Book of Mormon 2020 - Helaman 7-12

I first wrote about Helaman 6 to 12 in 2016. This post will cover Helaman 7 to 12. If you would like to read my previous post, you can check it out at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-of-mormon-34-how-could-you-have.html

The Gadianton Robbers are mentioned repeatedly in the chapters of Helaman. In my initial post I discussed secret combinations and the Gadianton Robbers. I found a clear explanation of secret combinations in 30 Characteristics of Secret Combinations. These 30 characteristics also appear in an article called Waking Up to Secret Combinations (2011) by Darren Andrews. When Nephi returned from northern lands to the Land of Zarahemla he found that the Gadianton robbers were filling the judgement seats, laying aside God’s commandments, and corrupting justice (verse 4). The robbers were condemning the righteous, letting the guilty buy their way out of punishment, and seeking glory and adulation, using their position to more easily commit adultery, steal, murder, and do whatever they wanted (verse 5). When we look at the U.S.A. today we see the same things. The laws have been corrupted, the guilty buy their way to power and freedom from conviction, and those who rule are prime examples of this corruption. The prevalence of secret combinations today is terrifying. We know that their power comes from Satan.

In Helaman 7:7-8 we read, “Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.” Brother John Bytheway called these verses, “Those were the days”. How often do we think about previous years and compare them to 2020, with the same attitude, “Those were the days”? I know I miss travelling. I haven’t seen my oldest son and his beautiful family for several years. I was due to fly to Sydney before the Covid-19 pandemic. Now all I see are photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram. My mum (96 years old) was admitted to Middlemore Hospital in mid-August. For the first nine days I was unable to see her because of the Covid lock-down. Then, for compassionate reasons, I was the only support person allowed in to see her once per day. Now, she has been home for nearly a week and I am her primary caregiver. I am responsible for end-of-life care. I know I often think about previous months and years – “Those were the days”!

The story that follows in Helaman 7 to 9 is covered so well in three media files from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Brother John Bytheway pointed out some interesting ideas in his podcast on Helaman 7-12:

Helaman 7

• Verse 13: Passers-by have stopped to hear Nephi pray on his garden tower. Nephi warns them of their iniquities.
• Verse 17: “O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die?” Nephi points out to his listeners that they were choosing to die spiritually.
• Verse 19: “And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.” The idea that the righteous will be gathered while the wicked will be scattered appears repeatedly in scriptural references.

Helaman 8

• Verses 6-7: Some reject and condemn Nephi, while others defend him as a ‘good man’.
• Verse 27: Nephi delivers a real-time prophecy that the chief judge has been murdered, “he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother…”

Helaman 9

• Verse 4: Five men run to the chief judge and find him lying in his own blood. They believe Nephi and they fall to the earth. They are found and thrown in to prison because of a misunderstanding. It is thought that they killed the chief judge.
• Verse 20: The trial of Nephi is described. The five are released and Nephi is accused of plotting the death of the chief judge. He is offered money to reveal the murderer with whom he plotted. The following verses are Nephi’s condemnation of the people.
• Verse 26: Nephi tells his accusers to look for evidence of the murder at Seantum’s house, as he had killed his own brother, the Chief Judge Seezoram. The events that followed occurred according to Nephi’s words.

Helaman 10

• Verse 1: They could not convict Nephi. “And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.” 

There are two videos from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) that cover some interesting aspects of the events in these chapters. The first discusses why Nephi’s words in Helaman 7-8 sounded so much like a funeral speech. The second looks at how Seantum was able to be convicted under the Law of Moses without two witnesses to his crime.

In Chapter 11, Nephi was bestowed with great blessings because of his unwearying obedience and faithfulness. He is promised, “I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works…that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people…I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people” (Helaman 11:5-7). Nephi calls for a famine to bring the wicked and hard-hearted to repentance. The Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) below addresses the question of how Nephi used the power to seal on Earth and in Heaven.

