In the last few chapters, the word "liberty" has been mentioned quite a bit. In fact, there are 24 chapters in the Book of Mormon where the word is used one or more times. It is the main reason that the Nephites were engaged in war against the Lamanites.
And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives ad their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires. (Alma 43:9)
Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, ad their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.(Alma 43:45)
Today I read about the formation of Helaman's Army. Two thousand young men who volunteered to fight so that their parents could honor the oath that they had made years earlier to never lift a weapon of war again.
And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage.(Alma 53:17)
This covenant was not unlike the oath that members of the United States Armed Forces swear upon enlistment:
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
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| ©Darrell Wyatt |
Today, I am feeling extremely blessed to have fellow countrymen who are willing to lay down their lives for my freedoms. No matter whether I believe that the wars we are fighting today are just or unjust, I still have an enormous amount of gratitude for those willing to serve.
There are times that it feels as if my liberties are slowly slipping away, and I'm sure it feels like that sometimes for everyone, no matter their political or religious beliefs. I am blessed not to have to take up arms to defend my liberties, but that doesn't diminish my responsibility to protect them. Tomorrow, November 2nd, I will have the opportunity to cast my vote for whichever candidate and whatever laws that I believe will best represent my values and uphold my freedoms. Every registered voter will have that same privilege and responsibility. I have prayed for my country many times. I have prayed for its leaders. Tonight I will pray that I will make the right choices as I cast my ballot. I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father does care what happens to this country and its citizens. I hope that many people will do the same - put aside political correctness and divisive partisanship and give honest and prayerful thought to those for whom they will vote.
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