pgs. 364 and 365...for the righteous sake, yea, because of the prayers of the righteous, they were spared.

14 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran, leaving a large body of men in the land of Zarahemla, took their march with a large body of men towards the land of Nephihah, being determined to^aoverthrow the Lamanites in that city.

  15 And it came to pass that as they were marching towards the land, they took a large body of men of the Lamanites, and slew many of them, and took their provisions and their weapons of war.

  16 And it came to pass after they had taken them, they caused them to enter into a ^acovenant that they would no more take up their weapons of war against the Nephites.

  17 And when they had entered into this covenant they sent them to ^adwell with the people of Ammon, and they were in number about four thousand who had not been slain.

  18 And it came to pass that when they had sent them away they pursued their march towards the land of ^aNephihah. And it came to pass that when they had come to the city of Nephihah, they did pitch their tents in the plains of Nephihah, which is near the city of Nephihah.

  19 Now Moroni was desirous that the Lamanites should come out to battle against them, upon the plains; but the Lamanites, knowing of their exceedingly great courage, and beholding the greatness of their numbers, therefore they durst not come out against them; therefore they did not come to battle in that day.

  20 And when the night came, Moroni went forth in the darkness of the night, and came upon the top of the wall to spy out in what part of the city the Lamanites did camp with their army.

  21 And it came to pass that they were on the east, by the entrance; and they were all asleep. And now Moroni returned to his army, and caused that they should prepare in haste strong cords and ladders, to be let down from the top of the ^awall into the inner part of the wall.

  22 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his men should march forth and come upon the top of the wall, and let ^athemselves down into that part of the city, yea, even on the west, where the Lamanites did not camp with their armies.

  23 And it came to pass that they were all let down into the city by night, by the means of their strong cords and their ladders; thus when the morning came they were all within the walls of the city.

  24 And now, when the Lamanites awoke and saw that the armies of Moroni were within the walls, they were affrighted exceedingly, insomuch that they did flee out by the pass.

  25 And now when Moroni saw that they were fleeing before him, he did cause that his men should march forth against them, and slew many, and surrounded many others, and took them prisoners; and the remainder of them fled into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the seashore.

  26 Thus had Moroni and Pahoran obtained the ^apossession of the city of Nephihah without the loss of one soul; and there were many of the Lamanites who were slain.

  27 Now it came to pass that many of the Lamanites that were prisoners were desirous to ^ajoin the people of Ammon and become a free people.

  28 And it came to pass that as many as were desirous, unto them it was granted according to their desires.

  29 Therefore, all the prisoners of the Lamanites did join the people of Ammon, and did begin to labor exceedingly, tilling the ground, raising all manner of grain, and flocks and herds of every kind; and thus were the Nephites relieved from a great burden; yea, insomuch that they were relieved from all the prisoners of the Lamanites.

  30 Now it came to pass that Moroni, after he had obtained possession of the city of Nephihah, having taken many prisoners, which did reduce the armies of the Lamanites exceedingly, and having regained many of the Nephites who had been taken prisoners, which did strengthen the army of Moroni exceedingly; therefore Moroni went forth from the land of Nephihah to the land of ^aLehi.

  31 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that Moroni was coming against them, they were again frightened and fled before the army of Moroni.

  32 And it came to pass that ^aMoroni and his army did pursue them from city to city, until they were met by Lehi and Teancum; and the Lamanites fled from Lehi and Teancum, even down upon the borders by the seashore, until they came to the land of Moroni.

  33 And the armies of the Lamanites were all gathered together, insomuch that they were all in one body in the land of Moroni. Now Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, was also with them.

  34 And it came to pass that Moroni and Lehi and Teancum did encamp with their armies round about in the borders of the land of Moroni, insomuch that the Lamanites were encircled about in the borders by the wilderness on the south, and in the borders by the wilderness on the east.

  35 And thus they did encamp for the night. For behold, the Nephites and the Lamanites also were weary because of the greatness of the march; therefore they did not resolve upon any stratagem in the night-time, save it were Teancum; for he was exceedingly angry with Ammoron, insomuch that he considered that Ammoron, and Amalickiah his brother, had been the ^acause of this great and lasting war between them and the Lamanites, which had been the cause of so much war and bloodshed, yea, and so much famine.

  36 And it came to pass that Teancum in his anger did go forth into the camp of the Lamanites, and did let himself down over the walls of the city. And he went forth with a cord, from place to place, insomuch that he did find the king; and he did ^acast a javelin at him, which did pierce him near the heart. But behold, the king did awaken his servants before he died, insomuch that they did pursue Teancum, and slew him.

