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LESSON #1 A NEPHITE CHRISTMAS (3 NEPHI 1)
OBJECT
For an object this week I would just pick anything that has to do with Christmas. Pull out some of your decorations and place them at the front or around the room. A small fake Christmas tree. A nativity set. A wrapped gift. Anything that gets them into the Christmas Spirit.
ICEBREAKER
Then, as an icebreaker, have some Christmas music playing as your class enters the room. Write Merry Christmas on the board or a slide displaying that message and be sure to wish each one a Merry Christmas as they enter the room. And they may wonder what’s going on. But just tell them that they’ll see. Then, once you begin, you can ask them if anybody has figured it out. Why would we be talking about Christmas today? If nobody understands, tell them that you’re going to be studying 3 Nephi chapter 1 and does that explain it? And if they still don’t get it. You may have to explain that 3 Nephi chapter 1 contains the account of what happened here in the Americas when Jesus Christ was born. We sometimes forget that there are two Christmas stories in the scriptures. We’ve got Old World account in Luke chapter 2 of the New Testament. But some really amazing things happened here in the New World on that same sacred night. And that’s what we’ll be focusing on today. 3 Nephi chapter 1 contains what I believe to be one of the most dramatic and powerful stories in the entire Book of Mormon. You may wonder about that since it’s not usually pointed out as such because the account that’s given is a bit understated and if you’re not digging deep, you may miss its power. To really feel it’s impact, you’ve got to visualize it. If it’s true that we get a chance to witness significant moments in earth’s history in the next life, this would be one of my first choices.
And I would introduce this chapter by asking my students what they feel is the True Spirit of Christmas. There’s a lot said about the true spirit of Christmas around the holidays, but what does that really mean? When I was a child I was told that it was giving. Giving was the true spirit of Christmas. But when you’re a kid, you know better than that. It's all about getting. The magic of Christmas morning, running down the stairs in my onesie pajamas with the feet in them. The Christmas morning mayhem. All of the presents, the ripping and tearing of wrapping paper, and oh the joy of finally getting what I’d been asking for and anticipating for months. The new Lego set, the Nintendo, a CD player. Oh, receiving was so wonderful. But as I got older, adults finally changed my mind. They kept telling me it was all about giving, and I did service projects, and bought my family members gifts, and felt the joy that came from that, and it was joyful, and I decided that giving was the true spirit of Christmas. But you know what? I've changed my mind again. I am reverting to my childish ways, and I have come to the conclusion that I had it right all along when I was a kid. I honestly believe that the true Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of receiving or getting. Allow me to explain why. 3 Nephi chapter 1 plays a big part in my arrival at that conclusion.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES-STORY
And I’d like to share this story the way that I’ve heard my Father do it. He could do it much better than I can, but approaching it in this way has always helped me to connect with and understand this story on a deeper, more personal level. You’ll get more from this story if you put yourselves in their shoes, or sandals. If you LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES to yourselves. 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, powerful teaching of Nephi and his brother Lehi, the entire Lamanite nation has been converted and you are living in 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 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.
I can’t think of any other people in the scriptures whose faith was tested more sorely than the Nephite believers at this time.
Joseph Smith once said the following:
"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
This is a powerful example of a people’s heartstrings being wrenched—of faith being tested to its very limits. The question we will be asking ourselves over and over again during this story will be, “How would this test their faith?” And we’re going to start this story back in Helaman chapter 13:1-4 because we’re not going to really going to understand the significance of this test of faith without including the prophecy that sets the stage for this entire account
So let’s say that one day you go to the market and there’s some commotion next to one of the walls of the city. People are shouting. You look up and there is a man on the wall. You recognize him. It’s Samuel! Samuel the Lamanite prophet. He’s 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, your neighbor walks up to you. And for arguments sake, let’s say he is a Gadianton robber, an unbeliever and he says, “You know what. You Christians have a convenient faith, don’t you. Your Messiah is prophesied to be born far across the sea in a distant land where we can’t even confirm whether it’s actually happened or not.” And you try to explain, “Well, you know, we believe that sometimes you just have to accept some things on faith.” And to that he kind of scoffs at you and says, “Yeah. Like I said. It’s a convenient faith.”
But then, as you’re listening, Samuel says something that stops you and everybody else in their tracks. He says that there will be a sign here in the New World as evidence of his birth; an unmistakable sign. The crowd goes quiet as they listen intently to what Samuel says next. This is new. Prophets have prophesied the birth of the Savior for centuries, but nobody has ever said anything about a sign. And the most amazing words come from Samuel’s mouth. He says that in five years’ time, 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.
Your neighbor turns slowly to look at you and says, “Now you don’t believe that do you?”
And now, your faith is about to be tested. Do you believe Samuel’s prophesy? That’s the question. And how is that a great test of faith? The sign itself? Well, because of all the unmistakable truths and facts about living on this planet, one of the foremost is that when the sun goes down, what happens? It gets dark. You may start to think, Samuel, couldn’t we have picked a more subtle sign? Why something so incredible? So hard to believe? Something so unlikely and unbelievable? But let’s suppose that 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.”
