Welcome.

Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah engaged in deviation from the gospel path for a time, but all of us who are human and likewise make a myriad of mistakes don’t feel inclined to leave them there in that past. Rather, we remember and celebrate their fervent discipleship and filled with charity missionary labors from the angel’s visit forward.

Alma with reactivated Amulek was a mighty minister for the Lord – assisting in the astonishing conversion of Zeezrom, defending the truth at the peril of his life, being willing to burn with sacred writ should God have required it, and standing in the midst of fallen prison rubble by the power of God.

The sons of Mosiah, no less serviceable, forsook their right to the kingdom and instead chose to serve a fourteen-year mission among the Lamanities. As a result, they endured scores of trials but also had “much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth.” (Alma 17:4)

Though I love all interrelated parts of this story, my absolute favorite is when Alma unsuspectingly ran into the sons of Mosiah. Alma was “journeying from the land of Gideon southward” and the sons of Mosiah were headed towards Zarahemla (Alma 17:1), and they inadvertently bumped into one another.

Flabbergasted, Alma “did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren” (Alma 17:2).

And then this line in scripture that I have loved for so many years: “and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord…” (Alma 17:2).

This comment thrills me for the love of unanticipated reunions with gospel brothers and sisters, with fellow laborers and saints. I’ve had similar experiences, and they are so sweet – every single time. In these holy moments, heaven hugs earth, and all feels right and glorious.

This week, I had an unexpected reunification with a friend from college. She was a total gem in those days, was deeply spiritual, and full of thousands of Christ-like attributes. After our lives took us in separate directions, we lost contact and hadn’t seen each other for years.

This sweet sister came to clean the temple and volunteered to help maintain and beautify the area over which I was presiding. She recognized me and after confirming an initial impression by seeing my name tag, she asked if I had once lived in Logan, Utah. In fact I had I responded. After another inquiry, I recognized her, too, and we embraced and spent a tender evening together cleaning the house of the Lord.

“What added more to [my] joy” was the single fact that she was still my sister in Christ, still firm in the faith, still happily aboard the ship of Zion, still contributing and building God’s kingdom, still invested in the discipline of a dedicated disciple. It was a very sweet evening, full of moist eyes and pleasant recollections.

And so there are some who are leaving, but there are many others who are choosing to stay. For the joy of reuniting again with such souls, my heart rejoices. For greater joy, the kind that Elder Uchtdorf recently said was “the good news of great joy, the message of matchless hope, a message of yoke-bearing and burden-lifting, of light-gathering, of heavenly favor, higher understanding, holier covenants, eternal security, and everlasting glory,” may we stay firmly in the faith of our noble fathers and when we are privileged to meet long lost friends again, may we say, “What added more to [my] joy” was that he/she is still my brother/sister in Christ (Uchtdorf, D., “A Higher Joy,” April 2024 General Conference, Alma 17:2).

Unto all the world: May God bless us with many “what added to [my] joy reunions!” (Alma 17:2)