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LESSON #1 THREE VILE VENOMS (HELAMAN 1-4)
OBJECT
For an object, I like to bring in a rubber snake and place it at the front of the classroom. Shouldn’t be too hard or expensive to find one of these. If you’re interested, I’ll put a link in the video description below where you could purchase one on Amazon.
Link to purchase rubber snake: https://amzn.to/46MFKc9
Another quick bonus idea here. You could purchase three rubber snakes and hide them throughout the classroom. Then challenge your students to try and find them. Maybe even give a reward to those that do. Then you can tell your students that now that they are expert snake hunters, you’re going to have them seek for three more snakes in the scriptures.
ICEBREAKER
But for my main icebreaker, I like to begin by talking about venomous snakes. There are basically 4 types of venomous snakes in North America. Let’s see if you can name them. So we’ve got Rattlesnakes, Coral Snakes, Cottonmouths, and Copperheads. And yes, if you are bitten by one of these snakes, it is recommended that you get to a hospital as soon as possible to receive treatment with an antivenoms. These antivenoms are capable of countering the venom and saving your life.
Now we know that God is very fond of using symbols in the scriptures. Who does the snake typically symbolically represent? Satan, right? Now why do you think a snake was chosen to represent Satan in the scriptures? Why is that a good symbol for him? I’ve asked that question many times of my students and here are a number of the answers I’ve received over the years. Snakes are subtle, they move smoothly and quietly, they are hard to see coming, low to the ground in the dust. They have forked tongues like saying one thing but meaning another. There are two ways in which snakes kill their prey. One way they attack is with venom, that kills slowly over time. The other, is through constriction. By wrapping themselves around their pray and slowly choking the life out of them. And I’ll let you make the connections with those descriptions to Satan on your own, but overall, I think the snake is a fairly effective symbol for the adversary. Not that I have anything personal against actual snakes, I think they’re wonderful creatures, but I can see why they would make a good object lesson or symbolic representation of the devil.
And then I like to tell the following personal story, which, you’re welcome to tell your classes too if you want to refer to me as a friend of yours, which I hope you actually do. Or, perhaps you have your own snake story that would apply. Well, a few years ago I took a trip with my family up through Wyoming to see some Pioneer Heritage sites, Devil’s Tower, Mount Rushmore, and then we went out to spend a day in the Badlands. Near the trailhead there was a sign that said, “Beware of Rattlesnakes”. And you know what, I thought to myself, oh yeah, maybe out in the distance, if you got off trail, you might run into a rattlesnake but not right here by the parking lot with all these people here. The heat I was worried about though. It was a really hot day, so I had lots of extra water. There were quite a few cliffs on the hike, so I was worried about my younger children navigating the trail safely. But snakes were really the least of my concerns. So we walked down the trail about 100 yards when my 7-year-old son said, “Look Dad, a snake”. And I turned around and sure enough, coiled in a corner within striking distance of the trail was a large rattlesnake. I couldn’t believe it. That close to the trailhead, with tons of people walking by. I had totally missed it. I wasn’t even looking for it. Now thankfully nobody got bit, but it could have been a real possibility being as close to the trail as it was. Moral of the story, sometimes the most dangerous things we’ll face in life are the things we’re not even looking for; things that we’re not prepared for.
I think that’s a lot like the situation the Nephites are facing in the Book of Helaman. Hypothetically speaking, if you were to stop and ask the average Nephite on the streets of Zarahemla during this time what they considered to be the biggest threat to their well-being and safety, what do you think they would say? Remember what we’ve been studying the last few weeks at the end of the book of Alma. Don’t you think they’d say Lamanites? I mean, they’ve just come off of one of the worst periods of warfare their society has ever seen. That outward threat of war would probably be their biggest concern. And granted, in the first few chapters of Helaman you do have some Lamanite aggression and warfare. But those problems are resolved rather quickly and don’t draw as much of Helaman’s attention. BUT, you are going to see that by the end of the Book of Helaman, it’s not the Lamanites that are going to bring down Nephite society. In fact, spoiler alert, by chapter 5, the Lamanite Problem is going to disappear completely. It won’t even be an issue anymore. Later in this week’s video we’ll take a look at how and why that happens. But there are other problems, much more subtle and hard to detect, that are really going to cause the Nephites the most heartache and loss. I call these problems, snake problems. They're the kinds of things that sneak up on you, that are harder to detect, that can suffocate you or poison you slowly by degrees. I think that often the biggest issues in our lives aren’t always going to be the big, obvious, and most intimidating threats. In the Book of Helaman, I see three of these kinds of problems. In fact, let’s call this the 3 headed snake of Helaman. It’s these three things that are basically going to destroy Nephite society and not Lamanite aggression.