  37 Now it came to pass that when Lehi and Moroni knew that Teancum was dead they were exceedingly sorrowful; for behold, he had been a man who had ^afought valiantly for his country, yea, a true friend to liberty; and he had suffered very many exceedingly sore afflictions. But behold, he was dead, and had gone the way of all the earth.

  38 Now it came to pass that Moroni marched forth on the morrow, and came upon the Lamanites, insomuch that they did slay them with a great slaughter; and they did drive them out of the land; and they did flee, even that they did not return at that time against the Nephites.

  39 And thus *ended the thirty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and thus they had had wars, and bloodsheds, and famine, and affliction, for the space of many years.

  40 And there had been murders, and contentions, and dissensions, and all manner of iniquity among the people of Nephi; nevertheless for the ^arighteous’ sake, yea, because of the prayers of the righteous, they were spared.

Reading verse 40 teaches us that the righteous hearts and prayers of a few people can benefit a whole society.  This reminds me of a lesson I learned a few months ago at Womens Conference. There was a woman who was conducting the singing in the Marriott Center for one of the morning sessions.  Usually the person who conducts the singing doesn't say anything but this woman was a firecracker!!! She didn't just want us to sing half-heartedly, she wanted every woman in that room to SING with conviction!  She told us that every person makes a difference when they walk into a room whether they say a word or not.  We all have an energy and spirit which influences those who are around us.  It is up to us to choose whether we will have an uplifting influence or a negative influence.  And she showed us that we could use that energy to sing and and uplift each other with the hymn.  We sang "Now Let Us Rejoice" and I have no doubt that every person in that room understood what she meant.  Tears were flowing freely as we all realized the power of our influence.  Even if those who are righteous are few in number, as it says in verse 40, they have the power to make an incredible difference!  

pgs. 362 and 363...in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.

  8 They have ^agot possession of the land, or the city, of Zarahemla; they have appointed a ^bking over them, and he hath written unto the king of the Lamanites, in the which he hath joined an alliance with him; in the which alliance he hath agreed to maintain the city of Zarahemla, which maintenance he supposeth will enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land, and he shall be placed king over this people when they shall be conquered ^cunder the Lamanites.

  9 And now, in your epistle you have ^acensured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not ^bseek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us ^cfree.

  10 And now, behold, we will resist wickedness even unto bloodshed. We would ^anot shed the blood of the Lamanites if they would stay in their own land.

  11 We would not shed the blood of our brethren if they would not rise up in rebellion and take the sword against us.

  12 We would subject ourselves to the ^ayoke of bondage if it were requisite with the justice of God, or if he should command us so to do.

  13 But behold he doth not command us that we shall subject ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our ^atrust in him, and he will deliver us.

  14 Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil, and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our ^awords, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us ^bresist them with our swords, that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God.

  15 Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men, and leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum; give unto them power to conduct the ^awar in that part of the land, according to the^bSpirit of God, which is also the ^cspirit of freedom which is in them.

  16 Behold I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may not perish until ye can come unto me.

  17 Gather together whatsoever force ye can upon your march hither, and we will go speedily against those dissenters, in the strength of our God according to the faith which is in us.

  18 And we will ^atake possession of the city of Zarahemla, that we may obtain more food to send forth unto Lehi and Teancum; yea, we will go forth against them in the strength of the Lord, and we will put an end to this great iniquity.

  19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren.

  20 But ye have said, except they repent the Lord ^ahath commanded you that ye should go against them.

  21 See that ye ^astrengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all those who ^bstand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free. And now I close mine epistle to my beloved brother, Moroni.

THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA

CHAPTER 62

Moroni marches to the aid of Pahoran in the land of Gideon—The king-men who refuse to defend their country are put to death—Pahoran and Moroni retake Nephihah—Many Lamanites join the people of Ammon—Teancum slays Ammoron and is in turn slain—The Lamanites are driven from the land, and peace is established—Helaman returns to the ministry and builds up the Church. About 62—57 B.C.

  1 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran, that he was not also a^atraitor to the freedom and cause of his country.

  2 But he did also mourn exceedingly because of the iniquity of those who had driven Pahoran from the judgment-seat, yea, in fine because of those who had rebelled against their country and also their God.

  3 And it came to pass that Moroni took a small number of men, according to the desire of Pahoran, and gave Lehi and Teancum command over the remainder of his army, and took his march towards the land of Gideon.

