Friend September 2024 “Cheering for Both Teams” Jayne wanted to win the family game, but her team was losing. Everyone was surprised when she got angry and didn’t want to play anymore. Her uncle told her that winning is everything and she should just try to have fun. She watched her uncle and she realized he was cheering for both teams. She decided to do that too. She could be happy for her family members even if she lost. She then discovered she was having fun.
Friend February 2016 & Friend March 2016 “Matt and Mandy” A really good player helps to beat Mandy’s soccer team. Mandy sees that player at church, but she doesn’t let competitive feelings interfere with being friends with the girl.
Friend February 2020 “Keep Going, Josie” Josie had been sick and was tired, but she needed to run in the big race with her teammates. She was worried about letting them down. In her first race, others kept passing her and she felt like giving up. But as her teammates passed her they encouraged her to keep going. Their words gave her strength and she was able to finish the race.
Mosiah CHAPTER 18 Alma preaches in private—He sets forth the covenant of baptism and baptizes at the waters of Mormon—He organizes the Church of Christ and ordains priests—They support themselves and teach the people—Alma and his people flee from King Noah into the wilderness. About 147–145 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 19 Gideon seeks to slay King Noah—The Lamanites invade the land—King Noah suffers death by fire—Limhi rules as a tributary monarch. About 145–121 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 20 Some Lamanite daughters are abducted by the priests of Noah—The Lamanites wage war upon Limhi and his people—The Lamanite hosts are repulsed and pacified. About 145–123 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 20 Some Lamanite daughters are abducted by the priests of Noah—The Lamanites wage war upon Limhi and his people—The Lamanite hosts are repulsed and pacified. About 145–123 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 21 Limhi’s people are smitten and defeated by the Lamanites—Limhi’s people meet Ammon and are converted—They tell Ammon of the twenty-four Jaredite plates. About 122–121 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 22 Plans are made for the people to escape from Lamanite bondage—The Lamanites are made drunk—The people escape, return to Zarahemla, and become subject to King Mosiah. About 121–120 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 23 Alma refuses to be king—He serves as high priest—The Lord chastens His people, and the Lamanites conquer the land of Helam—Amulon, leader of King Noah’s wicked priests, rules subject to the Lamanite monarch. About 145–121 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 24 Amulon persecutes Alma and his people—They are to be put to death if they pray—The Lord makes their burdens seem light—He delivers them from bondage, and they return to Zarahemla. About 145–120 B.C.
In the Book of Mormon, we learn about a prophet named Abinadi. God sent him to teach the wicked people of King Noah.
Abinadi told the king and his followers to repent and keep God’s commandments. They didn’t listen. They were angry with the prophet! They didn’t want to change.
But one person believed the prophet. His name was Alma. He decided to repent and leave the wicked king.
Alma wrote down what Abinadi had taught. He started teaching other people about the gospel.
I will listen to the prophet. Even if other people make bad choices, I can always choose to follow God.
Abinadi was a prophet. He taught people to believe in Jesus and to stop doing bad things. A wicked king named Noah was angry with Abinadi. Noah didn’t want to repent.
A man named Alma believed Abinadi. He ran away and hid from the angry king. He felt sorry for doing wrong things, and he repented, just like Abinadi had taught.
Many people came to hear Alma teach about Jesus Christ. Alma taught that if they repented and followed Jesus, they could be baptized.
The people clapped with joy. They promised to comfort others. They promised to love God and tell other people about Him. They were ready to be baptized.
One by one, Alma baptized the people. They were very happy to be part of Jesus’s Church. When we are baptized, we make the same promises that Alma’s people did. And we become part of Jesus’s Church too!
Give each child a copy of the nine-dot diagram, or draw it on the chalkboard. Tell the children that they are to connect all the dots by drawing four continuous straight lines without lifting the pencil off the paper or chalk off the chalkboard. After they have tried several solutions, show one child the correct solution without telling the others. Have that child show another child, and so on until all the children can connect the dots. Explain that when we learn something, we can help other people when we teach them what we know. When we learn about Heavenly Father, we can help other people by telling them about him. Primary 4 Manual “Lesson 11- Abinadi and King Noah”
There is a saying that you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples that come from one seed. Only one person was receptive to Abinadi’s testimony, but that one person—Alma—influenced generations of Nephites. Perhaps you could use a fruit with seeds to demonstrate this principle. What can we do to share our testimonies with others?(Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 18-24”)
One important way to help your children prepare for baptism is to teach them about the covenant they will make when they are baptized. This could be as simple as showing the picture at the end of this week’s outline and reading about the covenant with them in Mosiah 18:9–10. Consider inviting a child who has already been baptized to teach this to the younger children. Your children might enjoy hearing about your baptism. How has keeping your covenants with God blessed your life?