SEARCH
So first see if you can identify them. Look for them in the following references. As a teacher, you may consider assigning your students as 1’s, 2’s, or 3’s and have them study their designated verses to find the problem. Then, a second question to consider. Is that problem relevant to our day? If so, how? Then, as you have them answer, encourage all of your students to go through and mark the problems in three different colors in their scriptures. And we’re going to do that together now.
VENOM #1
1:2/1:18/2:1/3:3/3:19/4:1
So what was problem #1. Contention. Contention amongst the Nephites themselves. Specifically, political contention. In chapter 1, we see the Nephites contending over who should be their next leader, because Pahoran dies. Three of Pahoran’s sons are all vying for the judgment seat and it causes three divisions among the people. Well, Pahoran II is elected by the voice of the people. But what happens? Paanchi can’t accept defeat. So he stirs his supporters up in rebellion against his brother. He’s discovered though, tried and condemned to death. Well, his supporters won’t stand for that and so they have a man named Kishkumen, a Book of Mormon hitman, secretly murder Pahoran. And that particular crime is eventually going to lead to our second problem that we’ll talk about in a second. But isn’t that exactly how contention works? You did something to us that we didn’t like, so we’re going to get you back. We’ll do the same thing to you.
Contention leads to all sorts of unfortunate issues. And this division and dissension has an unfortunate consequence to it. Look at 1:18.
Because of so much difficulty in the government, they don’t keep sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla, and consequently, when they are attacked, they suffer great loss. Can you see a principle with regard to contention here?
Contention and disunity make us weak and more susceptible to our enemies. As Jesus once said and as Abraham Lincoln famously quoted “A house divided against itself cannot stand”.
Is this issue relevant to our day? Ummm. I don’t wish to make any political statements here, but it’s hard not to see parallels to our own day, specifically in my own country of the United States. Contention in the government, disunity amongst the people, rebellion, hatred, infighting. These are certainly relevant issues. And I don’t care if you’re democrat, or republican, or liberal, or conservative, the problem is universal and stems from all directions. And, of course, we all want to point the finger at the other side. And I know that many of my listeners come from other countries and I’m sure you see the same kinds of things in your own countries. In fact, in some places in the world, this contention is played out violently and destructively. But there is no doubt, that contention and disunity make us weak as a society and vulnerable not only to foreign powers but vulnerable to the spiritual powers of darkness as well.
But, forget national politics for a second. There’s probably not much we can do to change that. How about looking at this issue from a personal standpoint though. Contention in marriages, families, wards, schools, and the workplace brings weakness and vulnerability to those institutions as well.
Have you ever seen that? Have you ever seen contention weaken or destroy?
When my children fight and argue with each other, it just seems to ruin the spirit of the whole house and takes away its peace. They’re frustrated with each other; we get frustrated and short with them as parents. It weakens our family unity and our ability to feel the Spirit. I remember having some contention with some of my companions on my mission. It made us weak and unsuccessful in our efforts to teach the gospel. I’ve seen contention amongst ward members hamper the effectiveness of organizations within the ward.
Contention between neighbors can get ugly. It is a snake that can easily creep in and slowly poison us.
VENOM #2
1:11-12/2:4/2:8/2:13/3:23
Secret combinations. Helaman 1 is such a sad chapter. It’s where we witness the Genesis of one of the worst problems we’re going to encounter in the Book of Mormon. The beginnings of a secret society that aims to control and gain power through fear, bribery, deceit and murder. This deadly snake is going to slither slowly and subtly into Nephite society and spread its deadly venom with great impact. Mormon is going to signal our attention to this snake directly in Helaman 2:13-14.
