Introductions

I have always wanted to be like one of the mothers of the "Stripling Warriors", a story from the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. “Yea, they [the 2000 stripling warriors] had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” (Alma 56: 47-48). As I grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ I always listened to the story of how the Prophet Helaman lead two thousand young men into battle. These young men were the children of the people of Jershon who had been converted to Christianity by a missionary named Ammon. The Ammonites made a promise to bury their weapons of war and never shed blood and "rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives." (Alma 24:18) After their enemy the Lamanites attacked them the Nephites began to defend them, honoring the promise the Ammonites had made. When the Ammonites saw how the Nephites were suffering to defend them they almost broke their oath. Two thousand of their sons who had been too young when the oath had been made came forward and volunteered to fight. Helaman, who was a church leader among the Nephites became their Army commander. They became one of the most effective military units in the war. Although many of them were wounded in battle not a single one of them perished in the war. Helaman attributes this miracle to the fact that "the Lord has supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain. But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come." Helaman shared a bit about who these young men were. He tells us more about these young men in Alma 57:21 “Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every work of command with exactness; yea and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.”

I want to be one of those mothers that teaches my children to have faith in the Lord, to follow His commandments, and live their lives so that although they may be scratched from life's woes, they might not perish. The other day at church I looked at my 5 year old stepson Donovan and my one year old son Gavin and my heart just welled with love and the words from one of my favorite songs, Armies of Helaman written by Janice Kapp Perry, washed through my mind.

We have been born, as Nephi of old,
To goodly parents who love the Lord.
We have been taught, and we understand,
That we must do as the Lord commands.

We have been saved for these latter days
To build the kingdom in righteous ways.
We hear the words our prophet declares:
“Let each who’s worthy go forth and share.”

We know his plan, and we will prepare,
Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.
Daily we’ll learn until we are called
To take the gospel to all the world.

Chorus
We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord’s missionaries
To bring the world his truth.

I hope that as the years go by I am able to teach my children all that is in my heart. I hope that I might help them prepare for whatever life has in store for them. I hope that whatever they choose to do with their lives that they may know their father and I love them.