There Never Was a Happier Time

Alma 50

It seems to me that the essesnse of their happiness was in the labors that they were performing to prepare themselves to be protected against the Lamanites.

Building Walls Around the City

There seems to me to be a spiritual parallel between the construction of the walls (mounds of earth, topped with a layer of timbers, topped with a layer of pickets, with lookout towers on top) and the preparations that we need to make to protect ourselves against the spiritual attacks of the adversary.

Another way in which Moroni defended his land against the Lamanites is that he lined the border of the land with cities, that could support armies. It wasn’t just one city, it was multiple cities, just as there is greater strength in families.


“How Merciful and Just Are All the Dealings of the Lord”

(See vs. 19) This is one of those statements that starts with “And thus we see…”, but I’m not seeing it. I’m not makig the connection yet. But this is exactly what the Spirit of the Lord wants me to understand about this passage of scriptures.

It seems counter-intuitive that in making preparations to defend oneself against war that the grand conclusion of it all would be: Behold, God is merciful and just in all his dealings. But that’s exactly what is being stated here.


…Inasmuch as they shall keep my acommandments they shall prosper in the land.

vs. 20

What are the commandments that Moroni and the Nephites are being so attentive to that such profound blessings are extended to them? It doesn’t expressly state in this chapter what the commandements were, only that they “were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord,” (vs. 22) and consequently the Lord delivered them out of bondage every time.

A host of ills are listed as violations of the commandments that resulted in war and destruction, but we’re not spelling out here. I guess what I’m trying to ascertain here is whether it was in response to their observance of the commandments of God that they were blessed enough as a people to prepare, or was it in the actual preparation that the blessings of the commandments were obtained. I feel that is the latter, in the actions of doing, that the blessings were obtained. But is also a reciprocal effect that as we do, we are blessed in the ability to do more.

In work are the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ obtained.

Leave a comment