“Lesson 4 Class Preparation Material: Search the Scriptures,” Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon Teacher Material (2021)
“Lesson 4 Class Preparation Material,” Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon Teacher Material
Lesson 4 Class Preparation Material
Search the Scriptures
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. … Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media” (“Make the Exercise of Faith a Priority,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 93). As you study this material, consider why Elder Scott would have you place such a high priority on scripture study. Assess what role the scriptures currently play in your life.
Section 1
What priority do the scriptures have in my life?
After Lehi and his family had been traveling for days in the wilderness, the Lord commanded Lehi to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban. The brass plates were a volume of ancient scripture, comparable to our Old Testament, that contained a record of the Jews and many writings of the prophets (see 1 Nephi 5:11–16; Guide to the Scriptures, “Brass Plates,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
The Lord knew these scriptures would be essential to Lehi’s family and their descendants. The Lord even commanded Nephi to slay Laban to obtain the record, saying, “It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief” (1 Nephi 4:13).
When Lehi received the plates of brass and began to “search them” (1 Nephi 5:10), “he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy” (verse 17).
Study in Preparation for Class
Read 1 Nephi 5:19, 21–22, looking for why it was essential that Lehi’s family carry the scriptures with them as they traveled to the promised land.
Commenting on the worth of the scriptures in her own life, President Julie B. Beck, who served as Relief Society General President, taught:
Joy has come from the habit of daily scripture reading which I started so many years ago. Some days I have a lot of time to contemplate the scriptures. Other days I reflect on a few verses. Just as eating and breathing sustain my physical body, the scriptures feed and give life to my spirit. I can now echo Nephi and say: “My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them. … Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard” (2 Nephi 4:15–16). (“My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 109)
Record Your Thoughts
Record some reasons you think personal scripture study should be a priority in your life.
Section 2
How can the scriptures help me to know Jesus Christ better?
During his ministry, Nephi created two records—the large plates and the small plates of Nephi. The large plates of Nephi initially contained the secular history of Nephi’s people. The small plates of Nephi were created for the “special purpose” of preserving a record of the ministry of Nephi’s people (1 Nephi 9:3). Nephi stated that the “fulness of [his] intent” for this record was to persuade all people to come unto Christ and be saved (1 Nephi 6:4).
When Nephi gave responsibility for the small plates to his brother Jacob, he charged Jacob to record only what was “most precious” (Jacob 1:1–2).
Study in Preparation for Class
Read Jacob 1:4, 6–8 and Jacob 4:3–4, looking for what Jacob considered to be “most precious” (Jacob 1:2).
President Russell M. Nelson taught that Nephi, Jacob, and the other Book of Mormon prophets have added their witness to the prophets of other scripture. He explained:
In a seemingly endless sequence of prophetic proclamations—testimonies of “all the holy prophets” [Jacob 4:4] for “a great many thousand years before his coming” [Helaman 8:18]—the Book of Mormon makes the solemn declaration that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. (“A Testimony of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 69)
Ponder in Preparation for Class
What have you come to know and feel about Jesus Christ as you have read the scriptures—especially the Book of Mormon? What specific passages have brought you closer to Him?
Section 3
How can the scriptures guide me in solving problems and making decisions?
After Lehi fulfilled all that had been commanded of him, the Lord provided an instrument called the Liahona (see Alma 37:38). The Liahona functioned like a compass and served as a guide as Lehi’s family journeyed through the wilderness. It also displayed personal messages from the Lord. Nephi learned that the Liahona worked “according to the faith and diligence they gave” to the Lord’s messages (1 Nephi 16:28–29).
About 500 years later, when Alma entrusted his son Helaman with the keeping of the brass plates and other scriptures, he provided insights about the operation of the Liahona.
Study in Preparation for Class
Read and ponder Alma’s insights in Alma 37:40–41, 43–45 about how the scriptures can be likened or compared to the Liahona.
While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder W. Rolfe Kerr taught:
The words of Christ can be a personal Liahona for each of us, showing us the way. Let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way. Let us in faith take the words of Christ into our minds and into our hearts as they are recorded in sacred scripture and as they are uttered by living prophets, seers, and revelators. Let us with faith and diligence feast upon the words of Christ, for the words of Christ will be our spiritual Liahona telling us all things what we should do. (“The Words of Christ—Our Spiritual Liahona,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 37)
Discuss in Preparation for Class
Consider asking a friend or family member how the scriptures and the words of living prophets have been a source of guidance—like a personal Liahona—in their lives. During your conversation, you may want to share your own experience related to this.