Primary 4 Manual “Lesson 12: Alma Baptizes at the Waters of Mormon” Display a key. Ask the children what a key is used for. You might have a child use the key to open a lock. Hold the paper key so the children cannot see the word Covenant, and tear it in half. Explain that a key would not work if you had only half of it. Turn the pieces of the key over to show the word Covenant. Ask the children if they know what this word means. Explain that in the gospel a covenant is a sacred agreement or promise between Heavenly Father and his children. When we keep our covenants with Heavenly Father, he will always fulfill his part. But if we do not keep our covenant promises, the covenant is broken. Keeping our baptismal covenants is a key to blessings and eternal life. Explain that eternal life is becoming like Heavenly Father and living with him forever.
Friend February 2019 “The Baptism Covenant” Cut out and mix up these cards. Then take turns matching cards that go together. With each match, talk about that part of the baptism covenant.
Older Kids: Give each child a piece of paper. Read together Mosiah 18:8–10, and invite the children to write or draw on one side of their paper the promises we make at baptism and, on the other side, the blessings Heavenly Father promises us. Let them share with the class what they find. As they share, ask questions like these: How can we “mourn with those that mourn”? What does it mean to be a witness of God “in all places”? (verse 9). What can we do to keep our covenants?
Primary 4 Manual “Lesson 12: Alma Baptizes at the Waters of Mormon” Ask a child to hold on one hand a moderately heavy book with his or her arm straight out while you talk to the class about the baptismal covenants. Ask the child holding the book if his or her arm is getting tired. Have another child help hold the book. Explain that one of the promises we make when we are baptized is to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light.” Discuss some burdens children their age might feel, such as being made fun of, being sick, having problems with family members, wanting to belong, or having difficulties in school. Ask the children how they can help make each other’s burdens lighter.
Fill a bag with heavy objects (to represent burdens), and invite a child to hold the bag. Explain that when we are sad, sick, or have other troubles, it can feel like carrying something heavy. Invite the children to take turns helping the child carry the bag so that it becomes lighter. Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 18-24”
They will promise to follow Heavenly Father and Jesus by comforting people who are sad. Share a story of how you or someone you know has kept these promises. (See also Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79; Carole M. Stephens, “We Have Great Reason to Rejoice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 115–17.)
Friend May 2020 “Doing What Jesus Would Do” When Julia heard that her friend’s beloved dog had died, she was sad. She wanted to do something to help her friend feel better, so she made her a care package. (Article also includes ideas for care packages.)
Friend February 2019 “Promise to Try” Tatsuki‘s teacher came to his house to talk to him about his upcoming baptism. He became concened when he learned about the covenants he would be making. He didn’t think he would be like Jesus every day. Then his mom reminded him of the kind things he had done and told him that he was following Jesus by doing those things. He also learned that he could repent and be forgiven if he made mistakes. He was then happy that he could be baptized and try to be like Jesus.
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For younger children: Ask your child one thing they love about each person in the family. Tell your child something they do that shows love to others!
Children who have been baptized could use frequent reminders about the covenants they made and renew each week with the sacrament. Perhaps your children could compare the baptismal covenant described in Mosiah 18:8–10 with the sacrament prayers (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79). How can we make the sacrament a special, reverent time, just like our baptisms were?
Friend May 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones: Joy in Baptism” Read Mosiah 18:10–11 about how Alma’s people clapped for joy when they learned about baptism. Find a picture of someone being baptized and point out what is happening in the scene. Then take turns hiding the picture and finding it. Whenever your child finds it, help them say, “I’m happy I can be baptized” and clap together for joy!
When I am baptized, I become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Do your children know what it means to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Consider helping them find pictures that represent things Church members did in Mosiah 18:17–28. For example, the pictures Ordination to the Priesthood and Payment of Tithing (Gospel Art Book, nos. 106, 113) might represent verses 18 and 27–28. Tell them why you are grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Sing with the children or read the words to “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77), and invite them to listen for things that we promise to do as members of the Church. Help them think of ways they can keep these promises.
Helping children feel “knit together in unity and in love” (Mosiah 18:21) helps them stay connected to the Church throughout their lives. Consider inviting your children to read Mosiah 18:17–28. What did members of Christ’s Church in Alma’s day do to love and serve one another? How can we do this in our ward, branch, or community? A song about love, such as “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140), could reinforce this message.
Friend May 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities: Hearts Knit in Unity” Alma taught us to have our “hearts knit together in unity and in love” (Mosiah 18:21). That means we should work together and show love to others. Make a string of hearts to remind you! Cut out some paper hearts and write a family member’s name on each one. Poke a hole in each heart and put a string through them so the hearts are connected. Hang up your string of hearts where you will see it often!
King Noah ruled a group of Nephites. He did many bad things, and some people were mad at him. A man named Gideon fought Noah with a sword. Noah ran away and climbed a tower. From the tower, he saw an army of Lamanites coming. Noah pretended he was afraid for his people, so Gideon let him live.
Noah and his people ran away. But the Lamanites chased them and began attacking them. Noah told the men to leave their families behind and go with him.
Some men left with Noah. But many of the men chose to stay with their families. Noah’s son Limhi also chose to stay.