13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.
14 Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written.
See. He’s saying, “This is the real problem here!” While the Nephites were so worried about Lamanite aggression, this is what they really should have been focused on and worried about and preparing for. It’s very hard to deal with or eliminate a problem that you can’t see, that is hidden, that is secret, and the Gadianton robbers will prove to be one of the greatest hindrances to Nephite progress and righteousness for many, many years.
Is this problem relevant to our day? Can you think of any modern-day Secret Combinations? That would be any group or organization that seeks to gain power over others through clandestine means. Organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, gangs, dishonest business practices, industries that only seek to better their own prosperity at the expense of the health and well-being of others, terrorism. Secret combinations are alive and well in our society and we’ve got to be on our guard to protect ourselves from them.
On a more personal level—are there secret combinations in our lives? Things that we seek to hide from others? Addictions, bad habits, lies, secret indulgences or relationships. All the things that we try to keep secret from others. Like Adam and Eve after they partook of the fruit. Satan encouraged them to hide their nakedness with fig leaves and hide from God. I can’t imagine fig leaves would do a very good job of hiding our nakedness for very long, and it’s just silly to think that we can hide from God who is all knowing and all powerful. Like it says in Doctrine and Covenants 1:3
And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.
It’s better to get those things out into the open to be confronted, dealt with, and remedied. When Adam and Eve were willing to come forward and confess their misdeeds, God was able to provide them with a better covering for their nakedness. Coats of animals skins, which would have required the sacrifice of an animal to provide that covering. I believe that was symbolic of Jesus Christ, who would also be sacrificed in order to provide us with an adequate covering for our sins. I have no idea if this was the case, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the animal whose skins Adam and Eve wore was a lamb. That would certainly fit God’s symbolism wouldn’t it?
VENOM #3
3:1/3:33-34/3:36/4:12
Pride and materialism. This is one of those things you see coming up over and over again in this portion of the Book of Mormon. Sometimes it’s referred to as the pride cycle. The Nephites are righteous, and therefore they begin to prosper. Once they begin to prosper they begin to forget God and become prideful. They say, “Because I have more than my fellow man, I must be better than my fellow man”.
Just look at the progression here.
In 3:1 it says that the people were righteous except for the “little pride” which was in the church.
Then 3:33 the word “little” is dropped and now it is just “the pride” which began to enter into the church.
Then verse 34 tells us that they are “lifted up in pride”.
Until finally in vs 36 we see that it has become exceedingly great pride.
Do you see that slow progression there? Vs, 36 highlights that truth when we are told that this pride did grow upon them from day to day.
Just like a snake slowly slithering in and poisoning by degrees.
Is there evidence of this problem in our society? At least in my country. Yes. Probably one of the biggest issues we face. There is a lot of pride and materialism out there. There is a great focus on things, having things, and more things than somebody else. Pride is going to come up again later in the Book of Helaman and so, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll save a larger discussion on the topic of Pride for next week.
TRUTH
Contention, secret combinations, and pride can bring devastating spiritual consequences to our lives and communities.
TAKING IT TO HEART
And this is just a pondering question. I wouldn’t necessarily ask for vocal responses. But the question is: Have you ever seen the negative effects of one of these venoms in your own life?
THE TAKEAWAY
The takeaway then here is to recognize these problems for what they are. They are serious and should be watched for vigilantly. Don’t underestimate the power of these issues to critically injure or poison our spiritual health. When we see them rear their venomous heads, let’s step back and quickly walk away.
LESSON #2 THE ANTIVENOMS (HELAMAN 1-6)
Now this next lesson follows naturally from the first and I recommend teaching it in conjunction with it. The question now becomes, “But what if we do get bitten. Is all hope lost?” No. There are antivenoms available to us to help us recover before things get too critical. The scriptures never offer problems without solutions. Let’s focus our attention there now.
SEARCH-HANDOUT
There are a couple of key words that stand out to me in these chapters. Things that we must do to protect ourselves from the 3 headed snake. Let’s try a quick activity. It’s a handout. Here is a list of verbs that I think are key to protecting ourselves from the vile venoms. I’ll scramble them up here and give you the key references where they are used. For each, ponder how doing these things can protect us specifically from contention, secret combinations, and pride.
