“Alma Repents” Panel Completed
- 8 hours ago
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The panel, “Alma Repents,” by Steven L. Neal is complete. The story is from Mosiah chapter 27 of the Book of Mormon. Although it depicts only a moment in time, it is filled with meaning for many generations. Alma, the son of Alma the high priest, was numbered among the unbelievers. He and the sons of King Mosiah—Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni—went about “secretly seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord.”
“As they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake . . . with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake.” They fell to the earth in great fear. Alma was commanded to stand up. The angel asked, “Why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said, ‘This is my church, and I will, establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.’”
Having seen an angel and heard his voice as a thunderous earthquake, Alma and his friends fell to the earth. Alma was so astonished he became dumb. He could not open his mouth. He could not even move his hands. He was carried helpless to the presence of his father. The elder Alma gathered the priests together and they fasted and prayed that his son might open his mouth and receive his strength. After two days and two nights of prayer and fasting Alma received his strength, stood up, and began to speak:
“I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me, Marvel not that all mankind . . . must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures. . . .”
“My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.”
