Post # 242 – Come, Follow Me – Week # 28 – July 13–19 -- Alma 32–35 -- “Plant This Word in Your Hearts”

Dear Family and Friends

I hope this post finds each of you healthy and doing well Please remember just how amazing you are!!!! You have many gifts and talents to share with others. You can use your gifts and talents to help uplift others and make their lives better. You can make them smile when they do not feel like smiling. 

You can help them with their burdens to make them lighter. You can help them with their work, even if you have to get a bit creative to help them You so this because you know just how it feels when someone does the same thing for you Besides the feeling that you get when you can make someone smile, even for a minute or two

I am able to see this in the eyes and faces of my preschoolers as they accomplish something for the first time. It is so amazing to help them reach each goal! They like each one of us reach their goals step by step or line upon line, precept upon precept, you remember that verse of scripture don’t you?



Speaking of remembering verses of scripture, it is so important for each one of us to read and study all of God’s words which He has written through His chosen prophets throughout the centuries since the earth began. We have the opportunity ti read and study all of those words each day. Some do not have this opportunity.

We also have the opportunity to listen to, to read, and to study the words of our living prophet and his counselors. The words they speak become scriptures as well as their words come from the Lord through the gift of the Holy Ghost. And through the gift of the Holy Ghost we can understand the words which God sends to us

You know it doesn’t matter how many times you or I have read the scriptures, it is important to read them again and again!!! I personally have found something new each time that I read and ponder the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon!!! The Book of Mormon has a special power within it’s very covers and pages too!!!

So as you and your family members and friends are reading through this week’s assigned readings in Alma 32–35. Please  make sure that you and your family members and friends are each open to finding new insights and ideas from the Holy Ghost as the Holy Ghost will help you see things through different eyes



It is through the Light of Christ or the Gift of the Holy Ghost that we learn all things Spiritual. Those of us who are baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ have the Gift of the Holy Ghost given to us after baptism. And those of you who are not yet members of the Church have access to the Light of Christ.

Oh, I guess I have been rambling on again haven’t I ? I will never apologize for my ramblings though, because I believe there is always a reason for the words I speak. I don’t always know the why of what I say, but I do know it is important that I say it when it comes. Let’s get on to our lesson for this week

This upcoming week we will be studying from Alma again. We will be studying chapters 32 through 35. You could begin this lesson in review by having your family and friends share what they have learned in their study. This first section comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:

Record the spiritual impressions you receive as you study Alma 32–35. What do you feel inspired to do because of what you learn?



For the Zoramites, prayer was a self-centered, routine practice that happened only once a week. It consisted of standing where all could see and repeating vain, self-satisfied words. Perhaps worse, the Zoramites lacked faith in Jesus Christ—even denied His existence—and persecuted the poor (see Alma 31:9–25). By contrast, Alma and Amulek boldly taught that prayer has more to do with what happens in our hearts than on a public platform. And if it doesn’t lead to compassion toward those in need, it is “vain, and availeth … nothing” (Alma 34:28). Most important, it is an expression of faith in Jesus Christ, who offers redemption through His “infinite and eternal sacrifice” (Alma 34:10). Such faith, Alma explained, is born of humility and a “desire to believe” (Alma 32:27). It grows gradually, like a tree, and requires constant nourishment. As you read Alma 32–35, you might consider your own faith and prayers; do you ever feel any Zoramite-like attitudes creeping in? How will you nourish your faith in Jesus Christ so it will become “a tree springing up unto everlasting life”? (Alma32:41).

If you begin your lesson with your family and friends sharing what they have learned during their reading for this upcoming week. You could make a chart on your poster board and list those topics and/or themes that you and your family members and friends have shared from your/their reading/ studying.



Alma 32:1–16
We can choose to be humble.
Alma taught us about humility in Alma 32:1–16, you and your family members and friends could have a discussion on humility from what you have found in these passages. You and your family members and friends could tell of some experiences that would humble a person just as the example in Alma 32:2–5 .

You could even share or have a family member and / or friends share a personal experience you or they have had with learning humility. How can being “brought to be humble” as in Alma 32:12, be a blessing? The following Statements about humility could be helpful for a discussion:

What does it mean to be humble?

“To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord—to understand that you have constant need for His support. … It is not a sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies” (True to the Faith [2004], 86).

