Dear Family and Friends
How are each of you doing in your various parts of the world? I pray that each one of you are healthy and doing well. Are you physically healthy? I am sure that each one of you are doing your very best to stay physically healthy and safe. What about your Spirit -- are you making sure that your spirit is getting well fed and protected from illnesses?
Have you thought about becoming spiritually strong? Do you and your family members and friends each know what to do to stay spiritually strong? In what ways are you and your family members and friends staying spiritually safe and healthy? What are some things that you and your family members and friends can do to keep your spirit healthy?
What can you do to help your family members and friends to become spiritually strong? How can you inspire one another to be continually preparing for spiritual battles.This section comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me manual:
The accounts in Alma 53-63 can help you see the consequences of living gospel truths or rejecting them, As you read Alma 53-63, record promptings and ponder ways you can live the truths you learn.
When compared with the Lamanite armies, Helaman’s “little army” (Alma 56:33) ond 2,000 young Nephites shouldn’t have stood a chance. Besides being few in number, Helaman’s soldiers “were all … very young,” and “they had never fought” (Alma 56: 46-47) n some ways, their situation might seem familiar to those of us who sometimes feel outnumbered and overwhelmed in our latter-day battle against Satan and the forces of evil in the world.
But the army of Helaman had some advantages over the Lamanites that had nothing to do with numbers or military skill. They chose Helaman, a prophet, to lead them (Alma 53:19); “they had been taught by their others, that if they didn't doubt, God would deliver them (Alma 56:47); and they had “exceeding faith in that which they had been taught.”
As a result they were protected by “the miraculous power of God.” even though they were all wounded in battle, “there was not one sould of them that did perish (Alms 57:25). So when life inflicts spiritual wounds on each of us, we can take courage 00 the message of Helaman’s army is that “there [is] a just God, and whomsoever [ford] not doubt, [wo;;] be preserved by his marvelous power” (Alma 47:26).
To begin your lesson today you might want to have your family members and friends share a thing or two of what they have learned from Alma 53-63. You could have them search through these chapters in pairs or small groups and look for a verse which they could share with someone outside of your family study group who is currently facing some challenges in their life.
Alma 53:17-21; 56:43-48, 55-56; 57:20-27; 58:39-40
As we exercise faith and trust in God, He will strengthen us.
You might consider asking your family members and friends what they know about the stripling warriors. Get out your poster board and make a list of the characteristics which they name. Ask them to name the characteristics that stuck out in their minds. This could lead you into a discussion about Helaman’s warriors.
There are some of these characteristics which are found in the following scripture passages: Alma 53:17-21; 56:43-48; 57:20-21, 26-27; 58:40, you could search through these passages together or you could divide your family members and friends into pairs or small groups depending on the size of your family study group.
How did these characteristics help the stripling warriors during their battle? How can they help us during our spiritual battles? You might have your family members and friends share stories of modern- day “stripling warriors.”
To explore this topic of faith among the stripling warriors you could review with your family members and friends the following scripture passages: Alma 56:47-48; 57:20--27. Then talk with your family study group about what it was that had helped the stripling warriors to develop their faith?
This next part is for you to share with any parent you know, We as parents all probably are hoping that our children will develop faith like Helaman’s young warriors. You might also consider meeting with other parents who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to share ideas about how to build faith in children.
Another thing you might want to consider is to read with the parents of your family members and friends the following resources, the first would be the words of Sister Joy B, Jones, followed by President Russell M. Nelson’s message: :A Plea to My Sisters” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 95-97).
Making our Children Sin resistant.
Sister Joy B. Jones, Primary General President, shared the following keys to raising “a sin-resistant generation”:
“To begin, … we must help [our children] know without question that they are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father and that He has divine expectations of them. Second, understanding the doctrine of repentance is essential for becoming resistant to sin. Being sin resistant doesn’t mean being sinless, but it does imply being continually repentant, vigilant, and valiant.
Perhaps being d[sin-resistant comes as a blessing from repeatedly resisting sin, …
“... A third key to helping children become sin-resistant is to begin at very early ages to lovingly infuse them with basic gospel doctrines and principles -- from the scriptures, 5h3 Articles of Faith, the For the Strength of Youth booklet, Primary dongs, hymns, and our own personal testimonies -- that will lead children to the Savior.
“...Helping children understand, make, and keep sacred covenants is another key. … Teaching children to keep simple promises when they are young will empower them to keep holy covenants later in life” (“A Son-Resistant Generation,” Ensign or Liahona, May, 2017, 88-89).
In your parent-meeting after you have all shared your ideas you may want to ask them to take a few moments to think about the following questions:Who might be relying on your testimony?What can you say and do to strengthen them?
