“Jacob 4: ‘Our Faith Becometh Unshaken,’” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual (2024)
“Jacob 4,” Book of Mormon Teacher Manual
Jacob 4
“Our Faith Becometh Unshaken”
Carving words into metal plates was not an easy task (see Jacob 4:1). So why would Jacob go through the effort to do it? He had experienced the joy of knowing the Savior and desired to help us come unto the Savior as well. This lesson can help you strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ by identifying, recording, and pondering principles and truths that Jacob taught.
Identifying doctrine and principles in the scriptures. Help students learn to identify doctrine and principles in the scriptures through thoughtful effort and practice. Sometimes these are plainly stated, while other times they are couched in a scripture story. As students increase this skill, they will be more likely to turn to the scriptures for guidance and answers to questions.
Student preparation: Consider inviting students to read Jacob 4:7–14 and prepare to share a principle or truth they find that they feel is especially needed in the world today.
Possible Learning Activities
What would you share?
For the following writing activity, consider inviting students to read Jacob’s description of the difficulty of writing on plates in Jacob 4:1–3. Then invite students to use any hard object other than a pen or pencil to scratch or “engrave” a short paragraph on a piece of aluminum foil or paper. This might help them better appreciate the work Jacob went through to record his words for us.
Jacob fulfilled a commandment to write on the small plates “a few of the things which [he] considered to be most precious” (Jacob 1:2) for future generations to read (see Jacob 4:1–3). Imagine you have similarly been asked to write a short message for people in the future.
Write one paragraph that contains the most important things that you know or have experienced for your children and grandchildren in the future to read.
Invite students who feel comfortable to share part of what they wrote with the class.
Jacob’s message to us
As you study the message Jacob was inspired to engrave in Jacob 4 for people in our day to read, you will have an opportunity to practice using helpful scripture study skills. These skills include:
-
Identifying and recording principles and truths
-
Pondering and asking questions that help you better understand the truths and principles
Using these skills can help you to learn and feel more from the Holy Ghost as you study the scriptures.
The following section of the lesson is intended to give students an example of how to use these study skills.
1. Identifying and recording principles and truths
It is helpful to pause when you read the scriptures and record what you learn as simple statements of truth. You can use your own words or use words and phrases directly from the scriptures.
Practice identifying principles and truths by:
-
Reading Jacob 4:1, 4–6, looking for what Jacob was inspired to record about the Savior.
-
Marking words and phrases that are important to you.
-
Recording in your study journal or in your scriptures what you feel are the most important messages in these verses.
Invite students to share the statements of principles or truths they discovered. If students need an example, consider sharing the bolded principle in the following paragraph.
An example of a principle that you might identify from verse 6 is sincerely searching the words of the prophets will strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ. Consider recording this principle in your study journal or in your scriptures near verse 6.
2. Pondering and asking questions
Pondering can help you understand and apply the principles and truths you identify. You might ponder questions like the following:
Consider displaying or providing a copy of the following questions. This could help students to more clearly understand how to use this study skill. It will also allow them to refer to it as they practice using this skill on their own later in the lesson.
-
Why do I think people in our day need to know this truth?
-
How does it apply to my life?
-
What would the Lord have me do because of what I learned?
After time to ponder, invite students to share what they learned as they pondered the principle or truth they discovered in this passage. Consider sharing a personal experience of how a truth found in this passage has blessed your life.
The following section is intended to help students practice the skills of identifying, recording, and pondering what they learn from the scriptures. Consider inviting students to choose whether they would like to work with a partner or alone to complete this activity.
Practice using scripture study skills
Practice the skills of identifying, recording, and pondering principles and truths by:
-
Studying Jacob 4:7–14, searching for important teachings that Jacob chose to record about the Savior.
-
Recording in your study journal or in your scriptures one principle or truth that you feel is important for people in the world today to understand.
Consider pausing before sharing the next step to invite volunteers to write on the board a principle or truth they identified. This will show examples of principles and truths to students who are less experienced at identifying them.
-
Pondering the importance of what you found. Ask questions that could help you better understand and apply it in your life. (Examples of questions you could ponder are found in the “Pondering and asking questions” section earlier in the lesson.)
Inform students that they will have a few minutes to prepare to share the principle or truth that they chose, which verses they found it in, and why they think it is important. They could prepare to simply tell other students what they learned. Or they could prepare to share in other ways, such as creating a meme, drawing a picture, or preparing a post that could be shared on social media. The following bullet points could be displayed to help students as they prepare.
Look for students who may need help, and provide assistance. Consider sharing relevant information from the “Commentary and Background Information” and “Supplemental Learning Activities” sections.
-
How the principle or truth could help a teenager to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ
-
Other scripture passages or statements from Church leaders that help you understand this principle or truth better
-
Things you could ponder and questions you could ask to help you better understand this principle or truth
-
Ways you could apply what you learned to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ
-
Experiences when you or those you know have been blessed by applying what Jacob taught
Invite students to move around the room, find another student, and take turns sharing what they prepared for around two minutes each. Time permitting, students could then switch partners and take turns sharing what they prepared again.
After they have shared, invite students to record in their study journal anything they learned that they would like to apply to their life. Invite them to use the skills they practiced in class today in their personal scripture study.