As I attend these weekly devotionals, I am consistently impressed with both the spirit and attitude of preparation that you bring each week- as evidenced by the many notebooks I see on the laps of individuals. If there is a downside to this- it is that you have made my preparations that much more difficult, as I have truly felt the need to seek the Lord's guidance. I personally thank each of you for your faith and obedience, which make this campus a special and unique place where the Spirit of the Lord truly dwells.
Lamanites Deceived from "Stronghold"
In Alma chapter 52 of the Book of Mormon, the Nephites found themselves in "dangerous circumstances." Due to internal strife, they had lost many of their lands to the Lamanites, including a number of heavily fortified cities they described as "strongholds." To fortify them against attack, Captain Moroni had earlier caused high mounds of earth to be raised up around the cities, upon which wooden fence-like fortifications and guard towers were constructed. Teancum, one of the Nephite commanders, had been charged with recapturing the "stronghold" city of Mulek.
"But he saw that it was impossible that he could overpower them while they were in their fortifications; therefore he abandoned his designs...to wait for the coming of Moroni."[1]
After Captain Moroni arrived, the chief captains determined that the best approach would be to somehow convince the Lamanites to abandon their fortified position. Their next course of action was to simply send a message to the Lamanite commander, requesting that the Lamanites come out of the city and do battle on the open plains. Of course, the Lamanites flatly refused this "generous" offer and elected to remain within the security of their "stronghold" (yeah, go figure).
"Moroni, having no hopes of meeting them upon fair grounds...resolved upon a plan that he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.
...he caused that Teancum should take a small number of men and march down near the seashore; ...when the guards of the Lamanites had discovered Teancum, they ran and told it unto...their leader.
And it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers. And as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him he began to retreat...
...when the Lamanites saw that he began to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor. And while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and take possession of it.
And thus they did."[2]
As the story concludes, the Lamanite army that had left the city of Mulek in pursuit of Teancum and his small army eventually became surrounded by multiple Nephite armies. In the ensuing battle, the Lamanites lost many men, including their leader, and were ultimately forced to surrender. It is interesting to note how the Lamanites- in just a quick turn of events- went from a recognized position of strength to one of extreme vulnerability.
Do you see the irony here? When directly asked by the Nephites to leave their "stronghold" and come out to battle, they flatly refused! The Lamanites recognized that they held a definite position of strength over the Nephites, and they were not about to give that up. However, when approached in a slightly different manner, they willingly relinquished their position of strength and abandoned the security of their "stronghold"- to ultimately suffer a disastrous consequence.
What might account for this difference? In the second instance, the Nephites appeared to simply appeal to the carnal or wicked nature of the Lamanites. Earlier in the book of Alma, the Lamanites are described as "a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites"[3] In short, Captain Moroni simply provided the Lamanites with an opportunity they could not refuse- a chance to lay waste to a small group of Nephites- and they willingly took the bait. What appeared at the time to be certain victory ultimately became a crushing downfall and defeat.
I invite each of you to further ponder this story with me. What are some spiritual lessons that may be gained from these described events?
Our Gospel "Stronghold"
Like the Lamanites in the story, we need to recognize that we occupy a position of great strength here in mortality- the equivalent of a fortified "stronghold." First, each of us possesses the God-given capacity to act for ourselves. Thus, "the power" is in us, wherein we are "agents" unto ourselves[4]- to choose who and what we will ultimately become. In the pre-existence, Satan "sought to destroy the agency of man."[5] After falling short of this objective, he now seeks to destroy man through our misuse of that same agency. Thus, the battle over agency continues here in mortality- with Satan seeking to have us willingly relinquish our God-given right to choose- something we opposed in the pre-existence.
A second element of our fortified "stronghold" is the gospel framework or iron rod, consisting of doctrines, commandments, ordinances, and covenants- all founded upon the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Thirdly, to enhance our capacity to make righteous choices, our Father in Heaven has blessed us with two key influences, the Light of Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost.
In the scriptures, the Light of the Christ is described as "the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,"[6] and is the means by which all are given to discern good from evil. The prophet, Mormon, further promises us the ability to make this judgment with "perfect knowledge... as the daylight is from the dark night."[7] With this assurance, we can consciously determine our own path- to choose either "liberty and eternal life" or "captivity and death."[8]
In regard to the Gift of the Holy Ghost, President Wilford Woodruff stated that there is "no greater gift," "blessing," or "testimony given to any man on the earth."[9] This heavenly communication leaves an imprint on both our hearts and minds,[10] and provides a divine sense of peace, comfort, strength, conviction, truth, enlightenment, and sanctification- blessings otherwise not available to us in mortality.
