Alma War Chapters - Maybe they are worth something after all!

The first time I ever sat down to really read from the Book of Mormon was at a church campout years back. They challenged us to read Alma chapters 43 through 63. This covers a whole series of battles between two ancient American people. At the time, I was a high schooler and was just pleased that the scriptures actually had some cool action. In these chapters, I learned that there were some people who were both God fearing and still pretty cool. In high school, that was about all I needed to know.

Later, I started loving doctrine. Therefore, I started dreading the war chapters of Alma. I wanted to learn, not just be entertained. 

This time through the Book of Mormon, though, I'm realizing how silly I am.

In the next few posts, I want to discuss some real doctrines and lessons that I have learned by applying the stories of the Alma War Chapters into my life.

Part one: Don't fight yourself!

Up until chapter 51, most of the emphasis is on the Nephites fighting the Lamanites. The Nephites want to

protect their land, liberty, children, wives, religion, and everything else you could list. The Lamanites are portrayed as wanting little more than power. Suddenly, we learn in chapter 51, that not everything was quite so happy at home in Nephite-land!

A group of Nephites, later named the kingmen, "desired that a few particular points of the law should be altered" (Alma 51:2). Pahoran, the chief judge of the Nephites, refused these changes, since they hinged on reinstituting a king over the Nephites, and he was joined by "the freemen [who] had sworn or covenanted to maintain their rights" (Alma 51:6).

Really, this story could just be a great allegory of patriotism and liberty. But I'm not going to go there. All that really matters here is to know that there began to be quite a bit of contention back at home. Now, let's really narrow in on a few verses:

"But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers from all parts of his land" (Alma 51:9).

So not only is there confusion back home, but it's basically at the worst time imaginable. Moroni, the captain of the Nephite army does everything he can to "put an end to the stubborness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility" (Alma 51:21). The consequence? Well, let's read:

"Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking down the wars and contentions among his own people, and subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the seashore. And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took possession of the city, yea, possession of all their fortifications" (Alma 51:22-23; emphasis added).

Now then, let's make this apply.

Neal A. Maxwell said this:

"Someday, when we look back on mortality, we will see that so many of the things that seemed to matter so much at the moment will be seen not to have mattered at all. And the eternal things will be seen to have mattered even more than the most faithful of the Saints imagined."

How often have you ever been distracted by things that seem to matter so much at the time, only to look back in regret later? I can definitely say I fall into the trap all the time. I'll get caught up in weird doctrines that I don't understand fully and get so immersed with them, I don't feed my faith. I ignore what matters most and
suddenly, I'm in trouble. I am battling things in my own brain and completely forget that there's a much larger battle going on around me. I fight true doctrine against true doctrine, wrestling with my own spirituality, and suddenly realize that Satan has crept in to surround me during my confusion.

The Adversary didn't even have to weaken my spiritual sensitivity, because I did it to myself!

Where else can this confusion and division lead to disaster? The home, no question. The entire world is always falling into the same trap. The Church, even, often gets very divisive over cultural issues. We start ignoring the big picture. We lose track of the imminent danger. And then what? Our spiritual Lamanites strike. We aren't "sufficiently strong" in our defenses, and we lose out big time.

So, lesson one from the Alma War Chapters: Don't fight yourself! There's much bigger battles out there, and the armies are just waiting to see you drop your guard.