Watch the video presentation on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/6-OKUSt3rAc
ICEBREAKER
What do you feel is the true spirit of Christmas? Receiving or Giving
Talk a little about the joys you’ve experienced with both receiving and giving at Christmas.
Tell them you’ve come to the conclusion that you actually believe that the true Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of receiving.
But it's not about receiving presents, it's about receiving Christ
TRANSITION
Today we’ll talk about a people that received Christ at Christmas in a very special way. At Christmas time we tend to focus on the Christmas story of Luke 2, as we should, but we may forget that there is another Christmas story in the scriptures also. The Book of Mormon Christmas story. When Christ was born in the Old World, amazing things were happening here in the New World as well. And since this next year we will be studying the Book of Mormon, I felt that it would be appropriate to share this here.
AN INCREDIBLE TEST OF FAITH
For each scripture you share ask: How would this test their faith?
You’ll get more from this story if you put yourselves in their shoes, or sandals. I want you to imagine that you are a faithful Nephite, living in Zarahemla in the year 6 B.C. It’s an extraordinary time to be alive. Relations between Nephites and Lamanites are surprisingly good. Due to the incredible teaching of Nephi and his brother Lehi, the entire Lamanite nation has been converted and it is a time of peace between the normally contentious groups. Unfortunately, among the Nephites a new faction has begun to spring up. The Gadianton robbers have successfully infiltrated Nephite society and many have influenced many with their unbelief and skepticism. Still, a number of faithful believers continue to uphold the church and a belief in a Savior that will one day come to earth.
So, let’s say you go to the market. Commotion next to one of the walls. People are shouting. You look up and there is a man. You recognize him. It’s Samuel, he is preaching about a coming Savior that will be born in the old world who will come and overcome death and sin for all mankind.
Just at that moment, you neighbor walks up to you. And for arguments sake, let’s say he is a Gadianton robber, an unbeliever and he says
You Christians have a convenient faith, your messiah,
We have to accept some things on faith.
But then Samuel says something that stops you in your tracks. He says that there will be a sign here in the New World of his birth. An unmistakable sign. The crowd goes quiet as they listen intently to what Samuel says next. And the most amazing words come from his mouth, he says that in five years, on the night that the Savior is born in the Old World, that here there will be a day and a night and a day of light. In other words, on that sacred night, the sun will go down, but it won’t get dark.
At that everybody pauses.
You neighbor looks at you and says, "Now you don’t believe that do you?"
And now, you realize that your faith is going to be tested.
Because of all the unmistakable truths and facts about living on this planet, one of the foremost is that when the sun goes down, it gets dark. You may start to think, Samuel, couldn’t we have picked a more subtle sign? Why something so incredible.
But you have faith. And as hard as it is to accept, you look back at your neighbor and say, with a little tremor in your voice, Yes. Samuel is a prophet, he would never say anything untrue, so yes, if he says it will happen, it will happen.
The crowd becomes more and more restless. Some start to shout for him to leave. Finally, somebody picks up a rocks and throws it directly at Samuel. But misses. Others get the same idea and pretty soon before you know it rocks and arrows are flying at Samuel from every direction. But miraculously, none can hit him. And here your faith is strengthened, but when Samuel finishes his message he jumps down from the wall, flees and is never heard from again.
To which your Gadianton robber neighbor accuses. See, your prophet is a coward, he has the nerve to come here and fill your minds full of lies, and then runs off to abandon you to your foolishness.
But you maintain your faith. Plus, you have Nephi, the great prophet, he is still there in Zarahemla and he confirms the truthfulness of Samuels words.
