Nov 13 2018 Helaman 7-12 by Cynthia Haller

“AND THUS WE SEE . . .” BOOK OF MORMON INSIGHTS TO AVOID THE CYCLE OF APOSTASY AND DESTRUCTION and LIVE IN PEACE DURING DIFFICULT TIMES
(Helaman 6-12)
Never been so convinced that the Book of Mormon is for definitely for OUR TIME-so we learn to avoid the mistakes of saints in those days.

Helaman 6:
Nephites become very wicked and the Lamanites repent
(can’t all be righteous at the same time—frustrating to prophets/Lord)
Lamanites will repent, remove Gad robbers from among them, Nephites will support robbers until whole Nephite govt is corrupted
You have a choice to cast evil aside or allow and then join in with evil

Inspired learning:
v. 3 The faithful members of the church can have great joy and live in love during difficult times.
Key: fellowship one another, rejoice with others (happy for them)
Difficult times we face today: terrorism, love of men to wax cold (random shootings/killings every week)
Lamanites preached to the Nephites—role reversal

Review of last week: Hardened people can change—became converted due to missionary efforts of Nephi and Lehi and the miracles taught
last week while imprisoned
Read Helaman 5: 17, 18, 19, 51: Preached with great power—people became converted, repented, turned from their false traditions
v. 4-5: Lamanites taught the Nephites and many repented

Peace in the land again—trade –became exceedingly rich v 9
Read v 14 v 15 chief judge/pres murdered/ his son also murdered

Cycle of apostasy—read commentary (after v 16)
People humble and repent
They prosper
As they prosper they become rich
With wealth, they get prideful
Pride leads to wickedness
Wickedness leads to destruction
Destruction leads to humility
Humility leads to repenting and keeping God’s commandments
Which leads to prosperity
And around the cycle they go again and again!

Inspired learning: (commentary—Making the Book of Mormon Easier–David Ridges)
One of our major challenges as a people and individuals, is to avoid the cycle of apostasy: it can be done!
Remember the 200 years of peace among the people in 3rd Nephi, after the Savior’s appearance to them, and the 225 years of wealth, prosperity, righteousness and peace in Ether 9:15-25.
People who remain humble and faithful, despite prosperity, are able to avoid going through the cycle repeatedly. They seem to be able to follow the counsel of the Lord found in:

Jacob 2:16-19: READ
Purpose of riches—to do good

Read v 17—set their HEARTS upon their riches-key
Savior said: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

With pride and lust for riches, we will see the rapid growth of the Gadianton robbers and the great damage they do to their society
v. 18 there were many even among the Nephites, but they were more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites—robbers and murderers—they murdered the chief judges

Inspired learning:
Wealth can become a problem to the spirituality of people. These chapters show that the search for wealth becomes the master rather than the servant.
They and we have a choice in how to handle wickedness/robbers

Read V 20, 21,22 Satan—the great counterfeit
Commentary: Satan is “the great counterfeit,” in other words, he has counterfeit covenants, oaths, signs, words, etc., which make an evil mockery of the covenants, oaths, signs, etc., which rightfully belong to the gospel of Christ and are used by covenant people in the temple—never realized how Satan try to mimic/copy/counterfeit sacred things—makes a mockery of that which is sacred

Gadianton group inspired by Satan, as he also put into the heart of Cain to kill Able
Go through – and dots
Read v 28—
Comm: Tower of Babel—always wondered why this was significant—there is no other way to “get to heaven”other than through the gospel and Atonement of Christ. These people were convinced by Satan that they could get there on their own, and not pay the price of repentance and obedience, but rely on their own wisdom and power.

Counterfeit of Satan: v 28, 30 READ
D&C 1:
V 4—voice of warning in the last days
V 15 “For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;
V 16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world
V 17 Wherefore, I the Lord knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun and spake unto him from heaven . . . restoration!

Read v 30, 31, 32, –“thus we see” 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
Commentary: Personal wicked people cannot stand righteous laws and leaders in government. Therefore, they vote them out of office and replace them with leaders whose lives reflect the same sin and “anything goes” mentality of the majority of voters. Laws are then made which make personal wickedness “legal.” Many citizens no longer ask, “what do the scriptures say?” Rather they say, “is it legal?” So therefore corrupt laws corrupt people further and it is a downward spiral.

Helaman 7:
Nephi and Lehi have much success on previous mission to Lamanites, went north to preach—but didn’t have same results. Came back to Zarahelma, after being rejected, and discouraged—Gadianton robbers had taken over the govt
Read through Nephi praying and calling people to repentance

Helaman 8:
Remember that Mormon chose to write about selected issues that we face in our day. In these chapters, Mormon shows us what works to preserve freedom and agency, and what types of things work to destroy them.

Angry cries of corrupt judges that claim Nephi has violated their laws (they could have changed the law to ensure you can’t express opposition to the govt).
***Today we hear similar cries by people who claim that any mention of God, religion, scripture, prophecy, or the use of the terms “good” and “evil”, “right and wrong,” are offensive to the laws and freedoms of this land, a country that was forged and established by the hand of God.

Q Why do you allow this man to offend us and our laws?
We claims that our great cities can be destroyed—we are too great and powerful (rely on their own strength).
Some believed v 8—we better listen or be destroyed
V 13-18 Reason to study scriptures: remind us of the testimonies/lessons taught by past prophets—so we don’t repeat the same mistakes—Moses
v. 11 –Moses’ words fulfilled—why not listen to me/prophets
Satan deceptions: only believe past prophets but not current/believe those in past
Read v 24: so many evidences
Read Moses 6:63—all things bear witness of me
Read v 25-26 –still invited to repent
Few colorfast dyes—most fabrics would bleed color onto other coloring when wet—scarlet and crimson were colorfast
Read Isaiah 1:18–the Lord’s Atonement will cleanse sins and even make scarlet and crimson sins white again

Inspired learning:
Prophets know of things to come which others don’t know. The Lord therefore can tell us things for our protection and safety and can warn of dangers and coming destruction: your chief judge is murdered by his brother–Inspired by satan who seeketh to destroy the souls of men

Helaman 9
This chapter will show how satan uses speculation, misinformation, jumping to conclusions to cloud truth. Uses same tactics to confuse the simple fact that the gospel is true and that God exists.
V 1 people were disputing if Nephi is a prophet—instead of asking for direction. Leave him completely alone—“prophet not esteemed in his own country.” Should seek his counsel and teachings, but walk away; relying on the wisdom of men to understand things of God.

Inspired learnings:
God tells Nephi 6 things which will lead to exaltation (for us as well).
Read V 4- PEARL –read them—all contained in one verse

Blessed art thou Nephi, for those things which thou hast done
1) Actions must accompany belief
For I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness
2) We must be consistently faithful
Thou has not feared them
3) We must be more concerned about what God thinks than what people think
Hast not sought thine own life
4) We must not make our own pleasure and desires top priority
Hast sought my (God’s) will
5) We must subject our will to God’s will
And to keep my commandments
6) We must strive to keep His commandments

READ V 5—PEARL—not to ask that which is contrary to God’s will
GOAL of life—naturally have your will become the same as the Lord’s will –V 5 Nephi obtained that—had his calling and election made sure

Key is: you receive what you ask for if you ask according to the Lord’s will—God knew Nephi wouldn’t ask anything that wasn’t the Lord’s will because he had obtained His mind.

Q. How do you do this? How do you know the Lord’s will?
Joseph Smith taught in Lectures on Faith (School of the Prophets), if you keep the commandments and access the Holy Ghost that you can possess the same mind of the Father which mind is the Holy Ghost.
This is why we desire for the Holy Ghost to always be with us (as it says in the sacrament prayer—“that we may always have His spirit to be with us.”
This is how the Savior and Heavenly Father are one—through the spirit, their will is the same—
The spirit is the intercessor—connects us with God and Jesus—become one with them when our will is the same

Scriptures that teach this—favorite topic—how to make my will the same as the Lord’s—the key is to obtain the mind of Christ:

***One of the purposes of reading the scriptures is to obtain the mind of Christ by learning about Him and His dealings with His children.
2 Nephi 32:3: “ . . . feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”
Then the Holy Ghost will bring those things (you learned) to your remembrance.
Then you would do the things the Lord would do, and you would ask according to His will.

D & C 46:30: “He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.”
D & C 103:31: “Behold this is my will; ask and ye shall receive; but men do not always do my will.”
D&C 88:64: “Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you.”
Mosiah 4:21 “God . . . doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith . . . “
Romans 8: 26, 27: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
D & C 8:10: “Remember without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.”
I John 5:14, 15: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us.
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
2 Nephi 4:35: “I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee . . .”

Inspired learning:
Key to having prayers answers—ask according to the Lord’s will, obtain the mind of Christ through the spirit (same as when blessings are given/discern Lord’s will)

Read v 6: Lord tells Nephi that the famine, pestilence, and destruction are equal to the degree of wickedness of those people
The Lord is trying to humble His children in order to save them
Read v 7, -power to seal anything on earth-sealed in heaven
Read v 11—call to repent, zealous missionary to declare repentance to ALL—didn’t rest until all had been warned

“Behold I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
Therefore they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.” D&C 88:80, 81

Helaman 11:
6 years before the birth of the Savior. Nephi has been given the power of God to use it as he sees fit, to try to save souls.
Nephi will use the power of famine to stop war and bloodshed—people will humble themselves and repent.
V. 1: always begins with contentions—Satan is the father of contention—it’s the way Satan gains power over them, to contend

“For . . . he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to content with anger, one with another.
Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” 3 Nephi 11:29-30

Read/summarize 1-7: about to perish by the famine
Famine actually a way that God can stop war and bloodshed and humble His people—sometime it is an act of mercy to reclaim his disobedient and rebellious children and give them another chance to repent

Inspired Learning: Better to be humble without being compelled to be humble.

D&C 101:7,8: “They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.”

Q. Is this you and I? How hard do we pray, do we acknowledge the Lord’s hand as much in the good, peaceful times as in the hard trials?

V 20—they begin to prosper again—fearful when hear that—cycle of apostasy again

INSPIRED LEARNING AND CHALLENGE: When you prosper and are being blessed, as individuals and as a people (Latter-day Saints), be aware of the cycle of apostasy. People who remain humble and faithful, despite prosperity, are able to avoid going through the cycle repeatedly. It’s a CHOICE—our FREE AGENCY how we react. Converted saints know the purpose of riches—used to bless others and do good with them. In the temple we consecrate all that we have, so our wealth and riches are a sacred stewardship and the Lord could ask for us to bless others with it.
Jacob 2:16-19 . . . “ do not let pride destroy your souls. But before ye seek for riches seek ye for the kingdom of God. . . ”

Brigham Young warned that the saints would be tried more by their riches than by their poverty.

The cycle begins with pride (in their riches):
President Ezra Taft Benson warned:
“Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’
Pride is a sin that can be rarely be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. There is however, a far more common ailment among us—and
that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as fault-finding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous.
PRIDE IS THE GREAT STUMBLING BLOCK TO ZION. I REPEAT: PRIDE IS THE GREAT STUMBLING BLOCK TO ZION!!”

CS Lewis put it this way: (its all about comparions)
*** “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not, they are proud of being richer, cleverer, or better-looking than others. If every one else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: The pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” C.S. Lewis,Mere Christianity, pg. 95
V 22- a few contentions on points of doctrine
D & C 10:63: “. . . Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.”

Gadianton robbers again—Satan –worked before, try it again!
10 years since peace and now cycle begins again—didn’t they learn from mistakes—thousands died before—return to former sins

Helaman 12: THUS WE SEE chapter
***(write your own learnings—what you see and can apply)
Q. Wonder why the Lord who knows our weaknesses and tendencies to become prideful and disobedient, blesses us and prospers us when we keep His commandments? Is it a test? Do we have a choice to avoid the cycle of apostasy? Has He warned us and forewarned us and showed us the pitfalls of riches and pride?
Read verses 1-8
Section ends with strong warnings: “thus we see”—what the Lord wants to warn us about and to avoid
Looking for an inspiring scripture to end on, but end with warnings instead

“Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; . . . blessed is he that believeth in the word of God . . .”
Alma 32:16

October 23 2018 Alma 52- 63 by Cynthia Haller

They Did Not Doubt by Joseph Brickey

ALMA 52-63:  “WE DID NOT DOUBT OUR MOTHERS KNEW IT!” – “TRUE AT ALL TIMES!”

Moroni—Man of God and Man of Action/Defender of Freedom/country/people

Read all the chapters–these are the highlights and the most significant learnings in this reading.

Chapter 53:

One thing to keep in mind throughout these war chapters is that through Moroni’s words we are keeping company with great men of God in very difficult times.  We are given the opportunity, in effect, to go with them and watch how they handle difficult and challenging situations.  **We are especially privileged to see how they maintain their personal spirituality and also how they exercise inspired wisdom in tough military situations.  We are obviously being given inspired counsel by the Lord, through Mormon for policy-making and action in our day of war and extreme opposition to righteousness. (Book of Mormon Made Easier, commentary by David Ridges)

Learning #1: 

“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commanded them.”  I Nephi 3:7

Be assured, despite the difficulty, there will always be a way for you to keep the commandments if you proceed with faith and do all that is in your power.
Another scripture –could call it the “Lord’s success formula”

“Search the scriptures, pray always, and be believing, and all things will work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant ye have covenanted one with another.”  D&C 90:24

Read v 17, 18, 20, 21 Very young but valiant and courageous and TRUE AT ALL TIMES!  (read verses)
Chapter 55:

 Moroni is a strong and inspired leader and always acts with the freedom and liberty of his people in mind.  He rejects the offer to exchange (due to Ammoron will still come against his people and desires their destruction).

