“On the morrow come I into the world…”

Lesson 36

“God will feel after you, and He will take hold of your heartstrings and he will wrench them until you don’t feel you can bear it anymore. And if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.” (Journal of Discourses, 24:197)

Lesson 36 Objectives

1. Study the righteous Nephites and Lamanites as their faith is stretched to the breaking point.

2. Watch how Lachoneus and his people withstood the evil of their day

3. Learn 6 strategies to withstand temptation

Samuel the Lamanite

Helaman 16:7-8 7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him,

behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people.

8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people.

3 Nephi 1:2-3And Nephi the son of Helaman, had

departed out of the land of Zarahemla, giving charge unto his son Nephi, who was

his eldest son, concerning the plates of brass, and all the records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the departure of Lehi out

of Jerusalem.Then he departed out of the land, and

whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead,

yea, the record of this people.

But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be

fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel the Lamanite. And they began to rejoice over their brethren saying, “Behold the time is

past and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith

concerning this thing has been in vain. And it came to pass that they did make a great

uproar throughout the land and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had

been spoken might not come to pass.

3 Nephi 1:5-7

3 Nephi 1:8

But behold, they did watch steadfastly for

that day and that night and that day which

should be as one day as if there were no

night that they might know that their faith had not been in vain.

3 Nephi 1:9

Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the

unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions

should be put to death except the sign should come to pass,

which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

Grace. Oversight. Direction.

G-O-D

Grace: 2 Corinthians 12:9

Oversight: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Direction: Doctrine and Covenants 122:7

3 Nephi 1:15-17And it came to pass that the

words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came. And they began to know that the Son of God must

shortly appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the face of the whole

earth from the west to the east both in the land land north and in

the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they

fell to the earth.

3 Nephi 1: 26

“And thus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringing glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which did come to pass, according to the words of

the prophecy of all the holy prophets.”

And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also,

and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had

heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

3 Nephi 2:1

3 Nephi 2:11And it came to pass in the thirteenth year there began to be wars and contentions throughout all the land; for the Gadianton robbers had become so numerous and did slay so many of the people, and did spread so much death and carnage throughout the land that it became expedient that all the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites should take up arms against them.

3 Nephi 3:6-8 Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield

up unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your possessions, rather than that they should visit

you with the sword and that destruction should come upon you.

Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like

unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance.

And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do

this, I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down

against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the

sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct.

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear man

Do not fear man

“The fear of man lays a snare but whoever trusts in the Lord is

safe.” Proverbs 29:25

How might fear cause someone to

give in to temptation?

Idolatry. When we care about what man thinks more than what God thinks, we turn people into idols that we worship—seeking

to please them in order to earn their approval or respect.

Apathy. Fear man and you’ll quit taking risks because of the potential for embarrassment or failure. If an endeavor is unlikely to succeed, you’ll never take the chance. In other words, you’ll never

do much of anything.

Dishonesty. It’s tough to speak truth into someone’s life because the truth can be painful. If we fear somebody’s response,

however, necessary words will remain unsaid because we care more about ourselves being liked than we do about keeping the

commandments or speaking the words of God.

Decision Paralysis. When we live out of fear rather than out of the convictions God has given us, we spin in circles unable to

move forward.

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear

3 Nephi 3:12 Pray

Phillip Brooks O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be

stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks! Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle. But you

shall be the miracle.

"Going up to Jerusalem", Twenty Sermons (1886), p. 330.

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear

3 Nephi 3:12 Pray

3 Nephi 3:13,22 Gather together

Because of our imperfections, we need the Lord’s Church. It is there that His redemptive doctrines are taught and His saving ordinances are administered. The Church encourages and motivates us to be a better and happier people.

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear

3 Nephi 3:12 Pray

3 Nephi 13,22 Gather together oft

3 Nephi 3:14 Fortify ourselves

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear

3 Nephi 3:12 Pray

3 Nephi 13,22 Gather together oft

3 Nephi 3:14 Fortify ourselves

3 Nephi 3:16 Follow our inspired leaders

6 ways to defend against temptation

Scripture Defense3 Nephi 3:12 Do not fear3 Nephi 3:12 Pray3 Nephi 13,22 Gather together oft3 Nephi 3:14 Fortify ourselves3 Nephi 3:16 Follow our inspired

leaders

3 Nephi 3:25 Repent of all our sins

“Wherefore,be faithful, praying always, having

your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil

with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom—For behold, verily, verily, I

say unto you, that I come quickly”

(D&C 33:17–18).

Nephi the prophet

1. God gave total power of the people

2. Brought people to repentance through famine

3. Predicted the murder and fingered the murderer of the chief judge

4. Converted the entire Lamanite nation and ended 5 centuries of Nephite/Lamanite fighting

The reality is that since this is a gospel of growth and life is a school of experience, God, as a loving Father will stretch our souls at times. The soul is much like a violin string; it makes music only when it is stretched.