Alma 36:6

For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God;

but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.

Alma 36:7

And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder,

and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet;

and we all fell to the earth,

for the fear of the Lord came upon us.

Alma 36:8

But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise.

And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.

Alma 36:9

And he said unto me:

If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed,

seek no more to destroy the church of God.

Alma 36:10

And it came to pass that I fell to the earth;

and it was for the space of three days and three nights

that I could not open my mouth,

neither had I the use of my limbs.

Alma 36:11

And the angel spake more things unto me,

which were heard by my brethren,

but I did not hear them;

for when I heard the words —

If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself,

seek no more to destroy the church of God —

I was struck with such great fear and amazement

lest perhaps I should be destroyed,

that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.

Alma 36:12

But I was racked with eternal torment,

for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree

and racked with all my sins.

Alma 36:13

Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities,

for which I was tormented with the pains of hell;

yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God,

and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

Alma 36:14

Yea, and I had murdered many of his children,

or rather led them away unto destruction;

yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities,

that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God

did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

Alma 36:15

Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body,

that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God,

to be judged of my deeds.

Alma 36:16

And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked,

even with the pains of a damned soul.

Alma 36:17

And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment,

while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins,

behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people

concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God,

to atone for the sins of the world.

Alma 36:18

Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought,

I cried within my heart:

O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me,

who am in the gall of bitterness,

and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

Alma 36:19

And now, behold, when I thought this,

I could remember my pains no more;

yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

Alma 36:20

And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold;

yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Alma 36:21

Yea, I say unto you, my son,

that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains.

Yea, and again I say unto you, my son,

that on the other hand,

there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

Alma 36:22

Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw,

God sitting upon his throne,

surrounded with numberless concourses of angels,

in the attitude of singing and praising their God;

yea, and my soul did long to be there.

Alma 36:23

But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again,

and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people

that I had been born of God.