epitaph

In reading my scriptures and studying the themes I find I have been able to keep a few chapters ahead of the Sunday School lesson plans. Last week I had a poignant comment to make in the class, but I was a visitor in my parent’s ward and none of the discussion seemed to be going towards a good segway for my ideas to be shared. So I’ll share them here.
There are a few epitaphs listed in the end of Mosiah and the beginning of Alma that serve as examples for us. The epitaphs listed each give short and direct statement as to the life and character of the deceased. First, in Mosiah 29:45 Alma is remembered as “having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.” Next, in Alma, Mosiah’s epitaph reads “having warred a good warfare, walking uprightly before God.” When Nehor’s death is mentioned in only says, “he suffered an ignominious death.” And when Alma (the younger) slays Amilici he doesn’t get a remembrance, only that he was slayed by the sword. The words of tribute are clearly endearing for the men who served their lives in the service of their Lord and are justly opposite for the men who spent their lives in the destruction of souls. It therefore is fitting that a few chapters later, in Alma 5 that the process for salvation and righteous living with the blessings of repentant souls is clearly outlined. I believe the Book of Mormon defines the path to eternal life through the examples of the lives lead in ancient times with the untainted gospel directly written by the righteous. I know the scriptures are true.
Further, on the note of epitaphs I want mine to read: “Few have lived a life as full as Jamie _____…” I am stealing that phrase from Winston Churchill who wrote the same about Henry II, an amazing ruler who picked up the English crown from battle field to claim the throne for the Plantagenet family.