Helaman 10:13 & 18

Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord.

And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his; and there began to be contentions, and so much that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.

Oh my, another description of the United States 2020. Verse 13 describes a phenomenon we see before us daily. The news has the job of fact checking what leaders say. We expect our leaders speak truth to us and not to lie to us. And so daily we hear the fact-checking and are told all the lies that came from Washington that day.  And daily we see that it makes no difference in how people believe and act.  It is as if we have become numb and don't expect truth any longer.

We also ignore truths that we don't want to hear. Humans internalized belief systems. They become the core of who we are. We cannot separate the belief from the believer. Therefore change is hard. It shakes us to that core and that is why change happens slowly. That is why Alma and Paul are the exceptions and not the rule.

If I were to illustrate"hardened their hearts" I would show someone with hands over their ears saying "I don't want to hear it." and what seems to be the hardest for us to hear is the reality of another's life when that person's reality is different than our own.

Whites have trouble hearing that blacks have not had the same American experience as they have had.  Siblings don't always have the same shared memories. Religious people find it hard to believe that other religions have a legitimate spiritual path. Straight people don't listen to the LGBTQ community. Those who oppose abortion don't want to hear the stories of women who made that choice and why.  It goes on and on.

To listen - to hear - to understand - is to change. And so the fact checking is only useful if people are interested in truth and open to change. Truth is not always welcome.

I was touched by a conversation between the Reverend Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former Republican governor of California (2003-2011). Seemingly they are polar opposites but they became friends as they found they had so much in common. That commonality revolved around their dreams and wishes for their children and grandchildren. However, it also became apparent as I listened to Schwarzenegger, that he had been a governor who got to know his people and listened to their stories. He learned how blacks and Latinx are not given equal opportunities and he was open and honest about those truths. I was impressed with his desire to understand.

When people don't listen, when truth is not a common goal that brings us together, when we are determined that our own reality is the only reality and don't seek to understand - then we are in danger as verse 18 describes of contention that leads to violence and death.

That is the United States 2020 - spurred on by a president who incites division with his lies and whose inability to care about others and the diverse experiences of American citizens, whose racism blinds him to all but his base.  He is a sad example of the hardened heart. Truth does not matter, science does not matter, Americans do not matter. We are seeing Book of Mormon dramas repeated on the American stage.

Helaman 7:4-5

4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least right before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;

5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—

6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years;

It is so hard to read these verses and not see our present government. More than any time in modern history the current president has  "filled the judgment seats" with the equivalent of "robbers". There has been a constant barrage of convictions of men appointed to political offices.

Paul Manafort - sentenced to 7 and 1/2 years for bank and tax fraud and crime related to his work as a political consultant in the Ukraine.

Michael Cohen - the president's private attorney - a three-year sentence for tax evasion, bank fraud, and lying to Congress and campaign finance violations

George Papadopoulos - a Trump campaign adviser sentenced for 12 days for lying to investigators about the Russian contacts

Richard Pinedo - a six-month prison sentence for selling bank account numbers to Russians who engaged in election interference

Rick Gates - ex campaign deputy chairman convicted of conspiracy and lying to the FBI. He entered a plea deal after cooperating on multiple investigations and got 45 days in jail, three years probation with 300 hours of community service

Rodger Stone received a 40-month sentence for obstruction of justice, lying to Congress, and witness tampering. He was pardoned by the president who is a personal friend.

Michael Flynn - former national security advisor pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Chris Collins - a New York congressman who was the first to stand up and endorse Trump received a two-year two months sentence for security fraud conspiracy and making false statements.

Duncan Hunter, a congressman from California and the second to endorse Trump, resigned his post in January 2020 pleading guilty to conspiring to misuse $250,000 of campaign funds for personal use.

Sam Patten, a Washington DC lobbyist, pleaded guilty to illegally funneling foreign money into Trump's inaugural committee. He received a 3-year probation, a $5,000 fine with 500 hours of community service.

