Alma and his associates were very anxious to preserve righteousness during the period of peace so that it would continue thereafter. They were therefore anxious to point out any instances of behavior that required repentance. Nearly everybody believes in "repentance" as a general principle, but the shoe begins to pinch when the leaders of the Church start pointing out specific sins. This is what Alma and his spiritual leaders were doing. They were itemizing the usual list of human frailties and urging the people to face up to their specific problems.