Still Good People

In general, the people had become more wicked, but the core of the people were still good. In fact, they had a good governor, Lachoneus.

Giddianhi, the leader of the Gadianton robbers, a wicked group of people who had created a society in the wilderness that was known for their secret combinations, and robbing, and murder, etc., sent a message to Lachoneus to basically surrender his people to Giddianhi. If they didn't, Giddianhi would send his armies to destroy the people of Lachoneus.

"Now behold, this Lachoneus, ​the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them." (3 Nephi 3:12)

I think this says a lot about the character of Lachoneus. He's not willing to subject his people to the wickedness of the Gadianton robbers, and he also has faith that God will protect them. In fact, the first thing he did was strengthen his people in the Lord, having them cry unto the Lord for strength. In fact, he went on to tell them:

"...As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers." (3 Nephi 3:15)

Lachoneus knew that the only way to win against these wicked people was to repent and cry unto the Lord. Then they started making preparations for war, so they could protect themselves. He also appointed the chief captain to be a man named Gidgiddoni.

"Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness) some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy; therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as also was the chief judge." (3 Nephi 3:19)

They went about preparing for the coming battle, with a focus on how the Lord would have them prepare.

I think our lives are like this sometimes. We occasionally get confronted by wickedness and temptation, much like Lachoneus did here. Our job in life is to be righteous and do the most we can to prepare for whatever upcoming battles that occur. The emphasis on following the Lord's way, and making sure we are preparing the way He would have us prepare is important here. The Nephites of course built strongholds and weapons, but first they prepared themselves spiritually.

Before the "battle" is at our doorstep, we need to prepare. We will be confronted with challenges in life, but if we are prepared, we will be OK. I have experienced this in my own life. That's where the phrase "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear" comes from. When we prepare ourselves spiritually first, we will be ready for whatever comes our way.