Among scripture’s most penetrating one-liners, Alma cuts straight to the heart with a searching question: “Can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26). Speaking to members who had once felt “to sing the song of redeeming love,” he asks if that spiritual fire still burns within them.This simple question invites us to examine the vitality of our spiritual experiences.
What strikes me most about this verse is its immediacy. Alma isn’t asking about past feelings or future hopes—he’s asking about right now. Our spirits, like our bodies, need constant nourishment. Just as yesterday’s meal won’t sustain us today, we need fresh spiritual experiences to maintain our faith.
Think about King Benjamin’s people, who experienced such joy that they had “no more disposition to do evil” (Mosiah 2:41). That powerful moment changed them—but Alma’s question reminds us that even the mightiest spiritual experiences must be renewed.
I’ve found this principle at work in my own conversion story. The spiritual witnesses that led me to join the Church at age 19 were real and transformative. But those memories alone aren’t enough—I need fresh encounters with divine truth to keep that fire burning bright.
I testify that spiritual feelings aren’t meant to be mere memories. When Alma asks “Can ye feel so now?” he’s inviting us to seek renewed spiritual experiences. The same God who touched our hearts before stands ready to touch them again today.
Elder Linder 