And the years begin to pass, you may not be too worried the first, second, third, and fourth years and they come and go. But then the fifth year comes, and something interesting happens in that 5th year. Something happens to Nephi. One day, he just up and leaves, he walks out of Zarahemla, into the forest, and is never heard from again. Now the rumor amongst the believers is that he has been translated. But what is your neighbor going to do with that. Let’s say he comes over to your house and casually asks. So, where’s your great prophet Nephi? And you say, well, uh, he left. Really? Where’d he go? Umm, we believe that he, uh, well, uh, he was translated. Translated? You mean, taken up into heaven? Yes. Really. Wow, you sure about that, did anybody see that happen? No. And then he gets serious and he says. You know, Nephi wasn’t translated. I’ll tell you what happened to him. He got out of Zarahemla before things get bad. He knows that the sign is a big hoax and doesn’t want to stick around for the consequences. I bet you anything he’s out there in the wilderness roasting hot dogs with Samuel the Lamanite laughing at you people for being so gullible. Give up this silly believe. There is no way that the sun is going to go down and it not get dark. Again, your faith is being tested. What would you say? And let’s say that you stay firm. No, I believe in Nephi, and now his son 3 Nephi is the prophet and confirms the truthfulness of the sign. I believe the sign will come. And you neighbor gives you a bit of a half-smile and says. Hmmm, well I hope it does, for your sake. And there is just a hint of a threat in his voice.
Well the fifth year comes and goes and now the question is, where is they sign? Samuel said five years. But what did he mean by that? Did he mean within five years or five years would pass and it would happen in the 6th? Well, that’s how you have to interpret it because five years have passed. But the unbelievers around you are starting to get restless. They are saying the sign has passed. Samuel was lying, it’s not true. And many people do begin to lose their faith. In fact, it gets so bad, the unbelievers become fed up with the foolishness of these silly Christians and their belief in a day and a night, and a day of light. And so they make a decree. They set a date. They say that if the sign doesn’t occur by a certain date, then all those who believe will be round up and killed.
Now what do you do. Your faith is not just a matter of your reputation, but your life, and the life of your family. Would you stay faithful in those circumstances? Let’s say you do.
And now, what do you do every night besides pray. You watch sunsets. And every night, you hope that it will happen, and you watch steadfastly the sun going down behind the horizon, and what happens every night. It gets dark! Of course it gets dark, what else would it do? And do any of you what that is like? To have your hopes raised and dashed, raised and dashed, raised and dashed over and over again.
I can’t think of any other people in the scriptures whose faith was tested more sorely then the Nephite believers at this time. And when do you think the Lord is finally going to send the sign. Months before the day set by the unbelievers for their death, weeks, days? It comes to the last day. The final night. You neighbor comes over and says, ok, you know I’ve always kind of liked you even though I think you’re a fool. I can save you and your family. Just deny, deny your belief in this Christ, admit that the sign as a fraud, and I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. Would you keep your faith at that point? With your life on the line, and your spouse, and your children?
And let’s say that you do, perhaps you put your confidence in a God that will save you, or perhaps you say, well, if it isn’t true, then a world without Christ isn’t a world I want to live in anyway then. And we don’t know how it happened, but I picture the Gadianton robbers rounding up the believers and standing around them sharpening their swords and waiting for the sunset. And so, there you are, hugging your family, praying, and looking to the horizon. And I wish I could see this moment, In the next life, I want to see the replay because this has to be one of the most dramatic moments of all scripture. Everybody’s watching. And the sun slowly dips below the horizon and there is that moment, where you’re not sure what is going to take place, and you wait, and slowly, it begins to dawn on you, it’s not getting dark, but lighter, and lighter, and all that fear, and tension, and doubt are instantly relieved in one miraculous moment. And you rejoice, and cry, and hug, not only because you realize that you are not going to die, but that the Savior of the world has just been born. And perhaps you would sit down with your children and explain to them the significance of a night without darkness.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
While you teach this, here are a few questions to choose from that you might consider asking during this lesson
What impresses you most about the believing Nephites in this story?
Have you ever experienced a trial of faith or are you currently facing one?
What has helped you to maintain your faith at these times?
What blessings have come to you through your trials of faith?
CONCLUSION
I love this quote from the prophet Joseph regarding trials of faith, and certainly, there are few people in the history of the world whose faith was tried more sorely than these Nephites at this time. He said:
"You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of god."
Brigham Young-Journal of Discourses, 24:197
According to Joseph, we too will have to pass through great trials of faith. Our heartstrings will need to be wrenched. Perhaps you have already experienced that in your life or you're currently feeling it. I hope that these Nephites have inspired you like they inspire me. Remember, the days of light will come! And if they could maintain their faith under those circumstances, hopefully we could do the same in our circumstances, which are probably somewhat less by comparison. So don’t give up, don’t give in. The Lord always keeps his promises, even when it doesn’t seem possible; even when you feel your heartstrings have been wrenched to the limit. Keep the faith, because if those heartstrings of yours can hold, one day, there will be a glorious release and everything you’ve held to be true and sacrificed for will be miraculously and undeniably confirmed.
