For this chapter, Alma 54 from the Book of Mormon, I wanted to compare a little bit about the difference between Moroni, who was a man of God (or Nephites), with Ammoron, who was a man of the world (Lamanites).
So first of all let's look at Ammoron/Lamanites:
:3- "Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children" as prisoners". Sounds pretty awful, right, to take harmless women and children as prisoners.
:16 "I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites" His confidence comes strictly from a worldy title.
"I will avenge his blood upon you" (talking about his brother Amalikiah, who was killed by Teancum (a Nephite) who was trying to protect and defend his people). Ammoron's desire to wage war and to kill was all about revenge and power.
:20- "and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal extinction." Not looking for peace, only looking to kill unless given power.
:21- "And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected, behold, we know not such a being..." This scripture makes me the most sad out of all of them. He does not know his own Father who created him and who loves him deeply. I feel as though this is the cause of the rest, of wanting power, of taking children and arresting them, of seeking bloodshed. How sad.
Now let's look at Moroni/Nephites:
3:- "there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or the prisoners whom Moroni had taken". To me I almost feel silly showing this, does this not seem like an obvious thing?? But to compare, Moroni only imprisoned men who were a threat to the Nephite people. He would never imprison innocent children and women.
Something that I love about Moroni is the amount of times he mentions God in his letter to Ammoron. I have found that I have a lot of respect for people who mention God in their everyday conversation. They recognize the purpose of their lives and don't get caught up in worldly recognition.
He mentions God 5 times in his short letter in verses: 6, 8, 9, 10 (twice).
:11- "I will close my epistle by telling you that I will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man and his wife and his children for one prisoner." Moroni is very family focused.
:13- "ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves."
How does this apply to our day? Well as I look around I can honestly say, how does this not apply to our day? People who come to know their father in Heaven share many of the same traits (if not all) as Moroni: focus is on the family unit, providing and protecting, Love of God and see His hand in their everyday lives, are content and happy with the things they have and are not seeking for more.
If you look at the world who encourages pretty much every commandment given by their Father in Heaven to be broken there is lots of: happiness only coming from worldy titles, always seeking more, violent people with lots of murder, children aren't important, woman's roles are becoming unrecognized and unvalued, Revenge and anger is strongly present.
This chapter makes me think of the scripture Mormon 1:8 found in the Book of Mormon:
8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.
How wonderful would it be if we all remembered God in our daily lives just as Moroni. How wonderful it would be to have our communities flourishing with "delightsome people" wherever you resided. I know, just as Moroni struggled with people of the world, that I cannot make this happen for the world, but I can focus on a home where God is our focus and teach my children to know who they are.
Love,
Becky joy
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