The Lord, for years, had promised the Nephites that if they would have faith and be obedient, they would prosper in the land, and that they would have His protection. he showed them that time and time again
Sometimes, that protection came in the form of a warning. When Nephi and his family landed in the promised land, Laman and Lemuel started making plans to kill him because somehow he had ended up to be their leader. Nephi was warned to take his family and establish themselves elsewhere.
That protection also shows itself in the form of strength and ability. Many of the battles that the Nephites won were only won because of the strength of the Lord was with them, and they were able to defeat their enemies.
The Nephites began to fall away and lose their faith, and they were less obedient. As they became this way, they had less and less of God's protection.
"25 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.
26 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years." (Helaman 4:25-26)
I like that they even recognized it and knew what it was that was causing them to not be able to win against the innumerable hosts of the Lamanite army. It seems very obvious to me that my life gets harder to live when I am in state of less obedience. I hope I can avoid even finding myself in that situation, let alone realizing that the Lord will not be able to protect me because I am not doing what He wants me to do.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Lay Hold
Sometimes in life we make things so complicated. Like setting so many rules or guidelines that it is difficult to achieve the original desired result because you are so busy worrying about each of the little things.
The Jews during Christ's mortal ministry were like that. In fact, they had so many of these rules and guidelines that they didn't even understand the spirit with which those guidelines are given.
Sometimes we as Latter-Day Saints are like that. We worry so much about doing each of the things that we know we should do (i.e., Home/Visiting Teaching, attend the temple regularly, go to church, read scriptures every day, pray, study, visit the sick/needy, care for the widows, give service, etc. etc. etc.) that sometimes we lose sight of the basics of the Gospel and the purpose of our lives. Does this make any of our worries untrue? I mean, we are supposed to do all of those things, but if we can understand the "why" and get into the spirit of these guidelines, I feel like that would help make it less of a task list and more of an attitude of serving God.
In reality, it's simple. It's just what Lehi saw in his dream about holding to the iron rod, or the word of God, which leads us to the love of God.
"29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." (Helaman 3:29-30)
I think this is just a testament to how powerful God's word is. If we simply "lay hold upon" it, we are led to God. To "lay hold upon the word of God" seems to me to mean more than simply a casual "place your hand gently on", and more of a "I'm gonna hold onto this with all my might and never let it go!" kind of thing. You have to think through your actions and make a plan to reach those goals.You are responsible to make sure you do what you're supposed to, but the simpler way to do it is to lay hold upon the word of God, which will strengthen us and support us.
If we do this, that's how our souls land at the right hand of God. We will have done what is required/asked of us without touching the "to-do" list approach, which sounds good to me.
The Jews during Christ's mortal ministry were like that. In fact, they had so many of these rules and guidelines that they didn't even understand the spirit with which those guidelines are given.
Sometimes we as Latter-Day Saints are like that. We worry so much about doing each of the things that we know we should do (i.e., Home/Visiting Teaching, attend the temple regularly, go to church, read scriptures every day, pray, study, visit the sick/needy, care for the widows, give service, etc. etc. etc.) that sometimes we lose sight of the basics of the Gospel and the purpose of our lives. Does this make any of our worries untrue? I mean, we are supposed to do all of those things, but if we can understand the "why" and get into the spirit of these guidelines, I feel like that would help make it less of a task list and more of an attitude of serving God.
In reality, it's simple. It's just what Lehi saw in his dream about holding to the iron rod, or the word of God, which leads us to the love of God.
"29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." (Helaman 3:29-30)
I think this is just a testament to how powerful God's word is. If we simply "lay hold upon" it, we are led to God. To "lay hold upon the word of God" seems to me to mean more than simply a casual "place your hand gently on", and more of a "I'm gonna hold onto this with all my might and never let it go!" kind of thing. You have to think through your actions and make a plan to reach those goals.You are responsible to make sure you do what you're supposed to, but the simpler way to do it is to lay hold upon the word of God, which will strengthen us and support us.
If we do this, that's how our souls land at the right hand of God. We will have done what is required/asked of us without touching the "to-do" list approach, which sounds good to me.
Monday, January 29, 2018
One Man's Influence
After all 3 sons of Pahoran had died one way or another, Helaman the son of Helaman became the chief judge. He was a righteous man, but there were some who opposed him being the chief judge. Kishkumen had already killed one chief judge, and he was planning to kill Helaman.
When Kishkumen was on his way, he ran into a servant of Helaman who had happened to be able to have disguised himself and learned of Kishkumen's plan. This servant ended up killing Kishkumen and protecting Helaman.