3 NEPHI 3-7. MISSING THE MASTER
Now, for the next part of this lesson, we are going to take a step back and try to take a look at the big picture. There is a message I see in these chapters that I feel is super relevant to us in the latter-days and related to the message in chapter 1. I call this section “Missing the Master”.
ICEBREAKER
And as an Icebreaker I usually like to share 1 of 2 different illustrations. One of those illustrations is from a favorite movie of mine as a child. I love the movie “The Great Escape” which depicts the efforts of a large number of allied POW’s to escape from a German camp. In one of the most famous scenes of the movie, you have Steve McQueen on a motorcycle racing towards the Swiss border. You know that if he can just get on the other side of that barbed wire fence, he’ll be free. He’s being chased by a large number of German soldiers. In a very exciting part, he jumps the motorcycle over a smaller fence and all he has to do is somehow get past the bigger fence. But, unfortunately, the soldiers catch up to him, he crashes the motorcycle into the fence and there he is tangled in the barbed wire just inches away from freedom, but they capture him and take him back to the POW camp. And you’re heart just aches, because, he got so close. He almost made it. Sometimes I’ll even show that short clip in class. Here’s a link to that clip if you’re interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaFBFmJG-LI
OR I sometimes talk about one of the most exciting Superbowls in American Football that I’ve ever watched. The 2000 game between the Tennessee Titans and the St. Louis Rams. During the final drive, the Titans looked charged down the field all the way to the 10-yard line. The game came down to the last play with only 6 seconds left on the clock and the Titans down by one touchdown and one last chance to stay in it. The quarterback threw a quick pass to their star receiver who looked like he was going to easily just run in when he was tackled just one yard short of the end zone. One lousy yard. I remember the image of the receiver reaching his arm out with the football just trying to stretch those last few inches into the end zone, but sadly fell short. Again heartbreaking, to get so close to victory but then lose. If you’re interested, I’ll include a link to a short video that shows that final play also. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REEkVs47k7o
TRANSITION
Well those two scenarios come to mind when I think of the first chapters of 3 Nephi. Keep in mind the setting here. After the miraculous sign of Christ’s birth, there is massive conversion, right. The unbelievers have been proven wrong. Samuel was right, and their faith has been confirmed. Therefore, they can all rest assured that Samuel will also be right about the sign of Christ's death and his visit to the Americas. Now, the catch is, they don’t know exactly when the destruction and the darkness and the visit is going to come but they can safely assume that it will fall into the normal lifespan of a person. But how many years Christ is going to live before he’s crucified, they don’t know. Now we know. We have the benefit of hindsight. We know that it’s going to come in the year 34 A.D. On the fourth day of the first month to be exact as it says in 3 Nephi 8:5. So, in 1 A.D. the majority of the Nephites and Lamanites are righteous, and they just have to hang in there until 34 A.D. Shortly after all that, they do have some big problems with the Gadianton Robbers. There are some wars, but, under the righteous leadership of the governor Lachoneus and the prophet Gidgiddoni, they conquer and eliminate the Gadianton robber threat. We’ll talk about that story later.
But then, look at how Mormon describes the people at this point. Many years after the sign has passed in 3 Nephi 5:1-3:
1 And now behold, there was not a living soul among all the
people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of
all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must
needs be that they must be fulfilled.
2 And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come,
because of the many signs which had been given, according to the
words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come
to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things
should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.
3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their
abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all
diligence day and night.
So, they are doing really well. It almost sounds like hyperbole, they’re so good. Not a living soul that didn’t believe, they knew that the signs must be fulfilled, they serve God with all diligence day and night. They are prepared, they are ready, they are righteous. And take note of the year. At the beginning of chapter 5, what year is it down at the bottom of the page? 21 A.D. So how many more years do they need to stay righteous, to enjoy a glorious experience with the Savior? The sign comes in 34 AD so just 13 more years. And now Mormon is going to basically give us a year by year countdown to the year 34 A.D. And in my mind’s eye, I can just picture some giant stands in the air filled with a cheering section of angels looking down and shouting, come on Nephites! You can do it! You can make it! Hang in there for 13 more years! You can last 13 years can’t you? If you do you will survive the destruction, you’ll get to meet Jesus, you and your children and your grandchildren will get to grow up in a righteous millennial type era. 13 years! Come on!
