Week Three: For They are Worthy to be Called Sons.

This last week in my Book of Mormon class, we started my favorite chapters, commonly called, "The war chapters." I seriously gobble these things right up. Anyways, there is so much that could be said about these chapters (seriously if you've never read them, or if its been a while, read em!) but I'll try to keep tonight's post focused on one of my favorite groups of all time, the stripling warriors.

Nearly a hundred years before Christ came (somewhere between 90-70 BC) a very wicked part of the Lamanites converted to Christianity. Before their conversion, they had fought in a lot of wars, and killed a lot of people. Shortly after joining the church, they made a covenant with God that they would never again pick up a sword, even in defense. To seal their promise, they buried all of their weapons of war deep in the earth. They took on the name Anti-Nephi-Lehi's, but eventually simply were called the people of Ammon. As time went one, the people of Ammon joined the Nephites who were also Christians. The Nephites gave them land and protected them in times of war. Now lets fast forward a little bit.

In about 64 BC, the Nephites were in a HUGE war with the Lamanites. The people of Ammon wanted to help in the war effort desperately. "They saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms  in the defense of their country" (Alma 53: 13). However, just as they were about to take up arms, Heleman (a leader of the church, army guy, and Nephite) stopped them, and basically refused to let them go to battle because he was scared that if they broke their covenant, "they should lose their souls (basically, the Lord would punish them)" (Alma 53:15)

Finally, the people of Ammon realized that though they had made a covenant with the Lord to never again take up arms, their sons  hadn't. And so, 2000 young men, ages 13-26, gathered together and elected Helaman as their leader to form The Army of Helamen. Shortly after forming the army, this is what the Book of Mormon says about them:

"And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted."
 
I absolutely love the way Heleman talks about these boys. He calls them "my two thousand sons "for they were worthy to be called sons," "those sons of mine," "my little sons," "my sons," "my stripling Ammonites," and "my little band" over and over throughout 56 and the following chapters.

Soon, these boys joined other Nephite armies.

Now, these boys literally knew nothing about fighting. They hadn't even played with swords as kids. They were young, and no one from the outside world would have thought that they could succeed.

They had every reason in the world to be terrified. The Lamanite numbers were huge, and many were really experienced. Here's what Heleman said about his sons while writing to a higher army official, Moroni:

"I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites...behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall...Now they had never fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them...they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers saying: We do not doubt, our mothers knew it."

When in battle, they "fought most desperately" against the Lamanites. They "fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength."

At the end of the battle, not one of the 2,000 Ammonites, the stripling warriors, been killed.

Though there was death all around them, that little army, with no experience, was spared.

 Now I've only read two more battles ahead of this point, but still, even then, none of them have died in battle.

Anyways, here's a little bit of what I got out of it:

• -If you keep your covenants and have faith in Christ, He will always help you find a way. Some of the details of the battles included a lot of trick plays from the Nephites. The Lord was helping them find a way to protect their people. Temptation and sin is the same, if we are righteous, He will help us find a way to escape.

• The Lord trusts His youth who have faith in Him. The 2000 had little experience, and no one expected them to succeed. I think Satan wants us to think today "Ha, look @ those 18 and 19 year-olds thinking they can spread the gospel,"  but I can only imagine the look of true horror on Satan's face when he heard the missionary announcement last October. You could say today's fight against sin is heating up.  Bring it on.

In this story, Heleman is a type of Christ. He is the guy in charge one of the armies for the good guys. Christ and Heavenly Father are in charge of the battle here on earth. Just like Heleman says that the 2000 were worthy to be called his sons, I hope to live my life in a way that at the end of it, Heavenly Father will be proud to call me His daughter.