Ministering To The Anti-Nephi-Lehies
Helaman next appears in Alma chapter 53, in the 26th year of the reign of the judges (circa 66 BC), trying to persuade the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, also known as Ammonites, not to take up arms. Years earlier, upon their conversion to the gospel of Christ, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had made an oath to God that they "never would use weapons again for the shedding of man's blood". The Nephites and the Lamanites were presently embroiled in war, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies wished to join the conflict and fight alongside the Nephites. However, to do so would mean breaking the oath which they had made. Helaman "feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls". Overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies resigned themselves to being spectators in the conflict.
However, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had many sons who, unlike their fathers, had never entered into a covenant not to take up weapons of war. These sons also wished to fight for the Nephites and, furthermore, to have Helaman as their leader. With no oath restricting them, and with the Nephites in desperate circumstances, they were permitted. There is no indication prior to this in the text that Helaman had any military training whatsoever, and indeed he may not have. Certainly the sons of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had no fighting experience. Regardless, through this interesting turn of events Helaman left the Anti-Nephi-Lehies marching at the head of an army of two thousand soldiers.LDS leader Richard J. Maynes cited this entire episode in a General Conference as containing good examples of covenant-keeping behavior.
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