Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 19

Introduction

In the lending profession, an old maxim is that you analyze the “Three C’s of Credit” before giving someone a loan.  Those C’s are character, capital, and capacity.  These essentially mean you have the resources and intention to repay what you borrow.  In today’s economy, the Three C’s may now be crummy job, crummy credit, and crummy collateral.

Today we’re going to discuss Three C’s related to the gospel: covenants, commitment, and consequences.

Alma teaches the baptismal covenant

After fleeing from King Noah’s court, Alma repented of his sins and began secretly teaching Abinadi’s words.  Begin with the following quote describing what a gospel covenant is:

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “A covenant is a contract and an agreement between at least two parties. In the case of gospel covenants, the parties are the Lord in heaven and men on earth. Men agree to keep the commandments and the Lord promises to reward them accordingly” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 91; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1970, 26).

President Smith talks about God “rewarding them accordingly.”  I believe this does not mean “according to what we have earned;” rather it is “according to what He has promised.”

Read Mosiah 18:7-10 and consider the covenant Alma invites his hearers to make.  What qualifications for baptism are taught in these verses?

• Learn about faith and repentance (verse 7)
• Have a desire to be baptized (verse 8)
• Be willing to be called God’s people (verse 8).  Cross reference with Hebrews 8:10.
• Be willing to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those that mourn and comfort those who need comfort (verses 8-9)
• Stand as a witness of God at all times and in all places (verse 9)

What promises does Alma indicate God gives in return?

• We will be redeemed, or brought back (verse 9)
• We will receive eternal life (verse 9)
• We will have his spirit more abundantly (verse 10)

As we do these things as we keep our baptismal covenants, how are we changed?

King Noah betrays his people and is destroyed

At this point in the story, Alma and his people flee into the wilderness and are lost to King Noah and those in the land of Nephi.  The Lamanites invade some time thereafter, the people flee, King Noah is killed by his people because of his selfish leadership, and Noah’s priests escape into the wilderness.  The Nephites are brought into bondage by the Lamanites.  King Noah’s son Limhi becomes the king of the Nephites.  Unlike his father, Limhi is a just man who tries to do what is right.  See Mosiah 19.

Limhi’s people suffer the consequences of their sins

Limhi’s reign in the Land of Nephi seems to have lasted about 20 years.  They were in bondage to the Lamanites during that time, paying a tax to them of one-half of everything they produced.  There were also four wars recorded during this time.

1. The Lamanites start the first war based on a misunderstanding.  What happened?  See Mosiah 20:1-6.
2. Wars 2, 3 and 4 were started by the Nephites who did not want to be in bondage to the Lamanites.  Unfortunately for Limhi’s people, the bondage they were in was a physical sign of the spiritual bondage they had put themselves in.  Just as the power of God is the only way to escape spiritual bondage, His power was the only way they were going to be delivered physically.
3. In addition to the wars, Limhi’s people also suffered the literal fulfillment of Abinadi’s prophecies concerning the consequences of their sins.  Compare Mosiah 21:3-5 with Mosiah 12:2, 4-5.  After failing in their military efforts to escape, they humbled themselves.  Read Mosiah 21:14-15. 

Notice again the consequence they had to endure as pointed out in verses 14-15; God was slow to hear their cries.  Is this because God was mad and wanted them to suffer?  I don’t think that adequately explains this situation.  I believe he was slow to respond to their pleas precisely because he loves them.  Limhi’s people had reached a point of humility where they really wanted to change.  God delayed their deliverance “because of their iniquities” (verse 15).  The change of heart the people needed and wanted was not yet finished.  God had to forebear until the transformation in their hearts had been fully accomplished.

God was not ignoring them during this time of affliction.  He softened the hearts of the Lamanites and Limhi’s people began to “prosper by degrees” (see verses 15-16).  When the change of heart was fully accomplished, God provided a way of escape through Ammon’s arrival and an ingenious plan implemented by Gideon.  See Mosiah 22:3-12.

Alma’s people are smitten and delivered

Now the story turns again to Alma.  Remember that he had been warned to flee with his followers from King Noah.  Compare that with King Noah’s people not having any warning when the Lamanites attacked them in Mosiah 19.

Alma and his people settled in a land they called Helam, where they apparently lived in peace and prosperity for most, if not all, of King Limhi’s reign, so about 20 years.  Once Limhi escaped, the Lamanites chased them until they got lost.  Then they wandered in the wilderness, met Amulon (King Noah’s chief wicked priest) and joined forces, trying to find their way back to the land of Nephi.  Instead they found Alma and his people and put them in bondage.  The consequences Abinadi prophesied were even fulfilled for Alma’s people. 

