ON HIGHER GROUND

 

This is my favourite lesson from the war chapters of the Book of Mormon.

When Captain Moroni defeated Amalickiah, who sought to be king, he fled the land of Zarahemla with some followers, and headed for the land of Nephi (Alma 47:1). His plan was  to dethrone the king of the Lamanites (Alma 47:4).  Having convinced the king to go to battle against the Nephites, he caused a division amongst the people. Those who would not consent to fight the Nephites fled to a place called Onidah with a leader called Lehonti, gathering themselves upon the top of the mountain Antipas. Here comes into play one of the most interesting stories of drama, evil and intrigue in the Book of Mormon.

Amalickiah, being a 'subtle man to do evil' (Alma 47:4) devised a plan most clever to obtain the kingdom through Lehonti, who originally opposed him in every way. Causing his army to pitch their tents in the valley near the mount Antipas, Amalickiah proceeded to coax Lehonti to come down the mountain to speak with him. The record states that Lehonti at first would not dare to do so but Amalickiah was patient and persistent. After sending the third message to Lehonti, Amalickiah decided to get closer and ascended half way up the mountain enticing Lehonti to come to down to him with his guards to speak with him.

On the fourth message, Lehonti relented and came half way down the mountain. There Amalickiah lay open his plan before him as to how he could assist Lehonti in obtaining command of the whole army if he would place him, Amalickiah, as second in charge. Lehonti could not resist this temptation of power and came all the way down the mountain, took possession of the whole army through Amalickiah's assistance and became the leader he desired to be. There was only one problem. He had a dangerous man as his 'second in charge' who according to the Lamanite custom stood to become chief leader if the chief was killed (Alma 47:17).

The plan worked beautifully for Amalickiah instructed one of his servants to administer poison 'by degrees' to Lehonti and Lehonti died (Alma 47:18) leaving Amalickiah in charge of the entire army of the Lamanites. With such power under his belt, the whole kingdom fell into his hands as he proceeded with his evil plan and caused the death of the king by the hands of his servants. Thus, by secret works, manipulating others to do his dirty work, did Amalickiah obtain the whole kingdom of the Lamanites.

The story of Lehonti, who took his army to the top of the mountain for physical safety has many parallels with us today. As the covenant people of God, we have been invited to preserve our spiritual safety on top of another mountain, the mountain of the Lord's house, the temple (2 Nephi 12:2). Today, LDS temples are always built on the highest vantage point in the designated community, suggesting that once we have entered into sacred covenants with God, we stand on higher ground. Those who adhere to their temple covenants and make their abode with God within its sacred walls, receive spiritual protection and power against the enemy of all righteousness. This, however, does not mean that this enemy sleeps or has no interest in those who have made temple covenants and enjoy the safety of such. On the contrary, the adversary takes no sabbaticals and has more interest in those who are endowed with temple covenants than those who are not and he will use all his skills to bring them down the mountain.

Viewing Amalickiah as a prototype of the adversary we can learn that our enemy is three things - he is subtle, he is persistent and he is cunning. He watches patiently and plots with dedication to bring about our demise. He knows which buttons to push and he will do so repeatedly until cracks in our resolve begin to appear. Using subtle means he will make his enticements appear appealing and even of good value. Like Amalickiah, he will meet us half way up the mountain and make his propositions difficult to resist appealing to our egos and "what's in it for me" attitude. Once we succumb, he will 'poison' us 'by degrees' until he succeeds in bringing about our spiritual death. Compromising ourselves in such a way where our obedience to the commandments suffers can only lead us down the slippery slope to the valley of shadow and death where we are eventually cut off from the presence of the Lord (Alma 50:20). This is what our enemy hopes for, works for and lives for.

Like Nephites of old, we are at war. The battle is raging and many are falling by the way. When Amalickiah left the Nephites, he fled before the armies of Captain Moroni. Is it any wonder considering Moroni’s valour, determination and fearlessness???

