Helaman 1-4 { “Excusing transgression with a cover-up may appear to fix the problem, but it does not. The Tempter is intent on making public your most embarrassing acts at the most harmful time.” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Finding Forgiveness,” Ensign, May 1995, 77). “Sins do not take care of themselves or simply fade away. Sins do not get ‘swept under the rug’ in the eternal economy of things. They must be dealt with, and because of the Savior’s atoning grace, they can be dealt with in a much happier and less painful manner.” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “To Always Remember Him,” Ensign, Apr. 2011, 53). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. CHARACTERISTICS OF SECRET COMBINATIONS Hel 1:11 Hel 2:5 Hel 2:8 Hel 2:13 Hel 3:34 (second part of the verse) Hel 6:17, 30 Hel 6:21 Hel 6:23 (last part of the verse) Hel 6:26 Hel 6:38 Hel 6:39 { Helaman 1:9 Kishsuman Quetzals are strikingly colored birds and are found in Central America whose 3’ tailfeathers were used by Mesoamerican royalty. "King Kish_U-Kish Kan" was an ancient king of the Misoamerican Olmec culture. His name can be translated as, “He of the feathered serpent." { { Helaman 3:7, 9-11 Cement In 1929, Heber J. Grant (former President of the Church) told the story of a man with a doctorate who had ridiculed him for believing in the Book of Mormon. That learned man cited the mention of cement work as an obvious lie "because the people in that early age knew nothing about cement." President Grant, who was a young man at the time of that conversation, said: "That does not affect my faith one particle. I read the Book of Mormon prayerfully and supplicated God for a testimony in my heart and soul of the divinity of it, and I have accepted it and believe it with all my heart." I also said to him, "If my children do not find cement houses, I expect that my grandchildren will." He said, "Well, what is the good of talking with a fool like that?" (April 1929 Conference Report, p. 128 ff.) { (Photo by Val Brinkerhoff) Cement Houses and Cities “And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.” (Helaman 3:11) Built Large Cities An artist’s reconstruction of El Mirador, a Mayan City of the Petèn (300 BCAD 250). Peak population was 100,000+ people by AD 150. Built Large Cities An artist’s reconstruction of Tikal, a Mayan City of the Petèn (300 BC-AD 250). Peak population was 90,000 people with 425,000 people living within a 25 mile radius of the city. Temples (300 BC-AD 250) Temple at Lamanai, Belize. Temples Teotihuacán Temple of the Sun (AD 300) Palenque Temple of the Inscriptions (AD 692) Cement Houses and Cities Masonry roof combes, Chiapas. { Helaman 3:14 “And” { Sister Nelson and I have a close friend and former neighbor, Sami Hanna, who was born in Egypt. He is a scholar with special expertise in Semitic languages. As a linguistic exercise, he translated the Book of Mormon from English into Arabic. The exercise converted him to the divinity of the Book of Mormon. Among the many linguistic features that convinced him of the book’s divinity was this unusual sentence in Helaman 3:14. { That single sentence has eighteen ands. Now, if you were a teacher of English you might tend to downgrade the composition of that sentence. Yet my scholarly Egyptian friend said that every one of those ands was an important element in the construction of that sentence, allowing his translation to flow smoothly back to a Semitic language. (Elder Nelson, “A Treasured Testament,” Ensign, Jul 1993, p. 61, adapted from an address given 25 June 1992 at a seminar for new mission presidents, Missionary Training Center, Provo, Utah.) Despite the secret combinations, look for the blessings that came to the faithful and how they qualified to receive them): Helaman 3:24–30 Helaman 3:29 “The man of Christ” What makes a { man a ‘man’? { { { { { { { { Who was the manliest man ever? IF CHRIST WAS ONE OF THE MANLIEST MEN EVER, THEN WHY DID HE POSSESS SO MANY FEMININE { ATTRIBUTES? Share something you know is true about this verse… For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. { Overcoming the Natural Man (Elder Eyring) Review Galatians 5:17 “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: Has andnot thesebeen are contrary the one to with Heavenly Spent time the other” withFather. Heavenly Naturally Father. Wants desires fleshy to get back to Histhings. presence. HELAMAN 3:35 { HELAMAN 3:35 • Cleansing power—Jesus has the power to cleanse us and make us pure. • Healing power—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. • Restoring power—Jesus has the power to make things right. • Identifying power—Jesus has the power to understand and empathize. • Strengthening power—to give us strength beyond our natural ability. • Transforming power—Jesus has the power to change our very natures. The Natural Student is an enemy to God The Natural Basketball player is an enemy to God The Natural Cheerleader is an enemy to God The Natural Brother is an enemy to God The Natural Parent is an enemy to God The Natural Teenager is an enemy to God • When and how have you been blessed by Jesus’ ability to empathize with you and understand what you are going through? • When and how have you felt the Atonement of Christ heal you, physically, emotionally, or spiritually? • When have you been given specific, inspired instructions or directions from God to overcome and/or meet your needs? • When have you been strengthened by Christ to do good works? • In what ways and how has the Atonement of Jesus Christ changed your attitude, desires, or character— transformed you? What can you do today to more fully “become a man of Christ”? Helaman 4:23-24, 26 Physical strength doesn't last long without God's help. Helaman 1-4 {