Alma 53–63

“Preserved by His Marvelous Power”

When compared with the Lamanite armies, Helaman’s “little army” (Alma 56:33) of 2,000 young Nephites shouldn’t have stood a chance. Besides being few in number, Helaman’s soldiers “were all … very young,” and “they never had fought” (Alma 56:46–47). In some ways, their situation might seem familiar to those of us who sometimes feel outnumbered and overwhelmed in our latter-day battle against Satan and the forces of evil in the world.

But the army of Helaman had some advantages over the Lamanites that had nothing to do with numbers or military skill. They chose Helaman, a prophet, to lead them (Alma 53:19); “they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them” (Alma 56:47); and they had “exceeding faith in that which they had been taught.” As a result, they were protected by “the miraculous power of God” (Alma 57:26). Even though they were all wounded in battle, “there was not one soul of them who did perish” (Alma 57:25). So when life inflicts spiritual wounds on each of us, we can take courage—the message of Helaman’s army is that “there [is] a just God, and whosoever [does] not doubt, [will] be preserved by his marvelous power” (Alma 57:26).

Here is the letter someone wrote about their mom. Thought I’d include it.

“My mom is someone who knows how to talk to the Lord. As we grew up, we always knew where to find mom in the morning if she was missing and it was quiet; in her bedroom, kneeling in prayer. If we were lucky, we could slide between her arms and get a back scratch while we waited for her to finish her prayer (which means we would be there a while!) My mom showed me there was nothing the Lord didn’t care to hear or help her work out. 

All throughout my life, I knew I had my mom praying for me over the things I shared with her (and probably the worries of her heart over the things she knew I wasn’t saying). As I became a mom her prayers took on an even more powerful influence in my life. I would tell my mom (and my sister, whose like a second mom) things that were going on with me or one of my boys, and I could feel the power of her prayer almost immediately. I would ask, “you’ve been praying for me about this, haven’t you?” And sure enough she’d say, “of course I am!” And I would tell her the little miracle I witnessed because of her willingness to plead with the Lord on my behalf. 

I have had years of watching my mother pray like this, and I am not surprised at all that one of the things I feel like I can bear testimony of the most is that GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS PRAYERS. My mom is a powerful influence of faith and virtue, and when I struggle, I know I can lean on her and say, “I do not doubt my mother knows it.”