Alma 37:6 - 37:10

Alma 37: 6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Some folks might think Alma is a little in this declaration, but it IS by the small things that great things are brought to pass. And it is often the case that these small things which leave the wise scratching their head wondering how it came to be and how it was able to make people of things change.

The Book of Mormon is a tremendous example of this. Here the so called smart people of the world have dismissed the book out of hand but it has help bring about the rise of the church throughout the world, much to their surprise. They thought if they poo-pood it, it would go away, but it has not. The Book of Mormon has upset the religious world thinking that they had the doctrine down as it pleased them and none were coming in the upset their monopoly. However, the Book of Mormon has taught them the cannon of scripture is NOT closed and the heaven are NOT closed either.

Alma 37: 7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

And it is by these small means that salvation is brought to the world.

Alma 37: 8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

So for these reasons, the Book of Mormon will be brought to the world to show the world that the Lord has worked with others in other parts of the world. In addition, it will come forth to put to rest all the debate about the nature of God and of the life hereafter.

Alma 37: 9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

Contemporary examples Alma sites for Helaman is the effect of the scriptures that Ammon and his brothers had on the Lamanites. If it had not been for the scriptures they had brought with them on their mission few would have been convinced that they did not have the correct knowledge of God or what He expected of them. The scriptures were the catalyst which motivated them to repent and come to a knowledge of the joy that was available for the repentant soul.

Alma 37: 10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

And Alma is hoping that the scriptures will even help get many of the unfaithful Nephites to repent of their sins as well.