Moroni’s counterpart in most of his battles was a man called Lehi, who was a man like Moroni, a man of faith in Christ (Alma 48:13; 53:2). Together they fought valiantly and had many victories. And here is the most interesting thing, the Lamanites ‘feared Lehi exceedingly’ (Alma 49:17). Be a Moroni and be a Lehi, make the devil fear you exceedingly and make him flee. Stand firm. Don't come down the mountain.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

THIS MY SON

 

I have a soft spot for Alma the Elder. The heroism of leading a group of believers away from the murderous intents of King Noah is admirable to say the least. His repentance, however, from a sinful life (Mosiah 23:9) and the humility he gained which led him to be an instrument in God’s hands deserves every commendation (v 10, 11). It is with this humility that he refused his followers’ request to be their king (v 7-9, 13). He learnt well from his experience with King Noah.

Alma’s greatness began with the establishment of the Church in the city they called Helam (Mosiah 23:16,20) where for 20 years he watched over his people teaching them to live in harmony and love (23:15) and to depend on God for their deliverance after they fell into bondage to the Lamanites (23:27). Once they joined the people of Zarahemla, Alma the Elder established the Church there also and became the high priest over the whole land (25:19). He was loved and he was respected. Imagine his surprise and embarrassment when persecution arose among the rising generation and smack in the middle of it was his son Alma the Younger…..(26:1-4)

Imagine the grief and sorrow to have your own son working to discredit your life's work. Because he was a son and called The Younger, many readers of the Book of Mormon have presumed that Alma the Younger was a youth when rebelling against his father and against God. Mormon however, identifies him as 'a man' (Mosiah 27:8,9), a well-seasoned sinner, well-practiced in his ability to create trouble, an apostate who made it his life's work to discredit the Church. It is very unlikely that Alma the Younger was a reckless hot-headed youth when he was wreaking havoc. A hot-headed youth is more concerned with pursuing his own self-interests and rebellion than being involved in apostasy. Shortly after Alma the Younger is visited by an angel, his father Alma dies at the age of 82 (Mosiah 29:45). It would have been unlikely that Alma at this age had a son in his twenties. This would suggest that Alma was more likely to have been in his 40s at the height of his wickedness and ensuing repentance.

 

The question of Alma's age offers more insight into the severity of his sinful life. His sins were not trivial, but heinous and destructive, not only to himself but to others (Mosiah 27:9). His sins and the persecutions which he heaped upon the saints no doubt went on for years. These were not trivial sins easily washed away, but Alma had a good father….a father who prayed unceasingly for the saving grace of his son (27:14). And when that grace came, Alma the Elder gathered people around to pray and fast for his son that “the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God” (27:22). One can only imagine Alma’s joy to see the fruits of repentance in ‘this, his son’.

 

Alma the Elder died at the age of 82, “having lived to fulfil the commandments of God” (Mosiah 29:45). Repentance became a legacy in his family because some 20 years later Alma the Younger’s son Corinaton caused his father immense sorrow…..I wonder if Alma reflected at the time what he had done to his father.

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

( Art: This My Son by Elspeth C. Young)

YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD PART 2

"Wherefore, be faithful.....succor the weak,
lift up the hands which hang down, 
and strengthen the feeble knees."

D&C 81:5

"On one occasion, as a missionary in Tonga, I received word that a missionary was very ill on a somewhat distant island. The weather was threatening, but feeling responsible, and after prayer, we left to investigate the situation. Extra heavy seas slowed our progress, and it was late afternoon before we arrived. The missionary was indeed very ill. Fervent prayer was followed by administration, during which the impression came very strongly to get him back to the hospital on the main island, and to do it now! The weather had deteriorated, but the impression was strong - 'Get back now' - and one learns to obey the all-important promptings of the Spirit. There was much concern expressed about the darkness, the storm, and the formidable reef with its extremely narrow opening to the harbor. Some found reasons to stay behind; but soon eight persons had boarded the boat.

