MORONI'S LAMENT

 

I was led to read Ether 12 this morning and paid particular attention to Moroni’s interlude on faith amongst his account of the Brother of Jared’s experience with the Lord.

I actually sorrowed for this man as I read his lament over the Nephite’s inadequacy in writing because of their ‘awkwardness of hands’ (v 24). Having just dealt with the written account of the Brother of Jared, Moroni felt even worse, for the words of the Brother of Jared were ‘overpowering of man to read them’ (v 24)…..something he felt the rest of the writers of the golden plates lacked.

Moroni worried that the Gentiles will mock the Book of Mormon because of this lack of skill (v 25). I have always considered Moroni’s interlude on faith and abridgement of the Jaredite story as one of the gems of the Book of Mormon, if not the greatest gem.

Imagine my surprise when, immediately after reading Moroni’s account, I went to Hugh Nibley’s book, “An Approach to the Book of Mormon” with the intent to read a broader view of the Jaredites and came across something that left my mouth gaping:

“Nothing in the Book of Mormon has elicited louder whoops and howls of derision than the account in the second and third chapters of the book of Ether of the ships of the Jaredites…..”  Hugh Nibley then went on to list some critics who basically left me speechless:

“According to J.C. Bennett, the illumination by shining stones, was the “climax” of all of Joseph Smith’s indiscretions, in which he “used his utmost endeavours to see how far he could impose on the gullibility of mankind. It would be useless to make further comments to prove the absurdities of this extraordinary book”.

“In 1855 T. Taylder declared this story to be nothing less than “a libel on the wisdom of God”. “It seems impossible”, another investigator wrote, “for sensible men to credit such trash”.  “My soul is filled with disgust at this monstrous absurdity”, cried the Reverend C. Fenwick Ward as he perused the pages of Ether, “that I dare not trust myself to comment upon it”.

Fawn M. Brodie claimed that “Joseph Smith wrote the book of Ether as a sort of afterthought to cover up the scientific blunders and inaccuracies of the rest of the Book of Mormon which were causing him disturbing doubts and misgivings”.

-        Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, p 340,341

Brother Nibley quoted all the sources of these criticisms and I honestly wondered how he could stomach reading such books.

Brother Nibley also quoted many ancient sources that have since come to light comparing the Brother of Jared’s stones to that of Noah who also had a stone for light in the ark and many other ancient practices with likewise stones. He pointed out that none of these ancient sources would have been available to Joseph Smith in his time or to the critics of his day.  And the critics of our day wouldn’t bother searching them.

I sorrowed even more for Moroni and his efforts to bring the Book of Mormon to the light of day but was comforted by the Lord’s advice to him:

“Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness.”  (Ether 12:26)

I thought of all the people I know who have turned their backs on the Church and those who have discounted and rejected the Book of Mormon and I hoped that the Saviour’s mercy will be sufficient…..

I am astounded that anyone could read the Book of Mormon and not be affected by the spirit of it. Once again, I am reminded of: “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27).  If you believe, you are that sheep…..I am comforted knowing many who are.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Brother of Jared by Emily Pugmire)

THE FAVOURED WEAK

 

 

“Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven….that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets: The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones…..” (D&C 1:17-19)

Surely the Lord could not have found anyone weaker than Joseph Smith. An uneducated boy from a poor family, a farmer no less…..yet obedient and  humble and brought up to be God fearing. One might ask why the Lord would choose ‘the weak things of the world’ to do such important work.

Herein is the wisdom of our God. The answer lies in the definition of ‘weak’ in this context. The ‘weak things of the world’ are lacking professional skills, prominence and means recognized by worldly standards.

The reason why God would use such men to accomplish His purpose lies in verse 19. Those who are esteemed by the world do not seek to honour God but seek the honour for themselves. The world would also, in turn, give them credit and honour instead of God. Many would be at risk of being deceived in this way by the persuasions of men and would learn to rely on ‘the arm of flesh’ rather than God.  

I am convinced that Joseph Smith was sent to a poor family so that he could not receive an education because it was imperative that an uneducated man translate the ancient record that became the Book of Mormon. How else could the Lord prove His partnership with him in bringing this book to light?

None other but a weak, uneducated man would admit to this partnership. An educated and qualified man recognized for his intellectual and academic abilities would claim credit for such a work.

This the Lord proved when he instructed Joseph to take some of the translated manuscript of the gold plates to a ‘learned man’ as per Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 29:11,12) outlined in great detail in chapter 27 of 2 Nephi.