UNITE
1:6
The first antivenom is to unite. I think this represents the specific antivenom to deal with the venom of contention and it’s demonstrated by one of Pahoran’s sons in Helaman 1:6. I call this the Pacumeni solution. He too wanted to obtain the judgment seat, but he loses. And how does he react?
When he saw that he could not obtain the judgment seat, he did unite with the voice of the people. He didn’t throw a fit. He didn’t get angry. He didn’t rise up in rebellion, or try to find a way to secretly undermine his brother. He united with the majority and supported his new leader, for the good of society. That is the kind of attitude that leads to peace and unity. If the issue is not a matter of right or wrong, but preference or even politics, then let’s strive not to become divisive, contentious, and undermining. For example, you're going out to eat as a family and trying to decide where to go. The majority picks Olive Garden when we wanted to go to for Chinese. So do we throw a fit, and complain, and have a sour attitude the whole time and make everybody’s experience miserable, or do we unite with the voice of the people and make good out of a less-than-ideal circumstance for us. When our boss makes a decision that we don’t specifically agree with, do we talk about it behind their back, and passively sabotage their plans so we can say “I told you so”, or do we unite with their voice and try our best to make it successful for the good of the company. When our candidate doesn’t get elected, do we do everything in our power to undermine them and oppose them, so much that our goal is no longer as much about serving the good of society as it is about pulling that person down, or do we strive to do the best we can to work with the opposition while striving to offer what we feel to be a better alternative in the next election without becoming negative, hateful, and uncooperative. It’s so easy to become contentious, but better to be a Pacumeni.
CALL
3:27
Another thing I can do to protect myself is to call; call upon his holy name. Those that call upon God in sincerity are less likely to contend with others because they’ll have a higher perspective of what’s really important and will have a more generous and forgiving character. They won’t feel the need to unite with secret combinations because they recognize that God is all knowing and that nothing really is secret. And they won’t struggle with pride so much because it takes a humble person to pray, to recognize that there is a power far higher than themselves.
BELIEVE
3:28
Next. I need to believe on the name of Jesus Christ. Those that have faith in Christ won’t contend because they know that God will make all things just in the end. They won’t need to keep things secret because they have faith in Christ’s atonement to cover those things that Satan tempts them to hide, and they won’t have pride because they will have Christ’s example of great humility to emulate.
LAY HOLD
Next Lay hold. What can I lay hold on?
3:29 I can lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and wiles of the devil. What’s the imagery there? The scriptures and words of the prophets are like a what? A sword. If I lay hold upon that sword, I won’t be defeated. I’ll cut through the lies. Or, I lay hold upon the word because it will lead me in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery. What’s the imagery there? The scriptures and the words of the prophets are like a what? Maybe two things. Like an iron rod, that I lay hold on to get me through the mists of darkness. Or it’s a compass that’s leading me, a Liahona, that guides me through the wilderness of life. I’ve got to lay hold on those things.
If I do, then I won’t be contentious because God’s word will help me to keep my priorities in order. They will protect me from secret combinations because, like a sword they will cut through the lies and the deceit. And maybe most importantly. If I’m laying hold upon the scriptures, there won’t be any room in my arms to hold on to riches and things. There’s an interesting use of the word hold in the Book of Helaman. There’s somebody who wants to get a hold of something of yours. It’s Satan. What does he want to get a hold of? Helaman 6:30 He wants to get hold upon your hearts. If you lay hold on riches, you open up the way for Satan to get a hold of your hearts because pride and materialism and an obsession with wealth are on his side. But if you turn away from those things and lay hold on something far better, far more valuable, the word of God, then he can’t reach your heart. Later in Helaman, Samuel the Lamanite tells us another problem with laying hold on riches. Helaman 13:31. They get slippery, so that you can’t really hold onto them. You can’t retain them. But the word of God, is firm, you can hold onto it forever. So which will we lay hold on?