Miracles can strengthen the faith of believers. Sometimes they can be the reason why people believe. However, many people witnessed Nephi’s miracles and still hardened their hearts. The danger of relying on miracles to build faith is illustrated by the story of Mrs Johnson (Joseph Smith and the Restoration, p. 176, 199)

This incident was enough for Ezra Booth and he joined the Church. Miracles are not sufficient by themselves to truly convert a person. After only a few months in the Church, Ezra apostatized and even wrote a number of articles against the Prophet. (Joseph Smith and the Restoration, p. 176, 199)

It amazes me that with the famine, the people began to remember God (Helaman 11:7), yet once the famine ended, within a few short years, they once again began to forget God (Helaman 11:36-37). It is sad that when things go well and there is plenty, pride creeps in and people stop being grateful or obedient. One of my favourite quotes from President Brigham Young is the one shown below.

A scripture that made me ponder deeply was Helaman 12:7-8, “O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth…For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.” There is a footnote on this scripture that leads to Moses 1:10 which reads, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” In his communication with God, Moses recognised that man on his own is nothing. It is when man connects with God that he can reach his greatest potential and become something. As men and women we are less than the dust of the Earth because we have rebellious spirits. Dust always obeys God but we do not. My lesson from this scripture is that I need to connect with God, I need to become what He wants me to become if I want to be something. I am a child of God but that has the responsibility of being obedient and staying close to the Spirit.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Helaman 1-6

I first wrote about Helaman 1 to 5 in 2016. This post is available at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-of-mormon-33-sure-foundation.html

This post covers Helaman 1 to 6. President Ezra Taft Benson mentioned repeatedly that the lessons that prepared the Nephites and Lamanites for the coming of Jesus Christ are for our benefit. There are so many parallels that impact on our preparations as we face the Lord’s Second Coming (April 1987 General Conference).

Helaman 1 outlines the political upheavals in Nephite government. The three sons of Pahoran vied for the position of Chief Judge. The contention and fighting allowed the Lamanite army, under the leadership of Coriantumr, to obtain the city of Zarahemla. The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) discusses the issue of why the void in leadership was so dangerous for the Nephites.

Brother John Bytheway in his weekly Gospel Doctrine podcast (OurTurtleHouse.com), pointed out something that impressed me and testified strongly of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Pahoran had three sons: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. Hugh Nibley in his book Since Cumorah (1988) discussed the name Paanchi (p. 170). In the 7^th century B.C Paanchi was a popular Egyptian name. This was only discovered in the late 19^th century. Imagine the young Joseph Smith being able to create a name so unusual and unique that was later uncovered to be a genuine, popular name at this point in history, by sheer accident. The Book of Mormon is sacred.

Joseph Smith translating (Del Parsons)

Kishkumen started the Gadianton Robbers. His murder of the Chief Judge Pahoran (the second) was concealed by oaths made within the secret society of the Gadianton Robbers. The scripture that surprised me in in Helaman 1:11 reads, “they all entered into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran”. What surprised me was that men as evil as the Gadianton Robbers would swear anything in the name of God. I followed the footnote to this scripture that led to Moses 5:29, where Satan made Cain swear by the name of God. “Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not”. This seems to be a technique used by Satan to make something evil seem more acceptable. When I thought about the world today, it is understandable. All around us, the evils of Satan are made to appear good and desirable.

In Helaman 2:13 we read, “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”. Gadianton took over leadership of this secret society from Kishkumen. In Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019) it states, “Because of this one man [Gadianton] and the evil he put in motion, almost all of the people of Nephi would be destroyed. It is inspiring what good a single person can do, and it is also scary what one evil person can do. The people we choose to align with, the choices we make, and the direction we are facing, although those choices seem small at first, end with much larger consequences”. This really made me think about the influence that various people have made in my own life. I have been fortunate to have had some very good people influence my decisions. I look at the current political leadership in the U.S.A. and I can see clearly the effect of one evil man on an entire country.

The effect of the political contention, the secret society, and the pride of the Nephites, was that they became weak and could not defeat the Lamanites. This Knowhy video examines the question, ‘How did the Nephites become weak in such a short time?’

There is a comprehensive list detailing the wickedness of the Nephites in Helaman 4:11-13. “Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God…it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites… because of…their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands”. When I look around at the world today, I see the wickedness described here. I do not see it among members of the church, but I am sure there are things that I do not see. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I wonder if the world is just too wicked and there are other pandemics, plagues, earthquakes, and natural disasters that will yet be sent to afflict, try, and test us.