The ‘learned’ and educated man was Professor Charles Anthon who certified the translation as being correct and true but when Martin Harris told him that Joseph was instructed by an angel to find the plates, the Professor tore up the certificate saying there was no such thing as ministering of angels and asked for the plates to be brought to him for translation, ‘because of the glory of the world and to get gain’ (2 Nephi 27:16). Imagine what claim to fame would Professor Anton obtain if he had got his hands on the golden plates? He most certainly would not have worked in collaboration with Moroni….

According to Nephi, the Lord said to the ‘unlearned man’ who had no skills to translate: “I am able to do my own work, I WILL GIVE YOU the words which you shall read” (2 Nephi 27:20). And He did. Because of it Joseph gave glory to God and he paid a heavy price for it too. The ‘weak’, yet willing and  favoured of God.  

The Lord still uses ‘the weak and the simple that the fulness of His gospel might be proclaimed unto the ends of the world’ (D&C 1:23). When I look back on my missionary days as a young convert I fully understand this scripture. Young, no secondary education, barely understanding the full significance of the Church, no prominence in anything except a burning testimony and a deep faith in God.

As a young missionary I carried my testimony from door to door as I proselyted for 18 months and  had success in leading people to acceptance of the truth. We were so young and inexperienced and imperfect yet people listened to us. I am so grateful for that experience because it taught me that I am nothing without Him. I was my greatest convert.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: I Will Go Before Your Face by Kenneth Turner)

A SACRED LOVE

 

 

Moroni’s discourse on love is legendary. And not just any love but a love without which we are nothing; a love that survives hatred, animosity, harm, racism, sin, abuse, evil and all the inhumanity we are capable of; a love that ensures salvation at the last day (Moroni 7:44). Moroni called this love charity (v 47).

This love is unique to Christ and cannot be developed by others. It is therefore a gift bestowed upon those who are true followers of Christ and it must be sought through prayer (Moroni 7:48) . This love ensures that we become the sons and daughters of God so that when He appears, we shall be like Him (v 48). This love is the foundation of the glories of heaven and the cradle of eternity.

This love is the pure love of Christ, a love that endures forever and ever (v 47).

I have been praying for this love for some time now. I knew I was on the right path when I started seeing people as God’s children in the literal sense. Being a parent myself, I could relate to this and I began to understand why it is sinful to disparage anyone. I know how I would feel if someone thought ill of my children or considered them of little or no worth. So I began to understand and I began to think and feel differently about people around me.

I didn’t, however, expect to have a foretaste of the pure love of Christ through my own child. I thought I already loved her. Let me explain the difference between the two.

Over a year ago my daughter, who is no longer active in the Church, estranged herself from our family for no known reason. She merely said she needed space. She lives in another state so we could not understand this need. I went through bewilderment, sorrow, anger. And then an unexpected understanding of where she was standing came to me and all of a sudden I entered the space of forgiveness and compassion and I forgot about myself. She became more important than my feelings.

When Moroni identified its’ characteristics, he said that charity ‘seeketh not her own’ (Moroni 7:45). This means charity is not self-centered but is selfless. It puts the welfare of others before oneself. Christ exemplified this love through His atoning sacrifice.

When the Saviour came forward in pre-existence and said, “Here am I, send me”, He asked for nothing for himself. His only desire was to preserve the Father’s glory and to bring each one of us to His own station of perfection, glory, power and dominion. His motive was our salvation. He had no hidden agendas for self-advancement. His love was not contaminated with self-interest. It was pure. Unlike Lucifer, He did not seek to elevate himself through the work of salvation.

Without this selfless love the Atonement would not have been possible.  

When we are in possession of this love, we are able to by-pass our egos and bless each other's lives with its' power that makes a difference to the struggling other. Through this difference we start to assume the role of ‘saviours on mount  Zion’.  

May we reach across boundaries, limits and fears and shrink not from the love that will bind us together and lift us to  that place where we will at last, once more, once again and forever, see the face of God. Without this love, we cannot abide in His presence.

I long to be where I once was,

A child in my eternal home.

I long to see the God of love

And with Him walk the heaven’s floor.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: He Lifts Me Up by Danny Hahlbohm)

KNOWING GOD

 

 

In his message to the unbelievers, Moroni points out that those who do not believe in the revelations of God, prophecies, gifts and healings, do not understand the scriptures nor do they know the unchangeable God ‘in whom they should trust’ (Mormon 9:8,19,20). This certainly includes those of us who have the Gospel but do not really ‘know’ God.