So, let’s envision this as a timeline. I’ve made a handout of this and you could walk your students through it having them mark the timeline and their scriptures with either a smiley face or a frowny face based on whether the people are righteous or wicked at that point. Handout is available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower.
So at 21 A.D. We can put a smiley face because they’re righteous.
Now let’s go to chapter 5:7 which will quickly describe the next 4 years.
7 And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, and the
twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the
twenty and fifth; and thus had twenty and five years passed away.
So, no change. They continue in righteousness until the 25th year. Smiley face. Now they’re just 8 years away.
Go to chapter 6:4-5 for a description of the next 2 years.
4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the
twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was
great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according
to equity and justice.
5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people
from prospering continually, except they should fall into
transgression.
So, still good, smiley face. Although some foreshadowing in that 5th verse? Maybe. But now they only have 6 years. Just 6 years to go. Hang in there Nephites.
6:9
9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the
people had continual peace.
Smiley face. They’re going to do it! Just 5 years to go.
Now 6:10-16 for the next year
10 BUT it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began
to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up
unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great
riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;
11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many
lawyers, and many officers.
12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according
to their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were
ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great
learning because of their riches.
13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly
humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would
receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions,
and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent
before God.
14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land,
insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch
that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the
land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted
unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they
were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all
diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.
15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan
had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all
manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride,
tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and
the vain things of the world.
16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do
all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a
few years.
Ohhhh. So tragic. With just 5 years left, they start to blow it. They fall apart. We have to put a frowny face in there now. The majority of them are wicked. The angels in the stands drop their flags and pom poms and let out a collective, ahhhhhhhhh. However, we can also say that they still have 5 years to repent. The game isn’t quite over yet. They do seem to fluctuate between wickedness and righteousness quite a bit. Maybe they can turn it around.
Let’s see if they fix things in the next year. 6:17-18
17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the
people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to
be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he
desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired
they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth
year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.
18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of
God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore
they did willfully rebel against God.
They’ve gotten worse the next year. Awful wickedness. Willful rebellion. This is not looking good. Maybe the next year.
Chapter 7 covers those last years. Verse 14 tells us that:
14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they
were divided into tribes, every man according to his family,
kindred and friends; nevertheless, they had come to an agreement
that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not
united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they
were established according to the minds of those who were their
chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict
laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch
that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless,
their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did
stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.
So, the government is dissolved, everybody is split into tribes, and they are stoning and casting out prophets. And that basically continues into the 32 year as you see in verse 23
23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. (So, not much change) And Nephi
did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and
third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission
of sins.
And during that time, Nephi, the great prophet we learn is out there teaching powerfully to the people, he’s performing miracles, he even raises his brother from the dead. It’s the last year, remember, they don’t know that, but the destruction is going to come right at the beginning of the 34th year. Because of Nephi’s powerful teaching, look at the last verse of chapter 7.
26 And there were many in the commencement of this year that
were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year
did pass away.
So, yay! Some change! There are a number of people who repent. But, the majority is still living in wickedness.
Now, you look at that timeline and it just breaks your heart doesn’t it. They got so close. If they could have just hung on a little longer, many of those people could have experienced one of the greatest events in all of human history. They could have survived the destruction and darkness. We know that because the voice out of the darkness after the destruction in 3 Nephi 9:13 says “ O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they”. They didn’t die because they were more righteous. The destruction was selective not random. They could have seen the Savior and touched the wounds in his side, and hands, and feet. They would have witnessed his blessings and teachings. They would have been a part of the happiest time in all the Book of Mormon described in 4th Nephi. But they missed it. Just barely. Oh, if they only could have hung on a little longer. I wonder what was going through their minds when the storm started, when the building was toppling down on them, as the wave crashed over their heads, as the whirlwind was carrying them away, as they were trapped by the flames. Regret? A wish that they could go back. The sobering thought that they knew this was coming, and that they almost made it, but had missed the master by such a small margin.
