Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites

Purpose

• To encourage each child to seek the peace and

happiness that come from living the gospel of

Jesus Christ.

I Feel My Savior’s Love

1. I feel my Savior’s love In all the world around me. His Spirit warms my soul Through ev’rything I see.

2. I feel my Savior’s love; Its gentleness enfolds me, And when I kneel to pray, My heart is filled with peace.

3. I feel my Savior’s love And know that he will bless me. I offer him my heart; My shepherd he will be.

4. I’ll share my Savior’s love By serving others freely. In serving I am blessed. In giving I receive. Chorus He knows I will follow him, Give all my life to him. I feel my Savior’s love, The love he freely gives me. Words: Ralph Rodgers Jr., 1936–1996; K. Newell Dayley, b. 1939; and Laurie Huffman, b. 1948 Music: K. Newell Dayley, b. 1939 © 1978, 1979 by K. Newell Dayley.

Our Opening Prayer will be given by

(Enter Name Here)

• Try to imagine what it would be like to have

the Savior live with your family for a week

• What do you think it

would be like to be in

that home for that week?

• Let’s read 4 Nephi 1:15–16.

• 15 And it came to pass that there was no acontention in the land, because of the blove of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

• 16 And there were no aenvyings, nor bstrifes, nor ctumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of dlasciviousness; and surely there could not be a ehappier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

• These verses describe how the people in America treated each other after Jesus Christ’s visit.

• What do you think it would be like to live

under these conditions?

• How would our lives

be different if everyone

obeyed the

commandments?

• (We would have no

need for locks, keys,

police officers, and so

on.)

• One of the most important keys to happiness is

how we treat other people.

• By living the teachings of Jesus Christ, we will

treat our families and friends with more

kindness and less selfishness, and we will find

greater peace and happiness.

Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites

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Go to the Slides

Discussion Time

Play First Video

Play Second Video

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Discussion Time

• One day when the disciples were

together fasting and praying, Jesus

Christ came to them.

• The disciples asked him what they

should name the Church.

• Jesus said it should be named after

him because it was his Church.

Jesus

explained to

his disciples

that Heavenly

Father had

sent him to

earth to give

his life for all

people.

• He said everyone who repents, is

baptized in his name, and obeys his

commandments will be held guiltless

before Heavenly Father.

• The Savior told his disciples to do the

things they had seen him do.

• He had set the example for them.

He also told

them to write

down what

they had seen

and heard so

that others

could know

about it.

• Jesus asked his disciples what they

would like from him.

• Nine of them wanted to be with him

after their lives on earth had ended.

• Jesus promised them that when they

were 72 years old, they would go to

him in heaven.

• The other three disciples did not dare

ask for what they wanted, but Jesus

knew.

• They wanted

to stay on

the earth

and teach

the gospel

until Jesus

came again.

The Savior promised them that they would

not suffer pain or sorrow and would not die.

They would

teach people

the gospel

until he

returned.

• Jesus touched each disciple except

the three who would stay on the earth.

• Then he left.

• The three disciples were taken to

heaven, where they saw and heard

many wonderful things.

• They were better able to understand

the things of God.

• Their bodies were changed so they would not die.

• The three disciples returned to earth

and began preaching and baptizing.

• Wicked Nephites threw the three

disciples into prison and into deep pits,

but God’s power helped them

escape.

• When they were pushed into furnaces and

into dens with wild animals, they were also

protected by the power of God.

The three disciples continued to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the

Nephites.

They are still preaching his gospel.

• After Jesus returned to heaven, his disciples set up his Church throughout the land.

The people who repented

of their sins were baptized and received

the Holy Ghost.

• Soon all the Nephites and Lamanites

were converted.

• They did not argue and everyone was

honest.

• No one was rich or poor.

• The people shared everything, and

they all had what they needed.

The disciples

performed

many miracles

in the name

of Jesus Christ.

• They healed the sick and brought the

dead back to life.

The people built new cities where others

had been destroyed.

They obeyed

God’s

commandments

.

They fasted and prayed and met together

often to hear the word of God.

The people were happy.

There were

no robbers,

no liars, no

murderers.

The people were no longer divided into

Nephites and Lamanites but were all one,

the children of Christ.

The Lord blessed the people in

everything they did.

• They lived in peace for 200 years.

• The people became very rich.

Discussion Time

• What did Jesus

Christ’s disciples

desire of him?

(3 Nephi 28:2, 4–7.)

• What changes were made in their bodies that

made it possible for them to do this? (3 Nephi 28:38–39.)

• Why were the three disciples allowed to

remain on earth until its end?

(3 Nephi 28:6, 9.)

• How were the three disciples protected as

they taught the people? (3 Nephi 28:18–22.)