YIELDING
3:35
We could have also added the words purify, and sanctify as well. As long as we’re on the subject of hearts here. Rather than allowing the devil to get a hold of my heart. I can do three better things with it. According to 3:35, I can purify it, sanctify it and yield it to God. In the scriptures, the heart is a symbol for our will. We can seek to gratify our own will, or we can yield our heart, our will to God. We say, as Christ once did, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done”. That’s the ultimate example of yielding. And that attitude will purify and sanctify our hearts.
REMEMBER
5:6
Remembering is one of the most powerful antidotes we have at our disposal. In chapter 5, look for all the remembers. What things should we remember?
:6 Remember to keep the commandments
:6 Also in verse 6, I really like this one. Remember who you are named after and live up to those names. Helaman called his sons Nephi and Lehi. He did that for a reason. So that every time they heard their name, they would remember them, and how good they were, and that their works were good. He wanted them to live up to those names. My father believed in this principle as well and he named me Benjamin after King Benjamin. And I hope to live up to that name. I’ve given my own children names of individuals that I wish for them to live up to. Caleb and Joshua from the Old Testament, Elder Holland, and Seth. And even if your parents didn’t give you a name like that, if you’ve been baptized, you’ve taken upon yourself the name of Christ. Now that’s a name we all strive to live up to.
I love the President George Albert Smith story, where he had a dream that he met his grandfather who he was named after. His grandfather stopped him and asked, “What have you done with my name?” After thinking for a while, he looked up and with confidence said, “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed”. I hope to be able to say something similar to King Benjamin someday.
:9 Remember the words of the prophets, like King Benjamin
:9 Remember the atonement, that it is only Christ that can redeem the world
:10 Remember that Christ redeems us from our sins, and not in our sins
Remembering these things will help keep us safe from contention, secret combinations, pride and many, many other vices.
There is another remember in verse 12 but I believe that verse deserves attention all on its own. There is a different word that I want to focus on in that verse.
BUILD
5:12
And it’s build. I need to remember to build something. What do I build? I build my foundation upon the Rock of our Redeemer. Now I like the word build because it suggests effort and work on my part. I have to do something in order to establish myself firmly on the bedrock of Christ. What are those things I need to do? The other verbs we just talked about is a good place to start. I think it also means to center your faith on Christ. Remember the Anti-Nephi-Lehies who were converted unto the Lord. Those were people who built their foundation on Christ. We don’t build our foundation on missionaries, or other members, or leaders, or our parents, or the social structure of the church, because all of those things could possibly falter. But if I build my faith on Christ, I can never fall. Christ never faileth. How else do I build upon the rock? In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ tells the parable of the wise and the foolish man. The wiseman built his house upon the rock. And then he taught that the wise man represented those that not only hear his words, but do them as well. That’s another way I build on his rock. I do what he taught, not just hear or believe even. 3 Nephi 18 suggests another way I build upon the rock. After instituting the sacrament he says in verse 12, And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. So remembering Christ through worthily partaking of the sacrament is another way I build upon the rock. And why can’t you fall if you build your foundation on the Rock of Christ? In Moses 7:53 the Lord tells us something about that rock. That it is "broad as eternity”. How can you fall off a rock that is as broad as eternity. It’s impossible. And we’re going to need that firm foundation because it says that “when” the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, and his hail, and his mighty storm”. Not if, but when, then you won’t be dragged down to the gulf of misery and endless wo.
I like to show this picture when I talk about this verse. In Quebec Canada in 1996, heavy rains caused a nearby river to flood. 10 people were killed, and hundreds of homes were swept away. But not this little white house. For four days, the floods raged around it, wiping out everything nearby. How did it survive? It was built on a firm foundation. On a rock. I want my faith to be like that little White House. I want to be the type of disciple that no matter what the adversary, or the world throws at me, that I will stand firm.
TRUTH
Seeking unity, calling upon God, believing in Him, laying hold upon His word, yielding my heart, remembering, and building the foundation of my faith on Christ can protect me from the venoms of the adversary.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Pick one of the antivenom’s listed above which you found to be most helpful and share how it has helped
I WILL GO AND DO
Which of the seven verbs do you feel you most need to improve on and how do you plan to apply it?