Gadianton, the man who sort of orchestrated the previous murder of Kishumen, was calling the shots. When Kishkumen hadn't returned in the right amount of time, he started to think that something had gone wrong, so they escaped into the wilderness.
The ideas that this man, Gadianton, had caused a lot of wickedness and sorrow among the Nephites. He was not a good man. And unfortunately, this had a big impact on the entire society of the Nephites.
"And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi." (Helaman 2:13)
It's kind of amazing to think what influence one man can have. In this case, it was not a good thing. But I started to think about the positive influence that one man can have on generations. It could be that one person serves a mission and is able to help touch someone's life, changing the course of a family forever. You never know the kind of influence you might have. That is why it is important to always be positive, uplifting, and faithful. You never know when this legacy may start. You may as well act the way you know you should, so the influence you have on those generations after you, will be a good one.
When Kishkumen was on his way, he ran into a servant of Helaman who had happened to be able to have disguised himself and learned of Kishkumen's plan. This servant ended up killing Kishkumen and protecting Helaman.
Gadianton, the man who sort of orchestrated the previous murder of Kishumen, was calling the shots. When Kishkumen hadn't returned in the right amount of time, he started to think that something had gone wrong, so they escaped into the wilderness.
The ideas that this man, Gadianton, had caused a lot of wickedness and sorrow among the Nephites. He was not a good man. And unfortunately, this had a big impact on the entire society of the Nephites.
"And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi." (Helaman 2:13)
It's kind of amazing to think what influence one man can have. In this case, it was not a good thing. But I started to think about the positive influence that one man can have on generations. It could be that one person serves a mission and is able to help touch someone's life, changing the course of a family forever. You never know the kind of influence you might have. That is why it is important to always be positive, uplifting, and faithful. You never know when this legacy may start. You may as well act the way you know you should, so the influence you have on those generations after you, will be a good one.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Lessons Learned
This part of the Book of Mormon has some very sad, but very valuable lessons. The great leaders had passed away and it was left to the next generation, as things are, and they had some contention. Pahoran had 3 sons who were up to be selected to sit in the judgement seat, Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. The people voted for Pahoran. Pacumeni went along with it, but Paanchi decided to organize a rebellion, for which he was tried and put to death.
However, there were still people who were out there, secret combinations, which haven't played too prevalent a role in the Book of Mormon up to this point, but they were angry, and didn't want Pahoran to be their leader, so they sent Kishkumen to kill Pahoran, which he did, and he got away. They all agreed (this is the secret combination part) to keep it a secret that Kishkumen was the one who had killed Pahoran.
"Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death." (Helaman 1:12)
This is kind of the beginning of the end, as it were, for the righteous Nephites, at least for a while. There are many who are dissenting, and they have secret combinations starting to creep in among their people.
In addition to this, the Lamanites (who always seem to get stirred up against the Nephites the most when they have Nephite dissenters with them) came to attack them again. Corantumr led the Lamanites. He was so bold and confident in the strength of his army that he charged them straight into the center, the capital city of Zarahemla. They took that city easily, and then they assumed it was all downhill from there for the Nephites. They thought that the strongest city would be their capital city. However, they were mistaken, and though they took the city easily, they were now trapped in the center of all the Nephites.
"And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites." (Helaman 1:32)
I think the biggest lesson to learn here is one we learn from Coriantumr. He was prideful and overly confident, and marched himself right into a bad situation. I think we can be that way sometimes. Without doing our research, or without a real solid plan, we just charge forward with something, but then we end up getting stuck in the middle of it, not sure what to do. In Coriantumr's case, it ended up costing him his life. While the stakes might not seem so high, we often find ourselves in the same situation, marching into the middle of something without much of a plan. It can be at least uncomfortable, if not worse. To avoid this, have a plan. Make it with as much information as possible, and then execute your plan with boldness, but not arrogance.
On the flip side, the Nephites were only MOSTLY prepared. Their outer cities were fortified against attack, but their center, their capital, was probably their weakest point, because they assumed the Lamanites would only hit the outside. They had not prepared for the possibility that they would be attacked at their center. At least they reacted well and headed off the Lamanites before too long, and they were able to drive them out of their land.
However, there were still people who were out there, secret combinations, which haven't played too prevalent a role in the Book of Mormon up to this point, but they were angry, and didn't want Pahoran to be their leader, so they sent Kishkumen to kill Pahoran, which he did, and he got away. They all agreed (this is the secret combination part) to keep it a secret that Kishkumen was the one who had killed Pahoran.
"Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death." (Helaman 1:12)
This is kind of the beginning of the end, as it were, for the righteous Nephites, at least for a while. There are many who are dissenting, and they have secret combinations starting to creep in among their people.
In addition to this, the Lamanites (who always seem to get stirred up against the Nephites the most when they have Nephite dissenters with them) came to attack them again. Corantumr led the Lamanites. He was so bold and confident in the strength of his army that he charged them straight into the center, the capital city of Zarahemla. They took that city easily, and then they assumed it was all downhill from there for the Nephites. They thought that the strongest city would be their capital city. However, they were mistaken, and though they took the city easily, they were now trapped in the center of all the Nephites.
"And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites." (Helaman 1:32)
I think the biggest lesson to learn here is one we learn from Coriantumr. He was prideful and overly confident, and marched himself right into a bad situation. I think we can be that way sometimes. Without doing our research, or without a real solid plan, we just charge forward with something, but then we end up getting stuck in the middle of it, not sure what to do. In Coriantumr's case, it ended up costing him his life. While the stakes might not seem so high, we often find ourselves in the same situation, marching into the middle of something without much of a plan. It can be at least uncomfortable, if not worse. To avoid this, have a plan. Make it with as much information as possible, and then execute your plan with boldness, but not arrogance.
On the flip side, the Nephites were only MOSTLY prepared. Their outer cities were fortified against attack, but their center, their capital, was probably their weakest point, because they assumed the Lamanites would only hit the outside. They had not prepared for the possibility that they would be attacked at their center. At least they reacted well and headed off the Lamanites before too long, and they were able to drive them out of their land.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Get the Word Out
Time marches on. Some of the great Nephite leaders are beginning to die, and things are passed down from one generation to another. Of specific interest in handing down were the records that had been kept since Nephi came out of Jerusalem. At this point, some of these records are getting close to 600 years old! They were really a treasure.
They got handed down to Helaman, the son of Helaman, who was one of the leaders alongside Captain Moroni. I don't know if it was general practice before this, but what did Helaman do when he got the record?
"Now behold, all those engravings which were in the possession of Helaman were written and sent forth among the children of men throughout all the land" (Alma 63:12)
He sent it out to the people. He understood the importance for people to know the history, or in Book of Mormon terms, to remember the captivity of their fathers. He wanted these words to be available, so they were written down and handed out for people to have.
I think this reminds me of like the Ensign magazine and other church publications. It is good to have the scriptures, but if we are getting continuing revelation, it's important for us to keep on top of things. What a wonderful thing that is, too.
The only way this helps, though, is if people actually take them and read and study their contents. It's all well and good to be glad to have the Ensign, but how often do I pull it out and read it or review other church materials? Probably not as often as I should. This is definitely one area where I can definitely improve.
They got handed down to Helaman, the son of Helaman, who was one of the leaders alongside Captain Moroni. I don't know if it was general practice before this, but what did Helaman do when he got the record?
"Now behold, all those engravings which were in the possession of Helaman were written and sent forth among the children of men throughout all the land" (Alma 63:12)
He sent it out to the people. He understood the importance for people to know the history, or in Book of Mormon terms, to remember the captivity of their fathers. He wanted these words to be available, so they were written down and handed out for people to have.
I think this reminds me of like the Ensign magazine and other church publications. It is good to have the scriptures, but if we are getting continuing revelation, it's important for us to keep on top of things. What a wonderful thing that is, too.
The only way this helps, though, is if people actually take them and read and study their contents. It's all well and good to be glad to have the Ensign, but how often do I pull it out and read it or review other church materials? Probably not as often as I should. This is definitely one area where I can definitely improve.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Blessings to Those Who Pray
A simple thing, really, but it just jumped out at me as I was reading. The people were blessed and prospered because they prayed. And not just a single prayer, but continually.
"And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually, insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land." (Alma 62:51)
If you are in need of blessings (and who isn't, really), this is a great place to start. Foster a prayerful attitude, make sure you actually say real prayers, and then keep those prayers in your heart all the time. If you do these things, God is obliged to bless you, because he has promised to, and God keeps His word.
"And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually, insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land." (Alma 62:51)
If you are in need of blessings (and who isn't, really), this is a great place to start. Foster a prayerful attitude, make sure you actually say real prayers, and then keep those prayers in your heart all the time. If you do these things, God is obliged to bless you, because he has promised to, and God keeps His word.
Humble Leadership
I don't know a lot about Pahoran, but at the very least, he is an example of great leader.