• What did Mormon record about these three

disciples? (3 Nephi 28:24–26. )

• Mormon lived about 350 years after Jesus

Christ.

• What did the disciples do after the Savior left them?

(3 Nephi 28:18.)

What did the

people do when

they heard the

disciples’

words?

(4 Nephi 1:1–2.)

How many of the people were converted?

The people

were no

longer divided

into Nephites

and

Lamanites but

were united.

• What do

contention and

disputation

mean?

(4 Nephi 1:2.)

o Quarreling or

arguing.

• How have you and your family been blessed

when you have had no contention?

• How can you be a peacemaker and help

your family avoid contention?

• What does it mean that the people had “all things

common among them”? (4 Nephi 1:3.)

• What would you like about living in this way?

• Why do you

think it might

be hard?

• What miracles did Jesus Christ’s disciples

perform? (4 Nephi 1:5.)

How were the people blessed?

• Why was there no contention in the land?

(4 Nephi 1:15.)

• What does it mean to have the “love of God”

in our hearts?

• When have you felt the love of God in your

life?

• How can we share this love with others?

• What caused a change in this

happy society?

(4 Nephi 1:23–29.)

• How did the people treat the

disciples? (4 Nephi 1:30–34.)

• What is pride?

• How can we overcome pride in

our lives?

• What does it mean to “wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ” as these people did? (4 Nephi 1:38.)

• What was the condition of the people three

hundred years after Christ’s visit?

(4 Nephi 1:45–46.)

Enrichment Activities

These Phrases from 4 Nephi explain why the people

were living in peace and hapiness

“Every man did deal justly

one with another”

“The love of God . . . Did

dwell in the hearts of the

people”

“There were

no . . . Tumults

(Roitings)”

President Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteenth

President of the Church, said the following:

“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—

• Loving Heavenly Father and putting him first in our

lives.

• Not worrying about what others think of us but only

what Heavenly Father thinks of us.

• Not gossiping or criticizing.

• Not envying or living beyond our means.

• Not arguing or fighting in our families.

• Helping others feel good about themselves.

• Accepting counsel from our leaders.

• Forgiving those who have offended us.

• Being unselfish.

• Serving others.

• Let’s review these statements again.

• Tell how the principle can help us overcome pride

in our families.

• Loving Heavenly Father and putting him first in our

lives.

• Not worrying about what others think of us but only

what Heavenly Father thinks of us.

• Not gossiping or criticizing.

• Not envying or living beyond our means.

• Not arguing or fighting in our families.

• Helping others feel good about themselves.

• Accepting counsel from our leaders.

• Forgiving those who have offended us.

• Being unselfish.

• Serving others.

• Let’s try role playing.

• Imagine you are living like the Nephite society we

just learned about with “no contentions”

• Can we have two volunteers? o Let’s imagine that you both want to be the first person on line to a

concert here in town. How would you handle the situation?

• Can we have two more volunteers?

o Let’s imagine that you both want to play with the same toy. How would

you handle the situation?

Let’s 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).

• Let’s try to Memorize the thriteenth Article of

Faith.

• 13 aWe believe in being bhonest, true, cchaste, dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing egood to all men; indeed, we may say that

we follow the admonition of Paul—We

believe all things, we fhope all things, we

have endured many things, and hope to be

able to gendure all things. If there is

anything hvirtuous, ilovely, or of good report

or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

• Read and discuss Doctrine and

Covenants 19:23.

• 23 aLearn of me, and listen to my

words; bwalk in the cmeekness of my

Spirit, and you shall have dpeace in

me.

• Testimony

I want to bear my testimony that we can

experience peace and happiness if

we humbly live as the Savior has

taught us to.

Our Closing Prayer will be given by

(Enter Name Here)

THE END

3 Nephi 28:2, 4–7 • 2 And they all spake, save it were three,

saying: We desire that after we have lived

unto the age of man, that our ministry,

wherein thou hast called us, may have an

end, that we may speedily come unto thee

in thy kingdom.

• 4 And when he had spoken unto them, he

turned himself unto the three, and said unto

them: What will ye that I should do unto you,

when I am gone unto the Father?

3 Nephi 28:2, 4–7 • 5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they

durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired.

• 6 And he said unto them: Behold, I aknow your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which bJohn, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me.

• 7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall anever taste of bdeath; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the cpowers of heaven.

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3 Nephi 28:6, 9 • 6 And he said unto them: Behold, I aknow your

thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which bJohn, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry,

before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of

me.

• 9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall

dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the asins of the world; and all this will I do because of

the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have

desired that ye might bbring the souls of men unto

me, while the world shall stand.

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3 Nephi 28:38–39 • 38 Therefore, that they might not taste of death

there was a achange wrought upon their bodies,

that they might not bsuffer pain nor sorrow save it

were for the sins of the world.