The prophet, Nephi, testified that the Holy Ghost "will show unto you all things what ye should do."[11] The Light of Christ and Gift of the Holy Ghost represent the capstone elements of our gospel "stronghold," and are the key means by which our gift of agency is protected and developed to achieve our Godly potential.
Satan Seeks to Lure Us from Our Gospel "Stronghold"
With access to both the Light of Christ and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, it would seem that Satan should, in theory, have no power over us, as these two gifts together would seem to represent a virtually impenetrable "stronghold." Nevertheless, Satan seeks to neutralize or compromise the strength of our position by dulling our sensitivity to these Godly influences- through distraction, disobedience, discouragement, and sin. The Liahona- which is a type for the Holy Ghost- ceased to provide needed direction for Lehi and his family in times of disobedience- causing them to lose their way or fail to progress in their journey.[12]
Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Seventy succinctly put it, "If you lose the Spirit, you are lost."[13] This lack of heavenly guidance equates to a compromised or weakened spiritual state. The scriptures describe this state or condition as being "past feeling,"[14] having the mind or understanding "darkened,"[15][16] or my personal favorite, "walking in darkness at noon-day."[17] These phrases all describe an inability to access the spiritual light around us- not because it does not exist, but rather because of a reduced capacity on our part to recognize or perceive it. All of us have experienced this condition, as we are imperfect beings who occasionally make mistakes.
In a compromised spiritual state, we become more vulnerable to being drawn out of our gospel "stronghold"- due to a reduced capacity to discern right from wrong and to obtain guidance from the Holy Ghost. The further removed we become from our gospel "stronghold," the greater power Satan gains over us- as we are left to our own understanding in our life judgments and choices. If allowed to persist, this compromised spiritual condition leads to destruction- for both nations and individuals. The prophet Nephi described this progression as he foresaw the future destruction of his own people 1,000 years before it actually occurred.
"I have seen it...; and they sell themselves for naught; ...for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction....
For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction."[18]
In the account of the Lamanite defeat, it is easy to be critical of the Lamanites and wonder how they could have been so foolish- or even stupid. Unfortunately, most of us can relate all too well with the plight of the Lamanites- because it mirrors the strategy used by the adversary to lure each of us out of our gospel "stronghold." The adversary generally does not openly invite us to knowingly commit sin- since we would flatly refuse the invitation- just as the Lamanites initially refused to give up the security of their "stronghold."
Rather, the adversary appeals to our carnal or worldly tendencies- those aspects of the natural man or woman- to bring us out of our gospel "stronghold" into a state of spiritual vulnerability. We can each pinpoint circumstances when we have experienced unfortunate"Lamanite moments" in our lives. The adversary- through gradual and subtle means- seeks ultimately to convince us to willingly give up that which we had never intended to give up in the first place. Ironically, this outcome can only occur to the extent that we choose it.
Recognize and Counter the Tactics of the Adversary
In the latter-day war with the adversary, Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught that "understanding the intent of an enemy is a key prerequisite to effective preparation."[19] The adversary generally targets our individual weaknesses, utilizing tactics of distraction and deception. Let's explore the underlying basis for some of Satan's temptations and the tactics needed to counter them.
In Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life, the temptations of the devil are depicted by "mists of darkness."[20] One prominent function of the "mists of darkness" is to simply shield our view of the tree, which represents Christ. If you have ever seen a fog gradually settle in, the first thing that is lost is the ability to see far off into the distance. In this way, Satan's "mists" can cause us to lose sight of our eternal purpose and destination while here in mortality. Simple distraction is enough to keep us from progressing to the tree.
One of Satan's greatest weapons of mass destruction is "mass distraction." Given the technological advances of our day, consider the adversary's potential to access the masses through a single cell phone app, video game, movie, iTunes song, or whatever the new thing of the day might be. Downloads for the most popular game apps exceed 100 million. In our day, there is potential to unwittingly enter the "great and spacious building" with the simple push of a button- and not even recognize it.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently cautioned us:
"Sometimes, it feels like we are drowning in frivolous foolishness, nonsensical noise, and continuous contention. When we turn down the volume and examine the substance, there is very little that will assist us in our eternal quest toward righteous goals.
...Many choices are not inherently evil, but if they absorb all of our time and keep us from the best choices, then they become insidious."[21]
Becoming distracted in life is akin to treading water- which requires a constant activity of both your arms and legs just to keep your head above water and to avoid sinking. Thus, all of your available resources are required just to keep you afloat- yet the grand reality of all this energy expenditure is that it gets you nowhere- it simply involves swimming in place.