On the other hand, what about that group of people that repented in the last year, in the 33 year. What must have been going through their minds. Oh, thank heaven I repented. I’m so glad I changed in time. That was close. They must have lived the rest of their lives forever grateful that they had made that change just in the nick of time.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Well let’s take this story and apply it to us. Do we ever find ourselves in similar situations?
Here are a few suggestions.
Sometimes it's our righteousness that we need to maintain amongst worldly influence. This is particularly relevant to the youth. I’ll often tell my students if they can just get through high school. If they can just hang in there until the mission field or to a temple marriage, they should be much better off the rest of their lives. No 100% guarantees, but if you can get there, you’ve won a major victory in your spiritual life and you’ve stacked the odds in your favor. But, oh, how tragic it is when I see Seniors, who have lived exemplary lives to that point, fall apart their Senior year, or their first year of college. I won’t give you specific examples, but trust me, I’ve seen that happen way more often than I care to admit. To students I really care about. And I just say, oh, if you could’ve just hung on a little longer. You were so close. Like the Tennessee Titans, or Steve McQueen in the Great Escape. Sometimes I’ll say to my Freshman that I teach. Just like the Nephites, you’ve got four years of high school. Hang on during those four years. Stay righteous, maintain your faith and standards, you can do it!
Sometimes it’s a trial we need to endure.
Perhaps the solution to the great test or challenge in life is just around the corner. Maybe that job offering is coming soon. Perhaps the cure is just about to present itself. Maybe the answer that will solve your relationship conflicts is just about to present itself. Perhaps the resolution to your problems is just about to present itself. Don’t give up. Don’t lose your faith. Don’t quit before the solution comes. I know that’s hard when you don’t know when the solution is coming. Whether it’s days or years. But it will come. God promises us that at some point in our lives all pains, and sorrows, and problems will come to a resolution. We’ve just got to hang on until they do.
Sometimes it’s a promised blessing we need to wait for.
My patriarchal blessing says I’ll have this opportunity, why hasn’t it presented itself yet. I’ve been a good person, when will I find a covenant spouse? I’ve been told that if I pray and exercise faith that the answer will come, why hasn’t it yet? I thought happiness was the result of righteousness, why am I miserable now even though I’m choosing the right? I really want a testimony of certain things, I’m working to gain a testimony, why won’t Heavenly Father confirm it? There are lots of times when we may have to wait patiently on the Lord for the promised blessing. I love the example of Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament who were promised a child. It wasn’t until Abraham was like 100 and Sarah was 90 that the blessing came. That’s waiting patiently on the Lord. Or Simeon or Anna who were promised they would see Christ before they died. They were very old before they finally did. I know of individuals who would love nothing more than to be married to a covenant spouse, but that opportunity hasn’t presented itself to them yet. But the promise is sure. If they stay on the path of righteousness, they will have that blessing in their lives. Whether in this life or the next. How tragic it would be if they gave up on the path because the blessing was further down it than they desired. But it’s there! They just have to hang on.
And then, in a very literal sense, we are all in the exact same position as these Nephites. We too are waiting for the Coming of Christ. We also don’t know exactly when it will happen, but we know it’s coming. Will we hang on? Will we maintain our righteousness until he comes? Will we miss the master by just a few years? Will we survive the destruction and get the opportunity to see Christ when he comes again? I hope so. I hope we’re all in that group.
So what’s the principle of the lesson?
How would you finish it? If I put up the WHEN’s.
When I don’t feel like I can maintain my righteousness when the wickedness of the world surrounds me . . .
When I don’t feel like I can maintain my faith through a difficult challenge or trial . . .
When I feel like I’ve waited so long for a promised blessing to come and it’s nowhere in sight . . .
When the Second Coming seems so distant . . .
IF I . . .
THEN . . .
How would you finish that statement? No right or wrong answer really.
I’ll share how I would finish it.
If I hang on, If I continue in faith, If I push forward, If I remain patient,
THEN, the blessing will come.
CONCLUSION
I’ll love this old proverb of the American West.