Many daughters stood in front of the army and asked the Lamanites not to hurt their families. The Lamanites listened to the daughters and let the Nephites live. Instead, the Lamanites captured the Nephites.
The men who ran away wanted to go back to their families. Noah tried to stop them, so the men put him to death. Then they went back to their families.
The men were very happy that their families were safe. They told Gideon what happened to Noah.
The people chose Limhi to be their new king. Limhi promised the Lamanite king that they would pay the Lamanites half of everything they owned. In return, the Lamanite king promised he would not hurt Limhi’s people.
They lived in peace for several years. Then the Lamanites started to treat Limhi’s people badly. The people wanted to be free again. They tried to fight the Lamanites, but they lost. The people prayed to God for help.
One day, a Nephite named Ammon visited Limhi and his people. Ammon came from a land called Zarahemla. Limhi was happy to see Ammon.
Ammon could lead Limhi’s people to Zarahemla, but they had to escape from the Lamanites first. Gideon had a plan.
At night, Gideon gave the Lamanite guards extra wine to make them fall asleep. While the guards slept, Limhi and all of his people escaped the city.
They went to Zarahemla and joined the Nephites there. Limhi and his people learned more about God. They made a covenant, or special promise, to serve God and obey His commandments. They were baptized and became part of God’s Church. They remembered that God helped them escape from the Lamanites.
A simple object lesson can make learning more memorable. Consider filling a bag with heavy objects (to represent burdens) and inviting a child to hold the bag. As you read Mosiah 24:8–17 with your children, ask them to remove an item from the bag every time they hear about something Alma and his people did to seek God’s help with their burdens. You could then talk with them about how Heavenly Father can make our burdens lighter when we seek His help.
Help the children identify main events from the accounts of Limhi’s people in Mosiah 21:1–5, 13–16; and 22:1–11 and Alma’s people in Mosiah 24:8–22. Then ask each child to draw one of these events. Invite the children to put their drawings in the correct order to tell the story. As they do, emphasize that God helped the people bear their burdens.
Invite the children to read Mosiah 21:14–15 and 24:13–14. How did the Lord respond to the prayers of Limhi’s people and Alma’s people? Ask the children to share times when they prayed for help with a trial and Heavenly Father helped them, or share your own experience.
Mosiah CHAPTER 11 King Noah rules in wickedness—He revels in riotous living with his wives and concubines—Abinadi prophesies that the people will be taken into bondage—His life is sought by King Noah. About 160–150 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 12 Abinadi is imprisoned for prophesying the destruction of the people and the death of King Noah—The false priests quote the scriptures and pretend to keep the law of Moses—Abinadi begins to teach them the Ten Commandments. About 148 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 13 Abinadi is protected by divine power—He teaches the Ten Commandments—Salvation does not come by the law of Moses alone—God Himself will make an atonement and redeem His people. About 148 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 14 Isaiah speaks messianically—The Messiah’s humiliation and sufferings are set forth—He makes His soul an offering for sin and makes intercession for transgressors—Compare Isaiah 53. About 148 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 15 How Christ is both the Father and the Son—He will make intercession and bear the transgressions of His people—They and all the holy prophets are His seed—He brings to pass the Resurrection—Little children have eternal life. About 148 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 16 God redeems men from their lost and fallen state—Those who are carnal remain as though there were no redemption—Christ brings to pass a resurrection to endless life or to endless damnation. About 148 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 17 Alma believes and writes the words of Abinadi—Abinadi suffers death by fire—He prophesies disease and death by fire upon his murderers. About 148 B.C.
King Noah rules in wickedness. Abinadi preaches repentance.
Mosiah 11
Mosiah 12-13
We usually try to warn people we love about decisions that could bring pain and suffering. The Lord sent Abinadi with the message for King Noah and his people to repent and avoid the suffering that could come because of their sinful behaviors. (Book of Mormon Seminary Student Manual (2024)
I can stand for Jesus Christ, even when I stand alone.
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?)
Friend April 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” Try explaining why it’s important to you. Even if others don’t understand your reasons, ask them to be respectful.
Friend November 2015 Take turns acting out standing for truth using the provided scenarios. Link also includes other lesson ideas and a story.
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.
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).
King Noah’s priests knew the commandments but did not have them “written in [their] hearts” (Mosiah 13:11). How will you help your children know the commandments and love them? Maybe they could write the commandments from Mosiah 12:33–36 and 13:11–24 on heart-shaped pieces of paper. As they do, talk with them about what these commandments mean and how to follow them. How do we write these commandments in our hearts?
You could also sing together a song about commandments, such as “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47). What blessings come from keeping the commandments?
Friend May 2020 “My Family Night Fun” Print or draw some road signs that help you stay safe, like stop signs, speed limits, and other warnings. Take turns holding up the signs and having people follow them in pretend cars! What would driving be like without those signs?
Abinadi taught about the Ten Commandments (see Mosiah 13:12–24). How does following the commandments keep you safe and happy?
