Alma 35

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 green 5/21 8/22 Brown 9/23.)

Chapter 35

The preaching of the word destroys the craft of the Zoramites—They expel the converts, who then join the people of Ammon in Jershon—Alma sorrows because of the wickedness of the people. About 74 B.C.

  1 Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over into the land of ^aJershon. I wonder if "withdrawing" is different from just "leaving". Maybe the people didn't want them to go and they had to make an effort to withdraw.
  2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the word unto the ^aZoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon. Did they listen to Alma and Amulek and then repeat their teachings to others, and then leave?
  3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for it did destroy their ^acraft; therefore they would not hearken unto the words. So the previous sermon was preached to these "more popular" people and were joined by those they were casting out of their synagogues? Awkward. Beware of the desire to be popular. It might be hard to give up...
  4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words which had been spoken. To see if they needed to be worried about their being popular still...This sounds like a form of wanting to do things by the voice of the people; but the motive is different. They have no intention of submitting to the will of the people. They just want to know how to craft their plans or what opposition they might have.
  5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they found out privily the minds of all the people. "privily" means "in secret"... so I'm not sure if this is saying they found out the minds of the people who they gathered together (not sounding so private...) or just that their intentions for wanting to know was kept private... or they didn’t let the people know they were polling them. 
  6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; and they were ^amany; and they came over also into the land of Jershon. So...the leaders took a poll and 'innocently' asked 'how people felt'. Afterall...they were there and pretended to be 'interested' in the preaching and did nothing at the time to revile them. Such a plot! I sometimes worry about people taking online polls about whether you support Trump or the Constitution, only trying to identify the people they want to get rid of...how did they physically cast them out? Especially since there were many? Why did the "many" not resist? 
  7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister unto them. True charity! What did this ministering look like? Food? Shelter? Clothes? Jobs? Comfort? 
  8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the ^apeople of Ammon who were in Jershon, because they dared to take them in? and the ^bchief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land.
  9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did ^anourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants. Wow! Food, clothes, land, whatever you "want" (not need, but want) Here is how they ministered to them. I love they did not fear "what the wicked may say"...in fact - let's review that hymn right now. We are in sore need of this prayer/testimony today!

Let us all press on in the work of the Lord,
That when life is o’er we may gain a reward;
In the fight for right let us wield a sword,
The mighty sword of truth.
We must ALL join in this FIGHT for right. We fight with TRUTH. Our reward is for our eternal joy and freedom.

Fear not, though the enemy deride;
Courage, for the Lord is on our side.
We will heed not what the wicked may say,
But the Lord alone we will obey.

Why do we live in fear? Yes, the enemy will "deride" if we refuse to take in their fear, but courage is doing what is right in the face of such derision, not the absence of it! Why do we need to fear? The Lord is on OUR side! I will HEED NOT what the wicked may say. The Lord ALONE, I will obey!!!

We will not retreat, though our numbers may be few
When compared with the opposite host in view;
But an unseen pow’r will aid me and you
In the glorious cause of truth.
I will NOT retreat, even though few stand with me! I know an "unseen power" will come to my aid as I defend the glorious cause of truth!

Fear not, though the enemy deride;
Courage, for the Lord is on our side.
We will heed not what the wicked may say,
But the Lord alone we will obey.

If we do what’s right we have no need to fear,
For the Lord, our helper, will ever be near;
In the days of trial his Saints he will cheer,
And prosper the cause of truth.

Only in doing what is right, do I have no need to fear. Why? Because, the Lord is my helper and is ever near. This is truly a day of trial and He will cheer us on if we act like His Saints. He will prosper the cause of truth as we actively defend it. 

Fear not, though the enemy deride;
Courage, for the Lord is on our side.
We will heed not what the wicked may say,
But the Lord alone we will obey.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:33–37 One of my FAVORITE Scriptures! 

33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. Conversely, if ye sow evil, you reap that...is that why we are reaping what we see now? Have we sown evil by fearing to do good and stand up to the abuse of our rights? 34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. No one wants earth and hell to combine against them (Secret Combinations) but we are commanded to fear not, even though we are just "little" sheep. We are promised they cannot prevail if we are built upon Christ! Sadly...we are not built upon Him at all, but upon man and positions of "authority". What about the greatest person of all in authority? Why do we not fear Him? or trust Him? 35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you. Here is our merciful God. He doesn't condemn us. He understands our fear. He just tells us to get up and get going. Do what we are supposed to do and quite hiding from it. 36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. This is how you go forward in courage. You look unto Christ in EVERY thought. Don't doubt! Don't fear! 37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen. Always remember the importance and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ!

1 Nephi 22:15–17

15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as ^astubble; and the day cometh that they must be ^bburned. 16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the ^awrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. 17 Wherefore, he will ^apreserve the ^brighteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.  This promise give us courage! Not sure how this applies to the righteous who are martyred. Isn't that the wicked destroying the righteous? Maybe the Lord is only talking about "the day that soon cometh" where he doesn't allow it anymore...

 10 Now this did ^astir up the Zoramites to ^banger against the people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger against them.
 11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites. Let me see if I get this straight...I'm mad that you listened to some Nephite who came in to our city and converted you; so mad that I kicked you out of my city. Good riddance! Oh wait...it's not enough that I don't have to live with you or look at you or listen to you anymore...I want the people you went to live with to kick you out too! And if they don't, well, I'm going to get our common enemy to join me in my hatred of you and we're going to come and kill you! What is this madness???
 12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
 13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon, and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and an ^aaccount shall be given of their wars hereafter. So the Zoramites wanted the people of Alma to be cast out of Jerson and were told no. So the Zoramites and Lamanites combine to go to war; so the people of Alma willingly leave Jershon and let the Nephite armies stay in Jershon to prepare for war.  And how amazing is their love for these people that they will go to war for them. They truly considered them brethren and "like unto themselves" and defended them as if it was they, themselves that were being attacked. True Zion.
 14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the ^atwo sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing ^bmany of the ^cZoramites to repentance; So it IS possible to reclaim disaffected members (even though the ones that don't convert are among the most hard-hearted. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO JUDGE who will and who won't come back. Our duty is to "be an instrument in the hands of God to bring" as many as will, back in to the fold.  and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands. So only the Nephites who had given their lands to the Zoramites left the city. The converted Zoramites stayed to fight with the Nephites, (I think)
 15 Now Alma, being ^agrieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be ^boffended because of the strictness of the word, it's too hard to be good...waa, waa, waa...his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
 16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his ^acharge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. Father's blessing? Mission call? Leadership position? And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.