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”. Or we could also phrase that in Book of Mormon terms and say: Hang on until the 34th year! If any of you are finding yourselves in one of those situations we just talked about, please hang on. The 34th year will come. No doubt in my mind.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
I believe those two messages stand out to me as the most significant from these chapters. However, there are more. Chapters 3-4 are reminiscent of the war chapters and have some positive principles for us to learn as well. We won’t go into as deep a discussion here, but I have an activity for you that I feel will work well for you as a teacher.
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, choose a competitive sport or game that you enjoy and talk about it a little. And share a strategy or tactic that you use that helps you to win. For me, I’m not much into competitive sports, I like doing things in the outdoors. But I do enjoy a good game of racquetball now and then. And one of the strategies that I like to use that helps me win more games is my favorite serve which is called the z serve. And what you do is with a little bit of spin on the ball you hit it into the front corner, which then bounces off the side and travels to the opposite back corner, and what’s cool is that if you do it right, instead of bouncing off the side wall at an angle, it almost magically, shoots straight off the wall because of the spin. Now that can really throw your opponent off and often results in an ace serve, as long as you don’t do it too much. Now, you as a teacher are going to have different interests and tactics you could share. Just pick one, whether it’s football, or basketball, or maybe it’s a strategy you use in a board game like Monopoly or a card game. And then let them share one of their favorite winning strategies that they’ve experienced.
TRANSITION
Well, in 3 Nephi 3-4 we get to see two different sets of strategies or tactics that are used to defeat an opponent. In this case we’ll observe the strategies of Giddianhi, the leader of the Gadianton robbers, and the tactics of Lachoneus, the governor of the Nephites. What you’ll find is a perfect illustration of the kinds of things Satan uses to defeat people spiritually in the example of Giddianhi, and the types of things that the righteous can do to defend themselves in Lachoneus. So we’re going to do a bit of a two-part matching activity. One involving words and the other involving pictures. I’ll make this handout available for download if you’re interested. Handout available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower. But I call the first half of this activity, Satan’s Sneaky Strategies. And what you’ll do is match the scripture reference with the strategy that you feel Satan or Giddianhi is employing there. Then, we’ll call the second half of this activity, Terrific Tactics for the Trustworthy. The goal is to match those verses with the picture you feel best represents the defensive strategy being used there.
All of the verses for Satan’s strategies appear in 3 Nephi 3:1-10 which contain a letter written by Giddianhi to Lachoneus. And it has all the earmarks of the ways in which Satan works with people. You can almost hear Satan’s voice coming through this letter in every sentence. I’ve listed on one side the strategies that I see. See if you can match the tactics with the verse. And keep in mind that answers can be used more than once.
SATAN’S SNEAKY STRATEGIES ANSWER SUMMARY
D, A
C
CG
F
E
C
B
GCE
ANSWERS EXPLAINED
v2. I actually see two possible answers in this verse. In the first half, what do you make of this?
2 Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, behold,
I write this epistle unto you, and do give unto you exceedingly
great praise because of your firmness, and also the firmness of
your people,
He’s kind of laying it on thick there isn’t he. That’s flattery isn’t it? Satan is a master of flattery. He likes to praise us. But it’s all manipulative and insincere isn’t it. Almost all the anti-Christs of the Book of Mormon are described as using flattery to draw people away. You can almost hear him saying “Most noble members of the Church of Jesus Christ, I do give you exceedingly great praise in your firmness. You are really intelligent and hardworking people. In fact, it’s hard to believe that you let the church tell you what to believe and do. You’re smarter than that aren’t you? You can see through the lies, can’t you? You’re such hardworking people, you should celebrate that. Look how much more successful you are than others. You’re better than them. You have such amazing talents and gifts, why not use them to better your own situation. Always lots of flattery to draw people away.
Now quick note, as you correct these, we’re not so worried about getting the answer right or wrong as we are about recognizing how Satan uses these things on us today. Some students may see different tactics than you do and that’s totally ok. There’s no real right or wrong answers here. Just use their answers to start a discussion about Satan’s Sneaky Strategies.
I see another possible tactic in this verse at the end where he says:
yea, ye do stand well, as if ye were supported
by the hand of a god, in the defense of your liberty, and your
property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.
