Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Twenty-Five

The Test of Contention & Ease and Prosperity - Helaman 11-12

The Book of Mormon in Helaman 11 describes a time of serious contention – “And now it came to pass… that the contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi. And it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness” ( Helaman 11:1-2).

The Nephites were tested by widespread contention and violence – In addition to the problems caused by hostel Lamanites, the Nephites had widespread contention and violence that threatened their physical safety and security. This was primarily caused by criminals and assassins known as the Gadianton robbers.

Modern society is also tested by widespread contention and violence – In addition to worldwide wars and physical violence, our modern world has to deal with emotional and mental aggression which causes widespread contention and violence. This is aggravated and complicated by technology.

We are tested by contention which is caused by disregard for truth – This has become so common on the internet and in politics and throughout modern society we have come to tolerate it and some even embrace it. Those who spread contention often try to promote themselves and advance their agenda regardless of the truth. They are often anxious to dominate, and they don’t worry about hurting others. They come from all parts of society. Their attacks can be subtle and hard to identify, and therefore, very dangerous.

We are tested by contention which is caused by selfishness – There are people in all parts of our society who are basically selfish. Their primary interest is what is convenient to them. and what they think makes them happy and comfortable. They tend to emphasize individual rights and would rather ignore individual responsibilities. This is at significant cost to the family and to society.

The Book of Mormon in Helaman 12 describes a time of testing caused by ease and prosperity and forgetting the Lord – “Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity” (Helaman 12:2, emphasis added).

We are also being tested by ease and prosperity – President Ezra Taft Benson warned about the serious tests posed by ease and prosperity: “Every generation has its tests and its chance to stand and prove itself. Would you like to know of one of our toughest tests? Hear the warning words of Brigham Young, ‘The worst fear I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution and be true. But my greatest fear is that they cannot stand wealth.”

“Ours then seems to be the toughest test of all, for the evils are more subtle, more clever. It all seems less menacing and it is harder to detect. While every test of righteousness represents a struggle, this particular test seems like no test at all, no struggle and so could be the most deceiving of all tests.

“Do you know what peace and prosperity can do to a people—It can put them to sleep. The Book of Mormon warned us of how Satan, in the last days, would lead us away carefully down to hell. The Lord has on the earth some potential spiritual giants whom He saved for some six thousand years to help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly, and the devil is trying to put them to sleep. The adversary knows that he probably won’t be too successful in getting them to commit many great and malignant sins of commission. So he puts them into a deep sleep, like Gulliver, while he strands them with little sins of omission. And what good is a sleepy, neutralized, lukewarm giant as a leader? (David A. Bednar, quoting Ezra Taft Benson, On the Lord’s Side: Lessons from Zion’s Camp, BYU Idaho, July 30, 2010).

Testimony – Mormon in writing this record gave us the solution to the problems caused by contention and the problems caused by ease and prosperity and forgetting the Lord. The solution is repentance. “Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved. And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works” (Helaman 12:23-24).

Released on September 7th. 2024.