Book of Mormon Lesson 3 Activity 1

How to Prepare for Our Battle Against Satan

Alma 43:19-22,38  The Nephites had been prepared for war with shields and clothing to protect them during battle.

                                We protect ourselves from temptation through prayer, scripture study, and obedience.

Alma 43:23          Moroni sent men to communicate with Alma desiring that he inquire of the Lord if they go defend themselves against the Lamanites.

                                We can listen to and follow the counsel of the prophets.

Alma 43:26          The Nephites gathered together in battle to defend their lands, country, rights, and liberties.

                                We can exercise our right to vote, be involved in our communities to elect the best candidates and to enact laws that protect freedom and morality.

Alma 48:8-9        The Nephites fortified their cities by building forts and embankments. They placed extra men for protection at their weakest places.

                                We can                 fortify ourselves spiritually by reading scriptures, obeying commandments, serving others, etc. We can evaluate our weakness and double our efforts to improve those areas.

Alma 50:1            Between wars Moroni did not allow the people to stop making preparations for war. They continued to fortify all the cities against the Lamanites.

                                We are always obeying, praying, reading…even on the days we are feeling righteous. We do not take a break from strengthening ourselves, our testimonies, our resolve, our character…

Alma 59:9            Moroni sent reinforcements to the city of Nephihah as he recognized it is easier to retain the city than to fight to retake the city if it fell into the hands of the Lamanite.

                                A doctor once told me it is easier to keep weight off, than to take it off. As I exercise and diet to take weight off I recognize how true his words. It is so with any aspect of our lives. Any time we allow an action to become a habit , it is an uphill climb to remove the habit.

Understand the Enemy and His Strategy

Alma 43:7-8        Zarahemnah provoked anger within his followers against the Nephites with the intention to gain power over both his people and place the Nephites in bondage.

Alma 45:24          They grew proud because of exceeding riches. Did not walk uprightly before God.

Alma 46:8-10      Forgot God. Committed iniquity. Followed Satan. One wicked person has influence on others. Deceives through flattery. Desires to destroy the Church, liberty which is God given.

Alma 53:9, 60:15-16         Involved in iniquity and had dissension and intrigue among themselves. Unrighteousness within leadership and fighting within.

1.       Alma 60:23 & Alma 53:21

2.       Alma 53:21 This scripture states that because a certain group of men were taught to keep the commandments of God, they were men of truth and soberness. This scripture describes the two thousand stripling warriors. They had great faith and attribute their spiritual strength to the teaching of their mothers. I relate to this scripture from two angles. First, as a mother it is my desire that my children live lives of faith and pass their love of the gospel on to their children. My greatest heritage will be a righteous posterity. And second, as I mother it is first my responsibility to know what I teach to be true.  Elder Neal A Maxwell said it this way, “the mothers first had to know ‘it’ in such a way that the young men, observing them closely and hearing them(as is always the case with children observing parents), did ‘not doubt’ that their mothers knew that ‘it’ was true” (That My Family Should Partake [1974],58-59) Just as in placing the oxygen mask over ourselves first if the plane is in distress, I must know and live the gospel before I can teach and share with others.

Alma 60:23 I learned a life lesson last semester in my New Testament class. At the Last Supper Jesus told his disciples that one of their company would betray him. Upon hearing this, the apostles did not look suspiciously around at each other questioning which one would do the crime. Instead they asked the Savior, “Is it I?” From my point of reference, the Twelve are nearly perfect, now and then. My first thought was, why would they ask that? Surely they would know if they were involved in a plot to betray. Then when I put myself in their place and asked myself if I am capable of that sin or any other, I realized their humility in asking, “Is it I?”  I have used this question numerous times when I am in a situation where I am defending my behavior. If I simply ask myself, how I contributed to the situation, I have not yet had a time where I could have been more patient, more helpful, more sincere, etc and the negative situation may have been improved or eliminated. From this ongoing inner cleansing I am learning to be more Christ like. I believe I must improve myself first and most.

3.       A. Valiant for courage

B. Strong and active

C. True in all things

D. Sober

E. They were taught the commandments and kept them

F. Had faith in God

G. Did not fear death

H. Upheld liberty

I. Honored their mothers

J. Obeyed with exactness

K. Firm and undaunted

L. Protected by God as they fought with strength

M. Trusted in God

O. Prayerful and received answers to prayers

P. Remembered God from day to day and to keep His statutes continually

Q. Had faith in prophecy

R. Preserved them after receiving many wounds

The youth of today must be valiant just as the stripling warriors were. They must learn the commandments and follow them. They must follow the ways of the world in their standards. They must avoid pornography and addictive substances of all kinds. Those that set a goal to serve a mission and begin preparation at an early age will receive spiritual blessings.