Elder Quentin L. Cook explained: “When we really contemplate God the Father and Christ the Son, who They are, and what They have accomplished on our behalf, it fills us with reverence, awe, gratitude, and humility. … Humility also includes being grateful for our numerous blessings and divine assistance. Humility isn’t some grand identifiable achievement or even overcoming some major challenge. It is a sign of spiritual strength. It is having the quiet confidence that day by day and hour by hour we can rely on the Lord, serve Him, and achieve His purposes” (“The Eternal Everyday,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 52, 54).





Another things you and your family members and friends could do would be to read together  Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 to learn more about humility. 

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 Doctrine and Covenants
10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

As you probably have noticed before that I have encouraged the use of music in your lessons.  So, sing this hymn together: “Be Thou Humble” (Hymns, no. 130), comes to mind that you could sing together with your family members and friends. If you are like me and don’t sing, you can at least read the words to the hymn.

Alma 32:1–16
I can choose to be humble.
Alma perceived that the poor Zoramites were humble and “in a preparation to hear the word” (Alma 32:6). As you read Alma 32:1–16, think about how you prepare to hear the word of God.

What experiences have humbled you? What have you done to become more humble? These verses could teach you how to choose humility rather than be compelled to be humble. For example, what is the difference between being “poor as to things of the world” and being “poor in heart”? (verse 3). What does it mean to “humble [yourself] because of the word”? (verse 14).
See also “Humility,” Gospel Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.




Alma 32:17–43
We exercise faith in Jesus Christ by planting and nourishing His word in our hearts.

During this time of COVID 19 you have probably learned a different way to worship. We have most likely always connected worship with going to church, or going to the temple, you know in those formal settings and not really anywhere else.

 In  Alma 32:5, 9, 11 we learn that Alma’s definition of worship is much broader. In these verses people came to Alma asking what they should do because they were thrown out of the synagogues which they had helped build with their own hands, so they could not worship God. 

Alma asks them if they thing they they can only worship one day in a week.  What does this teach us? At this point you could draw a picture of a seed and a tree on your poster board as Alma compares the word unto a seed in verse 28, what does it take for this seed to grow into and become this tree? 

What things need to take place in order for this to happen? Once you plant the seed, what do you need to do for continued growth? In Alma 32:28; 33:22–23 what does the tree represent? How can we plant the seed –  the testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement – in our hearts and nourish it as Alma teaches us in Alma 32:36–43; 33 ? 



What experiences can we share in which our efforts to follow the Savior brought forth precious fruit? Alma taught us the importance of developing and exercising faith in Jesus Christ, as being a form of worship, which usually takes place outside of the Church or the temple buildings. 

How do Alma’s teachings influence the way we worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? You can check out the following scriptures on faith:
Scriptures about faith.
• 1 Corinthians 12:9
• Hebrews 11:1–6
• James 2:14–18
• Ether 12:6
• Moroni 7:33; 10:11
• Doctrine and Covenants 63:9–11

In Alma 32:27 we find that Alma uses the “experiment” to help the Zoramites to develop faith in Jesus Christ. This “experiment can also help you and your family members learn if other gospel principles are true. To help your family members and friends better understand Alma’s experiment, you may want to define it.

Define what an experiment is. If any of your family members and/or friends have done an experiment before they could also share insight with this explanation about what an experiment is. So, what is the purpose of an experiment? 



How is an experiment similar to what Alma incited the people to do in Alma 32:26–36? Maybe you might want to consider sharing or having some of your family members and friends share to some of the ways that you or each of them has “experimented” upon the word of God.  

How have they come to know that “the word [of God] is good” as we see in Alma 32:28? Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, 

that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

For this next question: What might Alma say to someone who wants to gain or strengthen a testimony of Jesus Christ?  You could divide your family members and friends into two groups if this is feasible for your particular family study group – if not you could always read it together. 



So, if you have two groups you might have one group read Alma 32:26–36 to determine what Alma might say to someone who is trying to gain a testimony. 
And the other group might read Alma 32:36–43 to determine what he might say to someone whose testimony has weakened. 

After each group has finished searching their passage for the answers. They could share with your family study group by taking turns having one person represent Alma in a role-playing activity. 

