Alma 54-56

Alma 54-56 Study Guide – to be discussed May 22
Day 1: Read Alma 54:1-14; 2 Nephi 5:1-7; Omni 1:12-13
1. Why do you think the Lamanites took women and children prisoner?



2. Moroni wrote about God’s justice, the “sword of his almighty wrath,” and the perils of hell in his letter to Ammoron – even though he seems to have assumed Ammoron would not be moved to repentance. Why do you think his epistle lacked diplomacy and political correctness?



3. List Moroni’s terms for exchanging prisoners.



BONUS: Why did Moroni refer to Lamanite lands (the land of Nephi) as “the land of our first inheritance”?


Day 2: Read Alma 54:15-24; 1 Nephi 4:35-37; 2 Nephi 1:30-32
4. Around what year did Ammoron write to Moroni? For about how many years had the Lamanites held a grudge against the Nephites? Was Ammoron a Lamanite?



5. Rephrase Ammoron’s religious philosophy.



6. From whom was Ammoron descended? After reading 1 Nephi 4:35-37 and 2 Nephi 1:30-32, list blessings promised to Ammoron’s family according to their faithfulness.



Day 3: Read Alma 55:1-18
7. Why was Moroni angry after he had received Ammoron’s letter? Why didn’t he just exchange prisoners?



8. Who was Laman and how did he end up in Moroni’s army? What does the search for a descendant of Laman tell you about the ethnicity of Moroni’s army?



9. Did Moroni’s army disable the Lamanites at Gid, or did they disable themselves? How do we disable ourselves?



Day 4: Read Alma 55:19-35
10. Why didn’t Moroni’s army kill all the drunken Lamanites when they had the chance?


11. In freeing the prisoners of war, how was Moroni a “type” of Christ?



12. The Lamanites tried to turn tables on the Nephites by laying “snares” for them. What kept the Nephite army safe? What kinds of “snares” does Satan set for us today?



Day 5: Read Alma 56:1-19
13. What was Helaman’s leadership role among the Nephites? Who is his counterpart today?



14. Why did Helaman refer to his 2000 warriors as his “sons” (see verses 10, 17)?



15. Name the cities taken by Lamanite forces, as listed by Helaman in this chapter. Using your small map of possible Book of Mormon sites, describe the locations of these cities.



Day 6: Read Alma 56:20-40
16. Why didn’t Helaman and Antipus attack the Lamanites directly? What was their first plan? How was it frustrated?



17. How many troops did the Nephites have at Judea, including Helaman’s army and the reinforcements from Zarahemla?



18. Why wouldn’t either army turn to the right or to the left? How could this be a metaphor for staying on the “strait and narrow path”?


BONUS: Make a diagram of the conflict described in these verses, including the city of Judea, the Lamanite army, Antipus’ army, Helaman’s army, Zarahemla, reinforcements from Zarahemla, the city of Antiparah, and the wilderness.


Day 7: Read Alma 56:41-57
19. On what was the courage of the stripling warriors based? In whom did they trust?



20. What caused confusion among Antipus’ army? How did they regain their focus?



21. List keys to the success of Helaman’s army. Was their survival a miracle? How can we use their example in fighting the forces of the adversary today?