Guest post by Mike Winder

As a Times and Seasons exclusive, author Mike Winder is sharing a couple chapters of his new book Gold from the Plates: Greatest Hits Sermons from the Book of Mormon, published this summer from Cedar Fort Publishing & Media. Winder took 25 sermons from the book and gives a fresh look at each. Enjoy this one, Chapter 9:

“Offer Your Whole Souls”

by Amaleki, son of Abinadom (Omni 1)

The sacred small plates of Nephi were passed down from Enos for generations, each descendant obediently writing at least a little something before handing the record on to a son or a younger brother. These men, however, were not necessarily holy men like their forefathers. Jarom, the son of Enos, did not count himself among the prophets, priests, and teachers of his day, but took pride in himself as an artisan.[1] His son, Omni, was a secular soldier who proclaimed that he “fought much with the sword” and confessed, “I of myself am a wicked man, and I have not kept the statutes and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have done.”[2]

This family did know one indisputable truth, however, one we all would be wise to remember: wickedness does not lead to happiness. This is true for our lives, and also for society at large. Omni’s father, Jarom—at a time when things were going well—testified of the truth of the Lord’s statement: “Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.”[3] In contrast, Omni’s son Amaron—in a season of destruction and loss—testified that the inverse is also true when God said: “Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall not prosper in the land.”[4] Amaron delivered the plates to his brother Chemish, who then handed them down to his son Abinadom, who eventually passed the plates to his son Amaleki. Although Amaleki only covers 17 verses of scripture, his 919 words seem verbose in contrast to his recent forebearers and included important history and doctrine.

Notably, the brief record of Amaleki, written sometime in the second century before Christ, explained the confluence of all major Book of Mormon groups. He wrote of King Mosiah fleeing the Lamanite wars in the Land of Nephi and merging with the Mulekites in the Land of Zarahemla. Amaleki was the first writer in the book to mention the Jaredite civilization and how they came to be known by the Mulekites and then the Nephites. He also told of the group led by Zeniff (which included his brother) that attempted to return to the Land of Nephi. But despite his important historical contributions, the sweet two-verse sermon of faithful Amaleki in verses 26 and 27 of Omni is worthy of further exploration here.

Amaleki read his scriptures and knew well his family record on the small plates. “Amaleki brings the Small Plates to an end by incorporating some key phrases from the Nephite founders into his last words,” observed University of North Carolina Professor Grant Hardy.[5] Amaleki echoed Father Lehi when he encouraged “all men to come unto God” (see 2 Nephi 2:10). He repeated Nephi when he said to “come unto Christ” and to “partake” of Him (2 Nephi 26:24, 27, 33); and if ye “endure to the end” ye shall “be saved” (1 Nephi 22:31 and 2 Nephi 31:5). Amaleki used the words of Jacob and Enos when he said “I began to be old” (Jacob 7:26 and Enos 1:25). And he channeled more Jacob when he wrote “come unto the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 9:51) and about “the power of his redemption” (Jacob 6:9). The testimonies of his ancestors permeated his soul.

Amaleki wrote “exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel,” and to specifically believe in six things: First, “believe in prophesying,” he said. Amaleki knew firsthand that it was “many preachings and prophesyings” that saved Mosiah’s people as they fled the Land of Nephi and journeyed through the wilderness, and that the words of the prophets can also save us. Second, believe “in revelations,” which Amaleki also knew of because Mosiah had been “warned of the Lord that he should flee” and was blessed because of it. Revelations, and our believing them, can likewise lead us to spiritual safety. Third, believe “in the ministering of angels.” While there is no record in Amaleki’s time of angelic visitors, divine messengers were a significant part of his family lore.

Fourth, Amaleki said we must believe “in the gift of speaking with tongues.” Without some spiritual gift in linguistics, the Nephites could have never built the trust to combine with the Mulekite nation and become one. After all, “their language had become corrupted,” Amaleki wrote, implying that the Mulekites had abandoned their Hebrew and picked up the local Native American languages once they began to integrate into the New World. Fifth, Amaleki said we must believe “in the gift of interpreting languages.” This he also saw firsthand when a large stone was brought to King Mosiah and “he did interpret the engravings by the gift and power of God.”

Finally, Amaleki preached that we should believe “in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil.” This doctrine is in harmony with the admonition of Paul and the Thirteenth Article of Faith taught by Joseph Smith. Moroni later patterned his conclusion of the large plates after Amaleki’s final testimony on the small plates—listing the importance of spiritual gifts and declaring that every good gift comes from Christ.

Most importantly, Amaleki exhorted us to give our whole souls to the Lord. “Jesus taught that our offering may be large or it may be small, but either way, it must be our heartfelt all,” said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. “This principle is echoed in the plea of the Book of Mormon prophet Amaleki,” he said.[6] Amaleki invited us to “come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him.” After all, we cannot offer just a portion of our devotion to God—it must be all or nothing.

“Of such determined, steadfast devotion,” said President Jeffrey R. Holland, “I testify with obscure Amaleki of old.”[7] In an age of divided attention—work, screens, obligations—Amaleki’s plea challenges us to give Christ our full focus, not just leftover moments. President Holland most recently insisted that we “give the Lord equal time” with all of the other distractions competing for our attention.[8]

Amaleki also taught us to “continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.” Gary R. Whiting, an elder with the Community of Christ, once wrote for Brigham Young University’s Religious Studies Center of these two verses. “A testimony like this strikes right to our hearts. As we read it, Amaleki seems to be standing before us, looking into our eyes and asking, ‘How deep is your love for the Christ? How close are you walking with Jesus?’” He said, “It is relevant and timeless. Amaleki has given us an eternal testimony of the living Christ.”[9] This two-verse sermon from an inspired descendant of Jacob is as powerful as it is brief.

Questions to ponder and discuss:

How did Amaleki incorporate the teachings and testimonies of his forefathers in his writings? What can we learn about the importance of preserving and building upon spiritual legacies?

Amaleki’s family observed that prosperity followed righteousness and destruction followed wickedness. How does this principle apply to both individual lives and societies today?

Amaleki emphasizes belief in prophesying, revelations, and spiritual gifts, such as interpreting languages. How do these gifts manifest in our lives, and why are they essential in building faith?

How does Amaleki’s plea to “offer your whole souls” resonate with modern discipleship? What does it mean to give our “heartfelt all” to God?

Footnotes

[1] Jarom 1:8, 11.

[2] Omni 1:2.

[3] Jarom 1:9.

[4] Omni 1:6.

[5] Grant Hardy, ed., The Annotated Book of Mormon (Oxford University Press, 2023), 212.

[6] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Our Heartfelt All,” April 2022 General Conference.

[7] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Greatest Possession,” October 2021 General Conference.

[8] Jeffrey R. Holland, “As a Little Child,” April 2025 General Conference.

[9] Gary R. Whiting, “The Testimony of Amaleki,” in The Book of Mormon: Jacob through Words of Mormon, To Learn with Joy, eds. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1990), 305–306.