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5 Things I Learned from Captain Moroni

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5 Things I Learned from Captain Moroni 5 Things I Learned from Captain Moroni Share this story with your kids, act out the parts (i.e dress up like Nephites, create the breastplates, swords and helmets out of cardboard or paper; gather your family together with food and create walls with chairs and blankets, talk about how you as a family and individually can be strengthened by being together, choosing good friends, keeping the commandments and avoiding harmful and addictive substances that take away freedom.) Mathonihah and Mathoni are fictitious characters. The principles are taken from Alma 43 in the Book of Mormon. Hi! I'm Mathonihah, son of Mathoni. My father and l are Nephites and believers in Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of the wickedness of the Lamanites and Nephite dissenters we joined the armies of the Nephites and fought under the command of Captain Moroni. If it’s okay with you, I‘d like to share my experiences with Captain Moroni. We Nephites are a peace and God loving people, for the most part we are farmers and craftsmen that contribute to the well-being of our families and communities. We worship our God and Savior, we work when we should and play when we can. About 73 BC, my father, our families and I were working in our fields, providing for our needs. A rider a great hurry approached us at a full run, we could see terror in his eyes. He said the Lamanites were gathering in the land of Antionum. Zerahemnah, their leader, had appointed Zoramites and Amalekites to lead the Lamanite armies because the Amalekites were especially mean and wicked. He said that the Lamanite armies would soon be attacking Nephite cities and lands. We asked him who the Nephite leader would be and where the Nephite armies would be gathering. He said we would be gathering in Jershon and that Moroni was the captain of the Nephite armies. This was a little surprising, yet not, to me. Surprising because he was so young to be leading the Nephite armies. Moroni was my age, only twenty-five years old (vs 17). We had many more experienced leaders that could have been chosen. Yet, not so surprising because I knew Moroni. I knew his character, strength, understanding, honesty, integrity, intelligence, his commitment to liberty and freedom, and ….his faith in our Heavenly Father. Yes, Moroni was a man I could follow into battle. My father, Mathoni and I gathered with the Nephite armies in the land of Jershon to prepare to meet the Lamanites. Moroni had prepared all his armies with swords, shields, cimeters, breastplates, arm shields, helmets and thick clothing that would protect us from the arrows, swords, cimeters and stones of the Lamanites. We also had other weapons of war to defeat the invading armies. 1- When Zerahemnah and the Lamanites came upon us in the borders of Jershon, they - 1 - were surprised and frightened by our protection. We were prepared in a 'manner which never had been known'. Because they were surprised and frightened, they did not attack us in Jershon. (vs 18-22) This is the first principle I learned from Captain Moroni - we need to protect ourselves from the forces of the enemy and make it extremely difficult for them to inflict injuries on us. Both physically and spiritually we need protection. What protection can we put on ourselves? Listen to our parents; daily scripture study; personal prayer morning and night; repent daily; partake of the sacrament weekly; fast; attend the temple frequently, reverently, and worthily; serve others; do daily acts of kindness; invite, listen to and act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. These are our weapons of war against the adversary. 2- The Lamanite forces withdrew to the wilderness. They didn’t think that Moroni could know where they would attack if they were in the wilderness. But Moroni sent men to watch them. To watch where they were going. He also believed in revelation and sent men to speak with Alma, our prophet, to find out where the Lamanites would go and what our Heavenly Father wanted us to do to protect ourselves. (vs 23) This is the second principle I learned from Captain Moroni - to keep ourselves and family safe from the attacks of the enemy, we need to seek the advice of and listen to the prophets. Where can we go to hear the advice of the prophets? The scriptures of course, General Conference is also a great place to hear the advice of our prophets. 3- Alma told Moroni’s men that the Lamanites thought the city of Manti would be a better place to attack. That the people might not be as well prepared. Moroni marched to Manti with most of his army, he left some to protect the land of Jershon. He gathered all the people in the land of Manti so they could protect themselves. (vs 24-26) This is the third principle I learned from Captain Moroni - there is strength in numbers. If we gather ourselves with others who have the same values and beliefs, we will be stronger and better able to defend ourselves. 4- Moroni knew the enemy wanted to destroy his people, just as Satan wants to destroy our happiness. Moroni used a 'strategy' or plan to defeat the Lamanites. HIs plan used the strength of our armies. He commanded us to wear our armor constantly, so we would be protected. Moroni also chose battlegrounds that favored the strengths of our armies. Where we would have the greatest advantage and best chance for success. When the Lamanites came to fight, even though they fought ferociously, we defeated them with few deaths on our side. Because of our armor, our battleground and the help of the Lord. (vs 29-35) This is the fourth principle I learned from Captain Moroni - have a plan, wear my armor and choose battlegrounds that favor my strengths. Then when the enemy comes, I'll be able to overcome the attacks of the enemy. It's critical to make decisions to keep my armor on constantly (obey the commandments, say my prayers, read my scriptures, attend the temple, and partake of the sacrament weekly) and choose places where I can feel the spirit. Places that I know are safe - this includes movies I watch, music I listen to and sing, friends I choose to be with, activities I choose to participate in. I must not go into forbidden places, places that offer activities that are contrary to the teachings - 2 - of Christ and his prophets - places like bars, pubs, or parties where there are drugs, or addictive substances, or where there are scantily clothed or unclothed persons, or where immoral acts are portrayed or are available. These places weaken our souls and take away our agency to choose. 5- Our Nephite armies completely surrounded the Lamanites. They saw that if they did not fight their hardest with all their might, we would destroy them. Zerahemnah, their leader inspired them to fight with greater strength and passion. They had never known to fight with such strength and determination. They began to have success in piercing our breastplates, splitting our helmets, smiting off our arms and legs. This success drove them even harder. They fought like dragons! Many of our army were starting to weaken and wanted to flee. But Moroni sensed our intent. He inspired our hearts reminding us about why we were fighting. We weren't fighting for power or riches. We were fighting to preserve our homes, our liberties, our wives and children, our right to worship our God. We were fighting for what we believed and whom we loved. We determined we would not be beaten. Our hearts and spirits were strengthened. We gave all that we had, and would give even our lives to preserve our way of life, our families, friends and our faith, our right to worship our God. We all cried with one voice to our God - for our family, for our lands, for our liberty, for our freedom from bondage. We turned upon the Lamanites and we stood against them with power. They perceived our determination and will. They began to flee before us. They could not stand against us and the strength of our God! (35-52) This is the fifth principle I learned from Captain Moroni - We are stronger when remember the cause for which we fight - for our family, for our liberty, for our freedom from spiritual and physical bondage, and our right to believe in and worship our God. When we ask for and receive help from our Heavenly Father we are much stronger than our foes. Captain Moroni was truly an amazing man and leader. His preparation to protect his people took consistent and faithful diligence. His influence in the hundreds of thousands of lives will ever be praised and never forgotten. It has been written that “if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48:17) You can be great like Captain Moroni. You can shake the power of hell forever and keep the devil’s power out of your’s and other’s hearts and lives! You can be strong and indomitable! You can be who the Lord wants you to be! Captain Moroni didn’t wait to prepare, through his consistent and diligent preparation he was prepared before the Lamanites came.
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