Alma apparently anticipated that he was at the end of his time on earth. In addition to turning over the records to his son Helaman, he gives a final blessing to his sons, the land, and the church. It was his final blessing whether he knew or not that it would be (vv. 15–17). The cursing of the earth for the wicked, as opposed to the blessing (v. 16) was not the same as when the Lord cursed “the ground for Adam’s sake” (Genesis 3:17). Adam was to work the ground for his own benefit while the Nephite land would be destroyed if the commandments of God were not kept. The cursing or blessing to which Alma refers was given to the Nephites (2 Nephi 1:5–10) and the Jaredites (Ether 2:9–12), and is still applicable today in the Americas.
The mystery of Al ma, son of Alma, departing and never being heard of again (Alma 45:18) led to the conclusion by some in the Nephite Church that he was taken up by the Spirit or translated (v. 19). His comparison to Moses leads us to examine what happened to Moses: “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day” (Deuteronomy 34:5–6). That there was also a controversy over Moses death or bein g translated is verified in the New Testament: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 1:9). Why would Michael contend with the devil over Moses burial? If Moses was translated, it was for a purpose. The purpose was to have a physical body in order to lay on hands and transfer keys to a later generation before there was a resurrection. Moses did appear on the Mount of transfiguration for that purpose.
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. [Matthew 17:1–3]
The Prophet Joseph Smith informed us: “The Savior, Moses, and Elias gave the keys to Peter, James and John, on the mount, when they were transfigured before him” (TPJS, 158). The JST further verifies that Moses was translated: “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. For the Lord took him unto his fathers, in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor; therefore no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day” (JST, Deuteronomy 34:5–6; italics designates changes).
The evidence supports that Moses was translated, but what about Alma. While we cannot say for sure that Alma was translated, there is a good possibility that he was. If he was it would have been for a similar purpose as Moses, to pass on keys of authority to a future generation. The unabridged plates of Nephi may answer that question (see 3 Nephi 26:9–11).