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MONROE, Ga. — Seminary teacher Rachel Murphy's armor of God challenge started with just one LDS seminary class, but now, it has unified seminary students in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world.
Last October, Murphy read a quote by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that inspired her to issue the challenge. The quote compared chain mail to spiritual armor.
".. it has been my experience that there is not one great and grand thing we can do to arm ourselves spiritually," Ballard said. "True spiritual power lies in numerous smaller acts woven together in a fabric of spiritual fortification that protects and shields from all evil."
Early the next morning, Murphy was teaching her high school students in Monroe, Georgia and challenged them to come up with 100 different ways to put on the armor of God, write them on strips of paper and link them together in a chain. They were excited and quickly worked together to accomplish the challenge, Murphy said.
Murphy then issued the challenge to over 100 other seminary teachers via Facebook, asking that they send the completed links to her. Two weeks later, the packages and envelopes started arriving and have continued to arrive long after the original Dec. 1 deadline. Her laundry room became the storage place for these packages stacked now from floor to ceiling, Murphy said.
"You wouldn't think of a laundry room as a holy place, but when I come in here I feel the spirit so strong," Murphy said.
Along with the links came pictures and stories of how the experience affected those involved.
Since each class was asked to come up with 100 links, they were forced to dig deeper than the usual answers of saying prayers, reading the scriptures and going to church.
A letter that arrived from the Netherlands was from a single seminary student and her mother and teacher, Debbi Jones. The links are a good example of how the students were forced to dig deeper for their armor of God links.
"When asked to do something, I do it. People can rely on me," one of the links read.
Another package from Stefani Meyers' seminary in Hollister, California, came with a letter and a picture describing her class's experience with the challenge. They watched an LDS video showing the importance of keeping your armor on. In the video, one soldier keeps his armor on while getting a drink of water and the other removes his armor. They are attacked and the one without armor is shot with an arrow. The daughter of the actor who took off his armor was in that California seminary class, and she was chosen to put on the armor for the class that day. It was a moving experience for the student, teacher and class.
The youths in the Monroe seminary class have loved being a part of this challenge, they said.
"I have grown spiritually and have gotten closer with my fellow youth along the way. Can't wait to see what the future holds," Monroe seminary student Kennan Bell said.
The students have participated by opening packages and assembling the links. As they have read the stories and seen the pictures of the other seminaries involved, they have felt bonds with these other youths around the world.
"What has been cool is seeing all of the different replies from throughout the world," Weston Allred said.
Murphy has loved seeing the impact of this challenge on her class.
The challenge seems to have brought the world's seminaries together with the singleness of mind to find ways to protect oneself against the cunning entrapments of the devil.
–Nathan Embry, Monroe seminary student
"It has given them the feeling of being part of something special and they are glad they started it," Murphy said. "The experience has filled everyone involved with the sense of unity. Whether they are one of three seminary students in England or one of 35 in Nevada, they know through this experience that they are not alone."
The outpouring of involvement and the spirit has led Murphy to her knees many times to pray for those students who are involved in the experience. She said she has even hugged the packages, wishing that she could be hugging each one of these teens around the world.
The students are faced with their own trials, and the challenge has allowed them to find ways to protect themselves.
"The challenge seems to have brought the world's seminaries together with the singleness of mind to find ways to protect oneself against the cunning entrapments of the devil," Monroe student Nathan Embry said.
At last count, more than 1,000 seminary students in the United States, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, England and Japan have participated. The current number of chain links is over 10,000 and the chain is longer than a half mile according to Murphy.
If you would like to participate, contact Rachel Murphy at Rachelmurphysoprano@Gmail.com.
For more updates, go to the Facebook page.
On Jan. 24, participants will be making a film in Georgia to commemorate the experience. The video will include the finalization of the chain and show how the armor of God challenge has impacted those involved.
