Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5: Lesson 10

Moses 4:1–4

“Thy Will Be Done, and the Glory Be Thine Forever”

Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.

In the premortal life, Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be the Savior in His plan. Jesus Christ consistently obeys Heavenly Father’s will, even when it is hard. This lesson can help you want to be like Jesus Christ and obey Heavenly Father like He does.

Study the Scriptures

President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) related a lesson he learned from his youth. Watch the following video of President Monson’s account. Or read the story summary that follows the video.

Story Summary: When President Thomas S. Monson was eight years old, he and a friend attempted to clear weeds near their family cabin by burning them. Armed with matches they weren’t supposed to have, they lit the weeds on fire, believing it would only burn where they wanted it to. Unfortunately, the fire quickly spread, endangering the surrounding area, trees, and cabins. Realizing they needed help, they ran to family and neighbors, who managed to put out the fire, saving the surrounding area.

President Monson explained lessons he learned from his experience:

I learned several difficult but important lessons that day—not the least of which was the importance of obedience.

There are rules and laws to help ensure our physical safety. Likewise, the Lord has provided guidelines and commandments to help ensure our spiritual safety so that we might successfully navigate this often-treacherous mortal existence and return eventually to our Heavenly Father.” (“Obedience Brings Blessings”, Ensign or Liahona, May 2023, 90)

Why do you think obedience is so important to Heavenly Father’s plan?

We lived in the premortal life with our Heavenly Father. While there, we were taught His plan to help us become like Him. Moses 4:1–4 contains an account of the Council in Heaven when Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior. In these verses, we see the character of Jesus Christ and Satan as they each respond to Heavenly Father’s will in different ways.

Read Moses 4:1–4, looking for what you can learn about the motives and attitudes of Jesus Christ and Satan. Mark what you discover about Satan in one color. Choose a different color to mark the motives and attitudes of Jesus Christ.

Concerning Satan’s proposed plan, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

This was not simply a case of Jesus supporting the Father’s plan and Lucifer proposing a slight modification. Lucifer’s proposal would have destroyed the plan by eliminating our opportunity to act independently. Lucifer’s plan was founded on coercion, making all the other sons and daughters of God—all of us—essentially his puppets. …

And let us remember, Satan was not volunteering to be our savior. He was not interested in suffering or dying for anyone. He wasn’t going to shed any of his blood. He wanted the glory, honor, and power of God without paying any price. (“A Message at Christmas” [Brigham Young University devotional, Dec. 12, 2017], 3–4, speeches.byu.edu)

Ponder what you can learn from Christ’s willingness to obey Heavenly Father and from Satan’s insistence on doing it his own way.

Review the following study options. Complete one or more.

Option A

In what ways was Christ obedient during His life?

The following accounts can help you learn from Jesus’s example. Each passage shows how Jesus obeyed even when it was hard. As you read the following passages, mark phrases that show Jesus obeyed His Father.

• Luke 2:49 (as a 12-year-old)

• John 8:28–29 (as an adult)

• Matthew 26:36–39 (in the Garden of Gethsemane)

• 3 Nephi 11:10–11 (in atoning for sin)

Record in your notebook your thoughts on the following:

• What did Jesus Christ say or do that could inspire someone to choose to obey Heavenly Father, even when it is difficult?

Option B

How can I use my agency to grow closer to Christ?

Because Satan “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3), he was not able to stay in Heavenly Father’s presence. Jesus Christ continued to obey. You can use your agency to follow the Savior’s example by being obedient.

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

Our agency—our ability to choose and act for ourselves—was an essential element of this plan. Without agency we would be unable to make right choices and progress. Yet with agency we could make wrong choices, commit sin, and lose the opportunity to be with Heavenly Father again. For this reason a Savior would be provided to suffer for our sins and redeem us if we would repent. By His infinite Atonement, He brought about “the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice” [Alma 42:15]. (“Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 24)

The Lord has given you tools to help you use your agency to become like Him. One of those tools is For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.

Choose a section from For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices. Study the section. Look for invitations that can help you use your agency to come closer to God. Mark what you find.

Share Your Thoughts

Lesson Purpose: To help you want to be like Jesus Christ and obey Heavenly Father like He does.

Share one or more of the following with your teacher or class:

• What you learned from the verses about Jesus Christ that can help you obey Heavenly Father, even when He asks you to do hard things.

• What you learned from For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices that will help you become more like Jesus Christ.

• Something specific you did to achieve the purpose of this lesson.

• Any questions this lesson raised for you. How will you try to find answers to your questions?