First, he had someone say some pretty nasty stuff about him, but he doesn't take offence. He takes the opportunity to praise Moroni, and also explain himself further.
"And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free." (Alma 61:9)
Something else he did to show his leadership is that he explains to Moroni how grateful he is for the feedback, and the clarity it gave him. He was humble enough to take someone else's advice and see things from another viewpoint.
"And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren." (Alma 61:9)
Finally, he showed care and concern towards others he was a leader over.
"See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free." (Alma 61:21)
I think these are some great qualities, and when I have opportunities to lead, whether it be at work, in my home, or really anywhere, I hope I can display these same leadership traits.
First, he had someone say some pretty nasty stuff about him, but he doesn't take offence. He takes the opportunity to praise Moroni, and also explain himself further.
"And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free." (Alma 61:9)
Something else he did to show his leadership is that he explains to Moroni how grateful he is for the feedback, and the clarity it gave him. He was humble enough to take someone else's advice and see things from another viewpoint.
"And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren." (Alma 61:9)
Finally, he showed care and concern towards others he was a leader over.
"See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free." (Alma 61:21)
I think these are some great qualities, and when I have opportunities to lead, whether it be at work, in my home, or really anywhere, I hope I can display these same leadership traits.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Boldness
Moroni wrote a much stronger message to Pahoran. He basically told him that he was responsible for all lives lost because he didn't send more troops and supplies. He goes into the wickedness that seemed to be going on in the government.
"Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain." (Alma 60:11)
First off, this seems like a good thing to remember. I think it applies to us now in our lives. Most of us are not heads of government, and most of us aren't in a battle right now. But this message applies to me. I suppose in vain if I think that I can just sit back and expect the Lord to deliver me. Faith is an action word. You have to do something about it.
Moroni goes on to say that he will come up to Pahoran and basically kick him out of his position and make sure that their armies have all the people and provisions that can be spared. At the end of his letter to Pahoran, Moroni says the following:
"Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country." (Alma 60:36)
I think that this is an inspiring message. If I were to decide to make this my mantra, and make my decisions based on this statement, imagine what impact that could have on my actions and decisions. This is something worth trying.
"Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain." (Alma 60:11)
First off, this seems like a good thing to remember. I think it applies to us now in our lives. Most of us are not heads of government, and most of us aren't in a battle right now. But this message applies to me. I suppose in vain if I think that I can just sit back and expect the Lord to deliver me. Faith is an action word. You have to do something about it.
Moroni goes on to say that he will come up to Pahoran and basically kick him out of his position and make sure that their armies have all the people and provisions that can be spared. At the end of his letter to Pahoran, Moroni says the following:
"Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country." (Alma 60:36)
I think that this is an inspiring message. If I were to decide to make this my mantra, and make my decisions based on this statement, imagine what impact that could have on my actions and decisions. This is something worth trying.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Moroni Was A Great Guy
I think Moroni is awesome. There are a couple more things here that speak to his character, and what kind of man he was.
First off, he was the kind of guy who was happy for other peoples' success. This is especially cool because he had not been quite as successful in his neck of the woods.
"...after Moroni had received and had read Helaman’s epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had, in obtaining those lands which were lost.
2 Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the land round about in that part where he was, that they might rejoice also." (Alma 59:1-2)
Moroni was angry with Pahoran, the chief judge, because he hadn't got some supplies and help out where they needed it, so he sent a message to the chief judge requesting extra help for Helaman. What he didn't know was that there were other armies who had also received very little help from Pahoran, and they started again to lose a little ground to the Lamanites.
"And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country." (Alma 59:13)
Moroni cared about other people, and their success, as well as being a patriot and a great leader. All of these things just add to what we already have heard about Moroni. I would love to be more like Captain Moroni.
First off, he was the kind of guy who was happy for other peoples' success. This is especially cool because he had not been quite as successful in his neck of the woods.
"...after Moroni had received and had read Helaman’s epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had, in obtaining those lands which were lost.
2 Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the land round about in that part where he was, that they might rejoice also." (Alma 59:1-2)
Moroni was angry with Pahoran, the chief judge, because he hadn't got some supplies and help out where they needed it, so he sent a message to the chief judge requesting extra help for Helaman. What he didn't know was that there were other armies who had also received very little help from Pahoran, and they started again to lose a little ground to the Lamanites.
"And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country." (Alma 59:13)
Moroni cared about other people, and their success, as well as being a patriot and a great leader. All of these things just add to what we already have heard about Moroni. I would love to be more like Captain Moroni.
