Mar 20 2020

Stand for the Right: Lesson Ideas

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Table of Contents

I Can Stand for Righteousness.

Exodus 32:1–5, 21–24

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Exodus 24; 31–34” When the Israelites told Aaron to make a golden idol, he agreed to do it, even though this was wrong (see Deuteronomy 9:20). Consider how you can encourage the children to stand for righteousness, even when others pressure them not to.

  • Invite the children to read Exodus 32:1–5, 21–24, individually or in pairs, and share what they think Aaron should have done when the Israelites asked him to make a golden calf. How might Aaron have helped the people?
  • Help the children think of situations they might face when other people ask them to do something they know is wrong. Ask the children to share ideas with each other about what to do in those situations.

Friend April 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” Fill in the the speaking bubbles with what you could say when someone tries to get you to do something that is not right. Try explaining why it’s important to you. Even if others don’t understand your reasons, ask them to be respectful.

Friend November 2017 “Peer Pressure Problems” Ideas on how to deal with peer pressure to avoid making wrong choices.
For additional teaching ideas also see Stand for the Right.

Friend July 2021 “Courage to Stand Alone” Activity page brining to mind moments and people who had courage to do the right thing. Also, ideas about how to gain courage.

Friend November 2015 Take turns acting out standing for truth using the provided scenarios. Link also includes other lesson ideas and a story.

Friend November 2015
Friend August 2015
Friend August 2015

Friend October 2016 “Family Night Fun” Acting out situations where a someone might dare you to do something. Also includes discussion and refreshment ideas.

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Primary 4 Book of Mormon Lesson 16   Have the children choose a statement that they are willing to take a stand for. Give each child the opportunity to come to the front of the room and repeat their goal out loud. Example: “I will take a stand to never cheat!” (It is all right for several children to choose the same goal.)

I Can Stand Up For Others

Friend September 2023 “Building Respect” When Noah’s sister and her friends walked by, a friend of Noah’s said mean things about girls, and that they didn’t want to play with them. Noah stood up for his sister and asked his friend not to say things like that.

Stand for What You Believe

I can stand up for what I know is true.

Jacob 7:1–23

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 5-7” How can you inspire your children to stand for truth like Jacob did? Your children could watch the video “Chapter 10: Jacob and Sherem” (Gospel Library) and act out the interaction between Jacob and Sherem, using Jacob 7:1–23 as a guide. How did Jacob stand for what he knew was right? Invite your children to share experiences when they stood for the right, or share your own.

Teaching Children the Gospel “Jacob’s Encounter with Sherem” Lesson ideas

Friend February 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” Someone writes to the Friend and wants to know how to help make the bad things in life better. The Friend responds with an activity of some ways to stand for the right. Unscramble the words, then put them in the correct sentence to find ways to help.

Friend November 2015
Friend November 2015

See also the following: Stand for the Right: Stories & Stand for the Right: Lesson Ideas

Divide them into groups, and invite them to create an inspirational banner or poster that represents something that they stand for or believe in.

Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 8: The Prophet Jacob Is Confronted by Sherem” Lesson ideas

  1. Write on slips of paper situations in which someone tries to convince a child to do something wrong and a reference to a corresponding commandment from the scriptures. For example, your friend goes with you into a store and tries to get you to steal some candy (Exodus 20:15 or Mosiah 13:22), someone offers you a taste of an alcoholic beverage (D&C 89:7), or you are tempted to stay home and not go to church (D&C 59:9). Have the children look up and read each scripture. Discuss how knowing what the scriptures teach strengthens our testimonies of Jesus Christ and helps us resist evil influences.You might want to have the children pantomime these situations and have the other children guess what is being pantomimed.

Stand for the Right Song: Teaching Ideas

Perhaps they could also sing a song that expresses courage like Jacob’s, such as “Stand for the Right,” Children’s Songbook, 159.

Ask them to stand whenever they sing words like right or true.

Teaching Children the Gospel “Song: Stand for the Right”

Teaching Children the Gospel “Review: Stand for the Right”

Friend February 2024 “Margo and Paulo” Margo refuses to go along with her friends plan to cheat on a test.

I can stand for Jesus Christ, even when I stand alone.

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Mosiah 11-17”

At some time in our lives, we all face pressure to make choices that go against our faith in Jesus Christ. What can your children learn from Abinadi about standing as a witness of Jesus Christ, even when it is unpopular? Ask them what they like about Abinadi.

Your children might enjoy acting out parts of Abinadi’s story. Then they could act out real-life scenarios to practice what they might do if others want them to do something wrong. (For example, what could they do when someone tries to get them to watch an inappropriate movie or when their friends don’t want to include someone in a game they are playing?)

Come Follow Me Kid

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Mosiah 11-17” Or they could share experiences when they were brave in following Jesus Christ. (Help the children think of times when they stood up for what’s right.) How did Abinadi follow Jesus Christ? (see Mosiah 13:2–9; 17:7–10). Why didn’t King Noah do what he knew was right? (see Mosiah 17:11–12).

Friend September 2023 “Building Respect” When Noah’s sister and her friends walked by, a friend of Noah’s said mean things about girls, and that they didn’t want to play with them. Noah stood up for his sister and asked his friend not to say things like that.

Show the video “Dare to Stand Alone” How was President Thomas S. Monson like Abinadi?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 11-17”

March in place with the children as they sing a song that inspires courage, such as “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162). Read the words of the song together, and help the children identify what a valiant or courageous person does. Select a few verses from Mosiah 11–13 and 17 to read to the children to show how Abinadi and Alma were valiant (for example, see Mosiah 13:1–4, 9).

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 11-17”
Friend March 2016

I can follow Jesus Christ by standing for the right.

Acts 6–7

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 6-9” What can the children learn from Stephen about being a follower of Jesus Christ?

Help the children create actions to go with a song about choosing the right, such as “Stand for the Right” (Children’s Songbook, 159).

Use Acts 7:51–60 to teach the children that Stephen taught about Jesus Christ, even though it made the Jewish leaders very angry (see also “Chapter 57: Wicked Men Kill Stephen,” in New Testament Stories, 150–51, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did Stephen stand for the right?

Give the children several scenarios of children who have to make a choice between right and wrong. Ask the children what they would do to stand for the right.

  • Friend November 2017 “Peer Pressure Problems” Ideas on how to deal with peer pressure to avoid making wrong choices.
  • Friend November 2015 Take turns acting out standing for truth using the provided scenarios. Link also includes other lesson ideas and a story.
Friend November 2015
Friend August 2015
Friend August 2015

Friend July 2022 “Stand for What You Believe” Elder Rasband tells of his youth and often being the only Church member at school. He says that When we live the gospel, we will be different. The Apostle Peter said we would be “peculiar” (1 Peter 2:9). And that’s OK. We don’t need to worry about being different when we stand for what we believe. David stood for what he believed. He wasn’t alone. God’s power was with him. He beat Goliath. God will help us even when we face Goliath-sized challenges.

I Can Stand for the Right Despite Opposition.

Lesson 107: Ezra,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)

When the 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem, they encountered a group of people living nearby called Samaritans. The Samaritans were the “people who lived in Samaria after the northern kingdom of Israel was captured by the Assyrians. The Samaritans were partly Israelite and partly Gentile. Their religion was a mixture of Jewish and pagan beliefs and practices” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Samaritans,” scriptures.lds.org).

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 “Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8” The Lord’s work rarely goes unopposed, and this was certainly true of the efforts led by Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. In both cases, the “adversaries of Judah” (Ezra 4:1) were Samaritans—descendants of Israelites who had mixed with the Gentiles. Reading about their opposition to building the temple (see Ezra 4–6) might lead you to ponder the opposition [you may face as you stand for the right.]

. According to verses 1–2, what did the Samaritans want to do?

  1. Stop the Jews from building the temple
  2. Build a different kind of temple
  3. Help the Jews build the temple

2. What did Zerubbabel and the other Jewish leaders tell the Samaritans?

  1. The Jews would build the temple themselves.
  2. The Jews would be happy to have the Samaritans’ help.
  3. The Samaritans must wait until the next year to help them.

3. How did the Samaritans respond when Zerubbabel and the other Jewish leaders rejected their offer?

  1. They went away and left the Jews alone.
  2. They discouraged the Jews from building the temple and created opposition.
  3. They gave the Jews supplies for the building of the temple.

As a result of the Samaritans’ opposition, the temple’s construction stopped for several years (see Ezra 4:1–24; Haggai 1:2–6).

Our spiritual progress may halt if we don’t choose the right or if we listen to the opposition and give in.

Friend February 2020 “Matt & Mandy” When some kids find a wallet, Matt and his friend stand for the right by telling a boy, who wants to keep the money, that they need to return the wallet to its owner.

Friend September 2017 “Matt and Mandy” Matt tells some boys he doesn’t want to hear a bad joke even though they call him chicken.

Ezra CHAPTER 5

Haggai and Zechariah prophesy—Zerubbabel renews the building of the temple—The Samaritans challenge the Jews’ right to continue their building work.

Lesson 107: Ezra,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018) We read in Ezra 5:1–2 that some of the Jews began to rebuild the temple again. When local Persian-appointed governors learned that the Jews had resumed building the temple, they questioned the Jews’ authority to do so and looked for ways to stop the construction.

Read Ezra 5:5, looking for why the local governors could not stop the Jews from rebuilding the temple.

What principle can we identify from the Jews’ experience of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem?

One principle we can identify from Ezra 5:5 is that God watches over and helps us as we seek to obey Him.

Friend July 2022 “Stand for What You Believe”David stood for what he believed. He wasn’t alone. God’s power was with him. He beat Goliath. God will help us even when we face Goliath-sized challenges.

Remember that previously (approximately 90 years earlier), the Persian king Cyrus had allowed many Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and establish a community there. The city, which at that time was without walls, was unsafe to live in. The people were in “great affliction” (verse 3), and the temple was in danger of being destroyed again.

Nehemiah 2:17–20; 6:1–9

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8” When Nehemiah was repairing the walls surrounding Jerusalem, his enemies tried to get him to stop, but he remained faithful to his task. What are some important things the Lord wants the children to do, and how can you inspire them to be faithful to that work?

  • Share with the children the story of Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 2:17–20; 6:1–9; Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 59–62). Tell the children what Nehemiah said when people made fun of him for wanting to fix Jerusalem’s walls: “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build” (Nehemiah 2:20). Invite the children to stand up and pretend to help fix the walls of Jerusalem.
  • Bring some blocks to class, and let the children use them to help you build a wall (or draw a wall on the board). Help the children think of some important things Heavenly Father might ask them to do, like learning how to read the scriptures. With each idea they share, invite them to add a block to the wall. Explain that when Nehemiah was doing his important work of fixing Jerusalem’s walls, people tried to stop him. Read Nehemiah 6:9, and invite the children to raise their hands when you read “strengthen my hands.” Tell the children about a time when you felt God strengthen your hands to do His work.

Nehemiah 2; 4; 6

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8” The Lord has an important work for the children you teach. What can they learn from Nehemiah about persevering in that work even when they face opposition?

  • Review with the children the story about Nehemiah repairing the walls surrounding Jerusalem, including the opposition he faced. Read together Nehemiah 2:19, and ask the children to share situations in which someone might laugh at us for doing the right thing. According to Nehemiah 2:20, how did Nehemiah respond? How can we respond when people make fun of us or criticize us for doing the right thing?

Friend November 2018 “Finders Keepers?” Mike finds some money on the school grounds and takes it to the office even though his friends think they should keep it and spend it.

  • Read together Nehemiah 6:1–9. How did Nehemiah’s enemies repeatedly try to get him to stop working on the wall, and how did he respond? What work does God want us to do? (see, for example, Mosiah 18:8–10). How can we follow Nehemiah’s example in verse 9 when it’s difficult to do what God has asked us to do?

Describe how you can apply the phrase “I am doing a great work and cannot come down” (see Nehemiah 6:3) when you face opposition in doing God’s will. 

