Chapter 34: The Man Who had Good Eyes and Gentlest Hands (Alma 59-63)

Alma 61:9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.

This is a story about a man named Pahoran. He was the president of the Nephites and he lived in a big white house where he ran the affairs of the entire Nephite kingdom. He was the one who put Moroni in charge of the army. He liked Moroni. And he trusted Moroni. But when Moroni came to him and told him that they needed to chase Amalickiah out, Pahoron did not know what to do. On one hand, Amalickiah’s ideas were dangerous. But on the other hand, kicking out Amalickiah would not necessarily get rid of his bad ideas.

Because ideas are like gum. Someone you hardly know might spit it out on the ground, and you might step on it, and that gum will stick to your shoe for years to come. But, Pahoran chose to trust Moroni because Moroni was smart. And more importantly, because Moroni was good. And so Pahoran gave his permission to drive Amalickiah out of t…