When the king of the Lamanites declared that the word of God should "have no obstruction" among his people (see Alma 23:1–5), he opened the door to great blessings for them. As you read Alma 23–29, look for these blessings. How can you ensure that the word of God has "no obstruction" in your life or in your family?
Rosemary M. Wixom
"What is the taproot that will anchor a child in the wind?...a taproot is the first and largest root that springs from a seed. It grows downward and provides stability. Plants with taproots tend to be drought tolerant and can even store reserves of food, making them self-sufficient and resilient. With that description in mind, I thought of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in the Book of Mormon. They talked about being taught truth that caused them to turn their hearts to Christ. They said, "God ... has made these things known unto us ... because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; ... he doth visit us ... that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations" (Alma 24:14).
"I believe that the taproot that will anchor our children in the wind is helping them to see themselves in the great plan of salvation, as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did. When children know who they are, where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going, their lives take on a sense of purpose, enabling them to grasp tightly to truth.
Helping our children be grounded in truth must become a priority for all of us—not only fathers and mothers but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, leaders, and teachers."
The Plan Of Salvation
This activity works for families, groups, and wards. Ahead of time, reserve a church meeting house or another place with several available rooms. Prepare the menu and materials for the "carnival." Collect discarded keys or make paper cut-outs. You will need two keys for each participant, except for one or two adults who know ahead of time that they will not get keys.
Step #1: PRE-MORTAL EXISTENCE
Bring a picture of the temple (representing life before we came to earth), or if you live near a temple visit it if possible and do Step #1 outside the temple. Explain what the premortal life was like (see Abraham 3:22-28 and Moses 4:1-6). See The Family: A Proclamation To The World. We felt happy and secure there in the care of our Heavenly Father, and we shouted for joy when we heard the plan. We knew our Savior would help us through mortality and be the means by which we could return to our Father in Heaven. "... in the Grand Council of Heaven He loved us and was wonderfully strong, that we triumphed even there by the power of Christ and our faith in the blood of the Lamb." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, This Do In Remembrance of Me
What specific things can we do in our home to rely on the Savior? What were our hopes in premortal life, and how does the Savior make it possible to reach our dreams? At this point, give each group member three keys and tell them that they are important.
Step #2 BORN INTO MORTALITY
As you gather and go toward the next room (or return from visiting a temple), share stories of what it was like to welcome new babies into your family. Explain that the purpose of mortality was "for spirit sons and daughters to obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life;" (see The Family: A Proclamation To The World). Explain why the "veil was drawn and why we don't remember what the premortal existence was like. Discuss Alma 43:32.
You are all now "born" and the room representing "mortality" could be set up like a big carnival with food, party hats and decorations, tokens to play games that are available, and birthday cake because it is your collective imaginary "birthdays." Earth life is filled with wonderful opportunities! Give out plenty of tokens (tickets) for games and prizes for those who win games. You could also go to a fun venue for this part. During this phase, some of the adults could try to talk others out of the keys by offering to trade three tokens for one key. Some of the kids will figure out that the keys must be very valuable, and they will keep them. Some may trade them for tokens.
Step #3: DEATH
Suddenly it will be time for mortality to end. At the end of life on earth, all the material prizes, food, party hats and decorations, etc. must be left behind. Discuss death and its part in the plan of salvation (See Romans 5:12). Have everyone walk to the next room without anything extra except keys they still have. Discuss what mortality was like. What do the treats, games, prizes, and decorations represent? (worldly pleasure) What do the keys represent? (ordinances and covenants).
Step #4: THE SPIRIT WORLD
Here in the "Spirit World;" begin by asking those who have keys if they are prepared for their reward. Make sure that one or two adults did not get keys. This is a prime opportunity to explain that there are those people who do not have the knowledge of the gospel, or who did not have the opportunity to understand it fully. Those with keys represent people who have made covenants and received ordinances. In D&C 138:32-35 we learn that in the spirit world, those who did not have the gospel in mortality will have an opportunity to learn about, understand, and accept the gospel. Invite (or this may happen naturally) those with keys to share the gospel with those who don't have keys. Explain that only through the atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior, can the opportunity to receive exaltation be possible for all of us. Talk about missionary and family history work on both sides of the veil (see Families Gathering Families on Both Sides of the Veil).