This isn't the first time we have seen this kind of corruption in government. We only need to go back to the resignation of President Richard Nixon and look at all of the people that got pulled into that scandal. 

Look again at the words in verse 5, "letting the guilty and wicked go unpunished because of their money and more over to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills".

Because both power and money corrupt, as we see from all the above examples, our government has created the Hatch Act (updated in 1993) to protect our system of government.

According to the Hatch Act federal employees are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities on federal time and with federal resources.

Federal employees may not:

• use official authority or influence to interfere with an election
• solicit or discourage political activity of anyone with business before their agency
• solicit or receive political contributions (with the exception that it may be done in certain limited situations by federal labor or other employee organizations)
• be candidates for public office in partisan
• wear partisan political buttons on duty
• engage in political activity while on duty, in a government office, wearing an official uniform, or using a government vehicle.

Beyond that there are some employees whose position demands that they remain non-partisan.  These people are prohibited from engaging in any partisan political activity.  They are the following:

• Administrative Law Judges
• Central Imagery Office
• CIA
• Contract Appeals
• Criminal Division (Department of Justice)
• Defense Intelligence Agency
• FBI
• Federal Elections Commission
• Merit Systems Protection Board
• National Security Agency
• National Security Council
• Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS)
• Office of Investigative Programs (Customs)
• Office of law Enforcement (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms)
• Office of Special Counsel
• Secret Service
• Senior Executive Services (Career Positions)

The Hatch Act applies to executive state and local employees who are principally employed in programs financed in whole or in part by the United States or federal agency. That means all federally funded programs.

Why do we have to have a law like this? Because power and money corrupt. Partisan politics gets in the way of truth. There have to be some guarantees that prevent corruption at our highest level of government. As citizens, it is our responsibility to hold elected officials accountable for everything that they do. Congratulate them when they do a good service. But when they fail they also need to hear for us. And when they act illegally we need to write the proper authority.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is the agency responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act.

Helaman 6:2-3

For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become hardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them.

Nevertheless, the people of the church did have great joy because of the conversion of the Lamanites, yea, because of the Church of God, which had been established among them. And they did fellowship one with another, and did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy.

These two verses reminded me that our lives are lived in a dual realm - the first being our communities and the politics that govern them and secondly, we have the things that really matter which are experienced on a more personal level. It is as if we lived in a bubble that is in a larger bubble inside an even larger one.

I remember once creating a timeline for my parents and grandparents. That timeline showed the family births, deaths and marriages interspersed with world wars, elections, the great depression, man landing on the moon. There were all these historic events that made the news and are recorded in the histories of nations but the events that meant the most to me not the ones in the history books. My family is everything to me! Our lives here on earth find meaning in relationships.

Yet those larger events affect us. They affect us deeply. Family life is disrupted by the affairs of state. As we continue reading in the book of Helaman, we are about to see the Nephite nation self destruct - all that really matters subject to the forces at play in a corrupt government.

That is why we must engage in our political systems. We cannot go merrily on our way assuming life will always be good. People are too easily corrupted. Government is too easily tainted by money and special interests. It takes vigilance on the part of citizens to hold elected officials responsible for providing us with the freedoms and opportunities we need so that we can enjoy our lives and so that our families can flourish.

We have seen how easily our own government has become corrupt and lawless under the Trump administration. It will take a lot of work to end his presidency and the chaos he has brought to our lives. May God bless our efforts to get him out of office and replace him with honest and decent leaders!

Now in the midst of these two parts of human existence - our families and our communities - we also have the church. And for this discussion, that includes all religions and religious leaders. They have the important role of helping us find meaning and encouraging us to live by truths that bring happiness to our lives. They remind us of what truly matters and help us put mortality into a larger perspective. They remind us of the God who is the Father of all and of the common brotherhood of man. Religion gives us an opportunity to rise above nationalism and to embrace all people in our circle of love and concern. Our great religions teach us to be moral individuals for whom service to others overrides our own selfish concerns.

