Post by Lemhi
After driving the Lamanites out of the land, they were able to posses that land in peace. But we know, peace does not last without protection. Grandfather caused weapons of war be made and armed with weapons, he set guards throughout the land to guard the people and their flocks.
During this time of peace which lasted about 22 years, the men were able to till the ground and raise all manner of grain. The women were able to create all kinds of fine linen and cloth of every kind. Everyone prospered, which is typical for a people serving the Lord in peaceful times. But then of course, something changes to upset the peace. At least this time it didn’t seem to be my grandfather’s fault.
King Laman died and his son took over the monarchy and he began to stir up the Lamanites. They began preparations for war. As mentioned, Zeniff was a man of war and had been preparing for war both militarily and spiritually. He had set up spies throughout the land of Shemlon to discover the preparations for war so they could be prepared.
By this time my grandfather Zeniff was getting old, yet he, together with all the other old guys and every young man able to bear arms gathered themselves together to go to battle. All of the women and children went into the wilderness to hide. Our people thus went up to battle in the strength of the Lord.
The Lamanites were a frightening sight. They were naked except for a leather girdle about their loins, shaved heads and armed with bows, arrows, swords and cimeters, not to mention stones and slings. The missing weapon was the strength of the Lord. The Lamanites knew nothing of the Lord nor His strength. They depended totally on their own strength – which might I add was great as to the strength of man. Without the Lord, they had become a wild and ferocious and blood-thirsty people. They believed in the tradition of their fathers which had been taught since their departure from Jerusalem 440 years ago.
These descendants of Laman and Lemuel believed they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem not because of the eminent destruction of Jerusalem to preserve the family, but because Lehi and Nephi were wicked and deceptive. They believed they were wronged in the wilderness by Nephi and those that followed him, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea. And they claimed they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea.
They were actually never wronged. We know this all happened because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness.
These, Nephi’s brethren were wroth with him because they didn’t understood the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord. And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him. And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them. So, for over 440 years the Lamanites have taught their children to hate the Nephites, and to murder them, and to rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them. It is amazing how a people can maintain such an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi.
Zeniff, after having told all these things unto his people concerning the Lamanites, he was able to stimulate them to go to battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord. And they went to battle. In the strength of the Lord, they were able to drive the Lamanites out of the land, killing so many that they didn’t even count them. Once the battle was ended, the people returned home and went back to work tending their flocks and tilling the ground.
This was my grandfather’s last battle. He was now too old to reign and so he conferred the kingdom on my father Noah, who now reigns.
Book of Mormon | Mosiah 10:1-22
