Mormon Abridging the Plates, by Tom Lovell

October 26–November 1

Mormon 1–6

“I Would That I Could Persuade All … to Repent”

The events described in Mormon 1–6 might be difficult for the children to fully understand, but they can still learn lessons from Mormon’s account of living righteously in a wicked world. How can you use his experience to teach the children how to stay true to the gospel?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

What do the children know about Mormon? Invite them to share what they know or learned with their families. Showing a picture of Mormon like the one in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families could help.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Mormon 1:1–3

I can be righteous like Mormon.

Though the children you teach are young, they can develop spiritual qualities and live righteously.

Possible Activities

• Read Mormon 1:1–3 to the children, or use “Chapter 49: Mormon and His Teachings” (Book of Mormon Stories, 138–42, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite them to listen for how old Mormon was when Ammaron gave him a special mission. Then ask them to hold up that many fingers. To help the children imagine how young Mormon was, show them a picture of someone who is 10 years old. Help them understand the qualities that Ammaron saw in Mormon when he was young, and testify that the children can be like Mormon as they follow Jesus Christ.

• Play a game in which the children repeat basic actions that you do. Then show pictures of things Jesus did, and talk about how we can follow Him (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 33–35, 41–42). Discuss ways Mormon followed Jesus Christ—for example, by teaching the gospel, encouraging people to obey God, and loving others.

Mormon 3:3, 9

Heavenly Father gives me many blessings.

Mormon’s teachings can help the children recognize the blessings Heavenly Father has given them.

Possible Activities

• Read Mormon 3:3 and 9 to the children, and explain that the Nephites had not recognized that Heavenly Father had blessed them. Help the children think of blessings Heavenly Father has given them. Show pictures or objects to give them ideas. What can we do today to show we are thankful to Heavenly Father for our blessings?

• Help the children think of blessings Heavenly Father has given them, and ask them to draw pictures of some of these blessings. Invite them to hang their pictures somewhere at home where they can see them and remember that Heavenly Father blesses them in many ways. You could also invite them to identify blessings that come from Heavenly Father as they sing the first verse of “I Thank Thee, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 7).

Mormon 3:12

Heavenly Father wants me to love everyone.

How can you help the children you teach have a desire to feel love for those around them?

Possible Activities

• Ask each child to draw a person on the board, and point out how each person they drew looks different from the others. Draw a large heart surrounding all the drawings. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father wants us to love all people. Read Mormon 3:12, emphasizing the words “love” and “loved.” What did Mormon do to show his love for others?

• Sing a song together about loving others, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, 61), while showing pictures of children from around the world. Testify of God’s love for all of His children. Complete this week’s activity page with the children.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Mormon 1:1–3; 2:1, 23–24; 3:1–3, 12, 17–22

I can be righteous like Mormon.

Mormon was very young when Ammaron recognized that he would be responsible enough to take care of the sacred records. What righteous qualities do you see in the children you teach?

Possible Activities

• Invite each of the children to read one of the following passages, and help them share what they learn about Mormon: Mormon 1:1–3; 2:1, 23–24; and 3:1–3, 12, 20–22. Then share righteous qualities you see in each of the children.

• Show a picture of Mormon (see the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Help the children see that because Mormon was responsible and trustworthy enough to keep and preserve the Nephite records, we have the Book of Mormon today. Talk with the children about what it means to be responsible and trustworthy. Invite them to ponder ways they can be more responsible.

  

  Mormon, Age 10, by Scott M. Snow

Mormon 2:8–15; 5:10–11

Godly sorrow leads to real change.

Mormon saw that the wicked Nephites were sorrowful, but their sorrow was not the kind that would inspire them to repent (see Mormon 2:13). How can you help the children understand the difference between worldly sorrow and the godly sorrow that leads to repentance?

Possible Activities

• Write the following headings on the board: Sorrow that leads to repentance and Sorrow that doesn’t lead to repentance. Invite the children to take turns reading verses from Mormon 2:8, 10–15. Help them write things they learn about sorrow under the appropriate headings on the board. How can we make sure that the sorrow we feel for our sins leads us to change?

• Invite a member of the bishopric or a parent of one of the children to share with the class how godly sorrow can help us change to be more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Why is it important to recognize whether we are feeling godly sorrow or worldly sorrow? Invite the children to search Mormon 2:12 to find reasons why repentance should make our “heart[s] … rejoice” (Mormon 2:12).

Mormon 3:12

I can feel Heavenly Father’s love for others.

It’s often easy to love those who love us and are like us, but Mormon demonstrated that with help from Heavenly Father, we can love those who believe and act differently than we do.

Possible Activities

• Help a child read Mormon 3:12, and invite the children to write one sentence that summarizes what they learn from Mormon about loving others. Invite the children to share what they wrote. How can we feel the love that God has for others? (see Moroni 7:48). What can we do to show our love for people in our class and in our families?

• Invite the children to complete this week’s activity page. Help them think of meaningful ways to reach out in love to those who might be different from us.

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to display this week’s activity page somewhere at home so that they will be reminded to show love for others. Give them an opportunity in a future class to share what they did.

Improving Our Teaching

Modify activities to fit the ages of the children you teach. Younger children need detailed explanations and learn from simpler teaching methods. As they mature, they can contribute more and may be better at sharing their thoughts. Give all children age-appropriate opportunities to share, testify, and participate, and be sure to provide help as needed. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26.)