Purpose
To encourage each child to seek the peace and happiness that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Preparation
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Prayerfully study 3 Nephi 28:1–16, 23–40 and 4 Nephi. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)
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Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
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Materials needed:
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A Book of Mormon for each child.
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Suggested Lesson Development
Invite a child to give the opening prayer.
Enrichment Activities
You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.
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Prepare wordstrips of these phrases from 4 Nephi 1:2–3, 5, 15–17:
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“Every man did deal justly one with another.”
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“They had all things common among them.”
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“All manner of miracles did they work.”
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“There was no contention in the land.”
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“The love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people.”
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“There were no envyings.”
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“There were no … tumults [rioting].”
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“There were no … lyings.”
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“There were no robbers.”
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“There were … [no] murderers.”
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“They were in one, the children of Christ.”
Put the wordstrips in a container, and let each child draw one out and display it. These phrases from 4 Nephi explain why the people were living in peace and happiness.
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Read and discuss the following statement from President Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteenth President of the Church:
“The Lord warns us in the Doctrine and Covenants, ‘Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old’ (D&C 38:39)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, p. 3; or Ensign, May 1989, p. 4). President Benson taught us that we can overcome pride in our lives and be humble, meek, and submissive by—
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Loving Heavenly Father and putting him first in our lives.
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Not worrying about what others think of us but only what Heavenly Father thinks of us.
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Not gossiping or criticizing.
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Not envying or living beyond our means.
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Not arguing or fighting in our families.
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Helping others feel good about themselves.
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Accepting counsel from our leaders.
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Forgiving those who have offended us.
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Being unselfish.
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Serving others.
These statements could be prepared as wordstrips and placed in a sack. The children could each draw out one wordstrip and discuss how that principle can help us overcome pride in our families.
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Read, discuss, and help the children memorize part or all of 4 Nephi 1:15–16.
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Have the children role-play real-life situations where there is contention. Have the children role-play what the situation would be like if they were living in the Nephite society with “no contention.” (Suggestions: two children both want to be first in line, two sisters both want to play with the same toy, and so on.)
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Read and discuss the following statement from Elder Marvin J. Ashton:
“‘How can you tell if someone is converted to Jesus Christ?’ … ‘The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1992, p. 25; or Ensign, May 1992, p. 20).
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Help the children memorize the thirteenth article of faith. Discuss how it applies to the way the Nephites lived after Jesus Christ visited them and how we can live now.
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Read and discuss Doctrine and Covenants 19:23.
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Sing or read the words to “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, p. 74) or “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, p. 146).