They were previously a warlike, bloodthirsty people. Then Jesus Christ changed their lives.
So the newly converted Lamanites showed their dedication to the gospel by burying their weapons of war in a pit. The tools weren’t inherently bad, but had been “the weapons of their rebellion” (Alma 23:13), representing the sins these converts wanted to leave behind.
And notice—they didn’t just spread a little dirt over the weapons so they could easily get them back again if they changed their minds. They buried them “deep in the earth” (Alma 24:17).
They were keeping temptation out of reach!
Elder Dale G. Renlund once used this story to teach that “a half-hearted commitment to our covenants will not guarantee us anything.” When we repent, he said, we mustn’t “bury our weapons of rebellion with the handles sticking out.”1
What sin or bad habit have you buried lately? Burying something deeply takes time and hard work, so be patient with yourself as you go through that repentance process!
Just Keep Trying
Notes
1. From “Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ,” Oct. 2019 general conference.