Helaman 11-12
Reading Assignment: Helaman 11-12
Learning Activities:
1) Introduction
Helaman 11–12 covers 14 years of Nephite history and shows the people going through a cycle of righteousness and wickedness. Because of their pride, the people refused to repent of their wickedness. Nephi sealed the heavens, causing a drought and famine. The drought and famine humbled the people, and they repented and turned to the Lord. Because they did not choose to be humble, the people began to easily forget the Lord their God until they were brought to a realization of how much they needed His help. In His mercy, God chastens His people to bring them unto repentance and salvation.
2) Draw the following cycle of righteousness and wickedness in your scripture study journal. This cycle is often referred to as the “pride cycle.” Notice that element number 4 of the cycle is missing from the diagram. What do you think it would take to raise a people from destruction and suffering to righteousness and prosperity? As you study Helaman 11, watch for information to help you fill in this step in the cycle.
3) Think about answers to the following questions:
- Does a society, family, or individual need to follow the pride cycle?
- What do you think a society, family, or individual needs to do to avoid getting caught in the pride cycle?
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the following concerning Nephi’s prayer: “The Lord heard His servant’s supplication [in Helaman 11:10–14] and caused the famine to cease, but not until the following year. This event illustrates that the Lord hears our pleas immediately but then answers when, in His wisdom, we will benefit the most from His response” (“Nephi, Son of Helaman,” in Heroes from the Book of Mormon [1995,] 154.)
President Ezra Taft Benson taught about what we can do to avoid getting caught up in the pride cycle:
“God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, ‘Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.’ (Alma 32:16.)
“Let us choose to be humble.
“We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity [hatred] toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.
“We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God. …
“We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives. …
“Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can” (“Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 6–7).
4) Lessons from Helaman 12
If we are not careful, our prosperity can lead us to forget the Lord, and the Lord chastens His people to stir them up in remembrance of Him.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about why the Lord chastens us:
“Though it is difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct.
“Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path” (“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 98).
Want More?
Helaman 12:2. If we are not careful, our prosperity can lead us to forget the Lord
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught that rather than forgetting the Lord, we can consciously choose to remember Him and all He has given us:
“We so easily forget that we came into life with nothing. Whatever we get soon seems our natural right, not a gift. And we forget the giver. Then our gaze shifts from what we have been given to what we don’t have yet. …
“Confronting death and difficulty does return memory and therefore gratitude to righteous people as well as the wicked. But there must be another way to remember, one we can choose. …
“You can choose to remember the greatest gift of all. Next week, you can go to a meeting where the sacrament is administered. You will hear the words, ‘Always remember him.’ You can pledge to do that, and the Holy Ghost will help you” (Henry B. Eyring, “Remembrance and Gratitude,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 12, 13).