Last night my scripture reading took me through the first three chapters of Alma. I have read these chapters many times, but once again I was struck with the parallel between the Nephites' history and modern day history. Just as the church today is persecuted and its members maligned, the members of the church in Alma's day were also persecuted. "As it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to be judged, a man who was large and was noted for his much strength. And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people." Alma 1:2-3 Later on this man, named Nahor, is seen taking money from the people for the "preaching" he has done. The people esteem him very highly, and his false doctrine takes hold of some of the people. I feel that it also sets the stage for more false prophets to try and steal away the hearts of the Nephites.
It is the same today. We have many voices all around us, shouting at us to listen. It is often hard to hear the promptings of the still small voice.
When I was 17, the ward that I attended in California had a wilderness camp for the youth. It was a very important event in my life and helped to deepen my testimony. We had many activities and participated in many games. Each game/activity was an object lesson and helped us to realize things about ourselves and our faith.
These chapters from Alma reminded me of one of the games we played. My companions and I were blindfolded and told that our goal was to walk about 500 yards while trying to stay on the safe dirt path. The terrain was very rocky and full of brambles and sage brush, but before the blindfolds were put on we all clearly saw that there was a dirt path that would lead us to the our end goal. Our chaperones told us that we would hear some tapping and hitting sounds. These sounds, we were told, would lead us to our goal. I stood still and waited to hear the sound that I was told would lead me home. I didn't have to wait very long. In front of me I heard a soft tapping sound. I took a few steps and immediately heard another sound. This one was loud and insistent. It sounded as if two sticks were being banged together. I hesitated. The loud sticks sounded again. I followed. Everything was fine. 'Afterall, ' I remember thinking, 'the soft tapping was not coming in a timely manner.' I didn't feel any bramble so I knew I must still be on the path. Then I heard the soft tapping. I could tell that I was far away from it, but the sticks sounded again. So I followed. It didn't take long for me to get all stuck up in a tumbleweed, sage brush disaster. That is when I knew that I had indeed wandered away from the path. I heard the tapping again. I tried to move toward it but I was tangled in the bush. It was then that I felt hands reach out to me. It was one of my advisors. The bush was removed from my legs and I was free to choose wither I would go. Of course, I chose to follow the tapping and avoided the stick sounds. A few minutes later I made it to my goal and was embraced by my companions. This experience happened to me 20 years ago and yet I still remember it.
Last Sunday I had a dream that made me realize something terrible about myself. I have been listening to the sticks instead of the tapping. During my scripture reading I was reminded again that "...every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth..." Alma 3:27 I choose to follow the tapping. I choose to follow God.
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