Alma Wishes He Were an Angel

Because of all these things, Alma exclaimed, “If only I were an angel. If only I could have the wish of my heart, to shake the earth with my voice, crying repentance to all people! I would declare repentance and the plan of redemption to every soul with the voice of thunder, so that they would repent and come to our God. Then there would be no more sorrow throughout the entire world!

“But I am a man, and I sin in my wish, for I should be content with what the Lord has given me. I should not want anything but the firm judgments of a just God, for I know He rewards men and women according to their desires. I also know that His judgments, which cannot be changed, result in spiritual and temporal salvation or death. I know that good and evil come to all, and that those who do not know right from wrong are innocent. But those who know good from evil are given what they choose—good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. Since I know this, why should I want to do more than what I have been called to do? Why should I want to be an angel, speaking to all the ends of the earth? For in His wisdom, justice, and truth, the Lord gives portions of His words to people in all nations, in their own language.

“I glory in knowing what the Lord has commanded me to do, for perhaps I may be an instrument in His hands to bring some soul to repentance, and this is my joy. When I see so many of my brethren truly repenting and coming to the Lord their God, my soul is filled with joy. Then I remember how the Lord heard my cry and extended His merciful arms toward me. I also remember the captivity of my father, Alma, and of his people. I know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob delivered them out of bondage and established His church among them.

“I have always remembered that the same God who delivered my father also delivered my ancient forefathers out of the Egyptians’ hands. That same God established His church among my people and gave me a holy calling to preach the word to them. And He gave me great success, in which my joy is full! I do not rejoice in my own success alone. My joy is greater because of my brethren’s success in the land of Nephi. They worked very hard, harvesting much fruit, and their reward will be great! When I think of their success, my joy is so great that my soul is carried away as if separated from my body!

May God reward my brethren to sit down in His kingdom with all those who are the fruit of their labors, never to leave again, but to praise Him forever. May God grant this according to my words. Amen.”