Firm in the Faith

Firm in the Faith of Christ
Alma 43-52

A big Thanks to Elder Ted Gibbons who posts his lessons online @ www.ldsgospeldoctrine.net
I used quite a bit of his material for this particular lesson.



At the beginning of our discussion today, I pose the same question I have many times during this course of study. Being that the plates were difficult to write upon, that the author’s did not include even an hundreth part of the doings of their people, and that the author’s tend to focus mainly on the more spiritual themes, Why does nearly 1/3 of the Book of Mormon deal with war and related issues?

Mormon saw our day.. a day riddled with wars and rumors of wars. Yet, it is difficult to believe that he included this information so that we could use similar strategies on countries we are at war with.

More likely, Mormon included this information to teach us how to remain Christlike during times of conflict, to prepare us for the second coming of Christ, and to teach us how to handle earthly conflicts and how to defend ourselves and our families in the battle against Satan.

Why were the Nephites fighting against the Lamanites?

This was a religious war. The more popular part of the Zoramites were angry with the Nephites for welcoming in the newly converted Zoramites into Jershon. The Zoramite leaders wanted the Ammonites to expel these converts. However, they did just the opposite. They nourished, administered to and gave them a place to live. In retaliation, the Zoramite leaders banded with the Lamanites and stirred them up to anger against the Nephites.

What did the Lamanites hope to accomplish from this war?

usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into cbondage.

What were the Nephite’s designs?

9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their awives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their brights and their privileges, yea, and also their cliberty, that they might worship God according to their desires.
10 For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites, that whosoever should aworship God in bspirit and in truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would cdestroy.

The Lamanite armies gathered in Antionum under their chief captain Zarahemnah, while the Nephite armies gathered in Jershon under their chief captain, Moroni.

What lessons are to be learned from the war that ensued?

Be Prepared

When the Nephites learned that the Zoramites had become Lamanites, they knew at once that the result would be war. They did not wait for the attack to commence. When the Nephites saw . . . that the Lamanites were coming upon them . . . they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon. (Alma 43:4)
They prepared in part by putting on their armor: "breast-plates and . . . arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing– (Alma 43:19)

We have received revelation in the latter days to do the same:

D&C 27:15-18
15 Wherefore, alift up your hearts and brejoice, and cgird up your loins, and take upon you my whole darmor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to estand.
16 Stand, therefore, having your loins agirt about with btruth, having on the cbreastplate of drighteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the egospel of fpeace, which I have sent mine gangels to commit unto you;
17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the afiery darts of the wicked;
18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my aSpirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be bcaught up, that where I am ye shall be calso. Amen.

Be Inspired by the proper motives

President Charles W. Penrose, who was a member of the First Presidency, said: “It is not right for us to engage in the shedding of human blood, for vengeance or retaliation. But when the Lord commands or inspires his servants to counsel the sons and daughters of Israel to lend their aid in the work of righteous warfare, that is different. … We are to arise in our might and in our strength and go forth to victory; not with a desire to shed blood, not with the desire to destroy our fellow creatures, but in self defense and because we do want to maintain and hand down to our posterity those sacred principles of liberty that have been revealed from on high” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1917, 21).

It was the Lamanites who came against the Nephites, not the other way around. They wanted to place the Nephites in bondage so they could not worship the true and living God. The Nephites were doing their duty to God in defending themselves for the Lord had said unto them,

Ye shall adefend your families even unto bbloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.

We defend ourselves from Satan by simply living the gospel of Jesus Christ valiantly. We involve ourselves in our communities and countries and actively support righteous leaders in their efforts to make and enforce laws to preserve our freedoms. We protect our families by supporting the proclamation on the family and boldly declaring our standards to the world.

