LESSON: Captain Moroni & the Title of Liberty

Purpose

To teach the children that true freedom comes by resisting evil and keeping Heavenly Father’s commandments.

My Initial Thoughts

Before I record my notes on what I’ve read in the lesson, here are some of the things I have in mind:

• There are things we can do to protect ourselves against the power of the adversary
• Captain Moroni knew how to submit his will to God’s by praying for direction and guidance
• The obsession with power and money leads people to do bad things (Amalikiah)
• If we commit to living the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all things will work together for our good

 

From the Lesson

What was the main issue that Amalikiah and his followers had?

24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great ^ariches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to ^bwalk uprightly before God. (Alma 45:24)

Why did so many people choose to follow Amalikiah?

5 And they had been led by the ^aflatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people. (Alma 46:5)

What did Captain Moroni do when he heard of this conflict?

11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the ^achiefcommander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—^aIn memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

Why did these words mean so much to the people?

I think they mean a lot to them because these were the most important things to the people: their God, their religion, their freedom, their peace, their wives and their children.

After Moroni made the title of liberty, what did he do?

13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his ^abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the ^btitle of liberty) and he ^cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of ^dChristians remain to possess the land—

16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the ^afreedom of the land might be favored.

What covenant did the people who followed Moroni make?

21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running ^atogether with their armor girded about their loins, ^brending their garments in token, or as a ^ccovenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ^dashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.

22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they ^acast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We ^bcovenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.

How did Moroni and Amalikiah’s preparations differ?

7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been ^apreparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.

How can we prepare ourselves to defeat the influences of Satan?

• By keeping our priorities in order
• By saying our prayers
• By studying the scriptures
• By serving others
• By getting in the habit of asking for God’s helped when we’re tempted to not do what’s right

What had the Nephites been taught about war?

14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught ^anever to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

What did they believe God would do for them if they kept the commandments?

15 And this was their ^afaith, that by so doing God would ^bprosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;

16 And also, that God would make it known unto them ^awhither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; ^bnot in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.