Alma and Amulek

The last few lessons over last week and this week, we are studying Alma and Amulek's mission to Ammonihah.  I have found some interesting things through my study.  First of all, I love these two guys because they weren't like Nephi who was obedient from the womb.  These two had their own issues.  Alma was a real stinker in his younger years.  It took an angel to help him see the light.  Amulek lived in a city where Christ was really not taught although he had knowledge of the truth. I assume he was less-active.

In reading Alma 10:11, Amulek lists the people with which the Lord has blessed him.  He lists:

My women and my children,

my father and my kinsfolk.

I assume he has many friends as well because he tells us he is a man of no small reputation.  That tells me he is well known and respected in his community.

After telling the people to repent, they are bound and thrown into prison.  Then a horrible thing happens.  The men who believe in the words of Alma and Amulek are cast of out of the city and stones are thrown at them.  Then the wives and children of the believers are brought together and thrown into a fire along with their scriptures. (Alma 14:8)  It occurs to me that there must have been some sort of sorting process to determine who were the believers and who were not.  Were they questioned?  Was there a house to house search?  That is unclear but there had to be an opportunity for the people to accept or deny their belief in Christ.

Then someone had a great idea.  Alma and Amulek are brought forth from the prison to witness the burning of the women and children. Amulek begs Alma in 14:10 to stretch forth their hands and use their authority to save the victims from the flames.  Alma tells us in verse 11 that the Spirit constrainth him.

Forward to Alma 15:16.  Amulek is again talking about all he gave up and those who rejected him.  He says "being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred."  Where are his women and children????  The only thing I can summize is that they too were believers and were killed.

Here is where my mind began to work.  It is very possible that Alma and Amulek were brought out of prison to watch this holocaust because Amulek's women and children were going to be thrown into the fire and he was going to be forced to watch.  Now think of Amulek's words to Alma and imagine his pleading in 14:10.  I read it feeling Amulek's very sorrowful heart.

Here are some other thoughts.  What mother wouldn't do anything to save her children?  Yet, these women knowing that their children would be killed would not deny the Christ.  How easy would it be to say the words, "I am not a believer" to save the lives of your children?  Interestingly though, after Alma and Amulek left the city following an incredible "prison break", the Lamanites surprise attacked the city of Ammonihah and killed everyone left there.  Even if you saved your children by denying the Christ you would have been killed anyway. 

What would I have done?  Would I have saved my children and myself only to fall victim to the Lamanite army or would I have stood firm in my conviction that Jesus is the Christ?  I like to think I would have done the right thing but since I have never had to face my children's mortality and my own I cannot say that I would have remained true.  I have my own trials in life but none so difficult as those mothers faced.

31 and Counting

 Saturday marks 31 years since I married the love of my life.  How can that be when I still feel like I'm 30?  Well, maybe not, but it is incredible to me that we are celebrating so many wonderful years together.  We've had some trials and miscommunications but mostly it has been an incredible journey.  I look forward to many more years together and then eternity. 
I remember when Elvis died, I made the statement that he was old.  Of course just being a young teenager anyone who was over 40 was ancient.  I had no concept of time.  I believe I insulted my parents that day when I made that comment as they were just 3 years younger than he.  Through the years I have come to understand more about the concept of time.  I wouldn't trade my wisdom for all the youth in the world.  With the age comes blessings.  Four of them are included in these photos. 
My mom used to say, "If I could do it over I would skip having children and go straight to being a grandmother."  Of course that isn't possible and without her experience I had no idea what kind of feelings she was talking about.  Wasn't being a mom the most amazing part of being a woman?  I get it now.

Of course none of these beautiful babies would have been possible if I weren't first a mother.  AND, before that I needed to be a wife.  I have spent so much energy raising children and seeing to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs that I forget that there is this amazing man in my life who loves me more than life.  As our children have grown up and need us less I have the opportunity to spend more time with this man I call my husband.  I cannot even begin to express the love I feel for him and how appreciative I am to have him care for my needs physical, spiritual and emotional.  It is a journey that we've been on for many years and yet I feel like we have so much ahead of us.
So, I look forward to vacations, missions, family time, motorcycle riding, walking, snuggling and attending the temple often with my handsome husband.  We are off to the temple today.  What better way to celebrate our anniversary than go to the Lord's house where it all began.  I love you Patrick!

The Deep Freeze

How does cold look?  No different than any other day.  I got up this morning and my weather bug said it was -31.  Feel like temperature was -54.  As a result there was no school.  I spent my morning in the basement by the wood furnace.  I did the laundry while I was down there.  Warmest part of the house.  Actually the sun shone for a while this afternoon while I was in the livingroom doing Just Dance on the Wii.  I even worked up a sweat. Good thing that room was cooler than the others.

Tonight I made chicken gnocci soup for supper.  Tonight I have the oven going making mint chocolate chip cookies.

Tomorrow's school is already canceled.  Around noon tomorrow we should get some relief from this POLAR VORTEX.  There's a term I never knew existed.  Oh well, life in Wisconsin.  I still love it here with all our crazy weather.  Not a fan of the super hot or super cold.  Just saying.