Helaman 4:15 states, “And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper”. This is a seemingly simple solution that we can apply in our own lives. Repentance should be part of the way we live from day to day. In Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019) the word repentance is linked to anxiety, with the account of Adam and Eve hiding behind a tree to prevent the Lord from viewing their nakedness. It goes on to say, “The word repentance implies a turning back, and turning back invites Him back into our lives. Then we begin to prosper. We prosper because He is there. We will never find the strength, love, and grace behind the tree that we will in His presence. Turn again to Him”.

One of my very favourite scriptures is Helaman 5:12 which contains the words of counsel from Helaman to his sons Nephi and Lehi, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall”.

Christ is the only sure foundation. Building on a false foundation (money, prestige, popularity, appearance, accomplishments) will lead to unhappiness and weakness in facing Satan’s temptations. Peace comes from being close to the Spirit and following the Lord’s guidance. The following video is inspirational in remembering the importance of Christ as our rock and our Redeemer. It provides us with a clearer understanding of the scriptural use of ‘rock’. This Knowhy video answers the question: ‘Why did Helaman compare Christ to a rock?’

After Nephi and Lehi converted thousands of Lamanites in the city of Zarahemla they went on to preach to the Lamanites in the Land of Nephi. They were thrown into prison. For days they went without food. When the Lamanites came to kill them, they could not go near these wonderful missionaries. It appeared that they were standing amidst flames. The Lamanites were encompassed by a cloud of darkness. They heard a quiet yet powerful voice command them to repent. The earth shook and the cloud continued to overwhelm them. Nephi and Lehi were looking up and appeared to be speaking to someone. Aminadab, a Nephite dissenter living with the Lamanites, testified that, “They do converse with the angels of God” (Helaman 5:39). The Lamanites asked, “What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?” (Helaman 5:40). Aminadab told them that they should repent. When they did, they found they were surrounded by a pillar of fire and angels came down to minister to them. Sometimes we experience a ‘cloud of darkness’, so what can we do to get rid of this cloud? I love church music. One hymn that answers this question is Where can I turn for peace? The following video is this hymn sung by Kathleen Jacob. The background illustrates some of the things that can contribute to our own clouds of darkness.

I have mentioned chiasmus in several previous posts. Helaman 6 provides a further example of chiasmus. In Helaman 6:7-13 we have a very precise chiasmus. This is illustrated below. There is also a Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) video that answers the question: ‘Why was chiasmus used in Nephite record keeping?’

I thought a lot about the significance of these scriptures to my own life. The Nephites succumbed to evil while the Lamanites became more righteous than the Nephites. The Nephites descent into wickedness can be illustrated by the Pride Cycle seen below.

In the April 2009 General Conference, Elder Russell M. Ballard said, “…the Book of Mormon records that ancient civilizations followed exactly the same pattern: righteousness followed by prosperity, followed by material comforts, followed by greed, followed by pride, followed by wickedness and a collapse of morality until the people brought calamities upon themselves sufficient to stir them up to humility, repentance, and change…One of the great lessons of this historical pattern is that our choices, both individually and collectively, do result in spiritual consequences for ourselves and for our posterity”. We are faced with a time of calamities. The world is full of evil and selfishness, so the calamities are not unanticipated. As members we need to be humble and rely on the Lord to guide and support us. We need to avoid pride and all the snares and temptations of Satan. I personally need to rely on the Lord to guide me through this difficult time where daily I see my old mum in constant pain. He knows best and I only pray that He will look on my mum with compassion and mercy. I will try to maintain the connection I have with the Spirit and do my best to be steadfast.

I love these two songs, for the words and the harmonies. The first is a song by Vocal Point (BYU) called, In Christ alone. The second is a song called Waymaker (by Leeland), recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown, sung by David Archuleta and the Housecat Band.

“Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper

Light in the darkness

My God, that is who You are…

You mended every heart

You are here.”

Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 53-63

I wrote about Alma 53 to 63 in 2016. I summarised a lot of the stories, particularly the story of the 2,000 Stripling Warriors – one of my favourite. If you would like to read this post, it is at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-of-mormon-33-sure-foundation.html

I am feeling sad and maudlin after reading through my own post from 2016. I spoke about mothers and my own mother. On August 16^th, my mum was rushed to Middlemore Hospital by ambulance. She was in severe pain. When the doctors asked her to pick a pain level between one and ten, her answer was “100”! My mum has a very high pain threshold, so I knew she was experiencing excruciating pain. I could stay with her while she was in Emergency, but as the hospital is under Covid lock-down, I have been unable to see her in nine days! Tomorrow I have been asked to attend a meeting with the medical team at 10.00 a.m. at the hospital. I am scared about what will be discussed but, at least, I get to see my little, frail mum.

I paid tribute to my mum in my previous post, but I want to add that over the years she has become even more special to me. I have spent every evening with her for years now, and I have missed this so much over the past nine days. For the past year, mum’s health has been failing and her short-term memory is now very bad. Well, I expect that is understandable considering she is 96 years old. I pray for her all the time. I know her wish is to move on to the next life and leave the pain behind. I know that, right now, I cannot imagine my life without her.

I wish I could be as good a person as my mum. I have not been the sort of mother that raises Stripling Warriors! I love my children dearly and I would do anything for them. They have all grown into fine young people. I am very proud of them. It does sadden me that only one out of six is active in the church. This is one reason I esteem my mother. She would have done better than I have done. This is also one of the main reasons I am in awe of the mothers of the Stripling Warriors. In Alma 56:47 it reads, “they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them”. Then, in verse 48 it states, “they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it”. What amazing faith and courage was instilled in these young men by their mother.

President Spencer W. Kimball said, "To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the Second Coming of our Saviour, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society's basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball,  p. 326). I will always be grateful for my mother. I love her, I respect her, and I honour her. I also love her with all my heart. I pray that the Lord will look on her now with mercy and compassion and help her through this dreadful time.

Brother John Bytheway gave each of these war chapters a title, capturing the spiritual message he discovered. These were the titles he suggested:

·         Alma 53: Knowing what is true, being true to what you know

·         Alma 54: Fear God more than armies

·         Alma 55: Be cautious that no poison is administered among you

·         Alma 56: The righteous need not fear death

·         Alma 57: Some were about to give way, some were firm and undaunted

·         Alma 58: God will visit the faithful with assurances

·         Alma 59:  Better to prepare and prevent than repair and repent

·         Alma 60: Cleanse the inner vessel

·         Alma 61: God has not commanded us to be subject to our enemies

·         Alma 62: Respond to afflictions with faith

These are great spiritual messages. The ones that I focussed on this time were Alma 57, 59, 60, and 62.

In Alma 57:6 we learn that the 2,000 Stripling Warriors were joined by 60 more. In Alma 57:6 Helaman recalls, “at the beginning of the twenty-ninth year, we received a supply of provisions…in addition to sixty of the sons of the Ammonites who had come to join…my little company of two thousand”. I had not really paid attention to this scripture until I read Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon (Freeman & Butler, 2019). They told the following story:

The boy was three years old when he wandered away in the west desert of Utah and got lost. He was missing for days. Search parties were assembled. The army was called. Search and Rescue came with their dogs. All through the day they searched to no avail. In our neighbourhood, a huge group gathered to drive down to the desert and help. They left in the afternoon. One man was late getting home from work. He missed the ride with all the others. He decided not to go. But his wife had packed his dinner, and she had the car ready and waiting when he pulled in. So, he went, even though he was late. When he arrived at the scene, everyone had already gone out searching. There was no one there to give directions, so he knelt and prayed, and then he went where the Spirit directed. There were thousands searching the desert that day. But the man who found the three -year-old boy was the one who almost didn’t go—the one who showed up late.

There is no explanation in the Book of Mormon why the 60 Ammonite boys joined the army late, but they did, and they provided much needed support for the original 2,000 Stripling Warriors. Freeman and Butler (2019) suggest that when someone needs our help showing up is sometimes more important than showing up on time. So, do not hesitate to show up just because you are running late. Reach your destination with your strength and faith in God and allow miracles to happen! 😊

In Alma 57:20-21 we read more about the 2,060 Stripling Warriors. We read, “And while the rest of our army was about to yield to the Lamanites, behold, these two thousand and sixty stood firm and undaunted…they obeyed and tried to carry out exactly every order; yes, and it was done to them according to their faith”. The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) comments on the ‘exactness’ in which the Stripling Warriors performed their duties.