Personally, I struggled with my own testimony when my children were young and I felt as though I had nothing to share with them and that I wasn't a very good example of one who even had a testimony to share let alone talk about it with them. For the longest time I did not believe that I had a testimony of anything!! :(
I often wish that I had understood early what a testimony was, and that I would have shared it with my children when they were young. I feel as though I have missed out on a very important part of their safety, as they are all grown up now and it is hard to teach them to change their ways to build a testimony.
So if you are young parents, please take this very seriously. Your children need your example for them to build their own strong testimony. You could hold a few family home evenings to help in this area. And remember that you need to repeat these lessons often and consistently as they grow to keep it in the front of their minds, Moving on to the next part
Alma 53:10-22; 56:43-48, 55-56; 57:20-27; 58:39-40.
As I exercise faith in God. He will bless me by His marvelous power.
Miraculous stories like the victories of Helaman’s young warriors may be hard to relate to because they seem so improbable. But one reason share stories are in the scriptures is to show us that when we have faith, God can work miracles in our lives as you read about the stripling warriors in the following verses, look for clues about how they exercised their faith in God, what made their faith so strong, and what made the miracles possible: Alma 53:10-22; 56:43-48, 55-56; 57:20-27; and 58:39-40. The following table suggests one way you could record what you find:
Characteristics of Helaman’s warriors:
What they were taught.
What they did.
Blessings they received.
After studying these verses, what do you feel inspired to do to exercise your faith?
Helaman mentioned the role of mothers in strengthening the faith of the stripling warriors (see Alma 56: 47-48 57: 20-27). What roles have family members and others played in building your faith? What can you do to strengthen the faith of your family and friends”
Alma 58:1-12, 30-37; 61
We can choose to think the best of others and not be offended.
A very powerful example for us when we feel as though we have been wronged, would be Helaman’s reaction to the time when he was not receiving the support that his armies needed while they were protecting the people. You could summarize or have one of your family members and /or friends summarize Helaman’s situation.
In doing this it could lead to a good discussion about Helaman’s situation and the reasons just why the government was not responding to the needs of his armies. You could search together the following scripture passages looking for reasons the government wasn’t helping his armies: Alma 58:1-9, 30-37; 61:2-8.
You can now get out your poster board and make two columns with the titles ‘Helaman’s response’ and ‘Other’s response’ at the top. Now we are searching for what Helaman said, what he did, and what he thought. Then in contrast what Helaman could have thought, what he could have said and what he could have done.
And now to wrap this up with a question for you and your family members and friends: What can you and your family members and friends do to follow Helaman’s example of what we should do when we feel wronged or neglected?
You know in Alma 60 Paharon could have been offended when Moroni had criticized him. But instead he kind of turned the other cheek and rescinded that he was “not angry” and he “[rejoiced] in the greatness of [Moroni’s] heart, as we read in Alma 61:9. How can you and your family members learn from Pahoran’s example?
You might consider having them imagine for a moment that they are working for a Church magazine. They have been asked to write an article for the magazine that draws on Paharon’s example as we find in Alma 61. This article would be using Paharon’s example to teach people about how to avoid being offended by others.
You may want to then divide your family members and friends into groups and ask them to search Alma 61:3-14. In their search they will be looking for some points which they might be able to include in the article that they are writing for the magazine. The following counsel by Elder David A. Bednar could also be very helpful to them.
How to avoid taking offense.
’in his message “And nothing Shall Offend Them” (Ensign or LIahona Nov, 2006, 89-92), Elder David A. Bednar gave the following counsel:
• Recognize that being offended is a choice. “To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us unto objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.”
• Look to the Savior. “The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations” [see 1 Nephi 19:9].
• Be understanding of others’ weaknesses One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperienced, and potentially offensive actions of others.”
• Communicate directly. “If a person says or does something that we consider offensive our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then communicate privately, honestly, and directly with that individual. Such an approach incites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true to be understood.”
Alma 58:1-12, 31-37; 61
I can choose to think the best of others and not be offended.
Both Helaman and Pahoran had good reasons to be offended. Helaman was not receiving sufficient support for his armies, and Pahoran was falsely accused by Moroni of withholding that support (see Alma 58:4-9, 31-32;60). What impresses you about their reactions in Alma 58:1-12,31-37 and Alma 61? How can you follow their example in similar situations?
Elder David A. Bednar taught: “In some way and at some time, someone in this Church will do or say something that could be considered offensive. Such an event will surely happen to each and every one of us -- and it certainly will occur more than once. … you and I cannot control the intentions or behaviors of other people. However, we do determine how we will aat. Please remember that you and i are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be offended” *”And Nothing Shall Offend Them,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 01).