This is what I found interesting in Moroni’s message. Having listed all the things that prove that God is a God of miracles, Moroni brings prayer into the equation by saying that ‘whatsoever we ask the Father in the name of Jesus, doubting nothing’ will be given us (v 21). This is a plain indication that answers to prayers are included in the category of miracles, because they are one of the major ways of knowing God.

However, asking for ‘whatsoever’ comes with a warning: we should ask for what we stand in need of and that which will enable us to serve God (v 27,28). This is about submitting ourselves to God’s will. This is a scary concept for some of us because we feel that God’s will means denial of things that we want. In actuality, God’s will means something so much better:

 “Many of us are kept from eventual consecration because we mistakenly think that, somehow, by letting our will be swallowed up in the will of God, we lose our individuality (Mosiah 15:7). What we are really worried about, of course, is giving up not self but selfish things – like our roles, our time, our pre-eminence, and our possessions.

“No wonder we are instructed by the Saviour to lose ourselves (Luke 9:24). He is only asking us to lose the old self in order to find the new self. It is a question not of one’s losing identity but of finding one’s true identity.”  (Neal A. Maxwell, “If Thou Endure It Well”, p 51).

This is a sobering thought in our self-centered world where individuality and identity has become an obsession. However, nobody knows better who we truly are than God whom we should know enough to trust. We are His greatest miracle.

He will move heaven and earth to ensure we become who we are meant to be. He will chart our journey always for our ultimate good. If we know Him, we will trust Him and we will be able to let go of our self-perception according to our limited earthly knowledge.

The Saviour, in His hour of agony, trusted this process to the Father when He said, “Thy will be done” (Matthew 26:42). He now sits on His throne that He was destined to possess in the beginning. We likewise, were destined to be priests and priestesses, kings and queens to reign with Him forever and ever…..if we will but allow God to make of us what we are meant to become and be wise in the days of our probation that we ‘may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day (vs 6, 28).

I will trust in Thee

My God and my King

To make of me what I am

Meant to be.

I will look up to heaven

And believe in Thy throne;

I will trust in the strength of Thine arms

To carry me home.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(ART: Not My Will by Yongsung Kim)

THE POWER OF A NAME

 

I am pretty certain that Mormon admired Captain Moroni immensely, for how else could he have written that monumental description of him in which he said ‘if all men were like Moroni, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men’ (Alma 48:17). I am equally certain that this admiration extended to the naming of his son. I think Mormon hoped in his heart that his son would become a valiant man like the one he admired. Moroni, the son of Mormon, was a valiant man, in every way, like his predecessor.

Helaman, the son of Helaman, named his two sons Nephi and Lehi. And this is the reason that he gave: “Behold, my sons, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem….so that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and… remember their works and….ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good” (Helaman 5:6). This is the most Helaman hoped for, that his sons would be good. Nephi and Lehi did remember and they far outweighed their father’s expectation (v14). They devoted themselves to preaching the word, made many converts amongst the dissenters (v 17), baptised 8,000 Lamanites in and round about the land of Zarahemla (v 18,19), courageously proceeded to the land of Nephi, where they were imprisoned, divinely rescued and ministered to by angels (v 48). Following their ministry, the Lamanites became a more righteous people than the Nephites (Helaman 6:1).

As Church members, we are more commonly known as Mormons.  Some members of the Church resent being called Mormons because more often than not, this name overshadows the fact that we are Christians to the rest of the world.  However, the rest of the world doesn't know Mormon like we know him. In my opinion Mormon was one of the most Christ-like people to have ever graced this earth. For that reason, being called Mormon to me is just about the same as being called a Christian.  

When President Hinckley was a missionary in England he asked one of his associates how they could get people, including the members, to speak of the Church by its proper name. His associate answered that they couldn’t do it because the word Mormon was too deeply engrained and too easy to say. He said he tried and gave up because he was not ashamed of the nickname Mormon. He then added: “If there is any name that is totally honourable in its derivation it is the name Mormon. And so, when someone asks me about it and what it means, I quietly say – Mormon means more good” (The Prophet Joseph Smith first said this in 1843: Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp 299-300). President Hinckley then went on to pay homage to the prophet Mormon, to his greatness and his goodness and said that ‘while he sometimes regrets that people do not call this church by its proper name, he was happy that the nickname they use is one of great honour made so by a remarkable man and a book which gives an unmatched testimony concerning the Redeemer of the world’ (Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormon Should Mean ‘More Good’, GC October 1990)

In Mosiah 5:7-12, the word 'name' occurs 11 times.  These particular scriptures contain King Benjamin's address to his people who were willing to take upon themselves the name of Christ. By virtue of our baptismal covenant we become Christ's sons and daughters and thereby we take upon ourselves His name, much like we take upon ourselves our earthly father's name when we are born into mortality.  At baptism, however, Christ becomes our spiritual father and we thereby become Christ-ians. What we do with Christ's name speaks volumes about our integrity and our character.