Moroni assumed that reinforcements would be sent to the city of Nefiah to defend the people there, and he was angry when these reinforcements did not arrive, and the Lamanites successfully occupied the city. He had made a valid assumption, “knowing that it was easier to prevent the city from falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to take it back” (Alma 59:9). I included the following quote in my last blog post, but I will include it here as well because it is so apt. President Ezra Taft Beson said, “It is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent”. This is exactly what Moroni was thinking in Alma 59:9. I am so grateful for the Atonement and the power of repentance, but it feels so comforting when there are small and simple principles we have no trouble obeying and we do not need repentance in these areas. Freeman and Butler (2019) make another wonderful comment based on this scripture, “When someone is struggling, when there is a chance of falling, perhaps we could provide the increase of support in the beginning, to keep them, so we don’t have to…rescue them”.

In Alma 60 Moroni sends a harsh letter to the chief judge Pahoran. He accuses the Nephite government of neglect and even treason. In reply, in Alma 61, Pahoran sends a reply that is meek and kind. Pahoran states that he is not angry, but “[rejoiced] in the greatness of [Moroni’s] heart” (Alma 61:9). Pahoran set a powerful example of how to not take offense. Elder David A. Bednar (General Conference, Oct 2009) stated, "You and I cannot control the intentions or behaviour of other people. However, we do determine how we will act. Please remember that you and I are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be offended…One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended—and to say with Pahoran, 'it mattereth not'." 

The leadership of Pahoran is examined in the following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central).

One scripture that truly touched my heart is found in Alma 62:41. It reads, “But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility”. We are in the middle of a pandemic, Covid 19. Amid this pandemic I am out of work and my mother is in hospital. How should I respond? I need to pray for a soft heart and faith in the Lord. Brother John Bytheway (Gospel Doctrine Prep, Alma 43-62) stated, “We can use our God-given agency to choose how we will respond to our afflictions and problems”. President Uchtdorf summed this up perfectly when he stated, “first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.”

Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 43-52

Alma 43 to 52 are referred to as the War Chapters. I wrote about these chapters four years ago, in a post located at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/09/. I made an attempt to go through each of these chapters and locate a spiritual lesson. I managed to do this with the help of a wonderful talk by Brother John Bytheway called Righteous Warriors: Lessons from the War Chapters (2006 Ed Week). I have, once again, included this talk below, as it contains such a wealth of information and doctrine. Brother Bytheway also has a book by the same name – a wonderful resource for this week’s Come Follow Me.

One reason for including the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon is that the ancient Book of Mormon prophets saw our day, they saw the warfare between and within countries, and they knew we needed to know how we should feel about war and how we needed to rely on the Lord, stay obedient,  and have faith in his protection and guidance. Sister Kathleen S. McConkie (Defending against evil, Ensign, 1992) mentioned a second reason, i.e. “Satan is waging an all-out war against truth and righteousness”. We are faced with this war today.

We are all fighting the war against Satan, but there are those who must also literally fight wars for their countries. The following video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) provides an interesting insight into how the Book of Mormon can provide peace and meaning to those in military service.

 

All the water in the world,

However hard it tried,

Could never sink the smallest ship

Unless it [gets] inside.

And all the evil in the world,

The blackest kind of sin,

Can never hurt you the least bit

Unless you let it in.

(Anonymous. Best-Loved Poems of the LDS People, 1996, p. 302)

I know I sometimes feel like the smallest ship in the biggest ocean. I love the scriptures in Alma 44:3-4 that read, “But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith. Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith”. In these two verses Moroni is speaking to Zerahemnah, who led the Lamanites in an attack on the Nephites. Zerahemnah had joined the Lamanites but had been a Zoramite who professed to know that there was no Christ. The testimony of faith given by Moroni is compelling. It is this testimony of faith that helps me to realise that I will be strengthened by the Lord if I do not waver and stand strong in my faith. “Faith is a decision that we get to make and choose to hold on to. No attack or argument or adversary can ever destroy it unless we give it up. And in the words of that mighty captain, the reason we cannot be destroyed is because we have the Lord with us—the Captain of our souls. Our Captain will not let evil in. He gives us authority and courage to look our enemies in the eyes and tell them they have no place here. They are not welcome here. They have no power here” (David Butler and Emily Freeman, 2019, Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon).

