THIS IS MY OWN THOUGHTS ON SCRIPTURE... NOT SCRIPTURE!
Study this morning in Alma has me thinking about being a prisoner. The scriptures talk about the Lamanite prisoners being used to fortify the city. The first job they have is to bury their dead and also the dead of the Nephites. These men are then marched back to the city and then begin digging a ditch around the land and other hard labor so as to fortify the city. One of the definitions for prisoner is a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody;. I was thinking about how different times in my life when I was a prisoner. Not having freedoms because of choices that I made that restrained me. Thinking about these prisoners and the work required of them without their choosing made me wonder how they felt?
Later in the scriptures it talks about the people of Ammon. These are great people that changed the course of their lives and wanted nothing more than to serve the Lord. They showed such strength when they took their weapons and buried them deep in the layers of the earth. Here in these scriptures is were we see them show even greater faith. These people of Ammon who had made an oath with God to never use their weapons again are now overcome by the suffering that those who are protecting them are experiencing. I was trying to think of a time in my life when I had promised the Lord I would do something and then watched others suffer because of my covenant with the Lord. I don't yet have experience in this area. I do know of times when I've watched people suffer because of my mistakes and ached to fix the situation. Imagine watching people suffer and thinking if I were to pick up a weapon and help these good people who are protecting us instead of just sitting here what difference would be made? Okay, so I love this part, Alma 53:14
Behold as they were about to take their weapons of war, they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had made.
I love the words overpowered. Helaman was this truly spiritual man. I'm sure as he spoke with them he was filled with the spirit. I love that he was not alone in wanting the people of Ammon to hold true to their oath. In the scripture it says Helaman and his brethren. Here's a good example of a righteous gang. I love that these people (who had made no oath)were risking their lives to protect the people of Ammon. It sounds like keeping the commandment, thou shalt love thy neighbor. I've never risked my life to help someone stay true to the covenants they've made with God. I have found myself in situations watching people, including myself breaking covenants for much less. This is truly inspiring to me. The people of Ammon hold to their covenants even though their very existence is at stake. Helaman and his brethren feared that the people of Ammon would lose their souls if they should fight. These brethren fighting were losing their lives! I will be much more careful as I protect my soul. I have much to learn as to how to worry less about losing my life and more about losing my soul.