29th Floor Sunday School

Discussion of the role of Alma in establishing a church in the Land of Zerahemla. Prior to this time religion had been something that was more cultural, and one of Alma’s great contributions to Nephite history was setting up a church structure that was separate from the government. Having established a church, they now confront novel challenges, such as what to do about members that refuse to repent. Following the revelatory answer to this question, we get one of the greatest repentance stories in all of scripture: Alma the Younger.

Discussion of the beginning of King Benjamin’s beautiful sermon, starting with the background of King Benjamin and the troubles he had in uniting his people. The service Benjamin provided to his people is a type of the service Jesus Christ gave, and he challenges us all to serve others in the way Christ did. He teaches his people about Jesus Christ and the atonement, testifying that the name of Christ is the only source of salvation, and we must repent and exercise to do so.

Discussion of Nephi’s teachings on the doctrine of Christ, which is that “there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:21). Nephi teaches that Christ was baptized and covenanted with God the Father that He would keep all of His commandments, beginning the process through which He breaks the bands of spiritual death. Rather than so covenanting with the Father, we covenant with Christ that we will repent of our sins and serve God with full purpose of heart, thus qualifying us for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which purifies us, giving us new life, and prepares us to return to the presence of God. After we are baptized, we are to teach others and learn from the testimonies of others. We are also to bring our wills in alignment with God’s will through the process of prayer. The result of all of these is a oneness, or atonement, with Christ and God the Father. In addition to the covered chapters, this lesson also draws on quotes from Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s book Mormon Doctrine.

Discussion of Second Nephi’s Isaiah chapters! Nephi sets the scene for Isaiah’s teachings in chapter 11, in which he testifies of Christ, teaching that all things are the “typifying” of Christ, Christ makes possible the Plan of Salvation, and if there is no Christ there is no God. In the 13 chapters that are nearly the same as portions of The Book of the Prophet Isaiah in our KJV Bible, we learn about the children of Israel (which means “to struggle with God”) and their dynamic and active relationship with God, which is not one of robotic obedience, be one of pushing the limits, being punished, and ultimately redeemed. This relationship is summed up in the phrase, “for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still,” which is repeated five times in these chapters. Nephi concludes his Isaiah insertions with a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and the efforts he goes to in teaching his children and people about the Savior. In addition to the covered chapters, this lesson also draws from “The Gift of Grace” by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, from April 2015 General Conference.

Samuel the Lamanite prophet warns the Nephites that they must repent because Christ is coming and he is going to turn their world upside down. They won’t even to be able to count upon the sun going down at the end of the day, let alone the riches and accumulated wealth that they currently rely upon for comfort. Christ comes and is resurrected to overcome both deaths: the death at the time we came to this earth and were physically separated from God, and the death that will come if we have not repented and are thus cast off forever from His presence. We must all choose to accept Christ and his Gospel to combat the uncertainties of this world rather relying upon the things of this world which provide only temporary and “slippery” solutions.