Editor’s note: To support elders quorum and Relief Society courses, Church News is publishing teaching resources on the October 2024 general conference messages. These are meant to be a starting point, not a strict lesson plan .

About this discussion

Read the full message here.

Read a summary of Brother Christofferson’s message here.

Outline

• About 90 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the sons of Mosiah undertook a 14-year mission to the Lamanites. Through the miraculous interventions of the Holy Spirit, thousands of people were converted and became disciples of Christ.
• The key to the lasting conversion of those whom Ammon taught was that they “lay down the weapons of their rebellion.” (Alma 23:7). The reference to “weapons of rebellion” was both literal and figurative. This meant swords and other weapons of war, but also their disobedience to God and his commandments.
• Rather than risk a possible return to their previous state of rebellion, the Lamanites buried their swords. By burying their physical weapons, with a transformed heart, they also buried their disposition to sin.
• Rebellion can be active or passive. The classic example of deliberate rebellion is Lucifer, who opposed the Father’s plan of redemption in the premortal world and rallied others to oppose it as well. It is not difficult to discern the impact of his continued rebellion today.
• Perhaps the most insidious form of rebellion against God is the passive version: ignoring His will in one’s life. Many who would never consider active rebellion nevertheless oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard for divine direction.
• The Savior’s example regarding baptism was a demonstration of loyalty to the Father and an example to God’s children.
• The weapons that the Lamanite converts buried were weapons of rebellion because of the way they used them. These same types of weapons in the hands of their sons, used to defend family and freedom, were not weapons of rebellion against God. Nor were weapons in the hands of the Nephites, who were fighting for “their habitations and liberties” (Alma 43:45).
• In the same way, there are things in life that may be neutral or even intrinsically good, but which, if misused, become “weapons of rebellion”, such as speech, which can edify or demean; his career, if everything else becomes secondary; or physical well-being, if we consume ourselves in appearance.
• Ultimately, burying the weapons of rebellion against God means yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, putting off the natural man, and becoming a “saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19). This means let God prevail.
• Burying the weapons of rebellion leads to joy. Those who are converted to the Lord are “led to sing (the song of) redeeming love” (Alma 26:13).

Questions for discussion

Why did converted Lamanites bury their swords and other weapons of war?

What does it mean to bury our “weapons of rebellion” these days?

In Alma 24:11, the king of the converted Lamanites said that burying their weapons was “all we could do…to repent of all our sins.” How can we, in the same way, do all we can to repent?

What are the neutral or good things that can become “weapons of rebellion” if misused? How can we prevent this misuse?

Over the next month, how can we show our love and loyalty to Heavenly Father and His Son?

Notable quotes

• “This reference to “weapons of rebellion” was both literal and figurative. This meant their swords and other weapons of war, but also their disobedience to God and his commandments.
• “Perhaps the most insidious form of rebellion against God…is the passive version: ignoring His will in our lives. Many who would never consider active rebellion may nevertheless oppose God’s will and word by pursuing their own path without regard for divine direction.
• “If our love of God and our determination to serve Him with all our strength, with all our mind and with all our strength, becomes the touchstone by which we judge all things and make all our decisions, we will have buried our weapons of rebellion. By the grace of Christ, God will forgive our past sins and rebellions and remove the stain of those sins and rebellions from our hearts. In time he will eliminate even every desire for evil, as he did with those Lamanite converts of the past. Thereafter, we too “shall never fall” (Alma 23:6).”

Key Scriptures

• “And as surely as the Lord liveth, so surely are all those who have believed, or as many as have been brought to the knowledge of the truth, by the preaching of Ammon and of his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yes, I tell you, as long as the Lord lives, all the Lamanites who believed in their preaching and turned to the Lord never failed.
• “For they have become a righteous people; they laid down the weapons of their rebellion, so that they no longer fought against God, nor against any of their brothers.
• “(The Savior) shows the children of men that, according to the flesh, he humbles himself before the Father and testifies to the Father that he will obey him in keeping his commandments. …And he said to the children of men, Follow me. Therefore, my beloved brothers, can we follow Jesus unless we are willing to keep the commandments of the Father.

Invitations and promises

• “We might ask ourselves what we could do to follow this model, to “lay down the arms of (our) rebellion” (Alma 23:7) whatever they may be, and thus become “converted (to) the Lord” (Alma 23:6) that the stain of sin and the desire for sin are removed from our hearts and we will never fall.
• “Our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Redeemer, have confirmed their unending commitment to our ultimate happiness through the deepest love and sacrifice. We experience their love daily. Surely we can reciprocate with our own love and loyalty.
• “May we bury – very, very deeply – any element of rebellion against God in our lives and replace it with a willing heart and mind. »

Stories

• The antichrists of the Book of Mormon—Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor—are a classic study in active rebellion against God. The fundamental thesis of Nehor and Korihor was that there is no sin; therefore, there is no need to repent and there is no Savior. The Antichrist rejects religious authority and calls performance ordinances and covenants “established by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority” (Alma 30:23).
• William W. Phelps is a modern example of deliberate rebellion with a happier ending. After joining the Church in 1831 and being appointed Church printer, Phelps edited several Church publications, wrote hymns, and served as scribe to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Unfortunately, he turned against the Church and the Prophet, even contributing to the Prophet’s imprisonment in Missouri. Later, Phelps asked Joseph for forgiveness, to which the prophet replied: “Go, dear brother, since the war is over, for friends at first become friends again at the end.” »
• Years ago, a song became famous by singer Frank Sinatra, with the climactic line: “I did it my way.” Certainly, in life there is room for personal preference and individual choice, but when it comes to matters of salvation and eternal life, everyone’s theme song should be: “I have it done in God’s way.” In reality, there is no other way.

Notable footnotes

• 13. “Make sure your language reflects love for God and others, whether you communicate in person or virtually. Say things that are uplifting – nothing that will divide, hurt or offend, even if it’s a joke. Your words can be powerful. May they be powerful for good” (“For the Strength of Youth: A Guide to Making Choices», published in 2022, page 12).

Additional Resources

Recent Obedience Conferences

Who is Brother Christofferson?

• D. Todd Christofferson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 5, 2008. Prior to his call as a general authority in 1993, Elder Christofferson was assistant general counsel of NationsBank Corporation (now Bank of America) in Charlotte, North Carolina.