Step #5: THE FINAL JUDGEMENT, RESURRECTION, AND ETERNAL LIFE
We will all be resurrected (see Revelations 20:12, 1 Cor. 15:22, D&C 93:33, and Alma 40:23). So, because keys were shared to those without them, everyone now has them, and everyone receives his or her symbolic reward (treat or gift)!
View any relevant videos from the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Video Collections. Share what it is like to lose a loved one, and the glory of the resurrection. Visit the grave of a loved one or view online, tell family history stories, rejoice together in the fact that families are eternal.
"How does family history relate to this idea of anchoring to the taproot of our Heavenly Father's plan? Let's go to the tree that grows from the taproot. Consider the beautiful painting by Annie Henrie Nader titled Turning the Hearts.
The artist said the tree represents the tree of life and the fruit of the gospel. She states, "It also represents a family tree," and "the fruit embodies those precious pieces of information we pass down through ... generations."
When I first saw this painting, I thought, 'I want to do that!' I want to stand under that beautiful tree and pick those precious pieces of fruit from its branches to pass down to my children and grandchildren. I want them to see themselves surrounding that tree. I want them to turn their hearts to their roots. I want them to know their progenitors—their positive attributes and their struggles. Where did their ancestors get the strength to endure? What are their stories of exercising faith in Jesus Christ that enabled them to live Heavenly Father's plan?
I love family history! I love learning my ancestors' stories. Those stories create a connection."
Sharing Precious Pieces Of Family History
Here are Sister Wixom's ideas (paraphrased) for helping her family receive the fruit:
Seize this moment. Personally learn from living relatives.
Create a family gathering.
Make our ancestors real through their stories. For two minutes I wrote everything I could remember about my deceased father that I could use to introduce him to my grandchildren. That got me thinking: "What if I were to do this exercise with other progenitors? And what if I made it an ongoing process? What if I collected that information? What if I took a simple notebook and titled it 'Precious Pieces of Information'? Could I also use my mobile device to record insights about each ancestor I have known?" (see Using FamilySearch Apps to Record Oral Histories).
Provide temple ordinances for those who are waiting.
Share information on the FamilySearch Memories App. As I submit these precious pieces of information online, others may connect the past to the present and continue to create an unbroken chain of memories.
"To know these pieces of information about our immediate family members who have gone before is one step, but to climb into the branches of our family tree and discover names of those who are waiting for their saving ordinances is another step. In Annie Henrie Nader's painting, passing the fruit may also represent discovering names of ancestors and performing their ordinances. We can do it as a family. As we pass the fruit, we not only see ourselves in the plan of salvation, but we also offer salvation to those who have gone before. Both are important elements of family history."
At harvest time, grain is often gathered into bundles called sheaves and placed in storehouses, sometimes called garners. Elder David A. Bednar shared a possible interpretation of the symbolism in Alma 26:5: "The sheaves in this analogy represent newly baptized members of the Church. The garners are the holy temples." (see Honorably Hold a Name and Standing). Consider what the analogy in Alma 26:5–7 teaches you about the importance of temple covenants.
Preparing for the Temple
Review Know Before You Go: Temple Baptisms and try some of the activities from FamilySearch In-Home Activities to prepare to go to the temple to do ordinance work for the first time. Find more activities in The Come, Follow Me Companion: Week 5 2019, Week 35 2019, Week 44 2019, and Week 7 2020. If you have the opportunity, support newly baptized members (sheaves) in this important work. Where possible, attend the temple as a family and do vicarious work for your own ancestors!
Your Personal History
Write (or audio-record) one story about your life as you study each Come, Follow Me lesson to have 52 by the end of the year. Add to your FamilySearch memories. For example:
Share your testimony of the plan of salvation.
What are some "precious pieces of family history" you would like your posterity to know?
