Lesson 26 - Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty

Lesson 26 - Captain Moroni and Purpose the Title of Liberty To teach the children that true freedom comes by resisting evil and keeping Heavenly Father s commandments.

Who s on the Lord s Side Who s on the Lord s side? Who? Now is the time to show. We ask it fearlessly; Who s on the Lord s side? Who? We wage no common war. Cope with no common foe. The enemy s a wake; Who s on the Lord s side Who? Who s on the Lord s side? Who? Now is the time to show. We ask it fearlessly; Who s on the Lord s side? Who? Text by: Hannah Last Cornaby (1822-1905) Music by: Henry H. Russel (1818-1900)

Our opening prayer will be by (Enter name here)

Today we will learn about two men who were each military commanders Captain Moroni and Amalickiah.

Amalickiah was a Nephite by birth, but he had entirely forgotten the Lord. By lying, deceit, and murder he became the king of the Lamanites.

Amalickiah wanted to defeat the Nephites in battle so he could become king over both the Nephites and the Lamanites.

Attention Activity Captain Moroni was the chief commander of the Nephite armies. He was a strong and mighty man who loved the Lord and loved his people. He had sworn with an oath to protect his people from Amalickiah and his Lamanite army. As Amalickiah and his army were preparing to destroy the Nephites, Captain Moroni was preparing his people to defend themselves.

Captain Moroni tore a piece from his coat and made it into a flag or banner that he called the title of liberty Captain Moroni Wrote this on the flag In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.

Let s read Alma 46:12 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it a In 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.

Scripture Account Show the Slides Show the Video Discussion Questions

Awicked man named Amalickiah wanted to be king over the Nephites Many Nephites had left the Church to follow him.

If Amalickiah became king, he would try to destroy the Church of God and take away the people s liberty.

When Captain Moroni, the leader of the Nephite armies, heard of Amalickiah s plan to be king, he became angry.

Moroni tore his coat to make a flag. On it he wrote a message to remind the people to defend their religion, freedom, and peace.

Moroni put the flag on a pole and called it the title of liberty. Then dressed in his armor, he knelt to pray.

He asked God to protect those who believed in Jesus Christ and prayed for freedom in the land, calling it a land of liberty.

Moroni went among the people. Waving the title of liberty, he called them to come and help protect their freedom.

People came from all over the land. They promised to obey God s commandments and to fight for freedom.

When Amalickiah saw how many Nephites had joined with Moroni, he was afraid He and his followers left to join the Lamanites.

Moroni and his army tried to stop them, but Amalickiah and a few of his men escaped.

Moroni placed a title of liberty on every tower in the Nephite land The Nephites had kept their freedom and again had peace.

As time went on, Amalickiah had worked to obtain power by fraud and deceit. Moroni, was preparing the minds of the people to be faithful to the Lord their God. Moroni was a strong and mighty man with perfect understanding. He did not like bloodshed, but did joy in liberty and freedom from bondage and slavery

Moroni was thankful to God for the privileges and blessing he bestowed upon his people. He was firm in his fail in Christ. He swore and oath to defend his people, his country and his religion. The Nephites were trained to defend themselves, not to attack, but to defend. If the Nephites were faithful in keeping the commandments, they would prosper the Land and be warned when harm was coming.

The Nephites could not lay down their arms, but rather prepared to defend themselves against the Lamanites, to protect their wives and their children. They were not happy that many of their brethern would die due to this fighting

To help protect the city, the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth around them. These mounds were high enough that the Lamanites couldn t get their stones and arrows over them easily.

The Lamanite armies tried to get entrance into the city of Noah, but the Nephites drove them back and they were slain with an immense slaughter. Once the chiefs had been slain, the rest of the Lamanite armies fled into the wilderness. The Nephites had the courage to fight the battle because of their faith in the Lord. Once the Lamanite s fled, the Nephites thanked the Lord for delivering them from the hands of their enemies.

Discussion Time

What was threatening the peace among the Nephites? (Alma 45:24; 46:1 2.) Why did so many people follow Amalickiah? (Alma 46:5.)

What did Captain Moroni do when he heard of this conflict? (Alma 46:11 12.) After Captain Moroni made the title of liberty, what did he do? (Alma 46:13, 16.)

What covenant did the people who followed Moroni make? (Alma 46:21 22.) How do you think making this covenant helped the people defend their liberty and their religion? What are some of the covenants we have made?

What did Captain Moroni want his people to remember? (Alma 46:23 24. These verses refer to the Old Testament Joseph and his coat of many colors.)

