Editor’s note: To support elders quorum and Relief Society classes, the Church News is publishing lesson resources on messages from October 2024 general conference. These are meant to be a starting point and not a strict lesson plan.
About this talk
- “Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion”
- by Elder D. Todd Christofferson | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
- Saturday afternoon session of October 2024 general conference.
- Theme: Bury any element of rebellion, and replace it with a willing heart and willing mind.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Christofferson’s message here.
Outline
- Approximately 90 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the sons of Mosiah began a 14-year mission to the Lamanites. Through the miraculous interventions of the Holy Spirit, thousands were converted and became disciples of Christ.
- The key to the enduring conversion of those Ammon taught was that they did “lay down the weapons of their rebellion” (Alma 23:7). The reference to “weapons of rebellion” was both literal and figurative. It meant swords and other weapons of war but also their disobedience to God and His commandments.
- Rather than risk any possible return to their prior state of rebellion, the Lamanites buried their swords. As they buried their physical weapons, with changed hearts, they also buried their disposition to sin.
- Rebellion can be active or passive. The classic example of willful 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 hard to discern the impact of his continuing 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 still oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard to divine direction.
- The Savior’s example regarding baptism was a demonstration of loyalty to the Father and an example for the children of God.
- The weapons the Lamanite converts buried were weapons of rebellion because of how they had used them. Those same kinds of weapons in the hands of their sons, used in defense of family and freedom, were not weapons of rebellion against God. Nor were the weapons in the hands of the Nephites, who were fighting for “their homes and their liberties” (Alma 43:45).
- In the same way, there are things in one’s life that may be neutral or even inherently good but if used in the wrong way become “weapons of rebellion,” such as speech, which can edify or demean; one’s career, if all else becomes secondary; or physical well-being, if one becomes consumed with appearance.
- In the end, burying 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). It means letting God prevail.
- Burying weapons of rebellion leads to joy. Those converted to the Lord are “brought to sing [the song of] redeeming love” (Alma 26:13).
Discussion questions
Why did the converted Lamanites bury their swords and other weapons of war?
What does it mean to bury our “weapons of rebellion” in modern days?
In Alma 24:11, the king of the converted Lamanites said burying their weapons was “all that we could do ... to repent of all our sins.” How can we similarly do all we can to repent?
What are some 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. It meant their swords and other weapons of war but also their disobedience to God and His commandments.”
- “Perhaps the more insidious form of rebellion against God ... is the passive version — ignoring His will in our lives. Many who would never consider active rebellion may still oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard to divine direction.”
- “If our love of God and our determination to serve Him with all our might, mind and strength become 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 sins and rebellions of the past and will take away the stain of those sins and rebellions from our hearts. In time, He will even take away any desire for evil, as He did with those Lamanite converts of the past. Thereafter, we too ‘never [will] fall away’ (Alma 23:6).”
Key scriptures
- “And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them — yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.”
- “For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.”
- “[The Savior] showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. ... And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father.”
Invitations and promises
- “We might ask ourselves what we could do to follow this pattern, to ‘lay down the weapons of [our] rebellion,’ (Alma 23:7) whatever they may be, and become so ‘converted [to] the Lord’ (Alma 23:6) that the stain of sin and the desire for sin are taken from our hearts and we never will fall away.”
- “Our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Redeemer, have confirmed Their unending commitment to our ultimate happiness through the most profound love and sacrifice. We experience Their love daily. Surely we can reciprocate with our own love and loyalty.”
- “May we bury — very, very deep — any element of rebellion against God in our lives and replace it with a willing heart and a willing mind.”
Stories
- The Book of Mormon’s anti-Christs — Sherem, Nehor and Korihor — provide a classic study of active rebellion against God. The overarching thesis of Nehor and Korihor was that there is no sin; therefore, there is no need for repentance, and there is no Savior. The anti-Christ rejects religious authority and characterizes ordinances and covenants as performances “laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority” (Alma 30:23).
- William W. Phelps is a latter-day example of willful 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, “Come on, dear brother, since the war is past, for friends at first are friends again at last.”
- Years ago, a song was made 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, one’s theme song ought to be, “I did it God’s way.” Truly, there is no other way.
Notable footnotes
- 13. “Make sure your language reflects love of God and others — whether you’re communicating in person or virtually. Say things that uplift — nothing that might be divisive, hurtful or offensive, even as a joke. Your words can be powerful. Let them be powerful for good” (“For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices,” published 2022, page 12).
Additional resources
- Related image: “The Anti-Nephi-Lehies Burying Their Swords” by Del Parson
- Related video: “The Anti-Nephi-Lehies Bury Weapons of War”
- Related hymn: No. 270, “I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go”
Recent conference talks on obedience
- Elder Ulisses Soares: “Aligning Our Will With His” (October 2024)
- Elder Jose L. Alonso: “Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives” (April 2024)
- Elder Joseph W. Sitati: “Patterns of Discipleship” (October 2022)
Who is Elder Christofferson?
- Elder D. Todd Christofferson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 5, 2008. Prior to his calling as a general authority in 1993, Elder Christofferson was associate general counsel of NationsBank Corporation (now Bank of America) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