That’s skepticism isn’t it. It appears AS IF you were supported by the hand of God, but of course we know that’s not possible. Satan’s always throwing doubt our way. If there is anything miraculous that we experience, it must just be coincidence right.
Verse 3
3 And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye
should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand
against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at
this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety
for the word—Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.
Tactic there? Intimidation. Satan does the same to us. You think you can stand against me and my power and those who follow me. You’re in the minority. You can’t resist us. We’ll make your life miserable. Or you think you’re strong enough to withstand my temptations. You will fail. You’re not good enough. I’m stronger than you are. Your insignificant will and devotion to God are no match for my enticements and desires.
Verse 4
4 And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved
them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting
hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done
unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they
would visit you with utter destruction.
A few here. Intimidation again of course, but also accusation. You have done many wrongs against them. In the Book of Revelation, Satan is called the accuser of our brethren (Rev. 12:10) Satan is always hurling accusations against us to discourage us. You can’t live up to God’s expectations, you’re not perfect. Jesus Christ’s atonement can’t save you. Repentance may work for others, but you’re not worthy of God’s forgiveness. You’re nothing to him.
Verse 5
5 Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine
own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in
that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the
field of battle.
Now what do you call that. Do you think Giddianhi feels for their welfare? Nope, that’s sarcasm. I think Satan must be a master of sarcasm. A lot of today’s comedy and humor is full of it. So he says, oh you are the noble and great ones. You goody-goodies (as if being good was a bad thing). Yes, I’m sure that the Book of Mormon is true even though there’s no archeological evidence to support it, yes, Joseph Smith just magically translated it by the power of God. Oh sure, the reason the church wants you to pay tithing is so that you can be blessed, right, it has nothing to do with the fact that the church needs that money to run. Anyway, you could go on and on with the mockeries Satan and the world could hurl at us, but let’s not give too much time to their voice.
Verse 6-7
6 Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up
unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your
possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the
sword and that destruction should come upon you.
7 Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with
us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our
brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our
brethren and partners of all our substance.
What’s that one? Defeatism. Just give up the fight. It’s not easy to go against the grain. Join us in our wickedness. It’s a lot of fun. We wouldn’t harm you, we want to be your friends, be like unto us. This of course, is a lie. It reeks of entrapment. Satan always promises freedom while he wraps you up in his chains.
Verse 8
8 And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an
oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I
swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will
command that my armies shall come down against you, and they
shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay
you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall
become extinct.
Intimidation again. Right.
Verse 9
9 And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the
secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof
I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have
been handed down unto us.
This is a devious tactic. Make evil look good. So he says: There’s nothing wrong with premarital sex, everybody experiments. It’s healthy! You’ll be better prepared for a long-term relationship. So, fooling around with drugs and alcohol is part of growing up. Nothing bad is going to happen. Our parties are fun! Come enjoy the good times. This movie, this song, this video game, is amazing, It’s so good. It’s getting all the awards. Yes, it’s filled with violence, and sex, and language, but, it really is brilliant.
Verse 10
10 And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that
ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the
shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights
and government, who have dissented away from you because of your
wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and
except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs. I am Giddianhi.
A lot of repeats in this. I see accusation, intimidation, defeatism, all wrapped up into one.
Well, the question to ask after each one of these answers is the same. How does Satan continue to use this strategy today?
The adversary is upon us. His legions are always ready to await the command of their leader to come out and destroy us. Therefore, we need to be prepared. We need to have some strategies of our own to protect ourselves. Lachoneus is a powerful example of the Terrific Tactics of the Trustworthy. What he does to protect his people physically, will also work to protect ourselves spiritually. Let’s see how. Match the picture.
TERRIFIC TACTICS ANSWER SUMMARY
E
D
B
C
F
G
H
A
ANSWERS EXPLAINED
v. 12
12 Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and
could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a
robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi,
the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people
should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the
robbers should come down against them.
He could not be frightened by the demands and threatenings of a robber. The first picture match is the lion. We too, like Lachoneus, need to be brave and courageous in the face of the intimidation and accusation. How can we do the same? We should also be brave in the face of the adversary. Satan thrives on our fears. Fear of not fitting in. Fear of failure. Fear of challenge. Fear of loneliness. Fear that the gospel is not true. He can successfully mobilize these fears in us to move us towards sin. We’ve got to be more valiant than that. Choose faith, not fear.
