Alma 23-29

They “Never Did Fall Away”

June 29-July 5

Scripture: Alma 26:11

The word that kept sticking out to me throughout the whole reading section is the word JOY. I was so curious in fact that I put the section into a word frequency counter (because I always seem to miscount on my own.) The last 4 chapters of this reading section (Alma 26-29) mention the word JOY 24 times. Alma 26 mentioned JOY 8 times, Alma 27=7 times, Alma 28=2 times, Alma 29=7 times.

According to https://gospelcougar.blogspot.com/2007/12/word-frequency-in-book-of-mormon.html the word ‘joy’ is mentioned 137 times in the Book of Mormon.

That means that roughly 17.5% of the times that JOY is mentioned in the whole Book of Mormon is talked about in this 4 chapter section.

In the Church News in 2017 it stated that “The 10 most frequent emotion words found across the Standard Works? In descending order — love, fear, desire, anger, peace, rejoice, joy, wrath, please and hate.” (https://www.thechurchnews.com/archives/2017-03-16/discover-how-often-emotions-are-used-in-the-scriptures-20528).That puts JOY the 7th most frequent emotion word in the standard works.

In the Guide to the Scriptures (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/joy?lang=eng&clang=eng) it defines Joy as “A condition of great happiness coming from righteous living. The purpose of mortal life is for all people to have joy (2 Ne. 2:22–25). A full joy will come only through Jesus Christ (John 15:11; D&C 93:33–34; 101:36).” I also found it interesting that the see also (or synonym to joy was obedience.)

Ammon talks about how his joy is full and Aaron rebukes him and tells him that he might be bordering boasting. Ammon continues to tell his brother that he is joyful and boasting in his God. “I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things” (Alma 26:12) He then continues to tell us why we can have joy and that it is through Jesus Christ because He has saved us from our sins and hell, and has brought us into his redeeming love, He has brought us and others into light, “encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love,” with the blessing of being an instrument in God’s hands to do His work (Alma 26:15).

I know that I’ve been needing to feel more joy and love in my life lately. I feel like Ammon has something that I need to hear now about how to find lasting JOY and love in my life.

What do we learn from these 4 chapters about joy?

How can we feel joy in our lives?

What is the difference of joy and pleasure?

Activity Idea: Make and Bury Swords

Alma 23:6-13 & Alma 24:16. Talks about how because the Anti-Nephi-Lehies were converted to the Lord they did not want to fight God nor their brethren. So they laid down their weapon of their rebellion (Alma 23:13) and did bury them deep in the earth (Alma 24:16).

What weapons are you holding onto in rebellion against God and/or your brethren? What are we holding onto that is holding us back in our conversion? What can you let go of to come closer to God? To show Him and others that you are a true follower of Christ?

My kids will enjoy making these swords out of craft sticks, toothpicks, and tape. I might even let them have some duels. Then we will read in Alma 23-24 and give them time to think of something that they want to give up and bury. Then off to our garden we go to bury them.

Activity Idea from the church: Digging Deep!

• Sing “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47).
• The Anti-Nephi-Lehies made a promise with God that they wouldn’t fight again. They buried their weapons in the ground (see Alma 23:7, 24:17).
• Take a small piece of paper and write down something you want to stop doing, like fighting or complaining. Share what you wrote, and promise to do your best to stop doing that thing. Then rip the paper into tiny pieces and bury it in the ground.