The Book of Mormon does not specifically state whether or not Alma had been baptized before or how he got his authority to baptize. The record merely says that Alma immersed himself in the water when he baptized Helam (Mosiah 18:14-15) and that "Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests." (Mosiah 18:18.) Alma may have been ordained by Abinadi, but the record is not clear on this point. Joseph Fielding Smith feels that Alma held the priesthood before he became involved with King Noah. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:203-4.)