And as we had no place for our prisoners, that we could guard them to keep them from the armies of the Lamanites, therefore we sent them to the land of Zarahemla, and a part of those men who were not slain of Antipus, with them; and the remainder I took and joined them to my stripling Ammonites, and took our march back to the city of Judea.
Life is a series of travels. I should embrace every part of every journey. He will accompany me if I ask.
And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning, behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we did continue our march, and we took our march into the wilderness.
Sometimes I just need to keep moving forward.
They were commanded by Ammoron to maintain those cities which they had taken. And thus ended the twenty and sixth year. And in the commencement of the twenty and seventh year we had prepared our city and ourselves for defence.
I should maintain the good things in my life
And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
I should finish strong in the work He gives me. I need a way for my faith to exceed my fears.
And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief captains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for mercy.
The things that are troubling me I can cast at His feet and unburden myself
For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.
I should aim for having the best desires.
For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.
Short term thinking often has negative consequences.
And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.
I can be bold, He can help me if I ask.
"Discontent becomes divine when we humbly approach Jesus Christ with our want, rather than hold back in self-pity."
For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them.
I am His child and deserve every good gift He offers.
And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your utter destruction.
I can turn to Him and ask for the strength of preparation
The key to all proverbs is they make apparently contradictory or at least contrasting statements that are both true in different contexts.
Not just to us but for us
No superpower, just a frothing fury
Stop
Think
Observe
Plan
We know what's being asked, we don't want anything to do with it.
What would you say, who would you say it to? That's what's important.
Thank you, love you, give gratitude.
Can't have despair and gratitude
Resolve in the face of incredible uncertainty
The adversity gives me the gift.
Get what I want vs peace.
Just abiding.
Say thank you to the boulder
Between trauma and transformation, find the peace
Grow into the person I am supposed to become
Transform boulders into blessings
And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
I can have better outcomes if I pray before activities.
And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.
I should do the things I promise. He will give me the strength I need if I ask.
And now it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites, on the west sea, south, while in the absence of Moroni on account of some intrigue amongst the Nephites, which caused dissensions amongst them, had gained some ground over the Nephites, yea, insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their cities in that part of the land.
I should count my blessings and the ground I've gained.
And this city became an exceeding stronghold ever after; and in this city they did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea, even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their own hands. Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor; and he desired all his forces when he should make an attack upon the Lamanites.
The flip side of "the devil makes work for idle hands".
And now the number of prisoners who were taken exceeded more than the number of those who had been slain, yea, more than those who had been slain on both sides.
I shouldn't let myself become taken and bound by the adversary. The most powerful response to trials large and small is to embrace. This is the step after peace. The willingness to embrace causes peace.
And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue Teancum until they came near the city Bountiful, and then they were met by Lehi and a small army, which had been left to protect the city Bountiful.
I should only chase after things that are worthwhile. He can help me know their value, and help me have the strength to choose them, if I ask.
And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances in the ending of the twenty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
He can help me through dangerous circumstances.
And thus endeth the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and thus endeth the days of Amalickiah.
I should embrace the moment I'm in and not anticipate with dread a moment to come. He can give me the strength to embrace my fear if I ask.
And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the seashore.
I can take possession of myself and embrace empowering beliefs.
But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain and defend it.
Don't fight against the good. He can help my heart to soften if I ask.
And it came to pass that when the men who were called king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms to defend their country.
I should aggressively defend the good.
Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.
I can be like my Father.
The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
When I choose to act like one of His people, I will receive strength and peace.
But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for behold they were not in the wrong.
I should go where things are better.
And they also began a foundation for a city between the city of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah.
No matter where I am at, I can commence becoming better if I ask for His help.
And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges, that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
I should commence... A job begun is a job half done.
Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.
Continual peace is the foundation of exceedingly great prosperity
And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.
He can help me drive back the attacks of the adversary if I ask.
But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle. And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come upon them.
I can alter the management of affairs in my life. He can help me know how.
Yea, they could not bear that their brethren should rejoice over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who should keep the commandments of God, for the promise of the Lord was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in the land.
Any little bit of doing right counts
For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.
Fresh physiology can soften my heart so that I can receive the Spirit. "Look to the Lord" involves a change of posture. Changing environment by going into different room also works.
1) develop a relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost
2) bless the lives of others
Much like good writing involves always either developing character or advancing the plot.
Faith requires focus on an empowering belief and acting on it.
Not getting what I want stems from either a lack of belief or a lack of action.
Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.
I can be a man of God if I ask for His help. I don't know what this means exactly. Long term thinking and peace, maybe?
Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
I can have power over my heart by embracing my fears instead of fighting them.
"When a child needs correction, you might ask yourself, 'What can I say or do that would persuade him or her to choose a better way?' When giving necessary correction, do it quietly, privately, lovingly, and not publicly. If a rebuke is required, show an increase of love promptly so that seeds of resentment may not remain."
Russell M. Nelson
And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
I should invite Him to help me most when I feel like it least.
Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.
I should teach empowering beliefs
Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to relate, not long after their dissensions they became more hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites—drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites; giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea, entirely forgetting the Lord their God.
I should seek to have the same knowledge He does
Where, when my aching grows, Where, when I languish, Where, in my need to know, where can I run? Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish? Who, who can understand? He, only One.
He answers privately, Reaches my reaching In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend. Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching. Constant he is and kind, Love without end.
