An apology to Jeremy Kato following a discussion in Bishopric Training that week

26 January 2017

Brother Jeremy,

I think I owe you an apology.

During Bishopric Training I asked who were those “children” spoken of in Mosiah 26:1. That I recall, you mentioned Alma the Younger. And I responded “not yet.”

First, we preach of the importance that teachers not ask questions that can have incorrect answers, i.e. knowledge questions, but questions that will help us share from our heart and encourage more response and discussion later. I obviously didn’t practice what I preach!

Second, your answer was partially right and I didn’t acknowledge that.

As clarification, you were right in that Alma the Younger was of the same age as those children spoken of in Mosiah 26:1 and, of course, had a similar result of being a disbeliever. However, I don’t know that we know why Alma strayed from his father’s teachings; possibly due to his friendship with and the influence from his peers, the four sons of Mosiah.

What we do know was that when the four sons of Mosiah were children at the time their grandfather, King Benjamin, gave his mighty address, Alma was likely a child living in the Land of Nephi where his father, Alma “Senior,” was a member of wicked King Noah’s court. As you know, his father (Alma Senior) converted after hearing Abinadi’s magnificent teachings and created a following that eventually had to flee the Land of Nephi (aka land of Lehi-Nephi) to settle a city they called Helam, which was still in Lamanite “country." Ultimately, Alma and his followers had to flee again, this time from the city of Helam and miraculously found their way to Zarahemla, a land they had never seen before because they were the third generation of the Nephites that had left Zarahemla around the time of Mosiah (father of King Benjamin). When Alma (Senior) arrives in Zarahemla with his followers, Mosiah (son of King Benjamin) had already been king for a period—he and Alma Senior were peers—and King Benjamin had died meaning Alma the Younger could not have attended—as a child—King Benjamin’s address. But the scriptures tell us that Mosiah (the son of Benjamin) was about 30 years of age at the time he became king (that was the purpose of King Benjamin’s address, to announce his son Mosiah is their new king) so it’s likely that Mosiah would have had a family including  several, if not all four, of his sons at that time, but they would have been little children at the time of their grandfather’s “towering” address :)

Hope that’s not too confusing, but know that your answer wasn’t totally wrong and I should have acknowledged that. More importantly, I should not have asked a question that caused me to “correct” you. I hope I didn’t offend. If so, please forgive me.

I appreciate your patience with me and the wonderful supporting leader you are. You and your family are a treasure to our stake!

Gratefully,

Crismon