Book of Mormon Primary Lessons
Lessons from the Book of Mormon as taught by S.J. Hollist, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Lesson 38 - 200 Years of Peace
“Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon, (1997),135
Seek for the peace and happiness that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine what it would be like to have the Savior live with you for a week. Read 4 Nephi 1:15–16. These verses describe how the people in America treated each other after Jesus Christ’s visit. Think about what it would be like living under these conditions.
How would our lives be different if everyone obeyed the commandments? (We would have no need for locks, keys, police officers, and so on.) One of the most important keys to happiness is how we treat other people. By living the teachings of Jesus Christ, we will treat our families and friends with more kindness and less selfishness, and we will find greater peace and happiness.
Read 3 Nephi 28:1–16, 23–40 and 4 Nephi.
Jesus Christ’s disciples desire of him that they "may speedily come unto [him] in [his] kingdom" (3 Nephi 28:2, 4–7). Three other disciples were allowed to remain on earth until its end because they "desired [to] bring the souls of men unto [Christ]" (3 Nephi 28:6, 9). Their bodies where changed to make it possible for them to do this (3 Nephi 28:38–39).
The three disciples were protected as they taught the people. Prisons could not hold them, furnaces did them no harm, and they did play with wild beasts (3 Nephi 28:18–22). Mormon, who abridged this record 350 years after Jesus Christ came, said about the three disciples "I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me" (3 Nephi 28:24–26).
After the Savior left them his disciples "did go forth upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching; baptizing them" (3 Nephi 28:18). ". . . in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted . . . and there were no contentions and disputations among them" (4 Nephi 1:1–2). The people were no longer divided into Nephites and Lamanites but were united.
How might you and your family be blessed if you were to have no contention? How can you be a peacemaker and help avoid contention?
"There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people" (4 Nephi 1:15). To have the “love of God” in our hearts means that we love each other unconditionally. When have you felt the love of God in your life? How can we share this love with others?
The people had “all things common among them”? (4 Nephi 1:3.) What would you like about living in this way? Why do you think it might be hard?
Jesus Christ’s disciples "did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles" (4 Nephi 1:5).
This happy society was changed in the "two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride" (4 Nephi 1:23–29). The people began to treat the disciples poorly. (4 Nephi 1:30–34.) What is pride? How can we overcome pride in our lives?
They did “wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ” (4 Nephi 1:38). Three hundred years after Christ’s visit, the people "had become exceedingly wicked" because of their pride (4 Nephi 1:45–46).
We can experience peace and happiness if we humbly live as the Savior has taught us to.
Seek for the peace and happiness that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine what it would be like to have the Savior live with you for a week. Read 4 Nephi 1:15–16. These verses describe how the people in America treated each other after Jesus Christ’s visit. Think about what it would be like living under these conditions.
How would our lives be different if everyone obeyed the commandments? (We would have no need for locks, keys, police officers, and so on.) One of the most important keys to happiness is how we treat other people. By living the teachings of Jesus Christ, we will treat our families and friends with more kindness and less selfishness, and we will find greater peace and happiness.
Read 3 Nephi 28:1–16, 23–40 and 4 Nephi.
Jesus Christ’s disciples desire of him that they "may speedily come unto [him] in [his] kingdom" (3 Nephi 28:2, 4–7). Three other disciples were allowed to remain on earth until its end because they "desired [to] bring the souls of men unto [Christ]" (3 Nephi 28:6, 9). Their bodies where changed to make it possible for them to do this (3 Nephi 28:38–39).
The three disciples were protected as they taught the people. Prisons could not hold them, furnaces did them no harm, and they did play with wild beasts (3 Nephi 28:18–22). Mormon, who abridged this record 350 years after Jesus Christ came, said about the three disciples "I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me" (3 Nephi 28:24–26).
After the Savior left them his disciples "did go forth upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching; baptizing them" (3 Nephi 28:18). ". . . in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted . . . and there were no contentions and disputations among them" (4 Nephi 1:1–2). The people were no longer divided into Nephites and Lamanites but were united.
How might you and your family be blessed if you were to have no contention? How can you be a peacemaker and help avoid contention?
"There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people" (4 Nephi 1:15). To have the “love of God” in our hearts means that we love each other unconditionally. When have you felt the love of God in your life? How can we share this love with others?
The people had “all things common among them”? (4 Nephi 1:3.) What would you like about living in this way? Why do you think it might be hard?
Jesus Christ’s disciples "did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles" (4 Nephi 1:5).
This happy society was changed in the "two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride" (4 Nephi 1:23–29). The people began to treat the disciples poorly. (4 Nephi 1:30–34.) What is pride? How can we overcome pride in our lives?
They did “wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ” (4 Nephi 1:38). Three hundred years after Christ’s visit, the people "had become exceedingly wicked" because of their pride (4 Nephi 1:45–46).
We can experience peace and happiness if we humbly live as the Savior has taught us to.
Labels: Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, Lesson 38, Mormon, Nephi, Peace, Pride
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