No sooner had we made our commitment to the open seas than the intensity of the storm seemed to increase seven-fold. As the sun sank, so did my spirit seem to sink into the darkness of doubt and apprehension. I found my spirit communing with the spirit of the father of an afflicted child in the New Testament, as he exclaimed, 'Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief'. (Mark 9:24) As we rolled and tossed closer and closer to the reef, all eyes searched for the light that marked the opening - the only entry to our home. Where was it? Then I heard the chilling sound of the waves crashing and chewing against the reef! It was close - too close. Where was that light? Unless we hit the opening exactly, we would be smashed against the reef. It seemed that all the elements were bent on our total destruction. Our eyes strained against the blackness, but we could not see the light.

At the heights of this panic, I looked at the captain - and there I saw the face of calmness - the ageless face of wisdom and experience - as his eyes penetrated the darkness ahead. Quietly his weather-roughened lips parted, and without moving his fixed gaze and just perceptibly shifting the wheel, he breathed those life-giving words, "Ko e Maama e" (There is the light). I could not see the light, but the captain could see it. And I knew he could see it. Those eyes, long experienced in ocean travel, were not fooled by the madness of the storm or were they influenced by the pleadings of those of lesser experience to turn to the left or to the right. Soon we were in the protected harbor. We were home. Then and only then did WE see through the darkness that one small light - exactly where the captain had said it was. Had we waited until we ourselves could see the light we would have been smashed to pieces. But trusting in those experienced eyes, we lived.

And so the great lesson: There are those who, through years of experience and training, and by virtue of special divine callings, can see farther and better and more clearly - and can and will save us in those situations where serious injury or death - both spiritual and physical - would be upon us before we ourselves could see."  (Elder John H. Groberg, There Is The Light, Ensign Nov 1976)

It's a wonderful thing to bring yourself back into the presence of God but it is a powerful thing to bring with you another; one who was sick or lost or unbelieving; someone on whom your life had an impact, someone who needed your leadership and guidance. It is true that we are here to work out our own salvation but the mandate issued by the Saviour that we love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34) suggests that this is not our only responsibility. What exactly did the Saviour mean by this admonition? If the gesture of love was merely a poetic notion He would have just said, "Love one another". When the Saviour added 'as I have loved you' He meant that our love should be the source of salvation to one another as His was and is to us. The Saviour's love was undoubtedly the motivating force behind His infinite sacrifice, the sacrifice that culminated in salvation for all mankind.

Just as in this life, in our pre-mortal state we were all at differing stages of emotional and spiritual growth. Bruce R. McConkie taught that due to man's free agency in pre-existence 'the spirits of men were not equal. They may have had an equal start, and we know they were all innocent in the beginning; but the right of free agency which was given to them enabled some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal existence, to become more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against it." (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:58-69, Book of Mormon Student Manual, p 192). This hypothesis suggests that some of us came here more spiritually developed than others, meaning our spirits are endowed with individual and unique gifts, talents and strengths. It also means that some of us are more susceptible to truth. What this doesn't mean is that those more developed are more worthy when we measure the worth of a soul. It simply means that those of us who are stronger have the responsibility to bring back with us those that are weaker; those who are sick and feeble and oppressed; and those who have perhaps had such spiritually and emotionally debilitating experiences in life that they have been rendered incapable to survive mortality alone. This goes beyond an occasional charitable casserole dropped of at the door. It goes as far as being actively invested in saving someone who needs to be saved. Our uniqueness ensures that we, like the captain in the above-mentioned story, have the power to get another through the storm, the storm that induces fear, alienation, loss of vision, despondency and despair. We each have something that someone else needs and when we stand on higher ground, we have the responsibility to lift another to stand alongside us.

When Ammon recounted the success of their missionary labours to his brothers he gave all credit to the Saviour claiming that He has saved their brethren the Lamanites from everlasting darkness and destruction and brought them into His everlasting light and salvation and now that they were saved they were encircled about with 'the matchless bounty of His love' (Alma 26:15). This matchless bounty of love was brought to godless Lamanites through the selfless efforts, anguish and afflictions of four brothers who could not bear the thought that one soul should be lost (Mosiah 28:3). And neither could the Saviour for He has loved us with a love unsurpassing; a love unfeigned; a love that is endless; a love that has suffered for all.