Lesson 23: Alma Counsels His Sons Helaman and Shiblon

1. Lesson 23: Alma Counsels His Sons Helaman and Shiblon

2. Lesson 23: Alma Counsels His Sons Helaman and Shiblon • Purpose • To teach the children that the scriptures were given to us as a source of joy in this life and as a guide for us to return to Heavenly Father and gain eternal life.

3. Opening • Our Opening Prayer will be given by . . .

4. Attention Activity • Eternal Life • As members of the Church we want to find joy in this life, return to our Heavenly Father, and obtain eternal life, which is to live forever as families in God’s presence. • Eternal life is God’s greatest gift to his children. • Heavenly Father wants all of us to be worthy to live with him forever. • Hidden some place in the room is a wordstripof someone who wants to help them gain eternal life. • You have about thirty seconds to search for the wordstrip. • Heavenly Father has given us a guide to lead us to eternal life. Give hints if necessary.

5. Attention Activity • We have been given the scriptures as a guide to help us learn about Jesus Christ and become like him so we may return to our Father in Heaven.

6. Scripture Account • Show the video

7. Discussion Questions • Why was it important for the Book of Mormon prophets to keep and preserve the brass plates? (Alma 37:4, 8; see lesson 3.) • Why was the Liahona given to Lehi? • How did it work? (1 Nephi 16:10, 28.) • How are the scriptures like the Liahona? (Alma 37:44–45.) • How can the scriptures help us return to live with Heavenly Father? • What did the scriptures teach the Lamanites that caused them to repent? (Alma 37:9.)

8. Discussion Questions • What did Alma ask his son Helaman to teach the people? (Alma 37:32–34.) • How can we overcome temptation

9. Discussion Questions • What did Alma mean when he counseled Helaman to “learn wisdom in thy youth”? (Alma 37:35.) Why is living the gospel in our youth so important?

10. Discussion Questions • What did Alma teach Helaman about prayer? (Alma 37:36–37.) • How and when should you pray? • What does it mean to “be lifted up at the last day”? • The “Last Day” refers to the final judgment when all who have obeyed the commandments will enter into Heavenly Father’s presence and live with him forever.

11. Discussion Questions • How had Alma’s son Shiblon brought him great joy? (Alma 38:2–4.) • How has your obedience to the commandments brought joy to your parents?

12. Discussion Questions • What is pride? (Alma 38:11) • Not being humble or teachable. • Proud people think they are more important than others. • Proud people follow their own will rather than Heavenly Father’s will. • How does learning to admit and correct our mistakes bring us closer to Heavenly Father? • What does it mean to boast?

13. Discussion Questions • How did Alma know the things he taught his son? (Alma 38:6–8.) • What must we do so the Holy Ghost can teach and help us as he did Alma? • How has the Holy Ghost taught or helped you do what is right?

14. Discussion Questions • • What did Alma testify to Shiblon about Jesus Christ? (Alma 38:9.) • How can we use the scriptures to help us gain a similar testimony? • Read and ponder them daily • Seek the help of the Spirit to understand them • Liken them to our own experiences and situations.

15. Enrichment Activity • One of the reasons we have been given the scriptures is to help us overcome and solve our problems. • Divide into groups of two. • Work with your partner to decide how the following scriptures will help in each situation.

16. Enrichment Activity • Group 1 • When Jim was baptized, his family was angry with him. • When the bishop asked Jim to accept a call to serve a full-time mission, Jim did not have enough money. Group 3 Doug has been given a school assignment that is difficult to complete in the assigned time. Group 2 Shelly has an important decision to make, but even after talking to many people she can’t decide what to do. Group 4 • Heather’s friends often try to get her to shoplift with them. When she refuses, they make fun of her. • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

17. Enrichment Activity Alma 26:12 12 Yea, I know that I am anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will bnot boast of myself, but I will cboast of my God, for in his dstrength I can do all ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. 1 Nephi 3:7 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. Alma 37:37 37 aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. 1 Nephi 17:3 3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and astrengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did bprovide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

18. Enrichment Activity • Group 1 Group 3 Now lets here from our groups Group 2 . Group 4 • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

19. Enrichment Activity • Group 1 • When Jim was baptized, his family was angry with him. • When the bishop asked Jim to accept a call to serve a full-time mission, Jim did not have enough money. • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

20. Enrichment Activity Group 2 Shelly has an important decision to make, but even after talking to many people she can’t decide what to do. • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

21. Enrichment Activity Group 3 Doug has been given a school assignment that is difficult to complete in the assigned time. • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

22. Enrichment Activity Group 4 • Heather’s friends often try to get her to shoplift with them. When she refuses, they make fun of her. • Alma 26:12; 1 Nephi 3:7; Alma 37:37; 1 Nephi 17:3

23. Testimony • I want to testify that studying the scriptures daily can help us solve our problems, overcome temptation, and stay on the strait and narrow path to return to our Father in Heaven and gain eternal life. • I want to encourage you to read and pray daily and you will be blessed for you efforts

24. Closing • Our Closing Prayer will be given by:

25. The End

26. Alma 37:4,8 • 4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and ahanded down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the bmysteries contained thereon. • 8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, athey have benlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the cknowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls. Return

27. 1 Nephi 16:10, 28 10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round aball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one bpointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness. 28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the afaith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them. Return

28. Alma 37:44–45 • 44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the aword of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. • 45 And now I say, is there not a atype in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise. Return

29. Alma 37:9 • 9 Yea, I say unto you, awere it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have bconvinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their cwords brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer. Return

30. Alma 37:32–34 • 32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting ahatred against sin and iniquity. • 33 aPreach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be bmeek and lowly in heart; teach them to cwithstand every dtemptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. • 34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find arest to their souls. Return

31. Alma 37:35 • 35 O, remember, my son, and alearn bwisdom in thy cyouth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. Return

32. Alma 37:36–37 • 36 Yea, and acry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy bdoings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy cthoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. • 37 aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. Return

33. Alma 38:2–4 • 2 And I also command you that ye keep a arecord of this people, according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a bwise purpose that they are kept. • 3 And these aplates of brass, which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the bgenealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning— • 4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and ahanded down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the bmysteries contained thereon. Return

34. Alma 38:11 • 11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not aboast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength. Return

35. Alma 38:6–8 • 6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been aborn of God I should not have known these things. • 7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his aangel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of bdestruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth. • 8 And it came to pass that I was athree days and three nights in the most bitter bpain and canguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a dremission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul. Return

36. Alma 38:9 • 9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is ano other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the blight of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and crighteousness. Return

37. Faces