It seems like one lesson here is
to be careful of leaders who lead by hate and anger. Amalickiah managed to get
the Lamanties to go to battle against the Nephites, even though one short year
ago they had been determined to fight each other not to have to go. He did it
by making them feel angry and hateful towards them. I can’t see God working
that way, which makes it hard to believe that leaders would be choosing the
right when they were making choices or trying to persuade you that way.
It feels like it is dirty for him
to use Nephite dissenters as the leaders of the army because they knew where
the Nephites were weak and what their strategies and strengths were. But it
only feels dirty because his intentions are evil. I guess this is where it
comes in again that Moroni didn’t consider it a sin to use strategy to beat the
Lamenites. Some actions are not inherently good or evil, it is really about
intentions and what you are trying to accomplish. So often when we judge each
other it is because we assigning intent to what someone is doing, which we
often can’t really know, and shouldn’t assume. I know that is something I have
a hard time with. Because I don’t even notice that I am making assumptions as I
interpret a situation. It is really hard to step back from that and see an
action isolated from intent.
It is important to me that Moroni
didn’t start preparing for the attack on his people when the armies were approaching.
He began before they had even been convinced to fight. I think for me as a
parent that is important to remember because I need to home and family and
children to be protected and fortified before the attack comes. There are no
huge temptations in their lives yet, but they need to be strengthened before
that time, not in the midst of the battle. Then when the hard things do come
they are more likely to survive. What can I do better?
Mormon gives some really specific
details about how Moroni prepared his people. If he took the time to carve it
into the plates, the specifics must matter.
What Moroni Did
|
What I can do
|
Preparing the
minds of the people to be faithful to the Lord their God (v. 7)
|
This is the
gospel teaching in our home. Teaching my children about God’s love and what
he has given us. Especially teaching them about the atonement and how it
gives us hope and joy and how we can trust Him to save us. When we know how
much he loves us, when we really know what he has done for us, that is when
we are prepared to be faithful to him.
|
Strengthening
the armies of the Nephites (v.8)
|
My army is my
family. I need to be consciously doing what I can to help them be strong, and
make sure that they have a good network of fellow soldiers to help them feel
strong.
|
Erecting forts
(v.8)
|
About making
safe places and times of refuge. I think this is about making sacred spaces.
Family scripture study and prayers, family night, going to church together.
Set times and places to reconnect with each other and with the Spirit.
Established places of refuge.
|
Walls around
the cities (v.8)
|
The rules we
make for protection of our family. Keeping bad media out of our home,
treating each other kindly. Being in sacred places.
|
Concentrated
most effort weaknesses (v.9)
|
This feels like
it has to do with the deliberate parenting Rebecca always talks about. I need
to be mindful of what needs to be taught, who needs to be comforted, and how
I can do those things with the help of God. It is going through the day and
making my decisions with thought instead of reaction.
Individually,
this reminds me of the talk about “what
lack I yet.” And also the scripture from Ether 12:27.
It isn’t just that he gives us weaknesses to make us humble, but also that he
will show us what they are and help us strengthen them.
|
So then to protect my family like
Moroni protected his people, do I need to be the kind of leader he was? Mormon
describes him as:
- Strong and mighty
- Maybe just firm in standing for truth. I think I
have a strong personality if not physique. And I am grateful for the idea
that being strong is not a bad thing.
- Update: I had some more thoughts about the strong and mighty part later. I started thinking about President Nelson’s talk from the last general conference called A Plea to My Sisters. Especially this: “We need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices.” Not only is okay to be strong, but God needs our strength, specifically. Voices that tell us to be docile and wrong.
- I was also thinking that how we physically present ourselves in a situation matters. Moroni was strong and mighty in a time of a war, which was what people needed to feel confident. It is the same reason missionaries need to look nice, and the same reason I always wear makeup if I am going to be presenting, or in a meeting where I need to be taken more seriously.
- Perfect understanding
- I wish for perfect understanding, and I suppose
I do try to seek for perfect understanding. But perfect is a big word there.
I think the seeking is a good start?
- Did not delight in bloodshed
- I think for me this is about when I am right,
not enjoying that someone else is wrong and I win. Not punishing my kids because
I am mad, but doing things only with a pure heart and good intentions.
- Joy in the liberty and freedom of his country
- My joy is in my family being free from sin and
becoming good men. Sometimes I forget that that is really my priority,
and where my joy comes from. Being mindful of goals.
- Heart swollen with thanksgiving to God
- Remembering all that God has done for our
family, for me, for all of us, so that my faith in Him and this cause remain.
Not getting caught up in the hard things, but remembering that Christ is
victorious in the end. If I can focus on the thanksgiving, will that make
the details less frustrating?
- Labor exceedingly in his cause
- NOT BE LAZY
- Firm in the faith of Christ
- To lead my family to the safety of faith, I have
to be firmly there. Small daily choices that help me remember and feel
the Spirit.
- Sworn an oath to defend his people, even to the loss of
his blood
- Willing to sacrifice whatever it takes.
Selfless. So hard.
No comments:
Post a Comment