Living by the scriptures
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"And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that ... all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever." — Alma 29:17
Our stake has been blessed with some good success in convert baptisms this year, so for the upcoming fast Sunday, our stake presidency asked us to fast and pray for the missionary work in our area. They sent out a letter with suggestions. We were invited to pray for the retention of converts. Be specific, they said. Pray for them by name. During the week, I prayed that these new brothers and sisters would come to Church each week, that they would feel comfortable there, that their testimonies would grow. I prayed that we as a ward family would nurture them, teach them and love them.
Meanwhile, I was reading Alma 29. This has been a favorite chapter of mine since my youth. It's the one that starts, "O that I were an angel." Alma the Younger is pondering his own missionary experiences and is overjoyed that his brethren, the four sons of Mosiah, have had much success doing missionary work among the Lamanites.
At the end of the week, I attended Church in an attitude of fasting and prayer. After Church, I re-read the letter from the stake presidency and was again struck with that request to pray for the retention of converts. That night as I read Alma 29 again, suddenly, there it was! Alma prayed for the retention of converts! It's right there in the last verse, in plain language: "And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God, yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever…" (Emphasis added).
Never before have I considered that phrase, "…that they may go no more out," yet isn't that exactly what my stake presidency asked for our newly baptized converts? Somehow, it's comforting to me to know that more than 2,000 years ago, Alma prayed for the same thing I'm praying for today.
Julianne Miller
Pioneer Ward, Mesa Stake, Mesa, Arizona