I am so grateful for my own faith, for knowing I have loving Heavenly Parents who watch over me and are able to strengthen me, comfort me, and help me with all the challenges of life.  My life is more meaningful and more beautiful because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Helaman 5:12

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 be upon you, it shall drag you down to the gulf of misery and the endless woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

We are experiencing those winds this year. First covid-19, then the economy, then fires in California like we've never seen before and now hurricane Laura just landed in Louisiana, a category 4 at landfall, the seventh storm of August to come through the Gulf of Mexico. Racism continues to roar its ugly head through police brutality - this time in Kenosha, Wisconsin. And that has triggered more protests and more violence.

I have found myself longing for stability - a sure foundation - and I have not even been touched by any of this! Yes, life has slowed down, Church stopped, we stay safe at home, wear masks in public. But no serious illness, no job loss, no violence in our community. By all appearances suburban America is doing fine - except for our schools.

Schools are starting and the virus has impacted them greatly. But I'm retired - I don't even have to worry about that!

Or do I? Why is my sleep disrupted? Why do I have episodes of nausea? Why do I feel anxious?

We are not islands. We do not live alone. What affects one affects all. 

I am deeply upset for our nation. There is chaos in the white house and we have no leader who cares about us. No words to guide us, to give hope. Just nasty, ill spoken words that grind at our better selves.

And so I turn to the scriptures for comfort - to remind myself of the things that really matter in life - to put it all in perspective.

I turn to the Lord in prayer to find assurance and to feel loved.

I turn to those I love for support.

I know my "sure foundation" and I am grateful to know Him and to be able to count on Him during this very tumultuous time.

Helaman 4:11-12

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.

And 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, with holding 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 . . .

Such a sorry picture these words paint! 

Today, instead of giving my own personal commentary on Helaman's words, I would like to share some quotes by Will Durant, an American writer historian and philosopher. He was born in 1885 and died in 1981. He is best known, along with his wife Ariel, for the 11 volume series they wrote called The Story of Civilization. After spending a lifetime studying history they wrote another book called The Lessons of History. The quotes on this page are from that book and they echo Helaman's concerns as he watched his nation suffer.  As the Durants would say,

 "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within."  

or 

 "When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near."

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In progressive societies the concentration of wealth may reach a point where the strength of numbers in the many poor rivals the strength of ability in the few rich; then the unstable equilibrium generates a critical situation, which historically has been met by legislation redistributing wealth or by revolution redistributing poverty.

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All deductions having been made, democracy has done less harm, and more good, then any other form of government. It gave to human existence a zest and camaraderie that outweighed its pitfalls and defects. It gave to thought and science and enterprise the freedom that is essential to their operation and broke. It broke down the walls of privilege and class, and in each generation it raised up ability from every rank and place. Under its stimulus Athens and Rome became the most creative cities in history, and America in two centuries has provided abundance for an unprecedentedly large proportion of its population. Democracy has now dedicated itself resolutely to the spread and lengthening of education, and to the maintenance of public health. If equality of educational opportunity can be established, democracy will be real and justified. For this is the vital truth beneath its catch words: that though men cannot be equal, their access to education and opportunity can be made more nearly equal. The rights of man are not rights to office and power, but the rights of entry into every avenue that may nourish and test a man's fitness for office and power. A right is not a gift of God or nature but a privilege which it is good for the group that the individual should have.

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The fear of capitalism has compelled socialism to widen freedom; and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality. East is West and West is east, and soon the twain will meet.

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So the conservative who resists change is as valuable as the radical who proposes it - perhaps much more valuable as roots are more vital than grafts.

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If race or class war divides us into hostile camps, changing the political argument into blind hate, one side or the other may overturn the hustings (campaigning) with the rule of sword. If our economy of freedom fails to distribute wealth as ably as it created it, the road to dictatorship will be open to any man who can persuasively promise security to all; and a martial government, under whatever charming phrase, will engulf the democratic world.

