“Alma 53: Keeping Our Covenants,” Book of Mormon Student Manual (2024)
“Alma 53,” Book of Mormon Student Manual
Alma 53
Keeping Our Covenants
We all face tests in this life that can tempt us to break our covenants with God. The people of Ammon gave us a powerful example of keeping covenants even when facing difficult circumstances. The purpose of this lesson is to help increase your resolve to keep your covenants with God.
The covenant path
In your study journal, draw a path like the one in the following image to symbolize our lives and the essential covenants we need to make to return to Heavenly Father. Rather than drawing the circular pictures, you could write the covenants that each picture represents. For example, instead of drawing the fourth picture (counting up from the bottom), you could write “temple endowment” along the path.
Make a mark (or draw a figure representing yourself) indicating where you currently are on your personal covenant path.
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you and will help you in your efforts to stay on the covenant path, which leads back to Them. Take a moment to remember the covenants you have already made with Them and the ways you are striving to keep those covenants. (If it would be helpful to review the covenants we make at baptism and renew through the sacrament, read Mosiah 18:8–10 and Moroni 4:3.)
As part of President Russell M. Nelson’s first press conference as the newly called prophet, he taught:
Now, to each member of the Church I say, keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere. (Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,” Ensign, Apr. 2018, 7)
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What does it mean to you to “keep on the covenant path”?
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What blessings will Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give those who keep on the covenant path?
You might want to write things like “eternal life,” “becoming like God,” “forever families,” and so on at the end of your drawing of the path.
On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being no determination or resolve and 5 being a strong determination or resolve), ponder your answers to the following questions:
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How determined are you to keep the covenants you have already made with God? Why?
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How determined are you to make the covenants with Him that still lie ahead of you? Why?
As you study today, seek help from Heavenly Father to better understand and desire to make and keep covenants with Him.
The people of Ammon
In Alma 24, a group of repentant Lamanites known as the people of Ammon made a unique covenant with God to protect them from falling back into their former sins after being cleansed by the Savior.
Read Alma 53:10–12 to review their covenant (or oath).
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According to verse 11, what were they willing to do to keep their covenant?
Later, when a powerful Lamanite army attacked the Nephites, Captain Moroni and his armies were forced into a terrible war. Read Alma 53:13 and the following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, looking for the difficult decision the people of Ammon faced.
The people of Ammon were at a critical moment of their spiritual lives. They had been true to their covenant never to take up arms. But they understood that fathers are responsible to provide protection to their families. That need seemed great enough to merit consideration of breaking their covenant. (Richard G. Scott, “Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 82)
Refer to your drawing of the covenant path. Between where you currently are on the path and the future covenants the Savior invites you to make, list situations that could tempt teenagers to break covenants they have already made and distract them from making future covenants, including temple covenants.
As you continue to study, reflect on how the Savior can help you move forward regardless of where you are and the challenges you currently face.
The prophet Helaman’s counsel
Read Alma 53:14–15; 56:7–8, looking for the prophet Helaman’s counsel to the people of Ammon. (Alma 56 is a letter that Helaman wrote to Captain Moroni explaining the situation.)
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How would you summarize what you learned about covenants with God?
You may have learned truths such as when we choose to keep our covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, They will help us and strengthen us and if we choose to break our covenants with Them, we will lose intended blessings.
Elder Scott explained how God blessed the people of Ammon for keeping their covenants.
Their humble, lifelong commitment to forsaking their sins did more to protect their families than anything they could have done on the battlefield. Their submission did not deprive them of blessings. It strengthened them and blessed them and blessed future generations. (Richard G. Scott, “Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 83)
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Answer the following questions:
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What are some ways the Lord might strengthen and bless you as you strive to make and keep your covenants?
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How can keeping your covenants strengthen your relationship with the Lord?
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Two thousand young men enter a covenant
The people of Ammon who had made the covenant obeyed Helaman’s counsel to not take up weapons. One way the Lord blessed them was through their sons’ choice to make and keep a covenant of their own. In future chapters we learn that God used these covenant-keeping young men in miraculous ways to defend their families and the Nephites.
Read Alma 53:16–22. Mark attributes and descriptions of these young men that would help them keep covenants. (It may be helpful to know that the word soberness can refer to being calm, serious, or thoughtful.)
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Answer the following questions:
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What attributes did you notice in these young men that would help youth today keep their covenants?
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How do you think their parents’ firmness in keeping covenants may have affected these young men?
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Who do you know who is a great example to you of keeping covenants?
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Your covenant path
Record in your study journal what you learned or felt today that could increase your resolve to stay on the path back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You may include any temptations or distractions you face on your covenant path and how your determination and your trust in the Lord may help you overcome them.