God Reaches Us In Many Different Ways

    This is the story of Alma the younger. Young man, Son of a great prophet of God. So you'd figure he would follow in his father's footsteps right ? Well that wasn't quite the case here. We learn in the 27th chapter of Mosiah that Alma was a pretty unrighteous dude. He ran around with the four sons of Mosiah trying to destroy the Church of God.

          "And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity to the Church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissention among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them." Mosiah 27:9

    But one day as Alma and his buddies were out causing trouble, an angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and spake with a voice of thunder. So great were the astonishment of Alma and his friends that they fell to the earth. However, the astonishment of Alma was so great that he was struck dumb! 

           "Now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, and could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father.

           "And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew it was the power of God." Mosiah 27: 19-20

    So he is laying there dumbstruck, and his father rejoices. Then, he even gathers a multitude of people to witness what has happened. Apparently, Alma the senior knows something we don't. Soon after the multitude is gathered they offer a fast that Alma the younger may receive his strength back. After fasting for two days and two nights, he rises from his state and is back in good health. He awakes a completely different person, and no longer seeks to destroy the Church, but rather to spread the word of God and do good works . We can learn alot from this story but one of the things I look at is how God will show us things in many different ways. Often we are either humbled or enlightened by the power of God. Luckily not the same way as Alma. Although I wish sometimes that would have happened to me in the past. . 

   I pray we can all have the faith to see when God is trying to reach us, whether it be through our leaders, friends, family, or anything else. And also to know that our Heavenly Father is truly the one in charge. He is there. He loves us. And He answers our prayers. 

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