Alma 48:19-25

Moroni, Mormon wrote, was a man like Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni, the sons of Mosiah as well as Alma₂. Considering all they accomplished while serving the Lord, this was high praise, indeed.

Helaman and his brethren also provided great service to the Nephites. “Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches” (Alma 45:22). They were successful preaching repentance to all the people and baptized all who listened to their words.

Hearing the words of Helaman and his brethren, the Nephites humbled themselves. The scriptures make it clear humility is an essential trait of a disciple of Christ. “… The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility” (Proverbs 15:33).

“A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Proverbs 29:23).

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).

“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).

“And being found in fashion [GR outward appearance] as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

(A quick observation. During His ministry, Paul tells us the Savior humbled himself. To paraphrase Nephi, if the Savior had need to humble himself, how much more need do we have to humble ourselves before God.)

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

“…Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth [GR opposes] the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

“[A]s ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel” (Mosiah 4:11).

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

During this time, the Nephites were highly favored of the Lord and had no war nor contentions for a period of four years.

But, towards the end of the fourth year, they were forced to fight the Lamanites. They had no desire to fight, and did so reluctantly. The wars would continue for many years.

The Nephites did not enjoy the slaughter of war. Their reluctance could very well have been the memory of the losses on both sides in the war four years earlier. “And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth, while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo. While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never–ending happiness” (Alma 28:11-12).

“But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you” (3 Nephi 12:44).

They were also saddened at the knowledge they would send many Lamanites into the eternal world unprepared to meet God. “But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt not slay thy son; nevertheless, it were better that he should fall than thee, for behold, he has repented of his sins; but if thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could not be saved” (Alma 20:17.)

“Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die, and more especially for those that have not hope of a glorious resurrection” (D&C 42:45).

They realized they had to fight.  “And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole” (Alma 46:12).

If they did not, they would be massacred by the cruelty of their enemy. “… he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh” (Proverbs 11:17). “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man” (Psalms 71:4).

While the Lamanites are portrayed as their enemy, the cause of many of the wars were Nephite apostates.  They had turned away from the knowledge of God, and incited the Lamanites to war.  One has to wonder would there have been so many wars with the Lamanites had there been no Nephite dissenters.

But, there were apostates and dissenters.  The scriptures warn about those who turn from their knowledge of God.  “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5).

“When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby” (Ezekiel 33:18).

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

“For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:21-22).

“And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost” (1 Nephi 12:17).

They knew, should the Lamanites prevail, they would rejoice over the blood of the Nephites.  As they prepared for war, they knew as long as the kept God’s commandments, they would prosper in the land. “Then Alma said unto [Helaman]: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land” (Alma 45:8).