• 39 Now this change was not equal to that which

shall take place at the last day; but there was a

change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan

could have no power over them, that he could not atempt them; and they were bsanctified in the flesh,

that they were choly, and that the powers of the

earth could not hold them.

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3 Nephi 28:18–22 • 18 But this much I know, according to the

record which hath been given—they did go

forth upon the face of the land, and did

minister unto all the people, uniting as many to

the church as would believe in their preaching;

baptizing them, and as many as were baptized

did receive the Holy Ghost.

• 19 And they were cast into prison by them who

did not belong to the church. And the aprisons

could not hold them, for they were rent in

twain. Return

3 Nephi 28:24–26 • 24 And now I, aMormon, make an end of

speaking concerning these things for a time.

• 25 Behold, I was about to write the anames

of those who were never to taste of death,

but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them

not, for they are hid from the world.

• 26 But behold, aI have seen them, and they

have ministered unto me.

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3 Nephi 28:18 • 18 But this much I know, according to the record

which hath been given—they did go forth upon the

face of the land, and did minister unto all the

people, uniting as many to the church as would

believe in their preaching; baptizing them, and as

many as were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost.

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4 Nephi 1:1–2 • 1 AND it came to pass that the thirty and fourth

year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were abaptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.

• 2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

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4 Nephi 1:2 • 2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the

people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all

the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites,

and there were no contentions and disputations

among them, and every man did deal justly one

with another.

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4 Nephi 1:3 • 3 And they had aall things common among them;

therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and

free, but they were all made free, and partakers of

the heavenly bgift.

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4 Nephi 1:5 • 5 And there were great and marvelous

works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did aheal the sick, and braise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of cmiracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus.

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4 Nephi 1:15 • 15 And it came to pass that there was

no acontention in the land, because of

the blove of God which did dwell in the

hearts of the people.

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4 Nephi 1:23–29 • 23 And now I, Mormon, would that ye should

know that the people had multiplied,

insomuch that they were spread upon all

the face of the land, and that they had

become exceedingly arich, because of their

prosperity in Christ.

• 24 And now, in this *two hundred and first

year there began to be among them those

who were lifted up in apride, such as the

wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of

fine pearls, and of the fine things of the

world.

4 Nephi 1:23–29 • 25 And from that time forth they did have

their goods and their substance no more acommon among them.

• 26 And they began to be divided into

classes; and they began to build up achurches unto themselves to get bgain,

and began to deny the true church of

Christ.

4 Nephi 1:23–29 • 27 And it came to pass that when *two

hundred and ten years had passed away

there were many churches in the land; yea,

there were many churches which professed

to know the Christ, and yet they did adeny

the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that

they did receive all manner of wickedness,

and did administer that which was sacred

unto him to whom it had been bforbidden

because of unworthiness.

4 Nephi 1:23–29 • 28 And this church did multiply exceedingly

because of iniquity, and because of the power of aSatan who did get hold upon their bhearts.

• 29 And again, there was another church which

denied the Christ; and they did apersecute the true

church of Christ, because of their humility and their

belief in Christ; and they did despise them because

of the many miracles which were wrought among

them.

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4 Nephi 1:30–34 • 30 Therefore they did exercise power and

authority over the disciples of Jesus who did

tarry with them, and they did cast them into aprison; but by the power of the word of

God, which was in them, the prisons were

rent in twain, and they went forth doing

mighty miracles among them.

• 31 Nevertheless, and notwithstanding all

these miracles, the people did harden their

hearts, and did seek to kill them, even as the

Jews at Jerusalem sought to kill Jesus,

according to his word.

4 Nephi 1:30–34 • 32 And they did cast them into afurnaces of bfire, and they came forth receiving no

harm.

• 33 And they also cast them into adens of

wild beasts, and they did play with the wild

beasts even as a child with a lamb; and

they did come forth from among them,

receiving no harm.

4 Nephi 1:30–34 • 34 Nevertheless, the people did harden their

hearts, for they were led by many priests

and afalse prophets to build up many

churches, and to do all manner of iniquity.

And they did bsmite upon the people of

Jesus; but the people of Jesus did not smite

again. And thus they did dwindle in unbelief

and wickedness, from year to year, even

until two hundred and thirty years had

passed away. Return

4 Nephi 1:38 • 38 And it came to pass that they who

rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in unbelief, but they did wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle.

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4 Nephi 1:45–46 • 45 And it came to pass that when three hundred

years had passed away, both the people of Nephi

and the Lamanites had become exceedingly

wicked one like unto another.

• 46 And it came to pass that the robbers of aGadianton did spread over all the face of the

land; and there were none that were righteous save

it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold and silver

did they lay up in store in abundance, and did btraffic in all manner of traffic.

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