17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage.
18 Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to defend their country.
19 And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war, and they would that Helaman should be their leader.
20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.
Alma 53: 17-21
One of the most well known and loved stories in the Book of Mormon is that of the two thousand stripling warriors. Upon their conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ, these men's parents had made a covenant to bury their weapons of war and to never pick them up again. Knowing that war was coming and the great loss of life their families faced, these two thousand youth stepped forward and volunteered to provide a defense. I love how these young men are described: youth with extremely valiant courage, strength and activity, who were true to their responsibilities before their God and determined to fight for their country and families. What a great generation! What an outstanding demonstration of commitment to faith.
I often wish that I could have met those boys. The thoughts, "Too bad they no longer exist. Too bad that kind of courage and faith is no longer here," have indeed run through my mind. In many ways that is true. I don't see high school students running out to wage a physical battle. However, since serving in Billings I have seen that they do indeed exist today.
Today we are all part of a different war, a war that President Gordon B. Hinkley says "has gone on since before the world was created and that is likely to continue for a long time. It is a war that reaches beyond questions of territory or national sovereignty... It is the war between truth and error, between agency and compulsion, between the followers of Christ, and those who have denied Him." Just as the stripling warriors of days past, there are many youth today that see the need to rise and take up arms.
Armed with the gospel of the Lord they trust in the promise of Alma that "the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else." (Alma 31:5). In the three months that I have been serving in Billings, Montana I have seen the youth rise up against the force of the adversary, as they valiantly share the gospel. These youth have the courage and understanding to not merely stand up for the truth and the right but to invite others to share in the joy the gospel brings.
Not only have I seen many youth bring a friend to church, but they have extended their work to the faltering and lost, building them up and lending support. The reach of these warriors is extensive and still expanding. As a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have been called up to battle in the Lord's Army. These youth are joining me, standing tall and proclaiming with Helamen's two thousand "behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay [the adversary] if [he] would let us alone; therefore let us go." (Alma 56:46). They truly are Billing's Stripling Warriors and I could not ask for any better comrades.
