33:1 Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto him
desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that they
might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they should
plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must
be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should begin to
exercise their faith.
33:2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not
worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But
behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, 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.
33:3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has
said concerning prayer or worship?
33:4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, 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.
33:5 Yea, O God, 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.
33:6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me
in my prayer.
33:7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee,
thou didst hear me.
33:8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee,
to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
33:9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in
the midst of thy congregations.
33:10 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.
33:11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my
sincerity; and it is because of thy Son 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 Son.
33:12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures which
have been written by them of old?
33:13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he
said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son.
33:14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the
scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?
33:15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things, but
Zenock also spake of these things—
33:16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people,
because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed
upon them because of thy Son.
33:17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has
testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not
understand his words they stoned him to death.
33:18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have
spoken concerning the Son of God.
33:19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; 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.
33:20 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.
33:21 O my brethren, 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?
33:22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about
your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to
redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their
sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to
pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be
judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
33:23 And now, my brethren, 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 God grant unto you that your burdens may
be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye
will. Amen.