Lesson 24: Alma Counsels his son Corianton

1. Lesson 24: Alma Counsels his son Corianton

2. Lesson 24: Alma Counsels his son Corianton Purpose To help the children understand that there are good and bad consequences depending on our choices.

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

4. Attention Activity • You must throw overboard all but two items of their supplies. • From the following list, choose the two items they will keep: Imagine that you are alone on a raft in the middle of the ocean. You discover that you must lighten your load because the raft is riding low in the water.

5. Which two items would you want to keep? Attention Activity • Case of one dozen bottles of fresh water • Two-way radio • Box of emergency flares • Large can of shark repellent Life jacket First aid kit Chest filled with gold Fishing pole, fishing tackle, and bait

6. Attention Activity You may encounter sharks and need the repellent You may need the radio to seek help You may get hurt and need the first-aid kit You may need the flares for a nighttime rescue Or you may even get rescued in the next few hours and wish they had kept the treasure. Why did you pick those two items? Your choices poise a dilemma. Making a choice would be difficult because you would not know what would happen in the future: You may sink and need the life jacket You may become thirsty and need the water to drink You may become hungry and need the fishing pole

7. In Life we have many difficult choices to make Heavenly Father has given us commandments to help us Attention Activity This lesson is about making choices.

8. Scripture Account This weeks lesson is a continuation of Alma working with his sons. This week is about Alma’s Third son which was shown in the video from last week. To help refresh you memory, we will show that video again. Show the video

9. Whom do you look to for a righteous example? What righteous choices have they made? Discussion Questions What kind of example had Corianton’s brother set for him? (Alma 39:1.)

10. Discussion Questions Why did Alma say he was unhappy with Corianton? (Alma 39:2.) What does it mean that Corianton did not give heed to his father’s words? Coriantondid not obey Alma.

11. Discussion Questions Why do we need to obey our parents? What does it mean to boast? To brag or put ourselves above others. Why is it wrong to boast?

12. Discussion Questions Who knows of all our sins? (Alma 39:8.) How can feelings of guilt lead a person to repent? Why did Alma say he was reminding Corianton of his sins? (Alma 39:7–9) To “cross yourself in all these things” [verse 9] means to turn away from these evils.

13. Discussion Questions From what other sources can you receive righteous counsel? Who did Alma say could give Corianton good advice in making choices? (Alma 39:10.) How have your parents and family helped you make right decisions?

14. Discussion Questions How did Corianton’s unrighteous actions affect the Zoramites? (Alma 39:11) What ways may our choices affect others?

15. Discussion Questions What are some of the choices you have to make? How might the Holy Ghost help you know when you are doing something wrong? How might the Holy Ghost help you know you have made a good decision? Would any of you like to share experiences when the Holy Ghost has helped you make decisions?

16. Discussion Questions What did Alma teach Corianton about repentance? (Alma 39:13.) What do you think it means to “turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength”? Why should we apologize to those whom we have hurt by our wrong choices?

17. Discussion Questions What was Alma’s counsel about seeking riches? (Alma 39:14.) What happens to people when riches become the most important things in their lives?

18. Discussion Questions What did Alma teach Corianton about the mission of Jesus Christ? (Alma 39:15.) What was Corianton supposed to teach about? (Alma 39:16.) What can we do to share the gospel with those around us?

19. Enrichment Activity We all have choices to make in Life. The consequences of our choices can affect other people.

20. Enrichment Activity What is the Word of Wisdom? Do we have to obey the word of Wisdom? Why is it called the Word of Wisdom? You can find the Word of Wisdom in D&C 89.

21. Enrichment Activity The Word of Wisdom was given by revelation showing the will of God in our temporal salvation. Summarizing D&C 89, it says in part: We should not drinking alcoholic beverages. We should not use tobacco. (smoking or chewing) We should not drink Coffee or Tea. We should eat what we need to sustain our bodies And Eat Meats sparingly

22. Enrichment Activity What kind of choice do you think Jesus would want you to make with the following, and consider the consequences for the choices you make: The language they use Keeping the Sabbath day holy The clothes they wear Obeying their parents The music they listen to Stealing The movies, videos, and television shows they watch Telling the truth The books and magazines they read

23. Enrichment Activity President Spencer W. Kimball had a decision to make in this story. “I made up my mind while still a little boy that I would never break the Word of Wisdom. … I knew that when the Lord said it, it was pleasing unto him for men to abstain from all these destructive elements and that the thing I wanted to do was to please my Heavenly Father. And so I made up my mind firmly and solidly that I would never touch those harmful things. Having made up my mind fully and unequivocally, I found it not too difficult to keep the promise to myself and to my Heavenly Father” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 127; or Ensign, May 1974, p. 88).

24. Enrichment Activity What choice did President Spencer W. Kimball make when he was young? Once he made up his mind, do you think it was hard for him to follow the Word of Wisdom? Do you obey the Word of Wisdom? Is it hard for you?

25. Testimony I want to testify to you, that deciding to follow Jesus Christ will lead to making righteous choices and that this is the only way to find true happiness. By obeying the Word of Wisdom as well as the rest of the commandments your lives will be happy and blessed.

26. Closing Our closing prayer will be offered by:

27. THE END

28. Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office, and other websites indicating the images were in the public domain or permitted for church and home use. The lesson and scripture story are from lds.org. Please do not use this presentation for commercial use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in church or home to suit personal preference. This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.

29. Alma 39:1 1 AND now, my ason, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good bexample for thee? Return

30. Alma 39:2 2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy brother, among the people of the aZoramites. Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom. Return

31. Alma 39:7–9 7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been aguilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good. 8 But behold, ye cannot ahide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day. 9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the alusts of your eyes, but bcross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and ccross yourself in these things. Return

32. Alma 39:8 8 But behold, ye cannot ahide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day. Return

33. Alma 39:10 10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers. And give heed to their counsel. Return

34. Alma 39:11 11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great ainiquity ye brought upon the bZoramites; for when they saw your cconduct they would not believe in my words. Return

35. Alma 39:13 13 That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and aacknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done. Return

36. Alma 39:14 14 aSeek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you. Return

37. Alma 39:15 15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the acoming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people. Return

38. Alma 39:16 16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people, to prepare their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that they may prepare the minds of their achildren to hear the word at the time of his coming. Return

39. D&C 89 1 A aWORD OF WISDOM, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion— 2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the aword of wisdom, showing forth the order and bwill of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days— 3 Given for a principle with apromise, adapted to the capacity of the bweak and the weakest of all csaints, who are or can be called saints. 4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of aevils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of bconspiring men in the last days, I have cwarned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— 5 That inasmuch as any man adrinketh bwine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. 6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, apure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make. 7 And, again, astrong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies. them. Amen. Return

40. D&C 89 8 And again, tobacco is not for the abody, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill. 9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly. 10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome aherbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man— 11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with aprudence and bthanksgiving. 12 Yea, aflesh also of bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used csparingly; 13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or bfamine. 14 All agrain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth; not slay them. Amen. Return

41. D&C 89 15 And athese hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger. 16 All grain is good for the afood of man; as also the bfruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground— 17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain. 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ashall receive bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones; 19 And shall afind bwisdom and great ctreasures of dknowledge, even hidden treasures; 20 And shall arun and not be bweary, and shall walk and not faint. 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the adestroying angel shall bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. Return