Trusting God
Helaman wrote to Moroni an account of how the battle was going in his area. They were having success, but they weren't feeling like they were getting a lot of support with extra troops and supplies.
Because they found themselves in this situation, they were kinda vulnerable. The Lamanite army was getting stronger, and they were getting more and more outmatched all the time.
How did they deal with this situation?
"10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.
11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him." (Alma 58:10-11)
"But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory over those lands, insomuch that we have obtained those cities and those lands, which were our own." (Alma 58:33)
"...we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies." (Alma 58: 37)
I think they found a way to cope--to trust God and do their best. They ended up taking one of the most fortified strongholds of the Lamanites without much bloodshed, and driving the Lamanites out of the area in general. They had great success just trusting God.
Helaman also gave an update on his stripling warriors and that still not a single one of them had been slain. I think this is because they followed the same pattern described above: to trust God.
"But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come." (Alma 58:40)
I admire their level of trust in God. They took great risk based on that trust and (of course) it paid off--they were successful in their battles. I think this applies to my own life. If I will put that much trust in God, He will help me win my "battles".
Because they found themselves in this situation, they were kinda vulnerable. The Lamanite army was getting stronger, and they were getting more and more outmatched all the time.
How did they deal with this situation?
"10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.
11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him." (Alma 58:10-11)
"But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory over those lands, insomuch that we have obtained those cities and those lands, which were our own." (Alma 58:33)
"...we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies." (Alma 58: 37)
I think they found a way to cope--to trust God and do their best. They ended up taking one of the most fortified strongholds of the Lamanites without much bloodshed, and driving the Lamanites out of the area in general. They had great success just trusting God.
Helaman also gave an update on his stripling warriors and that still not a single one of them had been slain. I think this is because they followed the same pattern described above: to trust God.
"But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come." (Alma 58:40)
I admire their level of trust in God. They took great risk based on that trust and (of course) it paid off--they were successful in their battles. I think this applies to my own life. If I will put that much trust in God, He will help me win my "battles".
Monday, January 22, 2018
It is He That Has Delivered us
Helaman continues to talk about their battles, and shares an account of Gid, who was put over a part of the army.
Basically, they had a tough battle with the Lamanites and they (the Nephites) ended up being successful because of a couple of parts of the army that fought. In fact, Gid attributes their success to God:
"And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for us." (Alma 57:35)
I think I love this and it is so applicable in our lives because we all have our battles and struggles. We all need help sometimes. Sure enough, when we do what we are supposed to do, the Lord delivers us time and time again.
And then the question becomes "How do we merit God's protection and blessings?" Well, the other small group that helped the Nephites succeed was the army of 2000 stripling warriors.
I believe they had success largely because of their faith, but also because of this:
"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them;" (Alma 57:21)
When we follow the commands we are given with exactness, and have faith, God will deliver us from whatever battle we are facing.
Basically, they had a tough battle with the Lamanites and they (the Nephites) ended up being successful because of a couple of parts of the army that fought. In fact, Gid attributes their success to God:
"And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for us." (Alma 57:35)
I think I love this and it is so applicable in our lives because we all have our battles and struggles. We all need help sometimes. Sure enough, when we do what we are supposed to do, the Lord delivers us time and time again.
And then the question becomes "How do we merit God's protection and blessings?" Well, the other small group that helped the Nephites succeed was the army of 2000 stripling warriors.
I believe they had success largely because of their faith, but also because of this:
"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them;" (Alma 57:21)
When we follow the commands we are given with exactness, and have faith, God will deliver us from whatever battle we are facing.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Faith Gets Results
Helaman sent a message to Moroni to describe how the battles had been going in his area, and to describe the experiences he'd had with his 2000 stripling warriors. He explains that they were in a pretty precarious situation, being chased by a large army of Lamanites, and that Antipus, another Nephite army leader, was chasing those Lamanites (this had been a strategy they had put in place). The Lamanites stopped, and they weren't sure why. Antipus might have caught up, or the Lamanites might have decided to spring a trap for them. Helaman discussed it with his stripling warriors.
"44 Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?
45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.
46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." (Alma 56:44-48)
I think they showed a lot of faith. This was their first real battle that we're aware of, and they were all very young men. They were truly putting their faith into action by being willing to go to battle to protect the Nephites, even if it meant losing their lives.
They had a huge battle, and as it turns out, Helaman had some good news to report:
"But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war." (Alma 56:56)
When you act in faith, the Lord blesses you.
"44 Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?
45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.