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Animals eat one another without qualm; civilized men consume one another by due process of law.

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Violent revolutions do not so much redistribute well as destroy it. There may be a re-division of land, but the natural inequality of men soon recreates an inequality of possessions and privileges, and raises to power a new minority with essentially the same instincts as the old. The only real revolution is in the enlightenment of the mind and the improvement of character; the only real emancipation is individual, and the only real revolutionists are philosophers and saints.

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Economic development specializes functions, differentiates abilities, and makes men unequally valuable to their group.

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We conclude that the concentration of wealth is natural and inevitable, and is periodically alleviated by violent or peaceable partial redistribution. In this view all economic history is the slow heartbeat of the social organism, a vast social organism and diastole of concentrating wealth and compulsive re-circulation.

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The influence of geographic factors diminishes as technology grows. The character and contour of a terrain may offer opportunities for agriculture, mining, or trade, but only the imagination and initiative of leaders, and the hardy industry of followers, can transform the possibilities into fact. Man, not the earth, makes civilization.

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Until our states become members of a large and effectively productive group, they will continue to act like individuals and families in the hunting stage.

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The present is the past rolled up for action, and the past is the present unrolled for understanding.

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We frolic in our emancipation from theology but have we developed a natural ethic - a moral code independent of religion - strong enough to keep our instincts of acquisition, pugnacity (quick to argue) and sex from debasing our civilization into a mire of greed, crime, and promiscuity? Have we really outgrown intolerance, or merely transferred it from religious to national, ideological, or racial hostilities?

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In the last 3421 years of recorded history only 268 have seen no war.

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Normally and generally men are judged by their ability to produce - except in war, when they are ranked according to their ability to destroy.

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Post Script:  It has been said of Will Durant that "He was trying to improve understanding of viewpoints of human beings and to have others forgive foibles and human waywardness. He chided the comfortable insularity of what is now known as Eurocentrism by pointing out in Our Oriental Heritage that Europe was only "a jagged promontory of Asia". He complained of "the provincialism of our traditional histories which began with Greece and summed up Asia in a line" and said they showed "a possibly fatal error of perspective and intelligence".  (Wikipedia)

Helaman 3

There's this contrast in Helaman chapter 3 about prosperity in the church where people are living close to the Savior, following gospel principles,  finding joy and peace and with all of that in place the church is growing. That is contrasted to verse 36 that suggests that pride arises in this group as hearts become focused on riches. This is a constant theme throughout the Book of Mormon. Living the gospel brings happiness and joy and prosperity and prosperous people end up being filled with pride as their hearts are focused on riches.

I think about that early verse when there is so much joy and peace from living the gospel I think about what it means to me to be close to the Savior, to live the principles He taught and to find peace and joy. My thoughts immediately go to scriptures that have guided my life.

John 13:34 Love one another . . .

Matthew 18:22 Forgive 70 times 7 times . . .

Matthew 7:1 Judge not that ye be not judged . . .

Matthew 7:12 The Golden rule - Do unto others as you would have others do to you . . .

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden . . .

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth . . .

John 21:16 Feed my sheep . . .

Matthew 20: 27  Whosoever would be chief among you, let him be your servant . . .

Mosiah 4:16 He will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain . . .

Jacob 2:17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you . . .

2nd Nephi 26:33 And all are alike unto God . . .

Alma 34-28 . . . for after you have done all these things, if you turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need, I say unto you, if you do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is in vain, and availeth you nothing.

D&C 121:41 No power or influence can be or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned . . .

For me and in my way of thinking, drawing close to the Savior has always meant spending time reading the Savior's words and pondering what they mean in my life. How shall I live them? Then asking the Lord to help me do that each and every day.

But then as I consider the verse that suggests pride accompanies a desire for riches, I thought it would be good to review how the Lord asks us to use our resources.