I can be faithful even when others make fun of me. (Sr)

Jude 1:18–22

Ask children to share times when others made fun of them or someone they know because they did what is right. Invite the children to read Jude 1:18–22 and look for how we can remain faithful when others mock or make fun of us. Write what they find on the board, and discuss ways they can follow this advice. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1-3 John; Jude”)

Summarize Lehi’s dream (see 1 Nephi 8:1–35), asking a few children to read verses from 1 Nephi 8:26–28, 33. Discuss how the people in the great and spacious building were like the mockers Jude talked about. What can we do to not be influenced by those who make fun of us or don’t agree with what we believe? (see 1 Nephi 8:30, 33). (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1-3 John; Jude”)

People in a large building on the other side of the river made fun of those who ate the fruit. Some who had eaten the fruit became ashamed and left the tree.

God will bless me as I choose to follow Jesus Christ.

Daniel CHAPTER 3 Nebuchadnezzar creates a golden image and commands all men to worship it—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refuse and are cast into the fiery furnace—They are preserved and come out unharmed.

  • Show a picture of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace (see Gospel Art Book, no. 25), and ask the children to count the people in the furnace. Read Daniel 3:24–25 to find out who else was in the furnace. Share your testimony that the Lord is with us as we follow Him.
Media Library: Three Men in the Fiery Furnace (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace)

Friend November 2022 “Saved from the Fire”

“Lesson 41: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 180–84 Lesson ideas

Mar 20 2020

Stand for the Right: Stories

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Table of Contents

  • I Can Stand for Righteousness.
    • I Can Stand Up For Others
  • Stand for What You Believe
    • I can follow Jesus Christ by standing for the right.
  • I Can Stand for the Right Despite Opposition.
    • I can be faithful even when others make fun of me. (Sr)
    • God will bless me as I choose to follow Jesus Christ.

Courage to Stand for the Right

Friend February 2024 “True Friends?” Henry’s friends did things that made him uncomfortable like watching bad videos, telling mean jokes at school, or stealing apples. He was afraid to say anything because he didn’t want to be alone and friendless. His mom told him that true friends help you do what’s right. The next time they watched a bad video he said he didn’t want to watch it. His friends made fun of him and said mean things about him. “Is this what true friends would do?,” Henry thought. He left and felt peaceful. He realized he wasn’t alone. The Holy Ghost was with him.

Friend July 2022 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy’s friend steals some fruit and offers it to Mandy. Mandy said she can’t take it because she wouldn’t feel good about it. They decide to return the fruit.

Friend April 2021 “The CTR Reminder” Raish was afraid to say anything to her friends who were being mean to a new girl, but then she saw her CTR ring and remembered something her teacher had said. Remember who you are and what you stand for. So Raish stood for the right and asked her friends to stop being mean, and then she went and apologized to the new girl and asked to be her friend.

Friend July 2020 “Kind Enough to Speak Up” Charlie’s friend was mean to people and called them names. Charlie talked to his friend about it and he agreed to stop being mean.

Friend May 2020 “Rose Marie Takes a Stand” Rose Marie was a famous swimsuit designer. Many people wanted her to make immodest swimsuits, but she refused. She also wouldn’t allow her swimsuits be used to advertise things such as cigarettes. (Story includes actual photos.)

Friend November 2018 “Finders Keepers?” Mike finds some money on the school grounds and takes it to the office even though his friends think they should keep it and spend it.

Friend February 2018 “The Pencil Problem” when Alex gets two pencils from a machine when he only paid for one, Maya says he should tell the librarian. All their other friends thinks he should keep it.

Write a Letter

Friend February 2019 “Gary and Goliath” Gary didn’t like seeing the signs near his neighborhood and church of people not wearing very many clothes, He decides to write a letter to the owners asking them to take the signs down. He is very happy when he sees them taking down the signs. Even boy can make a difference.

Do a Presentation

Friend February 2018 “Standing up for Church” Easton is surprised when kids in his international school class laugh when a boy says he goes to church. He decides to do his family identity presentation on church so that others would see why it’s important and not silly.

Friend August 2016 “Courage to Be Kind” Bullying is a problem at Rachel’s school. She made a “Challenge for Kindness” presentation and shared it with her class and school.

Tell Them

Friend February 2020 “Matt & Mandy” When some kids find a wallet, Matt and his friend stand for the right by telling a boy, who wants to keep the money, that they need to return the wallet to its owner.

Friend March 2019 “Show and Tell”

Friend September 2017 “Matt and Mandy” Matt tells some boys he doesn’t want to hear a bad joke even though they call him chicken.

Friend July 1988 “Sama the Thumb” Sama goes to church even though it is against the village rules to attend a different church. He is persecuted, but stands fast.

Friend June 1986 “Another Kind of Courage” Trent stops his friends from teasing a boy.

Friend August 2015 “Tag You’re It” -girl refuses to play unkind game on another girl. Activity

Friend August 2015

Friend January 2016 A girl plays with someone other than her normal friends. Eventually her other friends include the new girl.

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Friend March 2021 “Courage in Choir” While singing a new song in her school’s choir, Scarlett hears Heavenly Father’s name in vain being taken in vain in the song. She asked the teacher if she could say something different. The teacher changed the words for everyone.

Friend June 2023 “The Dance Choice” Maddie didn’t feel good about a song that her dance class was going to dance to. She remembered that her mom had said music with bad words could make it harder to feel the Spirit. Maybe the Holy Ghost was telling her the song wasn’t good. Maddie’s teacher said she could sit out during the song. Even though it was scary to sit out alone, she chose to do that and felt good that she had listened to the Holy Ghost.

Mar 18 2020

Prophets: Songs

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Table of Contents

If I Listen with My Heart (Verse 2)

I hear a living prophet speak the things that Christ would say
If He were here upon the earth to talk with me today.
The prophet teaches how to live in righteousness and peace,
And if I listen with my heart I hear the Savior’s voice.

Teaching the song I”f I Listen with My Heart” Verse Two

Follow the Prophet

Follow the Prophet

Friend June 2001 “Follow the Prophet”

Song Review for “Follow the Prophet”

When I Hear the Prophet’s Voice

When I hear the prophet’s voice, I feel closer to God.

I listen and feel the Savior’s love deep within my heart.

When I hear the prophet’s voice, I will gladly obey.

I know that the Savior speaks through him for our day.

We Listen to a Prophet’s Voice

We listen to a prophet’s voice and hear the Savior too. With love he bids us do the work the Lord would have us do. The Savior calls his chosen seer to preach the word of God, That men might learn to find the path marked by the iron rod.

In ev’ry land, in ev’ry tongue, our prophet will be heard; How swiftly round the world his voice reveals the gospel word! The sacred message that he brings will witness and agree With ev’ry prophet called of God throughout earth’s history.

Hosanna! Let our praise ascend unto the Savior’s throne; Rejoice! The prophet has confirmed that by Him we are known. Attend, ye earth! The prophet speaks; come listen and obey. He is the man who holds the keys of priesthood pow’r today.

Friend January 2001 “We Listen to a Prophet’s Voice”

Latter Day Prophets

Friend February 2001 “Latter-day Prophets Wheel” Fasten the two circles together with a metal fastener through the center dots. Find the picture of Joseph Smith; in the window below his picture you can read an interesting fact about him. Continue turning the top circle to the right to see the men in the order that they served as Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to read something that that prophet is remembered for. You might want to use the wheel to help you sing “Latter-day Prophets”* in a family home evening.

Friend May 2018 Latter-day prophets song with the addition of Russell M. Nelson.

Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice

Come, listen to a prophet’s voice, And hear the word of God, And in the way of truth rejoice, And sing for joy aloud. We’ve found the way the prophets went Who lived in days of yore. Another prophet now is sent This knowledge to restore.

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet To guide us in these latter days. We thank thee for sending the gospel To lighten our minds with its rays. We thank thee for every blessing Bestowed by thy bounteous hand. We feel it a pleasure to serve thee And love to obey thy command.

Friend March 2017: I Can Play It

Stand for the Right

Our prophet has some words for you, And these are the words:

“Be true, be true.”

At work or at play, in darkness or light,

Be true, be true, And stand for the right.

Teaching Stand for the Right

Mar 16 2020

Jacob 5-7

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Table of Contents

Jacob CHAPTER 5 Jacob quotes Zenos relative to the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees—They are a likeness of Israel and the Gentiles—The scattering and gathering of Israel are prefigured—Allusions are made to the Nephites and Lamanites and all the house of Israel—The Gentiles will be grafted into Israel—Eventually the vineyard will be burned. About 544–421 B.C.

Jacob CHAPTER 6 The Lord will recover Israel in the last days—The world will be burned with fire—Men must follow Christ to avoid the lake of fire and brimstone. About 544–421 B.C.

Jacob CHAPTER 7 Sherem denies Christ, contends with Jacob, demands a sign, and is smitten of God—All of the prophets have spoken of Christ and His Atonement—The Nephites lived out their days as wanderers, born in tribulation, and hated by the Lamanites. About 544–421 B.C.

Friend April 2024 After you read, color part of the picture. You can read these scriptures that go along with each week’s reading from Come, Follow Me.

Allegory of the Olive Tree

As Jacob taught his people, he quoted an allegory given by a prophet named Zenos (see Jacob 5:1). An allegory, like a parable, is a story that uses symbolic characters, and familiar objects and actions to teach truths. This allegory is about people who have turned away from the Lord in sin and the Lord’s efforts to help them return to Him. As you study Jacob 5, consider how the Lord is always reaching out to you even when you have sinned.

Jacob 5 is a long chapter—the longest in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps it would help to divide it into the following sections, which describe periods of the world’s history:

Verses 3-14 The scattering of Israel before the time of Christ

To save the house of Israel, He plucks off the most wicked branches (people) and destroys them.“Now in that parable the olive tree is the House of Israel. … In its native land it began to die. So the Lord took branches like the Nephites, like the lost tribes, and like others that the Lord led off that we do not know anything about, to other parts of the earth. He planted them all over his vineyard, which is the world.

Verses 15–28. The ministry of Christ and the Apostles

Verses 29–49. The Great Apostasy

Verses 50–76. The gathering of Israel in the latter days

Verses 76–77. The Millennium and end of the world

The chapter ends with the Millennium and the earth’s final cleansing. The rest of Jacob 5 represents the Lord’s and His servants’ efforts to save those who live in the last days. He gathers his people and nourishes them one last time ( Book of Mormon Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students “Unit 10”)

  • Pruning removes dead branches and bad fruit from a tree. The master cut off the dead branches and cast them into the fire (see Jacob 5:9). How does God help us “prune” our lives of sins and weaknesses?
  • Digging includes clearing away obstacles, such as weeds, from around a tree. Digging ensures nothing will hinder the tree’s ability to grow. What obstacles keep us from growing spiritually?
  • Nourishing keeps a tree healthy by providing minerals and other nutrients. Like trees, our spirits need nourishment. How can we nourish our spirits? Ensign March 2020 “What Can We Learn from the Allegory of the Olive Tree?”

Book of Mormon Seminary Student Manual (2024) ” Jacob 5:1-53″ After this first visit, the master of the vineyard took two other important actions to save his tame olive tree:

  1. He commanded that the main decaying branches of the olive tree be removed and that some branches from a wild olive tree be grafted to the main tree (see Jacob 5:7–10). This grafting can represent the Lord’s efforts to help Gentiles become part of His covenant people through baptism and conversion.
  2. He took young and tender branches from the main olive tree and grafted them into different portions of the vineyard (see Jacob 5:8, 13–14). This can represent the scattering of Israel to different portions of the world. Some of those who were scattered were righteous, such as Lehi’s family (see 1 Nephi 10:12–13). Others were scattered because of wickedness.
  • What did you notice about the state of the trees and the fruit during these visits?
  • What did you notice about the words and actions of the lord of the vineyard during these visits?
  • What do these words and actions teach you about Jesus Christ? (Add your insights to your journal page.)

Friend April 2024 “The Story of the Olive Trees”

The video below is great to help children understand this story. The only problem with this video is that it calls the wild branches bad. The wild branches are the Gentiles who have not made covenants with the Lord. The children should know that all can repent and join with God’s covenant people and and produce good works, but all those who do not change from their wicked ways will have God’s judgements come upon them–represented by the fire.

For additional insights about the allegory, see the diagram and charts below.