At that, your neighbor smirks at you with a dismissive look and says, “Hmmm. Interesting.”
Meanwhile, the crowd around you becomes more and more restless. Some start to shout for Samuel to leave. Finally somebody picks up a rock and throws it directly at Samuel. But misses. This gives others 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. God protected him. His words must be true. But when Samuel finishes his message, what happens next? Helaman 16:7-8. He jumps down from the wall, flees and is never heard of more among the Nephites.
Now, how would that test your faith? Samuel leaves! What’s your Gadianton robber neighbor going to do with that? Well, he accuses Samuel. 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. You can’t even go out and ask him for more details. He just runs off.
But let’s say you maintain your faith. Plus, you have Nephi, the great prophet, he’s still there in Zarahemla and he confirms the truthfulness of Samuels words. And the years begin to pass, you may not be too worried as the first, second, third, and fourth years come and go. But then the fifth year comes, and something interesting happens in that 5th year. Something happens to Nephi. What is it in 3 Nephi 1:2-3. One day, he just up and leaves, he walks out of Zarahemla, into the forest, and is never heard from again. How would that test your faith? Well, imagine what your neighbor is 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 getting old, and he was translated.”
“Translated? You mean, like, taken up into heaven? Just, whoosh! Up he went?”
“Yes.”
“Really. Wow, you sure about that, did anybody see that happen?”
“Well, no.”
And then he gets more serious, and he says, “You know what, Nephi wasn’t translated. I’ll tell you what happened to Nephi. Isn’t it obvious? 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 dumb people for being so gullible. Give up this silly belief. There is no way that the sun is going to go down and it not get dark.”
So again, your faith is being tested. What would you say to that? 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 the sign?” Samuel said five years and it hasn’t come yet. How would that test your faith? It would have been nice had it happened by then. But you have to ask yourself what he meant by that. Did he mean within five years or five years would pass and it would happen in the 6th year? Well, that’s how you have to interpret it because five years are gone. But the unbelievers around you are starting to get restless. Look at verses 5-6.
5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.
6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.
They are saying that the time for 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. Look at verse 9.
9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.
So they set a date, and they say that if the sign doesn’t occur by that date, then all those who still believe will be rounded up and killed. How would that test your faith? What would you do? Your faith is not just a matter of your reputation anymore, but your life, and the life of your family. Would you stay faithful under those circumstances? Extremely difficult. But let’s say you do. You’re the type.
And now, what are you doing every night besides praying. And now I like to jump back to verse 8 to describe what I imagine they are doing. It holds a good description of what the day-to-day experience must have been like for these believing Nephites.
8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.
So what are you doing? You’re watching 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? How would that test your faith? Do you know what that’s like? To have your hopes raised and dashed, raised and dashed, raised and dashed over and over again. That’s a trial of faith in and of itself.
And when do you think the Lord is finally going to send the sign? Is it going to come months before the day set by the unbelievers for their death, weeks, days? No, it comes to the last day. The final night and the sign has not come. We know this because Nephi goes out to pray for all these people that are about to be destroyed, and he prays “all that day”. How would that test your faith? Wow! Talk about a trial of faith. I could picture your neighbor coming over and saying, “Ok, you know I’ve always kind of liked you even though I think you’re a fool. You know what, I can save you and your family. Just deny, deny your belief in this Christ, admit that the sign is 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’s life, and your children?
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 this happened, but I picture the Gadianton robbers rounding up the believers and standing around them sharpening their swords 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. Like I said earlier, in the next life, I want to see the replay because this has got to be one of the most dramatic moments in all scripture. The scriptures say in verse 15
15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.
So 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. Your heartstrings, stretched to the limit, snap back to their original shape. Tensionless. And you rejoice, and cry, and hug. Not only because you realize that you’re not going to die, but that the Savior of the world has just been born. And perhaps you’d sit down with your children that night and explain to them the significance of a night without darkness.
Well, I really do love that story. They are such an amazing example of faith to me.
TRUTH
Just like the Nephites in 3 Nephi 1, our faith will also be tested. If we maintain our faith like they did, we too will rejoice and have our faith confirmed.
TAKING IT TO HEART
What impresses you most about the believing Nephites in this story?
What has helped you to maintain your faith during heartstring wrenching times?
What blessings have come to you through your trials of faith?
THE TAKEAWAY
Well, remember, according to Joseph Smith, we too will have to pass through great trials of faith. Our heartstrings will need to be wrenched. Perhaps you’ve already experienced that in your life or you're currently facing that now. I hope that these Nephites have inspired you like they inspire me. In dark times, remember, the days of light will come! And if they could maintain their faith under those circumstances, hopefully we can do the same in ours, which are probably less by comparison. The scriptures often deal in extreme examples so that they can teach us by that comparison. If they were able to do it in those conditions, shouldn’t we be able to bear up under ours? 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—like a sunrise without sun. And that’s why I, like I said at the beginning, feel that the true spirit of Christmas is the spirit of receiving. But not about receiving presents, but receiving Christ into our world and lives, like these faithful Nephites did. We even sing in a very well-known Christmas song, “Let earth RECEIVE her king”. May we all receive him, and not just at Christmas, but every day of the year.
