The war chapters, in Alma, are probably my favorite in all of scripture. I have written in at the top of these chapters, FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH, because I feel this is where we get the best information on how to fight the adversary and save our children.
Follow along in your own scriptures as I dissect Chapter 49:
Amalickiah (the former Nephite) is now the king of the Lamanites. “Former Mormons” can really be hard core. All of his generals are former Nephites. They know the Nephites and they know their weaknesses. The city of Ammonihah has been completely wiped out (because the Lord let the Lamanites have at them), so that’s where the Lamanites are headed, in order to destroy more Nephites. Clearly, that is what Satan is all about: monitoring our weaknesses and hitting us when we’re down. I don’t know about you, but I never want to be considered “easy prey” to Satan.
Moroni is truly a genius. He doesn’t fight the expected fight, he doesn’t do what’s always been done. He comes up with a new plan; one that had “never been known among the children of Lehi”. It’s hard to come up with various ways to outsmart Satan, but the Lord knows how to do it, and keep doing it. Just think if we relied on the Lord for complete protection, we’d be banging out new, brilliant ideas to thwart Satan all the time. Instead, we often end up like the Ammonihahites. Moroni creates high ridges, so high that everything is covered and protected, and there is only one way in and one way out. Parents can’t be afraid to be that overprotective. Plus, they need to be willing to follow the protection rules themselves. (Just something to think about.) I love that the Lamanites were “astonished exceedingly because of the wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security.” In our day and age, playtime is over; the war is on.
Instead of waiting around to be attacked, Moroni is on the offensive by building up every weak point he is responsible over. As the Lamanites/Satan wander around, looking for a way in, they discover there is no way in. The Lord has promised us that if we go to Him for help, He will make our weakness a strength to us. Can you imagine being so strong, Satan has no power over you? Can you imagine training and teaching your children and grandchildren this same concept? Clearly, it helps to start when kids are young, but even still, I believe what the Lord said; He will make it so, according to our faith.
I always hoped to give birth to Stripling Warriors and I happily ended up with four (okay, six, my girls are pretty and mighty too). As the boys grew to be big guys I would call them my “no-necks”. You know how football players tend to have huge shoulders, then a huge head. There’s no visible neck. That’s how I imagine all Nephites to look like (please don’t disappointment me, Nephite people!). It has become a great compliment, in our family, when someone is called a “no-neck”. I am calling Lehi a “no-neck”. Wow! The Lamanites were all afraid of this guy. He had a reputation for righteousness, and apparently he wasn’t embarrassed about it. We should all be so inclined.
As Moroni fortified these cities, he left only one opening, so he could control what comes in and what goes out. Still, the Lamanites tried to force their way through, but Moroni and his people were vigilant. “The Nephites had all power over their enemies”. Lamanites were being killed right and left, but the Nephites were protected and saved (bruised, but saved). There really is something to the Armor of God. After winning and overcoming, the Nephites knew whom to thank for their victory and delivery.
The Nephites owed all of their success to their willingness to give heed (to pay CLOSE attention to) and diligence (to be industrious) to their prophets. Our prophets continue to give us all the tactics necessary to fight the war. Our ability to heed and be diligent is up to us. There’s still time to read the most recent Conference Addresses to find out what we should be doing and teaching. There’s still time to pray for strength and strategy. And yes, I’m keeping my eyes open for “no-necks”; our world could sure use more of them.