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Our freedom to choose our course of conduct does not provide personal freedom from the consequences of our performances. God’s love for us is constant and will not diminish, but he cannot rescue us from the painful results that are caused by wrong choices” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1990, 24; or Ensign, Nov. 1990, 20).

Alma’s people were ultimately delivered through the miraculous intervention of God.  But first, they taught us two important principles:

1. Mosiah 23:21-22; compare D&C 95:1-2.  How should we respond when God chastens us?  I was recently visiting with a good friend of mine who is struggling with some personal challenges.  He has prayed for God to solve his problem, and just doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere.  But rather than giving up, getting angry, or blaming God, he pointed out several recent instances where God has answered other prayers he has offered.  This gives him the assurance that God isn’t ignoring him, but that He is very aware of his circumstances.  He still is struggling and doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, but he knows the promises in verse 22 apply to him, and he’s trying to put his trust in God.
2. Mosiah 24:15.  This isn’t easy.  In fact, we spend a lifetime working on this trait.  And God is patient, and will continue to give us challenges and struggles so we can learn to be cheerful.

Conclusion

When we do our best to live up to the covenants we have made with God, he will bless us.  That is a great consequence in our lives!  And when we fall short in our commitments, the consequences are more unpleasant, but even these struggles can help us in our eternal quest to change our natures to become like God.

Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 18

Introduction

Hand out the following pictures before class:

a. Noah preaching to the people (62053; Gospel Art Picture Kit 102)

b. Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt (62100)

c. Lehi warning the people in Jerusalem (62517; Gospel Art Picture Kit 300)

d. Esther going before King Ahasuerus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 125)

e. Abinadi preaching to King Noah (62042; Gospel Art Picture Kit 308)

f. Samuel preaching in Zarahemla (62370; Gospel Art Picture Kit 314)

g. Joseph Smith fulfilling his mission as the Prophet of the Restoration (62470; Gospel Art Picture Kit 403)

Answer the following questions for each person:

1. Who was this person?
2. Was his mission or assignment easy?
3. Was he successful in his mission?

Point out that each person was willing to preach and was successful because of God’s help. 

Abinadi teaches of the Atonement and Law of Moses

In the last lesson, Abinadi warned the people of King Noah to repent, but they rejected him and he fled.  Two years later, he returned and told them that since they had not repented, they would suffer the punishments he had foretold.  Read Mosiah 12:8 – Notice that at this point, some consequences are unavoidable (punishment) but that others are still conditioned on their non-repentance (destruction).  Unfortunately the people still rejected him, bound him, and took him to King Noah where the priests tried to “cross him.”

After trying to trip Abinadi up in his words, one of the priests (maybe this was Alma?) asks him a question.  Read Mosiah 12:20-24.  The priests want Abinadi to explain these verses.  (We’ll discuss what it means later in the lesson.)

Rather than explaining the meaning of this passage, how does Abinadi respond?  See Mosiah 12:25-27.  What does it mean to “apply our hearts to understanding”?

Where did Noah and his priests apply their hearts?  Read Mosiah 12:28-29.

Abinadi explained the purpose of the Law of Moses and how it relates to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and teaches them the Ten Commandments.  He then explains how salvation comes.  Read Mosiah 13:28.  Salvation does not come by the Law of Moses, keeping the Ten Commandments, going home teaching faithfully every month, paying tithing, and every other righteous practice we engage in.  Compare with the Third Article of Faith and 2 Nephi 25:23.

Abinadi teaches the words of Isaiah

In Mosiah 14, Abinadi returns to Isaiah and quotes Isaiah 53.  Read Mosiah 14:3-6, 15:1, 8-9, 18-20.

• Jesus suffered for our sins, and we (using the word “we” as Isaiah does) thought it was his fault he was smitten
• God himself atones for his people.  He does not send anyone else in his place.  (Comment on my discomfort with the question as a missionary of whether we believe Jesus is God.  Now I better understand that of course he is!  There is no other possible way to answer that question.)
• Jesus makes possible the resurrection
• Jesus can intercede for his people and satisfy the demands of justice.  What is justice?
• Distribution of punishment (which we all deserve, but our loving Father would rather not have us suffer)
• Distribution of blessings (which we don’t deserve, but which God wants to give us)
• We will discuss this idea in greater detail when we discuss Alma 42
• Without Jesus’ atonement, we are all hopelessly lost

Abinadi concludes with this admonition in Mosiah 16:13-15.  We can apply this ourselves by repenting, remembering Jesus Christ, and focusing all our teachings on him and his atonement.

