Alma 53–63 tells the story of the sons of Helaman and the people of Moroni. These warriors and people of God had some advantages over their enemy, which surprisingly had nothing to do with numbers or military skill. In some ways, their situation feels familiar to those of us who sometimes feel outnumbered and overwhelmed in our latter-day battles against Satan and the forces of evil in the world. Let’s look carefully at those advantages and explore how they can help us in the battles we all face today.
Segment 1
Scriptures:
Alma 62:41 (How we react to our situations)
Alma 56:47, 57:35, 58:10-11 & 37, 60:20-21, 61:13, 62:50 (God will deliver)
Segment 2
Scriptures:
Alma 53:17 (Oath of the Stripling Warriors)
Alma 53:11 (Oath of non-violence from the parents)
Alma 56:47 (They did not fear death)
Words of the General Authorities:
Remember, my dear young people, we are at war — a continuation of the one that began in the premortal world. The Lord wants you to become the modern stripling warriors who stand strong and united to defend the truth. He wants you to be courageous and stalwart in the face of the enemy’s advances. We know that in the end the Lord will win the day and Satan will be defeated. (M. Russell Ballard, “Be Still, and Know That I Am God”, CES devotional for young adults given on May 4, 2014 and Nov 3, 2020 recorded in Sep 2015 Ensign)
We also increase the Savior’s power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power…
Faith in Jesus Christ propels us to do things we otherwise would not do. Faith that motivates us to action gives us more access to His power. (Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives”, April 2017 General Conference)
Segment 3
Scriptures:
Alma 56:22, 57:9,30 (They watched the enemy)
Alma 56:27-29, 57:6, 61:16, 62:12 (They had provisions)
Words of the General Authorities:
Put on the ‘whole armor of God’ and join the battle today, like the sons of Helaman did so many years ago. Don’t wait until you get married or start your lifelong career or get older. The Church needs our young adults now. The Lord needs you now! (M. Russell Ballard, “Be Still, and Know That I Am God”, CES devotional for young adults given on May 4, 2014 and Nov 3, 2020 recorded in Sep 2015 Ensign)
Segment 4
Scriptures:
Alma 57:20-21,27 (Stripling Warriors)
Alma 53:20-22 (They were taught)
Alma 56:46-48 (Army of Helaman)
Art:
It’s True Sir - All Present and Accounted For by Clark Kelley Price
Anti-Nephi-Lehi Mother and her Stripling Warrior by Sierra Newbold
Segment 5
Scriptures:
Alma 58:7-11 (Waiting in difficult circumstances)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
Alma 59-60 (Moroni’s letters to Pahoran)
Alma 61:2-3 (Pahoran’s humility)
Alma 61:19 (Pahoran’s joy)
Words of the General Authorities:
Some suppose that humility is about beating ourselves up. Humility does not mean convincing ourselves that we are worthless, meaningless, or of little value. Nor does it mean denying or withholding the talents God has given us. We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood”, October 2010 General Conference)
The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. (Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival”, October 2016 General Conference)
View transcript here.