Alma: Mosiah 18, 23-24 - Part 2

One thing I wanted to talk about regarding these passages have to do with - what else - the time line of events...  Consider this table I have prepared:

Date	Land of Zarahemla	Land of Lehi/Nephi	City of Helam (Alma)
200 B.C.	Zeniff and  people leave for Lehi/Nephi	Zeniff is made King by his people in Lehi/Nephi.
~180 B.C.	Benjamin, son of Mosiah, becomes king of Nephites at Zarahemla
160 B.C.		Noah, son of Zeniff, becomes king of Lehi/Nephi.  He and his people become wicked
150 B.C.		Abinadi comes to the land, prophesies against the king and his ways, flees for his life
148 -  147 B.C.		Abinadi again prophesies, teaches about the coming of the Savior.  Abinadi is put to death for his efforts by Noah and his evil priests.	Alma believes Abinadi, and has to flee. He writes Abinadi's words and secretly begins teaching them to people in Lehi/Nephi.
147 B.C.			Alma baptizes the believers in the Waters of Mormon
145 B.C.		King Noah hears of a new movement in his land, discovers Alma is preaching, sends his army to destroy Alma and his followers	Alma is warned by the Lord, takes his people (about 450 souls) and journeys into the wilderness.  They create the land of Helam.
~145 - 144 B.C.		Gideon and his supporters battle with Noah and his priests.  Lamanites attack, Noah orders his men to flee with him.  Noah is put to death by fire.  Limhi, Noah's son, is made king.
124 B.C.	Mosiah, Benjamin's son, becomes king of Nephites at Zarahemla	After years of battles and subjugation, the people of Lehi/Nephi are in complete bondage to the Lamanites
121 B.C.	People want to know about Zeniff and his people. They continually worry King Mosiah about them.  Mosiah sends Ammon and his men to find Lehi/Nephi.  Mosiah and the people of Zarahemla welcome Limhi's people to their lands.	Limhi receives Ammon and his men, make preparations to travel and miraculously escape the Lamanites. Limhi and his people, led by Ammon, return to Zarahemla and are received there.	Lamanite army who pursued Limhi discover the surviving priests of Noah as they try to find their way back to Lehi/Nephi.  Together they find Alma's people in Helam and subject the righteous people of Alma to bondage and torture.
120 B.C.	Mosiah and his people welcome Alma and the people who followed him to Zarahemla.		The Lord prepares Alma and his people to flee the Lamanites.  The Lamanites pursue them but are stopped.  Alma's people are welcomed by Mosiah at Zarahemla.

It's interesting to see the events laid out in a table this way; I think it gives a perspective that we may not have otherwise, at least to me it does.  First a couple of side-notes: 
I didn't realize that Noah was king for over 15 years before his unfortunate demise....  It didn't occur to me that it took him a lot of time to drag down his people as much as he did.  It's interesting to me that the Lord gave Noah ample opportunity to change his ways...
I didn't have a good appreciation for how long Limhi was king after his father left.  I imagine that Limhi's job was very difficult - to be the leader of the people during war time and war time occupation would be very difficult indeed.  To have to right the foundering ship of social and religious values at the same time would be extremely difficult.

Now to talk about Alma and his people:  I have the same comment for Alma and his people at Helam:  They were there a lot longer than I realized...  They also were under Lamanite occupation a much shorter time than the people of Limhi were.  What lesson do we learn from this?  I think that Alma's people were taken care of by the Lord sooner in their tribulation because they had learned to live Godly lives before they were tried.  I think Limhi's people had not yet turned back to the Lord when their tribulations started and it took a lot of woe and suffering to bring them to the point that they realized they needed God in their lives.  As an example of this, just think of how the Limhites reacted to occupation and bondage versus how the Almahites reacted...  Limhi's people put up with it briefly and then demanded that Limhi take them into battle to solve their problems.  The people of Helam, on the other hand, poured their souls out to God, trusted that He would take care of them, submitted themselves to be used, and felt the Lord's hand when He eased their burdens.  The difference?  Alma's people were relieved of their burden within the year by escaping through divine intervention.

The two best passages from this story:  "And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helam.  Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.  Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." (Mosiah 23: 20-22).
"And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.  And [their captors] commanded them that they should stop their cries; and [they] put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.  And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.  And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.  And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.  And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." (Mosiah 24: 10-15).

Let us be prepared for trials, troubles or tribulations by already calling on the Lord, by already loving the Gospel, by already living God's commands.  It's not a matter of doing the right things so God will know who we are; it's a matter of doing the right things so that we will know who God is, how to recognize Him and where to look for Him.  May we be able to know God daily - in all things and in all seasons.

Don