They have come to be known as the Stripling Warriors. And, it the annuals of war, some will say theirs is among the most striking of victories, for not a one of them died. Nay, nary a one.
Helaman, he was their captain. But, this is a story more about how their mothers led them than how Helaman led them. Let us start not at the beginning of the story, but in the middle, where they were confronted with the prospect of going to battle and the possibility of being slaughtered. Well, they chose to fight, saying, their mothers had taught them that if they did not doubt, the Lord would deliver them. They rehearsed the words of their mothers to Helaman, and said, "We do not doubt that our mothers knew it."
Now we shall turn back to the beginning of our story. We shall tell you how there was a people, called the people of Ammon, who had covenanted not to take up weapons of war. They had been converted to the gospel, and laid down their weapons of war. They left the people they were part of, and went to live with a people who were enemies to that people.
These were the Lamanites and the Nephites. The people of Ammon fled the one, and joined the other. Then, when the Lamanites came upon the Nephites to war, the Nephites were obliged to fight the war alone, without the help of the People of Ammon, due to their covenant not to fight.
That is, until the 2000 Stripling Warriors enter our story.
It being the parents who had made the covenant not to fight, the sons were not so bound. So, they took up arms in defense of their country. Led by Helaman, they made their way to the city of Judea. There, they tossed in with the army of Antipus. The Lamanite warriors in that part of the land controlled a number of cities, with a large number of them at Antiparah.
As the Lamanites saw the Nephites gaining strength, what with the 2000 Stripling Warriors and then provisions sent from the parents of those 2000 Stripling Warriors, and then with 2000 more men sent from the land of Zarahemla, these Lamanites were getting nervous.
And, the Nephites saw that this nervousness might help entice the Lamanites out of their strongholds so they could fight them.
Helaman's little band was sent as a lure, sent to pass by the city of Antiparah as if they were delivering provisions to another city. The Lamanites took the bait, came out to pursue the Lamanites, and the chase was on. In front, the 2000 Stripling Warriors, few enough in number that mathematically, the Lamanites should defeat them. Chasing them, the Lamanites. And, chasing the Lamanites, Antipus with his warriors.
The chase continued through the day until night-time, when they paused for sleep, only to resume the chase the next day. And, the chase continued all the next day, with no one catching the other, so it was interrupted by camping for another night. Again, the chase continued that next morning.
But not for long.
Helaman's little troop could tell the Lamanites had halted. What to do, then. Should they continue a head and escape? Or, should they turn about and pursue the Lamanites, as perhaps Antipus and the Lamanites were battling?
Helaman left the decision in the hands of his young warriors. "What say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?" he asked.
"Father," they replied, "Behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall."
They had never fought in all their lives, yet they backed not down against the moment. They did not fear death. Says the record from Helaman, "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."
Helaman's 2000 Stripling Warriors turned and fought. They entered the fray as the forces of Antipus were about to fall before the Lamanites. The 2000 Stripling warriors hit the Lamanites with such force, that the Lamanites turned their whole force upon the Helaman's little force, which gave Antipus's force pause to regroup and come upon the rear of the Lamanites. With the Stripling Warriors on one side, and the forces of Antipus on the other, the Lamanites were surrounded, and forced to surrender. And, thus ended the battle.
When the dead were counted, not a one of the 2000 Stripling Warriors were among them.
Helaman's little band was sent as a lure, sent to pass by the city of Antiparah as if they were delivering provisions to another city. The Lamanites took the bait, came out to pursue the Lamanites, and the chase was on. In front, the 2000 Stripling Warriors, few enough in number that mathematically, the Lamanites should defeat them. Chasing them, the Lamanites. And, chasing the Lamanites, Antipus with his warriors.
The chase continued through the day until night-time, when they paused for sleep, only to resume the chase the next day. And, the chase continued all the next day, with no one catching the other, so it was interrupted by camping for another night. Again, the chase continued that next morning.
But not for long.
Helaman's little troop could tell the Lamanites had halted. What to do, then. Should they continue a head and escape? Or, should they turn about and pursue the Lamanites, as perhaps Antipus and the Lamanites were battling?
Helaman left the decision in the hands of his young warriors. "What say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?" he asked.
"Father," they replied, "Behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall."
They had never fought in all their lives, yet they backed not down against the moment. They did not fear death. Says the record from Helaman, "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."
Helaman's 2000 Stripling Warriors turned and fought. They entered the fray as the forces of Antipus were about to fall before the Lamanites. The 2000 Stripling warriors hit the Lamanites with such force, that the Lamanites turned their whole force upon the Helaman's little force, which gave Antipus's force pause to regroup and come upon the rear of the Lamanites. With the Stripling Warriors on one side, and the forces of Antipus on the other, the Lamanites were surrounded, and forced to surrender. And, thus ended the battle.
When the dead were counted, not a one of the 2000 Stripling Warriors were among them.
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