Alma’s Counsel to His Son Helaman

Alma 37The scriptures were given to us as a source of joy in this life and as a guide for us to return

to Heavenly Father and gain eternal life.

Alma reminds his son that:

1. To be happy and to return to Heavenly

Father after this life, we must obey God’s

commandments.

Alma reminds his son that:

2. To obey the commandments we must know what they are.

Alma reminds his son that:

3. God has provided scriptures so that we can remember what He has said and follow His words.

3. These plates of brass … have the … holy scriptures upon them.4. It has been prophesied … that they should be kept and

preserved by the hand of the Lord.

8. It has … been wisdom in God … for … they have … convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them

to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls. Alma 37

Alma told Helaman that if he kept the commandments, God would bless him and help him protect the records.

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Why did the brass plates need to be protected?

Alma told Helaman that the plates contained the history of the people. It told about when they began to do “works of darkness … all their murders, and

robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations” v 21

22. For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness; … therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.26. And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled;

Alma passed the brass plates to Helaman to record God’s instructions for the people. In other times, Heavenly Father guided his people with different kinds of scriptures such as

the Liahona.

38. Our fathers, call a ball or director—or our fathers called it Liahona,39. It was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in

the wilderness. 40. And it did work for them according to their faith in God; … if they had faith to

believe … [it] would point the way they should go.

44. It is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ ... as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

20. Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in

keeping the commandments of God as they are written.

Alma tells Helaman that he has been called to33. Preach unto them repentance and faith

on the Lord Jesus Christ;

teach them … to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be “meek and lowly in heart”?

34. Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart;

36. Yea, cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all they doings be unto the Lord … let the affections of

thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Today we have the scriptures

that teach

us asChrist taught his people.

Our baptismal covenant is a promise that

we renew each time we take

the Sacrament.

Temple covenants

and endowments

remind us daily of what we must do to return to Heavenly Father.

O, REMEMBER, MY SON, AND LEARN WISDOM IN THY YOUTH; YEA, LEARN IN THY YOUTH TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. Alma 37:35

What are the scriptures?

Why did Heavenly Father make sure that we have scriptures today?

How can they help us return to Heavenly Father with our families?

O, REMEMBER, MY SON, AND LEARN WISDOM IN THY YOUTH; YEA, LEARN IN THY YOUTH TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. Alma 37:35