Doctrine and covenants 38:25-27 gives us an opportunity to think about the status of those around us. We know that our communities are filled with those who wear robes and those who wear rags. This section suggest we consider how that can be for disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ who says, "If ye are not one ye are not mine."

I believe we are not one. We who live in suburban communities unfortunately have minimal connections to the poverty that exists around us so we don't ever see it. I've been thinking about that a lot during the pandemic because life feels normal to me. I am healthy and I have income. I don't know anyone who is suffering from loss of a job. No one in my close circle of family and friends has died of Covid. The statistics I see on the news don't feel real.

Poverty - if it doesn't touch us personally - can also not feel real. We walk blindly - not knowing.

So let's look at section 42 where the Lord introduces the law of consecration - His idea of how we should live.

Verse 30 And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken.

Verse 31 And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me . . .

Verse 32 . . .every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property, or that which he has received by consecration, as much as is sufficient for himself and family .

Verse 33 And again, if there shall be properties in the hands of the church, or in any individuals of it, more than is necessary for their support after this first consecration which is a residue to be consecrated unto the bishop, it shall be kept to administer to those who have not, from time to time, that every man who has need may be amply supplied and receive according to his wants.

Then in section 49:20 the Lord reiterates,  But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin.

But look at the context here.  In verse 19 the Lord reminds us that "everything which cometh of the earth was given us that we might have in abundance". Then comes the warning of verse 20!

In section 51:3 the bishop is told that he is to see that each family has what they need "according to his circumstances and his wants and his needs."

And why does the Lord ask us to do this? We find that answer in Doctrine and Covenants 78:5-6:

That you may be equal and bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things, ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things.

Somehow our eternal growth depends on how we use the resources that we have given to us here on earth.

I read section 104:15-18 and thought about how the Lord must feel as he looks down upon our world today.

And this is my purpose to provide for my saints (my children) for all things are mine.

But it must be needs done in mine own way; and behold, this is the way that I, the Lord, have desired to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, and that the rich are made low.

For the earth is full; and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.

Therefore if any man shall take up the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment. 

I think he is trying to tell us that someday when we have passed to the other side, we will look back at our lives here on earth with a different perspective.  We'll see how everything we have done has affected others and we will be pained to see the ways we hurt others when we could have blessed their lives.  

I believe our goal should be that which we read in Moses 7:18

And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them.. 

This is really a lot to consider. The term Zion is used to describe an earthly society based on heavenly principles but in fact it is a description of heaven itself. When I think of the fact that everybody here on the Earth - all of us - are God's children (his people) it does seem to indicate that if we truly love the Lord and are trying to follow Him, if we want to be Heavenly beings, then we should do everything we can to eradicate poverty.

Helaman 2

Chapter 2 begins with these words:  And it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign of the judges, after Moronihah had established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites . . .

Moronihah was the leader of the Nephite army. When I think about wartime and the leaders of armies I picture those men as the ones who create battle plans and go out and do the fighting. They are the George Pattons and the Douglas MacArthurs of the world. 

Usually it is other leaders or diplomats who then get together and come up with peace treaties.  After WWII it was President Truman and British Prime Minister Clement Attlee who represented their countries at the Paris Peace Conference.  So I found this interesting that Moronihah is the one who not only fought the war but established the peace. We saw him in chapter 1 send all the prisoners out of the land "in peace". He seems to be a person who is able to do both those things.

Doctrine and Covenants 98:16 says, Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children.

Isn't that what Moronihah was doing? It had been many years since Lehi brought his family to the promised land but still these Nephites and Lamanites were a family. They were dysfunctional and had been warring with each other for years but that did not negate the blood relationship between the two.

Moronihah knows their history. War followed war followed war. If there was to be any end to these conflicts then it was time to "establish peace". We aren't told how he did that but we know from the history of the world that when a war ends it takes a lot of work to establish a peace that will allow nations to heal.

Once again we get a small glimpse of the greatness of this particular leader.