THE TAKEAWAY
Well I wish I had better news for you here, but things don’t seem to get any better for the Nephites by the end of the Book of Helaman. The three headed snake succeeds in poisoning the majority of the people. They were so focused on what they perceived to be the big threat, the Lamanites, that they let their guard down. The seemingly “smaller” things are what got them in the end. Let’s not make the same mistake. Do we get so worked up and anxious about what’s happening in the world, or in politics, or in the media that we neglect the spiritual dangers right in front of us in our personal lives. For many years, in my youth during the Cold War, The Soviet Union was the big threat on everybody’s mind, what people most feared. But that danger disappeared in the early 90’s almost overnight. But really, in hindsight, it seems the real danger during that time, the snake, was the steady decline of morality in our media and family values. Perhaps now we worry so much about the threat of global terrorism, that we’ve neglected to protect ourselves adequately from the dangers of the internet and the rise of secularism. Do we worry so much about what’s happening in the White House, that we neglect to watch closely the dangers within our own house? Do we worry so much about the threat of war, that we neglect the spiritual war within our own souls. You could look at this in another way too. Are we so focused on avoiding the big sins, that we ignore the smaller ones? Do we pat ourselves on the back for doing so well at living the Word of Wisdom and paying our tithing, that we totally ignore the fact that pride is slipping into our lives, that we’re mistreating others or feeling superior to them. Are we so confident in our righteousness because we live the law of chastity and attend our church meetings, that we ignore the more subtle temptations of dishonesty, ingratitude, or laziness, each of which could ultimately poison our spirits. I hope we can keep our eyes open to all the dangers that surround us. To be prepared for the subtle temptations, as well as the big ones. I hope that we can unite, call, believe, lay hold on, yield, remember, and build. Then, we can enjoy the views and the beauty of our hike through the Badlands of life without suffering from the deadly bites and venom of Satan’s snakes.
LESSON #3 TURN AND LOOK (HELAMAN 5)
Now, there is another antivenom spoken of in these chapters that is so key and beautifully taught that I like to give it its own lesson. And that lesson comes from chapter 5.
OBJECT
For an object to this next lesson, I like to bring in a flashlight.
ICEBREAKER
And I usually open this lesson with a story for an icebreaker. If you’re teaching, you could relate a time when you found yourself in complete darkness. The story that I tell is actually kind of an embarrassing one. When I was in college, my roommates and I decided to go out and explore a cave system called the Nutty Putty caves out near Utah Lake. I had never been and since I’ve always loved the outdoors, I was very excited. So off we went, me trusting in my roommate who had been there before. When we got down into the cave we started exploring a section called the maze, which should have been a red flag for me right there. and we got deep down into the cave when my headlamp started to go dim, as well as one of my roommates. And of course, being the genius’s that we were, none of us had brought extra batteries or a map. So we decided to try to head back to the surface. But on the way back, we got horribly lost and turned around with all of our lights dimming. We eventually decided to stop, turn off all our lights to conserve our batteries, and decide what we were going to do. And, oh what a terrible feeling, to be lost in the dark deep under the earth. I felt so stupid for allowing myself to get into that situation. I would have given anything for more light and guidance. In a cave like that, it is pitch black, your eyes never adjust to the dark, it’s just complete and total blackness. And I was afraid.
Well I think of that experience when I read Helaman chapter 5. You can approach this story almost like a parable. Lots of symbolic meaning here dealing with light and dark. I think the most important thing you can do as a teacher here is to help your students visualize the story and liken it to themselves. And really the only way to do this story justice is to go verse by verse. I’ll also often call a student up to be an artist for the class and to illustrate the story as we go. Just stick figures are fine. But have them draw some of the major elements of the story on the board for us to consider.
SEARCH
I start by dividing the board into three sections, or you could give them a handout that I’ll make available to you. At the top of section 1 I write WHEN. At the top of section 2, IF. And at the top of Section 3 THEN. Explain that as we read the story, we’ll fill them in as we go. We’ll divide the story up into three sections as well. 5:22-28, 5:29-42, and 5:43-50.
Our first section is going to establish our WHEN. So as we read, keep these questions in mind.
How would you describe the state of Nephi and Lehi in this section?
How would you describe the state of the Lamanites in this section?
22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.
23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.
24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a pillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.
25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were struck dumb with amazement.
26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.
27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall. And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who were dissenters.
