Helaman 1 - Parallels of Our Day

I have written in the margins of my pages that the Book of Helaman parallels our day and that we need to pay attention to the things being taught.  Remembering that this is spiritual as much if not more than temporal is a sobering thought.  So let’s ask some questions since I don’t really know where this post is going.

What is the first thing that happens after the records and have been handed down to Helaman, and Pahoran is the chief judge?  Oops!  First thing is Parhoran dies and goes the way of all the earth.  That adds to the difficult situation of the Nephites because now they must elect another chief judge.  Pahoran had three sons who were eligible for the kingdom, Pahoran, Paanchi and Pacumeni.  Pahoran was appointed by the voice of the people – a vote, but Paanchi was “wroth” and secretly gathered supporters to rise up in rebellion.  He commissions Kishkumen, who is swift on his feet and very crafty, to kill the newly elected chief judge, Pahoran.  And this is the beginning of mayhem again.  A comical side note I’ve put in my margin is:  How ironic that Kishkumen causes his supporters to “swear(ing) by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran.”  Somehow they really felt they were in the right and deserved God’s support.  This is not unlike the enemies of righteousness today.

Remember this is not contention between the Nephites and Lamanites but amongst themselves – the Nephites!  This causes serious weakness in the kingdom and while the people were contending amongst themselves the Lamanites took advantage of their weakened state and gathered their army together and went straight for the center of the kingdom.  The Nephites did not have sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla, and the Lamanites had on trouble at all in taking it.

The interesting thing to me is what was going on in the border cities.  They were strong and less vulnerable to Coriantumr, who was the chief captain of the armies and a dissenter from the Nephites and working for the Lamanites now.  After Coriantumr had captured Zarahemla, the largest city, he became puffed up in his courage to take more of the land.  Well, they were ready for this.  What Coriantumr wasn’t ready for was the united efforts of these small border cities.  Even though it was a bloody battle, the Nephites were victorious in taking back their land and the Lamanites departed out of the land in peace – meaning, they agreed to fight no more.

So how does this parallel our day?  Think of our homes as being the small borders around the major city – the Church?  Or is it actually our land, America?  I’m not certain.  At any rate, we must keep our homes fortified and strengthened against the enemy, allowing nothing within its walls that could weaken our resolve to serve the Lord, keep his commandments and be at the ready to defend our families, our religion and our freedoms.  Although being politically active is a good thing so we can hopefully elect good leaders who understand the Constitution and the importance of adhering to it, there is a lot of corruption in the land that is weakening our great nation.  This leaves us vulnerable not only to our enemies outside the United States, but also weakens us as a nation because of a lack of unity in our commitment to God, each other, and even to ourselves -  (The American Covenant).  This leaves the door wide open for Satan to go to work and spreading his evil even wider.  Our homes, temples and maybe churches will eventually be our only “safe” place.

We have a responsibility to strengthen our homes and our families against evil of all kinds. 

Alma 60 – We Have Been Warned

I'm afraid today's post is a continuation of yesterday's.  I just read it, and it is more of the same.  

Oh if we only had men in power who could be like Moroni!  Moroni sends a letter to Pahoran, the chief judge of the land, and reams him good for failing to support the troops in their efforts to eradicate the evil that threatens their freedom and safety.  The government is failing to send food, supplies and additional men to help in this effort and Moroni and his army are suffering as a result while the governors of the land are sitting on their laurels enjoying a relatively safe and good life.  Moroni’s mad!  You can’t blame him. 

Now I need to ask this question:  Are our military men and women as well as Veterans suffering this same kind of neglect?  Think about it.  The four men, who were killed in Benghazi, were literally abandoned in their hour of need.  I was told of the man just minutes away from this disaster who was waiting for the word to assist, that the powers that be, i.e. President Obama and Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, withheld that order to go.  This man who talked at the Kiwanis Club last week said this disaster did not need to happen.  They were always “at the ready” and minutes away.  That’s just one case. 

Our Veterans are being allowed to die waiting for medical attention.  Why is this?  Indifference to their needs. 

Because I’m not that knowledgeable and don’t want to repeat things I only hear, I’ll restrain from saying more.  But these two instances are enough for me.  What has happened to our great country?  Why is it in such a state of indifference?  What is missing?

I believe I have an answer to that question.  I believe it is indifference to our Heavenly Father, our creator.  The masses are more about themselves than helping others.  Our nation has turned into a what’s-in-it-for-me-type people.  I heard on a podcast the other day that when a nation ceases to fear God, we couldn’t hire enough police officers to keep the peace.  This is easy to see.

I’m not certain where I’m going with this except that if we don’t turn it around soon, we can prepare for serious consequences.  We have been warned.  The Lord has told us repeatedly that when we keep His commandments, we will prosper.  He will withdraw His spirit if we don’t.  I think to a large degree we are already seeing that.