Keep Your Covenants

Even in these desperate extremities, with Nephites forced to lay their lives on the line in defense of the people of Ammon, the Ammonites were firm. They would not take up weapons against their enemies:

they would not take up arms, yea, they had entered into a covenant and they would not break
it--therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites they would be destroyed. (Alma 43:11, emphasis added)

For some, unusual and frightening circumstances are an excuse to reevaluate commitment to covenants. All of us have encountered people who excuse iniquity by saying, "I said I would, but . . ." followed by a description of a circumstance never imagined when the covenant was made. The Lord’s feelings about this are described in

D&C 98:14,15:
Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto , that you may be found worthy. For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me.

During difficult times in our lives, we may be tempted to abandon our covenants. At such a time we should remember the Anti-Nephi-Lehies waiting without weapons for enemies determined to bring about their destruction. "For they had entered into a covenant and they would not break it." No one in the kingdom of God has ever been invited to make a conditional covenant. The Lord does not work that way. We make promises with our eyes wide open, but still unable to see what will come in a day or a week or a month. But they are never conditional covenants. We cannot say, "I will keep my covenants so long as things go well and I have no problems." In fact, the only way for the Lord and for us to know how we really feel about our covenants is to see how we respond in a situation when covenants are hard or dangerous or inconvenient to keep.

4. Everyone Should do their part

Even though the Ammonites could not fight, they did not remain passive in this fight for freedom. They gave the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies. This allowed the armies to focus on defending the people rather than wondering where their next meal was coming from.

We, similarly, support our leaders with their many responsibilities. Even though I am not the Relief Society president, I can fulfill my calling as a visiting teacher to the best of my ability so that she can focus on the overall well being of all the sisters in the ward.

5. Know what needs to be defended

When the Lamanites saw the preparation of the Nephites at Jershon, they reconsidered their plans and departed into the wilderness on a roundabout journey to the land of Manti. Moroni sent men to watch them, but he also, . . . knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend themselves against the Lamanites. (Alma 43:23)

I am certain that you have seen this happen in your own lives. As you have gathered your family around the TV in April and October and listened to the prophets, seers, and revelators, have you not noted how clearly and precisely they point out the places that need defending in this culture and generation. How many warnings have we heard about the dangers threatening the home? How much as been spoken about movies and media?

In a related verse, we learn that sometimes the Lord will warn us of the necessity to flee rather than fight.
And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger . . . (Alma 48:15).

The epidemic of pornography was mentioned 372 times in the Ensign between 1970 and 2000. From 1899 to 1969, this plague was only mentioned 9 times in General Conference, and never before 1959 when Elder Benson mentioned it in an October sermon. The prophets have indicated clearly where the danger lies.

6. Know your enemy and what their intentions are

Zerahemna led the Lamanites and Zoramites and Amalakites into battle against the Nephites

"that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into ."(Alma 43:8)

Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject them and bring them into that they might establish a kingdom unto themselves over all the land . . . (Alma 43:29)

Do you know what Satan’s intentions are?

Joseph Smith said, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.255)

And Lehi said of Lucifer that "he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)

Shakespeare wrote, “The prince of darkness is a gentleman” (King Lear, act 3, sc. 4, line 143), and “the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose” (The Merchant of Venice, act 1, sc. 3, line 95). As the great deceiver, Lucifer has marvelous powers of deception. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14; see also 2 Ne. 9:9).

Some of Satan’s most appealing lines are “Everyone does it”; “If it doesn’t hurt anybody else, it’s all right”; “If you feel all right about it, it’s OK”; or “It’s the ‘in’ thing to do.” These subtle entreaties make Satan the great imitator, the master deceiver, the arch counterfeiter, and the great forger. (James E. Faust, “‘The Great Imitator’,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 33).