28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
So what did you notice? First of all, Nephi and Lehi. True they begin trapped, hungry, and in peril. But as soon as verse 23 begins, that all changes. They are encircled about with fire, but not burned. So visualize that. These two figures in the prison surrounded by this glorious light and fire and warmth. And how does it make them feel? It gives them courage.
The Lamanites on the other hand, what happens to them? They are overshadowed by darkness. And that darkness makes them feel what? Fear. And I’m going to cheat a little bit and steal another word from the next section in vs. 34. There we learn that the darkness made them immovable. They couldn’t move. They were trapped, paralyzed there.
Now have your artist draw a representation of that. Here’s how it might look. At this point I might ask if they feel this teaches them anything visually. Light and fire are almost always symbols for the Spirit, the gospel, all righteousness. All the good qualities of fire: warmth, light, comfort, but not the negative, they aren’t burned. And that light gives them courage. They are protected from their enemies.
The Lamanites on the other hand are plunged into darkness. And that darkness brings a different emotion: fear. I think we can all relate to that. Darkness brings fear and traps us, impedes our progress and paralyzes us in place. And the spirit whispers to us, do you get the point? Are you listening with your spiritual ears? This is a physical visual representation of their inner spiritual states.
Righteous Nephi and Lehi surrounded with light and warmth and protection, filling them with courage. That’s what righteousness brings. We sing a primary song. Teach me to walk in the light. We also sing a hymn. The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.
The darkness of sin and unbelief and ignorance and hatred fills us with fear. Fear of what? Fear of the consequences, fear that there is no purpose, fear that people will discover our sins, fear of death, fear that it might be true. Lots of awful solemn fear comes from being in that darkness.
So on our chart lets write this: WHEN we are in darkness and fearful. And that darkness can represent all those things we just mentioned. Sin, unbelief, hatred, etc.
Now the rest of the story is going to teach us how to get out of the darkness. What must we do to remove darkness from our lives?
Have someone read section 2 while the rest look for and mark the answers to that question.
29 And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.
30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul—
31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not disperse—
32 And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the walls trembled.
33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto them marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide asunder.
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi.
38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse?
39 Now the man’s name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them: They do converse with the angels of God.
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?
41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.
42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
And what must we do?
vs. 29 Repent ye, repent ye. It’s said again in verse 32
vs. 30 Listen to the voice.
And here we have a beautiful description of the voice of God. Sometimes we portray God with a deep bellowing voice, but here we find that it was not a voice of thunder, or of great tumultuous noise, but a still voice of perfect mildness, like a whisper, yet it pierces to the soul. So it’s powerful, but calm.
Now I love this next scene. Talk about a visual. There they are in the darkness, trapped. And one man, by the name of Aminidab turns around and he sees something through the darkness. What is it that has power to pierce the darkness of sin and fear?
He sees the faces of Nephi and Lehi shining through the clouds. And what does Aminadab tell the others they need to do in the darkness? Turn and look. Look at the faces of the prophets. And they do. Now they are still in the mists of darkness but at least they can see something. And what are the faces of Nephi and Lehi doing? They are looking up, speaking with some being above them. Visually, what have we just learned about the prophets. The prophets are full of light. Turning away from the world and looking to them will shine light into our lives. And who do the prophets speak to? God. And God speaks to them. Now what is the most natural thing to do when you see somebody looking up? You look up also. In fact there is a fun prank you can try to test this for yourselves. You get a group of your friends together, and stand outside looking up and pointing and say, “Can you see it?” Yeah, that’s amazing, I totally see it.” And then wait for other people to walk by. What will happen is that they will stop, and they will automatically look up as well. They won’t be able to help it. And they’ll ask what? What is it? And you just keep pointing and saying that. That thing up there. Wait for more and more people to arrive, and pretty soon you can slip away while they are all standing and pointing. Anyway, the point is, when somebody looks up, it causes us to look up also. Looking to the prophets will lead us to God as well.
In verse 40 they ask what they need to do to remove the cloud of darkness from them.
Verse 41 Repent, cry unto the voice even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek and Zeezrom. So again the idea is emphasized, look to the words and the teachings of the prophets.