Helaman 1

In this chapter we see Pahoran, the chief judge, die and unfortunately there is no set procedure for choosing his replacement. "Therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment seat among the brethren who were the sons of Pahoran."

There are three brothers vying for their father's position and Pahoran the 2nd is appointed "by the voice of the people."

His brother Pacumeni accepts that decision but the other brother, Paanchi, does not and he rebels.  Civil unrest follows.

Elections are so critical to a democracy. The voice of the people in an election means, though, majority rule - not unanimity. The greatness of a country is based on how they respond to each election because there will always be winners and losers.

Equally important in any democracy is the diversity of opinions in the process of reaching compromises that are acceptable to all. America is struggling with that process.

This chapter in Helaman is a tragic story and yet it ends in a magnanimous act. Pahoran, who was a great leader, has died. He would have been like our president. He was the political leader of the Nephite nation. His son Pahoran the 2nd is elected to replace him but he is murdered. I think back to the day President Kennedy was shot. I was in a music class in the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University that day when a man came into the room and told us what had happened. We were told the University was closing and we were asked to go home. There was absolute quiet as we left that room. The moment was surreal.

Surely the Nephites felt the same way. To have a leader murdered is an affront to the whole nation.

But it only got worse. Pacumeni is appointed by "the voice of the people" to replace his brother but within a year the Lamanites attack and Pacumeni is killed. The Lamanites take possession of Zarahemla, the capitol city. War continues until finally the Lamanites surrender.

The story ends as Moronihah, the leader of the Nephite army, sends all the Lamanite prisoners home "in peace." How could he be so generous? Perhaps our only clue is that he had seen his father do the same thing 23 years earlier. (see Alma 44:20)  Followers of Christ are empowered to forgive their enemies and let go of anger and revenge. This is a beautiful account of such a leader.

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”

Paul Boose

“Let us forgive each other – only then will we live in peace.”

Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Alma 53

There is no story that is more heart-wrenching than one where a people (or person) has committed to a promise and now their life is at risk because of that promise. The people of Ammon had to make that choice once before when they were attacked by Lamanite warriors and many died rather than break their covenant.

Now they are living peacefully with the Nephites but war is imminent. They are filled with gratitude for the Nephites who have been protecting them for many years and feel compelled to join the army and fight. Helaman says "No - do not break your oath."

Their sons, though, are now old enough to fight and they step up and volunteer.

This is no easy decision by a bunch of young macho men ready to join a fight. These are young men who were raised in homes where their whole existence centered on a covenant their parents had made to never again use weapons of war. These parents were pacifists - their lives dedicated to non-violence.

I wonder what these young men were thinking. I have to imagine that they had the deepest love and respect for their parents. That love motivated them to want to protect them. Their courage and honor accompanied them and they were protected - a miraculous gift to their families.

I wonder if my children can look at me and see any covenant I have made that they would honor me for. I wonder...

You cannot live on other people's promises, but if 

you promise others enough, you can live on your own. 

Mark Caine

Promises are like the full moon, if they are not kept at once 

they diminish day by day. 

German Proverb

I believe in the sacredness of a promise, that a man's word should be as good as his bond; that character - not wealth or power or position - is of supreme worth. 

J.D. Rockefeller

“The most important person to keep your promises to, is yourself.” 

Anonymous

“It’s not what a person tells you that matters. It’s how they treat you that reveals their true feelings. Their character is revealed not by the promises they make, but by the promises they keep.” 

Anonymous

Alma 43-50

Alma 43-44. It is the 18th year of the reign of judges, 74 BC

• There is a war with the Lamanites.
• Moroni is leader of the Nephites.
• Zarahemna is leader of the Lamanites.

The number of their dead was not numbered because of the greatness of the number, yea, the number of their dead was exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon and they have gone forth and are buried in the depth of the sea.

Thus ended the 18th year.

Alma 45-49 it is the 19th year of the reign of Judges. It is 73 BC.

