Alma Teaches Outside the City

Alma, who had repented of his sins, went secretly among the people, teaching them Abinadi’s words. Many believed him as he taught about the resurrection and the redemption that would come through the power, suffering, and death of Christ, who would be resurrected, and then go up into heaven. Alma taught in private so that King Noah would not find out about him. The people who believed Alma met in a place called Mormon, named by King Noah. This was a place outside the city where many wild animals came during certain times of the year. In this place, Alma lived near a pure spring. During the day he hid in a small thicket of trees near the spring while the king’s men searched for him. The believers came to this place to hear Alma speak. After many days, all the believers, now a large group of people, had come to hear him.

Alma preached repentance, redemption, and faith in the Lord. He said, “Here are the waters of Mormon. And here you have come to enter the fold of God. You desire to be called His people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, making them light. You are willing to mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who need comforting, and stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places for the rest of your lives. You desire this so that you may be redeemed by God and rise in the first resurrection to eternal life. Since this is the desire of your hearts, do you have anything against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before Him that you have entered a covenant to serve Him and keep His commandments, that He may pour out His Spirit upon you even more?”

When the people heard this, they clapped their hands for joy, exclaiming, “This is the desire of our hearts!”

Then Alma went into the water with Helam, one of the first believers, and cried, “Oh Lord, pour out Thy Spirit upon Thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.”

After saying this, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Alma. He said, “Helam, having authority from the Almighty God, I baptize you as a testimony that you have entered a covenant to serve Him for the rest of your life. May the Lord’s Spirit be poured out upon you, and may God grant you eternal life through the redemption of Christ, whom He has prepared from the foundation of the world.” After saying this, both Alma and Helam went under the water. They arose and came out of the water rejoicing and filled with the Spirit.

Then Alma baptized another man, but this time he did not go under the water himself. In the same way, Alma baptized everyone who had come, about 204 of them, and they were all filled with the grace of God. From then on they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ. All who were baptized by the power and authority of God were added to His church.

Then Alma, having authority from God, ordained one priest for every fifty people in the church, to teach them of God’s kingdom. Alma commanded the priests to teach only what he had taught—things that the holy prophets had spoken— repentance and faith in the Lord who would redeem His people. Alma also commanded them not to argue, but to have one faith and one baptism, with their hearts knit together in unity and love for one another.

By preaching this way, Alma’s people were taught, and they became the children of God. Alma commanded them to keep the Sabbath day holy and to give thanks to the Lord their God each day. He also commanded the priests to work to support themselves.

One day a week was set apart for the people to gather and worship the Lord their God, and to be taught. They also met at other times during the week whenever possible.

The priests did not depend on the people for their support. As compensation for their service they received God’s grace, which made them strong in the Spirit, and which gave them a knowledge of God, enabling them to teach with power and authority from Him.

Alma commanded everyone in the church to give of their substance according to what they had. If some had more, they were to give more, while the poor were to give less, and all were to give to those with nothing. They were taught to give by their own free will and good desires toward God. They gave to the needy priests, who spent much of their time building the church, and also to anyone needing food or clothing. Alma said it was a commandment of God to give to one another, both temporally and spiritually, according to the needs and wants among them.

All this happened in the forest near the waters of Mormon, a beautiful place to those who there found their Redeemer. And how blessed they are, for they will sing His praise forever. These things were done on the borders outside the land so that King Noah would not know about them. But the king had discovered this movement and sent out his servants to spy on the people. On the day that Alma’s people were gathered to be taught, they were discovered by the spies.

Upon hearing his servants’ report, the king claimed that Alma was stirring up the people to rebel against him, and he sent out his army to destroy them. Alma and the Lord’s people (about 450 of them) were informed that the king’s army was coming, so they took their tents and families and escaped into the wilderness.