See also Proverbs 16:32; Moroni 7:45’ David A. Bednar, “Meek and lowly of Heart,”
Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 30-33.
Alma 60:7-14
We have a responsibility to lift those around us.
While you were reading through Alma 60:7-14 you found the harsh words which Moroni was speaking to Paharon. Wow can you imagine being on the phone and having someone saying those things to you” or even worse have them standing in front of you and saying those words to you. Wow, what would you do?
You might have your family members and friends read through Alma 60:7-14. After which you could have them think of someone that they know who could be in need of something and possibly feeling neglected. What can you and your family members and friends do to be more aware of and meet the needs of others?
Think about how you and your family members and friends' needs have been met by the hands of others, this is including ministering brothers and sisters? You may want to make a plan of how you will help those you have identified who have needs to be met and just how you and your family study group will meet those needs together.
Alma 62: 39-41, 49-51
We should remember the Lord during times of adversity and prosperity.
Reading in Alma 62: 39-41, 49-51 we will find the Nephites’ reactions to both the difficult times as well as the prosperous times as well which show that we too can be humble whether we are in the middle of our bad times or whether we are having the best times of our lives.
You may want to have your family members and friends listen as you read these verses aloud to them. Then ask them to share with one another what had impressed them as you read the verses. Then you could have them split up into pairs to discuss their impressions before sharing them with the rest of your family study group.
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some ideas:
Alma 53:10-17
The Anti-Nephi-Lehis covenanted not to shed blood. What covenants have we made with God? What do we read in Alma 53:10-17 that inspires us to be more faithful to our covenants?
Alma 53:20-21
How can we be more like Helamn’s young men? It might help to discuss what some of the phrases in these verses mean; for example, what does it mean to be “valiant … for strength and activity”? What does it mean to “walk uprightly before [God] “?
Alma 58:9-11, 33,37
In times of great need, do we turn to Heavenly Father, as the Nephite soldiers did? How did He answer their prayers? How has He answered our prayers?
Alma 61:2, 9, 19
What do we learn from Pahoran about how to respond when we are falsely accused?
Alma 62:39-41
Here’s an object lesson that can help your family understand that we can choose to be either “hardened” or :softened” by our trials. Place a raw potato or a raw egg in a pot of boiling water. The potato and the eg represent us, and the water represents the trials we face. As the potato and egg boil, you could talk about one of the trials your family faces. What are some different ways to react to trials like these?
According to Alma 62:41, how do our reactions to trials affect us? After the potato and egg are fully cooked, cut open the potato and crack open the eff to show that the same “trial” softened the potato and hardened the eff. What can our family do to be more sure that our trials humble us and bring us to God?
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me -- For Primary.’
Suggested song: “We’ll Bring the World His Truth,” Children’s Songbook, 172-73.
Improve Our Teaching
Let children express their creativity. “When you invite your children to create something related to a gospel principle, you help them better understand the principle, and you give them a tangible reminder of what they have learned,... Allow them to build, draw, color or write, and create. (Teaching on the Savior’s Way, 25).
Within this week's reading of Helaman 1-6 we will find that the Nephites are becoming more wicked and the Lamanites are becoming more righteous. If you think about this role-reversal it has some important lessons to be learned for us in our time which is the latter days.
Well we are at the end of our lesson so i will close my post for today and wish each of you happy studying for this upcoming week. I hope that you have learned a lot and that you are able to apply what you have learned into your lives. Please do your best to continue to stay healthy and doing well.
Don't forget that you can use any of these lessons, or even parts of them in your family home evening or in your daily family study of th3e scriptures. You know I just realized that I have been behind with my lessons of late. I am sooo sorry. I will try to keep it together. I guess I have been a little more focused on me lately:(
I have been doing a few tests and have not had my chemo for about eight weeks not and I guess I am worried a bit about how much this is allowing the cancer to grow. Or at least my daughter is. She asks me everyday if i have found out anything and what was the reason for the doctor stopping the treatments.
I really don't feel alarmed or overly concerned about it. That may sound strange, but I was able to get through some tough -- for me tests with the strength of the Lord and I believe that I can get through this phase as well. I know that the Lord is in charge so i do not need to worry.
Even though the cancer is growing there is no need to be worrying over something that you have no control over. Only the Lord can control this cancer's growth. I will find out in a few days what all of these tests have shown the doctor and his decision about what will come next in my treatment plan to combat this cancer.
Please remember who you really are -- child of God. remember to continue with your prayers at least morning and night. Please continue to study the Book of Mormon with me and all of our cyber study buddies out three in cyberspace:) Keep a prayer in your heart all day long. Until my next post, please do all you can to stay safe!!
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