Lesson #33 Helaman 1-5. Build A Sure Foundation

Build A Sure Foundation

Principle to Teach:
When we are built on the foundation of Christ’s teachings, we can overcome the temptations of the devil.

Attention Activity:
This activity can be done a few different ways and all of them are equally entertaining. It just depends on how the dynamics of your class work. The idea is to do name that tune using primary songs. You can get a CD of selected primary songs and play a few seconds of the song and have teams in the class try to guess the song the fastest. If you have a piano and someone who can play the piano you can have someone play a few measures of music and have people guess what the song is. Another fun way is to have people come up to the front of the class. Have the title of a few popular primary songs written on 3x5 cards. Have the student randomly pick a primary song from the cards. Then have the volunteer hum the song and see if class members can guess the tune. Again it all depends on if you have a CD, or a piano, or neither. (In my class I will do the humming because I think it is more fun and people can get more involved.) Do a few songs and make sure to finish with “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.” (Primary Song Book #281) Explain to the class that we are going to talk about the critical doctrine that is taught in this great primary song.
Ask class members, “Based on the scriptures what is the difference between the wise man and the foolish man?” (Have students look in 3 Nephi 14:24-27 if they need assistance. The answer is that the wise man listens and does what the Savior says.)
Ask the class, “What simple answer did the Savior give when he was asked what the greatest commandment was?” (Matt 22:37-39)

Class Discussion:
Today we are going to talk about building on that rock by following these two great commandments. We are going to look at both a bad example and a good example.
The bad example is in Helaman 1:2-3. Look and find what is happening during these verses. (A new chief judge is going to be elected and three of his sons want to be chief judge.) Have class members cross out each of the names in verse three. Under Pahoran write the number “9” under Paanchi write the number “8” and under Pacumeni write the number “21.” Now have students look in those verses to see what happens to the people in that verse. (Each of the sons is killed in the verse listed.) “What lead to the death of each of these three sons?” Have students look in verse 4 to discover that it was contention over who should be chief judge. (In the case of Pacumeni, the dissention lead to the people being distracted and unprepared for the Lamanites when they came to battle, as shown in verse 18). Talk with the class about what this chapter teaches about why God considers how we treat others to be so important. What effect does our actions toward family or friends have on the group? How different would the chapter be in we could just change verse 4? How does this kind of action toward others get us off the solid foundation of our lives, that rock we heard sung about earlier?

Now we will talk about our love of God in a good example. Now share the quote from Elder Spencer W. Kimball found in the “Additional Teaching Ideas” section from the teacher’s manual. It is fun to give them the first part of the quote up until he says the word remember and see if they can guess what they think a prophet would say is the most important word in the dictionary. Have class members mark the work “remember” in verses 6, 9, 10, 12, and 14. Have them look for things that Lehi and Nephi are supposed to remember that will help them be firmly built on the rock of Christ. Make sure to spend enough time with verse 12. Have students share how the things listed in this chapter have helped to bring stability and happiness to their lives.

Application:
What changes have we seen that the Nephites needed to make in these chapters? What were they doing rather well at? Now, what do you need to change and what are you doing rather well at? Have students write down an answer.