Another General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has come and gone. It was a marvelous opportunity to reflect on many comforting and fear-conquering messages. We were reminded of the Savior and his commandments and covenants. His life was spent giving to us. In the pages of the Book of Mormon, we find more of his comfort through his charge to us as baptized followers of Jesus Christ.
From the preaching of Abinadi emerged a single convert to Jesus Christ named Alma, and from that convert 450 more souls.
To those souls Alma preached ”redemption and faith on the Lord (Mosiah 18:7).”
He said “and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places, that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
“Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you (Mosiah 18:8-10)?”
Their response to this responsibility has always impressed me:
And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. - Mosiah 18:11