Helaman 1:1-15, 18, 21 Three brothers CONTEND for the judgment
seat in this story. What happens to all three brothers within a
short amount of time? In other words, CONTENTION KILLS! How and
what does contention kill in our relationships with roommates,
spouse, parents, friends? President James E. Faust of the First
Presidency stated When there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord
will depart, regardless of who is at fault (in Conference Report,
Apr. 1996, 57; or Ensign, May 1996, 41).
Slide 3
Helaman 1:11; 2:3-4, 13-14 After reading the following
quotation, ask yourself In what other forms can I see secret
combinations developing today and what should I be doing about it?
The Book of Mormon teaches that secret combinations engaged in
crime present a serious challenge, not just to individuals and
families but to entire civilizations. Among todays secret
combinations are gangs, drug cartels, and organized crime families.
The secret combinations of our day function much like the Gadianton
robbers of the Book of Mormon times. They have secret signs and
code words. They participate in secret rites and initiation
ceremonies... If we are not careful, todays secret combinations can
obtain power and influence just as quickly and just as completely
as they did in Book of Mormon times. Do you remember the pattern?
The secret combinations began among the more wicked part of
society, but eventually seduced the more part of the righteous
until the whole society was polluted [Helaman 6:38]... [Satans]
purpose is to destroy individuals, families, communities, and
nations [see 2 Nephi 9:9]. To a degree, he was successful during
Book of Mormon times. And he is having far too much success today.
Thats why it is so important for us as priesthood holders to take a
firm stand for truth and right by doing what we can to help keep
our communities safe (in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 5152; or
Ensign, Nov. 1997, 38).
Slide 4
Helaman 3:26-30 What happened in these verses because people
laid hold upon the word of God? What blessings (see quotation
below) could you hope for by laying hold upon the word of God more
firmly? Success in righteousness, the power to avoid deception and
resist temptation, guidance in our daily lives, healing of the
soulthese are but a few of the promises the Lord has given to those
who will come to His word.However diligent we may be in other
areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures,
only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it as we
make our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life
(Ezra Taft Benson, The Power of the Word, Ensign, May 1986,
82).
Slide 5
Helaman 3:33-34; 4:11-13, 24-25 The Nephites lost over half
their lands and Gods protection in this scripture account because
of pride. What are some of the things you have lost because of
pride? What might you be in jeopardy of losing because of pride?
Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now
costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church. Think of
the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages
preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from
confessing our sins and forsaking them (see D&C 58:43). Think
of the many who are less-active members of the Church because they
were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive or
fully sup at the Lords table. Think of the tens of thousands of
young men and couples who could be on missions except for the pride
that keeps them from yielding their hearts unto God (see Alma 10:6;
Helaman 3:3435). Think how temple work would increase if the time
spent in this godly service were more important than the many
prideful pursuits that compete for our time (Ezra Taft Benson, in
Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 6; or Ensign, May 1989, 6).
Slide 6
I read a tender story written by Louise Dickinson Rich which
vividly illustrates this truth. She wrote: My grandmother had an
enemy named Mrs. Wilcox. Grandma and Mrs. Wilcox moved, as brides,
into next-door houses on the main street of the tiny town in which
they were to live out their lives. I dont know what started the war
between themand I dont think that by the time I came along, over
thirty years later, they themselves remembered what started it.
This was no polite sparring match; this was total war. Nothing in
town escaped repercussion. The 300-year-old church, which had lived
through the Revolution, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American
War, almost went down when Grandma and Mrs. Wilcox fought the
Battle of the Ladies Aid. Grandma won that engagement, but it was a
hollow victory. Mrs. Wilcox, since she couldnt be president,
resigned in a huff. Whats the fun of running a thing if you cant
force your enemy to eat crow? Mrs. Wilcox won the Battle of the
Public Library by getting her niece, Gertrude, appointed librarian
instead of Aunt Phyllis. The day Gertrude took over was the day
Grandma stopped reading library books. They became filthy germy
things overnight. The Battle of the High School was a draw. The
principal got a better job and left before Mrs. Wilcox succeeded in
having him ousted or Grandma in having him given life tenure of
office. When as children we visited my grandmother, part of the fun
was making faces at Mrs. Wilcoxs grandchildren. One banner day we
put a snake into the Wilcox rain barrel. My grandmother made token
protests, but we sensed tacit sympathy. Dont think for a minute
that this was a one-sided campaign. Mrs. Wilcox had grandchildren,
too. Grandma didnt get off scot free. Never a windy washday went by
that the clothesline didnt mysteriously break, with the clothes
falling in the dirt. I dont know how Grandma could have borne her
troubles so long if it hadnt been for the household page of her
daily Boston newspaper. This household page was a wonderful
institution. Besides the usual cooking hints and cleaning advice,
it had a department composed of letters from readers to each other.
The idea was that if you had a problemor even only some steam to
blow offyou wrote a letter to the paper, signing some fancy name
like Arbutus. That was Grandmas pen name. Then some of the other
ladies who had the same problem wrote back and told you what they
had done about it, signing themselves One Who Knows or Xanthippe or
whatever. Very often, the problem disposed of, you kept on for
years writing to each other through the column of the paper,
telling each other about your children and your canning and your
new dining-room suite. Thats what happened to Grandma. She and a
woman called Sea Gull corresponded for a quarter of a century. Sea
Gull was Grandmas true friend. When I was about sixteen, Mrs.
Wilcox died. In a small town, no matter how much you have hated
your next-door neighbor, it is only common decency to run over and
see what practical service you can do the bereaved. Grandma, neat
in a percale apron to show that she meant what she said about being
put to work, crossed the lawn to the Wilcox house, where the Wilcox
daughters set her to cleaning the already-immaculate front parlor
for the funeral. And there on the parlor table in the place of
honor was a huge scrapbook; and in the scrapbook, pasted neatly in
parallel columns were Grandmas letters to Sea Gull over the years
and Sea Gulls letters to her. Though neither woman had known it,
Grandmas worst enemy had been her [very] best friend. That was the
only time I remember seeing my grandmother cry. I didnt know then
exactly what she was crying about, but I do now. She was crying for
all the wasted years which could never be salvaged.
Slide 7
Helaman 3:35 How did sanctification come for these people?
Ponder how you can yield [your] heart unto God, personally, that
you might have sanctification. Write about it. Ultimate
consecration is the yielding up of oneself to God.. Such totality
involves the submissive converging of feelings, thoughts, words,
and deeds (Neal A. Maxwell, in Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 41; or
Ensign, May 2002, 36).
Slide 8
Helaman 5:5-14 What word can be found fifteen times in these
verses? Please mark it. What is the significance of this word?
After you read the quotation, ask yourself What did Helaman tell
his sons to remember? What should I remember? When you look in the
dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It
could be remember. Because all of you have made covenantsyou know
what to do and you know how to do it our greatest need is to
remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every
Sabbath dayto take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray
that they may always remember him and keep his commandments which
he has given them. Nobody should ever forget to go to sacrament
meeting. Remember is the word. Remember is the program (Spencer W.
Kimball, Circles of Exaltation [address to Church Educational
System religious educators, June 28, 1968], 5).
