The people in Zarahemla were starting to get caught up in their sins.
Pride, craftiness, contention, forgetting their duty…
I’m sure Alma actually went around and taught them about the dangers of pride and craftiness and contention and forgetting their duty.
But what did he find the most effective?
“Bearing down in pure testimony” Alma 4:19
This always makes me think about teaching the youth in the church.
When they are struggling with modesty, language, media intake, making good friends, reading scriptures…
It’s never a bad thing to have a specific lesson on those specific topics.
BUT
The real change happens when we teach pure doctrine through pure testimony.
And who does pure doctrine and testimony point us toward?
Jesus Christ.
When we preach of Christ, we teach all of the lessons at once.
And when we learn of Christ, we learn all of the lessons at once.
My view of modesty was not molded by a really clever lesson on modesty. It was shaped as I grew to know my Savior more, and learned that I wanted my outward appearance and behaviors to reflect my inner testimony.
No matter the question or the sin or the concern… the pure doctrine of Christ is the answer.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
6 Responses
I missed you and am glad you are back. Let others help as you recover, Cali.
Thank you so much! I’ve definitely had a lot of help. <3
The example of modesty came later in my early college years. It really depended on the boyfriend I chose. If he encouraged modesty then that was a relief to me. I wasn’t grounded in my worth as a daughter of God. My upbringing made me starved for love and affection and that’s what I searched for . I was a convert at 15 and loved my Savior & the gospel, was active and a leader. But I didn’t know how to love myself through Christ. I wish I would have had that example of pure doctrine through pure testimony.
That’s a great example. I agree, there are so many principles that we truly learn later in life. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for helping to remind and pointing me to Christ throughout my week with such beautiful insights! I am very grateful xx
Thank you! <3