How were the preparations of the Nephites different from the preparations of the Lamanites? (Alma 48:7.) How did the Nephites try to protect their cities? (Alma 49:2, 4.) How can we prepare ourselves to defeat the influences of Satan?

What had the Nephites been taught about war? (Alma 48:14.) What did they believe Heavenly Father would do for them? (Alma 48:15 16.)

How did the prophet Mormon, who recorded this account, feel about Captain Moroni? (Alma 48:11 13, 17 18.) In what ways would you like to be like Captain Moroni?

Even though the Nephites did not want to go to war, why did they fight the Lamanites? (Alma 48:23 24.)

What happened to the Lamanites in their final battle against the City of Noah? (Alma 49:21 25.) What do you think gave the Nephites courage to fight this battle? What gives you courage to defend righteousness and freedom?

After the Lamanites fled and the Nephites were delivered from their enemies, what did the Nephites do? (Alma 49:28.) How can we show gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy?

We have been sent to earth by Heavenly father, at this time, to defend righteousness and truth. We have been given the Armor of God as we discussed last week. Lets review the parts of the armor.

Here is our faithful soldier getting ready for battle. His armor isn t on yet. If he goes into battle Do you think he will Survive?

Here is our faithful soldier getting ready for battle. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins a girt about with btruth, and having on the cbreastplate of drighteousness; Girdle (belt) = Truth Breastplate = Righteousness

Here is our faithful soldier getting ready for battle. 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of apeace; Shoes = Preparation of the gospel of peace

Here is our faithful soldier getting ready for battle. 16 Above all, taking the shield of afaith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery bdarts of the wicked. Shield = Faith Sword = God s Spirit (word of God)

Here is our faithful soldier getting ready for battle. 17 And take the helmet of a salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Helmet = Salvation

Now our brave soldier is ready for battle. Just like we will be against satin when we are armed and ready.

What is this? It s a wonderful reminder. Every Nation has a flag that is a symbol to the people of who they are and what their nation stands for. Do you think you can make a flag that is a symbol of you and what you sand for?

Twelfth Article of Faith 12 We believe in being asubject to bkings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in cobeying, honoring, and sustaining the dlaw. Can anyone repeat this article of faith by memory? Let s try saying it together.

Testimony I want to bear my testimony, that I know that freedom is a great blessing. We gain true freedom when we resist evil and obey Heavenly Father s commandments.

Our closing prayer will be by (Enter name here)

Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office, and other websites indicating the images were in the public domain or permitted for church and home use. The lesson and scripture story are from lds.org. Please do not use this presentation for commercial use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in church or home to suit personal preference. This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.

Alma 45:24; 46:1 2 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. 1 AND it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the awords of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against their brethren. 2 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that they were determined to slay them. Return

Alma 46:5 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. Return

Alma 46:11 12 11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the achief commander 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. Return

Alma 46:13, 16 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. Return

Alma 46:21 22 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.

Alma 46:21 22 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. Return

Alma 46:23 24 23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a aremnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of bjoseph, whose ccoat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.

Alma 46:23 24 24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a aremnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a bpart of the cremnant of the coat of Joseph was dpreserved and had not decayed. And he said Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a eremnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment. Return

Alma 48:7 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. Return

Alma 49:2, 4 2 And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had acast up dirt round about to shield them from the arrows and the bstones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and with arrows. 4 But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a aridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of bentrance. Return

Alma 48:14 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. Return

Alma 48:15 16 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. Return

Alma 48:11 13, 17 18 11 And Moroni was a astrong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect bunderstanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery; 12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the awelfare and safety of his people.

Alma 48:11 13, 17 18 13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had asworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood. 17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto amoroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the bdevil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. 18 Behold, he was a man like unto aammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God. Return

Alma 48:23 24 23 Now, they were asorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and this was not all they were bsorry to be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, cunprepared to meet their God. 24 Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives, that their awives and their children should be bmassacred by the barbarous ccruelty of those who were once their brethren, yea, and had ddissented from their church, and had left them and had gone to destroy them by joining the Lamanites. Return

Alma 49:21 25 21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter. 22 Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might have an equal

Alma 49:21 25 chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded bodies. 23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their achief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.

Alma 49:21 25 24 There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were shielded by their ashields, and their breastplates, and their head plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs, many of which were very severe. 25 And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a anephite by birth, concerning their great bloss. Return

Alma 49:28 28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did athank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies. Return

Faces