Abinadi seals his testimony with his life

Because Abinadi refused to recall his testimony of Jesus Christ, he was killed.  While we are not likely to die for our faith, we need to allow our faith to change our lives.  Quote by President Benson:

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world. Men changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. … Men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. … Their will is swallowed up in His will. (See John 5:30.) They do always those things that please the Lord. (See John 8:29.) Not only would they die for the Lord, but more important they want to live for Him” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1985, 5–6; or Ensign, Nov. 1985, 6).

 

                                                                                             

Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 17

Introduction

Once upon a time, Lehi and Sariah took their family and left Jerusalem.  They settled in the land of Lehi, named after Dad.  Shortly after Lehi died, Nephi took the righteous people who would follow him and went to a new land they named Nephi (Journey 1).  They lived there for about 400 years, until the people living in the land of Nephi became wicked.  Then the Lord commanded the king, named Mosiah, to flee with all the righteous.  (Sounds kind of like what Nephi did, right?)  They arrived at a land called Zarahemla inhabited by the people of Mulek (Journey 2).  Mosiah became king of this group of people, and they called themselves Nephites.  During the reign of King Benjamin, some of the people went back to the land of Lehi/Nephi to inherit the land (Journey 3).  They were led by Zeniff.  About 79 years after that, the Nephites in Zarahemla were curious to know what had happened to Zeniff, so they sent a party headed by a man named Ammon (not the same person who cuts off arms) to find out (Journey 4).

(Click here for the image of the journeys.)

 

 

Ammon finds and teaches Limhi

Ammon and his party arrive at the land of Nephi and find Limhi.  After Limhi learns who they are, he explains that he is really happy to see them because they are in bondage to the Lamanites, and they would rather be slaves to the Nephites.  Limhi also tells Ammon about 24 gold plates they found while searching for the land of Zarahemla to ask for help.  We later learn that these plates belonged to the Jaredites.

Read Mosiah 8:12.  What did Limhi want?  What value is there in the knowledge he sought?  Read verses 13-18 for Ammon’s response.  How do the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve fill the characteristics today that Ammon described?

How have you benefited as you have listened to and followed the counsel of these seers?  Read President Packer quote:

“The scriptures speak of prophets as ‘watch[men] upon the tower’ who see ‘the enemy while he [is] yet afar off’ and who have ‘beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye … [for] a seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people.’

“[Many years ago] the Brethren warned us of the disintegration of the family and told us to prepare. … The weekly family home evening was introduced by the First Presidency. … Parents are provided with excellent materials for teaching their children, with a promise that the faithful will be blessed.

“While the doctrines and revealed organization remain unchanged, all agencies of the Church have been reshaped in their relationship to one another and to the home. … The entire curriculum of the Church was overhauled—based on scriptures. … And years were spent preparing new editions of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. …  

“We can only imagine where we would be if we were just now reacting to [the] terrible redefinition of the family. But that is not the case. We are not casting frantically about, trying to decide what to do. We know what to do and what to teach. …  

“The course we follow is not of our own making. The plan of salvation, the great plan of happiness, was revealed to us, and the prophets and Apostles continue to receive revelation as the Church and its members stand in need of more” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1994, 24–25; or Ensign, May 1994, 20).

Zeniff’s Record

Why did Laman and Lemuel hate Nephi?  (Because Nephi was righteous and they couldn’t stand his good example reminding them that they were not.) 

Why did their children hate the descendants of Nephi?  Review Mosiah 10:11-17.  (Because the children of Laman and Lemuel were taught to hate the Nephites.)  How does the world still show this pattern today?  Do we as individual members of the Church suffer from this same problem?

Read Mosiah 9:1.  Zeniff recognized good in his “enemies.”  How can we honestly do the same?

Read Mosiah 9:3. 

• What were the results of Zeniff’s over-zealousness? 
• What are some dangers of being overzealous, even in a good cause?
• How can we be zealous in the Lord’s work without being overzealous?

What we can learn from Noah

Read Mosiah 11:2, 5-7.  Whose fault was it that the people in general became wicked?  (Both the people and Noah shared this responsibility.)

