[MUSIC PLAYING]

Captain Moroni, a message.

It is from Helaman.

My dearly beloved brother, Moroni, I have somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the land.

Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon brought down out of the land of Nephi — Now ye have known that these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our father Lehi;

And ye also know concerning the covenant which their fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war against their brethren

to shed blood.

But when they saw our afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons

of war in our defence.

Should we take up arms in the defence of our country?

But I would not suffer them that they should break this covenant which they had made.

Please, do not break your oath.

I fear lest by so doing

you will lose your souls.

God will strengthen us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the fulfilling the oath which you have taken.

I have not made the covenant, father.

I will defend us against our enemies.

We are Nephites.

I will go as well.

I covenant that I will protect the land unto the laying down of my life.

I covenant that I will never give up our liberty, but will fight to protect the Nephites and ourselves from bondage!

[MULTIPLE PEOPLE TALKING]

Will you lead us?

I will lead you.

Put your trust in God.

If you do not doubt, God will deliver you.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

I will go.

Father, we kneel before thee...

As they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of time also a great support.

...that we may support them.

Father, we ask they that as they go out to fight...

Two thousand of these young men have taken their weapons of war, and we have

come forth to defend our country.

I did march at the head of these young men to the city of Judea… Onward!

...to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people of that part of the land.

New forces and supplies!

Open the gate.

I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to be called

sons) to the army of Antipus.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Helaman,

I rejoice at your arrival.

My army has been reduced by the Lamanites.

They have died in the cause of their God.

We are determined to conquer in this place or die.

These sons of yours give us great hopes and much joy.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

They were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought

valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Hold tight. Hold tight. Now wrap it around here.

Now underneath.

When the Lamanites saw that Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were compelled to not come against the city of Judea, or against us, to battle.

We were favored of the Lord; for had they come upon us in this our weakness they might have perhaps destroyed our little army; but thus were we preserved.

And thus we had prepared our city and ourselves for defence.

Just like that.

We were desirous that the Lamanites should come upon us; for we were not desirous to make an attack upon them in their strongholds.

One.

Two.

Three.

Here’s your sword, alright?

Now you are ready to go.

See him?

Good job. Getting ready.

One. Two. Three. [MEN GRUNTING]

One. Two. Three. [MEN GRUNTING]

The Lamanites are coming! No!

Open the gates!

Open the gates!

And now it came to pass, there was brought unto us many provisions from

the fathers of those my two thousand sons. Father!

My father!

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and provisions arrive for our support, began to be fearful, and began to sally forth.

When we saw that the Lamanites began to grow uneasy on this wise, we were desirous to bring a stratagem into effect upon them.

Therefore Antipus ordered that I should march forth with my little sons as if we were carrying provisions to a neighboring city.

Antipus did march forth with a part of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city.

But he did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army, and came near the city Antiparah.

In the city Antiparah were stationed the strongest army of the

Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.

When they had been informed by their spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.

We did flee before them, northward.

And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the Lamanites.

When they saw the army of Antipus pursuing them, they did not turn to the right nor to the left… Faster!

...but pursued their march in a straight course after us, to slay us

before Antipus should overtake them.

Helaman’s sons are in danger! Quickly!

They did not overtake us, neither did Antipus overtake them; therefore we did camp for the night.

Helaman.

They have stopped for the night.

Let us give thanks to the Lord.

O Lord our God, we thank thee...

...please bless our sons and brothers.

We know that thou, God, will deliver them.

Please watch over them and protect them.

The Lamanites are upon us!

We are not strong enough to contend with them; and I will not have you fall into

their hands.

Continue the march.

The Lamanites durst not turn to the right nor to the left lest they should be surrounded;

neither would I turn to the right nor to the left lest they should overtake me.

And we could not stand against them, but be slain,

and they would make their escape.

And thus we did flee all that day into the wilderness, even until it was dark.

And we know, Lord, that Thou wilt deliver us.

We do not doubt what our mothers taught us.

The Lamanites are upon us!

The Lamanites are upon us.

Wake up!

Let’s go!

Father!

They no longer pursue us.

Have they been overtaken by Antipus?

We know not.

We know not but they have halted for the purpose that we should come against them that they might catch us in their snare.

What say ye, my sons,

will ye go against them to battle?

Father,

our God is with us, and He will not suffer that we should fall.

We would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone.

We have never fought, yet we do not fear death; and we think more upon the liberty of our fathers than we do our lives. We have been taught by our mothers, that if we do not

doubt, God will deliver us.

We do not doubt our mothers knew it! Yeah!

Let us go against the Lamanites!

Yeah!

[BATTLE SOUNDS]

They have fallen upon Antipus.

Go!

[BATTLE SOUNDS]

We did surround the Lamanites; yea, insomuch that they were compelled

to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves as prisoners of war.

[CROWD CHEERING]

When they had surrendered themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.

How many?

How many have fallen in death?

Not one soul has fallen.

How many?

None have fallen.

None have fallen.

None have fallen.

To my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth.

You have fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength.

We did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength

that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our

possessions, for the support of our people.

My little band did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness;

yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them;

and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

This was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young,

and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually.

And the Lord has supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain.

They have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free.

They are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day;

yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come.

May the Lord our God, who has redeemed us

and made us free, keep you continually

in his presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the Lamanites have taken

from us, which was for our support.

And thus Helaman closed his epistle.

[CROWD CHEERING]

For our families, our liberty, our God!

Our families, our liberty, our God!