King Noah’s priests knew the commandments but did not follow them.
Show a picture of Moses with the Ten Commandments and briefly explain how Moses received the commandments from God (see Exodus 19–20).Then show a picture of Abinadi (see this week’s outline. Abinadi reminded King Noah and his priests about the Ten Commandments.
Give the children heart-shaped pieces of paper, and invite them to write one or more of the Ten Commandments on their hearts (see Mosiah 13:11)—perhaps one they feel they should try harder to obey. Assign each child to read one of the commandments in Mosiah 12:35 and 13:11–24. Help the children think of creative ways to help each other remember each commandment (such as a rhyming phrase, an action, or an acronym). The song “The Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 112–13) can also help.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 11-17” Share with the children some of the things Abinadi taught about Jesus Christ in Mosiah 14:5 and 15:7–9. Help the children understand that Abinadi wanted King Noah and his people to follow Jesus so they could be happy. In our day, living prophets teach us about the Savior. Watch the below video. (Start at 5:20 for a shorter version.)
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 11-17”Show or draw pictures of chains, a jail, and a fire. Teach the children that Abinadi was willing to be tied up, put in jail, and even burned by fire to share his testimony of Jesus Christ. Even though we will probably never face these dangers, how can we be courageous like Abinadi in sharing our testimonies with both our words and our choices?
Though it’s a short chapter, Mosiah 14 has several words and phrases that describe Jesus Christ. Maybe you and your children could list them as you read the chapter together. Then you could talk about how you feel about the Savior as you study these words and phrases.
To teach about Jesus Christ, Abinadi quoted the prophet Isaiah, who compared us to lost sheep. Perhaps your children could share experiences when they lost something or were lost themselves. How did they feel? What did they do? Then you could read together Mosiah 14:6 and 16:4–9. How are we like sheep who wander from God? How does Jesus Christ help us come back?
The Red Crystal After teaching this principal, think it would be fun for the students to find their sheep with their names on it. Prep them if they find someone else’s sheep to not say anything, but keep looking.
Read together Mosiah 14:6 and 16:4–9. How do we sometimes go “astray” from God? How does Jesus Christ help us come back?
Invite the children to imagine a herd of sheep. What are some reasons one of the sheep might get lost? List their answers on the board. How are we like sheep who wander? How might Heavenly Father feel when we are “found” through repentance and the Savior’s Atonement? (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–13). Share your testimony of the Savior and of repentance.
Jesus Christ is also the Father in the sense that when we accept His redemption, we become “his seed” and “heirs of the kingdom of God” (Mosiah 15:11–12). In other words, we become spiritually reborn through Him (see Mosiah 5:7).
A father is someone who gives life. Jesus Christ is like a father to us because He can give us immortality and eternal life.
These verses describe what would happen to God’s children if Jesus had “not come into the world” (Mosiah 16:6) or if they did not follow Him. What are the good things that have happened because He came and atoned for us? See also the video “Why We Need a Savior” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Mosiah 16
Jesus is a light that can never darkened
Friend May 2024 “Come, Follow Me Activities” Abinadi taught that Jesus Christ is “a light that is endless, that can never be darkened” (Mosiah 16:9). Hide an object in the house. Turn off the lights and have everyone try to find it in the dark. Then hide the object and try to find it with the lights on or with flashlights. Which way was easier? How does Jesus help us like the light helped you?
For younger children: Sing “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11) with your kids. Every time you sing the word prophet, point to a picture of the prophet.
Large fires can start from a single spark. Abinadi was only one man testifying against a powerful king and his court. His words were rejected for the most part, and he was sentenced to death. Yet his testimony of Jesus Christ, who is the “light … that can never be darkened” (Mosiah 16:9), sparked something inside the young priest Alma. And that spark of conversion slowly grew as Alma brought many others to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The flames that killed Abinadi eventually died out, but the fire of faith that his words created would have a lasting influence on the Nephites—and on people who read his words today. Most of us will never face quite what Abinadi did because of our testimonies, but we all have moments when following Jesus Christ is a test of our courage and faith. Perhaps studying Abinadi’s testimony will fan the flames of testimony and courage in your heart as well.
Invite the children to draw pictures of different parts of the account of Abinadi, King Noah, and Alma found in Mosiah 11–13 and 17. Help them use their pictures to retell the story.
Primary 4 Manual “Lesson 11- Abinadi and King Noah” Put the following objects in a sack or bag. Have each child pick one of the objects and have them explain what it represents when you come to that part of the story.
A paper mustache (see the illustration at the end of the lesson) A flashlight or lightbulb A paper replica of the Ten Commandments (see the illustration at the end of the lesson) A picture of Christ A piece of rope or string A match
Have the children take the parts of the characters in the story of Abinadi and King Noah, and have a reporter interview them. Make a list of questions for the reporter to ask the characters, such as:
Reporter to Noah:
How did you pay for your fancy buildings?
Reporter to priests:
Why are you holding Abinadi prisoner?
