Helaman 7–10

The Lord’s Prophet

President Russell M. Nelson

In a world filled with conflicting voices, where can we turn for direction and truth? One way the Lord seeks to guide and help us in mortality is by calling a prophet. This lesson can help you understand the critical role prophets play in Heavenly Father’s plan.

Love those you teach. Strive to demonstrate love for your students. Show sincere interest in their lives, listen carefully to their questions and comments, involve them in the lesson, and greet them kindly when you see them. Express your confidence that your students can learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Student preparation: Invite students to discuss with a friend or family member how living prophets have impacted their lives.

Possible Learning Activities

Why does God call prophets?

To begin class, consider inviting students to practice their response to the following situation. You could act as the friend who is not a member. Allow several students to share how they might respond. Ensure that students know this scenario will be addressed again at the end of class.

Imagine that one of your friends who is not a member of the Church is surprised to learn that you believe the Lord calls prophets in our day. Your friend wonders why prophets are necessary for our time.

• What are some ways you could respond to your friend?

Think about your feelings about the Lord’s prophets and your willingness to listen to and follow them. As you study today, you will have opportunities to identify important truths about prophets.

On a blank page in your study journal, write the following heading: Truths about the Lord’s Prophets. Throughout the lesson, write the truths you learn about prophets under this heading.

You can also write this heading on the board and add students’ insights to it throughout the lesson.

Much of the content that will be studied during this week (Helaman 7–12) and the next week (Helaman 13–16) will focus on prophets. Consider instructing students to dedicate enough space in their study journals so that they can add to their lists throughout the next couple of weeks.

The prophet Nephi

Nephi Prays on His Garden Tower, by Jerry Thompson

Today you will learn about Nephi, the son of Helaman. After being rejected by the Nephites in the land northward, Nephi returned to his home in Zarahemla. The people there were also very wicked. Mourning over their wickedness, Nephi went to his garden tower and cried unto God (see Helaman 7:1–11).

Read Helaman 7:12–22, looking for what Nephi said after realizing that people had gathered to hear his cries.

• What is a truth you could identify about the Lord’s prophets based on what Nephi said in these verses?

One truth you may have identified is that prophets of God invite people to repent. Write this truth in the list in your study journal.

• What does it teach you about God that He would call prophets to cry repentance?

Many people became angry over Nephi’s message. To help the people understand that he was speaking the truth, Nephi miraculously told them of events that had taken place while he was preaching to them.

Consider inviting a student to read the following summary of Helaman 8:25–28; 9:1–36. A student could also be invited to read these verses before class and prepare to summarize this story in their own words. Alternatively, you could share the video “The Murder of the Chief Judge” from time code 1:25 to 4:01, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Nephi first told the people that their chief judge, Seezoram, had been murdered (see Helaman 8:27–28). The people felt that “Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge” (Helaman 9:16). Nephi then told the people to find Seantum, who was Seezoram’s brother, and ask him certain questions. Nephi told the people exactly how Seantum would respond (see Helaman 9:26–36). This led to Seantum confessing that he was the murderer and that Nephi was innocent (see Helaman 9:37).

Read Helaman 9:37–41, looking for how the people reacted after witnessing these events.

• What is a truth you learn from Nephi’s experience that you could add to your list?

One truth you may have identified is that the words of the prophets will be fulfilled.

• Why do you think it is important to know this truth about prophets?

• What are some other examples of prophets’ words being fulfilled?

Consider sharing a personal example that illustrates how the words of prophets have been fulfilled in your life. For example, perhaps a promised blessing came from following the counsel of a prophet.

Additional truths about prophets

In addition to the truths already identified, many more truths about the role and purpose of the Lord’s prophet are illustrated by Nephi and his interactions with the people. Continue practicing the skill of identifying truths as you study the following scripture passages. Add your findings to your list.

Consider displaying the following references and assigning students to study each passage in pairs or small groups. Students could also be assigned different scripture passages to study and then teach one another.

