Lesson #32 Alma 53-63. 2000Stripling Warriors

2000 Stripling Warriors

Principle to Teach
If we choose to follow the commandments, we will always be saved—physically and/or spiritually.

Attention Activity
Write on the board “If I_______________________
God will ___________________”
Have students come up with as many ideas as they can as to how to fill in the blanks here. You can play it as a game if you need a little spark to get the class going or just do it as a class discussion if the class needs no priming to get them to start talking. My class needs some help getting started at the beginning of class. Even if I say it is a game they won’t really get into it. So, what I will do is to give each student a piece of paper and ask them to write down three ideas. Then have them get with a few other students and have them share with each other what they wrote. Then have each group say a few that they like. You can also turn it into a game once they get into groups by having them total up the number of different quality responses that they have and seeing which group has the most. This allows each student to be involved and gets them talking with each other. Just don’t give them too much time in a group so that they end up talking about Saturday night! A great teacher told me in group work you want to leave them wanting not waiting.
Here are a few scriptures that you may want to use to prime the pump:
Malachi 3:8-10 (If I pay my tithing, then God will pour out blessings)
D&C 82:10 (If I do what God says, then God is bound to bless me.)
Moroni 10:3-5 (If I read, ponder, and pray, then God will reveal truth to me.)
1 Nephi 3:7 (If I keep the commandments, then God will open a way.)

Class Discussion
Ask the class, “How do we finish this statement when we are talking about the 2000 Stripling Warriors?” Get a few answers. If you don’t get, “If I keep the commandments then God will protect me.” Either suggest that or give the class the first half of the statement and see what they think the second half is to finish it.

First we will discuss the first half of that statement. Have the following list on the board or on a handout. Tell class that this is a list of verses that describe the 2000 Stripling Warriors. Give the class time to look up the scriptures and find one that they like more than the other and be prepared to share what they like and why.

a. “They were exceedingly valiant for courage” (Alma 53:20).
b. “They were … true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted” (Alma 53:20).
c. “They were men of truth and soberness” (Alma 53:21).
d. They had “exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe” (Alma 57:26).
e. They “put their trust in God continually” (Alma 57:27).
f. They “[stood] fast in that liberty wherewith God [had] made them free” (Alma 58:40).
g. They were “strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day” (Alma 58:40).
h. They kept God’s “statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually” (Alma 58:40).
i. “Their faith [was] strong in the prophecies” (Alma 58:40).
Again this can be a individual activity or a group activity depending on what you feel would be best for your class.
After talking about what your students like and discussing the incredible faith and obedience of the stripling warriors, we will now move to the second half of the statement.
Have students read Alma 56:56 to find the second half of this statement. Once the students discover that the Lord protects the stripling warriors the story become more interesting. Now look back at verses 49-51 and see what had happened to Antipus and his army. Ask the students, “Why did Antipus’ army have people die and the stripling warriors didn’t? Were Antipus and his army wicked?”
Share the following quote from M. Russell Ballard:
In this imperfect world, bad things sometimes happen. Much adversity is man-made. Men’s hearts turn cold, and the spirit of Satan controls their actions. At times we will be affected adversely by the way other people choose to exercise their agency. Our Heavenly Father feels so strongly about protecting our agency that he allows his children to exercise it, either for good or for evil. We mortals have a limited view of life from the eternal perspective. But if we know and understand Heavenly Father’s plan, we realize that dealing with adversity is one of the chief ways we are tested. Our faith in our Heavenly Father and his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of inner strength. Through faith we can find peace, comfort, and the courage to endure. As we trust in God and his plan for our happiness with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding (see Prov. 3:5), hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and gives meaning and purpose to all we do. It can give us comfort in the face of adversity, strength in times of trial, and peace when we have reason for doubt or anguish.
M. Russell Ballard, “Answers to Life’s Questions,” Ensign, May 1995, 22

Point out that the protection of the 2000 Stripling Warriors is truly miraculous, and truly a sign of the love and power of God. Discuss with the class how sometimes the protection of the Lord comes after this life. Ask what is the greatest thing that the Lord helps to protect us from. (Make sure that they understand that physical death is not as dangerous to us as spiritual death is. So even though they died they were still protected by the Lord.

Application
Ask students, “How have you felt as you have been either spiritually or physically protected by the Lord?” (A teaching note here. When you ask this question there is going to be silence. Never be afraid of silence as a teacher. This is a thinking question. If you get automatic answers all the time it might mean that the students aren’t having to think much. So give them some time to think. You might need to get things started by asking it this way, “Let me share a experience I have had where the Lord has protected me. As I am sharing I want you to be thinking about how you have felt as you have been protected by the Lord and be ready to share as well.” This gives them time to think. One of the worst things that you can do is ask a question, wait half a second, share your own story and then end it. This just allows the students to sit and not think because they know you will bail them out. Silence can be hard, but let them think for a minute and you can get some great answers.)