SymbolMeaning
Tame olive tree (verse 3)The house of Israel, God’s covenant people
The vineyard (verse 3)The world
Decay (verse 3)Sin and apostasy
Master of the vineyard (verse 4)Jesus Christ
Pruning, digging, and nourishing (verse 4)The Lord’s efforts to help us be righteous and produce good works
Branches (verse 6)Groups of people
Wild olive tree (verse 7)Gentiles—those who have not made covenants with the Lord. Later in the allegory, natural olive trees, representing portions of the house of Israel in apostasy, are also described as “wild.”
Plucking and grafting branches (verses 7–8)The scattering and gathering of the Lord’s covenant people. In addition, the grafting of wild olive branches into the tame olive tree represents the conversion of Gentiles who become part of the Lord’s covenant people through baptism.
Burning branches (verse 7)God’s judgments upon the wicked
Fruit (verse 8)The lives or works of people
Roots of the tame olive tree (verse 11)The covenants the Lord makes with those who follow Him. Roots may also represent individuals with whom the Lord covenanted anciently, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Jacob 6:4).

Ponder the phrase “It grieveth me that I should lose this tree.” What emotions do you think the Lord expressed here, and why?

Read the phrase again, and this time insert your name in place of “this tree”: “It grieveth me that I should lose [your name].” By inserting your name throughout Jacob 5 in places that are meaningful and appropriate, you will be able to relate the allegory to yourself and learn more about the Lord’s concern for you. You may also insert the word I or me in suitable places in the scriptures.

Book of Mormon Coloring Book “Allegory of the Olive Tree”

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “Jacob 5-7” Some families have found it helpful to draw the symbols from the allegory of the olive trees as they read it. Your family might enjoy that approach, or there could be another way you can help family members visualize the symbols in the allegory. Maybe you could mark an area on a table or floor to represent the vineyard (or the world) and depict the tame olive tree (or the house of Israel) with an object, such as a puzzle, that can be divided into pieces (to represent the scattering of Israel) and then brought back together (to represent the gathering of Israel). What does this allegory teach us about the Lord? about His servants?

The Red Crystal

The Lord cares for His people.

Jacob 5

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 5-7”

  • How can you share the story of the olive trees in a way that your children can understand? One way is to take a walk outside to look at a tree and briefly review the main points of the story. What did the Lord of the vineyard do for His trees? How can we be like workers in the story and help others feel the Savior’s love?
  • Jacob shared the story of the olive trees to invite his people to come unto Christ. It can do the same for your children. Perhaps you could summarize the story with verses such as Jacob 5:3–4, 28–29, 47, and 70–72 (see also “Old Testament Olive Vineyard” , Gospel Library). You or your children could then read Jacob 5:11, 41, 47, and 72, looking for things that show how much the Lord of the vineyard (Jesus Christ) cared about the trees. What does the Savior do to show that He cares about us?’

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020: Jacob 5-7

  • Read and explain to the children key verses summarizing the allegory of the olive trees, such as Jacob 5:3–4, 28–29, 47, and 70–72, and invite the children to draw pictures of what these verses describe. What do we learn from these verses about how the Lord feels about His people? Ask the children to pretend to take care of an olive tree as you briefly summarize verses 61–71 (they might act out digging, watering, and so on). Invite a few children to read Jacob 5:11, 41, 47, and 72, looking for things that show how much the Lord of the vineyard (Jesus Christ) cared about the trees. What does the Savior do to show He cares about us? The video “Old Testament Olive Vineyard” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) can help with this activity.
  • List some of the symbols in Jacob 5 on the board, such as the vineyard, the lord of the vineyard, the servant, and the olive trees. Then make another list, in random order, of the things these symbols might represent, such as the world, the Savior, Church leaders or missionaries, and God’s people. Read together verses from Jacob 5 that mention these symbols, and help the children draw lines on the board connecting the symbols with their possible meanings (see, for example, verses 3–4, 28–29, 47, 70–72).

God invites me to help Him gather His children.

Jacob 5:61-75

“Today Latter-day Saints are going to all parts of the world as servants in the vineyard to gather this fruit and lay it in store for the time of the coming of the Master. 

Watch this video from the church media library: The Olive Tree

The story of the Lord and his vineyard in Jacob 5 is an allegorical telling of the scattering and gathering of Israel. We are living in the time of the final gathering. The “other servants” (Jacob 5:70) who were called into the Lord’s vineyard include people like you. What can we do to help gather Israel in preparation for the Savior’s Second Coming?

Fruit Fun

  • Sing “Dare to Do Right” (Children’s Songbook, 158).
  • The prophet Jacob taught about missionary work by telling a story about trees. He compared sharing the gospel to helping trees grow good fruit (see Jacob 5).
  • Cut out paper fruit in different colors. Have everyone write one way they can share the gospel. You could even make a tasty fruit treat for dessert (see Treat Time)! Friend March 2020 “My Family Night Fun{“

Read Jacob 5:61 together and help your little ones say, “I can teach people about Jesus.” Then color nametags and dress up like missionaries! Practice talking about the scriptures and Jesus. You could sing a missionary song together, like “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). Friend March 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones”

The allegory of the olive tree teaches us that we have a duty to help gather Israel, both among the living and beyond the veil.

  1. Open the Family Tree app on your phone (or go to FamilySearch.org).
  2. Select “Temple.” If you don’t already have a name prepared for the temple, select “Ordinances Ready.”
  3. Choose the ordinance you’d like to perform, and the names of any ancestors who need that ordinance will appear.
  4. Create a bar code to print the names at the temple or print them at home.
  5. Set a date in the near future to go to the temple and do the ordinances.

Discussion: How does it make you feel to know you are assisting the Lord in gathering His people? Ensign March 2020 “Family Study Fun”

Missionaries serve Heavenly Father’s children.

Jacob 5

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020: Jacob 5-7

  • Show a picture of a tree, or take a walk outside to look at a tree, and briefly review the main points of the allegory of the olive trees in Jacob 5. For example: the Lord of the vineyard (who could represent Jesus) worked very hard to look after his olive trees (which could represent the people on earth) because He cared so much about them. He called laborers (who could represent missionaries) to help care for the trees. Pick one or two verses from Jacob 5 to read to the children (such as verses 71–72).
  • Ask the children if they know someone who has served a mission, or talk about someone you know. Help the children locate on a map the places where those missionaries are serving. Explain that Jacob compared the world to a group of olive trees. The trees are like the people on earth, and caring for those trees is like what missionaries do for God’s children. What do missionaries do to bless Heavenly Father’s children? Look together for some answers to this question in a song such as “Called to Serve” (Children’s Songbook, 174–75). How can we be like missionaries?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020: Jacob 5-7 Missionaries help God’s children like laborers who care for trees in a vineyard. Help the missionaries find their way through the maze. How do missionaries help God’s children?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020

See also the following files from Teachingldschildren.com: Missionary Lesson Ideas, Missionary Stories, and Missionary Games & Activities

Heavenly Father loves me and will forgive me as I repent.

Jacob 6:4–5

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 5-7”

  • Jacob 6:4–5 has an important message for us when we make wrong choices. Maybe you could help your children find it. Which words in these verses give us hope in God’s redeeming love? Elder Allen D. Haynie’s story about getting dirty in a mud pit, in his message “Remembering in Whom We Have Trusted” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 121–22), could help. What do this story and Jacob 6:4–5 teach us about what we need to do to be saved in the kingdom of God?

The Red Crystal

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020: Jacob 5-7

  • Invite the children to give themselves a hug. How do we feel when someone we love gives us a hug? Read Jacob 6:5 to the children, and explain that the phrases “[God] cleaveth unto you” and “his arm of mercy is extended towards you” teach that Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to come back to Him someday.

Come Follow Me Kid “Jacob 5-7” Outstretched/Extended Arm Hugs- Jacob 6:4-5 says that God “stretches forth His hands” to us and “His arm of mercy is extended” towards us. Remind them that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and want us to come back, to them someday. Jacob 6:5 also says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you.” Explain what it means to cleave unto God. Take turns stretching out our arms and hands while family members run in for a hug and “cleave unto” you. Remind them of how much Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and would love to give us a hug right now.

  • Sing together a song about love, such as “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75). Invite the children to name things that help them feel the Savior’s love.
  • Make a chart on the board with two columns labeled Heavenly Father and Us. Read together Jacob 6:4–5, and ask half of the class to look for phrases that apply to God and the other half to look for phrases that apply to us. Record what they discover in the appropriate column. Help them define words they do not understand.

One meaning of the word cleave is to adhere to or stick to something firmly, closely, and unwaveringly.

Friend April 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities”

Jacob asked us to “cleave,” or stay close, to God with all our hearts (Jacob 6:5). Play a game about staying together as a team! Choose one person to be the chaser. When the chaser tags someone, they join hands and chase the other players. When the next person gets tagged, they join hands with one of the chasers too. Keep playing until everyone joins hands.

For younger children: When we “cleave” to someone, we hold tightly to them. Have your children hug a stuffed animal or comfort toy. Talk about how we can be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by praying and reading the scriptures.

Jacob’s Encounter with Sherem

I can stand up for what I know is true.

Jacob 7:1–23

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 5-7” How can you inspire your children to stand for truth like Jacob did? Your children could watch the video “Chapter 10: Jacob and Sherem” (Gospel Library) and act out the interaction between Jacob and Sherem, using Jacob 7:1–23 as a guide. How did Jacob stand for what he knew was right? Invite your children to share experiences when they stood for the right, or share your own.

Teaching Children the Gospel “Jacob’s Encounter with Sherem” Lesson ideas

Friend February 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” Someone writes to the Friend and wants to know how to help make the bad things in life better. The Friend responds with an activity of some ways to stand for the right. Unscramble the words, then put them in the correct sentence to find ways to help.

Friend November 2015
Friend November 2015

See also the following: Stand for the Right: Stories & Stand for the Right: Lesson Ideas

Divide them into groups, and invite them to create an inspirational banner or poster that represents something that they stand for or believe in.

Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 8: The Prophet Jacob Is Confronted by Sherem” Lesson ideas

  1. Write on slips of paper situations in which someone tries to convince a child to do something wrong and a reference to a corresponding commandment from the scriptures. For example, your friend goes with you into a store and tries to get you to steal some candy (Exodus 20:15 or Mosiah 13:22), someone offers you a taste of an alcoholic beverage (D&C 89:7), or you are tempted to stay home and not go to church (D&C 59:9). Have the children look up and read each scripture. Discuss how knowing what the scriptures teach strengthens our testimonies of Jesus Christ and helps us resist evil influences.You might want to have the children pantomime these situations and have the other children guess what is being pantomimed.

Stand for the Right Song: Teaching Ideas

Perhaps they could also sing a song that expresses courage like Jacob’s, such as “Stand for the Right,” Children’s Songbook, 159.

Ask them to stand whenever they sing words like right or true.

Teaching Children the Gospel “Song: Stand for the Right”

Teaching Children the Gospel “Review: Stand for the Right”

Additional Resources

The Red Crystal Lesson ideas

The Red Crystal Come Follow Me 2020

The Cozy Red Cottage “Jacob 5-7” Visual aids and lesson ideas

Friend April 2024

Mar 8 2020

Jacob 1-4

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Table of Contents

Jacob CHAPTER 1 Jacob and Joseph seek to persuade men to believe in Christ and keep His commandments—Nephi dies—Wickedness prevails among the Nephites. About 544–421 B.C.

Jacob CHAPTER 2 Jacob denounces the love of riches, pride, and unchastity—Men may seek riches to help their fellowmen—The Lord commands that no man among the Nephites may have more than one wife—The Lord delights in the chastity of women. About 544–421 B.C.

Jacob CHAPTER 3 The pure in heart receive the pleasing word of God—Lamanite righteousness exceeds that of the Nephites—Jacob warns against fornication, lasciviousness, and every sin. About 544–421 B.C.

Jacob CHAPTER 4 All the prophets worshiped the Father in the name of Christ—Abraham’s offering of Isaac was in similitude of God and His Only Begotten—Men should reconcile themselves to God through the Atonement—The Jews will reject the foundation stone. About 544–421 B.C.

God calls Church leaders to help me follow Jesus Christ

Jacob 1: 1-19

Book of Mormon Stories Before Nephi died, he gave the plates he had written on to his younger brother Jacob. This meant that Jacob would also be the spiritual leader of the people. Jacob 1:1–2, 8

Nephi told Jacob to write the things that would help the people believe in Jesus Christ. Jacob 1:4–6

Nephi gave his younger brothers Jacob and Joseph the power to be priests and teachers in the Church and to teach the Nephites the word of God. Jacob 1:18

Go through the Fifth Article of Faith and explain that Nephi would have prayed to find out who God wanted called to certain responsibilities. He then would have “consecrated” Jacob and Joseph for those responsibilities by the laying on of hands because he had the priesthood authority from God to do so.

