Lessons from War

In the Book of Mormon, in the latter half of the the Book of Alma, the text is consumed by the subject of war. There are two large wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites in the last decade of history of the Book of Alma.

These are the things I have learned as I studied these wars.

The first war was much smaller and much more short-lived. It is contained entirely within the two chapters of Alma 43 and 44. The war is short in great part because the Nephites are prepared and the Lamanites are unprepared. The Lamanites came to battle with no armor at all. Alma 43:20 says "Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins . . ." The Nephites, however, had prepared themselves for battle with strong armor. From the surprise of the Lamanites in seeing the strong armor, it appears that this wasn't a common practice before.

Between the two wars there is a time of prosperity for the Nephites. Moroni spends this time fortifying the cities of the Nephites, especially the cities that had before been weak.

The Lamanites returned to war approximately two years later. It is interesting to note the manner in which they came: "yea, and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with breastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness." (Alma 49:6)

If we take the position that the Lamanites represent evil, or temptation, we can see evil progressing. The Lamanites came the first time expecting to defeat the Nephites because of their large army, but they were disappointed because of their lack of armor. When they came the second time, they knew they would be unable to defeat the Nephites if they again came unprepared. Temptation learns.

The righteousness of Moroni and the Nephites is exhibited here, because, while temptation was progressing, so were they. The Lamanites were again disappointed because of the strength of the fortified Nephite cities.

Progression is a principle of the Gospel of Christ. If we do not progress, we will be unable to overcome future temptations, even if we have been able to overcome those of the past, because temptation is progressing, too.


Another interesting lesson from these wars is that our greatest strengths can become our greatest weaknesses. The cities were further strengthened by Moroni with "works of timbers", towers, and other fortifications. After a description of their fortification, we read that the people became wicked and were driven out of those fortified cities by the Lamanites. Now, the strongholds that once belonged to the Nephites belonged to the Lamanites. This is one of the reasons the second war lasted so long. The Nephites feared to attack the Lamanites in their strongholds. The strength of the cities had not changed, just who was in control.

If we allow ourselves to lose our strongholds, we sometimes find these strengths become our greatest weaknesses. If we allow Satan into our lives and allow God to be driven out, our strengths do not change, just who is in control.