Helaman 13:3 "return again"

Samuel had been preaching for many days to the Nephites in Zarahemla and they rejected his message and cast him out of the land.  As he was about to return to his home, the voice of the Lord commanded him to 'return again' and prophesy unto the people.  How must Samuel have felt?  He must have felt like he was guided by the Lord the first time around to go preach to the Nephites.  And he apparently had little to no success.  They treated him poorly.  Was he questioning that original inspiration?  And then to receive guidance to return and try again?  What would I do?  Samuel did not hesitate.  He did not return to his home, but immediately returned to prophesy 'whatever things should come into his heart'.  This took great faith.  This is not an isolated incident in the Book of Mormon.  Similar occurrences happened earlier where prophets were not successful on a first attempt, yet were commanded to 'return again' - e.g., Nephi and the brass plates, Abinadi and King Noah's people,  Alma and Ammonihah, or Nephi to the Nephites and Lamanites just a few years earlier.  What would have happened if these prophets had not returned, as prompted by the Spirit?  Alma the Elder would not have been converted.  Amulek and Zeezrom would not have been converted.  Look at the good that came from them!  Many of the Nephites and Lamanites who responded to Nephi and Samuel may not have experienced the joy of the gospel.

A few principles stand out to me in his account.  First, the Lord gives us so many chances!  He does not give me just one chance to repent and turn to Him.  He gives me many chances.  He invites me to change constantly, often through the words of his prophets, or through family members, or local priesthood leaders or friends.  This account reminded me of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), and Elder Hollands talk on this subject (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng).  The Lord of the vineyard 'returned again' 5 times. Each who accepted received the same wage.

Another principle is that we sometimes receive spiritual promptings that do not seem to work out.  I imagine Samuel, and each of these prophets, could have been discouraged when they received revelation to go preach to people, and apparently none of the people wanted to accept their message.  Why go in the first place?  But I am learning that I do not always need to understand why I receive guidance to do something.  I need to seek and follow the Spirit.  I need not worry so much about the outcome.  In addition to the Lord giving these people more chances to change and repent, perhaps he was giving these prophets further opportunities to exercise and strengthen their own faith, by letting them 'fail' the first time, and then prompting them to 'return again'.  And just because the Lord asks us to do something, it does not necessarily mean that it is going to be easy, or even clear how we are to accomplish it. Sometimes we receive a prompting to do something, and it may not play out how we expect. Did Samuel think he was going to have to preach from the wall when he went back? It can be easy to doubt our promptings if obstacles arise. Samuel didn't do this. He knew he had to act on what the Lord prompted him and he found a way to accomplish this. Can I learn to be this faithful and diligent?

As I pondered my own life, I realized that I also have often had promptings to 'return again', and and keep trying to reach out to someone who has not responded to my initial invitations.  This has happened on numerous occasions with my children, home teaching, serving in church callings, and sharing the gospel.  It is very common that we are not successful reaching someone on the first try.  Some common themes among these scriptural accounts of when people 'returned again':  1) they were immediately obedient to the counsel of the Lord; 2) they took a different approach; 3) they were filled with and directed by the Spirit; 4) they continued to face great obstacles the 2nd time around, but they exercised great faith, and showed great desire and persistence in accomplishing what the Lord had commanded.  And in some of these instances, they may never have known the positive impact they had through their diligent efforts. I will try to be more diligent at following promptings to 'return again'.

Helaman 7:16. "how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery"

There are real forces enticing us for good and for evil in this world.  And there are sources of these forces.  God's plan is for us to become like Him, and receive a fullness of joy.  Satan seeks to destroy us and make us 'miserable like unto himself' (2 Nephi 2:25-27).  There are commandments that help us know how to respond to these forces and progress toward joy.  One of Satan's powerful tools is to entice us to forget that these forces are real and that the authors of these forces work tirelessly to accomplish their objectives.

What a passionate, beautiful, and true speech Nephi gives to the Nephites in Helaman chapter 7.  Nephi helps me see and remember more clearly what my objective is on earth, and how hard Satan tries to destroy me.  If I can only maintain this vision at all times!  When I am tempted to be prideful or selfish or lazy, I must remember that this is the cunning enticing of the evil one, who seeks to hurl my soul to hell.  His intent is to destroy me!  He does not support his followers.  There is only temporary satisfaction or pleasure in following him.  But each time I follow him he attaches a cord to my heart, making it more difficult for me to desire the things that help me progress toward my real goal.  Fortunately, Christ is more powerful and will break these cords as I exercise faith in Him and repent.  As I have studied the Book of Mormon this year, and tried to apply its teachings, I have felt Christ loosening some of these cords that the evil one has attached to my heart.  The teachings in this book truly lead me to Christ and teach me how to exercise faith in Him.

Alma 61:9 "you have censured me, but it mattereth not"

In the exchange of epistles between Moroni and Pahoran in Alma 60-61, Pahoran showed an outstanding example of selfless behavior and unity.  In Moroni's epistle, he basically accused, or at least suspected, Pahoran of being guilty of the same selfish, power-seeking behavior as the kingmen. However, Pahoran had been working to defend the cause of freedom and he himself was also suffering in the cause.  The natural man would be offended by this lack of trust and this censure from Moroni.  Pahoran had a great deal of charity. In his response, he showed that he did not care for his own position or power, but for that of freedom.  His response was not about himself at all.  He completely overlooked Moroni's lack of trust and his accusations and looked for the truth in Moroni's message.

