Well AS Elder Bednar states in his digging deeper video, We can choose not to be offended! If Politics our in the scriptures then why cant we discuss them in a civilized manner?
Alma is full of politics. Now as you read this read this I promise to try not to offend anyone. I will not point out exact names of current politicians or tell you who to vote for. I will point out the similarities in Alma and in Politics. Fair enough? Okay Here we go.
When I read about the battles between the Lamanites and Nephites, Captian Moroni, and Heleman, I can not help but be drawn to the similes of today's world. We are reliving these battles right now, and I fear we are loosing.
Before the stripling warriors, the battle, In the 18th year of the reign of the Judges, The Zoramites join with the Laminites to go up against the Nephites. Zarahemula was the leader of the Zoromites in Anotnium.
There were also a group of people called Amelikites that were even more wicked than the Laminites. Zahemthla appointed chief Captains over all the Zoramites, Amelikes, and Lamanites. And they all joined together as Lamanites. The lamenites hated the Nephites for no other reason than they would teach the word of God. His purpose was to cause contention between them and take over their lands and freedom and bring them into bondage. The Nephites believed in defending their religious freedom, their lands, their wives, and their children. They fought only to defend these things. There were also a group of people who were called the Anti-Nephi-Lehi, who were the people of Ammon. The had entered a covenant with God in years passed that they would not lift up there swords to fight again. This was because of a past battle where many people were destroyed and they had to kill many people. They made a promise to God they would not kill again. However these people to were truly hated by the Laminites.
The Nephites knew they would have to defend themselves once again against the Lamanites. the people of Ammon helped by supporting them with all that they had, and any way that they could, except to fight. The Nephites appointed their chief Captain. Captain Moroni was now their leader. The Nephites prepared themselves for battle. they had more weapons, strong amour, and head protection. The lamanites had many numbers, more so than the Nephites. But they were clothes in a more naked manner and were not protected with the Armour that the nephites had.
Captain was a smart leader. He had armies in different areas of the land and were prepared as the Laminties came upon them. Now the first results of these battles the Lamanites had killed many Nephite, but in return the Nephites were able to defeat them. They gave the victory credit to their God and knew that he would not them loose as long as their devotion was to him. As long as the kept the Commandments of God, they knew they could not be destroyed. Captian Moroni gave them a chance to come into a covenant with them. If they would give of their weapons of war and promise not to fight against them again, they could leave the land with no one else killed. The nephites were not going to take them into bondage, they only wanted their rights of religion and their lands protected against them in the future. The Laminites agreed to give up their weapons of war but would not agree to anything else. Captian Moroni gave them back their weapons and said then we will see it through until the end, until you are all destroyed. The laminites truly believed they were only loosing because of the shields and protection that the Nephites had had. The number of the wicked Laminites more than double the Nephites. More Laminties were took the scalp of Zerahemnah. He fled into the wilderness.. Many of the laminites through their swords at the feet of Moroni and fled in to the wilderness. But Zerahemnah was stubborn, stirred them up again and went back to fight again. Moroni sent the remainder of the armies into the wilderness to kill them. When Zerahemnah saw that his people were all about to die, he pleaded with Moroni not to kill them and that he would abide by the treaty. The Nephites rejoiced and in the 19th year of the reign of the Judges the people were being lead by the sons of Heleman. Alma taught them the history of the people and told them as long as they kept the commandments of God they would not be destroyed, and their land and freedom would always be reserved. Now among the Nephites there appointed chiefs and judges that did not follow the words of Heleman nor his sons. One Judge named Amalickiah wanted to be a ruler over all of them. He wanted power over all the judges. He would flatter many people and lead them away. Moroni was angered by this and that is when he raised the flag, with the title of Liberty, as a reminder of what they had promised and what they would fight for.
Alma Chapter 46:12
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote
upon it, In memory of our God,our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, andour children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate,and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins;and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof hisrent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily untohis God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon hisbrethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
Now, Amalickiah did not give up he contented in his wicked ways and doing everything he could to raise up the people to do evil and follow him. There were many more battles to come. But with what we have seen so far in Alma, we can see so much relative information in today's world.
I cant help but think of the leaders of our nation, some good and some bad. We are being lead a stray in our promised land by many who do not want God in our Country. I truly believe that The USA a promised land of God. That our country was based on our freedom of religion and that we are in the same covenant with him as the Nephites were. As long as we are keeping God's commandments and ruling under God, he will protect his land. Now we have many christian religions here in our nation today and many good people. Many of us still want God in our Pledge of Allegiance and on our money and in our schools and want freedom of religion for all who live here, but the number of those growing to seek to destroy this land and God out of it are growing more and more each day. It is so important to pay attention the the leaders of this
great nation, for the leaders we appoint will in doubt bring this country to its destruction or they will left it up back to God.
I promised I would not name names or make my opinions known on certain politicians in the upcoming elections for 2016 nor will I tell you who to vote for, but I do encourage all of us, fellow Christians and more, to take to heart the opponents this day. Learn about them. Are there words and promises to get your vote or are they to stir you up and trick you into voting for them so they too can have power over thee? In my house we will follow the Lord and vote for those who are on his side, who are on the side of our Nation, who will not bow down to terrorist, or accept half treaties as the norm. Who will defend this country and make it great again. Who love the Constitution and what it stand for. Let us be reminded of what that it. Let us remember why we were brought to this land to begin with. The people who fought for religious freedom and sake refuge here Let us remember what America should really be and not what it is becoming.
I invite all to read this book and read these chapters of Alma. There is more vital information in them for our time than some may realise. Visit www.lds.org and read The Book of Mormon for yourself. It is available to download at any time.
