Covenants and Fortresses

At institute this morning we discussed the war chapters of the Book of Mormon. Here are a few of things I came away with.

1. Covenants. These are powerful and important things:

• The people of Zerahemnah would not make a covenant that they feared they would break, in spite of the fact that they were wicked, power-hungry Lamanites. (Alma 44:8)
• The Title of Liberty that Captain Moroni was a symbol of a covenant with God. The torn coat represented the coat of Joesph (who was sold into Egypt), and the promise that a remnant of Joseph's posterity would be saved. (Alma 46:23-27) A similar symbol today might be a picture of a temple in our home.
• The Nephites (and presumably other Jews as well) would tear or rend their garments as a token that if they broke the covenant that they were making, that God would rend (or destroy) them. (Alma 46:21)
• The Anti-Nephi-Lehies, or Ammonites, had made a covenant to never again shed blood. They had been willing to die rather than to break this covenant to defend their own lives, but considered breaking their covenant when they saw the afflictions of the Nephites who were defending them. Helaman convinced them not to do this, fearing that "by so doing they should lose their souls." (Alma 53:10-15)
• As long as the Nephites kept their covenants, keeping the commandments and trusting in the Lord, they prospered. It was only when there was wickedness amongst the Nephites (i.e. king-men refusing to fight, etc.) that the Lamanites prevailed against them. Our individual responsibility is to "walk uprightly before the Lord" and he will protect and watch over us. 
• The stripling warriors, the sons of the Ammonites who had not made the covenant not to fight, made a covenant that they would fight to protect their land and their liberty. (Alma 53:17) They fulfilled their covenant, acting in faith and strict obedience, and as a result, they were miraculously preserved. (Alma 57:21,25-27)

2. Fortresses. Captain Moroni did all in his power to protect his people from harm. Here is some of what we can learn about protecting ourselves:

• Moroni provided his soldiers with personal armor - breastplates, arm-shields, helmets and thick clothing. (Alma 43:19) Compare this to the personal preparation we are taught to have in D&C 27:15-18 and Ephesians 6:13-17
• Moroni went to a lot of labor to prepare strongholds for his people. They erected small forts, made banks of earth, and walls of stone to encircled their cities and lands. (Alma 48:8) Later, they added tall ridges of earth, topped with timbers and pickets and watch towers around every city in all the land. (Alma 50:1-6) It was important to Moroni to defend all his land, not jut those cities on the borders. He made sure they had thick walls and barriers between his men and his enemies. He provided tall towers from which they could watch for the approach of their enemies and be prepared for them. It was discussed at length that our homes should be strongholds against our enemy, Satan, but we always need to be watchful. (Constant vigilance!)
• In those places that were weaker, Moroni placed the greater number of men to defend them. (Alma 48:9) Peer pressure can often be a good thing. There is strength in numbers, and we need to help and support each other.
• Not Moroni, but his antithesis Amalakiah teaches about the importance of staying on the high ground when he lures Lehonti down off his mount and to his doom. (Alma 47:7-18) We are safer when we stay on higher or holier ground. It is when we descend, loosen our standards, that we put ourselves in danger.
• Moroni extended certain protections to his enemies as well. When Moroni saw his enemies terror at being surrounded at the River Sidon, he stopped the fighting and offered them a chance to surrender. (Alma 43:54) When his offer was rejected, he returned Zerahemnah's sword and weapons of war before resuming their conflict. (Alma 44:10) He allowed those who would enter a covenant of peace to depart unharmed. (Alma 44:15; 62:27-29) He wouldn't kill drunk Lamanites if it wasn't necessary. (Alma 55:18-19)

One interesting thing that was shared as an example of standing for truth was a provocative prayer given at the Kansas State Legislature several years ago. (You can read it here.)

One other thing I've always wondered about: In Alma 45:18-19, it suggests that Alma was translated the same way that Moses was. It is my understanding that Moses was translated so that he could appear to Jesus, Peter, James and John at the Mount of Transfiguration and pass on certain Priesthood keys. Elijah also was translated so that he could pass on keys at that time. What reason was there for Alma to be translated? Did he hold keys that needed to be passed on? Did he have a ministry to some group of people we don't know about yet? Was his translation just a myth among the Nephites that got passed on to us with no real basis in fact?