Reporter to Alma:
What do you think about the teachings of Abinadi?
Reporter to Abinadi:
Why do these people want to kill you? Why won’t you deny what you have said to these people?
Mosiah CHAPTER 7 Ammon finds the land of Lehi-Nephi, where Limhi is king—Limhi’s people are in bondage to the Lamanites—Limhi recounts their history—A prophet (Abinadi) had testified that Christ is the God and Father of all things—Those who sow filthiness reap the whirlwind, and those who put their trust in the Lord will be delivered. About 121 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 8 Ammon teaches the people of Limhi—He learns of the twenty-four Jaredite plates—Ancient records can be translated by seers—No gift is greater than seership. About 121 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 9 Zeniff leads a group from Zarahemla to possess the land of Lehi-Nephi—The Lamanite king permits them to inherit the land—There is war between the Lamanites and Zeniff’s people. About 200–187 B.C.
Mosiah CHAPTER 10 King Laman dies—His people are wild and ferocious and believe in false traditions—Zeniff and his people prevail against them. About 187–160 B.C.
While King Mosiah’s people were enjoying “continual peace” in Zarahemla (Mosiah 7:1), their thoughts turned to another group of Nephites, who many years before had left to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi. Generations had passed, and Mosiah’s people had heard nothing from them. So Mosiah asked Ammon to lead a search party to find the Nephites who had left. The search party found that the Nephites, “because of iniquity” (Mosiah 7:24), were in captivity to the Lamanites. But with the arrival of Ammon and his brethren, suddenly there was hope for deliverance. (Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 7-10”)
Ammon searches for people of Limhi
Mosiah 7
One day King Limhi saw some strangers outside the city. He had them put in prison. The strangers were Nephites from Zarahemla.
Their leader was named Ammon. King Limhi was happy to see him. He knew that Ammon could help his people escape from the Lamanites.
King Limhi called his people together. He reminded them that their wickedness was the reason they were being held by the Lamanites.
He told his people to repent, trust God, and obey the commandments. Then God would help them escape.
God helped people in the scriptures, and He can help me.
Explain that King Limhi’s people were in trouble, so he shared a story to help them have faith. Read Mosiah 7:19 to the children, see “The Passover” and “The Israelites in the Wilderness” and Moses Parting the Red Sea, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Maybe your children would like to act them out. How did the Lord help the people in these stories? How can He help us?
For more examples of how the Lord helps us, select some verses of “Book of Mormon Stories” or “Nephi’s Courage” (Children’s Songbook, 118–19, 120–21) to sing with your children. Help them identify how the Lord helped people in the Book of Mormon—and how He can help us.
How did the people in these stories show that they trusted in God? How did the Lord help these people?
What stories from our lives or our ancestors’ lives can we share to inspire greater trust in God?
Friend April 2020 “Family Night Fun”Heroes with God’s Help: Make your own faith hero cards! Draw pictures of people in the scriptures who did something hard with God’s help. On one of your hero cards, draw a picture of yourself. What hard things can you do with God’s help?
Read Mosiah 7:33 to the children, and help them understand what the verse teaches us to do to receive help from the Lord. Help the children think of actions to represent these things, and repeat the verse while they do the actions. What are some things we need help with? How can we show that we trust the Lord? Share an experience when you trusted the Lord and He helped you.
Invite three children to write a trial or challenge they face on the board. Ask a child to read Mosiah 7:33, and encourage the other children to erase one of the trials or challenges each time they hear something they can do to receive the Lord’s help. How can trusting in the Lord help us overcome our challenges?
In Mosiah 7, Limhi reminds his people of instances when God has delivered groups out of physical bondage. Likewise, the Lord is willing and able to deliver us from spiritual bondage.
On strips of paper, write the tools that Satan uses to keep us in spiritual bondage (pornography, alcohol, immorality, and so on).
Connect the paper strips to make a paper chain.
Bind someone’s wrists with the paper chain.
Read Mosiah 7:33 aloud. As you discuss ways we can turn to the Lord, trust Him, and serve Him, break the chain to represent how the Lord can deliver us.
Discussion: What does it mean to “turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart”? How do we “serve him with all diligence of mind”?
Limhi and his people want to escape bondage so they sought help from the Nephites in the Land of Zarahemla. Limhi sent a group of people to the land of Zarahemla to try to get help, but they lost their way. They traveled far past the land of Zarahemla and found some ruins of a large civilization. They found bones, armor, and 24 gold plates with engravings in an unfamiliar language in the ruins. This group came back to show King Limhi what they found.
One way to teach about seers is to compare them to things that help us see better, like glasses, binoculars, or a microscope. [Show the children how to hold their hands up to their eyes as if they were looking through glasses or binoculars. Read Mosiah 8:17, ask the children to put on their “glasses” each time they hear the word “seer.”] (see also Moses 6:35–36). Talk with them about things that the Lord helps prophets “see” that we can’t. What have our prophets or seers, such as Joseph Smith, revealed to us?
