USE FOR Come Follow Me Primary and Home, family home evening and youth activities

LESSON LIFESAVER Activity
Follow Captain Moroni’s example: Put on the whole armor of God
Fight For Right! word-choice puzzle

Alma 43–44; Ephesians 6:11, 13–18

OBJECTIVE: The lesson encourages youth to put on the armor of God as a protection against evil. With this FIGHT FOR RIGHT word-choice puzzle they can follow Captain Moroni’s example and put on the whole armor of God. Blackout wrong choices to see ways you can fight for the right.

PREPARATION: Review enrichment activity #3 in the manual for which the following activity illustrates. The activity asks children what types of things Satan uses to wound or kill us spiritually and what they can do to strengthen their spiritual armor such as attending church. SEE LESSON IDEAS (below).

TESTIMONY: Bear testimony of the importance of putting on the armor of God to protect us against evil.

ACTIVITY: Fight for Right! Word Choice

Show youth how they can Fight for Right! and follow Captain Moroni’s example to put on the whole armor of God. Help them search for and blackout wrong choices to see ways they can fight for right!
DOWNLOAD Armor of God Build a Hero Lesson Activity or Pick-a-Song (HERE or below)

TO MAKE Print on lightweight paper, copy, color, and cut out the Fight for Right! Word Choice that follows for each child.

THOUGHT TREAT: Right-Hand Cookie. Roll out sugar cookie dough and cut out a right-hand print or right-hand mitten shape, and then bake. As children eat the right-hand cookies, remind them to fight for right!

SCRIPTURE CHALLENGE CARD: Help children Search and Ponder this scripture card by filling in the blanks. PRINT this 5 x 7 scripture card from the pdf included with the above activity. You can punch the two holes on the left and tie a ribbon to attach cards or use two metal rings to connect cards.

Alma 43:45 “Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.”

LESSON IDEAS (for the above activity):

• Review and present the Lesson: Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah (see details below).
• See the video The Whole Armor of God for teens on this subject (below).
• Present the lesson.
• Share the Fight For Right word choice puzzle (shown above) as you present the Testimony and ideas (below).

The Whole Armor of God (1992) This CES video for the New Testament parallels ancient soldiers allegorically with modern-day teenagers. Through ancient and modern examples and the words of Latter-day prophets, this segment teaches the importance of remaining clean and worthy to serve.

Gordon B. Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency said in his talk, “The War We Are Winning”

READ THE ENTIRE TALK (here are some that relate to the above video)

“Opposition has not come only in the construction of temples. It has been felt in the undying efforts of many, both within and without the Church, to destroy faith, to belittle, to demean, to bear false witness, to tempt and allure and induce our people to practices inconsistent with the teachings and standards of this work of God.

Brethren, the war goes on. It is as it was in the beginning. There may not be the intensity, and I am grateful for that. But the principles at issue are the same. The victims who fall are as precious as those who have fallen in the past. It is an ongoing battle. We of the priesthood are all part of the army of the Lord. We must be united. An army that is disorganized will not be victorious. It is imperative that we close ranks, that we march together as one. We cannot have division among us and expect victory. We cannot have disloyalty and expect unity. We cannot be unclean and expect the help of the Almighty.

You boys who are here, you deacons, teachers, and priests, are all a part of this. The Lord has laid upon you in your priesthood offices the duty to preach the gospel, to teach the truth, to encourage the weak to be strong, to “invite all to come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59).

You cannot afford to partake of things that will weaken your minds and your bodies. These include cocaine, “crack,” alcohol, tobacco. You cannot be involved in immoral activity. You cannot do these things and be valiant as warriors in the cause of the Lord in the great, everlasting contest that goes on for the souls of our Father’s children.

You men of the Melchizedek Priesthood, you cannot be unfaithful or untrue to your wives, to your families, to your priesthood responsibilities if you are to be valiant in moving the work of the Lord forward in this great battle for truth and salvation. You cannot be dishonest and unscrupulous in your business affairs without tarnishing your armor.

In our meetings, we occasionally sing an old hymn:

I had a letter from a friend in the East the other day. He spoke of a conversation he had had with another member of the Church. He had asked his associate whether he felt close to his Heavenly Father. He replied that he did not feel close. Why not? He said, “Candidly, because I don’t want to.” Then he went on to say, “If I were close to Heavenly Father, He would probably want some commitment from me, and I am not ready for that.”

Think of it—a man who has taken upon himself the name of the Lord in baptism, a man who has renewed his covenants with the Lord in his sacrament meetings, a man who has accepted the priesthood of God and yet has said that if he were close to his Heavenly Father, some commitment might be expected of him, and he was not ready for that.

In this work, there must be commitment. There must be devotion. We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. We are not losing. We are winning. We will continue to win if we will be faithful and true. We can do it. We must do it. We will do it. There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish.”

