Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 53:13-16

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 53:13-16

"But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country.

But 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.

And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.

But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites."

I love this story of the sons of Helaman or the two thousands stripling warriors that fought in the place of their fathers to defend their land. Their fathers were the people of Ammon that buried their weapons of war and covenanted to never pick them up again. This is the oath that Helaman was afraid for them to break to help defend their land. 

There are so many things I have learned from the stories of the sons of Helaman. It always touches my heart to see them portrayed or stories read about them. In my own life I hope to have sons like this. The passion of my life is genealogy. I have worked on mine since my youth. I was getting ready to begin work on my husband's Polish and French lines by taking classes in doing this research. My mother-in-law heard about this and was so upset that I was going to research her family. I have never seen her so upset by something in my life. I had to promise her that I and my husband, which is her son, would not research her family history. By association we agreed to not research his deceased father's Polish line either. We have kept that promise. I will honor it until the day she dies. You do not break your word, no matter how great the cause may be. 

But, a though does keep coming to me that my sons made no such promise to her. If any work for the redemption of the dead on that side of the family will be done it will be done by my sons. Sometimes children can do what their parents where never allowed to. This idea would have never come to me if I hadn't read the story of the sons of Helaman and applied it to my life.

 

Day 327 Tami Fitzgerald Harris