  

Alma 59 – Doubt and Marvel at Government Indifference

This is a short chapter, but gives much cause for reflection.  Moroni is at the point where he doubts the ability to be successful in keeping their people safe because of the indifference of the government.  Is this not exactly where we are today in the dealings with our government.  They seem incompetent to accomplish anything of value.  We have the IRS who is bungling their records.  To the rest of us, it looks like they are hiding efforts to ruin our country and remove freedoms the Constitution protects.  We are unable to accomplish anything in the efforts of war to protect nations who are being riddled with corrupt governments.  We are unable to secure our borders.  It is a grave concern the corrupt leaders we have running this country and one does begin to doubt that we will be able to pull out of this tailspin. 

This is when reading the Book of Mormon comes in extremely valuable.  We know what will eventually happen to the Nephites.  We have assurance from our Heavenly Father through prophets old and new that we will survive this incompetence and come out victorious and ready to usher in our Savior’s second coming if we will hold true to the faith in our Savior.  We have been told to be strong in keeping our covenants and they will protect us.  This includes wearing our sacred temple garments as instructed in the temple.  The older I get, the more I see this as a valuable protection.  Why?  I see the value because I have observed.  I see the lives of those who have forgotten their covenants and seen the spiral downward of their lives.  It is a frightening and sad thing to observe and makes me more committed to hanging strong to my faith through regular temple attendance, prayer, scripture study, FHE, attending my meetings faithfully, sharing my testimony of the truth, serving and enduring to the end.  What else is there? 

Alma 55 - Not Slow to Remember

The Nephites had a major victory when they sent some of their men to entice the Lamanites who were guarding their people to become drunk.  This is a miraculous account of a people listening to the Spirit to guide them in their efforts to remain a free people.  Their strategy worked.  The Lamanites gladly partook of the wine, became drunk and unable to guard their Nephite prisoners.  Upon awakening in the morning, they saw the prisoners who had been given weapons of war, as well as the Nephite armies surrounding them.  The Lamanites were powerless to do anything but hand over their own weapons of war and surrender. 

The Lamanites tried to use this same ploy against the Nephites to entice them to become drunk so they could reclaim the city.  But the Nephites were cautious.  In verse 31 it says they “. . . were not slow to remember the Lord their God in this their time of affliction.  They could not be taken in their snares; yea they would not partake of their wine, . . .”

This post isn’t so much about wine, but falling prey to the ploys of Satan.

It was the phrase - they “were not slow to remember” that snagged me this morning.  I hope it’s not inappropriate to use personal experiences of my family because it is their experiences in life I think of when I read these days.  I have a daughter who is struggling in the world’s worst way with staying employed and finding any joy in her life.  She declared her independence a few years back and said she just doesn’t believe the things she was taught as a child.  She has gone through every imaginable vice to prove that she can be “free”.  Without going into detail, I will say she has one stinky life.  She cannot stay employed to save her, yet she is a hard worker and amazing at her trade.  I know, as she has helped me more than a few times in her field of expertise.  She doesn’t have much luck in the dating department either.  She was recently lamenting with a friend about all her troubles, and he said, "Man, you must have seriously done something like boil baby puppies in the last life for the karma you've had the last three years."  It takes every bit of will I can muster to keep from saying, “No, it’s worse than boiling baby puppies.  You broke your covenants with the Lord.”  This is huge!  She cut herself off from the guidance of the Holy Ghost and that is huge! 

Well, I hold out that the day will come when she will break the bands that bind her, and be in a state of joy having the gospel once more in her life and the Holy Ghost to guide her through the trials in this life.  When that day comes, she will remember the horrible life she once had and she too will not be slow to remember what a horrible existence it was.  She will be quick to keep the commandments and prove to the Lord her love and loyalty to His kingdom.  That’s just the way it is.  When we have been in bondage and fight the battle of a lifetime from that bondage, it is very hard to forget the grace of our loving Heavenly Father who joyfully brings us back into His fold when we repent and begin walking on the path back to Him.

So what are my marching orders for this day?  Remember!  I think on this daily.

Alma 54 - Strong and Immovable, Bold and Without Fear

Alma 54 – Moroni tries to reason with Ammaron concerning trading of prisoners of war.  This doesn’t go so well.  Why?  My personal opinion:  You cannot negotiate with the enemy.  They are without reason or common sense.  They are blind to the things of the Lord and unreasonable in their assertions.  Why is this?  We know that when we break our covenants with the Lord that we are in the power of the devil and he is without reason.  His only purpose is to drag the Lord’s people down to the depths of hell.  He’s been doing this many years and will continue to do so if we give him even a hint that we can be enticed. 

We need to be like Moroni - strong and immovable, bold and without fear, confident in the truth that the Lord will protect and provide for those who love Him and keep His commandments.  It is said over and over in the scriptures and we are to believe this truth no matter what!