Come Follow Me
LESSON (to match the above lesson activity)

LESSON 25

Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah

“Lesson 25: Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon (1997), 87–91

Purpose

To encourage each child to put on the armor of God as a protection against evil.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study Alma 43–44and Ephesians 6:11, 13–18. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,” vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)
2. Additional reading: Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18.
3. Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
4. Materials needed:
   1. A Book of Mormon for each child.
   2. A Bible.
   3. Depending on how you want to teach the children about the armor of God, make wordstrips, small cutouts of the armor and man’s figure for each child, a larger set of armor to place on a figure drawn on the chalkboard, or a set of armor out of cardboard to put on a child. (See the illustration at the end of the lesson.)
   4. Pictures 4-37, Captain Moroni’s Soldiers Fight the Lamanites, and 4-38, The Army of Zerahemnah Throws Down Its Weapons.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

• In ancient times when men went to battle with swords and spears, how did they protect their heads, hearts, stomachs, arms, legs, and feet? (With armor.)

Explain that we are all in a war against evil. The temptations and the powers of Satan are very real. Heavenly Father does not want us to fight the battle against evil unprotected. Have a child read Ephesians 6:11, 13–18. Discuss each piece of armor using the wordstrips or cutouts. Relate each piece of armor to how we need to live to be protected from the evils around us.

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account of Captain Moroni defeating Zerahemnah in Alma 43–44. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Emphasize that Moroni’s army not only put on man-made armor but also had the stronger protection of the armor of God. Use the pictures at appropriate times.

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading the references with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures.

• Why did Zerahemnah, the Lamanite commander, appoint Amalekites and Zoramites as chief captains over the Lamanites? (Alma 43:6–7.) Why did the Lamanites want to fight the Nephites? (Alma 43:8, 29.)
• Why were the Nephites willing to fight? (Alma 43:45, 47.) Why are our homes, families, liberties, and Church worth fighting for? What do you value enough to fight for?
• How did Captain Moroni prepare his army to meet the Lamanites at Jershon? (Alma 43:18–19.) Why did this preparation frighten the Lamanites? (Alma 43:20–21.) In what ways can you put on the spiritual armor of God and be prepared to stand for what is right?
• How did Captain Moroni find out where he should send his armies? (Alma 43:23–24.) How do prophets help us today?
• Even though the Nephite army wore armor, why did they fear and want to flee from the Lamanites? (Alma 43:48.) How did Moroni inspire them?
• What did Captain Moroni’s army do to receive strength and courage to fight? (Alma 43:49–50.) How can prayer help you put on the armor of God? (Ephesians 6:18.)
• After Moroni had surrounded the Lamanites, what did he do that showed he was not a man of bloodshed? (Alma 43:54; 44:1–2, 6.)
• Why did the Lord deliver the Lamanites into the hands of Moroni’s army? (Alma 44:3.) What promise did the Lord make to the Nephites and to us if we are faithful? (Alma 44:4.) What did Zerahemnah think was protecting the Nephites? (Alma 44:9.)
• What happened when the angry Zerahemnah would not make the oath of peace? (Alma 44:12.) What happened to the Lamanites who covenanted not to fight? (Alma 44:15.) Why is it important for us to keep promises and covenants?

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. Play a matching game (see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” vii. Write the names of the following pieces of armor on six cards and what they symbolize on another set of six cards. Have the children match the name of the piece of armor to what it symbolizes in our armor of God.
   • Girdle (belt) — Truth (Ephesians 6:14)
   • Breastplate — Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)
   • Shoes — Preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15)
   • Shield — Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
   • Helmet — Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)
   • Sword — God’s Spirit, or the word of God (Ephesians 6:17; D&C 6:2)
2. Using Ephesians 6:13–18, help the children memorize what each piece of the armor of God symbolizes. Name a piece of armor as you toss a beanbag or ball to a child. Have the child give the meaning of that piece of armor and then name a different piece of armor while tossing the ball to another child, who will give the meaning and choose a new piece of armor, and so on.
3. Ask the children what types of things Satan uses today to try to wound or kill us spiritually. They may mention such things as certain movies, television programs, videos, books, or magazines; temptations to break the Word of Wisdom; temptations to not go to church; and so on. Discuss what the children are doing to strengthen their spiritual armor, such as having personal and family prayers, having personal and family scripture study, having family home evenings, attending church, and so on.
4. Discuss how Captain Moroni tricked the Lamanite army, as told in Alma 43:31–42. Use the chalkboard to illustrate the position of the Nephite and Lamanite armies.
   1. Alma 43:35-36
   2. Alma 43:41
   3. Alma 43:42
   4. Alma 43:50-51

1

2

3

4

North

South

East

West

Captain Moroni’s Army

Land of Manti

River Sidon

Lamanite Army

Hill Riplah (see HERE for Book of Mormon Geography)

Lehi’s Army

2. Sing or read the words to “Dare to Do Right”(Children’s Songbook, 158) or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, p. 160).
   DOWNLOAD the “Dare to Do Right” song visuals (HERE or below)
   DOWNLOAD the “Choose the Right Way” song visuals (HERE or below)

Conclusion

Testimony

Bear testimony of the importance of putting on the armor of God to protect us against evil.

MORE LESSON IDEAS: