The River Sidon

I was reading in my scriptures today in the first part of Alma.  Not even five years had passed since the death of King Mosiah and already a man had risen up to fight against the establishment of the judges.  Amlici was so desperate to defeat the Nephites that he made deals with the Lamanites.  These two huge armies clashed multiple times, leaving tens of thousands dead on both sides.  In Alma 3:3 it says the following:

"And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the sea, and they are many."

I can only imagine how many bodies were put into the water.  Eventually, the Nephites succeed in driving the opposing armies out of the land of Zarahemla.  The following year, the great loss of people, flocks, and fields caused the people to remember the Lord and there was a massive number of people wishing to be baptized into the church.  In Alma 4:4 is says this:

"And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma."

My first thought when I read this was "Ew, gross.  I would not want to be baptized in that river."  My next though, little better, was "The memory of what happened in that river would taint my baptism if I were to be baptized there.  It is an unholy place."  I stopped reading for a moment and considered this and that is when the spirit decided to speak to me.  He told me that it doesn't matter what has happened in the past, Christ has the power to take anything and change it to serve him as he sees fit.  Of course, I am no longer talking about the river, I am speaking of us.  The Atonement has the changing power to reverse anything in our lives that keeps us from reaching our potential.  I am talking about sin, but I am also talking about using our talents improperly or not using them at all, distractions we all have, and other things that hinder us in our journey for eternal life.  If those Nephites had dwelt on the wars of the previous year and focused on the negative aspects, they never would have come closer to God as they did.

It is our responsibility to come to Christ, his responsibility to change us, and then together we can make forward progress.