A Father's Testimony

(Keil's note: I have been busy with finals and school so I have been asking some people to help me with this blog to give me time to worry about finals. Today my dad volunteered to share what he read in the Book of Mormon as well as his testimony.)

As father it is my hope that I have taught my sons the correct principles to follow in their lives. Like Alma of old I often ponder the trails that I have experienced and wok,d hope that I can give the same sound advise that Alma gives to his sons. So K, S, T, P, A and of course M I bear my solemn testimony of the Book of Mormon, Alma 36 is the beginning of a powerful section in the Book of Mormon where Alma imparts fatherly advise to his sons. Alma gathers his sons that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately (Alma 35:16). Accordingly, the next seven chapters deal with his advice and commandments to his three sons, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton. Helaman as the oldest was entrusted with the records; Shiblon was so righteous that Alma had relatively little in the way of advice for him; and Corianton gets an earful. For four chapters Alma counsels and instructs this third son on the evil of his ways. The main focus is that the sinner will not escape punishment in the resurrection. In these seven chapters, many priceless gems of doctrinal insight are given. We should be thankful to Alma for his diligence in teaching his sons. We should follow his example of fatherhood in teaching our own.