Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Be ready to take notes and mark scriptures to help you preserve personal insights and lessons you learn.
Begin your study with prayer.
What can you do to move the work of the Lord forward?
Consider the story shared by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, about how a group of priesthood holders accomplished their task. Think about how their experience can be compared to doing the Lord’s work.
You can read the text for this video here: “Lift Where You Stand,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 53, 56.
Two Scenarios
Read the following statement by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
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Jeffrey R. Holland
“Opposition turns up almost anyplace something good has happened” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Remember How You Felt,” New Era, Aug. 2004, 6).
Consider the following scenarios:
A young man has made the choice to serve a full-time mission and is eagerly preparing.
A young woman has set a goal to keep the Sabbath day holy at home, even though some members of her family are not active members of the Church.
How might these individuals experience opposition?
In the book of Nehemiah we will learn about the opposition Nehemiah faced and how he overcame that opposition. As you study the book of Nehemiah, look for principles that will help you overcome opposition in your life.
Nehemiah was a Jew who served as the cupbearer to the Persian king (see Nehemiah 1:11). As the cupbearer, he was in charge of protecting the king’s cup from being poisoned. Nehemiah was in a position of trust and honor before the king.
Read Nehemiah 1:3, looking for what Nehemiah learned about the “remnant” (or group who was left) of Jews who were living in Jerusalem.
Remember that previously (approximately 90 years earlier), the Persian king Cyrus had allowed many Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and establish a community there. The city, which at that time was without walls, was unsafe to live in. The people were in “great affliction” (verse 3), and the temple was in danger of being destroyed again.
Read Nehemiah 1:4, looking for what Nehemiah did after he heard this news.
In Nehemiah 1:5–2:16 we learn that the Lord answered Nehemiah’s prayer. Artaxerxes, king of Persia, noticed Nehemiah was sad and asked him what had upset him. When Nehemiah told him about the condition of the city of Jerusalem, the king was immediately supportive. He provided Nehemiah with supplies to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and ensured that he would travel there safely.
After Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he shared his plan for rebuilding the walls with the Jews and some of the leaders of the people who lived near Jerusalem.
Read Nehemiah 2:17–19, looking for how the people reacted to Nehemiah’s plans to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.
According to Nehemiah 2:18, the Jews were pleased with Nehemiah’s news and committed to help him rebuild the walls. However, in verse 19 we learn that Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem opposed Nehemiah. These three men were powerful leaders of other groups of people who were living near Jerusalem.
Read Nehemiah 2:20, looking for what Nehemiah said after being mocked by these three men. What stands out to you about Nehemiah’s response to the people who opposed him?
From the way that the Jews rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, one principle we can identify is the following: We will accomplish the work of the Lord despite opposition if we each do our part.
1. What are some small things you can do (in your family, at church, at school, and with individual friends and neighbors) to help accomplish the work of the Lord?
We read in Nehemiah 4 that despite opposition, Nehemiah and the other Jews prayed and followed the inspiration they received.
Read Nehemiah 6:1–3, looking for an additional way to complete the principle from earlier: We will accomplish the work of the Lord despite opposition if we …
A Response to Opposition
From Nehemiah 6:3 you may have identified the following principle: We will accomplish the work of the Lord despite opposition if we remain focused on doing the work of the Lord.
Read the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, formerly of the First Presidency, about how we should respond when we are faced with opposition or temptation.
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Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Think of the power we would have as individuals … if, in response to every temptation to lose focus or lower our standards—the standards of God, we responded, ‘I am doing a great work and cannot come down’ [see Nehemiah 6:3]” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 62).
Consider marking the phrase in Nehemiah 6:3 that President Uchtdorf quoted.
Let’s review the scenarios you read earlier in the lesson:
A young man has made the choice to serve a full-time mission and is eagerly preparing.
A young woman has set a goal to keep the Sabbath day holy at home, even though some members of her family are not active members of the Church.
2. Choose one of the scenarios, and explain how the following principlecould help the young man or the young woman: We will accomplish the work of the Lord despite opposition if we remain focused on doing the work of the Lord.
Think of a time when you or someone you know has been strengthened during opposition by doing the Lord’s will. Consider sharing this experience with your classmates.
Describe how you can apply the phrase “I am doing a great work and cannot come down” (see Nehemiah 6:3) when you face opposition in doing God’s will. (You may want to record your response in your personal journal or your Notes on LDS.org as well.)
Nehemiah 7–12 records the genealogy of the Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem. Ezra, who was living in Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah, helped the people regain their spiritual strength by reading them the scriptures. The Jews were blessed as they covenanted with the Lord to marry in the covenant and to keep the Sabbath day holy.
According to Nehemiah 13, while Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem for several years, many of the Jews struggled to keep their covenants. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and helped them keep their covenants by removing evil influences and reinstituting Sabbath observance.
The Lord’s Work
What actions can you take to do your part and remain focused on doing the Lord’s work? Write your thoughts in your journal or in your Notes on LDS.org.
