Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 48: Peace in America” Images and video
Friend September 1988 Review of Story
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ.
- Ask each child to say his or her name. Why are our names important? Tell them that Jesus’s disciples wanted to know what they should name Christ’s Church. Read to them the Savior’s response in 3 Nephi 27:7. Who did Jesus say His Church should be named after?
- Ask the children to help you write each word of the name of the Church on a separate piece of paper. Then mix the papers up, and invite the children to arrange these words in order. What blessings have we received because we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Friend November 2018 “The Correct Name of the Church” The prophet, Russell M. Nelson, directs church members to use the correct name of the church. Questions are answered to explain why. Also a book mark is included and an example cartoon of how to respond when people ask what church we belong to.
Friend July 2019 “It is His Church” When Taniela B. Wakolo of the Seventy was learning about the church, the missionaries asked him what he would name his grocery store if he had one. He said he would call after his name because it would be his store. They then ask who a church should be name after. He knew that the true Church would be named after Jesus because it’s His Church. (Activity: In any language, the Church is still named after Jesus Christ. Match each language with the Church’s name in that language.
Song Idea
Ensign October 2020 “Family Study Fun: Act a Song”
Read 3 Nephi 27:8 together. Explain what each word in the name of the Church means: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Sing “The Church of Jesus Christ”(Children’s Songbook,77).
- Come up with actions for the different words in the song. For example, you could stand up when you sing the word “I,” touch your head when you sing “know,” and march in place for “follow.”
- Practice using these different actions as you sing the song together.
Discussion: Why is the full name of the Church important? How can you politely help people understand the full name of the Church when they refer to us as “Mormons”?
“The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77)
Friend November 2018 A simplified version of the song that is easy to play. Also, a sing-along video.
The Church of Jesus Christ is built upon His gospel.
Explain to the children that the word gospel means “good news” (see Bible Dictionary, “Gospels”). Help the children search 3 Nephi 27:13–15 for something that sounds like good news to them. Why are we grateful to know the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Write on the board principles of the gospel like faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Invite the children to search 3 Nephi 27:19–21, looking for these words or similar words in Jesus’s description of His gospel.
Living the gospel brings me joy.
Friend October 2020 “Faithful People Followed Jesus”
Lesson
Lesson 38: Peace Among the Nephites
Invite the children to talk about what makes them happy.
- Show pictures of happy people. Explain that the people in 4 Nephi had almost 200 years of happiness because they all tried their best to live the gospel. Help the children think of some commandments they could obey. For example, you could read them 4 Nephi 1:15 to teach that the people didn’t fight with each other anymore. Invite the children to act out obeying the commandments they thought of. Sing together a song about the joy that comes from living the gospel, such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198).
To reduce contention in your home, perhaps family members could set a goal to be more loving to each other this week. After the week is over, review your progress together and discuss how showing greater love has affected your family.
- Read phrases from 4 Nephi 1:24–29, 34–35, and 43 that describe what happened when some of the Nephites stopped keeping the commandments. As you do, invite the children to make a sad face when they hear something that sounds unhappy. Testify that keeping the commandments leads to happiness.
- To help the children practice what is taught in 4 Nephi 1:15–16, present them with situations where people are angry with each other. Invite them to role-play what the situation might be like if they tried to live with “no contention.” Why is it easier to avoid contention when we have the “love of God” in our hearts?
- Read with the children the following verses, and ask them to find reasons the Nephites and Lamanites no longer had peace and happiness: 4 Nephi 1:20, 24–29, 34–35, and 43. How can we avoid these dangers?
Ensign October 2020 “What Does it Mean to be Truly Converted?” After the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites, they experienced nearly 200 years of unity and peace because they were “all converted unto the Lord” (4 Nephi 1:2). Compare the happiness of the righteous Nephites to the sorrow when they were unrighteous. Ponder the difference and find ways you can become more converted to the Lord.
Latter Day Kids “”Living the Gospel Brings Joy”- Come Follow Me: Oct. 19th-25th” Also includes lesson ideas to go along with the below video.
Friend October 2020 “Coloring Page: People Lived Happily” What can you do to help your family be happy?
To help family members understand the joy the Savior described in these verses, you could play a game in which family members hide and another family member tries to find them. This could lead to a conversation about why it’s important to find every family member so that “none of them are lost.” How can we help our family members stay strong in the gospel or return if they have left?
Friend October 2020 “Come, Follow Me for Little Ones” Read 4 Nephi 1:15 together and help your little ones say, “Living the gospel brings me joy!” You could read “Faithful People Followed Jesus” (page FJ4) and talk about the good choices people made. Together, think of something you could do to help someone you know feel happier.
Additional Helps
Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites”
As I purify my desires, I become a more faithful disciple.
What would you say if the Savior asked you, as He asked His disciples, “What is it that ye desire of me?” (3 Nephi 28:1). Think about this as you read about the experience of the Savior’s disciples in 3 Nephi 28:1–11. What do you learn about the desires of the disciples’ hearts from their answers to His question?
Book of Mormon: Coloring Book “The Twelve Nephite Disciples” Nine of Jesus’s twelve disciples lived to age 72 because they wanted to speedily return to Jesus. The other three disciples wanted to live until Jesus comes again. Find the Three Nephites in the bottom half of the page who did not get old.
What can we learn from Mormon’s example when he did not understand everything about the change that happened to the three Nephite disciples? What can we do when we don’t understand everything about a gospel principle?