Jacob and Joseph labored diligently among their people, that they might persuade them to come unto Christ and partake of the goodness of God Jacob 1:7

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Jacob 1-4”

Junior Primary

  • Make simple puppets to represent Jacob and Joseph, Nephi’s younger brothers, who were leaders in the Church. Share some verses from Jacob 1 and 2 to explain what Church leaders are called to do. For example, leaders persuade us to “believe in Christ” (Jacob 1:8), invite us to repent (see Jacob 2:5–6, 9–10), and “declare [God’s] word” (Jacob 2:2, 11). Let the children use the puppets to pretend to do some of these things.
  • Invite the children to name some Church leaders they know, like Primary leaders, bishopric members, and prophets and apostles. Help the children think of ways these leaders bless us.

Senior Primary

  • Read with the children Jacob 1:6–8 and 2:1–6, 11, helping them look for phrases that describe how God’s servants lead the Church. Ask them to write these phrases on pieces of paper and then display the papers on the board. Why does God call Church leaders to guide us? Ask the children to share experiences with learning or receiving guidance from a Church leader or teacher and the blessings they received.
  • Ask the children to draw a picture of a Church leader they know about, and let the rest of the class guess who they drew. What do these leaders do to help us follow Jesus Christ? Invite the children to write notes to Church leaders, thanking them for their service.
  • Invite a local Church leader to tell the children what he or she does to fulfill his or her calling. Ask the children to name some things they can do to sustain their leaders.

Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must die soon; so he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people, according to the reigns of the kings. (Jacob 1:9) Because of the great love of the people for Nephi, all kings after Nephi were called Nephi (1st Nephi, 2nd Nephi, etc.). (Jacob 1:11)

God heals the wounded soul.

Jacob 2:8

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 1-4” To help your children understand how a “wounded soul” can be healed, you could discuss together how our bodies get wounded and what helps them heal. Perhaps your children could talk about times when they got hurt and what helped them heal. You could even show them bandages or medicine as part of this conversation. Maybe you could share with them how the Savior has helped you when your spirit needed healing.

First Aid Kit Vectors by Vecteezy

I Can Help Others in Need when I Share with Them

Jacob 2:17–19

The people began to grow wicked during the reign of the second king, wanting lots of riches.

Some of the people in Jacob’s time were very rich and prideful, and they didn’t want to share what they had with people who were poor.

Jacob taught in the temple and told the people to repent of the bad things they were doing.

Jacob taught the following: “And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly (this phrase means that Heavenly Father had blessed them), that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are alifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.” (Jacob 2:13)

Jacob taught that we should clothe the naked, and feed the hungry, liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. (Jacob 2:19)

Friend April 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities”

Jacob taught that we should be “free with [our] substance” (Jacob 2:17). That means sharing what we have with others. Make a treat to share with some neighbors or friends!

For younger children: Even small acts of service can help people feel lots of love. Help your children think of a kind thing they can do for someone else.

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 1-4”

  • Some of the people in Jacob’s time were very rich, but they didn’t want to share what they had with others. As you read Jacob’s teachings to them in Jacob 2:17–19, you could give your children pictures or objects to hold that go with words or phrases in these verses. You might explain that you are sharing these objects with them; maybe you could then invite them to share the objects with you or with each other. Talk about how you feel when you share. What else could we share with others to help them feel happy?
  • After reading together Jacob 2:17, perhaps your children could name some blessings Heavenly Father has shared with them. Why does He want us to share with each other?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Jacob 1-4”

Jacob 2:12–14, 17–21

  • Invite the children to act out ways they can share what they have with someone in need. Testify that we are blessed as we share with others.
  • Bring something to class that you can share with the children. Give some of it to each child, and explain that you are sharing. Ask them how they felt when you shared with them. How do they feel when they share with others? Help them think of something they could share to help someone feel happy.
  • Tell the children that many people in Jacob’s time became prideful and unkind because they loved riches (see Jacob 2:12–14, 17–21). Invite a few children to read Jacob 2:17–19 out loud, and help them understand any difficult words. What should we seek before we seek riches? What should we seek to do with any riches we receive?
  • Read Jacob 2:17 to the children. What blessings has Heavenly Father shared with us? Why does He want us to share with each other? Invite the children to share times when they shared something with someone else, including how they felt and how the other person felt.

Story Ideas

Friend March 2020 “Harry Shares” Harry is playing with toys. He is having fun. Harry sees a girl who looks sad. Harry shares toys with her. Now they are both having fun!

Friend November 1987 “Hand-Me-Down Box” Leigh is fortunate to have a caring friend who shares her hand-me-down clothes with her. She wants to grow up to be someone who shares with others.

  • Was there someone in the story who was prideful and made fun of Leigh for her hand-me-down clothes?

Jacob taught the following: Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. Jacob 2:17 

  • What does it mean to think of others like unto yourselves? (Treat others like you would like to be treated, and give to others like you would give to yourself. (Think about the things you need and then help others who don’t have those types of things so they can have them too.)

Friend December 2019 “Martin’s Favorite Toys” Martin was not happy about having to move, but eventually he got used to his new home. One Sunday, he noticed a lot of new people at church. He found out that they were refugees. He wanted to help them, but he didn’t want to give them any of his toys. Then he realized that many of the children had to leave everything behind. He remembered how hard it was for him to move, but at least he got to bring his things with him. He then wanted to give them his favorite toys to help them be happier.

Friend December 2019
Friend December 2019

Invite the children to think of something they could share to help someone feel happy.

Cut out the arrow, and attach it to the center of the circle. Spin the arrow, and tell about how you can share what the arrow points to. CFM for Primary: BofM

Friend March 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Play a sharing game. Give each person a toy and set a timer. When it dings, everyone should run to someone else and say, “God is happy when I share!” and trade toys.

Friend July 2018 “Coloring Page: I Can Share with Others”

Unshaken in Their Faith

Jacob 4:4–11

I can strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ.

Jacob 4:6, 10–11

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Jacob 1-4”

  • Jacob’s faith in Christ was so strong it could not be shaken. To teach your children how to build faith like this, you could ask them about things we do to make our bodies stronger. What can we do to make our faith in Jesus Christ stronger? Read Jacob 4:6 together to help the children discover what Jacob and his people did to make their faith “unshaken.”
  • Another way to help your children understand what it means to be “unshaken” in their faith would be to find a large tree and ask them to shake individual branches. Then let them try to shake the trunk. Why is it harder to shake the trunk? What phrases in Jacob 4:6, 10–11 describe what we can do to make our faith in Jesus Christ unshaken?

How did Jacob and others develop faith in Christ that is “unshaken” ?

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can ccommand in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

Jacob studied the words of the prophets, and he received revelations from the Spirit. How can we follow his example and develop unshaken faith?

Missing the Mark

Jacob 4:14

The “Mark” is Christ

All the Prophets Taught of Christ
Jacob 4:4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

Jacob taught this about the Jews: “Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall.”

The Jews misunderstood the law of Moses and its intent to lead them to the Savior. They were looking for a different kind of deliverance than the kind Jesus, the Messiah, offered them—they were looking for deliverance from foreign rule and oppression.

If we fail to keep focused on our Savior Jesus Christ, what could happen?

Activity Ideas

Ensign March 2020 “Family Study Fun” Off-Target Ball Toss

The prophet Jacob taught that the spiritual blindness of the Jews caused them to look “beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14), which resulted in their stumbling spiritually and missing many gospel truths.

  1. Place a bucket or sturdy bowl in the backyard.
  2. Take turns tossing a ball into the bucket, standing a short distance away.
  3. Now try tossing the ball into the bucket without looking at the bucket.

Discussion: Why was it harder to hit the target when we’re not looking at it? How did the Jews look “beyond the mark”? (Jacob 4:14). Read “Looking beyond the Mark” by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Ensign, Mar. 2003, 40–44). Discuss how we might find ourselves looking beyond the mark today.

Come Follow Me Kid Blank Arrows (I Can Be Reconciled to God through the Atonement of Jesus Christ) The manual asks, “What has God provided to point you to Christ? How are you using these things to draw closer to God?” Write/draw answers on blank arrows (below) and place around the bucket pointing to it.

Book of Mormon Study Guide “for Home-Study Seminary Students” Lift your pen or pencil at least two feet or one meter above this target, and try to drop it so that it hits the center of the target—“the mark.” You may want to try this several times. Think about how less effective your efforts would be if you were looking somewhere other than the target. How well do you think people would do in archery if they never looked at the target, or mark, while they were shooting or if they looked at what was beyond the mark? Read Jacob 4:14, and identify characteristics of the people Jacob prophesied would look “beyond the mark.”

Song: Wise Man and the Foolish Man

Jacob teaches that the Jews rejected the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation. (Jacob 4:15-17)

Sing “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” See here for teaching ideas, sing-along videos, and visual aid ideas.

Additional Resources

The Red Crystal

Mar 2 2020

2 Nephi 31-33

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Table of Contents

2 Nephi CHAPTER 31 Nephi tells why Christ was baptized—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved—Repentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 32 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost—Men must pray and gain knowledge for themselves from the Holy Ghost. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 33 Nephi’s words are true—They testify of Christ—Those who believe in Christ will believe Nephi’s words, which will stand as a witness before the judgment bar. About 559–545 B.C.

Before Nephi died, and before he passed his responsibilities on to Jacob, he wrote some final words, and they are about the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.

Nephi taught that following the Savior’s example and teachings are the only way to “be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:21).

Jesus Christ taught me how to return to Heavenly Father.

2 Nephi 31

We can return to God after this life by following the doctrine Jesus Christ taught: faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33” To help your children visualize the teachings in 2 Nephi 31, they could draw a path with a picture of Christ at the end. You could help them find or draw pictures that represent steps on that path, such as faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. [Could also help them place some pictures along the path.] They could point to the pictures as you read 2 Nephi 31:17–20 together.

Idea for Reading and Listening to the Scriptures: Explain that the doctrine of Christ includes the things Jesus Christ taught that we need to do to return to Heavenly Father. Write on different sheets of paper faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, (or use the pictures below if you have little children, making one copy per child) and scatter them around the room. Read to the children 2 Nephi 31:11–19, and invite the children to take turns jumping from paper to paper as they hear these principles mentioned. Help them think of an experience they have had with each principle. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33: This is the Way”)

Or make these finger puppets for each child and have them put up the correct puppet as it is mentioned in the scriptures.

Friend March 2000
Friend March 2000

Friend April 2011 “Article of Faith 4” Draw a line from the principle or ordinance to the correct picture.

Friend April 2011

Friend July 2003 Fourth Article of Faith Picture Scramble. Cut out the pictures and glue them in place in the right order.

Friend July 2003

Ensign March 2020 “Family Study Fun: Spiritual Stepping Stones” Christ said, “Follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do” (2 Nephi 31:12). Place a picture of Christ on the opposite side of the room. Write on narrow pieces of paper or cards the “stepping stones” to Christ: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, The gift of the Holy Ghost, Enduring to the end. Have someone put the steps in order. Place the steps on the floor in a “strait and narrow path” (2 Nephi 31:18) to Christ.

Discussion: Which stepping stone is next for each of you? How can we honor the steps we have taken? What can we do to strengthen our resolve to stay on the path?

Friend March 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities” Nephi taught that we follow Jesus Christ when we have faith in Him, repent, are baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end (see 2 Nephi 31). Write each step on a different piece of paper, then spread them on the floor. One person closes their eyes and counts to 10 while everyone else stands on a paper. The person who counted then says one of the steps to follow Jesus. The person on that paper counts next.

For younger children: When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we follow what He says. Form a line and walk around. The person in front is the leader. Each person copies how the leader walks. Take turns being the leader!

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33” Explain that the doctrine of Christ includes the things Jesus Christ taught that we need to do to return to Heavenly Father. Write on different sheets of paper faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, and scatter them around the room. Read to the children 2 Nephi 31:11–19, and invite the children to take turns jumping from paper to paper as they hear these principles mentioned. Help them think of an experience they have had with each principle.