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “Mosiah 7-10” Show the children pictures of tools that help us see things we couldn’t otherwise see, such as binoculars, a telescope, or a microscope. How are these tools like a seer? (see Moses 6:35–36). What can seers see that we do not? Explain that God has given us prophets and that one of the roles of a prophet is to be a “seer” because he can “see” things to come. Share some examples of things that prophets have seen and revealed to us (including the scriptures), or share an example of when a prophet was acting as a seer (such as 1 Nephi 11:20–21).
After reading Mosiah 8:16–18 with your children, you could help them think of ways to complete a sentence like A seer is like a … who helps us … . For example, a seer is like a traffic sign who points us to Jesus.
Show a short clip of a recent conference message from the President of the Church (or show a picture of him and read something he has taught). Bear your testimony that he is a prophet, seer, and revelator.
In our day, “the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators” (Bible Dictionary, “Seer”). You might show pictures of our living prophets, seers, and revelators. You might show pictures of our living prophets, seers, and revelators and ask your family what they know about them. How are we following them?
You could also make paper footprints and invite your children to draw pictures on them of things that prophets, seers, and revelators have counseled us to do. Place the footprints in a path around the room, and let your children walk on these footprints. How can a seer be “a great benefit” to us? (see Mosiah 8:17–18).
For younger children: Sing “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11) with your kids. Every time you sing the word prophet, point to a picture of the prophet.
Pick a phrase from Mosiah 8:16–17, and write it on the board, replacing each word with a made-up symbol. Give the children a list of the symbols and the words they represent, and let them decode or “translate” the phrase as seers do. What are some other ways that prophets, seers, and revelators are “a great benefit” to us? (Mosiah 8:18).
Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and ask the children to describe what they see. Explain that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a seer. What evidence do we have that Joseph Smith was a seer? The Lord gave him tools called the Urim and Thummim and a seer stone to use in translating the Book of Mormon.
Zeniff leads a group to the land of Lehi-Nephi
Mosiah 9-10
King Limhi brought forth the records of what had transpired with his people from the time Zeniff left Zarahemla to their current time.
Zeniff admitted that he had made mistakes. He was overzealous at times, and he had put his people—the ancestors of Limhi’s people—in a difficult situation by making an ill-advised agreement with King Laman. But later, when he went to battle against the Lamanites, he helped his people face their challenges with faith. As you read Mosiah 9–10, look for what Zeniff’s people did to show their faith. How did God strengthen them? What does it mean to you to go forth “in the strength of the Lord”? (Mosiah 9:17; 10:10–11).
When children face challenges, they sometimes feel weak and helpless. How will you help your children rely on the Lord’s strength? You could ask them what we do to become physically strong. What does it mean to have “the strength of men”? (see Mosiah 10:11). What does it mean to have “the strength of the Lord”? (see Mosiah 9:17–18; 10:10). How do we receive the strength of the Lord? Your children could draw a picture of things that help them receive the strength of the Lord.
Friend April 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Mosiah 9:17–18 together and help your little ones say, “God will help me be strong.” Set out objects of different weights and have your children try to lift each one. Then show them that with your help, they can lift so much more! Testify that God will help us be strong enough to do hard things when we trust Him.
According to Mosiah 10:11–17, how did the actions and attitudes of the Lamanites’ ancestors prevent the Lamanites from knowing the truth? How did the choices of the Lamanites’ ancestors affect future generations?
Friend April 2021 “Matt and Mandy” Matt and Mandy and their parents discuss sustaining during conference. They also discuss how they can know that the prophet is called of God like the fifth Article of Faith states.
Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, is a choice and goodly person—He is sent to seek his father’s asses—The Lord reveals to Samuel the seer that Saul is to be king—Saul goes to Samuel and is entertained by him.).
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18” The accounts of God choosing Saul and David to be kings can help your class understand how people are called to serve in the Church today. These accounts can build faith that callings come from God through His authorized servants.
On separate strips of paper, write the following statements and scriptures: the people wanted a king (1 Samuel 8:6); the Lord told Samuel that Saul would be king (1 Samuel 9:15–17); Samuel anointed Saul (1 Samuel 10:1); Samuel presented Saul to the people (1 Samuel 10:24). Ask the children to read the scripture passages and put them in the correct order.
Learn together the fifth article of faith. Briefly tell the children how you received your calling to teach in Primary. How do you know that you were called of God? Testify that God inspires leaders to call people to serve.
“Article of Faith 5” (May 2011 Friend) Number pictures relating to how a person receives a calling in the right order.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ cleanses me and helps perfect me.
Watch this video to learn about the Atonement.
It could be said that the Book of Mormon is largely an account of people who changed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Activity
Divide into three groups and give each group one of the scriptures below to read (or read or watch the illustrated Book of Mormon StoriesEnos,Alma the Younger, Anti-Nephi, Lehies. Have each group share how that person or group changed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
In addition to suffering for our sins, the Savior also suffered our pains, sicknesses, and other infirmities so He would know how to comfort us.