46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." (Alma 56:44-48)
I think they showed a lot of faith. This was their first real battle that we're aware of, and they were all very young men. They were truly putting their faith into action by being willing to go to battle to protect the Nephites, even if it meant losing their lives.
They had a huge battle, and as it turns out, Helaman had some good news to report:
"But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war." (Alma 56:56)
When you act in faith, the Lord blesses you.
Keeping Promises Made in Righteousness
Ammoron and Moroni exchanged messages about the conditions under which they were willing to exchange prisoners. For Moroni, this was not a negotiation. He told Ammoron that if he didn't agree to the terms presented, that Moroni would come to battle against him. Ammoron didn't agree to the terms.
"And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my epistle;" (Alma 55:2)
Now, because Moroni promised to come to battle against the Lamanites if the exchange didn't happen the way he wanted, he wouldn't back down from what he had said to Ammoron. He intended to do exactly as he had said.
This is one of the things I like about Moroni, though. Even though he said that he was going to come to battle, he didn't like killing or bloodshed. Through strategy, the Lamanites had been tricked into drinking themselves to sleep, and the prisoners were armed (courtesy Moroni's army). It mentions that Moroni's army could have just killed the drunk Lamanites.
"But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites and destroy them in their drunkenness." (Alma 55:19)
With all the wars and bloodshed that the Lamanites had caused, and even though Moroni was the leader of the Nephite army, he was still a righteous man, who only wanted to do God's will.
Moroni's army had successfully freed the captive Nephites, without any bloodshed, and also without giving up any Lamanites that could have just come back and strengthened the Lamanite army.
"And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my epistle;" (Alma 55:2)
Now, because Moroni promised to come to battle against the Lamanites if the exchange didn't happen the way he wanted, he wouldn't back down from what he had said to Ammoron. He intended to do exactly as he had said.
This is one of the things I like about Moroni, though. Even though he said that he was going to come to battle, he didn't like killing or bloodshed. Through strategy, the Lamanites had been tricked into drinking themselves to sleep, and the prisoners were armed (courtesy Moroni's army). It mentions that Moroni's army could have just killed the drunk Lamanites.
"But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites and destroy them in their drunkenness." (Alma 55:19)
With all the wars and bloodshed that the Lamanites had caused, and even though Moroni was the leader of the Nephite army, he was still a righteous man, who only wanted to do God's will.
Moroni's army had successfully freed the captive Nephites, without any bloodshed, and also without giving up any Lamanites that could have just come back and strengthened the Lamanite army.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Confidence In Being On The Right Side
After years of war and battles, the Lamanites wanted to do a prisoner exchange. Moroni responded with a message explaining the terms under which he was willing to do the exchange, but in the meantime, he also included some words to show his faith.
"But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God." (Alma 54:10)
Moroni simply expresses his confidence that they would win any battle, and that they are on God's side.
It's a simple message, but it shows how faithful Moroni was to his ideals and kept his faith. And frankly, why not. Up to this point, they had been very successful when they followed God's instructions.
Hopefully I can always show that level of confidence that I am on the Lord's errand, and that I will find success in doing His will.
"But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God." (Alma 54:10)
Moroni simply expresses his confidence that they would win any battle, and that they are on God's side.
It's a simple message, but it shows how faithful Moroni was to his ideals and kept his faith. And frankly, why not. Up to this point, they had been very successful when they followed God's instructions.
Hopefully I can always show that level of confidence that I am on the Lord's errand, and that I will find success in doing His will.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Peoples' Character
One thing that stands out to me in the scriptures is when there is time spent describing a person individually, especially if that description speaks to that person's character. This part of the Book of Mormon, with all the time spent on describing battles and wars, it seems to especially stand out.
"Now behold, this Lehi was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his battles; and he was a man like unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in each other’s safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and also beloved by all the people of Nephi." (Alma 53:2)
"[Lehi] was a man like unto Moroni". Earlier, when we first become acquainted with Moroni, it was said that "if all men were...like unto Moroni, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever;" This is a pretty powerful statement about one's character. And then to go on and say that Lehi was like unto Moroni. They were friends, and they were beloved by all the people. That's pretty awesome.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehis were awesome people. When they became converted, they made an oath to not fight. They were so committed to this oath that they were willing to die without fighting the Lamanites, just to keep their promise to never take up weapons of war again. From this time forward, they had been living peacefully among the Nephites, who protected them.
"But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country." (Alma 53:13)
These people, who were willing to die to keep their promises, had so much compassion on the Nephites that they were willing to break their oath to help fight with the Nephites. This speaks to how much they loved the Nephites and appreciated their sacrifice up to this point in protecting them.
