“Lesson 36: Jesus Christ Gives the Sacrament to the Nephites,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon (1997), 129–31

“Lesson 36,” Primary 4, 129–31

Lesson 36

Jesus Christ Gives the Sacrament to the Nephites

Purpose

To encourage the children to always remember Jesus Christ so they can have his Spirit to be with them.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 3 Nephi 18:1–14. 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.)
Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
Write the following words on pieces of paper (or you could write them on the chalkboard):
- Darkness
- Destruction
- Voice
- Marks of his wounds
- Angels
Materials needed:
1. A Book of Mormon for each child.
2. Pictures 4-43, Christ Appears to the Nephites (Gospel Art Picture Kit 315; 62047); 4-46, Jesus Healing the Nephites (Gospel Art Picture Kit 317; 62541); 4-47, Jesus Praying with the Nephites (62542); and 4-49, The Resurrected Jesus Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 239; 62187).

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children what important events they remember from their lives. Ask them what helps them remember these events.

Show the pictures listed in the “Preparation” section and the words you prepared one at a time. Ask the children what each picture or word or phrase helps them remember about Jesus’ visit. Explain that this lesson is about what Jesus did to help us always remember him.

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account from 3 Nephi 18:1–14. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading the references with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures.

What did Jesus Christ ask his disciples to bring? (3 Nephi 18:1.) What did Jesus do with the bread? (3 Nephi 18:3–4.) What did he do with the wine? (3 Nephi 18:8–9.)
What must a young man have before he can prepare or bless or pass the sacrament to the members of the Church? (3 Nephi 18:5.) Who prepares, passes, and blesses the sacrament in our ward?
What does the sacrament bread help us remember? (3 Nephi 18:7.) What does the sacrament water help us remember? (3 Nephi 18:11.)
Whom do we covenant with when we partake of the sacrament? (3 Nephi 18:7.)
What does Jesus Christ promise us if we always remember him? (3 Nephi 18:7.) What does it mean to have his Spirit with us? (We are guided and helped by the Holy Ghost.) What can we do during the week to always remember the Savior so that we may have his Spirit with us?
When members of the Church partake of the sacrament, what are they witnessing to Heavenly Father? (3 Nephi 18:10.) What does it mean to be willing to keep his commandments? What are some of the commandments that Heavenly Father wants us to willingly keep? You might ask the children to silently choose a commandment they would like to obey more fully.
When we partake of the sacrament, which covenants do we remember and renew? (3 Nephi 18:11.) How does thinking often about the covenants we make at baptism help us live better? (Mosiah 18:10.) Challenge the children to listen carefully to the sacrament prayers and think about ways to keep their baptismal covenants during the coming week.
How are we blessed when we partake worthily of the sacrament? (3 Nephi 18:12–14.)

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

Have the children read the sacrament prayers from Moroni 4:3 and Moroni 5:2. Ask the children to suggest ways they can prepare to partake of the sacrament. You might use the following suggestions if the children need help:
- Sing the words of the sacrament hymn.
- Listen to the words of the sacrament prayers.
- Think about the Savior’s love, suffering, death, resurrection, and teachings.
- Think about our covenants with Heavenly Father.
Share an appropriate experience when you have felt the Spirit. If any of the children have had an experience with the Spirit they would like to share, invite them to do so. Help the children understand that Jesus Christ wants them to discover and always feel his Spirit in their lives. Discuss the following statement by President Ezra Taft Benson, thirteenth President of the Church: “We hear the words of the Lord most often by a feeling. If we are humble and sensitive, the Lord will prompt us most often through our feelings. That is why spiritual promptings move us on occasion to great joy, sometimes to tears” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 77).
Choose a familiar hymn or Primary song to hum while the children draw something that would help them remember the Savior during the sacrament. Some choices might be Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ with the Nephites, a blessing the children are thankful for in their lives, and so on. Encourage them to keep their thoughts on the Savior during the sacrament service.
Sing or read the words to “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, p. 26), “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, p. 34), “To Think about Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 71), or “The Sacrament” (Children’s Songbook, p. 72).

Conclusion

Testimony

Show the picture The Resurrected Jesus Christ. Share your testimony that when we remember Jesus and keep his commandments, we have the Holy Ghost to be with us.

Suggested Family Sharing

Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”