Activity
Read the scriptures below and have the children list the things that Jesus suffered in the blue box below. (It will open in a new tab.)
Mosiah 3:7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
Mosiah 15:5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.
Alma 7:11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Invite them to think of times when they have felt some of these things.
According to Alma 7:12, why did Jesus suffer all of this?
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
What does succor mean? (Give assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.)
Enos CHAPTER 1 Enos prays mightily and gains a remission of his sins—The voice of the Lord comes into his mind, promising salvation for the Lamanites in a future day—The Nephites sought to reclaim the Lamanites—Enos rejoices in his Redeemer. About 420 B.C.
How can you help your children make their prayers more meaningful? Consider showing them a picture of Enos praying; let them describe what they see. They could then close their eyes and imagine they are talking to Heavenly Father face-to-face. What would they like to talk about? What might He want to say to them? [Invite the children to think about talking face-to-face with Heavenly Father each time they pray.]
As you read aloud Enos 1:1–5, younger children could pretend to be Enos by acting out hunting, kneeling to pray, and so on. Older children could listen for a word or phrase that describes Enos’s prayers. What do these words tell us about Enos’s prayers? Share an experience when your soul “hungered” and you “cried unto” the Lord (Enos 1:4).
How can you help your children understand that Heavenly Father will hear and answer their prayers? Consider inviting them to list some things they typically pray for. Then you could help them find what Enos prayed for in Enos 1:2, 9, 13–14, and 16 (see also “Chapter 11: Enos,” Book of Mormon Stories, 30–31). [Discuss how the children can follow Enos’s example in their prayers; for instance, you could talk about why Enos was willing to pray for the Lamanites—who were his enemies—and invite the children to pray this week for someone who has been unkind to them. Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Enos-Words of Mormon”]
Discuss some modern equivalents of each of these (forgiveness; family, ward members, and the bishop; bullies at school; understanding the scriptures; and so on.)
Kneel together and see if you can give a thoughtful, meaningful prayer for all that you identified.
Discussion: Why are our prayers more meaningful when we are more specific in our expressions? What else can you do to make your family and personal prayers more thoughtful?
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Enos-Words of Mormon”Sing together a song about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13). Perhaps your children could raise their hands every time they hear the word “pray” or “prayer” or another repeated word. Tell your children about some of the ways that Heavenly Father has answered your prayers.
Friend March 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Enos 1:4–5 together and help your little ones say, “I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.” You could use five fingers to review the parts of prayer: 1) start with “Dear Heavenly Father,” 2) thank Him for blessings, 3) tell Him about your day, 4) ask Him for what you and others need, 5) end “in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” Or create actions for the rhyme, “I close my eyes. I bow my head. I listen while a prayer is said.”
Primary 4 Book of Mormon: Lesson 9 “Enos Prays”Tell the following riddle, and ask the children to raise their hands when they know the answer.
I am not a person, place, or object.
I can be so quiet that no one else can hear, or loud enough that everyone in the room can hear.
I can be used when you are alone or in a group.
I am used any time, any place, under any circumstance.
I am used for gratitude, guidance, comfort, forgiveness, protection, help, good health, or for any other blessing you need for yourself or for someone else.
You use me to talk with Heavenly Father.
What am I?
Write the children’s responses on the chalkboard. When they recognize that the correct answer is prayer, ask if they have any questions about prayer. Summarize their questions on the chalkboard, and ask the children to listen for answers as you share the story of Enos. At the end of the story, refer back to the questions and discuss them.
Before dying, Jarom delivered the plates into the hands of his son Omni (Jarom 1:15), who then passed them on to his son Amaron. Amaron tells that the more wicked part of the Nephites had been destroyed. (Omni 1:5)
6 For the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of the land of Jerusalem and kept and preserved them from falling into the hands of their enemies, yea, he would not suffer that the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall not prosper in the land.
7 Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment; nevertheless, he did spare the righteous that they should not perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
After Amaron, the record continued to be passed down from father to son, Amaron to Chemish to Abinadom to Amaleki.
Amaleki tells of a man called Mosiah, “he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him, into the wilderness
14 And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla.
Book of Mormon Stories “Mosiah and Zeniff” The Nephites and Lamanites had many wars. One day, the Lord told a Nephite named Mosiah to leave the land of Nephi with anyone who would follow the Lord.
Many Nephites obeyed the Lord and left with Mosiah. The Lord led them to a land that had people living in it. They were called the people of Zarahemla.
The people of Zarahemla also came from Jerusalem long ago. They were happy the Lord sent the Nephites with the brass plates. Mosiah’s people joined the people of Zarahemla. All the people chose Mosiah as their king. He taught them about the Lord.
Who were the people of Zarahemla?
15 Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla were led by God out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon. Among that group was Mulek, one of the sons of Zedekiah.
After the people of Zarahemla arrived in the promised land, they met Coriantumr (see Omni 1:21), the last known survivor of the Jaredites, whose story is told in the book of Ether.
