Courage

2,000 Heroes in the Book of Mormon
"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them." - Alma 57:21
 The end of the book of Alma principally recounts a series of battles and wars between the Lamanites and the Nephites, from which we can draw many applicable themes. Several valiant men fight for the Nephites and gain success as they follow the commandments of the Lord. They were lead by Captain Moroni, a valiant warrior, who outlined their purpose early on with the Title of Liberty. They were not fighting for gain or pride, they were fighting "in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" (Alma 46:12). These six reasons inspired the Nephites to be courageous and fight.

Perhaps the most devout group within the army were the 2,000 Stripling Warriors, led by Helaman. These young men were the sons of the people of Ammon, meaning their parents had previously covenanted to not fight. Because of this, these 2,000 had no experience with war or battle, but they had an intense desire to defend the principles of the Title of Liberty for their God. Throughout the war, none of these boys were killed. They were inspired men of God and they trusted in Him always.

The quoted verse above describes the Stripling Warriors. The key phrase here is that they obeyed with "exactness." All of us know what is right and what we are supposed to do, but it can be so easy to justify otherwise. We generally do the right thing, but not completely every time. The Stripling Warriors had the faith to follow God exactly. They knew that to perform at their highest levels as individuals in war and in life, they would need God on their side. They followed the word of God as their mothers "had taught them." We can all do better to return to the things we know are right and live closer to God. Sure, we can go through life and be successful, but it is all in vain if we never become close to our Heavenly Father. He truly is our father and wants to help us excel in everything we do. If we follow Him, our rewards will extend far beyond this life, as I am sure is the case for Helaman and the 2,000 Stripling Warriors.

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