As I look for principles of how to be a better husband and father, this exchange provides powerful insights.  Pahoran's response is a good example of how spouses can respond to each other and keep unity in stressful situations.  The key principle reinforced for me is the importance of giving each other the benefit of the doubt when there is disagreement or misunderstanding.  Do not look for perceived slights or lack of respect, but rather look for the good that is offered.  The way Pahoran did this was to remember the greatness of Moroni's heart.  Pahoran realized that Moroni had no way to know exactly who was at fault in the government, so he was very strong with his words.  But in his heart, Moroni never intended to accuse anyone that was innocent.  If I remember the greatness of my wife's heart, I will remember she is not trying to injure me when we disagree or there is a misunderstanding.  I will remember that we are on the same team, and are trying to accomplish the same objectives.  I will not get defensive, but strive to work together.  Another key to remember is that just like Moroni and Pahoran, we simply don't always have the same view of the field or the obstacles we face.  That can be a strength, if we are able to give each other the benefit of the doubt.  Even though Moroni's interpretation of Pahoran's situation may not have been fully accurate, Moroni taught powerful principles about the importance of unity and how to rectify their situation (I also learned great principles about being a better father and how to have more unity in marriage from Moroni's letter).  Because Pahoran was able to look past the 'censure', he was able to implement the good in Moroni's counsel, and they were able to work together in unity against their real common foe, and not waste their energy protecting their pride.  For me, this means that as spouses, we look for solutions together.  We rely on each other's strengths and overlook and forgive weaknesses. We take the good in each other's ideas to work together for a common goal.  Working together brings us to Christ, whereas protecting our pride divides us and allows the enemy to gain victories.

Alma 48:9 "in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men"

The war chapters of Alma have many principles teaching me how to be a better husband and father, and how to better prepare myself and my family against the enemy that tries to destroy us.  The preparation of Moroni in chapters 48-50 of Alma was impressive.  Moroni is a type of Christ and Amalakiah is a type of Satan.  Amalakiah's whole intent was to bring the Nephites into bondage.  To have power over them.  To make them suffer.  Moroni's entire intent was to strengthen the Nephites and to keep, or deliver them from bondage.  Like Amalakiah, Satan is familiar with us and our weaknesses.  He appoints his legions to attack us where we are weakest.  Like Moroni, I must strengthen my cities.  My people.  My family.  I must prepare them for the battle before the enemy attacks and I must encourage and help them in the battles.  Moroni placed the greatest number of men in the weakest places.  For myself, I can apply this by placing the greatest focus and efforts into overcoming my greatest weaknesses.  If I put forth real effort, the Lord will strengthen me in my weakness.  For my family, I can know each family member and their strengths and weaknesses.  I can put individualized efforts into strengthening each one in their greatest places of weakness.  As I learned from Alma (Alma 36-42), I do not need to spend the same amount of time teaching each child the same thing.  Some will need more focus in some areas than others.  I need to discern what they need and how I can best help strengthen them individually.  This takes great effort and diligence.  I need to be better.

The Nephites had faith "that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies" (Alma 48:16).  If I am faithful in keeping the commandments, God will make it known unto me whither I should go to defend my family against the adversary.  He will give me spiritual guidance and direction regarding where I need to strengthen or what I need to fight against.  I have seen this to be true in my life.  I have recently received guidance about things to discuss individually with my children to help strengthen them individually.

In chapter 50, we read that in a brief period of peace, Moroni did not stop preparing and strengthening his cities.  It mentions at least 5 levels of security he put in place.  I also need to continually be diligent in preparing myself and my family spiritually, especially in times of relative peace.  I need to be diligent in applying multiple layers of security.  I find verses 22 and 23 of Alma 50 especially comforting.  We read that "those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times", and that "there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi".

It is interesting that in the midst of the war with the Lamanites, this is the happiest period of time that the Nephites had experienced to this point.  What created this happiness?  They were still in danger.  Amalakiah was still determined to destroy them.  But they had peace, happiness and prosperity.  They had deliverance from the Lord from their sin and unhappiness.  I think much of this had to do with the preparations Moroni had them make, coupled with the spiritual preparations they made - the heed and diligence they gave to the word of God (Alma 49:3).  In my life, I think this can also be true.  There can be chaos around me.  Forces of evil can be seeking to destroy me.  But if I keep fortifying myself with personal study, prayer, service, etc., I can have peace and prosperity in my heart, despite all the craziness around me.  The same can be true in my family if we all work toward this end.

Alma 35:6 "those who were in favor of the words....were cast out"

After Alma, Amulek, and their brethren had finished teaching the gospel to the Zoramites, those that believed were treated very poorly by the rest of their people, and they were cast out of the land.  I was reminded that exercising faith unto repentance and obedience does not always produce what appears on the outside to be a beneficial result.  These people were cast out.  The people of Ammonihah were burned.  The people who followed Alma the Elder had to flee and were eventually in bondage.  Why does the Lord allow people to have so much affliction when they are trying to follow Him?  At face value, it would seem these accounts might discourage us from turning to the Lord!  But, if we keep in mind what the Lord is trying to do for us, the purpose of us being on earth, it makes a little more sense.  As we turn to Him, sometimes He gives us greater opportunities to exercise faith and to become more like Him.  Sometimes He allows us to have additional trials to further strengthen us.  Sometimes He lets us suffer afflictions to strengthen others.  When we truly have charity, we are ok with that (e.g., the people of Ammon being slain and touching the hearts and sparking the conversion of more Lamanites than had been slain).  Sometimes, like in this example, He lets the wicked exercise their agency and cause affliction of the righteous.  But He always delivers us spiritually as we exercise faith.  And He often delivers us temporally if we exercise faith.  As we become truly converted, we learn to trust in His deliverance, whatever that may be.  The deliverance that really matters is the deliverance from the chains of Satan that bind our hearts and keep us from reaching our full potential.  Not deliverance from difficulties in life.  Often these difficulties help us be more fully delivered spiritually.  And when we turn to the Lord, we always prosper in the ways that truly matter - we become more like Him, and we experience greater inner love, peace and joy.