Armed for Battle

My husband and I were reading in Alma 43 the other night, about Moroni leading the Nephites to defend against the Lamanites. I am inspired by many things in this chapter.

The fact that Moroni was only TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD during this time that he led an army is amazing to me. It's an example to me that there is no age requirement, or limit, for standing and being an example of the Gospel. I know I have been inspired by many of all ages, especially the youth and what they go through today.

This chapter also really hit home with me for our day. I know the point of reading the scriptures is to liken it to ourselves and our day, but sometimes, its a deep dig to find the relevance. For this chapter, it spoke to me loud and clear. The Lamanites (who were a mixture of the rebelling decendents of the Nephites--the Amalekites and Zoramites-- as well as decendents from the priests of Noah), were coming against the Nephites, who were righteous, in battle. The objective of the battle, was to bring the Nephites into subjection, to gain power over them and bring them into bondage. If we all remember the Title of Liberty, we remember what the Nephites were fighting for; their wives, their children, their homes, their land, their rights, their priveleges, their liberty and right to worship God. An inspiring part of this chapter, is the description of their preparations for battle:

19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—

20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites;

21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites.

This really made me think of how we are spiritually preparing ourselves to come against the evil of our day. They may think that they are armed with all manner of weapons, as did the Lamanites, but they lack the armor to protect themselves from the weapons of the opponent. As followers of Christ, we have the opportunity to arm ourselves with spiritual breastplates and sheilds. The Lord gives us commandments and guidance to act as armor, and we must choose whether we are willing to take the necessary precautions to prepare for war.

Because, that's where we are. We are in a spiritual battle even today to protect what we believe in. Tell me verse 47 doesn't explain exactly, the fight we are fighting today:

47 ...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.

Now, this blog is not meant to be political in the least, but right now our rights are in danger. As stated above, we are being forced every day to defend our families, our lands, our country, our rights and our religion. A specific battle that we are being called upon to fight in, is in the battle to protect marraige and family by supporting and educating others on Proposition 8. We are to be Christ-like and non- discriminitive in our efforts, but at the same time we can't sit by and watch everything we believe in be lost in battle. We have to arm ourselves with righteousness to battle for what we believe in, as did the Nephites. We were saved to be the army in these Latter Days, and I hope that I can prepare myself to be the warrior that Heavenly Father needs me to be.