Doctrinal Mastery: Helaman 5:12

“It Is upon the Rock of Our Redeemer … That Ye Must Build Your Foundation”

family enjoying scripture study together

In your study of Helaman 5:1–13, you learned how building your foundation on Jesus Christ can help you withstand the devil’s mighty storms (see Helaman 5:12). This lesson can help you memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase for Helaman 5:12, explain the doctrine taught in this passage, and apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in real-life situations.

Help students understand that acquiring spiritual knowledge is an individual process. The principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge can be applied in various ways. Students might start with the principle that could most help with their questions and then look for ways to use the others. Encourage students to follow the promptings of the Spirit as they strive to acquire spiritual knowledge.

Student preparation: Invite students to continue striving to memorize the entire passage of Helaman 5:12.

Possible Learning Activities

This doctrinal mastery passage lesson is designed to be taught after the lesson “Helaman 5:1–13,” which is the contextual lesson for the doctrinal mastery passage Alma 34:9–10. If this doctrinal mastery passage lesson needs to be moved to a different week, be sure to teach the corresponding contextual lesson during that week as well.

Memorize and explain

In the previous lesson, you learned the following truths: Jesus Christ is our sure foundation and if we build our foundation on Jesus Christ, the devil will have no power over us. The doctrinal mastery key scripture phrase for Helaman 5:12 is “It is upon the rock of our Redeemer … that ye must build your foundation.”

Use your own memorization technique or one of the following ideas to help you memorize the scripture reference and key scripture phrase.

If you choose to use the following idea, prepare enough rocks and strips of paper for every student to have one of each. Students could use markers, tape, glue, or a rubber band if available.

Find a small rock with enough room to write “Helaman 5:12” on it. Cut out a strip of paper and write the key scripture phrase for Helaman 5:12, “It is upon the rock of our Redeemer … that ye must build your foundation.” Attach the strip of paper to the rock using tape, glue, or a rubber band. Recite the scripture reference and key scripture phrase a few times until you have them memorized.

young woman standing on a rock and looking up

For another way to help you memorize, draw a picture of a rock with a person standing on it. Inside the rock, write Helaman 5:12, and underneath write the key scripture phrase several times until you have it memorized.

For the following activity, to represent their imagined submissions to a Church magazine, students could draw a large bubble quote on a piece of paper. Inside the bubble, they could write what they would say. Below it, they could write their names and where they were born. Consider hanging these throughout the room and encouraging students to walk around and read several classmates’ responses.

Imagine that the Church’s For the Strength of Youth magazine asked for ideas from youth around the world concerning the doctrine taught in Helaman 5:12. In three to four sentences, create a submission that explains the following:

• How Jesus Christ is like “a sure foundation”

• How building our spiritual foundation on “the rock of our Redeemer” can protect us from the devil’s “mighty winds” and “hail”

Practice application

Review the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge by inviting students to work in groups of three, with each person looking up one of the principles. Students could then explain the principle in their own words to the rest of their group.

Then share the following scenario with students.

Your friend Matilda has recently felt overwhelmed by negative information she’s heard about the Church. A friend from Matilda’s former neighborhood sent her some materials that attack Church doctrine and criticize the prophet. Her uncle recently left the Church because he does not agree with certain Church policies. Matilda wants to remain faithful but is beginning to wonder if she has the strength. One day while walking home from school, Matilda shares her feelings with you and asks for advice.

Use the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge and the doctrine taught in Helaman 5:12 to help Matilda remain faithful to her testimony.

Decide how to help students meaningfully engage with the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge. For example, it may be beneficial to invite students to complete the “Act in faith” portion of the lesson quietly on their own first. Then they could be invited to turn to another student and share one of their ideas. Students may have a better experience if they complete the “Eternal perspective” portion of the lesson in small groups. Consider completing the “Divinely appointed sources” section together as a class.

Act in faith

• What are two or three righteous actions Matilda could take to rely on the Savior and strengthen her spiritual foundation during this difficult time? What difference could these actions make for her?

• What lessons have you learned in the past about exercising faith in Jesus Christ that might be helpful to Matilda?

Eternal perspective

Consider dividing students into small groups and assigning each student at least one of the following scripture passages to study. After students have studied and recorded their responses, invite them to take turns sharing with their groups what they learned about eternal perspective.

Help Matilda consider her challenge with an eternal perspective by examining the teachings of the Savior.

• What are some of the Savior’s teachings you could share with Matilda to help her look at her concerns from an eternal perspective? (Consider scripture passages like the following: John 6:66–69; Hebrews 10:32–36; 2 Nephi 31:20; Doctrine and Covenants 58:2–4.)

• How could these teachings help Matilda view her concerns from an eternal perspective?

• How could the doctrine taught in Helaman 5:12 help Matilda view her concerns from an eternal perspective?

Write a brief message to Matilda as if you were sending her a text. Include insights gained from your study and pondering, and encourage her to faithfully carry on.

Divinely appointed sources

Matilda asks you what she can do when presented with questions about the Church to which she does not know the answers. Ponder what you could share with her from following teachings of President Russell M. Nelson.

President Russell M. Nelson

Choose to believe in Jesus Christ. If you have doubts about God the Father and His Beloved Son or the validity of the Restoration or the veracity of Joseph Smith’s divine calling as a prophet, choose to believe [see 2 Nephi 33:10–11] and stay faithful. Take your questions to the Lord and to other faithful sources. Study with the desire to believe rather than with the hope that you can find a flaw in the fabric of a prophet’s life or a discrepancy in the scriptures. Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery. (Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 103)

• How do you think President Nelson’s counsel could help Matilda?

• What are some other faithful sources Matilda could turn to for answers?

Invite students to find various trusted sources they could recommend to Matilda. Examples include the Church Newsroom, Gospel Topics, Gospel Library, or other sources.

After you have had several discussions with Matilda concerning her faith and testimony, she expresses her gratitude to you for helping her stand fast in her faith in Jesus Christ.

Share your testimony that the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge can help us in our own lives. Give students time to think about applying the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to their own circumstances. They could use their study journals for the following.

Think about your own challenges, including any of Satan’s temptations that may currently “beat upon you” (Helaman 5:12). Choose one you would like help with from the Lord, and write it at the top of a page in your study journal. Write the three principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge, and record how you can apply those principles to your own situation.

Doctrinal mastery review

During a future lesson, show students a rock and invite them to recall which doctrinal mastery passage goes with it. Consider scrambling the words of the key scripture phrase on the board and inviting students to come and put the phrase in the correct order.