Ok, so maybe this post doesn't have that much to do with being in Florida. More on that later! But my cousin just posted this picture on his facebook, since he's leaving to be a missionary for my church this week, and it is fantastic. I just finished reading about the Stripling Warriors in the Book of Mormon. This is one of my all-time favorite stories from the scriptures. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a story about 2060 brave young warriors. Most of the Book of Mormon tells the story of the descendants of a family that came over to the Americas in 600 B.C. Two of the sons were named Nephi and Laman. Nephi was a righteous man, and Laman was his older brother who didn't make the best decisions. Their descendents were called Nephites and Lamanites, respectively. So much, much later on, there was a man named Ammon who went to the Lamanites, on a mission, much like the one my cousin is about embark on, and converted a whole city of Lamanites. Because these Lamanites wanted to never again offend God, they took an oath that they would never shed blood again. Then the other Lamanites and some wicked Nephites began to attack them. These wonderfully righteous and penitent people would have rather allowed themselves to be massacred than to break their covenant with God. But what about their children? The Nephites were trying to protect them, but they needed more help. So two thousand of their sons volunteered to go to war for them. Alma 56:47 says: "Now they had never fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yeah, they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." I love that. I love their faith, and I love that they had been taught by their mothers. I want that kind of faith. I want to be that kind of mother some day. As the war goes on, their captain, Helaman, tries everything he can to use them as a strategic tool, like using them as a decoy, so that they don't ever actually have to fight. Unfortunately, it finally comes time for the Stripling Warriors to join the actual battle. They fight, and after the battle is over, Helaman, with heavy heart, asks how many of his "sons" has fallen. None. Not a single boy died. The next battle rolls around. Every single boy is spared. At the time Helaman writes his letter to Moroni, in which he relates this story, all of the Stripling Warriors are still living. This account is so inspiring to me. Sometimes, you may think it's hard to trust in God, but if you keep your promises, God will keep His promises. It takes courage, and sometimes you have to take chances when you don't know all the answers. There are so many things I don't know, and I feel inadequate in so many situations, but I have to just keep moving forward with faith.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
The Stripling Warriors
Ok, so maybe this post doesn't have that much to do with being in Florida. More on that later! But my cousin just posted this picture on his facebook, since he's leaving to be a missionary for my church this week, and it is fantastic. I just finished reading about the Stripling Warriors in the Book of Mormon. This is one of my all-time favorite stories from the scriptures. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a story about 2060 brave young warriors. Most of the Book of Mormon tells the story of the descendants of a family that came over to the Americas in 600 B.C. Two of the sons were named Nephi and Laman. Nephi was a righteous man, and Laman was his older brother who didn't make the best decisions. Their descendents were called Nephites and Lamanites, respectively. So much, much later on, there was a man named Ammon who went to the Lamanites, on a mission, much like the one my cousin is about embark on, and converted a whole city of Lamanites. Because these Lamanites wanted to never again offend God, they took an oath that they would never shed blood again. Then the other Lamanites and some wicked Nephites began to attack them. These wonderfully righteous and penitent people would have rather allowed themselves to be massacred than to break their covenant with God. But what about their children? The Nephites were trying to protect them, but they needed more help. So two thousand of their sons volunteered to go to war for them. Alma 56:47 says: "Now they had never fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yeah, they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." I love that. I love their faith, and I love that they had been taught by their mothers. I want that kind of faith. I want to be that kind of mother some day. As the war goes on, their captain, Helaman, tries everything he can to use them as a strategic tool, like using them as a decoy, so that they don't ever actually have to fight. Unfortunately, it finally comes time for the Stripling Warriors to join the actual battle. They fight, and after the battle is over, Helaman, with heavy heart, asks how many of his "sons" has fallen. None. Not a single boy died. The next battle rolls around. Every single boy is spared. At the time Helaman writes his letter to Moroni, in which he relates this story, all of the Stripling Warriors are still living. This account is so inspiring to me. Sometimes, you may think it's hard to trust in God, but if you keep your promises, God will keep His promises. It takes courage, and sometimes you have to take chances when you don't know all the answers. There are so many things I don't know, and I feel inadequate in so many situations, but I have to just keep moving forward with faith.
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I found this picture when I did a search for the "stripling warriors." I reminded me of a drawing done by and Elder Webster who served with me. Is there any chance it is the same person?
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