Lesson 11 Class Preparation Material

Pressing Forward on the Covenant Path

young person walking

President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “To each member of the Church I say, keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere” (“As We Go Forward Together,” Ensign, Apr. 2018, 4). As you continue your study of the doctrine of Christ, consider how making and keeping your baptismal covenant, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end help you become more like your Father in Heaven.

Section 1

How can my baptismal covenant bless me and all those I associate with?

The Lord sent the prophet Abinadi to King Noah and his people to warn them that if they did not repent, they would be placed in captivity. King Noah rejected Abinadi’s message and had him killed. Alma, one of Noah’s priests, recorded and then secretly taught Abinadi’s words among the people. As Alma’s group of believers grew, they gathered at the Waters of Mormon and entered into the covenant of baptism.

Alma baptizes at the Waters of Mormon

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Study in Preparation for Class

Read Mosiah 18:8–10, looking for what we promise to do and become when we are baptized. Notice also what Alma teaches that the Lord will do as part of this covenant.

Commenting on our promise to mourn with and comfort others, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

Elder Dale G. Renlund

In the Church, to effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them. We cannot completely fulfill our covenant obligation to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort unless we see them through God’s eyes. [See Mosiah 18:8–10.] This expanded perspective will open our hearts to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others. (“Through God’s Eyes,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 94)

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Ponder in Preparation for Class

Think of examples you’ve seen of people honoring their baptismal covenant. What examples can you think of in the life of the Savior where He demonstrated how to honor the baptismal covenant? Be prepared to share your examples in class.

Section 2

How can the gift of the Holy Ghost transform my life?

In his writings on the doctrine of Christ, Nephi taught that those who follow the example of Jesus Christ and are baptized will be given the Holy Ghost from Heavenly Father (see 2 Nephi 31:12).

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Study in Preparation for Class

Read 2 Nephi 31:13, 17, looking for how the gift of the Holy Ghost can sanctify your life.

a young person is confirmed

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said this about speaking with the tongue of angels:

President Boyd K. Packer

Nephi explained that angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, and you can speak with the tongue of angels, which simply means that you can speak with the power of the Holy Ghost. It will be quiet. … But the power will be there. (“The Gift of the Holy Ghost: What Every Member Should Know,” Ensign, Aug. 2006, 49–50)

And Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the baptism of fire.

Do one or both of the following activities:

1. Watch the video “Baptism by Fire” (1:41).

2. Read the following statement:

   Elder David A. Bednar

   The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier who cleanses and burns dross and evil out of human souls as though by fire. [See 3 Nephi 27:19–21]. …

   As members of the Lord’s restored Church, we are blessed both by our initial cleansing from sin associated with baptism and by the potential for an ongoing cleansing from sin made possible through the companionship and power of the Holy Ghost. …

   … As we prepare conscientiously and participate in [the sacrament] with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins. (“Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 59, 61–62)

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Ponder in Preparation for Class

How would you explain the baptism of fire and speaking with the tongue of angels to someone preparing for baptism? In what ways have you experienced the blessings of the Holy Ghost?

Section 3

How can I find greater hope and joy as I strive to endure to the end?

Along with faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, Nephi taught that enduring to the end is an essential principle in the doctrine of Christ.

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Study in Preparation for Class

Read 2 Nephi 31:15–16, 19–21, looking for what it means to endure to the end.

Watch or read the following message from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and consider how you can endure to the end with greater joy.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Enduring to the end, or remaining faithful to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout our life, is a fundamental requirement for salvation in the kingdom of God. This belief distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other Christian denominations that teach that salvation is given to all who simply believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ. The Lord clearly declared, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7).

Therefore, enduring to the end is not just a matter of passively tolerating life’s difficult circumstances or “hanging in there.” Ours is an active religion, helping God’s children along the strait and narrow path to develop their full potential during this life and return to Him one day.

Viewed from this perspective, enduring to the end is exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one of hope, strength, and deliverance. (“Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 20)

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Record Your Thoughts

Identify an example of what it means to endure to the end from the life of the Savior, from a person in the Book of Mormon, or from someone you know. Record how this example has influenced your understanding of what it means to endure to the end.

Want More? (Optional)

Why doesn’t The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practice infant baptism?

In a letter to his son Moroni, which was recorded in Moroni 8, Mormon shared a revelation he received explaining why little children should not be baptized. Studying Moroni 8 can help you better understand this doctrine.

What can I do to have the Holy Ghost with me more often?

In the video “Having the Holy Ghost” (2:55), members of the Church share what they do to invite the Holy Ghost into their lives.

In his talk “That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us,” Elder Bednar warns of things that can separate us from the Holy Spirit (view from time code 4:38 to 7:24).

How do I endure on the covenant path when facing difficult times?

In “Unto All the World: Essa’s Story” (5:23), Dean and Danélle Ricker share how they endured through the painful loss of their 15-year-old daughter, Essa.

Elder Richard J. Maynes

In the talk “The Strength to Endure” ( Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 79–81), Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy explains how our ability to endure is proportional to the “strength of our testimony and the depth of our conversion” (79).