Alma’s Counsel

As I studied Alma chapter 38 this week, I learned many valuable things that don’t appear on the surface of the pages, but come from in depth study. It is interesting how Alma counsels each of his sons differently, and the roles that they each play. Chapter 38 is only his counsel to Shiblon, but he also counsels his other two sons Helaman and Cortianton in other chapters. The Book of Mormon Central staff has observed that Alma possibly counseled his sons during the Passover, as part of an ancient tradition where fathers answer their son’s questions and give them counsel. Interestingly enough, as it is recorded in the scriptures, these father to son counsel meetings are often between three sons, and each son takes on a specific set of attributes. One son is always wise, one wicked, and the last is uninformed. It does not take long to label Helaman as the wise son, Corianton as the wicked and Shiblon the uninformed son. I feel as if it were for this reason that Alma’s counsel to Shiblon caught my attention. Now often are we to like Shiblon? Uninformed in the ways of God and needing instruction in order to understand and fulfill his will. The scriptures are amazing, as they relate to anyone, at any time and for any trial they are currently going through. We should ask ourselves: are like Helaman? If so, study Alma’s counsel given to him. Are we like Shiblon? Study the prophetic counsel given to him. Or are we like Coranton? The wicked son straying from the paths of God. If so, we should cherish and follow the revelation that God has given through Alma and to us in the form of holy scriptures.