A state of distraction is often accompanied by the notion that contentment in life is achieved only through the selfish pursuit of pleasure, amusement or, new and exciting things. Distraction hinders development of our faith and our sensitivity to the Spirit, because it crowds out from our lives the essential things that would otherwise create them. In a distracted state, our resolve to remain within our spiritual "stronghold" is weakened, and we can be oblivious the potential reality that we may be "walking in darkness at noon-day."[17]
"And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."[22]
In our quiet moments when we are separated from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we might ask ourselves- Am I anxiously engaged or casually distracted? Do I feel true peace or emptiness? We can choose to break free of distractions that might hold us captive by re-focusing our efforts on things that bring the Holy Ghost- the true source of peace and direction- into our lives.
Elder Hilbig of the Seventy has stated:
"If you set your personal contribution high, you will reap an abundant harvest from the Spirit. The payment I reference is...a greater commitment to and involvement in personal spiritual endeavors and behaviors. We determine the level of our current contribution by examining our present choices and priorities...
Would you consider investing more of your time in the things of eternity in order to merit the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and to benefit more fully from His influence?"[23]
There are always things we can strive to do better to merit a greater portion of the Lord's Spirit in our lives. In setting personal priorities, we cannot overlook the "little-big" things- the little things that make the big difference. We all know them- they include personal prayer, daily scripture study, meaningful partaking of the sacrament, Sabbath day observance, temple worship, and service to others.
Acting in these "little things" now prepares us to receive spiritual guidance and have the needed faith to act in the future critical challenges of our lives.
For Sister Huber and I, one such occasion was the birth of our first child. With every contraction, our daughter's heart rate would slow and almost stop - the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. The doctor told us if the situation did not improve in the next twenty minutes, he would need to deliver our daughter by C-section. As I began to fill out the consent paperwork for the procedure, I was bothered by the fact that Sister Huber had received two priesthood blessings, both of which had blessed her with a normal delivery. Not knowing what else to do, I called my dad for fatherly counsel. While on the phone, the words distinctly came into my mind- She has already had two priesthood blessings, it's time to exercise some faith. As I hung up the phone, I admit that I was somewhat nervous to follow through on the prompting I had received. As we discussed the situation, Sister Huber and I both agreed to consciously exercise our faith. Amazingly, not once during the next 15 minutes did our daughter's heart rate slow as it had before. As the nurse returned, she was surprised to note that our daughter was ready to be born- it all worked out in the end. I was grateful that, at that point in my life, I was in a position to not only receive the prompting of the Spirit, but to have the faith and confidence needed to act on it to bless my family.
Another function of Satan's "mists of darkness" is to impair our more immediate view as we progress along the gospel path. If you have ever experienced a thick fog, you know firsthand that the details of objects and landmarks- even at close distances- is somewhat clouded and obscured. Satan's "mists of darkness" are intended to disguise or hide the true identity of his counterfeits that are placed either alongside the path- or just far enough off the path that we have to temporarily let go of the iron rod to wander after them. Satan does not want us to have a clear view of his temptations, because they are not what they are advertised to be. Without this deception, we would never opt for them in the first place. If acted upon, these temptations bring about spiritual darkness by cutting us off from spiritual light - thus, they are literally "mists of darkness."
There are only two forces in the world- good and evil. Whether we recognize it or not, our small daily decisions take us in one direction or the other- even though the daily shift may be so slight that it is difficult to discern. However, it is these seemingly small everyday decisions that matter most, because they chart our long-term direction and destination. Mormon admonished us to "search diligently in the Light of Christ that ye may know good from evil..."[24] His counsel suggests that some effort and pondering on our part may be required to correctly make these judgements- it may not just happen automatically. We would be wise to apply Mormon's counsel to the movies, television shows, internet sites, music- or anything for that matter- that we choose to bring into our lives.
Elder David A. Bednar further instructed us to pay close attention to the spiritual impact of our daily choices:
"The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things are definitely not for us.
I recognize that we are fallen men and women living in a mortal world and that we might not have the presence of the Holy Ghost with us every second of every day. However, the Holy Ghost can tarry with us much, if not most, of the time - and certainly the Spirit can be with us more than it is not with us..."[25]
Thus, the Holy Ghost serves as an effective barometer in our own lives and offers the needed clarity to see through Satan's temptations to recognize them for what they truly are- invitations to misery. What current practices or activities in our own lives might stand in the way of us experiencing a greater portion of the Lord's Spirit? We can choose to lose ground, regain position, if needed, or to fortify.
