“April 27–May 3. Mosiah 7–10: ‘In the Strength of the Lord,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: Book of Mormon 2020 (2020)
“April 27–May 3. Mosiah 7–10,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2020
Minerva Teichert (1888-1976), Ammon before King Limhi, 1949-1951, oil on masonite, 35 15/16 x 48 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1969.
April 27–May 3
Mosiah 7–10
“In the Strength of the Lord”
This outline can be a valuable resource, but it should supplement, not replace, the inspiration you receive while studying Mosiah 7–10.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
Periodically it may be helpful to discuss as a class the blessings that class members are receiving as they strive to make their homes the center of their gospel learning. What verses from Mosiah 7–10 did class members ponder or discuss in their homes during the week? How did this affect their lives?
Teach the Doctrine
If we turn to the Lord, trust Him, and serve Him, He will deliver us.
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As class members studied Mosiah 7:14–33, the experiences of Limhi’s people may have inspired them to repent and turn to the Lord for deliverance. To inspire a discussion, you could invite a class member to come to class prepared to summarize how Limhi’s people fell into bondage. A few others could share what they learned from Limhi about having faith and hope in the Savior. What can we learn from Limhi’s reminders of how God has delivered His people? (see verses 19–20). You might ask class members to share scriptural accounts or personal experiences that have inspired them to trust God.
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Members of your class have opportunities to inspire others to turn to God when they are in the bondage of sin or suffering from other afflictions. Perhaps it would help them to study how Limhi inspired his people. They could first read the description in Mosiah 7:20–25 of the bondage of Limhi’s people and think of someone they know who is facing the bondage of sin. Then they could identify the truths that Limhi taught in Mosiah 7:18–20, 33 to help his people. How can we follow Limhi’s example as we encourage our loved ones to trust God?
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To help class members better understand the help God gives us in adversity, you could sing together and discuss the hymn “Redeemer of Israel” (Hymns, no. 6) or another song that describes how the Savior delivers us. What do Mosiah 7:17–20; Ether 12:27; and 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 add to our understanding? Perhaps class members could share experiences in which they were delivered by the Lord, even in small ways, because they showed faith in Him.
Man is created in God’s image.
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In these verses, Limhi explained some of the truths taught by Abinadi that were hard for the people to accept. What truths can class members identify in these verses? How do these truths affect the way we see God and ourselves?
The Lord provides prophets, seers, and revelators to benefit mankind.
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Ammon had an opportunity to explain to Limhi the role of a seer and to testify of the importance of prophets, seers, and revelators. You may want to clarify that in our day, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators. How can we, like Ammon, speak boldly about the need for prophets, seers, and revelators? (see Mosiah 8:13–18). Perhaps class members could plan a social media post that would help others understand the role of a prophet, seer, and revelator in our day. What did we hear in the most recent general conference that we could share with our friends, family members, and neighbors to teach them about the need for prophets?
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As a result of reading Mosiah 8:12–19, you or other class members may want to express your testimony of prophets, as Ammon did, or your gratitude for revelation through prophets, as Limhi did (see Mosiah 8:19).
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The Prophet Joseph Smith is the seer who stands at the head of this dispensation (see Doctrine and Covenants 21:1). You may want to ask class members to share what they learn from Ammon’s description of a seer (see Mosiah 8:13–18). Then they could discuss ways in which Joseph Smith was a seer. (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3 and Moses 6:36 could be helpful in this discussion.)
We can face our challenges “in the strength of the Lord.”
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The phrase “in the strength of the Lord” appears twice in Zeniff’s record of his people and their battles with the Lamanites—in Mosiah 9:14–19 and 10:6–10. Perhaps class members could search these verses and share what they feel this phrase means. How do we access “the strength of the Lord”? Encourage class members to share experiences in which they successfully faced challenges in the strength of the Lord.
Our choices can influence generations.
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You might invite class members to silently read Mosiah 10:11–17 and look for ways the Lamanites were affected by the choices and beliefs of their ancestors. What does this suggest about the effects our choices may have on others? How would we want ourselves and our families to be described in a generation or two? Maybe class members could write down some of the things they would want to be included in such a description.
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A simple object lesson—such as a line of dominoes—might help illustrate the effects that people’s choices can have on their posterity. Then you could invite class members to read Mosiah 10:11–17 and discuss how the beliefs and attitudes of the Lamanites were profoundly affected by choices their ancestors made centuries earlier. Elder Donald L. Hallstrom’s story, found in “Additional Resources,” is another example you could share. Perhaps class members could think of stories from their lives or their family history about one righteous person influencing generations for good.
Encourage Learning at Home
This week class members learned about the negative effect the Lamanites’ choices had on their children. Let class members know that in Mosiah 11–17 they will read about an individual whose righteousness changed the lives of many.
Additional Resources
Our decisions can affect generations.
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom shared how the faithfulness of his grandparents blessed future generations:
“My paternal grandparents had two children, a son (my father) and a daughter. … [Their daughter] married in 1946 and four years later was expecting a child. There is something very special for parents to anticipate a daughter (in this instance an only daughter) giving birth for the first time. No one knew that she was carrying twins. Sadly, she and the twins all died during childbirth.
“My grandparents were heartbroken. Their grief, however, immediately turned them to the Lord and His Atonement. Without dwelling on why this could happen and who might be to blame, they focused on living a righteous life. My grandparents never had wealth; they were never among the socially elite; they never held high position in the Church—they were simply devoted Latter-day Saints. …
“The faithfulness of Grandpa Art and Grandma Lou, especially when faced with difficulty, has now influenced four generations that have followed. Directly and profoundly, it affected their son (my father) and my mother when my parents’ own daughter, their youngest child, died due to complications caused by giving birth. At 34 years of age, she passed away 10 days after childbirth, leaving 4 children, 10 days to 8 years old. With the example that they had seen in the previous generation, my parents—without hesitation—turned to the Lord for solace” (“Turn to the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 78–79).
Improving Our Teaching
Listen. “Listening is an act of love. … Ask Heavenly Father to help you understand what your class members say. As you pay careful attention to their spoken and unspoken messages, you will come to better understand their needs, their concerns, and their desires” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 34).