Given that Zeniff was righteous, and that Noah’s son Limhi turns out to be righteous, I suspect that Noah was at least not too bad to begin.  But, as he became more comfortable with his new power, he became corrupted.  This is not doctrine, just my thought.

• How can we remain righteous in spite of the blessings we are given?

Read Mosiah 11:20-25.  Does Abinadi sound like a seer, as Ammon described him at the beginning of the lesson?

Read verses 26-29.  Why did the people respond this way?  Why were they angry with Abinadi instead of with Noah?  What makes you angry?  Does your anger sound like God’s anger described in verse 20, or Noah’s in verse 27?

Conclusion

Follow the prophet!

Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 16

Introduction

Last week we had Stake Conference.  What were some of the themes you remember from that conference?  I remember the following:

• Family responsibilities
• Importance of temporal preparedness

How were you changed as a result of our conference?  In our last lesson, King Benjamin’s people gathered in a conference-type setting, and they were truly changed as a result.

Benjamin’s people repent

Read Mosiah 4:1-3

What did the people pray for after hearing King Benjamin’s testimony about Jesus Christ?

• To be forgiven of their past sins
• To have their hearts changed so they would not want to sin in the future
• In verse 3 the Spirit of the Lord came upon them and they received these blessings through their faith in Jesus Christ

Read Mosiah 4:6-8.  When we seek to overcome our sins, it is not a matter of “pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps.”  The only way to receive these blessings is through the grace of Jesus Christ and our faith in him.  This is the only way that salvation has ever been provided to God’s children.

King Benjamin mentions several times in these verses the “nothingness” of man; that we are “worthless” and “less than the dust of the earth.”

• Read Helaman 12:4-8.  We are less obedient than the dust of the earth.  God says to the dust, “Move,” and the dust moves.  He says to us, “Move,” and we say, “Why should I?”  “What’s in it for me?”  “I don’t want to; you can’t take away my agency.”  “No.”
• Does this mean that God doesn’t love us and that we are a bother to him?  Absolutely not.  Read Psalms 8:4-5 and John 3:16.

Benjamin describes qualities of the converted

In Mosiah 4:9-16, King Benjamin describes some qualities of a person who has been truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ:

1. Believe in God (verse 9)
2. Sincerely repent (verse 10)
1. Note that the following three verbs in this verse: believe, ask, do.  Compare this with Alma 12:14 where Alma warns Zeezrom that our words, works and thoughts will condemn us.  Here Benjamin teaches us that good thoughts lead to good words and ultimately good works to our salvation.
3. Remember the greatness of God (verse 11)
4. Call upon God daily (verse 11)
5. Be filled with the love of God and retain a remission of our sins (verse 12)
1. How do we retain a remission of our sins?  By developing and exercising faith in Jesus Christ and receiving the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives as discussed in the first verses to this chapter.
6. Live peaceably with others (verse 13)
7. Teach our children to live righteously (verse 14-15)
8. Care for the poor (verse 16)

Benjamin summarizes these main points in verse 30.

Benjamin encourages us to care for the poor

Summarize Mosiah 4:17-22.  Since God gave us everything, it is not our place to claim something is “mine” and refuse to share with our brothers and sisters.  I used to think that verses 23 and 24 let me off the hook:

• In verse 23, King Benjamin clarifies that he has been speaking to those who are rich.  Since I’m obviously not rich, I am exempted from this requirement.  Then I found my favorite definition of rich:  A person is rich when he has enough money to supply his needs, provide for some of his modest wants, and have some left over to save for the future.  While I am not independently wealthy, this definition of rich includes many more people than I had originally thought.
• In verse 24, King Benjamin describes the thoughts that should accompany those who cannot give.  “Piece of cake!” I thought, “I’ll just think that, and I’m okay!”  Then I realized Benjamin requires us to say this in our hearts.  That is entirely different than saying it in our minds.  Mind is simply thinking the words; heart is truly and honestly meaning it.

In all these things, we must be wise.  Read Mosiah 4:27.  You can’t win the marathon in a single sprint, and we don’t help our own salvation by burning ourselves out.  But we also don’t get points for dawdling.  Be diligent!

Benjamin’s people are sanctified and enter a covenant

Read Mosiah 5:2, 5.  I love the phrase “we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”  I believe that is the definition of sanctification. 

Benjamin’s people entered into a gospel covenant similar to our baptismal covenants to love and serve God.  Benjamin encourages them in Mosiah 5:7, 15 to continue faithful that they may receive exaltation.