Mormon’s metaphor uses armed conflict to teach all of us how to return to stand clean before the judgement bar of Jesus Christ (Mormon 3:20-22). That metaphor emphasizes three key parts: preparation, covenants, and unity. This episode discuss

10.1 Summary of Military Lessons

Nov 29th, 2022 39m 52s

This penultimate episode is a summary of the major military lessons from the previous 47 episodes of this podcast series.

Part 9.3 5th Post-Visit War and Battle Analysis: Battle of Hill Cumorah

Nov 18th, 2022 39m 33s

Mormon returned to command the Nephite armies as the fifth and final war raged on. Facing defeat, he invited the Lamanite king to a final battle at the Hill Cumorah. There, in what may have been the largest battle in the history of the wester

9.2 Post-Visit Wars

Oct 7th, 2022 38m 26s

Mormon commanded during four different wars. This episode discusses the first three of those wars. Mormon does not give us much detail as he wanted to emphasize the positive and successful approach to God demonstrated by people like Alma, Mor

9.1 Inter-State War Returns

Sep 18th, 2022 49m 3s

Mormon begins his personal story with the return of war after an absence of nearly 300 years. This episode addresses six areas that are unique to Mormon’s time and experience and that can inform each of us about our world and how to better exi

8: Understanding Conflict Immediately Before, During, and After the Visit of Jesus Christ

Aug 6th, 2022 34m 35s

Mormon places two extremes in immediate juxtaposition in the Book of Mormon. In the previous episode, I discussed the Consolidated Settlement – a period of unique and nearly complete physical, organizational, and social unity. In this episode

7.6: Success through Unity: The Gadianton Robber War: Consolidated Settlement Campaign

Jun 30th, 2022 1h 10m

The Nephites and Lamanites unite in a single body to fight a poetically equally united group of Gadianton Robbers. This is the giant showdown where united good fights united evil. Mormon teaches about the power of good the comes from unity an

7.5: Missionaries as the Ideal Inter-State Soldiers

Jun 6th, 2022 21m 40s

The two brothers – Nephi and Lehi – did more as missionaries to the Lamanites to end war, return lost lands, and transform a seemingly intractable opponent than did all of the Nephite armies even though they were led by a prophet-warrior like M

7.4: The Dual Dissension and the Loss of Zarahemla

May 8th, 2022 31m 28s

The single biggest Nephite military loss takes place under the command of Moronihah and the leadership of Nephi IV during the 58th and 59th year of the reign of the judges when the Nephites lose everything south of the land Bountiful. Mormon g

7.3: Helaman Chapter One and the Foreshadowing of Change

Apr 11th, 2022 30m 43s

Helaman chapter one introduces the reader to the sea change that is coming in a form of foreshadowing. The chapter begins with a story of the creation of the first band of Gadianton Robbers and then ends with fighting between Nephites and a La

7.2 Secret Combinations

Feb 21st, 2022 36m 55s

This episode is a general overview of what secret combinations are in the Book of Mormon, how they were organized and developed, how Nephite and Lamanite societies fought both successfully and unsuccessfully against them, and the significance o

7.1 Moronihah and the Transition in Command

Dec 27th, 2021 17m 44s

Moronihah is a fascinating character in that he is the longest serving Nephite military commander in the pre-Christ era and yet we know very little about him as compared to his father. This episode provides some insights into what we do know a

6.12 Nephite Eastern Campaign—Final Reconquest: Battle Analysis: 2nd Battle of Moroni and Summary of the Amalickiahite War

Nov 28th, 2021 37m 39s

This is the final episode dealing with the second great sermon from the prophet Mormon: The Amalickiahite War. This episode includes a discussion of the 2nd Battle of Moroni, the deadly adventure of the Nephite commander Teancum, and a summary

6.11 Nephite Eastern Campaign—Final Reconquest: Battle Analyses: Battle of Chance Encounter and 2nd Battle of Nephihah

Oct 12th, 2021 44m 4s

The penultimate episode of the Amalickiahite War discusses two different battles that capture very different styles of fighting and different aspects of preparation, covenants, and unity. The episode includes the first detailed discussion of Ne

6.10 2nd King-Men Dissention Campaign

Sep 20th, 2021 34m 18s

The majority of this episode features a discussion on the two epistles sent from and received by Moroni and how those letters are instruction for readers of the Book of Mormon on leadership responsibilities and leadership reactions to criticism

6.9 Nephite Eastern Campaign—Initial Reconquest: Battle Analysis: 2nd Battle of Gid

Aug 16th, 2021 44m 43s

This is the best jailbreak story ever. Moroni led an army to capture a city and release prisoners and he did all of this without losing a single soldier dead or apparently wounded on either side. It includes spies, deception, getting people dr

6.8 Nephite Western Campaign—Reconquest: Battle Analysis: 3rd Battle of Manti

Jul 23rd, 2021 42m 21s

Helaman puts all of his experiences together to generate his greatest military victory yet. He acts like he is laying siege to trick his opponent to come out of the city and attack him. He runs away and then sneaks back to have captured the ci

6.7 Nephite Western Campaign—Reconquest: Battle Analysis: 2nd and 3rd Battles of Cumeni

Jul 11th, 2021 49m 12s

A close passive siege, prisoner escape, the possibility of highly disciplined formations, and the capture of another Lamanite controlled city are part of this episode that features Helaman and his 2,000 (actually 2,060) Stripling Warriors goin

6.6 Nephite Eastern Campaign—Initial Reconquest

Jun 19th, 2021 56m 30s

The most complex battle in the Book of Mormon record is the 3rd Battle of Mulek. It also includes the biggest names in Book of Mormon warfare: Moroni, Lehi, and Teancum. These three men never lost a battle they personally commanded and this ba

6.5 Nephite Western Campaign—Reconquest

May 31st, 2021 53m 40s

The single most relayed battle of the Book of Mormon is the Battle of Antipus’ Fall or what you might call the Battle of the 2000 Stripling Warriors. This is one of the most detailed battles in the record and clearly one of the most important

6.4 Lamanite Western Campaign—Capture Zarahemla

May 3rd, 2021 30m 27s

The first and maybe only time in the Book of Mormon where the Lamanites conduct a multi-theater strategy. This time under the leadership of Ammoron, the previously unknown brother of Amalickiah.

6.3 Amalickiah’s Eastern Campaign – Capture Bountiful

Apr 26th, 2021 56m 39s

The most successful Lamanite campaign sought to capture Bountiful and surround the Nephites. Instead, it ended with the assassination of the Lamanite King Amalickiah and Bountiful protected by Teancum and his army.

6.2 1st King-Men Dissention Campaign

Mar 28th, 2021 38m 12s

What happens when a sub-group of a society hates the organization, structure, and institutions of that society? In the Book of Mormon, we have three different approaches to answering this question. The first were the anti-Christs – people and

6.1 Battle Analysis: 2nd Battle of Noah

Mar 21st, 2021 58m 23s

The 2nd Battle of Noah is a wonderful discussion of the first and only detailed expression of a city assault in the Book of Mormon. This is also the best expression of strategic and operational empathy recorded in the Book of Mormon and one of

5.6 Moriantonite Dissention Campaign of the Amalickiahite War

Mar 9th, 2021 37m 2s

Teancum is introduced as well as an expression of Nephite strategic thought – don’t be surrounded by your enemies. This battle analysis is a bit outside the chronological order for the Amalickiahite War, but addressing it now allows for more d