Ether Chapter 12 The prophet Ether exhorts the people to believe in God—Moroni recounts the wonders and marvels done by faith—Faith enabled the brother of Jared to see Christ—The Lord gives men weakness that they may be humble—The brother of Jared moved Mount Zerin by faith—Faith, hope, and charity are essential to salvation—Moroni saw Jesus face to face.
Ether Chapter 13 Ether speaks of a New Jerusalem to be built in America by the seed of Joseph—He prophesies, is cast out, writes the Jaredite history, and foretells the destruction of the Jaredites—War rages over all the land.
Ether Chapter 14 The iniquity of the people brings a curse upon the land—Coriantumr engages in warfare against Gilead, then Lib, and then Shiz—Blood and carnage cover the land.
Ether Chapter 15 Millions of the Jaredites are slain in battle—Shiz and Coriantumr assemble all the people to mortal combat—The Spirit of the Lord ceases to strive with them—The Jaredite nation is utterly destroyed—Only Coriantumr remains.
Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 52: The Destruction of the Jaredites” Pictures and video
Faith is believing in things I cannot see.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Ether 12–15: “By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”
Explain that the prophet Ether tried to teach the Jaredites “great and marvelous things,” but they didn’t believe what he said. Invite the children to read Ether 12:5 to find out why they didn’t believe.
Read together Ether 12:6. What did Moroni teach the people who would not believe spiritual truths because they couldn’t see them?
Consider helping your children repeat with you “Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen” from Ether 12:6.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Ether 12-15”
Moroni shared several examples of people who accomplished great things because of their faith.
- They might enjoy looking at pictures that show the examples of faith in Ether 12:13–15, 19–21 (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 78, 85, and this week’s activity page). Let your children explain what they know about each story. Here are some questions to help you discuss these examples of faith:
- What did these people hope for?
- How was their faith tested?
- What happened because of their faith?
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Ether 12–15: “By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”
- Play a guessing game with the children. Give them clues about the faithful people described in Ether 12:13–15, 19–20 until the children can guess who they are. Then let the children play the game again by taking turns giving clues about the same people (or other faithful people) while the rest of the class guesses. Share what you admire about the faith of these people.
The song “Faith” (Children’s Songbook, 96–97), or another song about faith, can help.
Tell the children about things you believe in even though you cannot see them, and help the children think of additional examples.
What are some things Heavenly Father wants us to believe even though we don’t see them? Read together Ether 12:6.
- Ask the children to read this phrase in Ether 12:6: “Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Help the children understand that when we obey a commandment, we can know it is true. Ask them to think of gospel principles that God wants us to have a testimony of, such as paying tithing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, or living the Word of Wisdom. Then write on the board In order to gain a testimony of , I must . Share how you have exercised faith in order to gain your testimony of these and other gospel truths.
Latter Day Kids “Faith is Like Planting a Seed- Come Follow Me” Lesson ideas and video
Hope is like an anchor to my soul.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Ether 12-15”
- To understand what Ether 12:4 teaches about hope, you and your children could look at a picture of a boat and an anchor (or draw one on the board). Why do boats need anchors? What would happen to a boat that does not have an anchor? As you read Ether 12:4 together, talk about how hope helps us the way an anchor helps a boat. Invite your children to draw pictures of a boat and anchor so they can teach others (their families and friends) about hope.
- If your children need a definition of hope, help them find one in Guide to the Scriptures, “Hope” (Gospel Library). According to this definition and Ether 12:4, 32, what should we hope for? (see also Moroni 7:40–42).
- Hope comes from having faith in our Savior’s love and in His power to rescue and save those who come unto Him.
- As faith in Jesus Christ grows, so does hope that through His Atonement one can be raised to eternal life.
Ensign December 2020 ““What is it that ye shall hope for?”
- Help your children think of other words for hope, along with words that mean the opposite of hope. You could also share with each other some gospel truths that give you hope.
Life often brings unexpected, difficult circumstances that can lead us to feel discouraged, overwhelmed, and defeated. During such times, Heavenly Father does not leave us vulnerable and alone. He offers many spiritual resources—including the gift of hope—that help us find strength, courage, and an anticipation of a joyful future (see Moroni 9:25).
Media Library Christ—Mormonad Now There Is Hope
Jesus Christ can help me become spiritually strong.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Ether 12-15”
- Children sometimes face situations in which they feel weak, just as Moroni did. Help your children find out why Moroni felt this way in Ether 12:23–25, and ask them if they have ever had similar feelings. Then invite them to read verses 26–27 to find out how the Lord helped Moroni.
Friend June 2019 “Weak Things Stronger” Parker gets frustrated with himself when he doesn’t succeed at something he is trying to do like playing the piano or dirt biking. His moms showed him a scripture about Jesus helping with weaknesses. She also reminds him that it takes time to learn, grow, and get better. He learns to be kind and patient with himself and remember that he is getting a little better each time he does something.
- Perhaps your children could draw a picture of something weak and something strong. (twigs/log, paper/book) Then they could add to their drawing some words and phrases from Ether 12:23–29 that teach them about how the Savior can turn our weakness into strength.
- Encourage your children to think about a weakness they have and then seek the Savior’s help to become strong. You could also share an experience when the Savior helped you become strong enough to do something hard.
