It is interesting that while Alma feels he should curtail his ambitions and aspirations, the Lord’s real problem with most of his children is getting them involved and striving to find ways in which they can accomplish some good. In a modern revelation, the Lord says:
“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness. For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with a doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.”1
“I Know That He Granteth Unto Men According to Their Desire”
Without any explanation or introduction, Mormon commences quoting a beautiful soliloquy from the writings of Alma. However, we have to go clear over to verses 13 and 14 before we are certain that these are the words of Alma and not of Mormon.
These beautiful expressions of longing by Alma are a favorite theme of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They represent the feelings of all those who have served as missionaries and have the gratification of seeing the gospel change the hearts and minds of the Father’s children from sorrow to joy. But suddenly Alma stops and says:
“I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction. Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called? Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?”