“Alma The Younger Awakened Them Out of a Deep Sleep and They Awoke Unto God”

D. Kelly Ogden, Andrew C. Skinner

Alma the Younger is talking about his father’s converts and how the great missionary taught them. New understanding comes to every soul who is “awakened out of a deep sleep” and illuminated by the light of the everlasting word—which may come in prayer, in scripture study, or especially in the temple. We know a couple who reported to the office of President James E. Faust of the First Presidency some years ago to receive a mission call. Here is a part of their conversation: “We told President Faust that we have been faithfully attending the temple every week for many months and it is having a dynamic effect on our personal and family lives. The sister commented with regard to the temple: ‘We didn’t realize it before, but we were sleeping.’ President Faust leaned back in his chair and lamented: ‘We’ve all been sleeping. Why, just three weeks ago I came to understand something new in the temple that I hadn’t realized before.’” We all need to wake up and open the minds of our understanding to the priceless truths repeatedly taught us in the house of the Lord as well as through prayer and scripture study. Frequent temple attendance and attention to those other practices open our eyes.

Verse by Verse: The Book of Mormon: Vol. 1

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