This is an informative video from Knowhy (Book of Mormon Central) that answers the question, Why did God support the Nephites in battle?

In Alma 45, Alma shares a prophecy regarding the future of the Nephites with his son Helaman, and then, in verse 7 we read, “he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more”. Helaman continued to preach despite the wars and contentions that had been so traumatic in the lives of the people. We are told in verse 18, “it became expedient that the word of God should be declared among them”. There is never a time when spiritual well-being should not be the most important requisite in the lives of the people. Our dear prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, under the direction of the Lord, initiated the Come Follow Me home-study programme before the turmoil of the Covid 19 pandemic. The Lord wanted us all to have this spiritual health and well-being, even in the midst of so much physical sickness and death.

 

The account of Amalickiah deceiving Lehonti is found in Alma 47. This is a riveting plot of cunning, deception, and murder. In the briefest outline, Amalickian wanted to be made King of the Nephites. He failed and was cast out. He went to the Land of Nephi and stirred up anger in the hearts of the Lamanites. The King of the Lamanites sent a proclamation that they would once again attack the Nephites. Many of the Lamanite army were terrified to go against the Nephites, so disobeyed the King. Amalickiah was given command of the part of the army who were prepared to obey the proclamation. The larger part of the army escaped to Mount Antipas under the leadership of Lehonti. Amalickiah had no intention of following the King’s orders. He stationed his smaller army at the base of Mount Antipas. He sent three messages to Lehonti to come down the mount to speak to him. Lehonti would not. Eventually Amalickiah went up the mount and asked Lehonti to come down just a little way. Lehonti obliged. Amalickiah made a pact with Lehonti that he could bring his men down the mountain and surround the smaller army. Lehonti would then be in control of the whole army, if he agreed to make Amalickiah second in command. Lehonti did this. With malice and cunning, Amalickiah arranged for a servant to poison Lehonti slowly. When Lehonti died, Amalickiah had complete control of the army. He then went back to the King of the Lamanites. He arranged for the King to be killed and made it look as if one of the King’s own servants had committed the murder. He then succeeded in becoming King of the Lamanites and marrying the murdered King’s wife.

What can we learn from this grave plot? Firstly, don’t come down from the mountain! Lehonti said ‘No’ three times but was finally tempted when he knew he only needed to go down a little way. This is the way Satan works. He cannot persuade good people to commit major sins straight away. So he chips away at the little sins with little temptations. Once we commit a little sin, it is easier to move on to a bigger sin and then an even bigger sin. We come down our mountains just a little way! The second thing we learn is that we need to avoid being poisoned by degrees (Alma 47:18). This reminds me of how to boil a frog. If you try to put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out immediately. But if you put a frog into a pot of cold water and slowly heat it to boiling point, the frog will be cooked. He will not jump out. We need to be aware of this ploy of the adversary. We cannot look on sin with the least degree of allowance. 

These words from President Spencer W. Kimball summarise the messages of this story:

The arch deceiver has studied every way possible to achieve his ends, using every tool, every device possible. He takes over, distorts, and changes and camouflages everything created for the good of man…so he may take over their minds and pervert their bodies and claim them his.

He never sleeps—he is diligent and persevering. He analyses carefully his problem and then moves forward diligently, methodically to reach that objective. He uses all five senses and man’s natural hunger and thirst to lead him away. He anticipates resistance and fortifies himself against it. He uses time and space and leisure. He is constant and persuasive and skillful. He uses such useful things as radio, television, the printed page, the airplane, and the car to distort and damage. He uses the gregariousness of man, his loneliness, his every need to lead him astray. He does his work at the most propitious time in the most impressive places with the most influential people. He overlooks nothing that will deceive and distort and prostitute. He uses money, power, force. He entices man and attacks at his weakest spot. He takes the good and creates ugliness…He uses every teaching art to subvert man.

The adversary is subtle. He is cunning. He knows that he cannot induce good men and women to do major evils immediately, so he moves slyly, whispering half-truths until he has his intended captives following him.

(The Teachings of President Spencer W. Kimball, Chapter 10)

 

The question I thought about was, What can we do to protect ourselves? The answers appear in these War Chapters. Here are some of the answers I found:

• Wear figurative armour. The Nephites were prepared with armour (Alma 43:19). This armour is discussed in Ephesians 6:13-17 (see diagram below).

• Be faithful. See the paragraph above on faith (Alma 43:23-24; 44:3-4).
• Be grateful, worship joyously, fast and pray (Alma 45:1). Even when trials bring us down, we can gain great joy from our participation in the gospel. There is no experience that can parallel the joy of temple service.
• Follow the example of the Title of Liberty (Alma 46:11-20). Surround ourselves with reminders of the covenants we have made.
• Follow the example of Captain Moroni. In Alma 48:17 we are told, “if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men”. In Alma 48 we can identify some of Captain Moroni’s characteristics: he had respect for others (verse 11); he understood the importance of free agency in the gospel (verse 11); his “heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God” (verse 12); he was prepared to labour for the “welfare and safety of his people” (verse 12); he was firm in the faith of Christ (verse 13); and he gloried in doing good, preserving his people, keeping the commandments of God, and resisting iniquity (verse 16). In the April, 2015 General Conference, Elder Ulisses Soares said, “All of Moroni’s attributes stemmed from his great faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ and his firm determination to follow the voice of God and His prophets. Figuratively, all of us need to transform ourselves into modern Captain Moronis in order to win the wars against evil”. The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) descrives the reasons why Mormon viewed Captain Moroni as a hero.

  

• Be prepared and fortify ourselves. Alma 49 is the Preparation Chapter as it mentions preparation in many places. Moroni had prepared the Nephites to defend themselves against the Lamanites. He had prepared fortifications around cities that astonished the Lamanite armies. We can fortify ourselves by standing in holy places, by creating strong gospel-centred homes, and by wearing our armour of righteousness. We must also prepare ourselves continually. In Alma 50:1 we read, “Moroni did not stop making preparations for war”.  Our battle against Satan continues every day. As we survive one temptation or trial, there is another just around the corner. The following YouTube video (Knowhy, Book of Mormon Central) examines the nature of Nephite fortifications).

• Avoid contention. In Alma 51: 1-12, the rise of the Kingmen introduces internal contention. They demand law change and desire a king be appointed. Moroni’s attention is forced to handle the up-rising of the Kingmen. It is while he is distracted by internal contention that the Lamanites attain some success in capturing Nephite cities. We need to increase unity in our families and in our wards and stakes to avoid the wiles of Satan.

 

In the War Chapters we see the wonderful example of Captain Moroni. We learn to have faith, to fortify ourselves, and to be upright and watchful to avoid Satan’s temptations. We learn to be prepared and to keep the commandments. President Harold B. Lee was once asked which of the commandments was the most important. He answered that it was whichever commandment that was causing us the most trouble. We need to make weak things become strong. We need to continually remind ourselves of our covenants. We need to be grateful for our blessings and find joy in worship. We need to avoid contention and be unified. If we are vigilant and obedient, Satan can have no power over us.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Alma 39-42

My first post covering Alma 40 to 42 was written in 2016. It can be accessed at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-of-mormon-30-great-plan-of_14.html. I spent many days on research for this post as I was intensely interested in the content. I accessed the comments of Presidents of the Church and General Authorities. I found information on the spirit world, still born and miscarried babies, attributes of the spirit, including enhanced travel, enhanced communication, and enhanced learning, resurrection, and the resurrected body.

This post covers Alma 39 to 42. I will focus more on the contents of these scriptures and less on the information I tracked down in my initial post. In Alma 39, the most serious sins are listed and put into perspective. The worst of these is denying the Holy Ghost. Individuals who commit this sin do five things (D&C 76:31): they “know my power”; they have been made partakers of this power; they have suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome; they “deny the truth”; and then “deny my power”. A level of revelation is needed to become a Son of Perdition and commit this sin. Joseph Smith stated, “he must have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him…He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 358). I find this quite terrifying as it provides clear evidence of the power of Satan.