Friend December 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities”
Friend November 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones Read Ether 12:27 and help your little ones say, “Jesus Christ can help me be strong.” Invite your children to try doing something physically hard, like moving a chair or lifting a heavy book. Then help them successfully complete the challenge. Show them a picture of Jesus and explain that Jesus can help us do hard things and make weak things strong.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Ether 12–15: “By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”
- Describe for the children a task that would require a lot of physical strength to accomplish. Invite them to share examples of things they aren’t strong enough to do now. How could we become strong enough to accomplish these tasks? Explain that we also have spiritual work to do, but we sometimes feel spiritually weak. Moroni felt this way about his writings on the plates (Ether 12:23–25). Read Ether 12:27 to the children. What did the Lord promise those who feel weak?
Friend February 2015 “Juliana Gives a Talk” Juliana is scared to give a talk, but Heavenly Father helps her.
Friend February 2015
Friend November 2019 “The Primary Talk” Dennis was afraid to give a talk in Primary. He prayed, prepared, and practiced but he was still nervous, so he asked his father to give him a blessing. After the blessing he was able to give the talk with only a few stutters, and he knew Heavenly Father helped him.
- Share an experience in which the Savior helped you or someone you know do something that was hard. Testify to the children that if they seek His help, Jesus can help them be strong, even when they feel weak.
Friend March 2020 “Eddy and the Book of Mormon” Some kids laugh at Eddy when he reads at school because he has a hard time with some words. It makes him nervous and not want to read out loud. But as his family read the Book of Mormon each day (first they figured out a way to remember to read each day), Eddy learns about Nephi and how his brothers made fun of him for building a boat. That didn’t stop Nephi. He trusted God, and God helped him do hard things. Next time some kids laughed at him while Eddy read in class, he thought of Nephi, and that helped him not to worry about what the kids would say.
- Why does the Lord give us weakness? What is our part in making “weak things become strong”? What is the Savior’s part?
Seeking for Jesus
- Is there a fun way you could teach your children to “seek … Jesus”? One way might be to hide a picture of Jesus and invite your family members to “seek” and find the picture. How do we seek Jesus, and how are we blessed when we find Him?
Rejecting the prophets brings spiritual danger.
- Being king of the Jaredites was, historically, a dangerous position. This was especially true for Coriantumr, as many “mighty men … sought to destroy him” (Ether 13:15–16). In Ether 13:15–22, notice what Coriantumr did to protect himself and what the prophet Ether counseled him to do instead. As you read the rest of the book of Ether, ponder the consequences of rejecting the prophets. What happens to people when “the Spirit of the Lord [ceases] striving with them”? (Ether 15:19).
- It might be interesting for your family members to compare the experience of Ether with the experiences of Mormon and Moroni (see Mormon 6; 8:1–10). How are they similar? How was the Nephites’ path to destruction similar to the Jaredites’ path? (compare Ether 15:19 with Moroni 8:28). What truths do we learn that can help us avoid what happened to them?
Scripture Readers Mormon and the Nephites
Ether and the Jaredites
Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 41: The Jaredites Reject the Prophets,”
- What would happen if you chose to stick a pin in a fully inflated balloon?
- What would happen if your family chose to stop watering a plant in your home?
- What would happen if you chose to stay up late and not get enough sleep?
Explain to the children that all their choices have consequences. Consequences are what happen as a result of the choices we make. The scriptures and our prophets teach us the consequences of our choices because Heavenly Father wants us to make good choices. This lesson is about the Jaredites and the prophet Ether. Ether told the Jaredites that if they chose not to repent, the consequences would be that all of the people would be destroyed.
The Red Crystal Sort the seeds into the packets of Corrupution or Everlasting Life
Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 41: The Jaredites Reject the Prophets,”
- Make the following wordstrips: Righteousness, Blessings, Prosperity, Pride, Wickedness, Suffering or destruction, Humility, Repentance. Explain that throughout history when people have been righteous, Heavenly Father has blessed them with prosperity. Unfortunately this prosperity can lead to pride and wickedness and sometimes complete destruction.Explain that this is what happened to the Jaredites. At first they were a righteous people and were blessed and prospered. (Draw a large circle on the chalkboard, and have the children put up the wordstrips “Righteousness,” “Blessings,” and “Prosperity” in the proper places on the circle [see the following illustration].) Then the Jaredites became proud and rejected the prophets. The people became so wicked that they were entirely destroyed. (Have the children put up the wordstrips “Pride,” “Wickedness,” and “Suffering or destruction” in the proper places on the circle.) Explain that if the Jaredites had humbled themselves and repented before they were destroyed, they could have returned to enjoying the blessings of righteous living. (Have the children put up the wordstrips “Humility” and “Repentance” in the proper places on the circle.) Help the children understand that this cycle often happens in our personal lives as well as in the history of nations.
- Have the children make their own copies of the cycle of history to take home and share with their families. The children could make their cycles more personal by including such things as “listening to the prophets,” “obeying my parents,” “praying daily,” “expressing gratitude,” “serving others,” and so on.
Book of Mormon Seminary Student Manual (2024) “Ether 12:23–27”
Additional Resources
Come Follow Me Kid Lesson ideas
The Red Crystal Lesson ideas