  4 And he did raise the ^astandard of ^bliberty in whatsoever place he did enter, and gained whatsoever force he could in all his march towards the land of Gideon.

  5 And it came to pass that thousands did ^aflock unto his standard, and did take up their swords in the defence of their freedom, that they might not come into bondage.

  6 And thus, when Moroni had gathered together whatsoever men he could in all his march, he came to the land of Gideon; and uniting his forces with those of Pahoran they became exceedingly strong, even stronger than the men of Pachus, who was the ^aking of those dissenters who had driven the ^bfreemen out of the land of Zarahemla and had taken possession of the land.

  7 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran went down with their armies into the land of Zarahemla, and went forth against the city, and did meet the men of Pachus, insomuch that they did come to battle.

  8 And behold, Pachus was slain and his men were taken prisoners, and Pahoran was restored to his judgment-seat.

  9 And the men of Pachus received their trial, according to the law, and also those king-men who had been taken and ^acast into prison; and they were ^bexecuted according to the law; yea, those men of Pachus and those ^cking-men, whosoever would not take up arms in the defence of their country, but would fight against it, were put to death.

  10 And thus it became expedient that this law should be strictly observed for the safety of their country; yea, and whosoever was found denying their freedom was speedily ^aexecuted according to the law.

  11 And thus ended the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; Moroni and Pahoran having restored peace to the land of Zarahemla, among their own people, having ^ainflicted death upon all those who were not true to the cause of freedom.

  12 And it came to pass in the *commencement of the thirty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Moroni immediately caused that provisions should be sent, and also an army of six thousand men should be sent unto Helaman, to assist him in preserving that part of the land.

  13 And he also caused that an army of six thousand men, with a sufficient quantity of food, should be sent to the armies of Lehi and Teancum. And it came to pass that this was done to fortify the land against the Lamanites.

I am really impressed with the high road that Pahoran takes in chapter 61 verse 9.  He could have chosen to be offended or annoyed by Moroni and decided to make an issue out of the accusations that Moroni made against him in his epistle.  Instead he puts his own feelings of pride aside and decides to be a team player.  It isn't always easy to show that kind of character, even when you know you should.  Pahoran must have seen the bigger picture and realized that Satan is the only one who would have benefited if he would have reacted any other way.

P.S.  Happy 4th of July everyone!!!!!!!!

pgs. 360 and 361...I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear...

  19 Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the heart of our country and ye are ^asurrounded by security, that ye do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen our armies?

  20 Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers? Have ye forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?

  21 Or do ye suppose that the Lord ^awill still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?

  22 Yea, will ye sit in idleness while ye are surrounded with thousands of those, yea, and tens of thousands, who do also sit in idleness, while there are thousands round about in the borders of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and bleeding?

  23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the ^ainwardvessel shall be ^bcleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.

  24 And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us, and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head of our government.

  25 And except ye grant mine epistle, and come out and show unto me a true ^aspirit of freedom, and strive to strengthen and fortify our armies, and grant unto them food for their support, behold I will leave a part of my freemen to maintain this part of our land, and I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon them, that none other power can operate against them—

  26 And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience in their ^atribulations—

  27 And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you, even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct.

  28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my ^aGod whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.

  29 Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your little ones, the ^asword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.

  30 Behold, I wait for assistance from you; and, except ye do administer unto our relief, behold, I come unto you, even in the land of Zarahemla, and smite you with the sword, insomuch that ye can have no more power to impede the progress of this people in the cause of our freedom.

  31 For behold, the Lord will not suffer that ye shall live and wax strong in your iniquities to destroy his righteous people.

  32 Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the ^atradition of their fathers that has caused their hatred, yea, and it has been redoubled by those who have dissented from us, while your iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain things of the world?

  33 Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of God, and ye do know that ye do trample them under your feet. Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and ^ainiquities, ye shall ^bgo up to battle against them.

  34 And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God; therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God, and send speedily unto me of your provisions and of your men, and also to Helaman.

  35 And behold, if ye will not do this I come unto you speedily; for behold, God will not suffer that we should perish with hunger; therefore he will give unto us of your food, even if it must be by the sword. Now see that ye fulfil the word of God.

  36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I ^aseek not for power, but to pull it down. I ^bseek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. And thus I close mine epistle.

THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA

CHAPTER 61

Pahoran tells Moroni of the insurrection and rebellion against the government—The king-men take Zarahemla and are in league with the Lamanites—Pahoran asks for military aid against the rebels. About 62 B.C.