7. Cry unto God for strength.

Alma 43:48-50
And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness and the anger of the
Lamanites, they were about to shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent, sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts--yea, the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from . And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from . And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled even to the waters of Sidon (Alma 43:48-50)

The example of people praying is more awe-inspiring, more powerful, than the explosion of an atomic bomb. The force of prayer is greater than any possible combination of man-controlled powers ( Pres. Ezra Taft Benson)

"The inhabitants of the earth do not realize the effect and benefit of prayer. The Lord hears and answers the prayers of men, women and children. Prayer has more power, a great deal, to bring down the blessings of God, than almost any other thing." Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff (2004), 110

8. Seek your enemy’s best interest as well as your own.

When Moroni recognized that the Lamanites were in his power,
he immediately "commanded his men that they should stop shedding their ." (Alma 43:54) He said to the Lamanite commander, "we do not desire to be men of . Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you." (Alma 44:1)

The inclination of the natural man is to say, "I’ll do worse to you than you did to me," especially if he is in a position of power. When those who have injured us and offended us and belittled us are subject to our will, we must be like Captain Moroni.

Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we might shed your for power; neither do we desire to bring any one to the yoke of . (Alma 44:2)

Captain Moroni raises the “Title of Liberty” to inspire the people

After the battles with the Lamanites, Helaman and his brethren went throughout the land, preaching and reestablishing the organization of the Church (Alma 45:20–22). However, some of the Nephites grew proud and rebelled against the Church. The leader of this group of dissenters was Amalickiah, who wanted to be king over the Nephites (Alma 45:23–24; 46:1–4).

Amalickiah was devious, thirsty, cold-hearted, and satanic.

Thus we see . . . the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the
children of men. Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake. (Alma 46:8-10)

Contrast this description with that of Captain Moroni:

11 And Moroni was a astrong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect bunderstanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the awelfare and safety of his people.
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had asworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto aMoroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the bdevil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.


Moroni and Amalickiah both made oaths.
Moroni swore "to defend his people, and his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his ." (Alma 48:13)

Amalickiah, on the other hand, did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people. (49:27)

Looking at these men side by side it seems very clear who the Nephites should have followed. Yet, many of them were led away by the flattery of Amalickiah.

Alma 48
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to adestroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of bliberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the crighteous’ sake.

This caused Captain Moroni to become angry.

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—aIn memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the btitle of liberty) and he cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of dChristians remain to possess the land—

When Moroni had finished praying,

he went forth among the people, waving the arent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:
20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and aenter into a covenant that they will bmaintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running atogether with their armor girded about their loins, brending their garments in token, or as a ccovenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God



What behaviors in our own lives indicate our willingness to never forsake the Lord our God? Are our freedoms sufficiently important to us that we would figuratively “come running” in support of righteous laws or proposals wherever and whenever they appear in our community or nation?

3. Amalickiah becomes king of the Lamanites and incites them to battle

When Moroni had rallied the people together again, Amalickiah saw that his plans of becoming the Nephite king would not come to fruition. He gathered those who would follow him and departed into the land of Nephi ( which was populated by the Lamanites).

Knowing that Amalickiah would stir the Lamanites up to anger, and bring them to war against the Nephites again, Moroni went after him in order to put him to death. Amalickiah, however, escaped and did just as Moroni feared.

The king of the Lamanites sent out a proclamation to his people that they should prepare to go to war against the Nephites. However, most of them would not obey the king. They had agreed not to go into battle with the Nephites and feared for their lives. So, the king put Amalickiah in charge of the part of the army that was obedient to him and compelled him to go out and persuade the others to take up arms.

Amalickiah’s desire to be king still remained. If he could not be king of the Nephites, then, he would be king of the Lamanites. So, he layed out a cunning plan to accomplish his desire.

He camped his army in the valley of Antipus, and sent his men to convince the leader of those Lamanites who had gathered on the mount of Antipus, to come down to talk with him. It took 4 attempts and a promise from Amalickiah to Lehonti that he would surrender his entire army to him for Lehonti to agree to meet with Amalickiah.

The agreement was that if Lehonti took command of the army, he would make Amalickiah second in command. This Lehonti did, which was according to Amalickiah’s ultimate plan. Shortly after this, Amalickiah had his servants slowly poison Lehonti until he died. Then, Amalickiah became leader over the whole army.