Help the children learn the fourth article of faith. Sing together a song about one of the first principles of the gospel, such as “Faith,” “When I Am Baptized,” or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 96–97, 103, 160–61).

Come Follow Me Kid “This is the Way” Click on the link to see lesson ideas to go with the following pictures.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Friend January 2009 “Becoming Like Jesus Christ” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explains that faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. When we have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even when we do not completely understand the reasons for them. We need to rely, through the path of true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement.

Repentance

11) And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

Ensign January 2018 “Repentance is a Gift” Match each picture with a different step of repentance.

Baptism 

When I am baptized, I am following Jesus Christ.

2 Nephi 31:4–13

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33” There’s a picture of Jesus being baptized at the end of this outline. Maybe your children could use it to tell you what they know about this event (see also Matthew 3:13–17). Why does Jesus want us to be baptized like He was? Your children could listen for reasons as you read together portions of 2 Nephi 31:4–13. It might be helpful if someone who was recently baptized could share their experience.

Media Library

Why was the Savior baptized?

  • To Be Obedient to the Father & To be an Example for Us 

7) But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

  • To Show us that We Need to Enter the Gate (Baptism) that Leads to the Path Towards Eternal Life

9) And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.

New Era April 2014 “The Gate and the Path”

Friend August 2019 “Coloring Page: A New Path” When I am baptized, I choose to walk a new path with Jesus. (See Romans 6:4.)

We Need to Follow His Example and be Baptized

5) And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!

10) And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me 

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33” Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and ask the children to share what they know about Jesus’s baptism (see Matthew 3:13–17). Put the following words in random order on the board: Jesus witnessed unto the Father that He would be obedient unto Him. Invite the children to read 2 Nephi 31:7 as a class and put the words into the correct order.

  • Ask the children what they would say to someone preparing to be baptized, and help them compile their advice onto simple cards they could give to someone. How can we continue to follow the example of Jesus after we are baptized?

Gift of the Holy Ghost

When we repent and choose to be baptized, like Jesus, then we can be confirmed and have the gift of the Holy Ghost too.

12) And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

Friend September 2019

Friend June 2019 “The Holy Ghost is…”  The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, a gift that comes with baptism, and a promise from Heavenly Father. He is a comforter, warning, teacher, messenger, friend.

[unitegallery 2019Jun]

Friend March 2020 “How Does Heavenly Father Speak to Us?”  A feeling that Jesus loves us and that the gospel is true, A comforting feeling when we are sad or lonely, A happy feeling after we have repented, A good feeling when we hear beautiful music or see inspiring art, A peaceful feeling that something is a good choice, A warning feeling that something is wrong

Endure to the End

They [must] then endure to the end, or, in other words, they continue throughout their lives in exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, and renewing the covenants they have made. These are not just steps that they experience once in their lives; rather, when repeated throughout life these principles become an increasingly rewarding pattern of living. In fact, it is the only way of living that will bring peace of conscience and enable Heavenly Father’s children to return to live in His presence. (Preach My Gospel pg. 6)

Friend March 2020 “Come, Follow Me for Little Ones” What blessing can we receive if we endure to the end? (See 2 Nephi 31:20.)

I can feast upon the words of Christ.

2 Nephi 32:3–5

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33” To teach about “feasting” on the words of Christ, you could ask your children to act out how they would feast on their favorite food. In 2 Nephi 32:3, what did Nephi say we should feast on? How is feasting on God’s word different from just reading it? Maybe your children could act out the differences. Share with them the blessings you’ve received as you’ve feasted on the scriptures.

“Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33” Ask the children to name some of their favorite foods, and invite them to act out how they would feast on them. (To feast upon something is to enjoy it or to consume a great deal of it because it brings joy. )Read 2 Nephi 32:3, and ask the children to listen for what Nephi says we should feast on. What does it mean to feast on the scriptures? Explain that the scriptures are one place where we can find the words of Christ.

Ask the children to imagine a feast. What food would they want there? What would they eat first? Then invite them to imagine what feasting on the scriptures might mean as you read 2 Nephi 32:3. Why did Nephi use the word feast to teach us how we should study God’s word? Why didn’t he just say read? What does it mean to feast on the scriptures? Share with the children the blessings you’ve received as you’ve feasted on the scriptures

Write the following words on separate pieces of paper: sample, gorge, taste, nibble, snack, and feast. Hand the papers out to six students, without letting the other students see what is written. Have the six students come to the front of the class. Give them dishes and tell them to imagine there is food in them. Invite the six students to describe or demonstrate the word on their paper, and have the class try to guess the word. Reveal the six words. (Book of Mormon Teacher Resource Manual)

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33”

  • Write the words God and Lord on the board. Invite the children to open to a page of scripture and look for these words. Give them help if needed. Testify that as we read the scriptures, we can learn about God.
  • Complete the activity page with the children, and invite them to make a goal to do at least one thing to feast on the scriptures this week.
CFM Primary BofM

Friend March 2020 “Feasting on the Scriptures” Action Rhyme

The Wise Man and the Foolish Man Explain that “the wise man built his house upon the rock” means that wise man built his life upon the teachings of Jesus. The foolish man didn’t and his house (life) fell apart in the storms of life. Discussion Ideas: What things in our life are like the rain and wind? How does following Jesus’s teachings protect us and make our faith strong as a house built on a rock? Song: “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (Children’s Songbook, 281) Scripture: Matthew 7:24–29  Sing-along video

Friend March 2015 “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man”

Rock Art: Choose a smooth rock. With a marker or paint, write “Jesus Christ” on it. Talk about why it’s so important to build our lives on His teachings. Keep the rock in a place where you can see it often.

Heavenly Father wants me to pray always.

2 Nephi 32:8–9

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33” After reading 2 Nephi 32:8–9, talk with your children about why Satan doesn’t want us to pray. Why does God want us to “pray always”? Your children could make a list or draw pictures of situations in which they could pray. Then you could sing a song that teaches about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140). You could replace some of the words in the song with the words from their lists. How does God bless us when we pray always?

  • Talk with the children about times when they can pray, such as when they are scared, when they make mistakes, or when they need help in school. Why is it good to pray in these situations? Teach the children that no matter where they are, they can always pray in their hearts.
Friend January 2019

Friend October 2020 “Jesus Taught Us How to Pray”

Friend January 2023 “I Can Follow Jesus by Praying” When do you pray with your family? Find the items hidden below.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”

  • Read to the children the Lord’s counsel to be “faithful … in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:3). Explain what it means to pray in our hearts, and share a personal example. Help the children think of times when they can pray “in public and in private.”
  • Invite someone to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:3, and ask the children what it means to pray “in [your] heart.” Share an experience when you prayed aloud or in your heart and the Lord helped you. Also ask the children to share their own experiences. How can prayer bring us closer to Heavenly Father?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33”

  • Ask the children when they pray. Do they pray in the morning? at night? before meals? Help the children think of actions to show when we can pray, such as when we wake up, go to bed, and eat—or any other time. Read to them the first line or two from 2 Nephi 32:9, and emphasize the phrase “pray always.”
  • Ask the children how they pray. What do they do with their head, hands, and so on? What sorts of things do they say? Ask them to imagine that you don’t know how to pray, and let them teach you. Why does Heavenly Father want us to pray?
  • The adversary tempts us not to pray. Consider how you can help the children resist this temptation and “pray always” (2 Nephi 32:9).
  • Choose a phrase about prayer from 2 Nephi 32:8–9, write it on the board, and cover each word with a piece of paper. Invite the children to take turns removing one paper at a time until they can guess what the phrase is.
  • Read 2 Nephi 32:8–9 together, and ask the children to share what they learn about prayer from these verses. What does it mean to “pray always”? (verse 9). How can we do this?
  • What might make someone not want to pray? Share an experience when you prayed even though you didn’t feel like it. How did you feel afterward? Invite a child to read the second half of 2 Nephi 32:8, and give the children time to ponder it. Why doesn’t Satan want us to pray? How can we remind ourselves to pray even when we don’t feel like it?

Additional Resources

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33: This is the Way”

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 31-33: This is the Way”

The Cozy Red Cottage

The Red Crystal

The Red Crystal

Latter Day Kids “Jesus Christ is the Way” Lesson Ideas

Fun Review Activities: Fourth Article of Faith

Friend Nov 2004
Friend Nov 2004
Friend May 2010
Friend May 2010
Friend June 2011

See more Fourth Article of Faith ideas here. 

Feb 25 2020

2 Nephi 26-30

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Table of Contents

2 Nephi CHAPTER 26 Christ will minister to the Nephites—Nephi foresees the destruction of his people—They will speak from the dust—The Gentiles will build up false churches and secret combinations—The Lord forbids men to practice priestcrafts. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 27 Darkness and apostasy will cover the earth in the last days—The Book of Mormon will come forth—Three witnesses will testify of the book—The learned man will say he cannot read the sealed book—The Lord will do a marvelous work and a wonder—Compare Isaiah 29. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 28 Many false churches will be built up in the last days—They will teach false, vain, and foolish doctrines—Apostasy will abound because of false teachers—The devil will rage in the hearts of men—He will teach all manner of false doctrines. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 29 Many Gentiles will reject the Book of Mormon—They will say, We need no more Bible—The Lord speaks to many nations—He will judge the world out of the books which will be written. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 30 Converted Gentiles will be numbered with the covenant people—Many Lamanites and Jews will believe the word and become delightsome—Israel will be restored and the wicked destroyed. About 559–545 B.C.

Jesus Christ wants everyone to come unto Him.

2 Nephi 26:23–28, 33

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” To teach your children about the Savior’s invitations in these verses, you might talk with them about times they invited people to a special event, like a birthday party. Then you could read 2 Nephi 26:23–28 together and find out what Jesus is inviting us to do. Your children might like to create a card inviting someone to come unto Jesus Christ. Encourage them to use a phrase from these verses in their invitation.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “John 1“
The Red Crystal

Friend March 2024 “I Can Invite Others to Follow Jesus”

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” The painting at the end of this outline shows people from many backgrounds. Maybe your children could look at this picture as you read 2 Nephi 26:33. You could repeat the phrase “Jesus invites all to come unto Him” as your children point to each person in the picture—and then to themselves. How do we come unto Jesus?

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Display pictures of people from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds (you may find some in Church magazines). Ask the children to describe some of the details they see in the pictures. Open the scriptures to 2 Nephi 26:33 and read, “[Jesus Christ] inviteth them all to come unto him.” Repeat this phrase with the children as you point to each picture. Then point to each child and say, “Jesus Christ invites you to come unto Him.” What can we do to come unto the Savior?

Friend September 2003 “All Over the World: A Matching Game” Read the clues; then match each child to the country on the map where he or she lives.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30 Read 2 Nephi 26:33 with the children, and help them make a list of who, according to this verse, is invited to “partake of [the Lord’s] goodness.” (You may need to explain that “the heathen” are those who don’t believe in God.) Invite them to add their own names to the list. How do we partake of the Lord’s goodness? Invite the children to draw a picture of Jesus with many different children.

The Red Crystal

The Red Crystal

Nephi Foretells the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 26:14–17

The words of Lehi’s seed (his descendants) speaking from “low out of the dust” with a “familiar spirit” and being “sealed up in a book” (2 Nephi 26:14–17; see also Isaiah 29:4).

What does voices from the dust mean?  The prophets who wrote the Book of Mormon are long gone and their bodies have turned to dust, but we hear their words by reading the Book of Mormon.

Marvelous Work and Wonder

2 Nephi 27

Book of Mormon Seminary Student Manual (2024) “2 Nephi 27” In 2 Nephi 27, the Lord testified of something marvelous He would do to help us through the wickedness and apostasy of the last days.

Read 2 Nephi 27:25–26, looking for what the Lord promised He would do. Nephi prophesied that the Book of Mormon would come forth to help with the problems of the last days (see 2 Nephi 27:6).

President Russell M. Nelson stated that this “marvelous work would include the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the gospel” (“Scriptural Witnesses,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 46).

Pinterest BYU Tv

Martin Harris Visits Professor Anthon

2 Nephi 27:15–20

Nephi also wrote that God would allow a few witnesses to behold the plates the Book of Mormon was translated from and to testify of the truthfulness of the book to the world (see 2 Nephi 27:12–14). Nephi then shared a prophecy about some of the details related to the translation of the Book of Mormon.