  1 Behold, now it came to pass that soon after Moroni had sent his epistle unto the chief governor, he received an epistle from ^aPahoran, the chief governor. And these are the words which he received:

  2 I, Pahoran, who am the chief governor of this land, do send these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great ^aafflictions, yea, it grieves my soul.

  3 But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions, yea, insomuch that they have risen up in ^arebellion against me, and also those of my people who are ^bfreemen, yea, and those who have risen up are exceedingly numerous.

  4 And it is those who have sought to take away the judgment-seat from me that have been the cause of this great iniquity; for they have used great ^aflattery, and they have ^bled away the hearts of many people, which will be the cause of sore affliction among us; they have withheld our provisions, and have daunted our ^cfreemen that they have not come unto you.

  5 And behold, they have driven me out before them, and I have fled to the land of Gideon, with as many men as it were possible that I could get.

  6 And behold, I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of the land; and behold, they are ^aflocking to us ^bdaily, to their arms, in the defence of their country and their ^cfreedom, and to avenge our^dwrongs.

  7 And they have come unto us, insomuch that those who have risen up in rebellion against us are set at defiance, yea, insomuch that they do fear us and durst not come out against us to battle.

This epistle that Moroni writes to Pahoran expresses in no uncertain terms the ways Pahoran has disappointed him.  He is extremely bold and not afraid to make his demands because he knows it is what the Lord wants him to do and he would rather offend Pahoran than the Lord.  What a great example for all of us! 

pgs. 358 and 359...Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.

 9 And now as Moroni had supposed that there ^ashould be men sent to the city of Nephihah, to the assistance of the people to maintain that city, and knowing that it was easier to keep the city from falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from them, he supposed that they would easily maintain that city.

  10 Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places which he had recovered.

  11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was ^alost he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the hands of their brethren.

  12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over them.

  13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their ^aindifference concerning the freedom of their country.

THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA

CHAPTER 60

Moroni complains to Pahoran of the government’s neglect of the armies—The Lord suffers the righteous to be slain—The Nephites must use all of their power and means to deliver themselves from their enemies—Moroni threatens to fight against the government unless help is supplied to his armies. About 62 B.C.

  1 And it came to pass that he wrote ^aagain to the governor of the land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote, saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the ^bgovernor over the land, and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war.

  2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of ^acondemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind, and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they should come into our land.

  3 And now behold, I say unto you that myself, and also my men, and also Helaman and his men, have suffered exceedingly great ^asufferings; yea, even hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and all manner of afflictions of every kind.

  4 But behold, were this all we had suffered we would not murmur nor complain.

  5 But behold, great has been the slaughter among our people; yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have otherwise been if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient strength and succor for them. Yea, great has been your neglect towards us.

  6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of your thoughtless state.

  7 Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of thoughtless ^astupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of death around you? Yea, while they are murdering thousands of your brethren—

  8 Yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea, have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them, yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword.

  9 But behold, this is not all—ye have withheld your provisions from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their lives because of their great desires which they had for the welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they were about to ^aperish with hunger, because of your exceedingly great neglect towards them.

  10 And now, my beloved brethren—for ye ought to be beloved; yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for ^aknown unto God were all their cries, and all their sufferings—

  11 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain.

  12 Do ye ^asuppose that, because so many of your brethren have been killed it is because of their wickedness? I say unto you, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it is to your condemnation;

  13 For the Lord suffereth the ^arighteous to be slain that his justice and ^bjudgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.

  14 And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their exceeding ^aslothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their brethren, yea, towards those who have been slain.

  15 For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at our head, we ^acould have withstood our enemies that they could have gained no power over us.

  16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out ^aamong ourselves; yea, were it not for these ^bking-men, who caused so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would have been done, according to the ^cfulfilling of his word.

  17 But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking ^apossession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king-men.

  18 But why should I say much concerning this matter? For we know not but what ye yourselves are seeking for authority. We know not but what ye are also ^atraitors to your country.

Perhaps one of the most important messages of these many war chapters in Alma (as referenced in verse 13) is that freedom is worth fighting for.  It's worth sacrificing, strategizing, fasting, praying and sufering for. Most (if not all) of us don't know what it is like to live without freedom.  That doesn't give us the right to be apathetic about it.  We have been blessed beyond measure.  We benefit from the sacrifice of our ancestors as well as the sacrifice of many who are in combat in foreign countries today.  This weekend is the 4th of July and a wonderful time to remember and be thankful for the blessing that freedom is in our lives.  Here is a perfectly timed video clip on this topic from lds.org.