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They Did Not Doubt by Joseph Brickey

ALMA 52-63:  “WE DID NOT DOUBT OUR MOTHERS KNEW IT!” – “TRUE AT ALL TIMES!”

Moroni—Man of God and Man of Action/Defender of Freedom/country/people

Read all the chapters–these are the highlights and the most significant learnings in this reading.

Chapter 53:

One thing to keep in mind throughout these war chapters is that through Moroni’s words we are keeping company with great men of God in very difficult times.  We are given the opportunity, in effect, to go with them and watch how they handle difficult and challenging situations.  **We are especially privileged to see how they maintain their personal spirituality and also how they exercise inspired wisdom in tough military situations.  We are obviously being given inspired counsel by the Lord, through Mormon for policy-making and action in our day of war and extreme opposition to righteousness. (Book of Mormon Made Easier, commentary by David Ridges)

Learning #1: 

“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commanded them.”  I Nephi 3:7

Be assured, despite the difficulty, there will always be a way for you to keep the commandments if you proceed with faith and do all that is in your power.
Another scripture –could call it the “Lord’s success formula”

“Search the scriptures, pray always, and be believing, and all things will work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant ye have covenanted one with another.”  D&C 90:24

Read v 17, 18, 20, 21 Very young but valiant and courageous and TRUE AT ALL TIMES!  (read verses)
Chapter 55:

 Moroni is a strong and inspired leader and always acts with the freedom and liberty of his people in mind.  He rejects the offer to exchange (due to Ammoron will still come against his people and desires their destruction).

Moroni determines instead to rescue his prisoners and goes about planning their escape.  He is smart and creative and does all in his power to free them and then depends on the Lord to bless them in their efforts.

Learning # 2:

Moroni is a living example of what Brigham Young taught:  the Lord will come through for you as you do your part too.

“Work as if everything depends on you, and pray as if everything depends on the Lord.”

He doesn’t sit back and ask the Lord to free his prisoners, but he formulates a good plan and acts, and the Lord blesses his efforts.

1. 44-48 READ ALL

terrible battle ensued with Antipus—weary & about to give up/leaders fell—then 2000 sons came to their rescue

whole army of the Lamanites fell upon them— strongest army of all, largest fighting against boys who had NO BATTLE EXPERIENCE—put their trust in the Lord completely—no match for hardened soldiers

v 48: “We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”

Q What does that mean?  Knew what?  What did they know?

Knew that faith can work miracles  Knew that if they didn’t doubt, God would deliver them

Also that they knew about the prophecies and that a Savior, a Redeemer would come and redeem His people—they believed that Jesus Christ who hadn’t yet come (but would in 62 years) would suffer for them and enable them to return to them.

They knew that salvation came from Jesus Christ –through the infinite atonement which hadn’t even been worked out yet but would still bless them

And what a testimony for teaching in the home by believing parents, especially their mothers who typically are with their children more

Learning #3:

God is a God of miracles—get scripture?

1. 55, 56 READ—Helaman didn’t know how many were slain—fearing many, but miraculously not one had been slain—they fought with the strength of God

 

Introduce song— “When You Believe”—sung by  Rachel Wagner and Maddie Lord

Accompanied by Rebekah Smith

ALMA 57:  another miracle

READ V 19-21

Learning #4:  Teach at home by mothers—live with exactness

V 21—READ power of parents/mothers to teach faith—saved lives 

“LIVE WITH EXACTNESS”—IDM MISSION THEME—so difficult we had to rely on binding the Lord with our obedience to get blessings

“their mothers had taught them”—what a blessing to their nation

Learning #5:  Lord won’t take away challenges/difficulties but will help you fight your battles

V 25  READ—all received wounds—won’t be shielded from challenges/difficulties but the Lord will help you fight your battles

V 26,  27 READ

Learning #6:  Always give gratitude to the Lord for blessings

V 35 READ—gratitude

George Washington had similarities of character to Moroni who prayed for his countrymen to live righteously. George Washington called modern day Captain Moroni (Ballard)

George Washington was known throughout the revolutionary war, to ask his soldiers to give thanks and gratitude to God for blessing them.  He pled with his soliders, to “show their gratitude to providence, for thus favouring the cause of freedom and America that they might deserve his future blessings.”  (The Washington Hypothesis—Tim Ballard, p 54).

Learning # 7:  The Book of Mormon gives us an eternal perspective 

V 36 READ

1. Why were 2000 saved and others lost their lives in battle?

Were they not as righteous?

Why have some died among us while others are saved?

Many righteous Nephites were killed in these battles.  In Alma 57:36 Helaman said, “entered into the rest of their God.”  D&C 84:34—“rest” “which rest is the fullness of His glory.”  Fulness of His glory is exaltation in the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom (D&C 131:1-4)

Therefore, in the bigger perspective of things, both the 2060 young men and the righteous who gave their lives in battle are in the best of condition, and that is what ultimately counts.  It would be foolish to attempt to judge who is more worthy because worthiness is not as issue here. (commentary:  Book of Mormon Made Easier–David Ridges)

ALMA 58:  

Learning #8:  TRUST IN GOD IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES—WE ARE MADE STRONG IN OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

V 7-11 READ did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were about to perish for want of food

Very difficult trial—waited for long time, disappointed, prayed hard, wondered why govt didn’t help and answer plea for reinforcements

They all almost starved to death including 2060 sons and Helaman.

