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Scripture Block
Alma 30–31
July 6–12. “The Virtue of the Word of God”
KnoWhys
Recommended Resources
Learn about the Book of Mormon with verse by verse commentaries from renowned Book of Mormon scholars like John W. Welch and Brant A. Gardner in the ScripturePlus app. Read this week's KnoWhy connected with the Come Follow Me curriculum, and watch a video elucidating an insight in this week's scripture reading.
Reading Plan
Structure your personal scripture study by following a multimedia, day by day plan. Each day's assignment includes the required scripture passages from the Come Follow Me curriculum, as well as suggestions for additional resources to bring context and understanding to your study. If you are looking to dive deep into your study, skip down to "Additional Resources" for a selected bibliography of articles, books, and chapters on Alma 30–31.
Monday
- Scripture: Alma 30:1–8
- Chart: Legal Traditions Related to Biblical Law
- Chart: Teachings of Korihor
- Chart: Three Diverse Opponents of the Nephites
Tuesday
- Scripture: Alma 30:9-29
- KnoWhy 415: Why Did Nephite Authors Use Repetitive Resumption?
Wednesday
- Scripture: Alma 30:30-42
- KnoWhy 532: Was Korihor Really an Atheist?
Thursday
- Scripture: Alma 30:43-60
- KnoWhy 138: Why Was Korihor Cursed with Speechlessness?
Friday
- Scripture: Alma 31:1–7
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Quote: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior”
Packer, Boyd K. “Do Not Fear.” General Conference April 2004. -
Quote: “Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made unwise choices. Some are casual in their observance of sacred covenants. Others spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser causes. Some allow intense cultural or political views to weaken their allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some have immersed themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases, invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect conclusions that can affect testimony. Any who have made these choices can repent and be spiritually renewed.
“Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment. When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined.”
Cook, Quentin L. “Can Ye Feel So Now?” General Conference October 2012. - Chart: Missionary Work
Saturday
- Scripture: Alma 31:8-23
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Quote: “Pride is the great sin of self-elevation. It is for so many a personal Rameumptom, a holy stand that justifies envy, greed, and vanity. In a sense, pride is the original sin, for before the foundations of this earth, pride felled Lucifer, a son of the morning ‘who was in authority in the presence of God.’ If pride can corrupt one as capable and promising as this, should we not examine our own souls as well?”
Uchtdorf, Dieter F. “Pride and the Priesthood.” General Conference October 2010. - KnoWhy 458: How is the Name Zoram Connected with Pride?
Sunday
- Scripture: Alma 31:24-38
- KnoWhy 139: Why Did Alma Repeat the Lord’s Name Ten Times While in Prayer?
Additional Resources (Bibliography)
Alma 30
Hansen, Jr., Gerald. “The Book of Alma as a Prototype for Teaching the Word of God.” In The Book of Mormon: Alma, The Testimony of the Word, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 263–280. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992.
Lund, Gerald N. “Countering Korihor’s Philosophy.” Ensign 22, no. 7 (1992): 16–21.
Lund, Gerald N.. “An Anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon - The Face May Be Strange, but the Voice Is Familiar.” In The Book of Mormon: Alma, The Testimony of the Word, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 107–128. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992.
Welch, John W. “The Trial of Korihor.” In The Legal Cases in the Book of Mormon, 273–300. Provo, UT: BYU Press/Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2008.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “Teachings of Korihor.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 78.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “Three Diverse Opponents of the Nephites.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 122.
Alma 30:3
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “How Do You Say 'Law' in Hebrew?.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 119.
Alma 30:10
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “A Comparison of Nephite Law Lists.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 127.
Alma 30:13–15
Clark, Robert E. “Notes on Korihor and Language.” In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 150–153. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Wright, Mark Alan, and Brant A. Gardner. “The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 1 (2012): 25–55.
Alma 30:37–38
Book of Mormon Central. “Was Korihor Really an Atheist? (Alma 30:37–38).” KnoWhy 532 (September 19, 2019).
Alma 30:24–26
Wright, David P. “Wade Brown, The God-Inspired Language of the Book of Mormon: Structuring and Commentary.” Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1, no. 1 (1989): 10–17.
Alma 30:41–44
Boyce, Duane. “Jacob Did Not Make a False Prediction.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 33 (2019): 161–174.
Roundy, Bruce A. and Robert J. Norman. “’All Things Denote There is a God’: Seeing Christ in the Creation.” in Religious Educator 6, no. 2 (2005): 51–62.
Alma 30:47
Welch, John W., and Heidi Harkness Parker. “Better That One Man Perish.” In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 17–19. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Wright, David P. “Wade Brown, The God-Inspired Language of the Book of Mormon: Structuring and Commentary.” Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1, no. 1 (1989): 10–17.
Alma 30:49
Welch, John W. “Cursing a Litigant with Speechlessness.” In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 154–156. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Alma 30:50
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was Korihor Cursed with Speechlessness? (Alma 30:50).” KnoWhy 138 (July 7, 2016).
Alma 31
Andersen, Joe V. Book of Mormon Objective Geographic Standard No. 2: Relationships of City Bountiful, Mulek, the East Sea, and Zarahemla., 2015.
Bowen, Matthew L. “’See That Ye Are Not Lifted Up’: The Name Zoram and Its Paronomastic Pejoration.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 19 (2016): 109–143.
Hansen, Jr., Gerald. “The Book of Alma as a Prototype for Teaching the Word of God.” In The Book of Mormon: Alma, The Testimony of the Word, edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., 263–280. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992.
Richins, David. “Alma’s Song of Lamentation: How Long, O Lord?” The Lunch is Free, 2016.
Thompson, A. Keith. “Apostate Religion in the Book of Mormon.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 25 (2017): 191–226.
Thompson, A. Keith. “Nephite Insights into Israelite Worship Practices before the Babylonian Captivity.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 3 (2013): 155–195.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “Missionary Work.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 109.
Alma 31:5
Perry, Michael F. “The Supremacy of the Word: Alma’s Mission to the Zoramites and the Conversion of the Lamanites.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 24 (2015): 119–137.
Alma 31:12
Welch, John W. “Synagogues in the Book of Mormon.” In Reexploring the Book of Mormon, edited by John W. Welch, 193–195. Provo, UT/Salt Lake City: FARMS/Deseret Book, 1992.
Alma 31:14
Calabro, David. “’Stretch Forth Thy Hand and Prophesy’: Hand Gestures in the Book of Mormon.” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 21, no. 1 (2012): 46–59.
Alma 31:24–25
Book of Mormon Central. “How is the Name Zoram Connected with Pride? (Alma 31:25).” KnoWhy 458 (August 14, 2018).
Brady, Parrish, and Shon D. Hopkin. “The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony.” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22, no. 1 (2013): 40–53.
Alma 31:26
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Alma Repeat the Lord’s Name Ten Times While in Prayer? (Alma 31:26).” KnoWhy 139 (July 8, 2016).
Alma 31:28
Book of Mormon Central. “Why did Mormon Emphasize the Zoramites’ Costly Apparel? (Alma 31:28).” KnoWhy 283 (March 6, 2017).