They could be role-playing how to help someone gain a testimony or helping someone to strengthen a testimony. If your family study group is small or you have young children you could read together first read the first passage then read together the second passage answering the same questions"

What might Alma say to someone who wants to gain a testimony or to someone who wants to strengthen a testimony.  Now, as you probably know, this next section for ideas on personal scripture study come to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:



Alma 32:17–43; 33–34

I exercise faith in Jesus Christ by planting and nourishing His word in my heart.
Why do you think Alma spoke about planting a seed in response to the Zoramites’ questions about worship? What is the seed that Alma spoke of? (see Alma 32:28; 33:22–23). As you read Alma 32:17–43, note words and phrases that help you understand how to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and His word. What do you learn about what faith is and what it is not? Then, as you read chapters 33–34, search for answers to the Zoramites’ question “How [do we] plant the seed?” (Alma 33:1).

Here’s another way to study Alma 32–34: Draw pictures representing different phases of a seed’s growth. Then label each picture with words from Alma 32:28–43 that help you understand how to plant and nourish the word in your heart.

See also Matthew 13:3–8, 18–23; Hebrews 11; Neil L. Andersen, “Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 65–68; “Faith in Jesus Christ,” Gospel Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.


Alma 33:2–11; 34:17–29
We can worship God in prayer, anytime and anywhere.
I have made it a practice to teach my children and now my grandchildren as well as my preschoolers that they can pray to their Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere, and for anything, no matter how small or how big their problem may be. 




In this section you might consider helping your family members and friends to contrast Alma and Amulek’s teachings about prayer and worship with the Zoramites’ false ideas.  

You and your family member’s and friends could have a review of Alma 31:13–23 and list on a piece of your poster board what the Zoramites believed about prayer and worship. 

The next things for you and your family members and friends to do is you could look for truths in Alma 33:2–11 and 34:17–29 that contrast with these beliefs. What do these verses teach us about how we might improve our prayers and our worship?

if you were to write some words like Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? on your poster board, you may begin a good discussion about prayer. You and your family members and friends could search through the following passages Alma 33:2–11 and 34:17–29 to find the answers to these questions about prayer. 

You could answer questions like the following: Where can we pray? What can we pray for? I have told you before just how important music can be during your lessons. music brings the Spirit into your lesson and into your home.



You and your family members and friends might also find some answers in the words of a hymn about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” or “Sweet Hour of Prayer” (Hymns, nos. 140, 142). How can we improve our prayers? I love both of these hymn!!! 

Again, if you cannot sing, please at least read the words of the hymn together with your family members and friends Here we are at the point of personal scripture study ideas directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:

Alma 33:2–11; 34:17–29
I can worship God in prayer, anytime and anywhere.
Alma and Amulek’s counsel about worship and prayer was meant to correct specific misunderstandings the Zoramites had (see Alma 31:13–23). But the truths they taught can help any us of understand prayer and worship better. Maybe you could make a list of truths about prayer that you find in Alma 33:2–11 and 34:17–29. Next to that list, make a list of possible misconceptions about prayer that these truths correct (see Alma 31:12–23). How will the things you learn from these verses affect the way you pray and worship?



Alma 34:9–17
The Savior’s atoning sacrifice is “infinite and eternal.”

What were the two words that Amulek used to describe the sacrifice Jesus Christ made to atone for our sins? Ask your family members and friends if they remember what those two words were.  

The words Amulek used several times to describe the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made to atone for our sins were “infinite” and “eternal.” You and your family members and friends may want to consider searching through these verses Alma 34:9–14 to find these words. 

Then you and your family study group should look them up in a dictionary. Search through the following passages: Hebrews 10:10; 2 Nephi 9:21; Mosiah 3:13 to answer the following question: 

In what ways is the Savior’s sacrifice infinite and eternal? According to Alma 34:15–17, what must we do to receive the blessings of the Savior’s sacrifice? What does it mean to “exercise your faith unto repentance”as found in Alma 34:17).



Alma 34:17 Book of Mormon
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;


Alma 33:3–17
Who were Zenos and Zenock?
Zenos and Zenock were prophets who testified of Jesus Christ during Old Testament times, but their teachings are not found in the Old Testament. The Nephites had access to the teachings of these prophets, probably because they were included in the brass plates that Nephi obtained from Laban. They are also mentioned in 1 Nephi 19:10–12; Jacob 5:1; and Helaman 8:19–20.