A portion of the book being given to a learned man who says, “I cannot read it” (2 Nephi 27:15–20; Joseph Smith—History 1:64–65; see also Isaiah 29:11).

Replica of gold plate and ancient Egyptian type writing from article in Church News

Teach the children about Martin Harris’s experiences with Professor Anthon and Dr. Mitchell, as recorded in Joseph Smith—History 1:62–65. Help the children understand that these events fulfilled a prophecy made by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:11–12; see also 2 Nephi 27:15–20) thousands of years before Joseph Smith’s time. (Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants and Church History: Lesson 5)

Church History Topics “Martin Harris’s Consultations with Scholars” This article tells the story and has pictures of Martin Harris and Professor Anthon.

  • What did Professor Anthon say when Martin Harris first showed him a copy of some of the Book of Mormon writings? (JS—H 1:64.) Why do you think Professor Anthon tore up the certificate when he learned that an angel had shown Joseph Smith where to find the gold plates? (JS—H 1:65.
  • Why do you think the Lord used Joseph Smith, who was an unlearned man, to bring forth the Book of Mormon?

Book of Mormon Seminary Student Manual (2024) “2 Nephi 27” Read 2 Nephi 27:20–23, looking for reasons why God chose someone who was not learned to translate the Book of Mormon.

Emma Smith (1804–1879), the wife of the Prophet, testified of the divine assistance Joseph received in his translation of the Book of Mormon:

Emma Smith

Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, … it is marvelous to me, “a marvel and a wonder.” …

My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. … It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible. (Emma Smith, in “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” The Saints’ Herald, Oct. 1, 1879, 290)

The Book of Mormon is a Blessing

2 Nephi 28:2; 29:7–11; 30:3–6

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Explain that because of Heavenly Father’s great love for us, he has given us a gift to help us achieve eternal life (the kind of life Heavenly Father has).Show the children a Book of Mormon wrapped as a gift, and tell them that something valuable is inside. Let them hold the gift, and give clues to help them guess what it is; for example, it’s something the Lord has given us, it helps us believe in Jesus Christ, and so on. Read from 2 Nephi 30:6: “It is a blessing unto them from the hand of God.” Let the children open the gift, and then explain that we must open the Book of Mormon and read it to receive the blessings it contains.

The Red Crystal

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” Tell your children why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you, and let them share their feelings too.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Read 2 Nephi 28:2 to the children. Explain that Nephi saw that the Book of Mormon would “be of great worth” to us, which means that it will help and bless us. Tell the children why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you. Share your favorite verse or story from the Book of Mormon, and invite the children to share theirs. Show pictures from the Gospel Art Book to give them ideas.

Friend February 2012 “The Book of Mormon: Our True Guide”  President Henry B. Eyring teaches how the Book of Mormon is our guide to return home. The article includes a simple maze activity.

The Book of Mormon and the Bible work together.

2 Nephi 29:7–11

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Because we have the Bible, some people believe that the Book of Mormon is unnecessary. These verses can help the children understand, and explain to others, why we are thankful for both books of scripture.

  • Give one child a copy of the Book of Mormon and another a copy of the Bible. Ask them how these books are similar and how they are different. Show the children a map of the world, and help them match each book with the part of the world it came from. Read and discuss 2 Nephi 29:8. Why did God give us two “testimonies” or books of scripture that teach us about Him?

The Red Crystal

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” Consider asking your children to imagine that a friend says, “I don’t need to read the Book of Mormon. I’ve already read the Bible.” What could we say to our friend? Read together 2 Nephi 29:7–11 to learn why God wants us to have both books. (Then ask them to share ideas about what they might say to their friend.)

Friend May 2001 “Hand in Hand Together (The Bible and the Book of Mormon)” Words and music by Janice Kapp Perry

Hand in Hand song lyrics

Bible stories teach us How to live like Jesus. Book of Mormon stories, too, Tell what He would have us do.

Hand in hand together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon stand forever to tell of Jesus Christ.

Bible prophets tell us things to bless and help us. Book of Mormon prophets, too, Testify of all that’s true.

Hand in hand together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon stand forever to tell of Jesus Christ. Hand in hand together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon stand forever to tell of Jesus Christ.

Hand in Hand piano

The Book of Mormon Exposes Satan’s Lies

2 Nephi 28

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” “I prophesy unto you concerning the last days,” Nephi wrote (2 Nephi 26:14). In other words, he was writing about our day. And there’s reason to be concerned about what he saw: people denying the power and miracles of God, rampant envy and strife, the devil binding people with strong cords. [But he also spoke of] a book that speaks from the dust, that exposes Satan’s lies, and that gathers the righteous like a standard. That book is the Book of Mormon.

Satan Seeks to Deceive

Things Satan wants people to believe:

  • You don’t need to strive to improve yourself because you are already good enough. (Verse 21)
  • God will justify a little sin. He may punish you a little, but he will still allow you to be saved in His Kingdom. (Verse 8)
  • There is no hell or devil. (Verse 22)
  • God has already given all His words. You don’t need more. (Verse 29)
  • Beware of those who say miracles still occur. Miracles don’t need to happen anymore. (Verse 6)

What could the personal consequences be for believing each of the above lies? (You could wrap some thread around someone’s wrists to represent “a flaxen cord” as the family members mention possible consequences. Then read the following: [Satan] leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. 2 Nephi 26:22)

Object lesson: Ask for a volunteer. Have the volunteer put their hands together. Wrap one layer of the masking tape around their fingers and thumbs. Ask them if they can break free. Explain that when we first make a mistake or sin we are easily able to break free of its grasp and repent. But Satan knows that if he continue to gets us to sin, little by little, eventually the sin will become accepted and then we become bound in captivity to the sin because it becomes a habit or an addiction. (Wrap the tape around the child’s hands several times, layering one area around the fingers and thumbs.) Ask the child to try and break free from the bindings. They shouldn’t be able to. Satan wants us to be miserable like he is, and he knows that sin binds us in captivity and destroys lives.

Heavenly Father teaches me little by little.

2 Nephi 28:30–31

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” Perhaps you can think of an object lesson that will help your children understand what it means to learn “line upon line.” For example, they could put together a puzzle or build something with blocks, one piece at a time. Or you could teach them a skill step by step, such as tying a bow or drawing a picture. You could then read 2 Nephi 28:30 and discuss how Heavenly Father teaches us one truth at a time.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Give them one puzzle piece or one block at a time, and while they are building, explain that this is the way Heavenly Father teaches us—one truth at a time. What would happen if we tried to put all of the pieces together at once?

Help the children draw this temple one step at a time:

Friend September 2019 

Or have the children do this dot-to-dot one line at a time:

Friend July 2016

When we follow the numbers and draw line upon line, we are able to create a beautiful drawing of the temple. How hard would it be to draw the entire temple without the small number directions to guide us to draw each line? When we study and follow God’s words and increase line upon line, we can eventually become like our Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Or have the children put together this puzzle one piece at a time:

Friend October 2021

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” Another idea could be to choose a phrase from 2 Nephi 28:30 and take turns writing it, one word at a time. How is this like the way God gives us truth? Why does God reveal truth to us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” instead of all at once? How can we show God that we want to receive more truth from Him?

Come Follow Me Kid “A Marvoulous Work and Wonder” Hold up a Book of Mormon. 2 Nephi 30:6 says that this book is “a blessing unto them from the hand of God.” 2 Nephi 28:2 says that it is “of great worth.” Discuss how it is a valuable blessing to us. Open up a Bible as well as a Book of Mormon and point out how there are LOTS of lines in them. The scriptures teach us that we learn “line upon line.” Heavenly Father and Jesus don’t expect us to know everything all at once, but we should try to learn a little each day.
Activity: Cut apart the lines from 2 Nephi 28:30 below. Mix them up and have them sequence them into the right order. Discuss each one as it’s placed in order.

How many lines did we just learn about? (5). How many lines do you think there are in all of the scriptures? (Lots!). How many lines have been taught by prophets and apostles? (Lots!). How many MORE good lines of good things do you think we’ll learn throughout our lives from the scriptures, prophets, apostles, etc.? (Lots!) Summarize how we should never feel that “we have enough” of the word of God.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Why does God reveal truth to us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” instead of all at once?

Teaching Children the Gospel “Ordinance (and Covenants) Progression Lesson” Why do we receive saving ordinances at different times in our lives? We need to start with ordinances that lay a foundation and then add to that as we understand and are prepared to receive more. (See more at link)

Gospel Living “What does “line upon line” mean?”

You may have heard the phrase “line upon line” in church. Or in scriptures like 2 Nephi 28:30. But what does it mean? Joseph Smith explained it this way:

“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation.”1

You can’t reach the top of a ladder without climbing the steps upward. Similarly, we become like our Heavenly Father one gospel step at a time. So don’t worry if it seems like you don’t have a super strong testimony yet. Or you make a mistake while learning how to do your calling. It’s all part of building faith, step-by-step.

Latter Day Kids “Line Upon Line” See link for great Lesson and activity idea!

Friend March 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities: Line upon Line Storytime” Heavenly Father helps us learn “line upon line,” or a little bit at a time (2 Nephi 28:30). Together, tell a favorite scripture story one line at a time! Everyone takes turns saying one sentence of the story until the story’s done.

Nephi warned against the attitude that we don’t need any more truth from God. Help the children see gospel learning as a gradual, lifelong pursuit.

 God’s word in the Book of Mormon helps us see and avoid Satan’s deceptions, and He continues to give revelation to us individually, and to His prophets that teach us His words. But He reminds us that, “for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” (Review Satan’s lies pertaining to the idea of not needing to do or learn more. Also point out that Heavenly Father doesn’t expect us to know everything at once. Point out that we learn “line upon line.” Do the activity below to help the children understand one of the reasons for that.)

Friend February 2020 “My Family Night Fun”  Sit in a circle to play this game.

Clipart Library

The first person says, “I’m going to church, and I’m going to learn ______.” The next person repeats what the first person said and adds their own item at the end. Continue going around the circle, repeating all the items and adding more one by one. Can you remember them all? Too much at once can be a little overwhelming and hard to remember. But when we try to learn a little each day, we are able to retain it better. Reading the Book of Mormon each day helps us learn “line upon line” and helps us avoid Satan’s temptations and stay on the path to Eternal Life.

Additional Resources

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30”

Cknscratch.com Book of Mormon ideas to help teach Come Follow Me “2 Nephi 26-30”

The Red Crystal 2024

The Red Crystal 2020

Feb 18 2020

Fear and Courage: Lesson Ideas

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Table of Contents

Friend August 2022 “How Can I Find Peace in Scary Times?”

Friend March 2023

Courage

Faith in Jesus Christ can help me not be afraid.

Matthew 14:22–33

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5–6” Peter showed great faith when he walked on the water toward Jesus. What lessons might there be for the children in this story?

New Testament Stories “Jesus Walks on the Water” Video and images

Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (see also Gospel Art Book, no. 43) as you tell the story from Matthew 14:22–33 in your own words. Consider using this week’s activity page to help the children tell the story back to you. You could also bring a small bowl of water and invite the children to pretend to “walk” their fingers across the surface of the water.

Friend July 2015
Friend July 2015

Friend October 2009 “Jesus Walks on the Water” Rebus

Show the video “Wherefore Didst Thou Doubt?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask the children why Peter was afraid. Then ask them to tell about times when they felt afraid and share what helped them. Help them see that faith in Jesus Christ helps us overcome fear.

Friend October 2019 “Coloring Page: Jesus Can Help Me Do Hard Things”

Friend April 2013 “Coloring Page”

New Testament Coloring Book “Jesus Walked on Water”

Faith in Jesus Christ can help me not be afraid.

Matthew 14:22–33

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5–6” Faith and fear play prominent roles in the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the sea. What can children learn from this story?

Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (see also Gospel Art Book, no. 43). Ask the children to find phrases in Matthew 14:22–33 that describe the picture.

Ask the children to look for signs of faith and signs of fear as they read Matthew 14:22–33. You could also show the video “Wherefore Didst Thou Doubt?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ? Help the children think of times when their faith helped them overcome fear.

Ask the children to imagine they were present and had a camera when Jesus and Peter walked on the sea. Which moment would they choose to photograph and why? Suggest that they search Matthew 14:22–33 for ideas. Invite them to draw a picture of the moment they chose, share their pictures, and explain why they chose that moment.

