2 Nephi 9:27–49

“To Be Spiritually-Minded Is Life Eternal”

How often do you think about where your actions and attitudes will lead you? After declaring that Jesus Christ has power to deliver all mankind from the effects of the Fall, Jacob warned against actions and attitudes that draw us away from the Lord. He testified of Jesus Christ and what we can do to come to Him and be saved. This lesson can help you avoid behaviors that lead to unhappiness and separate you from Jesus Christ.

Asking questions that invite introspection. Introspection and self-evaluation can invite the Holy Ghost to help each student see things “as they really are, and … really will be” (Jacob 4:13). Effective self-evaluations help students consider their current understanding of gospel truths and their desires or motives.

Student preparation: Invite students to pay attention to which of their actions between now and the next class help them feel closer to God and which make them feel more distanced from Him.

Possible Learning Activities

Distance from God

Before class, consider hiding one or more pieces of candy (or something else students might enjoy finding) somewhere in the room. Invite several students to search for the objects. Offer help with words like warm and warmer as students get closer to where the objects are hidden and use words like cold and colder as they get farther away. After the candy or other objects are found, consider asking questions like the following:

• How did the prompts help you find the objects?

• Why might a person not follow prompts intended to help them obtain something rewarding?

Invite students to silently reflect on the following paragraph:

Think of times in your life when you have felt especially close to God and times when you have felt distant from Him. What are some actions that might have led to these outcomes?

Read 2 Nephi 9:47–49, looking for words or phrases that indicate how close the Nephites of Jacob’s time were to God.

• What did you find?

• What do you think helped Jacob feel the way he described in 2 Nephi 9:49?

Think about your own life and how close you currently feel to God. As you study more of Jacob’s sermon in 2 Nephi 9, look for teachings that can help you draw nearer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

“Give ear to my words”

After teaching about Jesus Christ’s role in helping us overcome sin and death (see 2 Nephi 9:1–26), Jacob warned the Nephites against attitudes and behaviors that would lead them away from the Savior.

Consider dividing the class in half and separating the following reading assignment. (One half of the class could read 2 Nephi 9:27–30, and the other half could read 2 Nephi 9:31–38.)

Read 2 Nephi 9:27–38, looking for attitudes and actions that Jacob warned against. You might consider making a list of them as you read.

Think about how each of the behaviors Jacob warned against apply to teenagers today. For example, while most teenagers do not participate in murder, verse 35 can help you remember to avoid violent thoughts, feelings, and behavior (see Matthew 5:21–22, 38–42).

One way to help students see how Jacob’s teachings relate to their lives is to invite them to identify teachings from For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices (booklet, 2022) that relate to 2 Nephi 9. You could ask students to study and share with the class some of the counsel they find. Examples of teachings include the eternal truths, invitations, and promised blessings on pages 31–32 (related to verses 28–29, 34) and teachings about the law of chastity on pages 23–28 (related to verse 36).

• What are some examples of how Jacob’s teachings relate to teenagers today?

• How can the attitudes and behaviors listed by Jacob impact our relationship with God?

A person who demonstrates the behaviors and attitudes Jacob warned against can be described as “carnally-minded” (2 Nephi 9:39).

Read 2 Nephi 9:39, looking for what Jacob taught about the effects of being carnally minded and of being spiritually minded.

To help students internalize Jacob’s teachings in 2 Nephi 9:39, consider inviting them to create a drawing or a meme that depicts the phrase “to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.”

• What did you discover?

• What do you think it means to be spiritually minded?

From this verse, we learn that being carnally minded leads to spiritual death. Being spiritually minded leads to eternal life.

• What are some daily actions you can take to keep your mind spiritually focused on Jesus Christ?

To see an example of someone who turned away from carnally minded attitudes and behaviors and was blessed through Jesus Christ, consider watching “His Grace: Change Is Possible through Christ” (3:29), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Come unto the Holy One of Israel

Invite students to silently ponder on how what they are learning applies to themselves. You might ask some questions like those listed in the following paragraph, but do not have students share.

Think back to the carnally minded behaviors Jacob listed in 2 Nephi 9:27–38. Which of these warnings do you find most challenging? Are there changes you could make that would help you come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Consider what steps you might take.

As you think about your own circumstances, read Jacob’s words in 2 Nephi 9:40–45. Look for his teachings, particularly those about the Savior, that might help you in your current situation.

• What words and phrases did you find most meaningful? Why?

• How might remembering “the greatness of the Holy One of Israel” (verse 40) help you be more spiritually minded?

Give students time to reflect on what they have learned and felt in today’s lesson. Invite them to record their thoughts and impressions in their study journal. When they have finished, consider inviting a few volunteers to share some of what they wrote if it is not too personal. Testify of the truths you have discussed.

Commentary and Background Information

2 Nephi 9:28–29. Why is it important to prioritize spiritual learning over secular learning?

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught:

It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it.

If we will keep spiritual learning in its proper place, we will have to make some hard choices of how we use our time. But there should never be a conscious choice to let the spiritual become secondary as a pattern in our lives. Never. That will lead to tragedy. The tragedy may not be obvious at first, nor may it ever be clear in mortal life. But remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision. (Henry B. Eyring, “Education for Real Life,” Ensign, Oct. 2002, 18)

Watch “The Soul’s Sincere Desire” to learn more about the importance of including God in your educational goals and activities.

2 Nephi 9:39. How can striving to be spiritually minded help me see things differently?

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

As we draw farther from worldliness, we feel closer to our Father in Heaven and more able to be guided by his Spirit. We call this quality of life spirituality.

To the faithful, spirituality is a lens through which we view life and a gauge by which we evaluate it. …

To be spiritually minded is to view and evaluate our experiences in terms of the enlarged perspective of eternity.

… Through the lens of spirituality, we see all the commandments of God as invitations to blessings. (Dallin H. Oaks, “Spirituality,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 61, 63)

2 Nephi 9:40. How can remembering “the greatness of the Holy One of Israel” help me maintain a spiritually minded attitude?

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared:

Our Heavenly Father wants us to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness, not for Their own gratification but for the influence such remembrance has on us. By considering Their kindness, our perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, we become more humble, prayerful, and steadfast. …

I invite you to remember each day the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and what They have done for you. Let your consideration of Their goodness more firmly bind your wandering heart to Them. Ponder Their compassion, and you will be blessed with added spiritual sensitivity and become more Christlike. (Dale G. Renlund, “Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 41, 44)

Supplemental Learning Activities

2 Nephi 9:27. Alternate beginning

As an alternate way to begin the lesson, invite students to share some things they have been asked not to waste. Discuss the benefits of not being wasteful. Read 2 Nephi 9:27 and invite students to identify Jacob’s counsel and discuss what it might mean to waste “the days of [our] probation.” Encourage students to identify throughout the lesson the wasteful attitudes and behaviors that Jacob warns against.

Help students understand that even if they have engaged in any of the behaviors discussed, their lives have not been wasted, and as they “come unto the Lord” (2 Nephi 9:41) they can live happier and more productive lives.

2 Nephi 9:28–29. “To be learned is good”

If students could benefit from discussing more about learning and how to avoid the pitfalls described by Jacob, consider asking questions like the following after reading 2 Nephi 9:28–29:

• How can placing your trust in the wisdom of the world lead you away from Jesus Christ?

• What can we do to ensure that this does not happen?

You might also study with students some of the ideas presented in the “Truth Will Make You Free” section of the For the Strength of Youth booklet, 31–33.