That Old Familiar Feeling

I'm feeling patriotic again. This time I can add to the time of year and that Derek's in the Army that I also just finished reading Alma in the Book of Mormon. What a patriotic book! Full of defending the cause of freedom. So I thought I would just pay a little respect to one of the greatest Book of Mormon heroes: Moroni.

Alma 46:12
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
Alma 48:10-14; 17
10 And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians.

11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;

12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.

13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

What a great man. From here to the end of his life, he "labors without ceasing" to preserve the liberty and freedoms of a frequently ungrateful and unwilling people. He never tires, even though at times he must feel as if he is working for a lost cause: not only are they going against a formidable enemy, but he and the other leaders are dealing with treachery among their own people. If the Nephites were united, it might have been so much easier to bear the burden. How difficult; but how much greater the man because of the difficulties he was up against! In the face of so much opposition, he still stood strong and immovable, he was steadfast in his fight for liberty, for his family, his land and his right to worship God as he deemed right! What a worthy cause!

I would that all men could be like unto Moroni. But I'll do what I can: work to become something of a shadow of what he was.