New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) “John 6:22–58”Peter’s example teaches us what we should focus on. Remember what happened to Peter when he focused on Jesus Christ and what happened when he shifted his focus to the storm around him (see verses 28–31).

Latter Day Kids “Look to Christ in Faith” Lesson ideas

“Be strong and of a good courage, the Lord thy God is with Thee”

Joshua 1–4; 6

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Joshua 1–8; 23–24” After Joshua became the leader of the Israelites, the Lord encouraged him by saying, “Be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:6). What can the children learn from Joshua about how to be strong and courageous for Christ?

  • Invite the children to find the phrase that is repeated in Joshua 1:6, 9, and 18, and write it on the board (see also verse 7). Help the children think of reasons we might need this message, just as Joshua did. Review as a class some of the stories in Joshua 1–4; 6 (see also “Joshua the Prophet” and “Rahab and the Spies” in Old Testament Stories), and ask the children to identify how the people in these stories showed courage and strength.

Old Testament Stories “Joshua the Prophet”

Friend May 2022 “Joshua’s Courage”

Old Testament Stories “Rahab and the Spies”

  • Invite the children to talk about someone they know who is strong and courageous for Jesus Christ. Encourage them to write down something they would like to do to be stronger and more courageous for Christ.

Come Follow Me with Living Scriptures “Have Courage and Serve God” Lesson ideas

Friend July 2022 “Bright Idea”

Friend July 2022 ““I Don’t Want to Grow Up!” Chakell had a lot of worried thoughts about the future. She worried about going to middle school and whether she would be smart enough or have friends. She worried that future changes in her life would be too hard. Her mother explained that with faith we can let Heavenly Father lead us and help us.

Heavenly Father helps me have courage when I am afraid.

Friend October 2018 “Esther the Queen” Video

Esther CHAPTER 3

Mordecai, the Jew, refuses to bow to Haman—Haman arranges a decree to kill all the Jews in the kingdom.

Esther CHAPTER 4

Mordecai and the Jews mourn and fast because of the king’s decree—Esther, at the peril of her life, prepares to go in unto the king.

Esther 4:15–16

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Esther” The children you teach will face situations when they need the Lord’s help to be brave. How will you help them learn from Esther’s example of courage?

  • Do the children you teach know what it means to be brave? Share a simple definition, such as “Being brave means doing what is right even when you are afraid.” Share the story of Esther (see “Queen Esther” in Old Testament Stories), and help the children see how Esther was brave. Let the children use the figures on this week’s activity page to retell the story.
  • Show a picture of Esther (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Sing with the children a song about being brave, such as “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162). Point out words and phrases in the song that describe Esther, and testify that the Savior can help the children be brave.
  • Tell the children about times when Jesus Christ was brave; for example, when He suffered for our sins, both in Gethsemane and on the cross (see Matthew 26:36–39; 27:33–35). Ask the children to tell about a time when they were brave (consider contacting their families in advance to ask them for some examples). What helped them be brave? Tell the children how the Lord has helped you be brave when you were afraid.

Friend August 2020 “Maddy’s Courage” Maddy didn’t want to start school because she was afraid. Her mom reminded her of sometimes we have to do brave and hard things, such as Daniel facing the lions, or Nephi crossing the ocean, or Esther talking to the king. And just like Heavenly Father helped all of those people, He would help her too.

Esther 3:1–11; 4:10–17

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Esther” When have you seen the children you teach be courageous? What experiences can you share when you needed the Lord’s help to be brave?

  • Write on the board Mordecai showed courage by … and Esther showed courage by … Invite some of the children to read Esther 3:1–11 and others to read Esther 4:10–17. Ask them to use what they read to complete the sentences on the board. Then write I will show courage by … and invite the children to list things Heavenly Father wants them to do that require courage. How can we be like Mordecai and Esther?
  • Invite the children to think of situations they face in which it might be hard to do the right thing. Write on the board Esther’s courageous words “So will I go in unto the king, … and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Help the children apply Esther’s words to themselves by replacing “go in unto the king” with a righteous but difficult choice they might have to make. Then invite them to replace “perish” with something unpleasant that might come from doing what is right. Why is it better to do the right thing, even if there are difficult consequences?
  • Show the video “Choose the Harder Right” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and invite the children to decide on a “harder right” in their lives that they will choose. Discuss how Jesus Christ is an example of this principle.

God Can Help Me Do Hard Things.

Moses 6:26–34

Liahona January 2022 “Who Was Enoch”

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 5; Moses 6”

When Enoch was called to preach the gospel, he worried that he would fail. But God helped him do great things.

  • Ask the children to share a time when they were asked to do something that was hard or scary for them. Share the story of Enoch’s call to be a prophet, found in Moses 6:27, 31–34 (see also “Enoch the Prophet” in Old Testament Stories). Emphasize that although Enoch did not feel ready to be a prophet, God promised to help him. Help the children understand some ways God helps us when we are asked to do hard things.
  • Share some scriptural examples of when God helped people do difficult things—for example, Noah building the ark, David fighting Goliath, Ammon defending the king’s flocks, or Samuel the Lamanite preaching. (For pictures and scripture references, see Gospel Art Book, nos. 7, 19, 78, 81.) Share an experience when the Lord helped you do something difficult.
  • Read Moses 6:26–34 with the children. Why did Enoch feel that he couldn’t preach the gospel? (see Moses 6:31). How did God help Enoch? (see Moses 6:32–34; 7:13).
  • Invite the children to name some difficult things that children their age sometimes do (such as completing an assignment for school, being kind to someone who is unkind, or telling the truth when they have made a mistake). Help the children find phrases in Moses 6:32–34 that can help them. Ask the children to share a time when God helped them do something difficult. Share your own experiences too.

New Era December 2020 “Not Ice-olated” Object lesson that demonstrates that with the Lord’s help, we can lift even the heaviest, slipperiest burdens.

Friend August 2020 “Maddy’s Courage” Maddy didn’t want to start school because she was afraid. Her mom reminded her of sometimes we have to do brave and hard things, such as Daniel facing the lions, or Nephi crossing the ocean, or Esther talking to the king. And just like Heavenly Father helped all of those people, He would help her too.

Friend April 2022 “For Older Kids”

Friend July 2022 “David’s Sling” Follow the paths to the matching rocks to find out ways God can help you when you follow Him.

When I am afraid or in danger, Jesus can help me feel peace. (Junior)

Mark 4:35–41

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7”The account of Jesus calming a storm can help children know that He can give them peace when they feel afraid.

  • Help the children imagine that they are on the ship as you read Mark 4:35–41. (See also “Chapter 21: Jesus Commands the Winds and the Waves,” in New Testament Stories, 53, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Ask the children to describe how they might have felt if they had been there. When have the children been scared? How did they find comfort?

Friend September 2013 “Jesus Calms the Tempest”

Friend March 2023 “Jesus Christ Calms the Storm” Illustrations by Apryl Stott

Friend March 2023 What are some things that scare your little ones? Calmly talk about one of those fears. Then help them say, “When I am afraid, Jesus can help me feel peace.”

Friend March 2023 “Come, Follow Me Activities: The Storm”

Story: Read the story of Jesus Christ calming the storm on page 46 or in Mark 4:36–41. Talk about ways Jesus brings you peace.

Song: “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75)

Activity: Stand in a circle and hold the sides of a blanket. Put a ball on the blanket and gently toss it around, like the ship was tossed on the waves. Take turns telling the group to go fast, slow down, or “be still.”

  • Invite the children to make the sounds of a storm and stop when someone says “Peace, be still.” Testify that just as Jesus can bring us peace when there is a storm outside, He can bring us peace in our hearts when we feel bad on the inside.

Friend March 2023 “The Earthquake Prayer” Violet woke up when she felt an earthquake. She and her family ran to the kitchen and crawled under the table. They had practiced what to do in an earthquake, but Violet was scared. She said a prayer, and felt like someone was giving her a hug. She was glad Heavenly Father helped her feel peace.

  • Teach the children actions to accompany the third verse of “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 57), and sing the verse together while doing the actions.

When I am afraid or in danger, Jesus can help me feel peace. (Senior)

Mark 4:35–41

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7” Children need to know that the Savior can give them peace when they face the storms of life—now and in the future.

  • Ask one of the children to use Mark 4:35–41 and the picture Jesus Calms the Storm (Gospel Art Book, no. 40) to tell the story of Jesus calming the storm. Ask the children to describe how they might have felt if they had been there.
Media library

Friend September 2021 “Singing for Jesus” Songs about Jesus can bring us peace and comfort

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023
  • Invite the children to share experiences when they felt peace after praying for help. Remind them that this peace comes from the Savior.

Friend March 2023 “The Earthquake Prayer” Violet woke up when she felt an earthquake. She and her family ran to the kitchen and crawled under the table. They had practiced what to do in an earthquake, but Violet was scared. She said a prayer, and felt like someone was giving her a hug. She was glad Heavenly Father helped her feel peace.

  • Give each child a paper rain cloud, and ask them to write on it a trial that someone might have. Put all of the clouds on the board, covering a picture of the Savior. Invite a child to remove one of the clouds and suggest ways we could help someone with that trial to find peace. When all the clouds are removed, testify of the Savior’s power to calm the storms in our lives.
Friend August 2021

Friend March 2023 “Peace from the Savior” President Eyring gives ideas on how to feel peace even during difficult times such as remembering the Savior and following him.

For the Strength of Youth March 2023 “Jesus Christ: PEACE among the STORMS”

The Savior has the power to calm any storm in your life. He can heal your pain, ease your burdens, and provide light when you’re in darkness.

It’s important to remember that sometimes the Lord calms the storms in your life, and sometimes He instead calms and comforts you while the storm rages on. When you have faith in Him, you also trust in His will and timing. You believe that He will help you, regardless of when your peace and calm actually arrive.

When you’re lonely, sad, anxious, or waiting for promised blessings, remember this question: Are you waiting for “a great calm” with a fearful heart or with a faithful heart?

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7” Children might enjoy pretending they are in a boat in a stormy sea while someone reads Mark 4:35–38. Then, when someone reads verse 39, they could pretend to be in a boat in a calm sea. You could also sing together a song about finding peace in the Savior, such as “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” (Hymns, no. 105). What phrases in the song teach us about the peace Jesus offers?

Additional Resources

The Red Crystal “Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7” Lesson ideas

I Can Learn to Always Follow the Spirit.

The Lord is watching over me.

2 Kings 6:8–17

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “2 Kings 2-7” When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian army surrounding them, he was very afraid. However, Elisha told him to “fear not” because the Lord was with them (2 Kings 6:16).

  • Read 2 Kings 6:15 to the children, or paraphrase it so they can understand. Invite the children to imagine they are surrounded by a large army with horses and chariots, as Elisha’s servant was. How would they feel? What would they do? Ask them to close their eyes while you read 2 Kings 6:16–17 to them. When you get to the words “open his eyes,” ask the children to open their eyes. Describe to them what the servant saw protecting him and Elisha. Share how you know the Lord is watching over us.
  • Sing together a song about God’s care for us, such as the first verse of “Dearest Children, God Is Near You” (Hymns, no. 96). Replace words in the song with names of the children to emphasize that God is watching over them.

I am not alone.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “2 Kings 2-7” The children you teach may sometimes feel like the servant of Elisha—unsure of how to meet the challenges before them. You can use the account in 2 Kings 6:8–17 to teach them to “fear not” because the Lord has not left them alone.

  • Read together 2 Kings 6:15–17. Invite one of the children to pretend to be Elisha’s servant while the other children ask questions about his experience, such as how he felt when the Syrian army surrounded the city or what it was like to see the army of God. Talk with the children about times when they feel alone in trying to live the gospel. How does the Lord help us know that we are not alone?
  • Sing a song about relying on the Lord, such as “When Faith Endures” (Hymns, no. 128). What does this song teach us about trusting in the Lord?

Liahona July 2022 “You Are Never Alone”

Family members might enjoy drawing a picture of the experience of Elisha and his servant described in these verses. How can these verses help us when we feel alone or overwhelmed?

Liahona July 2022 “Coming Closer to Jesus Christ”

Numbers Unbreakable

2 Kings 6:8–23

Read the story of Elisha and the young servant in 2 Kings 6:8–23.

