Sons of Helaman
The Sons of Helaman were a group of 2,060 descendants of the people of Ammon, also known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, who went into battle against the Lamanites to protect their people and the Nephites. They are known as the Sons of Helaman because of their youth and the affection their military leader Helaman had for them.
Their story is told in Alma 53, 56 and 57. After the people of Ammon had been converted unto the Lord and made an oath to not take up arms against their brethren and never shed blood again, circumstances came where they felt compelled to defend themselves against their enemies and break their covenant.
- Behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.
- 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. . . .
- 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.
- 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.[1]
These young warriors, although each injured in battle, were preserved miraculously by God. "They had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."[2]
Numerous general conference talks have been given using their story as examples of faith in God, courage, belief in the teachings of their mothers, valiant parenting, willingness to obey with exactness, and to step-up when situations call for action. See, for example, "Remember the Teachings of Your Father," Elder H. Bryan Richards; "The Greatest Generation of Missionaries," Elder M. Russell Ballard; "A Sin-Resistant Generation," President Joy D. Jones; and "In Support of the Rising Generation," Brother Michael T. Nelson.
