Come Follow Me: Scriptural Insights - Alma 36-38

For this week, the Come Follow Me topic is Alma 36–38. These chapters include Alma's counsel to his sons, especially his powerful testimony and conversion story.

Here are some key insights -

Alma 36 -

Alma recounts his conversion story to his son Helaman, focusing on the anguish he felt because of his sins and his joy through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

He emphasizes the importance of remembering God's mercy and the joy that comes from repentance.

Alma 37 -

Alma instructs Helaman on the sacred records and their importance in preserving the knowledge of God and His works.

He teaches about the Liahona and the importance of small and simple things leading to great outcomes with faith and diligence.

Alma 38 -

Alma speaks to his son Shiblon, praising him for his steadiness and faithfulness.

He encourages Shiblon to continue in humility, patience, and diligence, warning against pride.

Discussion Points -

1. How can we more fully remember God's mercy in our lives?
2. Why are small and simple things so important in our spiritual growth?
3. How can Alma's conversion story inspire our own repentance process?
4. For a deeper study, you can view the full Come Follow Me lesson here: Come Follow Me—Alma 36-38.

Though-provoking Questions

That might be helpful in studying Alma 36-38, along with corresponding verses to inspire your study and meditation -

Alma 36 -

1. How can remembering your own spiritual experiences strengthen your faith?
• Alma 36:20 - "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"
2. Why is it important to impart to others the lessons we've learned from our mistakes and successes?
• Alma 36:24 - "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance;..."
3. What role does the Atonement of Jesus Christ play in your daily life?
• Alma 36:17-18 - "And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment... I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ... I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me..."

Alma 37 -

1. What small and simple things can I focus on to bring about great changes in my life?
• Alma 37:6 - "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass;..."
2. How can sacred records (scriptures) guide and protect us in our daily lives?
• Alma 37:44 - "For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass..."
3. What does it mean to “counsel with the Lord in all thy doings”?
• Alma 37:37 - "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God..."

Alma 38 -

1. In what ways can you display courage and patience in the face of trials?
• Alma 38:4 - "And now, my son, Shiblon, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God?..."
2. How do pride and humility impact our ability to receive divine guidance?
• Alma 38:11 - "See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength."
3. Why is it important to “bridle all your passions”?
• Alma 38:12 - "Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness."
4. What does it mean to be “diligent in keeping the commandments of God”?
• Alma 38:10 - "And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things."

Top 10 Fun Fact for this week's Come Follow Me

• Chiasmus Masterpiece

Did you know that Alma 36 is an excellent example of chiasmus, a literary structure where elements are mirrored around a central point?

Chiasmus or Chiasm is one of the Hebraisms that was included in the Book of Mormon in which Joseph Smith didn't even think any of it exist. It's one of the ways the writer wants to point out the meaning of the subject of his message. The fascinating part is that this central point is Alma's testimony of Jesus Christ and His atonement, showcasing how the structure itself emphasizes Christ as the cornerstone of Alma's redemption and message.

Chiasmus adds an extra layer of meaning and beauty to Alma's powerful testimony. Alma 36 is famously known for its chiasmus, a literary structure where ideas are mirrored. I'll add a short example from the New Testament to help you understand how the structure was composed -

Matthew 6:22 -

The light of the 

body is the 

eye: if therefore thine 

eye be single, thy whole 

body shall be full of 

light.

Here's how it was constructed -

A - light
   B -- body
      C --- eye
      C --- eye
   B -- body
A - light

Have you seen the pattern? Try to imagine that in the whole chapter of the Book of Mormon Specifically in Alma 36 where Joseph Smith jr. never knew Hebraisms like Chiasmus or inverted parallelism that was only discovered later by John W. Welch in 1967 while he was serving a mission in Germany. I'll add more references in the links below for a detailed study.

The central focus of the chiasmus is Alma's testimony of Jesus Christ. Here's the complete structure of the Chiasmus in Alma 36 composed as the whole Chapter.

Other fun facts about below -

• Conversion Story: Alma 36 recounts Alma the Younger’s dramatic conversion after being visited by an angel. His transformation shows the power of repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
• Father-Son Counsel: Alma 36–38 contains Alma the Younger's heartfelt counsel to his sons Helaman and Shiblon, underscoring the importance of following the Savior and living righteously.
• Word of God Importance: In Alma 37, Alma emphasizes the importance of the scriptures, instructing Helaman to preserve the sacred records, which would bless future generations.
• Liahona Lessons: Alma uses the story of the Liahona, a sacred compass that guided Lehi’s family, as a symbol of how faith and obedience can guide us through life.
• Stones of Light: Alma alludes to the stones or "interpreters" that were prepared to help with translation of the sacred records, which ties back to the stones used by the brother of Jared (Ether 3).
• Focus on Jesus Christ: Alma consistently centers his teachings on Jesus Christ, urging his sons to trust in His power and love over everything else.
• Faith and Strength: Alma blesses his son Shiblon for his faithfulness and patience in afflictions, reinforcing the value of steadfastness in adversity.
• Warnings and Encouragement: Alma 38 includes instructions to avoid pride and boasting, urging his sons to be humble and faithful in their duties.
• Foreshadowing: Alma's counsel and prophesied blessings to Helaman and Shiblon in these chapters foreshadow their future roles in Nephite leadership and their impacts on the community.

Okay, so I promised to post a link, it was a joke sorry 🤣, Just kidding. Okay so below are some of links that I studied for sometime and some about a year ago or more, but it's helpful. I won't include some Parallelism that I collected before which is in this blog page. If you want to check it out, you can go ahead and find it 🤣.

• Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon - Gospel Library
• Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon - Book of Mormon Central will be migrating soon in Scripture Central
• How Was Chiasmus Discovered in the Book of Mormon? - John W. Welch story with Lynne Hilton Wilson
• Hebraisms with some other Parallelism - Presentation from Book of Mormon Central