Alma 49:2

And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast up dirt round about to shield them from the arrows and the stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and with arrows.

The "war chapters" of Alma are rich with metaphors. In this case Moroni used wisdom in strengthening the weakest cities. We should likewise recognize our weaknesses and try to strengthen ourselves in these areas. Satan certainly knows our weaknesses, and he will strike us first in our most vulnerable spots. If he succeeds once, he will keep picking at that scab. He may win a battle, but if we are wise and seek God's strength to shore up our weaknesses, Satan will not win the war. Properly prepared and defended, we can turn away his attacks and disappoint him.

Alma 26:35

Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

Can we not all boast of our God and his marvelous attributes? If we do not feel to praise him and thank him all the time, it is because we are not paying attention. We are too caught up in our busy lives to notice the miracles and tender mercies that occur all around us throughout our days and in all our doings. If we could just stop occasionally and be still, as God has commanded us, we would know indeed that he is God.

Mosiah 20:22

And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.

Wisdom is situational. Is it not better to die than to live in bondage? For some, perhaps. Limhi's people, however, needed to repent. Repentance may feel sometimes like bondage as we make the effort to make amends and change our habits and even our nature. But better to make the effort and hope for salvation than to give up and lose the opportunity for eternal life.

Mosiah 17:12

But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king. Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain.

We ought to be careful about the people with whom we surround ourselves. Noah chose wicked men as his counselors. When he might have done the right thing, his friends talked him out of it. It is hard enough to walk the strait and narrow path of discipleship when your friends are cheering you on. It is impossible when the people around you intentionally try to steer you in the wrong direction. We are to be familiar with all and a genuine friend to every person. But we must be careful who we listen to.

Mosiah 4:27

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

The Lord's plan for caring for the poor is organized. He is not talking about giving to every panhandler, but to give in an organized and sustainable way. The "fast offering" is the order by which the Latter-day Saints keep this commandment. Once a month we fast for two meals and give the equivalent, or more, to the church to use to help the poor. When I was in high school and my dad was laid up in the VA hospital for a year, we needed help from the church, and it came through the fast offerings. I know this program works.

Jacob 6:12

O be wise; what can I say more?

Jacob could not tell his people all the ways to be good, anymore than he could tell them all the ways they could sin. We need to be as inventive in our righteousness as we are in our sinning.

Second Nephi 9:28-29

O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

Knowledge and wisdom are not the same things. One can have vast knowledge of facts, but not know how to apply those facts to make a better life. We cannot be saved in ignorance, but neither can we save ourselves through our own intellectual powers. We must know whom we worship and through whom salvation comes. Sometimes we can be just too smart for our own good. Werner Heisenberg said, “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass, God is waiting for you.”