Received some assistance but very little to survive—trial of their faith

1. What is to be done?  What’s the answer when face trials? 

V 10—READ poured out our souls to God

V 11—READ HG did visit us with assurances ****still had to wait

1. 33—we did trust in our God v 34-36—why doesn’t our govt help and give us aid—didn’t know why? not good communication

V 37 READ—trust God will deliver us

V 40:  READ  stand fast in Liberty

“and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come”

(Ridges) “that which is to come” is a reference to Jesus Christ.

(Mosiah 4:11)  This is the testimony their mothers taught—“we did not doubt our mothers knew it”.  Believed and knew Jesus would come.  We understand that the strength of Helaman’s stripling soldiers comes from their faith in Christ, who will be born in 62 years from this time.

Remember that learning:  “we are made strong through our faith in Jesus Christ.” 

Read v 11, 12

Moroni said, “Surely God shall not suffer that we, who . . . take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.”  Alma 46:18

Read Alma 32:9:  “And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves . . .  they were placed in the most dangerous circumstances” (symbolic of spiritual danger through wickedness)

Modern-day Moroni (George Washington) in beginnings of America:  “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger—the General hopes and trust, that every officer . . . will endeavor so to live and act, as becoming a Christian soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country.”  (quote by Washington, Washington Hypothesis, Ballard, pg 62).

After miraculous intervention by the Lord which saved the cause of the fight for independence, General Washington issued the following General Order:

“Thursday . . . being set apart . . . as a day of fasting, prayer, and humiliation, “to implore the Lord, and Giver of all victory, to pardon our manifold sins and wickedness . . .  to bless the Continental Arms with His divine favor and protection.”  (Ballard, p 55).

V 13–Indifference is a very serious issue and is critical to keeping the freedom of democracies across the world

Alma 60:  righteous indignation of Moroni—takes action!

1.  Wonder why the Lord didn’t tell Moroni through the HG what had happened with Pahoran instead of having him accuse him and totally misunderstand the situation.  ??

He could have—something He wanted us to learn here about charity, not taking offense, being misunderstand and offended, etc. ??

Knew that being offended was one of the biggest reasons people leave the church—use Pahoran as an example of how to respond correctly

Or, often the Lord lets us figure things out for ourselves—let things fall how they may.

Some may say, if that leader was truly inspired, why did he put such and such in a position of trust as a leader, only to have him be disobedient, a bad example, or fall away?

The story of Pahoran and Moroni shows the integrity of Pahoran and his understanding and great trust in Moroni’s character (he just misunderstood)

Moroni:  “I have somewhat to say unto them (govt) by way of condemnation”

Lists grievances

V 3 suffered exceedingly great sufferings-hunger, thirst, and fatigues, afflictions

Continue through chapter—list grievances

Sit on your thrones and do nothing!!  Hypocrites!!  Justice will come!!

Sin/indifference/neglect/idle/slothful/disregard/ingratitude/seeking authority & power/forgotten/repent/be destroyed or help us

Nicole Probst (8th ward):

Learning #9:  Lord’s purposes/ways are not ours

1. 13:“The Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his Justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.”

 Alma 61:  Greatness of the character of Pahoran – seeks freedom of people

Pahoran writes back to Moroni and explains he has totally misjudged his situation/ doesn’t condemn him or lash back but understands/explains

Read V 9—“ye have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.”

1. 21—“stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free.”

Learning # 10:  country (democracy) destroyed internally if not righteous

1. 16-17

The only way a great nation which was founded upon the laws of God, as was the case with the Nephites, can be destroyed is through the corruption and wickedness of its citizens.  In other words, such a nation cannot be destroyed by outside enemies while the people are righteous.  It can only fall when the people themselves chose wickedness. 

(Ridges) Same with America—our country—keep commandments and we’ll be blessed—Jesus Christ is the center of our country/preserved    

Learning # 11:  charity suffereth long and is kind (Moroni 10)—not easily provoked or offended

Nicole Probst-apply to our time/to us personally/examples for our time and as women

Chapter 62:  Moroni—man of God and man of action/defender of freedom

TWO MAJOR LEARNINGS IN WAR CHAPTERS

FAITH—“WE DID NOT DOUBT OUR MOTHERS KNEW IT!”

“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; . . . and their mothers had taught them.”  Alma 57:21

TRUE AT ALL TIMES

Alma 53:20  –pray it will be said of us:

“They were men (and women) who were TRUE AT ALL TIMES in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. . . They had been taught to keep the commandments of and to walk uprightly before Him.”  Alma 53:20, 21