Allowing the people of Ammon to live in the land where the Nephites lived seemed right and proper. But what if the cost of such a decision involved losing a father or a brother in a battle defending them? Alma 28 shows us how committed the Nephites were to helping those in need and doing what they knew the Lord wanted them to. Pay special attention to the last verses of the chapter, in which Mormon reminded us that much of the suffering and sorrow we read about in Alma 28 did not have to happen. He identified the real cause of that and other “inequalities”—in other words, why some events occur that are not really fair or just. He also reminded us of what can prevent such events from occurring.
Understanding the Scriptures
Alma 28
| Lamentation (v. 4) | Great sadness, mourning |
| Solemnity (v. 6) | Seriousness, soberness |
| Incomprehensible (v. 8) | Seemingly impossible to understand |
| Moldering (v. 11) | Decaying, rotting |
| Consigned (v. 11) | Assigned, committed |
| Wo (v. 11) | Grief, misery |
| Exult (v. 12) | Celebrate, express joy, delight |
| Devised to ensnare (v. 13) | Made or designed to trap |
Studying the Scriptures
Do activity A as you study Alma 28.
State the Moral
In Alma 28:13, Mormon wrote the first of two “and thus we see” statements. He then explained a lesson that can be learned from the events described. In your own words, summarize the lesson he taught and explain how it relates to the events mentioned in the chapter. In Alma 28:14 two additional “and thus we see” statements are given. You may want to mark them in your scriptures.
