If every man were like unto...

Jacob: "Mom, I want to be like Helaman.  Except....well, can I be an army guy?" 

"You can be an army guy, but you don't have to be an army guy to be like Helaman.  To be like Helaman you can be strong - he was strong physically but he was also strong because he was courageous, faithful and true.  Helaman was a great man because he followed Christ and wanted to be like him.  If you want to be like Helaman, you'll be following Jesus and becoming like him." 

Jacob: "Oh.  Then I want to be like Helaman....and like Moroni."  

I love, love my conversations with Jacob.  From the instant he was born I knew we had a wise spirit in our family.  He is a lot of fun, but he has this inner sense of who he is, what he is striving for, and I pray that he will continue to desire to be like these mighty heroes.  He has become even more interested in them and their lives with his scripture reading - what a blessing!  

Alma 48 

11 And Moroni was a ^astrong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect ^bunderstanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;

 12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the ^awelfare and safety of his people.

 13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had ^asworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto ^aMoroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the ^bdevilwould never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

 18 Behold, he was a man like unto ^aAmmon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.

 19 Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less^aserviceable unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words.