Seminary
Mormon 3–6: The Fall of the Nephite Nation

“Mormon 3–6: The Fall of the Nephite Nation,” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual (2024)

“Mormon 3–6,” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual

Mormon 3–6

The Fall of the Nephite Nation

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Nephites’ final battle

Have you ever been worried about someone you love? Speaking of the people around him, Mormon said, “I had led them … and had loved them … with all my heart” (Mormon 3:12). Yet Mormon worried about and mourned for his people as they moved toward destruction because they refused to turn to God for help. This lesson can help you feel the importance of turning to Heavenly Father and the Savior in your life.

Provide an overview of important scripture storylines. Students can better understand the context and content of the scriptures when they see the big picture. Point out significant individuals, events, and prophetic teachings in a particular storyline. Encourage students to consider how these elements influence their understanding of the Lord’s gospel.

Student preparation: Invite students to try to recall a time when God helped them through a struggle because they asked Him for help.

Possible Learning Activities

What would you do?

Elder Spencer J. Condie of the Seventy told the story of a man named Murray Ling, who was driving across a bridge at night when he saw the car in front of him suddenly disappear. A large section of the bridge ahead of him had collapsed. Murray hit the brakes and stopped his car just in time.

  • If you were in Murray’s situation, what would be some of the first things you would do after stopping your car?

Read the following account of what Murray chose to do. You may want to watch the video “Prophets Warning,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 0:00 to 0:58.

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Elder Spencer J. Condie

Murray … began warning oncoming traffic of the disaster ahead. As he frantically waved his arms, to his horror, a car “swerved around him and plummeted into the abyss” (Stephen Johnson, “Over the Edge!” Reader’s Digest, Nov. 1977, p. 128). A second car barely stopped in time, but a third car showed no sign of slowing down and crashed into the Lings’ car at the edge of the bridge.

Suddenly a loaded bus headed toward Murray, ignoring his waving arms. (Spencer J. Condie, “A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 17)

  • If you were in Murray’s situation, how would you feel if people ignored you? Would you give up trying to save them? Why or why not?

Much like Murray Ling, Mormon saw that his people were headed for destruction. As the leader of the Nephite armies, and as a prophet of God, Mormon did all he could to warn them, protect them, and teach them about their Savior. Unfortunately, most of his people ignored or rejected Mormon’s efforts.

Danger ahead for Mormon’s people

In His foreknowledge, God had been warning the Nephites for hundreds of years about what would happen if they continued to rebel against Him.

To see one example, read Helaman 13:8–10, looking for a prophecy that God made through Samuel the Lamanite over 300 years before Mormon was born. As you read, notice when the prophecy would be fulfilled. (See 1 Nephi 12:6, 11–19 and 3 Nephi 27:30–32 for more examples of God’s foreknowledge and warnings that would be fulfilled in Mormon’s day.)

  • Why do you think God would make this known so far in advance?

Invite students to read the following passages and to think about why Mormon would try so hard to help his people even though he knew the prophecies of their destruction. Then invite them to share their insights with a partner. Answers might include Mormon’s desire to save as many people as he could even though he knew that the Nephite nation would be destroyed.

  • What similarities do you see between Mormon’s efforts and desires and those of the Savior?

Calling upon God

Consider writing the following incomplete sentence on the board and inviting students to come to the board and fill in the blank with common teenage struggles.

  • “Many teenagers today struggle with .”

Mormon shared one of the reasons the Nephites were having such a hard time with their struggles. Read Mormon 5:2, looking for what the Nephites did NOT do as they were struggling.

  • How could what Mormon shared in verse 2 apply to many people today?

Finish the statement on the board so it reads as follows:

  • “Many teenagers today struggle with without calling upon God for help.”

Help students understand that God will not always remove the things we struggle with but that He will help us through them if we turn to Him. Invite volunteers to share times that they have called upon God for help with one of the struggles on the board and how God helped them through it. Caution students not to share anything too personal with the class.

Invite students to ponder whether there are struggles in their lives that they have not been asking for God’s help with. Encourage them to seek His help in one of those areas and to notice the difference it makes over time.

The destruction of the Nephites

Consider displaying this image and inviting a student to share what it portrays. Use the material in the following paragraph if necessary.

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Mormon Bids Farewell to a Once Great Nation, by Arnold Friberg

After loving, teaching, and leading the Nephite armies for decades, Mormon was severely wounded in the final battle with the Lamanites. From the top of a hill, he surveyed what was left of the Nephite nation. Only 24 Nephite soldiers survived the slaughter, including Mormon and his son Moroni (see Mormon 6:9–15).

In Mormon 6, Mormon records the “last struggle of [his] people” (Mormon 6:6). Read Mormon 6:7, 10–15, looking for what happened to the Nephites in this final battle.

You may want to have students figure out how many Nephites gathered at the beginning of the battle and how many remained after the battle. They might notice that there were 23 Nephite commanders that each had 10,000 soldiers for a total of 230,000 Nephites. Only 24 Nephites survived this final battle.

Imagine being in Mormon’s position, mourning the loss of the people you love but knowing that you could still leave a short message for future generations. What would you want people in the latter days to know?

Read Mormon 5:10–11, 16–18; 6:16–20 to see some of the messages Mormon was inspired to engrave for us. You may want to mark phrases that you think people in our day most need to hear.

Consider inviting students to share the phrases they found with a partner. As students identify truths, you may want to write them on the board. The rest of this lesson focuses on the following truth. You may feel impressed to focus on a different truth that students identify.

One truth Mormon taught is that Jesus Christ stands with open arms to receive those who choose to repent and come unto Him (see Mormon 6:17).

Consider closing your eyes for a moment and imagining Jesus standing and looking at you with open arms. Record in your journal your thoughts, feelings, and impressions about what it means in your life that Jesus stands with open arms to receive you.

Encourage students to be careful to not share anything too personal if you discuss the following questions with the class.

  • Which of Mormon’s teachings do you most need in your life? Why?

  • What did Mormon want you to understand about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

  • How do you think our world would be different if more people believed what Mormon wrote?