The Stripling Warriors Materials Needed: Flannel Board Story and Figures, Stripling Warrior worksheet for each person, Scripture Poster, Stripling Warrior Game, Scriptures, marking pencils, lesson outline Opening Song: “We’ll Bring the World His Truth” (Children’s Songbook, p. 172) Lesson: Read Alma 24:19. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies set a wonderful example for their children. What are some important principles you have learned from your parents? (i.e. Keep Sabbath day holy, honesty, kindness, etc.) Heavenly Father gave us parents to love, teach, and guide us through our lives. In this lesson we will learn how the two thousand young warriors, who were the sons of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, used the teachings and examples of their righteous parents to keep their covenant to defend their freedom. Present the flannel board story. Use the following questions to promote discussion and understanding of the story

* What covenant had the parents of the two thousand young warriors made? (Alma 53:10–12.) Why did they think about breaking this covenant? (Alma 53:13.) Why did Helaman not want the Anti-Nephi-Lehies to help fight the Lamanites? (Alma 53:14–15.) Why is it so important to keep our covenants? * Why did the two thousand young men decide to fight? (Alma 53:16.) * What were these young men like? (Alma 53:20–21.) What does it mean to be “true at all times in whatsoever thing [you are] entrusted”? What are some ways you can be true and walk uprightly before the Lord? * What had their mothers taught them? (Alma 56:46–48.) * How did these warriors follow Helaman? (Alma 57:21.) What does it mean to follow with “exactness”? Why is it important to follow the counsel of your leaders and parents with exactness? * . How was the great faith and courage of these young men rewarded? (Alma 56:56; Alma 57:25; Alma 58:39.) What power saved them from death? (Alma 57:26–27; Alma 58:40.) Pass out the Stripling Warrior worksheets and have everyone fill in the blanks. Post them somewhere as a reminder of how to be like the Stripling Warriors. Together as a family look up and mark the following scripture references about the Stripling Warriors in your scriptures.

Alma 53:20–21 Alma 56:45–48 Alma 57:21 Alma 57:25–27 Alma 58:10–11 Alma 58:39–40

Read the Scripture Poster. Set a goal to memorize the scripture by next week. Hang the poster where it will be seen daily for review. Play the Stripling Warrior Game Closing Song: “Dare to Do Right” (Children’s Songbook, p. 158)

The 2,000 Stripling Warriors (use flannel board figures as you tell the story)

The sons of Mosiah, great Book of Mormon missionaries, converted many Lamanites to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This group of Lamanites had been a wicked, murderous people, and now they wanted to show Heavenly Father that they were sorry for their past sins. So they made a covenant with Him that they would never again shed the blood of another man, and they buried their weapons. A group of wicked Lamanites wanted to start a war with these converts. Because the righteous, who now called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, had promised not to fight anymore, the Nephites who were defending them were being killed. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies wanted to break their promise and help the Nephites fight. Helaman and other Nephite leaders persuaded them to not break their covenant. Their sons, however, had been too young to make the covenant. Two thousand of these young men chose to defend their country. They asked Helaman to be their leader. These young warriors are described as “exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all – they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. “Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.” (Alma 53:20-21) Helaman led his 2,000 young warriors into battle. He called them his sons, and they called him their father. Although the sons of Helaman had never fought, they were not afraid. Their mothers had taught them to have faith in God and to know that he would help them. Helaman and his army fought several battles against the Lamanites. These young men obeyed all of Helaman’s orders. They fought bravely and helped drive the enemy away. After the battle Helaman found that all his sons had been hurt but not one had been killed. It was a miracle! Helaman was very ahppy. He knew that these young men had been protected because of their great faith in God. Just as those young warriors were rewarded for being righteous, we will be blessed for being honest in all our dealings and remaining pure. Although seven-year-old Caylen Craven of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, has not ever had to go to war, he is a “stripling warrior” because he has learned how to be honest, too. One day while walking through the airport with his family, he saw a man in front of him accidently drop some money. Even though he is normally very shy around strangers, Caylen ran to pick up the money and return it to its owner. Caylen’s mother wrote, “We were thankful that his first reaction was to do the right and honest thing, that he didn’t even think about keeping the dollar.” (Taken combined from “The Army of Helaman” Friend, Aug. 2000, 34 and “Helaman and the 2,000 Young Warriors” Book of Mormon Stories, 93-94)

Assemble the game board by lining up the pages. They will overlap so there is room to tape on the back.