“I prophesy unto you concerning the last days,” Nephi wrote (2 Nephi 26:14). In other words, he was writing about our day. And there’s reason to be concerned about what he saw: people denying the power and miracles of God; widespread jealousy and conflict. But in addition to these latter-day “works of darkness” (2 Nephi 26:10, 22) led by the adversary, Nephi also spoke of “a marvelous work and a wonder” led by God Himself (2 Nephi 27:26). Central to that work would be a book—a book that exposes Satan’s lies and gathers the righteous. That book is the Book of Mormon, the marvelous work is the work of the Lord’s Church in the latter days, and the wonder is—at least in part—that God invites all of us, despite our weaknesses, to participate in the gathering.
In 2 Nephi 26–27, Nephi quoted from an earlier prophecy of Isaiah (see Isaiah 29) and applied it to his people and their record—the Book of Mormon. He knew by revelation, even before the Book of Mormon had been completely written, that it would one day “be of great worth unto the children of men” (2 Nephi 28:2). Why is the Book of Mormon of great worth to you? Think about this question as you read 2 Nephi 29–30. What “marvelous work” (2 Nephi 27:26) is God accomplishing in the world and in your life through the Book of Mormon?
There are many beautiful truths to consider in 2 Nephi 26:23–24. For example, you could think about what Jesus Christ has done “for the benefit of the world”—and for you. How does He “draw all men”—and you—“unto him”? What do you feel inspired to do in response to His expressions of love?
Keep reading and looking for truths about the Savior in verses 25–33. Notice in particular His invitations. How would you summarize Jesus Christ’s message to you in one sentence? A hymn like “Come unto Jesus” (Hymns, no. 117) could open your mind to additional impressions.
Consider how these verses might influence the way you interact with others and invite them to come unto Christ. You might find some ideas in Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s message “The Doctrine of Belonging” (Liahona, Nov. 2022, 53–56).
Don’t be afraid of silence. Good questions take time to answer. They require searching, thinking, and inspiration. The time you spend waiting for answers to a question can be a sacred time of pondering. Avoid the temptation to end this time too soon by moving on to something else.
Many of Satan’s lies and tactics are exposed in 2 Nephi 28. Look for them in verses 6, 8, 21–23, 29. Why do you need to know about Satan’s lies? What will you do when the adversary tries to deceive you?
Listed below are some scriptures that reject Satan’s lies. See if you can match the true doctrine in these verses with the false doctrine Nephi warns us about in 2 Nephi 28:
God continues to give revelation to guide His children.
As Latter-day Saints, we are blessed with an abundance of the word of God. And yet, as Nephi warned, we must never feel that “we have enough!” As you read the warnings in 2 Nephi 28:27–31 and 2 Nephi 29, think about questions like these:
How does God want me to feel about and respond to His word?
Why are people sometimes “angry” about receiving more truth from God? (2 Nephi 28:28). Do I ever feel this way? If so, how can I change?
What does it mean to receive God’s word? How can I show Him that I want to receive more of His word?
To teach your children about the Savior’s invitations in these verses, you might talk with them about times they invited people to a special event, like a birthday party. Then you could read 2 Nephi 26:23–28 together and find out what Jesus is inviting us to do. Your children might like to create a card inviting someone to come unto Jesus Christ. Encourage them to use a phrase from these verses in their invitation.
The painting at the end of this outline shows people from many backgrounds. Maybe your children could look at this picture as you read 2 Nephi 26:33. You could repeat the phrase “Jesus invites all to come unto Him” as your children point to each person in the picture—and then to themselves. How do we come unto Jesus?
A song about loving all people, such as “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140–41), could help you teach the message of 2 Nephi 26:33.
To help your children feel that the Book of Mormon is “of great worth” (2 Nephi 28:2), you could wrap a copy as a gift and let them guess what’s inside. They could look for clues in 2 Nephi 30:3–6. Tell your children why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you, and let them share their feelings too.
Consider asking your children to imagine that a friend says, “I don’t need to read the Book of Mormon. I’ve already read the Bible.” What could we say to our friend? Read together 2 Nephi 29:7–11 to learn why God wants us to have both books.
Perhaps you can think of an object lesson that will help your children understand what it means to learn “line upon line.” For example, they could put together a puzzle or build something with blocks, one piece at a time. Or you could teach them a skill step by step, such as tying a bow or drawing a picture. You could then read 2 Nephi 28:30 and discuss how Heavenly Father teaches us one truth at a time.
Another idea could be to choose a phrase from 2 Nephi 28:30 and take turns writing it, one word at a time. How is this like the way God gives us truth? Why does God reveal truth to us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” instead of all at once? How can we show God that we want to receive more truth from Him?
For more ideas, see this month’s issue of the Friend magazine.
