Christ Teaching His Disciples, by Justin Kunz

March 2–8

2 Nephi 31–33

“This Is the Way”

Start your preparation by reading 2 Nephi 31–33. Seek the Spirit’s guidance about what to teach the children. This outline can give you ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Because Nephi taught about the baptism of Christ, ask the children to share something they have learned about baptism. They could also share thoughts and feelings about their own baptisms or the baptisms of friends or family members.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

2 Nephi 31

Jesus Christ taught me how to return to Heavenly Father.

Nephi taught that following the Savior’s example and teachings is the only way to “be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:21).

Possible Activities

• Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families while you summarize the account of Jesus’s baptism (see 2 Nephi 31:4–13). Explain that baptism is one step on the path back to living with Heavenly Father. Invite someone who was recently baptized to tell the children how he or she feels about baptism.

• Explain that Jesus Christ taught us what we need to do to return to Him after we die. Draw a path on the board, and place a picture of Christ at the end of it. Give the children pictures that represent elements of the doctrine of Christ (faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end). Help them place the pictures along the path.

• Help the children learn the fourth article of faith. Sing together a song about one of the first principles of the gospel, such as “Faith,” “When I Am Baptized,” or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 96–97, 103, 160–61).

2 Nephi 32:3

I can feast upon the words of Christ.

How can your experiences with “feast[ing] upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3) help the children understand this phrase?

Possible Activities

• Ask the children to name some of their favorite foods, and invite them to act out how they would feast on them. Read 2 Nephi 32:3, and ask the children to listen for what Nephi says we should feast on. What does it mean to feast on the scriptures? Explain that the scriptures are one place where we can find the words of Christ.

• Write the words God and Lord on the board. Invite the children to open to a page of scripture and look for these words. Give them help if needed. Testify that as we read the scriptures, we can learn about God.

2 Nephi 32:8–9

Heavenly Father wants me to pray always.

These verses can inspire the children to make prayer part of their daily lives.

We can talk to God through prayer.

Possible Activities

• Ask the children when they pray. Do they pray in the morning? at night? before meals? Help the children think of actions to show when we can pray, such as when we wake up, go to bed, and eat—or any other time. Read to them the first line or two from 2 Nephi 32:9, and emphasize the phrase “pray always.”

• Ask the children how they pray. What do they do with their head, hands, and so on? What sorts of things do they say? Ask them to imagine that you don’t know how to pray, and let them teach you. Why does Heavenly Father want us to pray?

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

2 Nephi 31

Jesus Christ taught me how to return to Heavenly Father.

We can return to God after this life by following the doctrine Jesus Christ taught: faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

Possible Activities

• Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and ask the children to share what they know about Jesus’s baptism (see Matthew 3:13–17). Put the following words in random order on the board: Jesus witnessed unto the Father that He would be obedient unto Him. Invite the children to read 2 Nephi 31:7 as a class and put the words into the correct order.

• Ask the children what they would say to someone preparing to be baptized, and help them compile their advice onto simple cards they could give to someone. How can we continue to follow the example of Jesus after we are baptized?

• Explain that the doctrine of Christ includes the things Jesus Christ taught that we need to do to return to Heavenly Father. Write on different sheets of paper faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, and scatter them around the room. Read to the children 2 Nephi 31:11–19, and invite the children to take turns jumping from paper to paper as they hear these principles mentioned. Help them think of an experience they have had with each principle.

2 Nephi 32:3–5

I can feast upon the words of Christ.

Why do children need to understand the importance of feasting on the words of Christ?

Possible Activities

• Ask the children to imagine a feast. What food would they want there? What would they eat first? Then invite them to imagine what feasting on the scriptures might mean as you read 2 Nephi 32:3. Why did Nephi use the word feast to teach us how we should study God’s word? Why didn’t he just say read? What does it mean to feast on the scriptures? Share with the children the blessings you’ve received as you’ve feasted on the scriptures.

• Complete the activity page with the children, and invite them to make a goal to do at least one thing to feast on the scriptures this week.

2 Nephi 32:8–9

Heavenly Father wants me to pray always.

The adversary tempts us not to pray. Consider how you can help the children resist this temptation and “pray always” (2 Nephi 32:9).

Possible Activities

• Choose a phrase about prayer from 2 Nephi 32:8–9, write it on the board, and cover each word with a piece of paper. Invite the children to take turns removing one paper at a time until they can guess what the phrase is.

• Read 2 Nephi 32:8–9 together, and ask the children to share what they learn about prayer from these verses. What does it mean to “pray always”? (verse 9). How can we do this?

• What might make someone not want to pray? Share an experience when you prayed even though you didn’t feel like it. How did you feel afterward? Invite a child to read the second half of 2 Nephi 32:8, and give the children time to ponder it. Why doesn’t Satan want us to pray? How can we remind ourselves to pray even when we don’t feel like it?

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to find someone—a friend, a sibling, or another family member—they can teach how to pray.

Improving Our Teaching

Children are active. Invite the children to act out scripture stories and songs. Use their active natures to enhance learning. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26.)