Grandmas Scripture Stories

Amalikiah was a Nephite.  But He was never satisfied with what he had and always wanted more.  He wanted to lead.  He started to use flattery (telling people nice things to get them to do what you want) to get people to follow him.  When Moroni (the captain of the Nephite armies) found out he was very concerned.  He made the title of Liberty to remind the Nephites how important the teachings of God were.  To protect their homes, their families and the right to choose.  He then led a war against Amalikiah and his men.  Amalikiah realized he was going to loose and so he fled with some of the men who followed him and they went and joined with the Lamanites.  He used his flattery to get the Lamanites angry at the Nephites and ready to go to war.  Many of the Lamanites did not want to fight the Nephites again.  They were tired of loosing.  Lehonti led those who did not want to fight up to a tall mountain.  Amalikiah convinced the King to put him in charge of the army that wanted to fight and they would go and make Lehonti and the others join them.  Amalikiah once again used his flattery.  4 times Lehonti said he would not come off the mountain to meet with Amalikiah.  The last time Amalikiah came almost all the way up and told Lehonti to bring his guards.  Lehonti should have said no again...but he went.  Amalikiah convinced Lehonti to surround his army at night and told him he would surrendor is Lehonti would make him second in command.  Lehonti decided that would work.  He captured Amalikiah's army and then Amalikiah's servants started to poison Lehonti.  Lehonti died and Amalikiah was now in charge!  

The Lord was upset with the wickedness of the earth.  The people were building a tower to get to heaven.  They did not want to obey God and follow His rules to get there.  God confused their languages so the people could no longer talk to each other.  The brother of Jared prayed and asked if God would allow their family and friends to still understand each other.  God answered their prayers.  

Samuel the Lamanite was called to preach repentance to the Nephites who were not obeying God or following his teachings.  Some Nephites repented, most got angry and tried to hurt Samuel by shooting arrows at him or throwing rocks at him.  Samuel was not afraid, He was obeying God and that mattered most to him.  Samuel prophesied many things to the Nephites including the signs of his birth, which would happen in 5 years.  Samuel left and was never heard of around Zarahemla again.  Everything Samuel prophesied came true.  He was a prophet of God.  

Moroni accuses Pahoran of neglecting their armies, being lazy, and a selfish traitor.  Pahoran does not get angry.  He thanks Moroni for his letter and asks him to come help him get the government back from the King men so they can get sufficient supplies and armies to regain peace in the land. "Life is perfect for none of us!  Rather than being judgemental may we have the pure love of Christ for others."  Pahoran is a great example of this.    

The Lamanites kept coming and attacking the people of Ammon.  The Anti Nephi Lehi's were so sad to see the Nephites fight to protect them, often losing their lives.  They decided they could not watch anymore and were about to break their covenant.  But Helaman persuaded them not to, telling them God would continue to bless them, as He always had, if they were faithful to keeping their word.  The People of Ammon had many sons who had not made that covenant.  They were now young adults.  These 2000 young men covenanted to fight to protect their homes, their families, their god and their religion.  After years of fighting the army realized a great miracle had occured.  Although everyone of those boys had been injured, not one had died.  God always blesses us when we keep our covenants.  

Teancum was a great military leader who worked for Captain Moroni.  Teancum had fought with the Nephites in many battles.  He had seen the heart ache and destruction war caused.  He was very upset with Amalikiah and all the destruction he had caused.  Amalikiah had been a Nephite and had left and joined with the Lamanites.  Late one night, after a full day of battle, Teancum snuck in Amalikiah's tent and pierced him in the heart with a javelin, killing him instantly.  God wants us to defend our rights and our liberties.  HE is proud of those who fight for our country.  

After Amalikiah gains control of the Lamanite armies he comes back to the Lamanite King and When he hails the king, Amalikiah's servants kill the king.  The kings own servants are so afraid they run away.  Amalikiah tells everyone the Kings own servants killed him.  The queen is so sad and asks Amalikiah to come and tell her what happened to her husband the King.  Amalikiah uses his flattery and not only convinces the queen the king's own servants killed him, he convinces her he loves her, and Amalikiah marries her and becomes KIgn of all the Lamanites.  Amalikiah wanted to be king...but he hates the Nephites and he still wants to be their king.  He now makes the Lamanite armies go and fight against the Nephites.  Moroni has fortified the cities and they can't win.  Amalikiah does not care how many lamanites are hurt or are killed trying.  He only wants to be king.  He sends the armies to was again and finally He leads them himself because he has taken an oath (made a promise) to kill Moroni and drink his blood.  HE is NOT a good man.  HE does not follow God. When Amalikiah comes and leads the armies they all go to sleep at night.  Teancum ( one of Moroni's leaders) is so tired of all the war and destruction Amalikiah has caused...he sneaks into the Lamanite camp and kills amalikiah with a javelin in his heart.  Finally this wicked man is dead.  

Moroni prepares the Nephites and their cities, to focus on God and their freedoms.  He built ditches, walls of dirt, walls of stones, towers to have look outs, armies to stand guard.  Amalikiah and the Lamanites were shocked the Nephite preperation.  The Lamanites armies did not dare attack.  The Nephites had all power over their enemies.  Moroni and the Nephites did never stop fortifying!  

