Alma 3

I tend to forget that Mormon is the story teller as we read Mosiah, Alma and most all of the rest of the Book of Mormon. He talks about the Lamanites receiving a mark of dark skin to differentiate them from the Nephites and to help prohibit the mixing of the two races. Mormon also talks about the curse placed upon the Lamanites and I think of this as something separate from the dark skin. The curse comes as a result of their wickedness. It is their loss of the Spirit and separation from God. They are in fact a godless people. The Amlicites do not have dark skin so they put a mark of red on their forehead so they will distinguished as a separate people also and end up mixing with the Lamanites. By making the mark, they confirmed the prophecy that the Lord gave that those who rebelled against him would receive a mark on their skin and as a result, they are cursed in the same manner as the Lamanites and receive the same condemnation. In our day, people who rebel against God and turn to great wickedness do not receive a different color skin, but there is a change of countenance. You can see this when you see pictures on television of people arrested for crimes. They have an evil look about them. The same condemnation falls upon them also as they are removed from the presence of God and remain a godless people unless redemption occurs.

The Lamanites, thinking that the Nephites must be weakened by the last war come against the Nephites again. Alma can't fight because he was wounded in the last war. Mormon makes the observation that tens of thousands died as a result, with each person who died received a just reward for what they had earned. He makes an interesting statement saying that each person received the wages he had earned from the person he chose to obey. The wages of Satan cannot be anything even the wicked would want.