Alma 34:32–35
“Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance.”

I came across a talk from the 1986 Ensign titled: The Bubble Gum Battle: A Perspective on Repentance. In this talk by Phillip A. Snyder , he uses a stain of bubble gum as an analogy of sin and the dry cleaning  as repentance to remove the stain/ sin. 



You can read the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1986/03/the-bubble-gum-battle-a-perspective-on-repentance?lang=eng

Another thing you could do if you feel that it is appropriate for your friends and family is to have them imagine that they are sitting at home and the mail comes.

With the mail comes an invitation to participate in this great musical group. This event will be happening the very next day. You are so excited by the honor of the invitation that you forget that you have not played in years and you really haven’t had enough training to participate in this performance. 

You realize that even if you practiced all night you would still not be good enough to play with your favorite group. If only you had practiced as your mom had encouraged over the years, you might be prepared to join the group in their musical program.

If only!!! How does this example relate to Amulek’s warnings in Alma 34:32–35? Why might it be dangerous to delay our efforts to repent and change? Why is it so important for it to be done right now? You may want to write on a piece of poster board what the warnings are that Amulek teaches us about in this passage.




Now would be a very good time to ask your family members and friends the following question: what they can do to “prepare for eternity” as we see in verse 33, and make plans to do it without delay. You might want to help them create a list of things they can do to make sure that they are prepared for eternity.

What are some things that you and your family members need to do to “prepare for eternity?” what might be the first thing on your list of things you must do? The following ideas for personal scripture study come to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:

Alma 34:30–41
“This life is the time … to prepare to meet God.”
As you read Alma 34:30–41, consider how you might “improve [your] time while in this life” (verse 33). How can repentance and patience help you prepare to meet God? Are there changes you need to make that you have been procrastinating? Be sure to act on any spiritual impressions you receive.
See also Alma 12:24; Larry R. Lawrence, “What Lack I Yet?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 33–35.

Right below are the ideas for family scripture study as well as family home evening ideas for you and your family members to study and do together. This comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:





Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some ideas.

Alma 32:9–11; 33:2–11; 34:38–39
What would it be like if we were allowed to worship and pray only on Sunday? As you read these verses together, family members could discuss how they can worship every day and why they are thankful that they can.

Alma 32:28–43
A picture of a tree accompanies this outline; you might use it to illustrate Alma’s words in these verses. Or your family could go for a walk to find plants at different stages of growth and read verses from Alma 32 that compare a growing plant to our faith. Maybe each family member could plant a seed and discuss what we need to do to help it grow. Over the coming weeks you could check on your seeds and remind each other of the need to continually nourish our testimonies.

Alma 33:2–11; 34:17–29
What do these verses suggest about how we can improve our individual and family prayers?

Alma 34:31
What experiences have shown us that when we repent, we begin “immediately” to experience the blessings of the plan of redemption?


Alma 34:33–35
Does your family know what it means to procrastinate? Maybe someone can share examples of procrastination and its negative consequences. What does it mean to “procrastinate the day of [our] repentance”?

For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
You know that Alma was “grieved for the iniquity of his people,” he then got his sons together and took the time to teach them “concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness” as found in Alma 35:15–16. We will b moiving on to the next few chapters in Alma for the upcoming week, are you ready?

For this coming week we will be studying Alma 36–38 , these chapters of Alma give an account of what Alma was inspired to teach his sons. The following is from the bottom of the page in our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual. It is a small section for improving our teaching, I hope it is helpful for you

Improving Our Teaching
Focus on the scriptures. While there are many supplementary resources that can enrich a discussion, remember that the scriptures are the source of doctrine. Help members find truths in the scriptures. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 21.)





Well my dear family and friends, I do hope that all is well with you and those whom you love. I pray that you and yours are all healthy and well and doing great!!! It is so important that you each keep a positive outlook throughout all of this COVID 19 pandemic stuff. You may be surprised at what a smile can do!

Please remember that the Lord is still in charge. He knows the outcome from the beginning. He will make this for our good, you will see I know just how important it is to do our best to stay positive as well as o help those we love to stay positive too!! Until my next post, keep studying with me, be safe and be happy!!! 