Because Amaleki did not have any children Amaleki gave the plates to King Benjamin. Amaleki concluded his record in about 130B.C., about 470 years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.
As a historical account, the book serves as a bridge between the small plates of Nephi (1 Nephi–Omni) and Mormon’s abridgment of the large plates of Nephi (Mosiah–4 Nephi).
I can bless others when I listen to the Holy Ghost.
As Nephi was writing the record of his people, God directed him to create two sets of plates, called the small plates and the large plates of Nephi. Nephi didn’t know why he was commanded to create two sets of plates, but he trusted that the Lord had “a wise purpose … , which purpose I know not” (1 Nephi 9:5
Centuries later, as Mormon was abridging Nephi’s large plates, he came across the small plates. The small plates covered many of the same events described in the large plates that Mormon had already abridged, but the small plates focused more on spiritual matters and the ministry and teachings of the prophets. God inspired Mormon to include the small plates of Nephi in his record in addition to the large plates.
Like Nephi, Mormon didn’t understand God’s purpose for having both sets of plates, but he trusted that it was “for a wise purpose” (Words of Mormon 1:7).
Today we know what God’s purpose was. In 1828, after Joseph Smith had translated part of Mormon’s abridgment of Nephi’s large plates (116 manuscript pages), Martin Harris lost those pages. God commanded Joseph not to retranslate this portion because evil men would change the words and try to discredit Joseph (see Doctrine and Covenants 10, section heading; Doctrine and Covenants 10:14–19, 30–45).
Video and Images from Doctrine and Covenants Stories
Thankfully, God had foreseen this and provided the small plates, which covered the same history that was lost with the 116 pages. The small plates compose the books that come before Words of Mormon, and Mormon’s abridgment of the large plates begins after the Words of Mormon.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Enos-Words of Mormon” Mormon followed the guidance of the Holy Ghost to include the small plates of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Everything we’ve studied in the Book of Mormon so far this year has come to us because Mormon made the choice to listen to the Spirit. How can you help your children learn about listening to the Spirit? Invite them to take turns reading the verses from Words of Mormon 1:3–8. You could talk about what they learn from each verse. Your children could then:
Invite the children to share stories they have learned from the Book of Mormon so far this year (pictures from the Gospel Art Book may help them remember). Explain that we have these stories in the Book of Mormon because Mormon listened when the Holy Ghost told him to include them.
Sing together a song about the Holy Ghost, such as “The Still Small Voice” (Children’s Songbook, 106–7).( Sing it several times in different ways, such as fast, slow, or in a whisper. When you whisper the song, open to Words of Mormon 1:7, and point out that Mormon described the Holy Ghost as a whisper.)
Come Follow Me Kid Hidden Candy- Hide a piece of candy somewhere in the room. Blindfold one person and assign another person to act as the “still small voice.” Have the rest of the family talk loudly while the blindfolded person tries to hear the still small voice’s whispered directions to where the candy is. Talk about how we’re blessed when we listen for the Holy Ghost and heed the Holy Ghost’s promptings. Point out how Words of Mormon 1: 7 explains the Spirit as something that whispers to us. Encourage family members to try to hear the quiet promptings from the Spirit each day.
Share an experience when you followed a prompting from the Holy Ghost (or share the story below). How did your actions bless others? Explain that Heavenly Father wants us to help and bless others, so He sends the Holy Ghost to guide us.
Friend March 2020 “Check the Kittens” After everyone has gone to bed, a girl kept having the thought to go and check on their kittens. She acted on the prompting and found that a warming light had fallen over onto the kittens cardboard box and would have caught on fire. The Holy Ghost helped keep their family and kittens safe.
People in the Book of Mormon wrote their family history on the plates (see Omni 1:1). You can write your family history too! Write your name on a strip of paper. Tape or glue the ends together to make a ring. Then write the name of a family member on another paper and loop it through the ring. Tape or glue the ends together. Add as many family links as you can!
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.
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 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.
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
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?”
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.
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.)
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.
Symbol
Meaning
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.
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?
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?’
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).
“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.
Open the Family Tree app on your phone (or go to FamilySearch.org).
Select “Temple.” If you don’t already have a name prepared for the temple, select “Ordinances Ready.”
Choose the ordinance you’d like to perform, and the names of any ancestors who need that ordinance will appear.
Create a bar code to print the names at the temple or print them at home.
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”
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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)
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.
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)
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.
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?
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.
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?
For other comparisons to teach your children about unshakable faith in Jesus Christ, see Neil L. Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 18–21; and the video “Spiritual Whirlwinds“) or “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (Children’s Songbook, 281; see also Matthew 7:24–27).
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?
All the Prophets Taught of Christ Jacob 4:4For, 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?
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.
Place a bucket or sturdy bowl in the backyard.
Take turns tossing a ball into the bucket, standing a short distance away.
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 herefor teaching ideas, sing-along videos, and visual aid ideas.
