Primarily Scripture with Cindy Young

Who's Fault Is It? | Alma 39-42 | Aug 4-11 | Week 32 | Primarily Scripture with Cindy Young

August 04, 2024 • Cindy Young • Season 2 • Episode 32

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This week Vienna and I talk about what Alma said to Corianton about the power of example, the need to repent, and having hope in Christ.

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

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Cindy:

Hi friends! Welcome back to Primarily Scripture. We've got Vienna with us again. This week in Come Follow Me, we are in Alma chapters 39 through 42, and this is Alma talking with his son Corianton. And he starts out by telling him, Corianton, you kind of need to repent. What did you find as you studied this week, Vienna? What did you work on?

Vienna:

I found that what you alone are doing can affect everybody else around you.

Cindy:

Oh, I love that part of the story. Cool. Okay, so where did we find that? Let's go to the worksheets. The second page of the worksheets, Alma chapter 39.

Vienna:

Verses 11 through 13.

Cindy:

That's it. Yes. Do you want to read those for us?

Vienna:

Okay."Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites, for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words."

Cindy:

Okay, so one of our activities on this page says search for examples and we talk about the example of others. So what does this teach you about the power of your example?

Vienna:

Um, that people can notice you if you just do what you think is right.

Cindy:

Yeah. Was Corianton a good example or a bad example for us to follow?

Vienna:

It was a bad example.

Cindy:

He kind of was, wasn't he? Yeah, he did some, some bad things here. Um, and I didn't include the verses that talk about the bad things that he did. If you want to find those, you can go back to your scriptures and look it up at the beginning of that chapter. But some of it was like he was boasting and thinking he was better than other people. He was supposed to be a missionary, but he left to do other things. Like, come on, focus on what you're supposed to be doing. Is it Corianton's fault that the Zormites were bad?

Vienna:

No. Well, yeah.

Cindy:

But doesn't it say, you brought iniquity upon them? So is it his fault or not?

Vienna:

It's, it's kind of his fault, yeah.

Cindy:

So does that mean they don't have their agency?

Vienna:

No.

Cindy:

Oh, so maybe it's their fault.

Vienna:

I don't know. This is confusing.

Cindy:

Confusing! You're gonna find spots in the scriptures where it is confusing. There are things in life where we say, Oh, maybe it's my fault. Maybe it's their fault. What's the right answer?

Vienna:

Two different correct answers.

Cindy:

There are a couple different correct answers here, because the Zoramites always had their own agency. Always. They get to pick what they're going to do. But, we have a responsibility as well. I mean example is very powerful, right? Paul said, "Be thou an example of the believers." We should be good examples for people to follow so that when they look at us, they understand what the church is about. And so the Zoramites, they looked and they heard Alma teaching, and then they saw Alma's son being a jerk. And they're like, um, should we really believe you, Alma? I don't think so. And so Alma is pointing out to Corianton, look, your example does matter. It does matter! How does this apply to us?

Vienna:

That if you do good things around people, people are going to do good things around you. But if you do bad things around people, people are going to do bad things around you.

Cindy:

Yeah. So the Lord always takes into account our circumstances as He judges us, right? Because only Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, they're the only ones who can judge us. And when we get to final judgment and we have that judgment day, they're going to take into account all of our circumstances. They're going to know what we were taught. They were going to know what we felt. They're going to know all those things. And part of the circumstances are the people around us. Wouldn't you like to be the good example that helped somebody else to be able to choose the right?

Vienna:

Yes.

Cindy:

And how would you feel if you were the bad example that now they're in this circumstance where they look at the church and they say, Oh, I know what people in the church are like because I knew Vienna and, Ooh, she was mean to me. How would you feel? The good news though, the really good news. I love this part. Um, in two weeks, we're going to be in Alma chapter 49, but we're going to jump to that really quick, chapter 49 verse 30, it says this."There was continual peace among them, and exceeding prosperity in the church, because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and Ammon." Corianton was one of the people who was teaching them, and this is a couple years later. It's like two years later. And now Corianton is one of the leaders of the church. So what does that tell you about what Corianton did?

Vienna:

Is that he, he made a big change.

Cindy:

He did. He made a big change. And repentance is possible. So even if you have been a bad example at some point, you can always change. Corianton did some pretty bad stuff, but he changed, he repented, and that is such good news. That's the good news of the gospel, is that we can always change through Jesus Christ.

Vienna:

And also, so we're talking about Alma the Younger is Corianton's father, right?

Cindy:

Yes.

Vienna:

Because Alma the Younger also made a huge change, because he was leading people away from the church.

Cindy:

Yeah, and who else made big changes that we've read about recently?

Vienna:

Sons of Mosiah.

Cindy:

That's right, Ammon and Aaron and Omner and Himni, used to be really bad, and then changed. What is the difference? What helps them to change?

Vienna:

Um, realizing that they've done bad things.

Cindy:

So realizing you've done bad things is a good start. If you remember in last week's reading, Alma the Younger told his sons, he told Shiblon and he told Helaman how he made the change. So let's go back and look at that real quick. Let's look at Alma chapter 38, verse 8. So listen as I read and see if you can find what made the change, okay?"It came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul, and never until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy did I receive a remission of my sins."

Vienna:

Prayed to Jesus Christ.

Cindy:

Yeah! He turned to the Savior and asked for help. Jesus have mercy on me, meaning help me, and then the repentance process can start and can happen. So Alma absolutely had this great change experience, right? And now he's asking his son Corianton to think about it and change. What about you? Are you a horrible person?

Vienna:

No.

Cindy:

No. Do you have things to repent of?

Vienna:

I don't know. Maybe. I, I don't know.

Cindy:

Have you ever had an unkind thought?

Vienna:

Yes.

Cindy:

Have you ever been disobedient to your parents?

Vienna:

Yes.

Cindy:

Have you ever forgotten to do the things that you're supposed to do to stay close to the Lord?

Vienna:

Uh, yes.

Cindy:

Yeah, we all have times when we're like, oh, when was the last time I said my prayers? When was the last time I read my scriptures? We're all going to have times when we go, okay, I can do a little bit better. All of us, even the prophet is every day going, okay, I need to be a little bit better. There's even more in these chapters, though, because Alma explains more about the plan of salvation, and there's so much in there. So, I hope our friends will go and read their scriptures and find what is in here. Learn the gospel for yourself. Don't rely on what I have to say. You need to open your scriptures, and then you'll have testimony building experiences as you do that. All right, everybody have a fantastic day. Vienna, I will see you another time.

Vienna:

Uh huh, and maybe you'll see my cats as well!

Cindy:

Yeah, maybe we'll get the cats on, and then I'll bring my dogs in, and we'll just have a pet party.

Vienna:

Pet party.

Cindy:

As you study the gospel, there are so many resources out there, but be sure you are studying primarily scripture. Bye guys! Thanks for tuning in to Primarily Scripture with Cindy Young. Don't forget you can subscribe to the newsletter and download free worksheets on the website PrimarilyScripture. com. And if you like the channel, be sure to subscribe, like, share, and leave a review. See you next time! we're frozen.

Vienna:

Hello.

Cindy:

Oh, I think you're back. Achoo! Achoo! Oh my goodness, excuse me.