Helaman wouldn't let them take up arms and break their oath. He didn't want them to lose their souls by doing so. However, they had quite a few sons who had not made that oath and were willing to fight. In fact, they entered into their own covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites and protect the land, and that they NEVER would give up their liberty. This is a pretty amazing covenant to make when you are young. Here is how they were described.
"20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him." (Alma 53:20-21)
I love this description. Honestly, if I could at some point in my life be described this way, that would be awesome. I have a ways to go before that.
I think that people get described in the scriptures to inspire us to be like them. It helps me to understand their motivations and the cause for some of their actions, and it helps me to want to do better in my own life. I'm grateful for the people in the scriptures and in my life that keep to their character and ethics. They are such an example to me and I hope to always do my best to see good character traits in others. And then I hope to try to emulate those traits.
"Now behold, this Lehi was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his battles; and he was a man like unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in each other’s safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and also beloved by all the people of Nephi." (Alma 53:2)
"[Lehi] was a man like unto Moroni". Earlier, when we first become acquainted with Moroni, it was said that "if all men were...like unto Moroni, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever;" This is a pretty powerful statement about one's character. And then to go on and say that Lehi was like unto Moroni. They were friends, and they were beloved by all the people. That's pretty awesome.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehis were awesome people. When they became converted, they made an oath to not fight. They were so committed to this oath that they were willing to die without fighting the Lamanites, just to keep their promise to never take up weapons of war again. From this time forward, they had been living peacefully among the Nephites, who protected them.
"But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country." (Alma 53:13)
These people, who were willing to die to keep their promises, had so much compassion on the Nephites that they were willing to break their oath to help fight with the Nephites. This speaks to how much they loved the Nephites and appreciated their sacrifice up to this point in protecting them.
Helaman wouldn't let them take up arms and break their oath. He didn't want them to lose their souls by doing so. However, they had quite a few sons who had not made that oath and were willing to fight. In fact, they entered into their own covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites and protect the land, and that they NEVER would give up their liberty. This is a pretty amazing covenant to make when you are young. Here is how they were described.
"20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him." (Alma 53:20-21)
I love this description. Honestly, if I could at some point in my life be described this way, that would be awesome. I have a ways to go before that.
I think that people get described in the scriptures to inspire us to be like them. It helps me to understand their motivations and the cause for some of their actions, and it helps me to want to do better in my own life. I'm grateful for the people in the scriptures and in my life that keep to their character and ethics. They are such an example to me and I hope to always do my best to see good character traits in others. And then I hope to try to emulate those traits.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Dangerous Circumstances
The Lamanites had attacked the Nephites, and because of the sheer number of them, they had taken a number of the cities that the Nephites had fortified. They had attacked the Nephites on the east and the west.
"And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances..." (Alma 52:14)
The Nephites had been divided, and the Lamanites took advantage of their distraction. So what did the Nephites do?
"Moroni and Teancum and many of the chief captains held a council of war...that they might gain advantage over them..." (Alma 52:19)
They sat and made plans and carried them out, and eventually took back the city they were focused on.
Why did this stand out to me? Well, I have been thinking a lot about how these chapters about wars and battles and strategy are included in the Book of Mormon, and we know that everything included in this book is for us. Why details about battles? I think sometimes, we don't take it seriously enough that we are still in the war that started in heaven after Satan drew away 1/3 of the hosts of heaven. There is a reason that we call him the adversary. He wants us to be miserable like he is, and it is like a battle every day to remain firm and steadfast in our faith.
So I think this time around, I am thinking in these terms as I read these chapters. Sometimes, we find ourselves in "dangerous circumstances", where maybe we have faltered a little bit, or we find ourselves cornered a little by the enemy. Our very salvation is at stake. If we fall, and sin, it is that much more difficult to fight our way out. Just like the Nephites, who had become divided and distracted. They lost some of their strongholds to the Lamanites. Once the Lamanites had taken over their cities that they had fortified, they were so much harder to take back than they would have been to just defend and keep them from the start.
So one thing I think is significant is that the leaders of the Nephites didn't just attack and attack. They didn't make rash decisions. They held a "council of war". How does that relate to our battles against Satan? Well, there are a lot of people who we can hold a "council of war" with to defeat Satan. Spouses, parents, friends, and church leaders, just to name a few. We hold council about how we will combat the temptations of the adversary. We discuss ways we can stay righteous. We talk about ways to retake the strongholds that we once had possession of, but no longer have. We work together.
