Lessons from Wars in the Book of Mormon

During April, I have studied the wars in the Book of Mormon. In particular, I’ve focused on the following wars:

• Zoram leads the Nephite army to victory (Alma 16)
• The Lamanites attack the people of Ammon (Alma 24-25)
• The battle of Jershon (Alma 28)
• Captain Moroni defeats Zerahemnah (Alma 43-44)
• Captain Moroni prepares the Nephites to defend themselves (Alma 46, 48-50)
• Captain Moroni defeats Amalackiah and Ammoron (51-55, 59-62)
• Helaman leads his young Ammonite army (Alma 56-58)
• Moronihah leads the Nephite armies against the Lamanites (Helaman 1, 4)
• Lachoneus leads the Nephites to victory against the Gadianton robbers (3 Nephi 3-4)
• Mormon leads the Nephite armies in their final war (Mormon 1-6, Moroni 9)
• Coriantumr leads the Jaredite armies in their final war (Ether 13-15)

Just as I’ve done with other types of content, I have tried to learn lessons from these chapters that I can apply in my daily life from these stories. The lessons I have learned fall into the following categories:

Responding to Adversity

• When we face daunting challenges, we ought to adopt an attitude of solemnity, and turn our hearts to God.
• We must keep trying, even when we encounter discouraging situations.
• Difficult experiences can motivate us to humble ourselves and change, just as successes can inspire gratitude in our hearts.
• Take time to connect with God and listen to His Spirit during times of adversity.

Acting with Integrity

• We should follow Captain Moroni’s example by acting with strength and wisdom, being kind and respectful of the people around me, being thankful for the privileges I have been given, and being hard-working and dependable.
• We should fulfill our duties quietly and consistently.
• Sincerity and virtue will ultimately lead to success.
• Our integrity can inspire integrity in others.
• We need to avoid being distracted and remember our priorities.

Self-mastery

• We need to be the master of our passions, not a slave to them.
• We need to control our negative emotions and not allow them to be directed toward others.

Preparation

• Some of the decisions which are most impactful occur long before they are needed.
• It’s important to prepare our minds for the challenges we will face in the future.

Loving Others

• Feelings of animosity toward others will drive away the Spirit of the Lord. Even as we defend the truth, we must treat others with respect.
• We should love all people, even those who are difficult to love, including those who don’t seem to benefit from our love.
• When we love others, we welcome them, but we also warn them of danger.

Power in Unity

• A strong sense of community is essential for our collective safety and prosperity.
• There is power and safety in unity.
• We can overcome the storms and the pressures we face if we choose to face them in unity.

Leadership

• Words of truth, courageously spoken, can inspire others to courage.
• Leaders must remember that the people they lead are counting on them to make wise decisions on their behalf.

Repentance

• Repentance enables us to receive the power of God.
• We can avoid catastrophic outcomes by repenting quickly.

God’s Love

• When God judges us, He will be both just and merciful.
• If we choose to repent, we can be “clasped in the arms of Jesus.”

Prayer

• We need to make sure that our motives are aligned with God’s will, so that we can pray with confidence.
• We should follow the prophet’s guidance to pray, listen, write the answers that we receive, and act upon what we learn.