I am so tired I’m about to fall over, but it was a good day.

(Read and Follow the Directions)

During their time of peace, Captain Moroni spent time “fortifying the line” against enemy attacks. I had never thought about this before, but it seems like we may find ourselves in a situation where we might wish we had fortified the line between the way we teach our families to live, and the way the world seems to push them. Or maybe we have personal weaknesses that are considered socially acceptable, but we know make us vulnerable to doing things we will regret. It’s important to fortify those boundaries in order to withstand attacks from those who would see us brought into physical or spiritual bondage.

I’ve been trying to identify ways to fortify this metaphorical line. One way I do this personally, is to play or sing music that encourages me or helps me remember who I am. I try to read uplifting things that help me find spiritual and emotional empowerment — scriptures, books, or stories about others who have overcome difficult things. For our families, in addition to family prayer, family scriptures, and family home evening, I think we might consider teaching principles of honest, hard work, and a cheerful attitude. Learning and teaching our children how to use their intellectual skills to analyze the different messages that media is sending to them, also empowers our children (as well as ourselves!). We can play uplifting music in our homes, and set clear limits for behavior. Giving service to others in need also seems to offer a protective benefit.

Book of Mormon, Alma 50

10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of their enemies. 11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure.