Jesus Heals the Sick and Blesses the Children
- 3 Nephi 17
  - The Savior loves each of Heavenly Father’s children.
Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites
- 3 Nephi 18-19
  - I can think about Jesus when I take the sacrament. As I take the sacrament, I can be filled with the Holy Ghost.
  - Jesus teaches me how to pray. Praying will help me be close to Heavenly Father.
- Additional Resources

3 Nephi CHAPTER 17 Jesus directs the people to ponder His words and pray for understanding—He heals their sick—He prays for the people, using language that cannot be written—Angels minister to and fire encircles their little ones. About A.D. 34.

3 Nephi CHAPTER 18 Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites—They are commanded to pray always in His name—Those who eat His flesh and drink His blood unworthily are damned—The disciples are given power to confer the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34.

3 Nephi CHAPTER 19 The twelve disciples minister unto the people and pray for the Holy Ghost—The disciples are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and the ministering of angels—Jesus prays using words that cannot be written—He attests to the exceedingly great faith of these Nephites. About A.D. 34.

Jesus Heals the Sick and Blesses the Children

3 Nephi 17

Primary 4 Manual: Book of Mormon “Lesson 35: Jesus Christ Heals the Sick and Blesses the Children” Because the Nephite people who gathered at Bountiful were not sufficiently prepared, the Savior could not tell them everything that Heavenly Father wanted them to know. What did Jesus ask the people to do? (Have the children fill in the blanks from 3 Nephi 17:3.) Following a conference, sacrament meeting, or Primary, what should you do to help you understand what you have heard?

The Savior loves each of Heavenly Father’s children.

3 Nephi 17:7, 20–25

Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 44: Jesus Christ Blesses the Children” Video and Images

Friend October 2024 “Jesus Blessed One by One”

Lesson 35: Jesus Christ Heals the Sick and Blesses the Children

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “3 Nephi 17-19”

You could use a picture like those in this outline or the video “Jesus Christ Prays and Angels Minister to the Children” (Gospel Library) to help your children visualize the account in 3 Nephi 17. Consider reading phrases or verses from 3 Nephi 17 that emphasize the Savior’s love for the people (such as verses 7 and 20–25). Your children could then draw a picture of themselves with Jesus. As they do, help them think of ways that Jesus has shown His love for them.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17–19: “Behold, My Joy Is Full” Have the children draw a picture of themselves with Jesus on the last square.

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17–19:

Testify that Jesus loves children very much, and this is why He blessed them and prayed for them.
Invite the children to share how they might have felt if they were among the children whom the Savior blessed. If possible, show the video “My Joy Is Full” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to help them imagine this event. What did the Savior do to show His love? What can we do to prepare ourselves to be with Him when He comes again?

“Jesus Christ Blesses the Children” (June 2009 Friend)
A rebus story

Book of Mormon Coloring Book “Jesus Blessed the Children”

Friend September 2020 “Coloring Page”

Ensign October 2020 “Family Study Fun”

Read 3 Nephi 17:21–25 with your family, which describes the Savior ministering to people after His Resurrection. Talk about what it might have felt like to be there.

Draw or write these body parts on pieces of paper: hands, feet, knees, arms, eyes, and mouth. Pass them out to different family members.
Listen to “Had I Been a Child” from pages 80–81 of the Children’s Songbook
Whenever a body part is mentioned in the song, have the family member holding that paper lift it up for everyone to see.

The Red Crystal

“Had I Been A Child” Lyrics

1. Had I been a child when Jesus came Unto the Nephites that blessed day And showed them the wounds in his hands and his feet And knelt with them to pray.
2. Then he might have held me safe in his arms; He might have looked in my eyes and said A word, with his blessing of kindness and love, His hands placed upon my head.
3. Someday, when the Savior comes again, Oh, how I hope that my heart will be As pure as the hearts of the children that day Who gathered around his knee.

Discussion: Talk about how Jesus has a resurrected body and how one day we’ll have a resurrected body too. Jesus used His body to serve others. How can we serve others and show them love?

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17-19”

As you read this chapter as a family, consider pausing from time to time to invite your family to imagine experiencing these events firsthand. For example, you might ask questions like “What afflictions would you bring to the Savior to be healed?” “What would you want Him to pray for in your behalf?” or “What loved ones would you want Him to bless?” Reading this chapter may also inspire you to pray for your family members, one by one, as Jesus did.

More Ideas for “Jesus Loves Us” Here

Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites

3 Nephi 18-19

I can think about Jesus when I take the sacrament. As I take the sacrament, I can be filled with the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 18:1–12

Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 45: Jesus Christ Teaches about the Sacrament and Prayer” Video and Images

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “3 Nephi 17-19”

Perhaps you could invite your children to tell you what happens during the sacrament. Then you could read 3 Nephi 18:1–12 and ask your children to raise a hand (or stand up) when they hear something that is similar to what we do today. What does Jesus Christ want us to remember or think about during the sacrament? (see 3 Nephi 18:7, 11).

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17–19:

Hum, sing, or play a hymn or Primary song while the children color pictures that can help them remember the Savior during the sacrament (see this week’s activity page). Encourage them to look at these pictures to help them remember Jesus when they partake of the sacrament.

Sing together a song about reverence, such as “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, 26). How can reverently taking the sacrament help us feel the Spirit? How does it help us make righteous choices?

Friend May 2024 “Jesus Christ Blesses the Sacrament” In Remembrance of Him (Jesus Institutes the Sacrament) by Casey Childs

Lesson 36: Jesus Christ Gives the Sacrament to the Nephites

Friend October 2024 “A Reminder to Remember” Make this craft to help you remember Jesus Christ! In the white box, write some things you can do during the week to think of the Savior. Then cut on the dotted lines. Hang your goals on a doorknob where you’ll see them often to help you remember Him.

Friend October 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities” For younger children: Read the scripture 3 Nephi 18:7 out loud to your little ones. Tell them to put their hand on their heart every time you hear the word “remember.” Talk about how you can remember Jesus Christ.

Book of Mormon Coloring Book “Jesus Introduced the Sacrament to the Nephites”

Latter Day Kids “Come Follow Me: Renewing Our Covenants” Video and lesson ideas

Friend October 2020 “Come, Follow Me for Little Ones” Read 3 Nephi 18:6 together and help your little ones say, “The sacrament helps me remember Jesus.” Then help them make a booklet to remember Jesus during church. Staple folded pieces of paper together and fill them with gospel pictures or drawings. You could cut out pictures from Church magazines or print coloring pages at lessonhelps.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17-19”

What does it mean to be “filled” by partaking of the sacrament, and how do we experience it? What do we learn from verses 5–7 about why Jesus gave us the ordinance of the sacrament?

More Sacrament Ideas Here

Jesus teaches me how to pray. Praying will help me be close to Heavenly Father.

3 Nephi 18:15–24; 19:6–9, 15–36

Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 46: Jesus Christ Teaches and Prays with the Nephites” Video and Images

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “3 Nephi 17-19”

Singing together a song about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13), is a good way to help your children think about why we pray. (Invite the children to share what they learn about prayer from the song. Share your testimony of prayer.)

You and your children could then read 3 Nephi 18:18–21 and talk about what Jesus taught about prayer. (What do we learn from these verses about the purposes of prayer?) Inviting your children to tell you how they feel when they pray could help them share their testimony of prayer.

It may be fun for children to go on a hunt for some of the treasured blessings of prayer. You could write the following scripture references on pieces of paper and hide them: 3 Nephi 18:15; 3 Nephi 18:20; 3 Nephi 18:21; 3 Nephi 19:9; and 3 Nephi 19:23. Your children could then find the papers and read the verses, looking for things Jesus Christ or His disciples taught about prayer.

Friend October 2020 “Jesus Taught Us How to Pray”

Lesson 37: Jesus Christ Teaches the Nephites to Pray Lesson ideas

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “3 Nephi 17–19: “Behold, My Joy Is Full”

On the board, write I thank thee for _______. Give the children one minute to think of as many things as they can to fill in the blank. Why is it good for us to express gratitude to Heavenly Father? Then write I ask thee for on the board, and read together 3 Nephi 18:18–21 and 19:9, 23, looking for ideas about what we should pray for.

Ensign October 2020 “How can I pray as the Savior taught?” Christ visited the Nephites, He prayed with them 11 times. Through word and example, He taught them how they should pray.