Today’s Reading: 3 Nephi 3
12. Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord forstrength against the time that the robbers should come down against them.
In conversations with friends and family I tend to be soft-spoken. I try to get my point across as peacefully as possible. There are times when I do have strong feelings about something and I am bold while trying to be as non-offensive as possible. So I am completely shocked by the audacious manner that evil Giddianhi makes demands of innocent Lachoneus in his epistle. Astonishing phrases like these:
- “As if ye were supported by the hand of a god”
- “Wrongs which you have done unto [the Gadianton robbers]”
- “That ye be so foolish and vain”
- “Your firmness is that which you “believe” to be right”
- “[My evil] society and works thereof I know to be good”
These are the blatant lies Giddianhi uses to support his threats! It is crazy. It is deceitful. It is wrong. It is frightening. However Lachoneus clearly and immediately separates the truth from the error. He could see Giddianhi wanted to avenge “the wrongs of those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves.” Not only does Lachoneus choose not be frightened but he recognizes the seriousness of the situation and gets to work preparing his people.
Because Lachoneus could not be frightened he gave critical counsel to the people:
- Cry unto the Lord for strength
- Gather together
- Build fortifications and place guards up day and night
- Repent of ALL your iniquities
I have found myself feeling frightened with all the daily attacks, deceit, and bold rudeness that affects me, my family, my close friends, and society. So many are deceived. It is so easy to lose hope. Think how easy it would have been for Lachoneus to feel overwhelmed by the boldness and rudeness of Giddianhi and the sheer numbers of the robbers and terror that they represented. But he didn’t even fear!! He got to work. He prayed to the Lord. He strengthened their walls and put up guards. He repented of all his iniquities. He got the people to do those things. What a power formula. Those are things I can do in my life. Today. Right now.
President Howard W. Hunter said,
“Fear . . . is a principal weapon in the arsenal that Satan uses to make mankind unhappy. He who fears loses strength for the combat of life in the fight against evil. Therefore, the power of the evil one always tries to generate fear in human hearts. . . .
. . . A timid, fearing people cannot do their work well, and they cannot do God’s work at all. Latter-day Saints have a divinely assigned mission to fulfill that simply must not be dissipated in fear and anxiety.”
Yes there are those who are really angry with that which is good (2 Nephi 28:21). They deny God’s power (2 Nephi 28:26). We are not those people. We know and love and worship an all-powerful God. We don’t need to fear when we are in the right, when we are on the Lord’s side. We really don’t. We do need to pray, unite, do all in our power, and repent.
Spoiler alert—Lachoneus and his people did defeat those awful Gaddianton Robbers. It took a few years (about six), but all were captured, converted or dead. There is hope! Fear not and get to work.
Lani was blessed to be born in Hawaii, raised in San Diego, live on the east and west coast, and to have traveled extensively throughout the world. She loves being a mom (98% of the time) to six super children, a wife, & a student and teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lani is a marriage and family educator, avid runner, hiker, and maker of smoothies, salsa, and hummus. She writes books, speaks at EFY and Education Week, and is trying to master the vital skill of not taking on too much.