I had originally planned on making this for one week, August 12-18. That was because I read an email from the Church News about Come Follow Me. Since I received that email on the 12th, I was thinking that I had enough time to send something meaningful out on that Saturday (forgetting that the week would be completed when I sent it out. Instead I am instead doing August 19-25. However, I am still going to comment on the lesson for August 12-18. This is because, although I had thought to send this just before the end of the week, I decided to send it on the 14th to helpfully give a bit of time to read. Another reason that I am very glad that I am sending it on the 14th is to keep this brief - at least briefer than I had been planning.
‘Come, Follow Me’ for August 19-26 : “Preserved by His Marvelous Power.” Alma 53–63
The lesson goes over a conference talk given my President Russell M. Nelson during the April 2017 General Conference. In it he talks about how, “To win our spiritual battles, we also need the power of Jesus Christ. How can you access His power? Look for answers in President Russell M. Nelson’s message “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 39–42). You might compare his counsel with things that Helaman’s soldiers did.” As it goes through the lesson, and is told in the scriptures, it is a VERY solemn responsibility that we are given as mothers. It is essential that we share our faith with our children so that they can stand strong in their own faith. I have found it interesting that two women that had such remarkable faith were Lamanites - who had only recently gained their testimonies. I’m sure that it wasn’t long after Ammon had converted King Lamoni and his kingdom to the gospel that the Lamanite women started teaching their children, through testimony and example, about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s very obvious that there teachings were well received. However, even before these women started teaching their children there was another woman who showed great faith. This is when King Lamoni had been so overwhelmed by the spirit that he fell to the ground as if he were dead. Although his wife had been told by many that he should be buried, she wasn’t convinced. Because of this she asked that Ammon be brought to her to answer the questions of her heart. When asked if she believed Ammon, she said that she believed all that Ammon had preached.
Although I’m trying to keep this short I wanted to bring up something about the timeline between the two lessons. I find it interesting that in the August 12-18 lesson they talk about Captain Moroni raising the title of liberty and in the August 19-26 lesson they talk about Heleman and the 2,000 stripling warriors. However, even though the time frames in the scriptures for both lessons is around the time when there are troubles with the King-men and the Freemen, I didn’t find too much about this in either lesson.
However, they did bring up this conflict a bit in the lesson about when Heleman and the 2,000 stripling warriors were battling the Lamanites. Helemen writes to Captain Moroni about how they aren’t receiving supplies or reinforcements. Because of this Captain Moroni wrote a scathing letter to Pahoron charging him with gross neglect of those who were valiantly fighting against the Lamanites. As was noted in the lesson, both Helaman and Pahoran had reasons to be offended. Helaman was not receiving support for his armies, and Pahoran was falsely accused by Moroni of withholding that support. In the lesson Elder David A. Bednar pointed to Pahoran as example of meekness and taught that “the most majestic and meaningful examples of meekness are found in the life of the Savior Himself” (“Meek and Lowly of Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 32). This is a lesson we could all learn to emulate. The lesson also goes on to list examples of how Jesus showed meekness: Matthew 27:11–26; Luke 22:41–42; John 13:4–17.
While I am stopping here (in an APPEMPT to keep it brief), I may (after taking a bit of time to ponder) add a bit on a second blog post. I’m going to see where this takes me. If nothing else, this may give me another way to see if there is any feedback out there.
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