LESSON #2 MISSING THE MASTER (3 NEPHI 3-7)
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”.
OBJECT
The object to this lesson? A rope. I’m a rock climber and canyoneer, so I always have a lot of rope lying around. But just see if you can get even a small section of rope. And have that ready for a point later in the lesson.
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 prisoner of war camp. In one of the most famous scenes of the movie, you have Steve McQueen on a motorcycle racing towards the Swiss border. And 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 your 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 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
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 year of the sign, 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 in the chapter heading? 22 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 12 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 12 more years! You can last 12 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. 12 years! Come on!
THE TIMELINE-HANDOUT
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.
So at 22 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 (Noooooooooo!, I hate that word! Don’t do this to me Nephites) 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; (OH, I HATE TO READ THIS) 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.
Ohhhhh. 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. Because at the chapter heading of chapter 8. Tempests, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, all the destruction and darkness that Samuel had prophesied all those years before. 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? How? 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 come. 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.
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.
TRUTH
So what’s the principle of the lesson? The truth?
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 promised blessings WILL come.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Have you ever seen the truthfulness of this principle in action? Have you ever had a time when you patiently waited on the Lord, and eventually, the blessings came? Please share.
THE TAKEAWAY
I love this old proverb of the American West. And this is where I would take out my rope and say, “What do you do when you get to the end of your rope?” They say, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”. And at that point, I would tie a knot in the end of the rope. And how does that help? A knot gives you something to grip. It makes it easier to hang on. So tie a knot in your rope of faith. 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.
LESSON #3 TERRIFIC TACTICS FOR THE TRUSTWORTHY
Well I believe those two messages stand out to me as the most significant from these chapters. However, there’s more in there. 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 could summarize some of the big ideas found here.
OBJECT/ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, choose a competitive sport or game that you enjoy and talk about it a little. For an object, bring in something that you use while playing that sport or game, like a ball, a racket, a pair of special shoes, a deck of cards, anything associated with that activity. Then 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 share one of your favorite winning strategies.
Well, here in these initial chapters of 3 Nephi we see both negative and positive strategies being used in trying to win over the hearts of the people. The negative strategies, the kind that Satan uses to defeat righteousness are well exemplified by the leader of the Gadianton robbers who is attacking the righteous people of Zarahemla. That leader’s name is Giddianhi, and he employs a number of satanic sneaky strategies in a letter that he writes to Lachoneus, the chief judge of the land. That letter is found in chapter 3 verses 1-10. I’m not going to focus on the negative here and cover that letter in detail other than to tell you to look for those strategies. Some of the ones that I see there are flattery, defeatism, skepticism, sarcasm, accusation, intimidation, and making evil look good.
TERRIFIC TACTICS
Well, the adversary continues to be a master at employing these strategies in our day and 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. This is where I would like to focus our attention. Lachoneus is a powerful example of what I would call “Terrific Tactics for the Trustworthy.” He does a number of things to protect his people physically that I believe will also work to protect ourselves spiritually. Let’s see how. I’ve devised this discussion as a matching activity handout. Match the identified verses with the picture that you feel best represents the tactic being employed in that verse. Here are the answers.
v. 12 And you’ll notice that I have two pictures that go with this verse. What are they?
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. E. We too, like Lachoneus, need to be brave and courageous in the face of intimidation and accusation. We too can seek to 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 seeks to mobilize these fears in an effort to move us towards sin. But 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. D. Consistent and sincere prayer will give us the strength we need to stand strong.
Verses 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. B. 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. C. 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. F. 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. G. The hands washing as a symbol for repentance. So we repent. We are all going to have some weaknesses and stain our clothing with the soil of sin. But we go to THE washer, the cleaner, the caretaker who washes and purifies 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. The picture is President Nelson. H.
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. A. 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.
THE RESULTS
Well what was the result of all this preparation made by Gidgiddoni and his people? Chapter 4 is where the war actually begins. Both sides are very strong. But who’s strategies are going to prove to be better? Whose tactics will bring success? When Giddianhi comes to attack, what were the final results of this conflict?
4:10 They were prepared to meet them.
4:12 The Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them. (They win, and defeat the robbers) Therefore
4:30-31
30 And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice, saying: May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they shall call on the name of their God for protection.
31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.
4:33
33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.
TRUTH
If I use the same Terrific Tactics employed by Gidgiddoni and his people, then I too will win my spiritual battles.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Which of the Terrific Tactics have helped you the most in your spiritual battles and how?
THE TAKEAWAY
I believe that truly 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. And how satisfying will it be to look at the adversary and say, your strategies didn’t work, you lose. I pray that victory will be yours!
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