?


2. From Alma 33:2, what is the first thing Alma suggested we do in order to exercise faith, or plant the seed?


EXTRA CREDIT: According to verse 3, what is a major part of worship? After reading Ps. 29:1-2 and 2 Nephi 25:29, what else does worship include?


3. List the mercies of God as expressed in Zenos’ heartfelt prayer. From verse 11, why is God so merciful?



BONUS: Update or rewrite the mercies you just listed so that they reflect modern situations.



Day 2: Read Alma 33:12-23; 1 Nephi 17:40-42; Numbers 21:5-9
4. Which of the ancient prophets did Alma quote as witnesses of Christ? What do we know about the first two?



5. Read 1 Nephi 17:40-42 and Numbers 21:5-9 with Alma 33:19-20. What was the “type” of Christ spoken of in Alma 33:19? Why were some Israelites not healed? How did this story motivate the Zoramites to begin the experiment on the word?



6. In what did Alma suggest the Zoramites should “begin to believe” in answer to one of their questions? How did this also answer their question about the nature of God? (Note: where you see the term, “begin to…” insert the phrase “plant the seed of….”)



BONUS: According to Alma 33:23, what is the ultimate reward of nourishing the tree?


Day 3: Read Alma 34:1-8
7. Whose words are recorded in Alma 34? What are the “great” questions he addressed in this chapter?


8. Why should the Zoramites have understood the doctrine of Christ prior to Alma’s discourse? Why didn’t they?



9. As a second witness to Alma’s teachings, how did Amulek verify? How did he testify?


Day 4: Read Alma 34:9-16; 2 Nephi 9:6-8
10. What does “expedient” mean? Why was it expedient that a great and last sacrifice be made?



11. Are the sins of this world infinite? Why did Christ’s atonement need to be infinite and eternal?



12. List the “intents” of the atoning sacrifice.



Day 5: Read Alma 34:17-27; Hebrews 7:22-28
13. What is one way to “begin to exercise your faith unto repentance”?


14. Why do you think these prayerful injunctions were translated as “cry” instead of “pray”? What are we told to cry to the Father AGAINST in verse 22 (see also v.23)?


15. What does Alma 34:26 imply regarding the intensity of our personal prayers?



BONUS: Read Hebrews 7:22-28 and D&C 45:3-5 with Alma 34:17-18. What qualifies Jesus to be our intercessor with the Father?


Day 6: Read Alma 34:28-41; D&C 130:23
16. What is the relationship between charitable service and prayer?



17. What is one of the purposes of this life? List warnings and promises associated with this counsel.



18. List further examples of planting the word in verses 38-41. What is the promise if we do these things?



Day 7: Read Alma 35
19. Why were the “popular” Zoramites angry about the preaching they had heard? What did they do to the “believers”?


20. How did the people of Ammon receive the poor Zoramites?



21. What caused Alma to be sorrowful?

Alma 31-32

Alma 31-32 Study Guide – to be discussed March 13
Day 1: Read Alma 31:1-11 (Note: In the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, our chapters 30 and 31 were one chapter.)
1. Who were the Zoramites and where did they live? Why did Alma want to preach to them?



2. Who did Alma take with him on his missionary journey to the Zoramites?



3. What “errors” had the Zoramites fallen into?



Day 2: Read Alma 31:12-23; Luke 18:9-14; 2 Corinthians 10:17-18
4. List the false doctrines included in the Zoramites’ weekly prayer.




5. Underline each “we,” “our” and “us” in the Zoramite prayer. Who was really being “worshipped” in the Zoramite’s synagogues?


6. Read the parable in Luke 18:9-14. How were the Zoramites like the Pharisees in Christ’s day? How can we avoid the “Zoramite Disease” today?



Day 3: Read Alma 31:24-38
7. List the things Alma tells us the Zoramites’ hearts were set upon, or swallowed up in.




8. For what, specifically, did Alma ask in his emotional prayer?



9. How was Alma’s prayer answered?



BONUS: Read Alma 31:35 with D&C 18:10-13. Why is the worth of souls great in God’s sight?



Day 4: Read Alma 32:1-12; Matthew 5:3; Matthew 13:3-8; D&C 101:8
10. Where did Alma and his brethren teach the Zoramites? Among whom did they have the most success?


11. Read Matthew 5:3 with footnote b. In what ways were the “poor” Zoramites poor? In what ways were they rich?



12. What question did the humble Zoramites bring to Alma? Why did this fill him with great joy?



BONUS: Read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:3-8, with D&C 101:8. What kind of preparation had yielded good soil among the Zoramites?


Day 5: Read Alma 32:13-26; Hebrews 11:1; Ether 12:6
13. According to Alma 32:13, to what does humility lead? What is better than compulsive humility?



14. Alma, having found good ground, began to plant seeds of faith among the humble Zoramites. What did he say about the relationship between knowledge and faith? Between faith and hope?



15. Read Hebrews 11:1 (with footnote b), and Ether 12:6 with Alma 32:21. If faith is the first principle of the gospel, what is the first principle of faith?



Day 6: Read Alma 32:27-33; Joshua 1:8; 2 Nephi 32:3; John 5:39
16.What seed did Alma suggest we plant in our hearts in order to strengthen our faith? What does it mean to “give place” for this seed?



17. List the signs of a good seed.



18. How can we put Alma’s “experiment” to the test in our own lives?



Day 7: read Alma 32:34-43
19. In horticulture, what is the role of light in seed development? What does Alma say about light?



20. Count the number of times Alma said we must “nourish” the tree in order for it to take root. How can we nourish the word?


21. Review 1 Nephi 11:20-25. What does the tree represent? The fruit?