Alma 56 - 57

The people of Ammon were the converted Lamanites who felt that -

"...since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren." (Book of Mormon Alma 24:12)

And with a covenant -

"...they did bury them up deep in the earth.18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives..." (Book of Mormon Alma 24:17 - 18)

Many years later, at a time when the liberty of the Nephites were at stake, and -

"when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country.14 But...they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had made." (Book of Mormon Alma 53:13 - 14)

"But...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.17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites..." (Book of Mormon Alma 53:16 - 17)

"...there were two thousand of those young men...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...they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him..." (Book of Mormon Alma 53:18 - 21)

"...and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness..." (Book of Mormon Alma 57:21)

And because of their trust, faith, and obedience, one of the greater miracles in scripture is demonstrated. When confronted with their first battle, Helaman asked them -

"...what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?45 And ... never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone..." (Book of Mormon Alma 56:44 - 46)

And how did these young men develop so much faith, Helaman tells us -

"..Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." (Book of Mormon Alma 56:47 - 48)

After their first battle with much slaughter among the Nephite and Lamanite warriors, Helaman recalls -

"...I numbered those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war." (Book of Mormon Alma 56:55 - 56)

After another more intense battle, Helaman marvels -

"...that after the Lamanites had fled, I immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should be dressed.25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power..." (Book of Mormon Alma 57:24 - 26)

Helaman follows with this explanation -

"...Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually." (Book of Mormon Alma 57:27)