• Alma dies - Helaman now leads the church.
• There is dissension in the church.
• Amalikiah seeks to be king.
• There is a civil war.
• Amalikiah and a small number of followers flee and showing the Lamanites.
• Amalikiah becomes king of the Lamanites.
• There is another war and this time it is Moroni versus Amalikiah
• The 19th year of the reign of judges ends.

Alma 50 the 20th year of the reign of Judges begins. It is 71 BC.

• War continues.
• Moroni builds strongholds all around to protect his people.
• Thus ended the 20th year.

Alma 50:17

And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the reign of Judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 50:23

And behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,  even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.

How could they say there never was a happier time? They had had continuous warfare for 2 years - including a civil war. So many had died they could not count them.

Is it because war is so horrific that when peace comes at last, it is just wonderful to be able to let go of fear and death and enjoy life again? Is it the play of opposition - that by contrast of having experienced the bad they could now enjoy the good? Is it that the enmity between the Lamanites and Nephites was so constant and so long and so seemingly unending, that any respite was so welcomed?

Man's resilience is amazing.

“Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you've lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that's good.”  

― Elizabeth Edwards

 “It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that 

determines how your life’s story will develop.”

― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times

 I fell down and got back up again.”

― Nelson Mandela

Alma 43 - Purpose, Proactive, Preparation

The stress of covid, being at home, politics, etc. really getting to me. I need the promised peace the gospel brings.

Sweet is the peace the gospel brings

To seeking mines and true

With light refulgent on its wings

It clears the human view.

I am presently reading the book of Alma and I am in the midst of the wars of the Nephites and the Lamanites. I will be searching for answers to my present concern: how do I find peace in a world that has lost its footings?

Alma 43:9 & 12 - PURPOSE

And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires.

And the Nephites would not suffer that they (the Anti-Nephi-Lehites) would be destroyed.

Purposeful living dictated how the Nephites responded to a threat of war. I found this quote today:

"A purposeful life is when you are moving towards a big goal in your life that aligns with your values, passions, and makes you happy."

The Savior said it this way in Matthew 6: 19-21:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Friedrich Nietzsche said, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."

Viktor Frankl said it this way, "Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose."

Those thoughts all helped me to remind myself that I cannot control circumstances nor can I control other people. But I can control my response and I have an obligation to do so.

2nd Nephi 2:26

. . . and because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon. . .

I believe that peace is not just a feeling magically bestowed upon us but rather a result of living a purposeful life. Peace comes with integrity, with living your values. Peace doesn't come in the absence of conflict or adversity. It comes as a result of how we handle difficult times.

Sometimes we have to just "stay the course," stay true to our purpose, take care of ourselves, and count our blessings. Knowing I have a Father in Heaven who knows me and loves me (and knows and loves every other human also) makes me feel safe.

Alma 43:18 - PROACTIVE + PREPARATION

And it came to pass that he (Moroni) met the Lamanites in the borders of Gershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.

Being proactive means I must accept responsibility for my own well-being. (Act and not be acted upon) my emotional well-being is tied to food, exercise, getting outside, and connecting to friends and family! My spiritual well-being depends on quiet time; time for scriptures, prayer and journaling. My intellectual well-being demands that I am reading, learning and trying to make a difference. "Leave the world a little better than you found it." In order for these things to happen, I need to prepare. Preparation, making a plan, helps me to use my time wisely. I eat healthier when I plan and fill the kitchen with good foods. My kayak stays in the van now so I can easily head down to the river. The nice part of staying home during the pandemic is that I am not over committed so finding quiet time is easy right now.

And since we home a lot, I have plenty of time for reading. I'm currently reading the book "How to be an Anti-racist"by Ibram X. Kendi and joining with Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) to push for safe access to voting this November.

These activities all coincide with my purpose - to serve God and man and to remain a positive influence in my family.

When I don't prepare I begin to fall into daily doldrums and depression sets in. During this pandemic, being proactive and preparing helps me stick to my purpose and makes this time meaningful.