When the lord seeth fit

“Never the less the lord seeth fit to chasten his people: yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.” Mosiah 23:21. This verse comes from the story of Alma, he and his followers had fled from before the wicked king Noah and his priests. Alma and his people had found a beautiful place to live while they were wondering in the wilderness. As they started to settle in and till the land in this area, the lord blessed them abundantly and the as the scriptures say, “…they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land…” (Mosiah 23:19).

Alma and his people were living righteous lives and they were being blessed. They were doing everything as best as they could, according to their understanding of the gospel, and the lord still felt that for their betterment they needed to be tried and tested. At this point in the story, the lord allowed the Laminites, while lost in the wilderness, to find Alma and his people. Since the lamanites had more power, they forced Alma and his people into the yoke of bondage.

The people of Alma were no longer free to live their lives and because of Alma’s past, the lamanites and the priests of King Noah began to persecute the people and require them to perform many hard tasks. It even went to the point where Amulon (the appointed King over the people of Alma and one of the priests of King Noah) would not allow them to pray. “And Amulon commanded them that… whosoever should be found calling upon god should be put to death.” (Mosiah 24:9). The people of Alma were a god fearing people and not only were heavy burdens given to them but the very act of prying, their life line to the lord was, by penalty of death, being taking away. Life as they knew it was being threatened and the oppression they faced was great.