Moroni determines instead to rescue his prisoners and goes about planning their escape.  He is smart and creative and does all in his power to free them and then depends on the Lord to bless them in their efforts.

Learning # 2:

Moroni is a living example of what Brigham Young taught:  the Lord will come through for you as you do your part too.

“Work as if everything depends on you, and pray as if everything depends on the Lord.”

He doesn’t sit back and ask the Lord to free his prisoners, but he formulates a good plan and acts, and the Lord blesses his efforts.

  1. 44-48 READ ALL

terrible battle ensued with Antipus—weary & about to give up/leaders fell—then 2000 sons came to their rescue

whole army of the Lamanites fell upon them— strongest army of all, largest fighting against boys who had NO BATTLE EXPERIENCE—put their trust in the Lord completely—no match for hardened soldiers

v 48: “We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”

Q What does that mean?  Knew what?  What did they know?

Knew that faith can work miracles  Knew that if they didn’t doubt, God would deliver them

Also that they knew about the prophecies and that a Savior, a Redeemer would come and redeem His people—they believed that Jesus Christ who hadn’t yet come (but would in 62 years) would suffer for them and enable them to return to them.

They knew that salvation came from Jesus Christ –through the infinite atonement which hadn’t even been worked out yet but would still bless them

And what a testimony for teaching in the home by believing parents, especially their mothers who typically are with their children more

Learning #3:

God is a God of miracles—get scripture?

  1. 55, 56 READ—Helaman didn’t know how many were slain—fearing many, but miraculously not one had been slain—they fought with the strength of God

 

Introduce song— “When You Believe”—sung by  Rachel Wagner and Maddie Lord

Accompanied by Rebekah Smith

ALMA 57:  another miracle

READ V 19-21

Learning #4:  Teach at home by mothers—live with exactness

V 21—READ power of parents/mothers to teach faith—saved lives 

“LIVE WITH EXACTNESS”—IDM MISSION THEME—so difficult we had to rely on binding the Lord with our obedience to get blessings

“their mothers had taught them”—what a blessing to their nation

Learning #5:  Lord won’t take away challenges/difficulties but will help you fight your battles

V 25  READ—all received wounds—won’t be shielded from challenges/difficulties but the Lord will help you fight your battles

V 26,  27 READ

Learning #6:  Always give gratitude to the Lord for blessings

V 35 READ—gratitude

George Washington had similarities of character to Moroni who prayed for his countrymen to live righteously. George Washington called modern day Captain Moroni (Ballard)

George Washington was known throughout the revolutionary war, to ask his soldiers to give thanks and gratitude to God for blessing them.  He pled with his soliders, to “show their gratitude to providence, for thus favouring the cause of freedom and America that they might deserve his future blessings.”  (The Washington Hypothesis—Tim Ballard, p 54).

Learning # 7:  The Book of Mormon gives us an eternal perspective 

V 36 READ

  1. Why were 2000 saved and others lost their lives in battle?

Were they not as righteous?

Why have some died among us while others are saved?

Many righteous Nephites were killed in these battles.  In Alma 57:36 Helaman said, “entered into the rest of their God.”  D&C 84:34—“rest” “which rest is the fullness of His glory.”  Fulness of His glory is exaltation in the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom (D&C 131:1-4)

Therefore, in the bigger perspective of things, both the 2060 young men and the righteous who gave their lives in battle are in the best of condition, and that is what ultimately counts.  It would be foolish to attempt to judge who is more worthy because worthiness is not as issue here. (commentary:  Book of Mormon Made Easier–David Ridges)

ALMA 58:  

Learning #8:  TRUST IN GOD IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES—WE ARE MADE STRONG IN OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

V 7-11 READ did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were about to perish for want of food

Very difficult trial—waited for long time, disappointed, prayed hard, wondered why govt didn’t help and answer plea for reinforcements

They all almost starved to death including 2060 sons and Helaman.