The Saviour will hold us responsible for His name when we face Him at the judgment bar.  As his children, it is our duty to bring honour and glory to his name through the life that we live.  For this He will exalt us so that we can have all that He has and be all that He is.

When in clouds of heaven He appears,

And I stand in the shadow of His frame,

I want to hear the Saviour say:

I love what you have done with my name! 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: With All Thy Heart by Yongsung Kim)

THE IMPERATIVE BOOK OF MORMON

 

 

A friend who was distancing herself from the Church  asked me: "why would Moroni lug around heavy gold plates for 20 years, hide them in the earth and have them discovered when they were hardly necessary?" I was shocked by this question because I presumed that everyone in the Church understood just how necessary the gold plates were that Joseph translated into the Book of Mormon.                                                                  

One has only to read the book of Enos to understand the 'why'. Enos prayed earnestly for preservation of the records that were handed down to him by his father Jacob (Jacob 7:27). So much did he cry to God about it that God COVENANTED with him that He would bring them forth in His own due time (Enos 1:16). Not only did Enos ask this of the Lord but his fathers also (Enos 1:18). So it goes without saying that everyone who wrote on the plates was desperate to have them preserved. Now this is the interesting bit. The Lamanites knew of these records and swore that they would destroy them and "all the traditions of the fathers" (Enos 1:14). And what were these traditions? In Nephi's words: "...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ.."(2 Nephi 25:26). So what then was the purpose of the preservation? Jacob says so that their posterity would know that they believed in Christ (Jacob 4:1-5). Enos went one step further and pleaded with the Lord to preserve the records so that the Lamanites would one day, because of them, be brought unto salvation (Enos 1:13). Why? Because they testify of Christ.

Mormon was 10 years old when he was told of the plates by Ammaron (Mormon 1:1-3). Imagine being 10 years old and given such a charge to preserve the second testament of Christ that would prepare the world for the Second Coming. I am thinking that both Mormon and Moroni understood Jacob's admonition that all who reject Christ and the power of His redemption would one day 'stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God' (Jacob 6:8-10). I am convinced both of these men read this and took it to heart.  Being men of God who themselves testified of Christ and having seen our day in visions, it was imperative to them that the Book of Mormon saw the light of day, at all cost. And I'm thinking this is why Moroni lugged the gold plates around for 20 years. Did he care how heavy they were? Did he care how long he had to do it? I am convinced his testimony of Christ far outweighed the gold that was in his hands:

"Behold.....I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have no friends nor whither to go...therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not." (Mormon 8:4,5)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Moroni Travels by Katie Payne)

FULFILLING OUR PURPOSE

 

I am amazed at Moroni who did everything in his power to preserve his life, only to wander in loneliness between 385 A.D. to 421 A.D. (Mormon 6:5; Moroni 1), totally 36 whopping years. And here is something interesting. Moroni didn’t spend 36 years just evading the Lamanites who hunted and killed anyone who wouldn’t deny Christ  (Moroni 1:2,3), he instead did something extraordinary….he wrote extensively and preserved the plates with intent to bring us and the very same people who hunted him for his life to the knowledge of truth ‘in some future day’ (v4). This is what I call mortal valiancy. Because of his valiant efforts, we now have the Book of Mormon. 

 

I don’t know what Moroni’s 36 years looked like. I don’t know if he ever felt so lonely and depressed that he was hitting the floor but I do know that he endured to fulfil his purpose because in his farewell he said: “….the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God, and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by THIS MAN…???” (Moroni 10:27). We all have a purpose and something to achieve in this life, and that something, no matter how small, if achieved during our mortal endurance, will not be counted less than what Moroni achieved. 

 

I have experienced acute loneliness in my life and I know I have only survived it because of the sustaining power of the Great Exemplar who endured it all and could say: “…..I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (D&C 19:19). What a gift He has given us by His power of creation (Helaman 14:12; Moses 1:33; 2:1); the gift of mortal lowliness that He might lift us to immortal heights. This is the God we worship, this is the God we love, this is the God we follow. May we praise Him now and forever. 