King Benjamin taught that it is through the process of yielding "to the enticings of the Holy Ghost" that we put off the natural man and become "a saint through the atonement of Christ."[26] As we heed the enticings of the Spirit, the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost will cause us to become increasingly spiritually-minded and less carnally-minded.[27] These changes in our nature make us less susceptible to Satan's influence, and solidify our position within our gospel "stronghold."
Conclusion
In summary, our Father in Heaven has provided each of us the opportunity to become as He is and to receive all that He has- our potential is truly glorious. Nothing that Satan has to offer that can even compare. Each of us should take confidence in the fact that we hold a position of strength here in mortality- our God-given freedom to choose is true power. The influences of the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost preserve and protect our power of agency. We retain power over Satan through our righteous decisions that allow the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to be active forces in our lives. Thus, in the end, our gospel "stronghold" can be as effective as we choose to make it.
I would like to conclude with a personal experience that occurred at our home several years ago. I had gone outside to turn on our barbecue grill, when I noticed a quail sitting on the railing of our deck. I only noticed the quail because it was making a terrible racket- to the point of being annoying. As I looked across my yard in the direction the quail was directing the noise, I noticed the neighbor's cat sitting under our tree. I became intrigued and walked over toward the cat. As I got close, I noticed that the cat had something in its mouth, and I came to see that it was a tiny baby quail. Armed with my barbecue utensil, I scared the cat away, and it dropped the baby quail from its mouth onto the grass. The baby quail was still alive, so I went back into the house to give the mother quail a chance to attend to its missing baby. I gathered my family and together we watched from the window. Soon thereafter, the mother quail flew down to the ground, and began to make a call that was noticeably different than the one she had made before. In response to the call, we were all surprised to see not just one, but five, baby quail immediately pop up from different areas of the grass, and began to quickly make their way to their mother. The mother continued making the sound until all of the baby quail, including the one that had been in the cat's mouth, had all arrived safely back to her.
It became clear that the initial call made by the mother quail was a voice of warning- instructing the baby quail to take deep cover in the grass. The latter sound was a call to gather. Thus, there was safety and security to be had for the baby quail in both recognizing and responding to the specific instruction that was given. Jesus Christ, our Savior, has promised the same to each of us:
"Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins;
Who will gather his people as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many will hearken to my voice, humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer."[28]
I bear witness that the ultimate role of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and the Son,[29] and to gather all to Christ- as many as will hearken to His voice- that at a future day we may be brought safely back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. I personally know that as we are "wise" and choose to take the Holy Spirit as our "guide,"[30] that we will not only successfully abide that "great and dreadful day of the Lord"[31] that is certain to come, but also each and every day of our mortal lives. As we do so, I testify that our gospel "stronghold" in this life will be built on the "sure foundation" of Jesus Christ, "whereon if upon if men build they cannot fall."[32] Let us all choose to make it so, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Alma 52:17
[2] Alma 52:21-25
[3] Alma 17:14
[4] Doctrine and Covenants 58:28
[5] Moses 4:3
[6] Doctrine and Covenants 93:2
[7] Moroni 7:15-17
[8] 2 Nephi 2:27
[9] Wilford Woodruff, Deseret Weekly, April 6, 1889, 451, as cited in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, "The Holy Ghost and Personal Revelation", 49
[10] Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3
[11] 2 Nephi 26:10-11
[12] Alma 37:41-43
[13] Kevin W. Pearson, "Stay by the Tree", Ensign, May 2015, 115
[14] 1 Nephi 17:45
[15] Ephesians 4:18
[16] Doctrine and Covenants 10:2
[17] Doctrine and Covenants 95:6
[18] 2 Nephi 26:10-11
[19] David A. Bednar, "Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan", Ensign, June 2006, 85
[20] 1 Nephi 8:23-24
[21] Quentin L. Cook, "Choose Wisely", Ensign, November 2014, 48
[22] 2 Nephi 28:21
[23] Keith K. Hilbig, "Quench Not the Spirit Which Quickens the Inner Man", Ensign, November 2007, 38-39
[24] Moroni 7:19
[25] David A. Bednar, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us", Ensign, May 2006, 30
[26] Mosiah 3:19
[27] 2 Nephi 9:39
[28] Doctrine and Covenants 29:1-2
[29] 2 Nephi 31:18
[30] Doctrine and Covenants 45-57
[31] Malachi 4:5; Doctrine and Covenants 2:1
[32] Helaman 5:12