Homework! Aminadi, and Amulek
This one is called Share It! from my religion class. Unlike Teach a Friend, this assignment involves me sharing an insight from our reading assignment for the week. I would love to hear your thoughts about it.
Alma 10:2,3 is so awesome. In truth, I don’t know enough of my stud ancestors to be able to introduce myself like that. Also, WHO IS AMINADI?? And what story are we missing about God writing on a wall, and Aminadi interpreting it?? *sigh* If you’ve read my blog, you might be able to figure out, I got a thing for a man like that. The super cool thing about this scripture -- the missing story. It’s a reminder that we only have a portion of their history --But Amulek, and the people he was addressing, they knew the story. We’ll have to wait a little longer for that one.
Earlier in Alma 8:27, is a scripture that I really love, though it seems like it doesn’t say much. “ Alma tarried many days with Amulek”. Knowing what will happen in Amulek’s city, to him and his family, this seems even more special. Can you imagine what it would be like to have the prophet tarry with you ? The conversations, the meals, the walks, the games with kids, maybe. Like the part in the movie where all the good stuff happens before the big battle: You discover how wonderful all the characters are. Relationships are formed and strengthened. Beautiful things happen. Light is golden, music is beautiful; identities reinforced.
Of course, the hard stuff happens (Alma 8-14). Long story short, they leave to preach, and are thrown in jail. It gets really bad. People are martyred. Some believers are able to flee....are his wife and children with them? It doesn’t say. The ones that remain are burned at the stake along with their writings. Amulek is brought out of jail with Alma, and forced to watch. They walk out after the building collapses on their oppressors, “....and when they (the people) saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions...” Hard not to see this in slow motion with a huge explosion behind them (there was probably no explosion--lot’s of dust and debris though). Amulek’s pain isn’t over. The entire city is destroyed--every person in it, including his father and kindred. The story ends with Alma taking Amulek with him to Zarahemla, to his home, to administer to him in his tribulations, and strengthen him in the Lord. Besides this being a type of things to come (Moroni), it’s a story of incredible dimensions. Faith, trials, restoration, rejection, miracles. I love Amulek. My heart connects to him, hurts for him--even though this happened roughly 2,098 years ago. I often wonder how that is possible--how we can connect to someone who lived so long ago. I think it’s because he lives, just on the other side of the veil.
