Alma 56 & 57

LESSONS FROM THE STRIPLING WARRIORS

This chapter of scripture is one of my favorite in all the Book of Mormon. I love the example of the two thousand stripling warriors and the lessons their example teaches me. When I read about them, I hope that I can be the mom that is described in these verses, and I hope that my children can be like the stripling warriors. This chapter serves as an example of what I want to accomplish in this life.

Lesson #1
Verse 45: "And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.

We face many things in our life that require courage. Elder Lynn D. Robbins in the October 2014 general conference said that, "Courage is the form of every virtue at its testing point." I love this description of courage. President Monson has stated in numerous talks that courage is needed in order to overcome the trials we will face. These stripling warriors had courage to do whatever was required for the benefit of their people. In fact that encompasses lesson #2.

Lesson #2
Verse 47: "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives..."

This is an unselfish love that I think takes a great deal of spiritual strength to acquire. It is part of the natural man in us all to think of ourselves. I can only imagine how I would feel if I were them facing an enemy army. I can't imagine the strength of character they must have had in order to think of other people above the fear of their own lives. I can't imagine the faith they must have had to trust in their mother's words when their mother's had told them to not doubt.


Lesson #3
Verse 47 and 48 "...yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

In my patriarchal blessing, it talks about my faith as a mother. These scriptures seem to speak to me directly. I feel I have been instructed that through my faith, my children will be saved. These mothers had that kind of faith. I'm not sure how to acquire this kind of faith, but I know I can pray for direction. I want my children to be like the Stripling Warriors and not doubt, because I KNOW. That is a mighty example. An example I hope I am setting.

These young men had great faith, and they were willing to declare their faith. In verse 46 it states, "...behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall..." This line teaches me about faith in God. It teaches me to trust in Him over everything else. It teaches me to set aside my fears, and be believing. It teaches me to teach my children to do the same.

I know that God is with us. I know that He loves us. I know that He knows us individually. I know that as we let go of our will, and as we turn our will over to Him, He can do great things in our lives. As we trust Him, He will create miracles. I pray for this kind of faith. I pray that I can be like the mothers of the Stripling Warriors.

Lesson #4
Verse 56: "But behold to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war."

This continues throughout the story of the Two Thousand Stripling Warriors--they go to battle, and not one of them die. In Alma 57:25-26 it states, "there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds. And behold their preservation was astonishing... And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe--that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power."

These young men were walking miracles. The scriptures attribute it to their faith. It seems to teach me a little about faith, and my desire to trust in the Lord in all things. For in 57:27 it states, "their minds are firm and they do put their trust in God continually."

And then in 57:21 it states, "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that heir mothers had taught them."

I believe that their example teaches us to rely on God a bit more in our lives. It teaches us that as we keep the commandments, and as we trust in God--we can expect that God will look out for us. We can have the faith that all will work together for our good, because God promises blessings to the righteous. This doesn't mean that I think we won't have trials. I assume that these young men felt it was a great trial to be at war rather than at home. I suppose it was a great trial to face the Lamanites in battle at such a young age; however, no matter their trial they were still firm, and because they were firm--they had faith that God would be with them.

There are many around me that are struggling with great trials. I've been asked by my kids why bad things happen to good people. With these thoughts in mind, I can't answer "WHY", but I can say that those of my friends who are faithful, are somehow happier, are somehow lifted, are somehow feeling the presence of God despite their struggle; however, those of my friends who turn away from God, are seemingly lost, and are not receiving the assurance that all work together for their good.

Each and every one of us will face trials in this life. God is overall. He loves us. As we are obedient to Him and  submit our wills to His, we will be blessed. Maybe not in our time frame, but we can be assured that we will.

Alma 38

When Alma speaks to his son Shiblon, he says, "And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of of your trials and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

I trust that God can help me. I know that He can change that He can carry me through my trials, and make me whole. I will put my trust in Him. I will not quit. I will look forward to the day when I can look at these trials with a new perspective, because I will have known that God has been with me. All throughout the scriptures, it repeatedly says that we need to "endure". Satan is aware of each of us. It is his goal to pull us from God's pathway. When we make mistakes, he tries to convince us that we should quit and give up. I know that by putting my trust in God, I can endure. I can keep on the pathway to eternal life. There are times when I wish I could say I was perfect, but I know through these struggles, I am being refined into a more compassionate person. And someday I will have become the person the Lord would have me be.

At the end of this chapter it reminds us that it is only through Jesus Christ that we may be saved. As we turn to Him, He will carry us, refine us, and lift us along the path of righteousness.

Mosiah 24

WAYS in WHICH we are HELPED THROUGH TRIALS

When the people of Alma were burdened by the wicked priest, Amulon, the Lord didn't remove their burdens at first, but he lightened their burdens. And even for this "lightening" to occur, the people of Alma first asked through prayer. So it is with us--we must first pray for assistance, and then even after we pray--our trials may not be removed, but we will be better able to carry them.

There have been many times when I have wished I could pray my trials away, but this isn't the way of the Lord. These trials mold us, and form us into what our God wants us to become. Without them--we would not "become", we would not grow, our period of probation would be stagnant.

One trial I have often wished I could pray away is the trial that my little guy faces. He struggles with dyslexia, and it is so hard for me to see him struggle in school with reading. I wish our hard work could make it all go away--I'm sure it helps, but it is still a constant companion. I know that when we work at his reading, my concern for him and his struggles are manageable through prayer. When I forget to pray, I feel overwhelmed and very much alone.

I truly believe that when we are covenant keeping people, we can expect the Lord's hand in our lives. That doesn't mean that our trials will go away, but we can expect Him to carry us in the midst of our trials--just like the people of Alma. I like how verse 15 states, "And it came to pass the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

By the end of this experience, the Lord did deliver the people of Alma from their trials--from bondage. First, they endured, and then they were delivered.

There are other experiences in the scriptures in which the Lord does this. There was the time when Joseph was placed in prison because of the wicked maiden. The Lord didn't at first remove Joseph from prison, but he carried him through that trial (Genesis 39). As Joseph remained faithful, the Lord blessed him. He became a leader in the prison, he was trusted above all the other prisoners. The Lord "lightened" his burden; however, He didn't remove his trial...at least not in the beginning. We must be willing to endure, so that we can learn from our experience. And then, as we have endured we will be removed from our trial. We will come off conqueror.

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 reads, "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work."

As we seek the Lord, we will conquer!