 

My mortality spreads before me day and night,

I wince at bearing this heavy load.

I stumble and I fall,

The darkness seeking to swallow me whole.

I know He waits at heaven’s gate

Till I have learnt to walk the rough domain;

I will hurry, I will run

I will grasp the heaven’s hand

That will lift me to His arms

Forever there to remain.

 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art by Liz Lemon Swindle)

THE POWER OF "I AM"

 

I am mesmerised by the method of identity used in the Book of Mormon. It is not a method we use today in our written communication but to me it is enchanting. It says volumes about the person who proclaims “I am”. It ignites my heart with tenderest of emotions to hear this:

  

“I am Moroni; I am a leader of the people of the Nephites” (Alma 54:14). I just have to read this sentence and know who Captain Moroni was. I have been enthralled by his staggering passion for liberty, the welfare of his people and his faith in Christ as I have studied and admired his warfare acumen through the pages of the book of Alma. He is a fearless man who boldly addressed the leader of the Lamanites, as ‘a child of hell’ (Alma 54:11); he is the man at whose feet the Lamanites threw their weapons (Alma 52:38); he is the man who was beloved by all the people of Nephi (Alma 53:2); he is the man that Helaman addressed as his ‘beloved brother Moroni’ (Alma 56:2,45;58:41). All these things and more rush into my mind when I hear his name. His greatness is too numerous to name here. 

 

Another proclamation of self-identity that gets to me is, “I am Helaman, the son of Alma” (Alma 58:41). When I hear his name I remember the warrior who became a ‘Father’ to 2,000 young men he affectionately called his ‘little sons’ (Alma 56:30,39,44,46) and led them into war with valour and trust in God. To me, when Helaman says “I am the son of Alma” he is referring to more than just a biological connection but to his upbringing by a man who sorrowed for his people (Alma 8:10,14; 31:1,2,30,31;35:15) and sacrificed himself over and over to rescue them from the jaws of hell. Helaman walked in the footsteps of a father whose  accomplishments will echo throughout eternity. When I hear that he is the son of Alma, I know who Helaman is….because he was raised by a great man.

 

Now consider another greatness of valiancy: “I am Mormon, and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (3 Nephi 5:12,13) . I believe that’s exactly who Mormon is when I read the greatest discourse in holy writ that he has penned on faith, hope and charity  (Moroni 7).  Someone who has produced a mammoth witness of Jesus Christ such as the Book of Mormon can with surety declare himself as His disciple. But nothing speaks to me volumes about this man as much as this poignant advice to his son which echoes in my heart repeatedly: “For we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness” (Moroni 9:6). This was his creed and he went down fighting in the quest of its achievement. 

 

This Christmas, however,  may our hearts and minds be turned to the greatest I AM of all times….

·       I am the bread of life (John 6:31, 51)

·       I am the light of the world (John 8:12)

·       I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7,9)

·       I am the good shepherd (John 10:11,14)

·       I am the resurrection and life (John 11:25)

·       I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)

·       I am the true vine (John 15:1,5)

·       I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God (3 Nephi 9:15)…….

 

Such magnitude of power

Of love, mercy and light

Cradled in the body

Of a baby’s heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Light of the World by Nathan Greene)

THE LEGACY OF MORMON

I am in awe of Mormon. Worthy of my admiration is his spiritual tenacity to survive the most evil period of Nephite history morally unscathed and for that he deserves every praise. My ultimate admiration, however, concerns his achievements as a historian and a writer. I know of no other historian who has had the capacity to intimately connect with his readers like Mormon has. The Jewish historian, Josephus, comes close but nowhere near Mormon's standard because Mormon, unlike all the others, was a man of God with a vision. When I read the Book of Mormon I do not hear his voice even though he occasionally interrupts his narrative to reveal himself. What I hear when I read his record is the voice of God. This speaks volumes regarding his true intent which was not to bring himself to prominence but to bring men unto Christ. Mormon was a visionary man and he wrote with this one purpose. Having witnessed the destruction of his people fueled his desire to in some way save the future generations 'that they may once again be a delightsome people' (Words of Mormon 1:8).