In our visual up on the board, we could represent this part of the story like this with some arrows perhaps. The guards in the darkness look to the Nephi and Lehi, who are looking up.
So in our chart, when we find ourselves in darkness, we must repent, and cry unto God, but above all, in this story at least, we must look to the shining faces of God’s servants. We must believe on their words, we must look to their example, we must trust in their connection with heaven.
And if we do, our last section. Let’s read this looking for the results of looking to the faces in the darkness.
Verses 43-50.
43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.
44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.
45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.
46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.
48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.
50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received.
:43 the darkness was dispersed.
But not only that. It’s not just that the darkness goes away. They too are encircled about, every soul, with fire. That same fire that surrounded Nephi and Lehi, surrounds them as well now.
And how did it make them feel? No more awful, solemn fear.
But joy, glory, the Holy Spirit fills their hearts, they feel peace, and angels come and minister to them.
And now, they aren’t paralyzed anymore, but energized and mobilized. Now they go forth teaching and preaching the gospel to all around them. And they teach so powerfully, that the entire Lamanite nation is converted. Wonderful story.
So can see the principle of the story here? Can you see our final antivenin? We could add another word to list. That word would be LOOK. Look to the prophets. Their words, their leadership, their example shines through the clouds of a dark world. And looking to them will lead us out of that darkness and into that same light that they enjoy, if we choose to follow them. Now our picture can look like this.
TRUTH
Our truth then is our handout. Staring right at us. When I am in darkness or fearful, if I repent, cry unto the Lord, and look to the prophets, then the darkness will disperse and I will be filled with light, joy, glory, the Spirit and peace.
TAKING IT TO HEART
So now I’d like to ask you a question. Is that principle true for you? When has looking to the prophets brought light, joy, glory, the Spirit, or peace into your life?
For me personally, I can think of many times in my life where the counsel of a prophet has gotten me through a dark time. I’ll just give on example. When I was a teenager, I was going through what I perceived to be a dark time in my life. Feeling a little lost, afraid, and immovable. And I remember attending a priesthood session in the tabernacle and hearing Gordon B. Hinckley give a talk. And that talk caught my attention because he started by telling some sports stories where famous professional ball players were remembered for dropping the ball. And then he encouraged us, as young men, not to drop the ball, spiritually, but to play well for the Lord’s team and live a purer, cleaner, more Christ-centered life. I left the tabernacle that night with a newfound enthusiasm and purpose. Looking to his face brought me out of the darkness and into the light. That light gave me courage, joy, and peace.
I remember when Elder Holland gave a talk in General Conference regarding his testimony of the Book of Mormon. The strength of his faith and reasoning in that talk has bright light and courage into my life.
President Nelson’s recent talk on Thinking Celestial has had a great light-giving effect on my faith and resolve recently. And I could go on and on with specific examples here, but I would hope that we could all think of times when the words of the prophets helped us out of the darkness.
THE TAKEAWAY
We are so fortunate as members of the church to be led by living prophets. I think we could all agree that we live in dark times. This chapter reminds me of a promise found in Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-6
4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his (the prophets) words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.
I’d like to conclude my story of being in the cave. We decided, sitting there in the darkness, as a group, that we should pray for help and to know what to do. We decided to call. Call upon God for help. I was chosen to offer that prayer. And I know that not all prayers are answered in this way, but, I’m not making this up, as soon as I said Amen, we heard other voices in the cave. We shouted to those voices for help until we finally met up with this other group. Embarrassingly, it was a troop of cub scouts, who had extra batteries, who had brought a map and knew the right direction to exit the cave. So that’s the time I was rescued by the cub scouts. But, I can’t tell you how good it felt to see a light coming our direction, how good it felt to exit the cave and stand in the warm brilliant light of day. That’s what it’s like to look to the prophets after a time of darkness in your life. I love the living prophets. Can you think of a greater group of men anywhere in the world? And you know what. They really do shine. When I hear them speak, I can tell, I can sense their connection with heaven. They almost do shine literally as they speak. I invite you, like Aminidab, to turn and look to them in your times of darkness and just hang on until the comforting, courage-inspiring flames of the Spirit surround and protect you. That’s my prayer for all of us.
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