Thank you for an excellent article showing a powerful practical application of the burying of weapons! Elder Richard G. Scott explained the meaning of the story in a similar way:
"[S]ometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins. Their past choices had exposed these Ammonite fathers to a carnal appetite that could again become a point of vulnerability that Satan would attempt to exploit.
"These Ammonite fathers ... needed taller and wider fortifications between their faithful lives and the unrighteous behavior of their past. Their sons, who were blessed with righteous traditions, were not as vulnerable to the same temptations. They were able to defend their families faithfully without compromising their spiritual well-being." https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/personal-strength-through-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng&query=Richard+G.+Scott
I believe this is the real purpose of the story - to show what it means to truly repent and forsake sin, and to what extent we should be willing to go to avoid relapses. Some try to interpret the actions of the people of Ammon as a universal condemnation of war and endorsement of pacifism. That is not only incorrect as a matter of doctrine, but it misses the point.
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SteveMay 13, 2015
Thank you for an excellent article showing a powerful practical application of the burying of weapons! Elder Richard G. Scott explained the meaning of the story in a similar way: "[S]ometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins. Their past choices had exposed these Ammonite fathers to a carnal appetite that could again become a point of vulnerability that Satan would attempt to exploit. "These Ammonite fathers ... needed taller and wider fortifications between their faithful lives and the unrighteous behavior of their past. Their sons, who were blessed with righteous traditions, were not as vulnerable to the same temptations. They were able to defend their families faithfully without compromising their spiritual well-being." https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/personal-strength-through-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng&query=Richard+G.+Scott I believe this is the real purpose of the story - to show what it means to truly repent and forsake sin, and to what extent we should be willing to go to avoid relapses. Some try to interpret the actions of the people of Ammon as a universal condemnation of war and endorsement of pacifism. That is not only incorrect as a matter of doctrine, but it misses the point.
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