We read about the unpardonable sin in Alma 39:6. We also read about the second most serious sin: “whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness”. The third most serious sin is the one that Alma’s son Corianton committed, that of sexual immorality, “an abomination in the sight of the Lord” (Alma 39:5). Corianton was told, “I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things” (Alma 39:9). In this scripture ‘cross yourself’ means to stop and have mastery over the urges of the flesh.

This My Son by Elspeth Young - Alma & Corianton

It is sad to think of the temptations that surround our young people. I have only one child out of six who is active in the church. I see them do things that I know are wrong, yet I cannot help but love them unconditionally. I am hard on myself and can be very self-critical. Why am I so critical? Perhaps because I keep thinking that I could have done so much better for my children, been a better mother and a better example. In Alma 39:11, Alma says to his son, “O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words”. Maybe if I had been a better example my children would have not made the same mistakes. I love the quotes below. We never know who is watching us and what effect our behaviour and actions may have on them.

I do have hope. I rely on the teachings of the leaders of the church for guidance and direction. Alma did not give up on his wayward son. We can see this in the little Knowhy video below.

We have been told to never give up on our wayward children. One of my favourite quotes comes from an April 1929 General Conference talk by Elder Orson F. Whitney.

You parents of the wilful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours – long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend.

Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.

We find similar sentiments expressed by many other General Authorities in an article called Prophets’ promises to parents of wayward children.

In the next few chapters, Alma addresses Corianton’s issue, i.e. he seems to have a problem with acknowledging and understanding the reality of prophecy. The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) answers an important question, Why was Corianton so concerned about the resurrection?

In Alma 40, Corianton is presented with information on the part of the Plan of Redemption that occurs between death and the resurrection. This is the information that I researched so intensely for my post in 2016. I learned so much and loved what I learned. Please access this if you would like to share my discoveries.

In Alma 41 we find another chiasmus (see my previous post for a chiasmus in Alma 36). This chiasmus contains the Law of Restoration. It is interesting to note that the chiasmus accomplishes what it teaches. I will try to explain. Please follow what I am saying in the visual representation of this chiasmus below. Alma begins and ends the chiasmus with ‘the doctrine of restoration’ or ‘the word restoration’. The chiasmus has two repetitions which you can see clearly below. The double repetition in the first half is then repeated twice (double). So, the first half ‘gives’ things like justice, righteousness, and doing good—the second half reflects these things back a first time, and then a second time in which these things are come ‘unto you again’. The poem itself ‘restores’ things” (from John W. Welch, Chiasmus in antiquity, 1981, p. 207).

In Alma 41:10, we learn that “wickedness never was happiness”, or ‘you reap what you sow’.  

The following Knowhy video (Book of Mormon Central) explains Why can wickedness never bring happiness? It mentions the significance of the chiasmus.

The final chapter, Alma 42 discusses the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how this makes the Plan of Redemption possible. It is noteworthy that Alma mentions “the Plan” ten times in his words to Corianton. The following Knowhy video presents reasons for this repetition.

Alma discusses the Garden of Eden and the Fall, how God atones for the sins of the world, and how justice and mercy can exist at the same time; “mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice” (Alma 42:23). I find the next verse fascinating, “For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved” (Alma 42:24). Note that justice is referred to as ‘his’ while mercy is “her’, i.e. justice is seen as male and mercy as female. I love the way that the balance between justice and mercy is made crystal clear in the video The Mediator based on a talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer from April 1977 General Conference. An analogy is presented as the story of a young man who fails to pay a debt and is saved from the grasp of justice through the mediation of a friend.

Alma 42:15 reads, “And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also”. I testify of the importance of the Atonement. Jesus Christ brought about the means whereby justice and mercy could be balanced, and we could once again enter the Lord’s presence. Our God is perfect, just, and merciful. I love Him and I am grateful for the gift of the Atonement and the ability to repent of my sins. 

For a download of this infographic, please see: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/magazines/ensign/2020/08/16770_000_28.pdf