Alma 10: 4; 10: 31; 13: 16;

 

How do we enter into the rest of the Lord through repentance?

"4 And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry." (Alma 10: 4)

"31 And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people." (Alma 10: 31)

"16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord." (Alma 13: 16)

And here's the beginning part of the introductory commentary for the reading assignment for this week, June 24–30: “Enter into the Rest of the Lord” Alma 13–16 :

"In many ways, life in Ammonihah had been good for both Amulek and Zeezrom. Amulek was “a man of no small reputation,” with “many kindreds and friends” and “much riches” (Alma 10:4). Zeezrom was an expert lawyer who enjoyed “much business” (Alma 10:31). Then Alma arrived with an invitation to repent and “enter into the rest of the Lord” (Alma 13:16). For Amulek, Zeezrom, and others, accepting this invitation required sacrifice and even led to almost unbearable adversity."

Repentance prepares us for baptism. Through baptism, our old sins are washed away as we receive a remission of our sins, and our desire to commit the same sins gets burned. So, the burden of sins that we've been carrying gets lightened. The Lord already carried all our burdens. We can cast our burdens upon Him through our faith--that's just the beginning of the whole process though. The Lord can literally lift our burden of sins and allow us to enter into His rest through the first principles (faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance), and the ordinances  (baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost) of the gospel of Jesus Christ.