Another in vs. 12 Cry unto the Lord for strength
Prayer. The praying hands here is the match. Consistent and sincere prayer will give us the strength we need to stand strong.
Verse 13 and 21
13 Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they
should gather together their women, and their children, their
flocks and their herds, and all their substance, save it were
their land, unto one place.
21 But Gidgiddoni saith unto them: The Lord forbid; for if we
should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their
hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our
lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will
not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come
against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will
deliver them into our hands.
This is such a good one. There is strength in numbers. We need to gather ourselves together in the center of our spiritual lands. The picture would be of the four arrows pointing inward. We need to gather as families, gather as wards, gather as a church, gather with other like-minded friends. We are stronger together than we are alone. No wonder we have so many activities and meetings in the church. The more we are together, the better able we’ll be to fend off the enemy.
v. 14 14 And he caused that fortifications should be built round about
them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great. And
he caused that armies, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites,
or of all them who were numbered among the Nephites, should be
placed as guards round about to watch them, and to guard them
from the robbers day and night.
The match is the wall here. We can fortify ourselves. What are some of the things that fortify you? Scripture study. Temple worship. Church attendance. Committing to the standards in the For the Strength of Youth? Seminary, Institute. Gospel study. There are many things we can do to fortify ourselves against the adversary.
Also in vs. 14 The picture of the guards. Who are our guards? We too need guards to protect and help us. God sends us them. We have the brethren of the first presidency and the quorum of the 12 apostles. We have Bishoprics, Relief society presidencies, Young Women’s and Young Men’s leaders, seminary teachers, Sunday school teachers, etc. Many guards to keep us safe and protect us from evil.
v. 15
15 Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent
of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in no wise
be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.
The picture here. The hands washing as a symbol for repentance. So we repent. We are all going to have some weaknesses and receive some wounds in this battle. But we go to THE doctor when that happens, and he binds up our wounds and heals us. I can’t expect the Lord to deliver me out of Satan’s hands if I’m not willing to stop the thing that Satan is trying to use to destroy me.
vs. 19
19 Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for
their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness)
some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy;
therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as
also was the chief judge.
I love this. Who did they choose to be their leader in battle? One that had the spirit of revelation and prophecy. A man that was a great prophet among them. Who do we choose to be the Chief Captains of our generation? Hopefully the apostles, the prophets, the General Authorities, church leaders, those that have the Spirit of the Lord with them. They will lead us victoriously into battle.
Finally. Verse 26
26 And they were exceedingly sorrowful because of their enemies.
And Gidgiddoni did cause that they should make weapons of war of
every kind, and they should be strong with armor, and with
shields, and with bucklers, after the manner of his instruction.
The match would be the swords and armor. We too need to arm ourselves. With what? How about the armor of God and all that it represents? We will more successfully face our enemy if we can clothe ourselves with righteousness, and truth, and salvation, and the preparation of the gospel of peace, and faith, and the spirit and the word of God. These are protections and weapons that cannot be taken lightly. I can’t imagine walking out onto a battlefield without armor or a weapon. It would be foolish to do so.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
If you’d like to use this activity to begin a discussion, try asking these questions when you’re finished reviewing it
What evidence of Satan’s Sneaky Strategies have you seen in your life?
Which of the Terrific Tactics have helped you the most and how?
CONCLUSION
Well can you see how powerful these tactics would be if we implemented them?
Chapter 4 is where the war actually begins. Both sides are very strong. But who’s strategies will prove to be better? Whose tactics will bring success? Spoiler alert, It’s the righteous that win. Yes, Satan’s sneaky strategies may be quite effective, but ultimately, God’s are better. Therefore, what happened? What were the results of this conflict?
4:10 They were prepared to meet them.
4:12 The Nephites did beat them
4:30-31 They rejoice, they break forth into singing and praising God, God preserves them
4:33 Joy, God delivers them
I believe that these same results will be ours if we follow these terrific tactics. And instead of winning at racquetball, Monopoly, or basketball, we will win the game of life, the spiritual battles. How satisfying will it be to look at the adversary and say, your strategies didn’t work, you lose. May that victory be yours!
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