He marched the army back to the king. When the king came out to meet him, Amalickiah caused that his servants go forth and bow themselves before the King as if to reverence him. As the king held out his hand, the servant stabbed him in the heart. Amalickiah then marches the remainder of the army to the spot where the meeting was to take place and they find the king dead. He blames the murder on the King’s servants and sends the army to pursue them. Amalickiah then takes over the throne and becomes King over the Lamanites.


It is interesting to note that some of the strongest opponents of the Nephites had once been Nephites themselves. including the Amalekites (Alma 24:29–30; 43:6–7), the Zoramites (Alma 30:59; 31:8–11; 43:4), Amalickiah (Alma 46:1–7), Morianton (Alma 50:26, 35), and Amalickiah’s brother Ammoron (Alma 52:3).

Why do those who have left the Church often fight so strongly against it?

The Prophet Joseph Smith made the following statement to a man who wondered why those who had left the Church often fought so fiercely against it: “Before you joined this Church you stood on neutral ground. When the gospel was preached good and evil were set before you. You could choose either or neither. There were two opposite masters inviting you to serve them. When you joined this Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can get back on to it. Should you forsake the Master you enlisted to serve it will be by the instigation of the evil one, and you will follow his dictation and be his servant” (in “Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Juvenile Instructor, 15 Aug. 1892, 492).

4. War continues between the Nephites and the Lamanites

Chapters 49-52 continue the account of the ongoing battles between the Nephites and the Lamanites. Similar lessons to those discussed in earlier chapters are learned here as well.

a. Be Prepared: The Nephites built walls to protect their cities from the Lamanites’ attacks (Alma 48:7–9; 49:2–4, 13, 18).

b. Be diligent:The Nephites continually strengthened their defenses (Alma 50:1–6).


c. Follow righteous leaders: The Nephites kept the commandments of God and followed their Church leaders (Alma 44:3–4; 49:30; 50:20–22).

d. Be Thankful: The Nephites thanked God for protecting them in battle (Alma 45:1; 49:28).


. The true cause of these Nephite/Lamanite wars is explained in

Alma 50:21.
And we see that these promises have been verified to the people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their contentions, yea, their ings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their doms, and their abominations, which were among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their destructions.

The point is reiterated ( and recorded by Mormon so that we might learn the lesson) in Alma 51:16. When the kingmen rebelled against the chief judge and sought to overthrow the constitutional form of government (see Alma 51), Moroni immediately turned his attention to them.

For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for
behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass that it was
granted according to the voice of the people. (Alma 51:16)

His first care was to cleanse the inner vessel, for he knew that the iniquity of the Lamanites was not the cause of the destruction among the Nephites. Rather, it was the iniquity of the Nephites.

The lesson should be crystal clear. If Lucifer is successful in making our lives miserable, it is not because he is corrupt and evil, but because we are.

For six thousand years the campaign for the souls of men has been waged by Satan with unabated fury. The widespread debauchery, idolatry, contention, bloodshed, suffering, and sorrow under which the inhabitants of the earth have groaned through the centuries testify to the fact that Satan has always wielded a potent influence.

As the works of the flesh have universal application, so likewise does the gospel of peace. If one man lives it, he has peace within himself. If two men live it, they each have peace within themselves and with each other. If the citizens live it, the nation has domestic peace. When there are enough nations enjoying the fruit of the Spirit to control world affairs, then, and only then, will the war-drums throb no longer, and the battle flags be furl’d in the Parliament of Man, the Federation of the World. (See Alfred Lord Tennyson, “Locksley Hall.” The Complete Poetical Works of Tennyson, ed. W. J. Rolfe, Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co., 1898, p. 93, lines 27–28.)

Marion G. Romney, “The Price of Peace,” Ensign, Oct 1983, 3