1994
Christmas in the Americas
December 1994

“Christmas in the Americas,” Friend, Dec. 1994, 32–33

Christmas in the Americas

Then cometh the Son of God (Hel. 14:2).

Instructions: Mount pages 32 and 33 on lightweight cardboard. Carefully cut around the drawings on the solid lines. Lay the pages flat on a table and fold up the pictures on the broken lines to make creases, then fold them down flat again. As someone tells the story of Christmas as found in the Book of Mormon, fold up the appropriate pictures.

Image
Paper cut outs

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki

  1. The people in the land of Zarahemla had become very wicked. (See Hel. 13:1.)

  2. A Lamanite prophet, Samuel, came and warned the people that if they did not they would be destroyed. (See Hel. 13:5–6.)

  3. He told them that they could be forgiven of their sins, if they repented, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who would soon be born. (See Hel. 14:2, 13.)

  4. Samuel prophesied that Jesus Christ would be born in five years, that on the night before His birth great lights would appear in the heavens, that there would be a day and a night and a day without darkness, and that a new star would appear—“such an one as ye never have beheld.” (See Hel. 14:3–6.)

  5. Those who believed the words of Samuel and repented were baptized by Nephi, a righteous man who lived in the land of Zarahemla. (See Hel. 16:1.)

  6. But many people in Zarahemla hardened their hearts and would not repent. (See Hel. 16:2.)

  7. When it neared the time for Samuel’s prophecy to be fulfilled, the unrighteous people set a date, saying that if the signs hadn’t appeared by then, all those who believed the prophecies would be put to death. (See 3 Ne. 1:9.)

  8. That day, Nephi, the son of the Nephi who had baptized many of the people, prayed to the Lord for them all day. (See 3 Ne. 1:2, 10–12.)

  9. Nephi was promised by the Lord that the signs of His birth would be fulfilled that night. When the sun went down that evening, there was no darkness, and a new star appeared in the heavens. The righteous, and even many of the wicked, knew that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would be born the following day. (See 3 Ne. 1:12–21.)

  10. “And thus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringing glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which did come to pass, according to the words of the prophecy of all the holy prophets.” (See 3 Ne. 1:26.)