Corianton served a mission with his brothers Helaman and Shiblon, his father Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom.  Corianton did not obey the mission rules.  He did not do the things he was supposed to, and because of that people did not want to know about the church or God.  Alma talked to Corianton.  He had to get upset with him to make him understand he needed to do better.  Sometimes our parents might get upset with us, or talk to us sternley...for our good, so we will do better.  Alma loved his son.  Alma knew Corianton could follow his brothers examples and do better.  

Moroni was the Chief Commander of the Nephite Army.  Amalikiah was a Nephite that decided He no longer wanted to be a Nephite...He wanted to be incharge and He convinced many Nephites that if they put him incharge he would give them a position of honor.  He was so good at saying what the people wanted to hear, many Nephites stopped believing in the teachings of the church and started to follow Amalikiah.  Captain Moroni was so concerned with the numbers of Nephites falling away.  He ripped his coat and made the title of Liberty.  It talked about the people remembering the importance of God, their families, their freedoms, and their religion.  He made copies of the title of liberty and put them on towers all throughout their land.  Many Nephites came running to help fight against the dissenters before they could join with the Lamanites and come against them in war. Moroni knew who could help him, God.  God answered Moroni's prayers and helped him know how to defeat Amalikiah and the disenters.  

Alma teaches the poor Zoramites that to gain a testimony you have to plant the word of God and allow it to grow like a seed.  

Shiblon was a very righteous man.  He had served missions with his father.  He had been stoned for things he taught.  He never wavered in his testmiony of the truth.  

Alma tells of his experience with an Angel of God.  His agony for 3 days and then his joy when he called on Christ.  HE counsels Helaman to use the scriptures to instruct the people.  Helaman is called to replace his father.  

Korihor was an anti-christ. He went around preaching there was no Christ.  He said the church was telling people false things to make them follow their leaders.  He said they did this so people would pay them.  Alma said he had never taken any money to lead the church and did it because the teachings of the church make people happy.  HE also said "i have all things that prove there is a god! the earth and all things created on it!"  and he told Korihor he knew he was lying. He told Korihor if he lied one more time God would give him a sign, and he would be struck dumb (could not speak).  Korihor denied and could no longer speak.  He wrote and note to Alma and said the devil had decieved him and that he did know there was a God.  He asked Alma to pray to God to make him able to speak again.  Alma said God knew if He did that, Korihor would just go back to teaching lies to the people.  When the people heard what had happened to Korihor, those that had believed his lies, repented and came back to God and the church.  

Alma the prophet heard the Zoramites were no longer following the teachings of the church.  He took Amulek, Zeezrom, Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Corianton and Shiblon with him to serve a mission to them. He knew that preaching the word of God to them, and reminding them of the things they once knew was the greatest thing they could do.  They got to Antionum and found the people were praying one at a time on a Rameumpton (holy stand) in the middle of their synagogues (churches).  Every prayer was exactly the same and then they would never talk about God again.  Alma set the men he brought with him apart and asked that they would have strength and wisdom to know how to bring these precious souls back to God.  

Alma and Ammon and his brothers meet after serving their missions for 14 years.  Their joy is so great that Ammon passes out (that is great joy).  They catch each other up on what has happened for the past 14 years.  They are overjoyed that each of them has continued to center their lives on Christ.  

The Anti Nephi Lehi's have burried their weapons of war.  They have repented and covenanted with God that they will never fight or break God's commandments again.  They are so faithful that when the Lamanites come to fight them, they kneel down and pray instead of fighting back.  1,005 are killed before the Lamanites stop and realize they truly will not fight.  Many of the Lamanites are so sorry they kneel down next to the Anti Nephi Lehi's and join them.  In the scriptures we read those that died were taken straight to Heaven to God.  And many more Lamanites changed and repented that day and came to know God.  

Ammon and his brothers were given permission by Lamoni and his father to preach the gospel to all the Lamanites.  Many converted.  Once they learned the gospel they no longer wanted to be called Lamanites.  They wanted a new name that showed their faith.  They chose the name Anti Nephi Lehi's - which means the mirror image (or like) Nephi and Lehi.  They choose to bury their weapons to show God they never wanted to kill or go to war again.  What things in your life do you need to bury to show God you have truly repented and want to follow Him? 

Ammon is going with King Lamoni to free his brothers from prison.  On the way, they meet King Lamoni's father.  King Lamoni's father has been taught, and taught his people his entire life, that the Nephites are their enemies.  He tells his son, King Lamoni to kill Ammon.  King Lamoni has been converted to God and he loves Ammon for bringing him to the truth.  He refuses to kill Ammon, even though his father, the King of all the Lamanites, has commanded him to.  The king is so upset he turns to hurt his son.  Ammon protects his son and is even able to hurt the King if he chooses.  King Lamoni says he will give Ammon anything he wants, even half his kingdom if he will spare his life.  Ammon asks that Lamoni can still be king of his land, and rule the way he chooses, and that his brothers will be freed.  Lamoni's father is stunned.  Ammon did not ask for anything for himself.  He grants Ammon's desires.  

Ammon rescues the kings flocks!  He slays 7 of the Lamanites trying to steal from the King.  The other servants and King Lamoni think Ammon is the Great Spirit?  Ammon teaches them all about God.  King Lamoni passes out and is converted!