Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 39

Introduction

Show the video presentation “My Joy Is Full.”  Invite class members to consider the following questions:

Opening scene

Imagine you’re just off camera in the multitude.  What are you thinking and feeling?

Ordination of the Twelve Disciples

As a Nephite, what does the ordination of these disciples mean to you?

Healing of the man with the withered hand

What does the man’s hand represent?  What will be the result of his healing?

Healing the blind woman

What does the woman’s blindness represent?  Who is blessed as a result of this miracle?

Blessing the children

I imagine my children running joyfully to the Savior.  I love the look of relaxed comfort on the face of the actor who portrays Jesus in this segment.  Remember the Savior earlier that day had admonished the Nephites, “ye must … become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 11:38).

 

Throughout this lesson, keep a prayer in your heart asking for the Holy Ghost to teach you what you can do in your life to apply these wonderful teachings of the Savior.

Jesus commands the people to ponder

Jesus announced that he needed to leave the Nephites for a time.  Before he left, he counseled the people in 3 Nephi 17:2-3. 

• What does it mean to ponder?
• Read quote by Elder Wirthlin:

“Pondering, which means to weigh mentally, to deliberate, to meditate, can achieve the opening of the spiritual eyes of one’s understanding. Also, the Spirit of the Lord may rest upon the ponderer” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1982, 33; or Ensign, May 1982, 23).

• How and when can we prepare our minds to be taught the truth?

Jesus administers the sacrament

Read 3 Nephi 18:7, 10–11 and look for answers to the following questions:

• What do we promise by taking the sacrament?
• What is promised to us as we worthily partake of the sacrament?
• Note that the promise that we can always have Jesus’ spirit to be with us when we remember him is a self-reinforcing cycle.  The Spirit helps us remember Jesus, which further invites his Spirit to be with us, which strengthens our remembrance of Jesus…

Meaning of the bread

The bread represents Jesus’ body.  The body represents our mortality and our ability to act.  In Alma 5:15, Alma talks about the deeds done in the mortal body.  As we remember Jesus’ body, we remember his acts of service and the deeds he did in mortality, and are invited to follow his example.  His final act in mortality leads to our remembrance of his blood.

Meaning of the water

The water represents Jesus’ blood.  Blood is a symbol of life and of death.  Our remembrance of Jesus’ blood reminds us that he willingly died for us.  Read Leviticus 17:11.  As we partake of the water and remember the death of Jesus, we recommit to accept his atonement, repent of our sins, and strive to follow Jesus in all things.

Jesus teaches the people to pray

Just before ascending to his Father, Jesus counseled the people in 3 Nephi 18:21 to pray in their families.  What blessings come to your family as you faithfully pray in your families?

 

• In 3 Nephi 19:13 the disciples were baptized and received the Holy Ghost.  Immediately thereafter the Savior appeared and began to minister to them again, as he had promised to do. 
• Read 3 Nephi 19:15-18.  What did Jesus do?  He went a little way off and prayed too.  Compare this event with the events in Gethsemane as recorded in Matthew 26:36-46. 
• What did Jesus pray for?  Read 3 Nephi 19:19-23.  Compare this prayer with Jesus’ intercessory prayer as recorded in John 17.
• I find it interesting that in both the Book of Mormon when Jesus appeared to the Nephites and in the events at Gethsemane as recorded in the New Testament, Jesus commanded those who were with him to pray.  He went a little way off and prayed to his Father.  He came back three times in both cases.  And because of the great faith of the Nephites, they were blessed beyond measure.  Read 3 Nephi 19:30-36.

Conclusion

As we remember the Savior in all we do and pray in our families with real intent, we can have the great blessings promised to us.  Finish by reading 3 Nephi 19:21, 23 and 28, in which Jesus prays for us!

Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 38

Introduction

Jesus commanded the Nephites in the last verse of 3 Nephi 12 to be perfect as He is perfect.  The message he delivered to the Nephites in 3 Nephi 12-15 includes counsel to help us reach this goal.  As we read these verses, pay attention to the whispering of the Spirit for ways you can apply these teachings and be perfect too.

Jesus teaches the Beatitudes

Jesus taught us to be perfect, even has He is perfect.  In the Beatitudes as taught to the Jews in Matthew 5 and to the Nephites in 3 Nephi 12, He describes his own perfect character.  These are the Christ-like qualities we should emulate in our lives.  (Review the “blessed” qualities, then ask what areas are most meaningful or challenging for class members.  Because there is so much material in this lesson, focus just on those parts that are most meaningful to the class members.)

