“February 3–9. 2 Nephi 1–5: ‘We Lived after the Manner of Happiness,’” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 (2020)
“February 3–9. 2 Nephi 1–5,” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: 2020
Adam and Eve, by Douglas Fryer
February 3–9
2 Nephi 1–5
“We Lived after the Manner of Happiness”
Lehi taught each of his children according to their individual needs and circumstances. Follow his example as you prepare to teach the children in your class.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
After explaining that Lehi taught his family about freedom to make our own choices, invite children to share experiences they have had choosing the right. How did they feel after they made that choice? How can they remember to choose the right in the future?
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
I am blessed when I obey.
The principle taught in this verse—obedience brings blessings—is illustrated often throughout the Book of Mormon. Consider how you can help the children recognize it in their own lives.
Possible Activities
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Ask the children to help you define the word commandments and make a list of commandments. Read 2 Nephi 1:20, and emphasize that we will “prosper,” or be blessed, when we keep the commandments. How do we feel when we keep these commandments?
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Show the children things that offer protection, such as shoes, hats, and gloves. Let them try them on. How do these things protect us? Tell them that Heavenly Father’s commandments can protect us from spiritual danger. Share an experience when you were protected by following the commandments.
God gave me the freedom to choose.
Because of their choices, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden. How can you teach the children that Adam and Eve’s choice allows us to use our agency to choose Heavenly Father today?
Possible Activities
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Draw a picture of a free person and a picture of a captive person (perhaps a person in jail), and invite the children to point at the correct picture when you read the words free and captivity in 2 Nephi 2:27. Emphasize the phrase “free to choose,” and invite each child to repeat it.
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Review with the children the story of Adam and Eve (see 2 Nephi 2:17–19; see also “Chapter 3: Adam and Eve,” Old Testament Stories, 15–18, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org) and the choice they made in the Garden of Eden. Help the children list some choices they make every day. Testify that our Heavenly Father gave us freedom to choose between good and evil, and invite the children to jump up and down or clap their hands to celebrate being free to choose.
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Play a game in which you say a word (such as light) and the children say its opposite (dark). Repeat this activity several times. To help the children understand how having opposites helps us make choices, read the first half of 2 Nephi 2:11 and 2 Nephi 2:16. Tell the children stories about a child who is tempted to make a wrong choice. Help the children think of what the opposite of that choice is, and invite them to act it out. Testify that Heavenly Father blesses us when we choose the right.
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Sing together a song about making choices, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79, 160–61), and ask the children what they learn from the song about making choices.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
I am blessed when I obey.
When children have faith that God will bless them for keeping the commandments—even if those blessings do not come right away—it is easier for them to make righteous choices.
Possible Activities
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Help the children review some of the choices that Nephi and his brothers made. For some examples, see 1 Nephi 2:11–16; 3:5–7; and 18:9–11. Invite them to read 2 Nephi 1:20 together and share why they think Lehi would give this message to his children.
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Write phrases from 2 Nephi 1:20 on strips of paper, and discuss what the phrases mean. Invite the children to put the strips in the correct order using the verse. To illustrate the difference between prospering and being cut off, show the children a healthy plant and a leaf or branch that has been cut off from the plant. What is the difference between a leaf that is on the plant and one that has been cut off? How are we like the leaf on the plant when we obey God’s commandments? Invite the children to record in a journal ways God blesses them when they choose the right.
God gave me freedom to choose.
Jesus Christ saved us from physical death and spiritual death (separation from God because of sin) through His Atonement and Resurrection. In order to live with Heavenly Father again, we must use our agency to continually repent and strive to live righteously.
Possible Activities
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Hold up a picture of Adam and Eve (see Gospel Art Book, no. 4), and invite the children to share what they know about what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Help the children find answers in 2 Nephi 2:22–27. Explain that because of Adam and Eve’s choice, we are blessed to come to earth and use our agency to make good choices and repent through Christ’s Atonement when we make wrong choices.
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Write the words of 2 Nephi 2:27 on the board. Help the children memorize the verse by repeating it and taking turns erasing words every time they repeat it. Help the children imagine what a life without choices would be like. Why are they grateful for agency?
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Invite the children to share an experience when they made a good choice. How did they feel after they made that choice? What can we do to help ourselves choose the right when we are tempted to do something wrong? Consider singing a song about making choices, such as “Choose the Right” (Hymns, no. 239), and invite the children to share what they learn from the song.
Joseph Smith was a “choice seer.”
In 2 Nephi 3, Lehi referred to a prophecy about the Prophet Joseph Smith. You can use this as an opportunity to teach the children about his mission in the latter days.
Possible Activities
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Invite the children to search 2 Nephi 3:6–24 for clues about which prophet is being spoken of. List the clues on the board. Why is Joseph Smith called a “choice seer”? What did Joseph Smith do that is “of great worth to [his brethren]”? (verse 7).
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Sing a hymn about Joseph Smith, such as “Praise to the Man” (Hymns, no. 27), or watch a video that depicts different aspects of his mission, such as those found at history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/article/joseph-smith-video-downloads. Ask the children why they are grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Encourage Learning at Home
Encourage the children to notice opportunities they have to make choices this week. Invite them to be ready to share next week what choices they made and the results of their choices.
Improving Our Teaching
Children can recognize the Spirit’s influence. Teach the children that the feelings of peace, love, and warmth they have when they talk or sing about Jesus Christ and His gospel come from the Holy Ghost. These feelings can build their testimonies.