Please please please watch. I know what it is like to feel all alone and out of place in the Mormon church. I was there once. Every religious lgbtq kid needs to know that God loves them and when your church teaches that you are abnormal it gets hard to feel that love. Because of such hateful policies in the Mormon church, I can no longer turn a blind eye. Though I no longer believe in the church, many lgbtq Mormon youth do. And they are the most at risk for suicide. Just know that no matter what anyone says, you are normal, you are loved.
"He does speak; he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him."
This was taken out of The Pearl Of Great Price Institute Student Manual. Elder Hugh B. Brown, then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, related the following conversation he had with a noted judge, before the outbreak of World War II, illustrating this point: “I began by asking, ‘May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?’ “‘I am.’ “‘I assume you believe in the Bible—the Old and New Testament?’ “‘I do!’ “‘Do you believe in prayer?’ “‘I do!’ “‘You say that my belief that God spoke to a man in this age is fantastic and absurd?’ “‘To me, it is.’ “‘Do you believe that God ever did speak to anyone?’ “‘Certainly, all through the Bible we have evidence of that.’ … “‘Then … I am submitting to you in all seriousness that it was standard procedure in Bible times for God to talk to man.’ “‘I think I will admit that, but it stopped shortly after the first century of the Christian era.’ “‘Why do you think it stopped?’ “‘I can’t say.’ … “‘May I suggest some possible reasons: Perhaps God does not speak to man anymore because he cannot. He has lost the power.’ “He said, ‘Of course that would be blasphemous.’ “‘Well, then if you don’t accept that, perhaps he doesn’t speak to men because he doesn’t love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.’ “‘No,’ he said, ‘God loves all men, and he is no respecter of persons.’ “‘Well, then, if he could speak, and if he loves us, then the only other possible answer as I see it is that we don’t need him. We have made such rapid strides in science, we are so well educated, that we don’t need God anymore.’ “And then he said, and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war, ‘Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why he doesn’t speak.’ “My answer was, ‘He does speak; he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him’” (The Profile of a Prophet, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [4 Oct. 1955], 3–5).
Alma, the young priest who was converted by Abinadi's teachings, had been an evil man himself. The record says that he then "repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi." (Mosiah 18:1.)
Later he told his followers about his former life of sin, saying, "Remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance. Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth. Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself." (Mosiah 23:9-10.)
The Lord instructed him by revelation and gave him divine authority to administer the ordinances of the gospel.
When the time came for the baptism of his followers, Alma officiated, "having authority from the Almighty God." (Mosiah 18:13.) The scripture says that those who were baptized were given the ordinance "by the power and authority of God." (Mosiah 18:17.)
The younger Alma was ordained by his father many years later. He reported that he had been consecrated by his father, Alma, "to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things." (Alma 5:3.)
It becomes clear, then, that when Alma repented, the Lord fully accepted him and authorized him to be His servant in converting those who would follow him, and to baptize them for the remission of sins and admission into the church. No one need question his divine authority.
Alma went among the people in the city, quietly teaching the words of Abinadi. As is always the case in any community, there are righteous people even among the wicked. Some such persons were in Noah's kingdom also, and Alma found them. They, of course, had not heard Abinadi speak, for he delivered his message in the palace, where but few were allowed to come. Those who lived beyond the palace gates did not hear him. Some may have seen him as he was burned at the stake, however, for such events were public.
When Alma began to teach his friends the words of the martyred prophet, they responded gladly. He taught them "concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven." The record says that "many did believe his words." (Mosiah 18:2-3.)
Alma made his headquarters in the wilderness near what was called the "waters of Mormon," a wooded area that provided privacy. His believers came to him there, and he taught them further of the gospel of Christ, details of which evidently were given him by revelation.
"As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God," he declared, "and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?"
When the people heard this, they "clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts."
The first person to be baptized was a man named Helam. His baptism is of particular interest, because when he was baptized, Alma immersed himself in the water also, since there was no one there authorized to baptize him. (Mosiah 18:8-14.)
This appears to be similar to what took place when Nephi began to baptize following the coming of the Savior after his resurrection. The scripture says that the twelve disciples "did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them. And when they had thus prayed they went down unto the water's edge, and the multitude followed them.
"And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water and was baptized. And he came up out of the water and began to baptize. And he baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen.
"And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire." (3 Ne. 19:9-13.)
Who baptized Nephi?
The record says concerning Alma:
"It came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.
"And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.
"And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.
"And again, Alma took another, and went forth a second time into the water, and baptized him according to the first, only he did not bury himself again in the water. And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God. And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church."
Alma ordained other men to the office of priest, and appointed one to each group of fifty people. He taught them that they should "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people."
Then Alma commanded the priests that "there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God.
"And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God. And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had ordained should labor with their own hands for their support. And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together."
Alma was particularly careful concerning the poor among them, for he commanded that "the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul." (Mosiah 18:12-28.)