Received some assistance but very little to survive—trial of their faith

  1. What is to be done?  What’s the answer when face trials? 

V 10—READ poured out our souls to God

V 11—READ HG did visit us with assurances ****still had to wait

  1. 33—we did trust in our God v 34-36—why doesn’t our govt help and give us aid—didn’t know why? not good communication

V 37 READ—trust God will deliver us

V 40:  READ  stand fast in Liberty

“and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come”

(Ridges) “that which is to come” is a reference to Jesus Christ.

(Mosiah 4:11)  This is the testimony their mothers taught—“we did not doubt our mothers knew it”.  Believed and knew Jesus would come.  We understand that the strength of Helaman’s stripling soldiers comes from their faith in Christ, who will be born in 62 years from this time.

Remember that learning:  “we are made strong through our faith in Jesus Christ.” 

Read v 11, 12

Moroni said, “Surely God shall not suffer that we, who . . . take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.”  Alma 46:18

Read Alma 32:9:  “And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves . . .  they were placed in the most dangerous circumstances” (symbolic of spiritual danger through wickedness)

Modern-day Moroni (George Washington) in beginnings of America:  “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger—the General hopes and trust, that every officer . . . will endeavor so to live and act, as becoming a Christian soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country.”  (quote by Washington, Washington Hypothesis, Ballard, pg 62).

After miraculous intervention by the Lord which saved the cause of the fight for independence, General Washington issued the following General Order:

“Thursday . . . being set apart . . . as a day of fasting, prayer, and humiliation, “to implore the Lord, and Giver of all victory, to pardon our manifold sins and wickedness . . .  to bless the Continental Arms with His divine favor and protection.”  (Ballard, p 55).

V 13–Indifference is a very serious issue and is critical to keeping the freedom of democracies across the world

Alma 60:  righteous indignation of Moroni—takes action!

  1.  Wonder why the Lord didn’t tell Moroni through the HG what had happened with Pahoran instead of having him accuse him and totally misunderstand the situation.  ??

He could have—something He wanted us to learn here about charity, not taking offense, being misunderstand and offended, etc. ??

Knew that being offended was one of the biggest reasons people leave the church—use Pahoran as an example of how to respond correctly

Or, often the Lord lets us figure things out for ourselves—let things fall how they may.

Some may say, if that leader was truly inspired, why did he put such and such in a position of trust as a leader, only to have him be disobedient, a bad example, or fall away?

The story of Pahoran and Moroni shows the integrity of Pahoran and his understanding and great trust in Moroni’s character (he just misunderstood)

Moroni:  “I have somewhat to say unto them (govt) by way of condemnation”

Lists grievances

V 3 suffered exceedingly great sufferings-hunger, thirst, and fatigues, afflictions

Continue through chapter—list grievances

Sit on your thrones and do nothing!!  Hypocrites!!  Justice will come!!

Sin/indifference/neglect/idle/slothful/disregard/ingratitude/seeking authority & power/forgotten/repent/be destroyed or help us

Nicole Probst (8th ward):

Learning #9:  Lord’s purposes/ways are not ours

  1. 13:“The Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his Justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.”

 Alma 61:  Greatness of the character of Pahoran – seeks freedom of people

Pahoran writes back to Moroni and explains he has totally misjudged his situation/ doesn’t condemn him or lash back but understands/explains

Read V 9—“ye have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.”

  1. 21—“stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free.”

Learning # 10:  country (democracy) destroyed internally if not righteous

  1. 16-17

The only way a great nation which was founded upon the laws of God, as was the case with the Nephites, can be destroyed is through the corruption and wickedness of its citizens.  In other words, such a nation cannot be destroyed by outside enemies while the people are righteous.  It can only fall when the people themselves chose wickedness. 

(Ridges) Same with America—our country—keep commandments and we’ll be blessed—Jesus Christ is the center of our country/preserved    

Learning # 11:  charity suffereth long and is kind (Moroni 10)—not easily provoked or offended

Nicole Probst-apply to our time/to us personally/examples for our time and as women

Chapter 62:  Moroni—man of God and man of action/defender of freedom

TWO MAJOR LEARNINGS IN WAR CHAPTERS

FAITH—“WE DID NOT DOUBT OUR MOTHERS KNEW IT!”

“They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; . . . and their mothers had taught them.”  Alma 57:21

TRUE AT ALL TIMES

Alma 53:20  –pray it will be said of us:

“They were men (and women) who were TRUE AT ALL TIMES in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. . . They had been taught to keep the commandments of and to walk uprightly before Him.”  Alma 53:20, 21