• Poor in spirit – What does this mean?  Emphasize the phrase “who come unto me.”  What good is our poverty if we don’t go to the source of all wealth for relief?  When I recognize I am poor in money, what do I want more of?  I become creative and resourceful to get it!  Same applies to being poor in Spirit.
• Mourn
• Why might we mourn?
• Sin – this is good, because it helps us repent
• Personal loss – This life is a time of proving, but God does not leave us comfortless.  In fact, that is one of the roles of the Holy Ghost (John 14:26-27).
• Sorrow for others – God feels this too for the choices others make.
• Psychologists say that mourning is a step in the healing process.
• Meek – these people inherit the earth!  Compare to today’s political leaders who don’t seem to be very meek.
• How do we develop meekness?  Mosiah 3:19 and Alma 13:28 – We must yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost.  The companionship of the Holy Ghost is what’s promised to those in the next verse.
• Hunger and thirst – We will be filled with the Holy Ghost as we truly desire righteousness.  How does the Holy Ghost help us be righteous?
• Merciful
• As part of sequential progression, as we are filled after hungering, we recognize what a great blessing this is and have compassion on those who still hunger, whether or not they realize it.
• Mercy is a fundamental requirement and attribute of God’s Plan of Salvation, aka the Merciful Plan of Our Great Creator.
• Pure in heart
• What does this mean?  We want the right things for the right reasons.  We are becoming like God (see Moroni 8:48). 
• How does this happen?  See Helaman 3:35.
• Peacemakers – As we become like God, we understand our relationship with him, and by extension, our relationship with our brothers and sisters.  We truly want everyone to live together in peace.  How can we promote this?
• Persecution
• Verse 10 focuses on the general “blessed are they” and then verses 11 and 12 change to “blessed are ye.”
• Why does persecution come?  Because Satan does not want the blessings God promises to the “blessed are’s” to be given to anyone!

Jesus teaches the Nephites a higher law

After teaching the Beatitudes, Jesus announced that the Law of Moses was fulfilled.  In Mosiah 13:29–30 Abinadi taught why the Law of Moses was given.  Nephi explains in 2 Nephi 25:24-25 that although the Nephites understood the purpose of the Law, they still kept this lower law until it was completely fulfilled.

What is the purpose of the higher law that is now in effect?  I think it is to change us into people Jesus described in the Beatitudes.  The higher law helps us to be meek, merciful, pure in heart peacemakers who recognize our complete dependence on God.  Consider these requirements of the higher law:

Ye have heard that	But I say unto you
Don’t kill (verse 21)	Don’t be angry.  The meek (verse 5) are not angry.
Don’t commit adultery (verse 27)	Don’t lust. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (verse 6) subjugate temporal desires to spiritual ones.
Don’t swear falsely (verse 33)	Don’t swear at all.  Just be honest! The pure in heart (verse 8) have no reason to deceive others or to break their promises.
Eye for an eye (verse 38)	Turn the other cheek.  Being merciful isn’t always easy, but it is exalting.  (Note: being merciful isn’t being weak or cowardly.)
Hate your enemies (verse 43)	Love your enemies.  Read Moroni 7:47-48.  Focus on verse 45 “that we may be the children of your Father.”  God’s children are peacemakers.

Jesus teaches about true discipleship

The Lord’s prayer

The Lord’s prayer includes the phrase “lead us not into temptation.”  The JST clarifies this to “suffer us not to be led into temptation.”  I like the phrase in Spanish, “no nos deje caer en tentación” or “don’t leave us to fall into temptation.”

Eye single to God’s glory

Read 3 Nephi 13:21-24, cross reference with D&C 88:67-69.  To have an eye single to God’s glory means that is the primary motivation for all we do.  To cultivate this, we need to quit daydreaming and spending inordinate amounts of time chasing entertainment (represented by excess laughter).

Beware of false prophets

Read 3 Nephi 13:15-20.  How might we as members of the Church need to watch for “false prophets” today?  I think we can learn from this to be wary of those who quote scripture or General Authorities to justify their economic, political, or social agendas.

Don’t be complacent as a church member

Read 3 Nephi 13:21-23.  I suspect this applies to Church members, possibly more so than to anyone else.

