Jacob 5–7

March 21–27

The Lord Labors with Us

Preparing to Teach in Primary

Begin your preparation to teach by reading Jacob 5–7 before studying any supplemental material. Prepare your teaching plan, and record your thoughts and impressions. You might also use some of the ideas on the next page or in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families.

Encourage Sharing

• How can you encourage the children to share the feelings and experiences they had as they studied these scriptures individually and with their families? How can you also involve children who may not have read in advance?

Teach the Doctrine

• As you teach the doctrine found in Jacob 5–7, what verses, quotations, experiences, questions, and other resources might you share with the children? How might you use these resources to help children learn gospel principles? How can you encourage children to act on the truths they learn in class?

Encourage Sharing and Learning at Home

• What can the children share at home with their families? How can you encourage them to continue to learn about the Book of Mormon at home?

My Teaching Plan

Improving Our Teaching

Use music.

Primary songs and hymns can help children—even older ones—understand and internalize gospel truths in a memorable way. Singing songs can also keep children actively engaged in a learning experience.

Additional Ideas

Use one or more of the activities below to help children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love them. You may also use your own activities to teach other truths you find in these chapters.

Jacob 5. Jesus Christ loves me.

• Because children love stories, you may wish to tell them a simplified version of the allegory of the olive tree (see Jacob 5). Children could draw pictures of the story as they listen, look at pictures of an olive tree, or take a walk outside to look at trees. In this story, the Lord of the vineyard (who represents Jesus) worked very hard because He cared so much about His olive trees (which represent the people on earth). What do the children find in Jacob 5:11, 41, and 47 that shows how much Jesus cares about us? How else do the children know that Jesus loves them?

Jacob 6:4–5. Heavenly Father will forgive me.

• To help the children better understand forgiveness, you could share the story that Elder Allen D. Haynie told about getting dirty in a mud pit (see “Remembering in Whom We Have Trusted,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 121). What questions could you ask to help them understand what this story teaches about forgiveness? You could also invite them to read Jacob 6:4–5 and look for words that describe what we need to do to repent.

Jacob 7:24–25. I can trust in Heavenly Father.

• The Nephites were successful against their enemies because they both worked “with all their might” and trusted in God (Jacob 7:25). How could you help the children creatively illustrate the truths they find in these verses? For example, could they draw or build a fort or create an inspirational banner or flag? As part of this activity, children could sing “Seek the Lord Early” (Children’s Songbook, 108). How do they show that they trust God? How could they apply the truths they learn to their lives?

Sharing Time

Singing Time

Help the children learn the gospel through music.

• Consider singing “I Feel My Savior’s Love” or “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75 and 99).

Sharing by Children

Create opportunities for children to share how they are learning and living the gospel.

• Children could share how they have felt the love of the Savior. They could also share how it feels to be forgiven.