Lesson 13
The People of Alma and the People of King Limhi

Preparation
• Print a copy of the scripture story word strips. Cut the large word strip sets apart on the dotted lines. At the end of each word strip is a letter and a number. Put each word strip with matching letters and numbers into a large Ziploc bag or large envelope. There are four sets, so you will have four bags of word strips by the time you are done.  Mix up the strips in each bag.  Label the outside of each bag with which story it is and what set it is, “Limhi’s People” L-1 or L2, or “Alma’s People” A-1, A-2.
• Items needed: four rolls of tape, a diamond jewellery item and a piece of coal (or the picture of a diamond and a piece of coal).

Attention Activity
Show the children the diamond and the coal. Explain that a long time ago the diamond started out as a piece of coal. The coal was deep in the earth, and extreme heat and pressure was applied to the coal. After a long period of time the coal transformed into valuable diamond stone. Inform the children that in today’s lesson they will learn how adversity, hardship, and difficulty can apply pressure in life and help refine us and change us. They will examine how two groups of people grew stronger and better because of adversity.

Scripture Story Activity
Divide the children into four groups. Give each group a bag of word strips and a roll of tape. Tell the children they have some mixed up strips of paper in their bag. Each bag of word strips tell half of a scripture story. Their job is to put the papers in the right order on the wall. Have the groups with the story strips about Limhi’s people put their word strips in order on the far left side of the wall. Have the groups with story strips about Alma’s people put their word strips in order on the far right side of the wall. When each group has finished putting their word strips in order, have them sit down. Tell them you are going to read each story, and they can check and see if their strips are in the correct order. Have somebody from their group fix any mistakes as you read. Start with Limhi’s group and read the story from the small word strip pages. After each group’s story has been read, and all the word strips have been fixed, ask the following questions.

• Who were both groups of people in bondage to? The Lamanites

• Why were they brought into bondage? Because of their wickedness.

The prophet Abinadi had warned the people to repent or they would suffer bondage and affliction. Two years after that warning they still had not repented. Abinadi told them bondage would come upon them, and if they still didn’t repent after being put into bondage, they would be destroyed. Even though Alma and his people had repented before being put into bondage, their repentance occurred after Abinadi’s second visit. They did not repent soon enough to escape the prophesied bondage and affliction. The Lord tested their faith while they were in bondage.

Activity
Compare the differences between what happened to Limhi’s people and what happened to Alma’s people by having the children look for the answers to the following questions in their story’s word strips. When they find the correct word strip, have them each move it to the middle of the wall so the two can be compared.

How did the Lamanites treat each group of people they had in bondage?
Limhi’s People – “The Lamanites would smite the people on their cheeks, and they put heavy burdens upon their backs and drove them like animals.”
Alma’s People –“The Lamanites began to persecute them and put tasks upon them and taskmasters over them.”

What did each group of people do when they were first put under heavy bondage?
Limhi’s People – “The people went forth against the Lamanites in battle to drive them out of their land.” (Limhi’s people tried to use their own strength to get out of bondage.)
Alma’s People – “Great were their afflictions and they did cry mightily unto God.” (Alma’s people turned to the Lord for help.)

• What were the results of Limhi’s people’s several attempts to fight against the Lamanites to try and free themselves? They were not successful, and many people were killed.

• Why could they not deliver themselves from the bondage? Have the children read Abinadi’s prophecy found in Mosiah 11:23 to find the answer. Point out that it says only the Lord could deliver them.

When did each group of people humble themselves and turn to the Lord for help?
Limhi’s People – “They went again a third time to battle and suffered in like manner. They then did humble themselves and submitted to the bondage and did cry unto God to deliver them out of their afflictions.” (Limhi’s people were not humble until after they were compelled to be humbled.)
Alma’s People – “They began to cry unto the Lord that he would soften the Lamanite’s hearts and that they would spare them.” (Alma’s people were humble and relied on Lord from the beginning.)

• Why did Limhi’s people finally humble themselves? Because they could not deliver themselves, and they knew they needed help.

When did the Lord hear each group’s prayers?
Limhi’s People – “The Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities.”
Alma’s People – “The Lord softened the Lamanites hearts and they spared their lives.” (From the very beginning the Lord helped them.)

• Why was Heavenly Father slow to hear the cries of Limhi’s people? Because of their iniquities, and because they had been slow to turn to him.

• Why did the Lord bless Alma’s people quicker? Because Alma’s people had repented of their sins, and they had turned their hearts to the Lord.

How did the Lord help each group of people with their burdens?
Limhi’s People – “He did eventually begin to hear their cries, and He did soften the hearts of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites did ease their burdens.”
Alma’s People – “Alma and his people did pour out their hearts unto God in their thoughts. The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear the burdens with ease.”

How did the Lord help each group of people escape from the Lamanites?
Limhi’s People – “Gideon set forth a plan. The Lamanite guards at the back wall of the city were drunk at night. Gideon proposed that they pass by the guards at the back wall when they were drunken and asleep.”
Alma’s People – “The Lord did cause a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites in the morning time, and Alma and his people did depart into the wilderness.”

• Which escape was miraculous? Alma’s people, but both groups had the Lords help being delivered from bondage.

Conclusion
• How were Limhi’s people like the coal at first? Their thoughts and actions were dark and unrefined.

• How did they become like the diamonds? The heat and pressure of adversity made them realize they needed the Lord’s help in their lives. They changed and became humble, obedient, prayerful, and faithful.

• How did the adversity affect Alma’s people? They became stronger in their faith in the Lord, and they developed other Christ like characteristics such as patience.

Sometimes the Lord allows us to suffer adversity, even when we are keeping the commandments, because adversity can refine us and help us develop characteristics of great value and worth.

Share an example and bear testimony of how Heavenly Father blessed you or your family during a time of adversity.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – Mosiah 21:5–16, 22:1-16, 23:1-5, 23:25-30, 23:36-37, 24:9–25