One of the greatest things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in my opinion, is that while salvation is an individual matter (nobody can repent for you, or make good choices for you), we have so much help along the way. We are all pulling for each other.
I want to have the best strategies for when the adversary comes attacking. And I love working together with others to win the battles that we face. I hope I can be as much of a strength to others as they have been to me.
"And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances..." (Alma 52:14)
The Nephites had been divided, and the Lamanites took advantage of their distraction. So what did the Nephites do?
"Moroni and Teancum and many of the chief captains held a council of war...that they might gain advantage over them..." (Alma 52:19)
They sat and made plans and carried them out, and eventually took back the city they were focused on.
Why did this stand out to me? Well, I have been thinking a lot about how these chapters about wars and battles and strategy are included in the Book of Mormon, and we know that everything included in this book is for us. Why details about battles? I think sometimes, we don't take it seriously enough that we are still in the war that started in heaven after Satan drew away 1/3 of the hosts of heaven. There is a reason that we call him the adversary. He wants us to be miserable like he is, and it is like a battle every day to remain firm and steadfast in our faith.
So I think this time around, I am thinking in these terms as I read these chapters. Sometimes, we find ourselves in "dangerous circumstances", where maybe we have faltered a little bit, or we find ourselves cornered a little by the enemy. Our very salvation is at stake. If we fall, and sin, it is that much more difficult to fight our way out. Just like the Nephites, who had become divided and distracted. They lost some of their strongholds to the Lamanites. Once the Lamanites had taken over their cities that they had fortified, they were so much harder to take back than they would have been to just defend and keep them from the start.
So one thing I think is significant is that the leaders of the Nephites didn't just attack and attack. They didn't make rash decisions. They held a "council of war". How does that relate to our battles against Satan? Well, there are a lot of people who we can hold a "council of war" with to defeat Satan. Spouses, parents, friends, and church leaders, just to name a few. We hold council about how we will combat the temptations of the adversary. We discuss ways we can stay righteous. We talk about ways to retake the strongholds that we once had possession of, but no longer have. We work together.
One of the greatest things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in my opinion, is that while salvation is an individual matter (nobody can repent for you, or make good choices for you), we have so much help along the way. We are all pulling for each other.
I want to have the best strategies for when the adversary comes attacking. And I love working together with others to win the battles that we face. I hope I can be as much of a strength to others as they have been to me.
The Cause of All Their Destruction
The Nephites started to have contention among themselves. Some people wanted to change back to having kings rule over them again. It hadn't been too long since they had kings before, but when they set up the form of government, with judges, they decided to do away with kings because while it is possible to have a righteous king, it's also very easy for a king to become corrupt, or greedy, or more wicked, and then lead their entire people astray.
Some of those who argued to do away with judges and go back to having a king were those who imagined themselves to be either the next king, or someone in a high station in a kingdom.
They even went so far as to not support the army of the Nephites because I guess they saw it as an opportunity to take over the government and things. Moroni wanted to put this little rebellion down because there was a bigger problem brewing...that of the Lamanites preparing to come to war against the Nephites. So Moroni had to take care of his own house before he could defend it.
He describes what happens to people that fight internally:
"For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction." (Alma 51:16)
The cause of all their destruction. This is a bold statement. Once that seems accurate. The times the Nephites got in trouble were either because of wickedness and pride, or because of a group of dissenters who fought against the Lord's way.
I hope that my family never feels like it can't do what needs to happen because of internal fighting and contention. We need all our "fighting" and focus to be on the external evil and negative forces out there. Standing together to fight against this is the only way we have a chance of staying strong.
Some of those who argued to do away with judges and go back to having a king were those who imagined themselves to be either the next king, or someone in a high station in a kingdom.
They even went so far as to not support the army of the Nephites because I guess they saw it as an opportunity to take over the government and things. Moroni wanted to put this little rebellion down because there was a bigger problem brewing...that of the Lamanites preparing to come to war against the Nephites. So Moroni had to take care of his own house before he could defend it.
He describes what happens to people that fight internally:
"For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction." (Alma 51:16)
The cause of all their destruction. This is a bold statement. Once that seems accurate. The times the Nephites got in trouble were either because of wickedness and pride, or because of a group of dissenters who fought against the Lord's way.
I hope that my family never feels like it can't do what needs to happen because of internal fighting and contention. We need all our "fighting" and focus to be on the external evil and negative forces out there. Standing together to fight against this is the only way we have a chance of staying strong.
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