Alma Chapter 33

Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto her desiring to know whether they should believe in one Goddess, that they might obtain this fruit of which she had spoken, or how they should plant the seed, or the word of which she had spoken, which she said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith. And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your Goddess because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship Goddess, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them. Do ye remember to have read what Zenise, the prophetess of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?

For she said: Thou art merciful, O Goddess, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me. Yea, O Goddess, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

And again, O Goddess, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer. And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lady, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me. Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of women, and thou wilt hear them. Yea, O Goddess, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations. Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction. And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Daughter that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Daughter.

And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old? Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenise said; for, behold she said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Daughter.

Now behold, my sisters, I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Daughter of Goddess? For it is not written that Zenise alone spake of these things, but Zenocka also spake of these things—

For behold, she said: Thou art angry, O Lady, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Daughter. And now, my sisters, ye see that a second prophetess of old has testified of the Daughter of Goddess, and because the people would not understand her words they stoned her to death.

But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Daughter of Goddess. Behold, she was spoken of by Zipporah; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.

But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. O my sisters, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Daughter of Goddess, that she will come to redeem her people, and that she shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that she shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all women shall stand before her, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

And now, my sisters, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may Goddess grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of her Daughter. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.