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| ©Darrell Wyatt |
So many times I've heard the sentiment, "I'm only one person. What can I do? I can't change anything." I've even felt this way myself at times. Today, as I was reading, I was reminded of the power that each one of us has.
After the battle between Captain Moroni's armies and the armies of Zerahemna, Helaman and his brothers continued preaching of Christ's coming, and "they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land over all the churches"(Alma 45:22). But not everyone believed what they were preaching, and those who did not gathered together against those believers. There was a man named Amalickiah who wanted to be king, and the non-believers backed him. The problem though, was that many believers also started to be sympathetic to his cause, and they dissented from the church.
Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.
Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men. (Alma 46:8-9)
One very wicked man. Just one.
When Captain Moroni heard what was happening among the people, he became very angry.
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it - In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children - and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.(Alma 46:12)
...he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent par, and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them. (Alma 46:19-20)
One very righteous and brave man. Just one.
After he had finished his speech, the people came running. They raised their own titles of liberty and covenanted to take upon themselves the name of Christ and not transgress. They promised to preserve their liberty and stand against Amalickiah and his followers. And so they did. And their freedoms were preserved.
And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites.(Alma 46:36)
Because of the courage of Moroni, the Nephites maintained their freedom of religion and other liberties. If he had said, "I'm only one person. What difference can I make?", Amalickiah would most likely have come to power and stripped the Nephites of these freedoms. But because one man decided to make a difference, there was "peace and rejoicing" among the Christians.
We live in perilous times. Some of our rights and freedoms and liberties are being undermined and even taken away by those who wish for power. It is not just our right, but it is our responsibility to fight to preserve these freedoms. You and I may only be one person, but imagine the effect of thousands of people, each manifesting the power of one. I may be only one person, but I can make a difference.
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