  1. Get a thin stick that could be easily broken.
  2. Challenge someone to break it.
  3. Put 10 or more sticks together. Challenge the same person to break the group of sticks without separating any.
  4. Why was the challenge more difficult the second time?
  5. Read 2 Kings 6:16-17: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
  6. Whom did Elisha and the young servant see protecting them?
  7. Read the following: “Like that servant of Elisha, there are more with you than those you can see opposed to you. Some who are with you will be invisible to your mortal eyes” (Henry B. Eyring, “O Ye That Embark,” Liahona, Nov. 2008, 58).

Discussion: Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88. At times when we might feel alone, how can we trust that we are not? How is the Lord protecting and helping us today? (For ideas, see Ronald A. Rasband, “Be Not Troubled,” Liahona, Nov. 2018, 18–21.)

For the Strength of Youth July 2022 “Fear Not—the Lord Is with You”

Fears

Fear of the Bad Things that Could Happen

Friend July 2022 “What’s on Your Mind?” A child writes the Friend with this question: “Sometimes I worry about all the bad things that could happen. How can I feel more hopeful and less worried?, and the Friend Magazine responds.

Fear of what Others Think

Doctrine and Covenants 30:1–2

Friend February 2017 “Conference Cards” Handout that says, ““The only opinion of us that matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us.”

Friend July 2021 “Courage to Stand Alone” Sometimes we need to do the right thing even when no one else is doing it. Activity page brining to mind moments and people who had courage to do the right thing. Also, ideas about how to gain courage.

I can be faithful even when others make fun of me. (Sr)

Jude 1:18–22

Ask children to share times when others made fun of them or someone they know because they did what is right. Invite the children to read Jude 1:18–22 and look for how we can remain faithful when others mock or make fun of us. Write what they find on the board, and discuss ways they can follow this advice. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1-3 John; Jude”)

Summarize Lehi’s dream (see 1 Nephi 8:1–35), asking a few children to read verses from 1 Nephi 8:26–28, 33. Discuss how the people in the great and spacious building were like the mockers Jude talked about. What can we do to not be influenced by those who make fun of us or don’t agree with what we believe? (see 1 Nephi 8:30, 33). (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1-3 John; Jude”)

People in a large building on the other side of the river made fun of those who ate the fruit. Some who had eaten the fruit became ashamed and left the tree.

Dealing with Changes in Life

Ensign December 2019 “Navigating Through Transitions” Starting school, leaving Primary, and moving to a new location can all be new, scary situations for children. These tools and tips can help them navigate them successfully.

Friend November 2023 “What’s on Your Mind?” Someone who is struggling with change says, “I feel like so much is changing, and I’m not ready. Why can’t things stay the same?” A few of the things the Friend magazine responds include: “Remember that you are the hero of your story. Each change is a chance to learn and grow. And Heavenly Father will help you.”

Fear of Failing

Friend February 2020 “What’s on Your Mind?” A child writes to the Friend saying that sometimes he is afraid to try new things because he might fail. The Friend magazine reminds him that all people who are really good at something started out as beginners, and it’s okay to make mistakes. They also share some examples of people who weren’t very good when they first started, but they kept trying and eventually became successful.

Dealing with Seeing Bad or Scary Things in the World

Friend August 2022 “How Can I Find Peace in Scary Times?”

Ensign August 2018 “Dealing with Disasters” Helping children cope with traumatic situations.

Friend August 2018 “What’s on Your Mind?” Ways to feel better after seeing bad or scary things in the world. You can turn to Heavenly Father in prayer, to the scriptures, and to a grown-up you trust. Serving others can also help the Holy Ghost bring you peace.

Friend January 2019 “Friends by Mail”

Every night, I read the Friend before sleeping. Whenever I read it, I feel happy and my worries go away. It has helped me when I have worries. Thank you for the Friend!

Friend March 2017 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas for helping children deal with fear.

Friend May 2016
Friend May 2016

Handouts

Friend November 2016
Friend November 2016
Friend November 2015
Friend November 2015

Look for the Good

Friend August 2022 “Matt and Mandy”

If I am Prepared, I need not Fear.

Doctrine and Covenants 38: 30-31

The Saints had already faced much opposition, and the Lord knew more was coming (see Doctrine and Covenants 38: 28–29). To help them not be afraid, He revealed a precious principle: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 37–40”)

Write the first word of each pair below on slips of paper and hand them out to the children. Ask each child to think of a word that means the opposite of the word on his or her paper. Let each child say the opposite word he or she has thought of while the rest of the class tries to guess the positive word on the child’s paper. (You may want to write both words on the board for more emphasis.)

Word Examples: light/dark, life/death, good/bad, love/hate, success/failure, true/false, peace/war, truth/lie, clean/dirty, happy/sad, healthy/sick, kind/mean, joy/sorrow (Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 20: Korihor, the Anti-Christ,”)

Satan wants us to feel afraid and unhappy. Heavenly Father wants us to follow him so we can be happy. The more we learn the gospel, the better prepared we are to know and do what is truth and right and be not afraid in this world.

For Example:

Friend July 2017 “Fighting off Falsehoods” The gospel truths help us fight against the falsehooods of Satan that we see and hear on media. Match the falsehood with the truth.

Being prepared also helps with tasks that may seem difficult or scary. You could discuss recent family or personal experiences that required preparation. How did your preparation affect the experience?

Feb 16 2020

2 Nephi 11-19

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Table of Contents

2 Nephi CHAPTER 11 Jacob saw his Redeemer—The law of Moses typifies Christ and proves He will come. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 12 Isaiah sees the latter-day temple, gathering of Israel, and millennial judgment and peace—The proud and wicked will be brought low at the Second Coming—Compare Isaiah 2. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 13 Judah and Jerusalem will be punished for their disobedience—The Lord pleads for and judges His people—The daughters of Zion are cursed and tormented for their worldliness—Compare Isaiah 3. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 14 Zion and her daughters will be redeemed and cleansed in the millennial day—Compare Isaiah 4. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 15 The Lord’s vineyard (Israel) will become desolate, and His people will be scattered—Woes will come upon them in their apostate and scattered state—The Lord will lift an ensign and gather Israel—Compare Isaiah 5. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 16 Isaiah sees the Lord—Isaiah’s sins are forgiven—He is called to prophesy—He prophesies of the rejection by the Jews of Christ’s teachings—A remnant will return—Compare Isaiah 6. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 17 Ephraim and Syria wage war against Judah—Christ will be born of a virgin—Compare Isaiah 7. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 18 Christ will be as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense—Seek the Lord, not peeping wizards—Turn to the law and to the testimony for guidance—Compare Isaiah 8. About 559–545 B.C.

2 Nephi CHAPTER 19 Isaiah speaks messianically—The people in darkness will see a great light—Unto us a child is born—He will be the Prince of Peace and will reign on David’s throne—Compare Isaiah 9. About 559–545 B.C.

Friend March 2024

The Words of Isaiah

Friend March 2024 “Who is Isaiah”

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 Engraving on metal plates is not easy, and space on Nephi’s small plates was limited. So why would Nephi go to the tedious effort of copying a large amount of Isaiah’s writings into his record? In an article in the Ensign September 1998,  it explains that Nephi’s own commentary on Isaiah begins in 1 Nephi 19, where he tells us that in order to “more fully persuade them [Nephi’s people] to believe in the Lord their Redeemer” he would turn particularly to the prophet Isaiah (see 1 Ne. 19:23).

Friend December 2008 “Isaiah’s Prophecies” Prophecies from an Old Testament prophet regarding the life and second coming of the Savior.

Friend August 1994 “Isaiah and the Time Machine” Anthony was having a hard time following along during his family’s Book of Mormon study time. They were reading the words of Isaiah in 2 Nephi, and he didn’t understand them. Anthony loved playing in his pretend time machine and his father decided to help the children understand Isaiah by using the time machine. (Excellent story!)

Liahona February 2020 “Who Was Isaiah?”

Liahona March 2012  “How Can I Understand the Words of Isaiah?” Article includes the following: know Isaiah’s main topics, the reasons for studying Isaiah, the events of Isaiah’s days that he used symbolically, helpful hints to understanding his words,  etc.

Friend November 1994 “Isaiah” Isaiah prophesied of many things that would happen in his day and in the future. This article includes an explanation of Isaiah’s most quoted prophecies.

Prophecy About Latter Day Temples

The Temple is God’s House Where He Will Teach Us His Ways

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 11-25” Read 2 Nephi 12:3, and explain that in this verse a prophet named Isaiah prophesied that there would be temples in the last days. Read the verse again, and and invite the other children to listen for reasons why Isaiah said we need temples. Emphasize that when we go to the temple, the Lord “will teach us of his ways” and help us “walk in his paths.”

The temple is the house of the Lord.

2 Nephi 12:2–3

2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 11-19” Isaiah described the temple as “the mountain of the Lord’s house.” Your children might enjoy pretending to climb a mountain as you read 2 Nephi 12:2–3. Help them find phrases in these verses that describe why we have temples.

In ancient times, it was common for a prophet to go to the top of a mountain to commune with the Lord God. Thus, the term “mountain of the Lord” symbolically denotes any location where the Lord makes His divine will known to His holy prophets. Church News

For the Strength of Youth “Ascend into the Hill of the Lord”

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • To illustrate the phrase “we will walk in his paths” from 2 Nephi 12:3, you could make a path on the floor, leading to a picture of a temple. As your children walk on the path, they could name things they can do to walk in the Lord’s paths.

Friend July 2020 “Bright Idea” I can follow Jesus Christ in small and simple ways.

Friend August 2023 “I Can Follow Jesus Christ”

  • Perhaps your children could draw a picture of themselves going to the temple. They could also sing or listen to a song about the temple, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). Help them find phrases in the song that teach what the temple is and what we do there.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 Cut out the windows with the ordinances that are done inside the temple, and match them with the pictures in the windows of the temple.

Index of temple stories, activities, coloring pages, images, music and videos for children on LDS.org

I Love to See the Temple

Friend March 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities: Paper Temples” Isaiah taught that temples are special places where we learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see 2 Nephi 12:3). Make your own temple! Fold a piece of paper into thirds. Cut one end into a triangle. Unfold the paper and draw yourself in the middle.

For younger children: Look at a picture of a temple together. Talk about how you can feel love in God’s house just like in your own home.

Jesus Christ is my Savior.

2 Nephi 11:4–7; 17:14; 19:6

Friend March 2024 “Jacob and Nephi Saw Jesus”

  • There are several names for Jesus Christ in 2 Nephi 11:4–7; 17:14; 19:6. Help your children find them and talk about what they mean. For example, “Christ” means “the anointed” and “Immanuel” means “God with us.” What do these names teach us about Jesus?
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Christmas”

New Era December 2009 “Unto Us a Child Is Born” Explanation for each of the names for Jesus in Isaiah 9:6

  • Show portions of the video “The Christ Child” (Gospel Library) that show different people seeing Jesus for the first time. Pause the video during these depictions, and ask your children about what these people might have felt. What would we feel if we were there? How will we feel when we see Him again?

Satan tries to confuse me about good and evil.

2 Nephi 15:20

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 11-19” Show your children something bitter or sour, such as a lemon slice (or pickle), inside a candy wrapper. Read together 2 Nephi 15:20. How does Satan try to make things that are evil look good?

Another idea is to make beautifully decorated cookies with salt instead of sugar. Be sure to give each child a napkin to spit the bite of cookie out into. and let them choose a cookie. Explain that Satan makes sin look appealing and he even makes bad things seem good. They look appealing on the outside, but if we partake then we may consume something into our lives that would be bad and harmful. Ask the children if they can think of anything that looks appealing but is actually harmful to our souls. Inappropriate movies, violent video games, fighting, arguing,

  • You could also show the first 90 seconds of the video “You Will Be Freed” (Gospel Library). Why does the fisherman disguise his hook? Why does Satan disguise sin? How does Jesus Christ help us avoid being deceived by Satan?

Friend June 2007 “Deadly Maka-fekes” President Monson warns of attractive lures that can destroy us.

Ensign March 2018 “When Evil Appears Good and Good Appears Evil” Elder Quentin gives some examples of evil made to appear good.

  • How does Jesus Christ help us avoid being deceived by Satan?

Let Christ be your secure anchor in life.

Additional Resources

The Red Crystal

The Red Crystal 2020