• Helaman 7:29: Nephi’s declaration to the people who gathered after hearing him pray

• Helaman 8:1–4: The judges’ reaction to Nephi’s words

• Helaman 8:22–23: Nephi’s response to the people who reviled against him and his words

• Helaman 10:5–7: The Lord’s conversation with Nephi after he finished teaching the people

• What truths about prophets did you find in these verses?

Add students’ responses to the list on the board. They may have identified truths such as the following.

• A prophet’s message is not his own. It comes from the Lord. (Helaman 7:29)

• Prophets are not popular with the wicked. (Helaman 8:1–4)

• Prophets testify of Jesus Christ. (Helaman 8:22–23)

• The Lord gives His prophet the sealing power. (Helaman 10:5–7)

Students will have opportunities to learn more about each of these truths in subsequent lessons. The first two truths listed will be studied in greater depth in Helaman 13–16. The third and fourth truths listed will be studied in greater depth in lessons later this week.

The importance of living prophets

Display the following instructions, and give students sufficient time to create a response to the scenario from the beginning of the lesson.

To help prepare students to create their responses, it might be helpful to ask students to name some of the most common challenges that teenagers face today. Their responses could be listed on the board next to the truths they have identified about prophets. Students could then share how some of the truths they identified today could help with the challenges they thought of.

Think back to the scenario from earlier in the lesson about your friend who wondered why prophets are necessary in our time.

Write a response to your friend that explains why it is important that the Lord calls prophets in our time. Your response should be at least one paragraph long.

The following questions can help you with your response:

• How can one or more of the truths you identified help us with the challenges we face?

• What experiences have helped you recognize the blessing of having living prophets on the earth?

Invite students to share their responses with a partner. The same volunteers who acted out the situation at the beginning of class could also be invited to come to the front of the room and do another role play of the situation.

Testify of the truths you have discussed and encourage students to act on any spiritual impressions they have had during the lesson.

Commentary and Background Information

What if we don’t agree with what a prophet says?

President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) taught:

President Harold B. Lee

You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow the ones whom the Lord has placed to preside over His Church. … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church. (Harold B. Lee, in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 152–53.)

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught:

President Henry B. Eyring

Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful. (Henry B. Eyring, “Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 26)

Why do prophets preach truths that are sometimes unpopular?

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

President Russell M. Nelson

Sometimes we are accused of being uncaring as we teach the Father’s requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. But wouldn’t it be far more uncaring for us not to tell the truth—not to teach what God has revealed?

It is precisely because we do care deeply about all of God’s children that we proclaim His truth. We may not always tell people what they want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth! (Russell M. Nelson, “The Love and Laws of God” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], speeches.byu.edu)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Fourteen fundamentals to follow the prophet

To help students understand more truths about prophets, consider displaying the list of “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet” shared by President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994). Students could discuss why the principles they identified in the lesson and from President Benson are important to know and remember. Which principles might some people struggle with? Which might be especially relevant for youth to remember? Why?

Helaman 7:17–19. Prophets exhort people to repent

Invite students to read Helaman 7:16, looking for what stands out to them from Nephi’s words as he described Satan’s desire for the people. Students could make two columns in their study journal and then read Helaman 7:17–22, 26–28. In one column, students could list the sins of the people. In the other column, they could list the consequences that would come if they would not repent.

The following questions could help you discuss what students found: What does this teach you about the importance of understanding a prophet’s invitation to repent? How could understanding this help you grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

The prophet’s words will be fulfilled

If students would benefit from taking more time to understand and feel the truth that prophets’ words will be fulfilled, consider inviting them to read scriptures that illustrate this, such as Isaiah 7:14; Doctrine and Covenants 1:37; and Doctrine and Covenants 87:1–3. Consider discussing these questions: What modern-day examples illustrate this truth? How could knowing and believing this truth impact how you feel toward the prophet? How might it change your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?