As a writer, my biggest motivation comes from my readers. A writer needs to be read. Mormon never had this satisfaction. Imagine writing a book for people who would live almost 2,000 years after you and beyond. What would you say? What motivation would you have for doing it? So why did Mormon do it? Besides his desire to save the remnant of the House of Israel (Mormon 7:1-5), the obvious reason is that the records were handed down to him with a commission when he was just 10 years old that he keep them going (Mormon 1:1-4). The second reason is that he was commanded what to write (3 Nephi 26:12). But here is the crux of the matter, I believe Mormon who was a visionary man, knew his readers. He knew us and he knew us at close range.

Why do we have the Book of Mormon today? Because Mormon's son Moroni caught and continued his father's vision. And herewith is another amazing visionary man with an equal commitment to the salvation of others and preservation of the house of Israel. Moroni had a clear vision of our day and he described it in impeccable detail. I cannot help but believe that he saw my home land when I read: "Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands" (Momon 8:29). Right now Australia is burning. The smoke has reached New Zealand. 6,300,000 hectares of its land is scorched and burnt to the ground.  Did Dorothea MacKellar's heart ache when she penned her famous poem "I love A Sunburnt Country" as much as Moroni's when he saw it burn?

The Book of Mormon is your book. It is a book you can recognise yourself in. It will prick your conscience when you need it; give you answers when you feel lost; give you understanding when you have none and equip you with knowledge to enable you to fight your every foe. You were before Mormon's eyes when he wrote it and before Moroni's when he preserved it. They knew you. They prayed for you. And they wished against all hope that you would read it. Can you not feel this through these words: "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." (Mormon 8:15)

ON HIGHER GROUND

Among the war chapters in the Book of Mormon is a highly educational story of a man called Amalickiah, a dissenter from the Church of God, who sought to be king and thereby caused a division among the Nephites, leading away many of them to destroy the foundation of liberty (Alma 46:10). By his cunning and deviousness, Amalickiah fled the land of Zarahemla with his many converts and gained the favour of the king of the Lamanites planning to dethrone him and make himself king (Alma 47:4).  Having convinced the king to go to battle against the Nephites, he again caused a division amongst the people. Those who would not consent to fight fled to the 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 in the Book of Mormon.

Amalickiah, being a 'subtle man to do evil' (Alma 47:4) devised the most clever plan 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 him 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 Lamanite custom stood to become chief leader if the chief was killed (Alma 47:17); a man who had plotted this very thing right from the beginning. 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 perserve our spiritual safety on top of another mountain, the mountain of the Lord's house, the temple (2 Nephi 12:2). Anciently mountains were always synonymous with temples or any form of higher worship. High places were also where prophets of old received instructions by the Lord, as in Moses' case when he received the Ten Commandments upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19,20). 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. It also suggests that higher knowledge regarding man's salvation and ultimate exaltation is received in the temples of God. 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.

When Amalickiah left the Nephites, he fled before the armies of Captain Moroni. There would have to be no two people in the scriptures more unlike than Amalickiah and Captain Moroni. Whereas one sought to destroy, the other sought to preserve; whereas one sought self-interest, the other sought the welfare of his people; whereas one rejected God, the other accepted Him with all his heart. Amalickiah, 'a subtle man to do evil' (Alma 47:4), had one goal only: to subject others to the yoke of bondage. When that desire slipped from his grasp, he cursed God (Alma 49:27). Moroni's one goal was to perserve the welfare and safety of his people (Alma 48:12). This he did by not relying on his sword alone but on God's goodness by preparing his people to be faithful to Him (Alma 48:7). Moroni, a captain of the Nephite armies was a 'strong and mighty man', 'a man whose heart swelled with thanksgiving to his God', 'a man who was firm in the faith of Christ' (Alma 48:11-3). And here is the clincher, Mormon's appraisal of this man reads like a plaque in the hall of fame: "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" (Alma 48:17).

Like Amalickiah, the adversary has only one goal: to put us in bondage. To achieve this he marches with his armies, like a thief in the night, seeking to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). He seeks to destroy us in the flesh and he seeks to destroy us in spirit. He is a collector of ruined lives, corrupted faith and lost spiritual destinies. Immediately preceding Christ's appearance to the ancient Americas, before He said anything else, the Saviour's voice was heard in the darkness as an explanation and a warning: "Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen" (3 Nephi 9:2). Like Nephites of old, we are at war. The battle is raging and many are falling by the way. People's hearts are failing and the love of many is waxing cold (D&C 45:26,27). There is only one place of refuge, one place of safety, one place of power that will help us stand to the end. Stand firm. Don't come down the mountain.