Conclusion

Finish with 3 Nephi 13:24-27.  We can be like the wise man and hearken to the Savior’s words and truly become perfect as He is through the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Book of Mormon Lesson Plan 37

The Nephites are Taught before Jesus Appears

The light of the world

Samuel the Lamanite had prophesied that at the time of Jesus’ death, many calamities would come upon the land.  Briefly review Samuel’s prophecies, and their fulfillment.

• Terrible storms
• Great changes on the face of the land
• Total darkness for three days

Why is total darkness an appropriate sign for the death of Jesus Christ?  Read John 8:12.  How is the Savior the light of your life?  What can we do to “not walk in darkness”?

Terrible destruction

Following the great destruction and while the earth was covered in darkness, the voice of Jesus came from heaven pronouncing “woes” upon the people.  What was the reason Jesus gave for these destructions?  The wickedness and abominations of the people (see 3 Nephi 9:12).

Read 3 Nephi 9:13–14 for the Savior’s invitation to those who survived the destruction.  What can we learn from these two verses?

• The people that were spared were more righteous.  They weren’t perfect.
• Jesus will heal us from whatever our affliction, if we repent and are converted.  Conversion in this sense is not a formal process of meeting with the missionaries and being baptized.  It is being changed, or putting off the natural man (see Mosiah 3:19).
• Great blessings await those who come to Him, including mercy and eternal life. 
• We initiate the action of coming to Him; we shouldn’t wait for him to come to us (see below for what happened when Jesus came to us).

How can we apply these ideas in our life?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “ ‘Come,’ [Christ] says lovingly. ‘Come, follow me.’ Wherever you are going, first come and see what I do, see where and how I spend my time. Learn of me, walk with me, talk with me, believe. Listen to me pray. In turn you will find answers to your own prayers. God will bring rest to your souls. Come, follow me” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 88; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 65).

Read 3 Nephi 9:16-19.  Jesus was rejected when he came to his people.  Jesus taught that the Law of Moses was fulfilled.  This was a tremendous change in how the people would express their day-to-day obedience to God.  One of the biggest changes came in the change to required sacrifices.

• What sacrifices were required under the Law of Moses? 
• What was required now? 
• What does it mean to offer a “broken heart and a contrite spirit”?
• Which is easier?

President J. Reuben Clark Jr., who was a member of the First Presidency, said: “Under the new covenant that came in with Christ, the sinner must offer the sacrifice out of his own life, not by offering the blood of some other creature; he must give up his sins, he must repent, he himself must make the sacrifice” (Behold the Lamb of God [1962], 107).

Jesus Appears to the Nephites

3 Nephi 8:5 tells us that the signs of Jesus death came in the first month of the year as the Nephites kept their calendar.  (So if you’re curious, their “January” corresponds to our “April.”)  In the ending of that same year, the events of 3 Nephi 11 occurred.

The Father introduces Jesus

Read 3 Nephi 11:1-7.  How can we “open our ears to hear” the word of God?

Jesus introduces Himself

Read 3 Nephi 11:8–11.  Jesus tells who he is, what he has done, and gives all the glory to the Father.

The multitude becomes eye witnesses

Read 3 Nephi 11:12–15.  The Nephites who were gathered did four things:

1. They saw with their eyes
2. They felt with their hands
3. They knew of a surety
4. They bore testimony

Jesus teaches his doctrine

Jesus then called Nephi and eleven others to be his disciples among the descendants of Lehi.  He gave them authority and instructed them regarding the correct manner of baptism.  He taught them concerning contention; read 3 Nephi 11:28-30.

After telling them that contention was not his doctrine, he summarizes what is his doctrine in verses 32-38:

• The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one united God.
• Baptism is essential to receive exaltation in the kingdom of God.
• The Holy Ghost will bear record of the truth.
• We must all become as little children.

Conclusion

Because of God’s love for his children anciently, he sent prophets to testify of what would happen at the time of Jesus’ death and before Jesus appeared to them.  Because God loves us today just as much as he loved the Nephites, he has done the same for us.  As we look around and see the literal fulfillment of prophecies, we will be blessed if we will “open our ears to hear,” turn our spiritual eyes to see, and choose to repent.  And like the Nephite multitude, we must bear record of the Savior and the Restoration to God’s children who do not know these things.