Burying Our Own Weapons

    

     One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon is when some Lamanites run away from their life of sin and start a new life with Christ. They changed their names to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They made a promise with God that they would no longer fight or use their swords because of their horrific past. It states in Alma 24:17- "they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth." I love the picture above depicting this event, because it shows the humility and courage that these people take to follow their God.

     It seems as if every time we make a promise, there is going to be some form of opposition that will want us to break the promise that we make. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were definately not an exception; but they held strong to their promise even with the high risk that their lives would be taken from them.

      " And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out of the land. Now when the people saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to call on the earth, and began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword. And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God. Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword. Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done. And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them."-Alma 24:20-25.

     It is always tough to throw away our weaknesses and short comings, but always remember the sacrifice that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies made. It may take a lot of courage and a changed heart, but just think of how much of a better person we can be for it. We will still make mistakes and will tumble and fall at times, but because we have a loving Savior, He will always be there for us to help us and to give us strength!