January 13-19 1 Nephi 8-10

“Come and Partake of the Fruit”

1. Story of Lehi’s Dream – Read “Chapter 6: Lehi’s Dream” from the church’s website:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/book-of-mormon-stories/chapter-6-lehis-dream?lang=eng . Review/summarize what it means.

Printables from The Friend – Cut apart the Lehi’s Dream printable pieces (below). Put them in a bag/bowl/pile and take turns pulling one piece out. As it’s chosen, read the scripture on it and discuss its meaning.

2. Blindfold Path Activity from The Friend – Follow directions found in this month’s Friend magazine for “Blindfold Path” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2020/01/my-family-night-fun?lang=eng (Blindfold a person, spin them, and have them try to walk in a straight line across the room. Then spin them again, but this time hold up a string for them to hold onto to help them walk straight. Compare to how the scriptures also help us walk a straight line).

3. The Iron Rod is the Word of God Activity - (The word of God leads me to the Savior and helps me feel His love)

Listen to/sing/discuss “The Iron Rod” song from the Hymnbook : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue_rF9uf7oI

To help them remember that the iron rod is the word of God, cut out “The Iron Rod is the Word of God” tags below. Slide them onto a jump rope or yarn to represent the iron rod. Start with the tag labeled “The Word of God” to discuss different ways we can receive and hold onto the word of God. Space the rest of them out on the “iron rod.” As children progress along the rod, read and discuss the scriptures and quotes from prophets on each tag. End with the tag that says, “The word of God leads me to God and helps me feel His love.” Help them see that the living prophets and the scriptures teach us the word of God and lead us to Jesus and God and help us feel their love.

If you’d like to print up a tree to put at the end of the rod, here is a great one: https://e5a61898-d113-4c9c-af4c-68ead61c4e0c.usrfiles.com/ugd/e5a618_6f9c4664f5924de2ab14fa8fec2a3852.pdf

4. Fruity Treat- Put a heart on a bowl full of Starbursts/fruit snacks/another fruity treat at the end of the “iron rod.” The manual suggests, “Explain that the fruit in Lehi’s vision was the sweetest fruit he had ever tasted, and it filled his soul with joy. Just as sweet fruit makes us happy, we will feel happy when we follow Jesus and live with Heavenly Father again.” While eating the treat, talk about ways we have felt or can feel God’s love in our lives and how happy following Him and Jesus makes us.

5. Teddy Acting/Where Am I in Lehi’s Dream?–

Have the kids get a favorite stuffed animal/teddy bear/doll. Have them use the “Lehi’s Dream” printables from The Friend to move that animal/doll through the different parts of Lehi’s dream as they hold onto the iron rod. Let other family members pretend to be the mists of darkness and people in the great and spacious building trying to stop the animal/doll from getting to the tree while the animal/doll holds to the iron rod.

Share/summarize this part of the manual: “Even if you have studied Lehi’s vision many times, this time think about it the way Lehi did – think of someone you love. As you do, the security of the iron rod, the dangers of the spacious building, and the sweetness of the fruit will take on new meaning. And you will understand more deeply ‘all the feeling of [the] tender parent’ who received this remarkable vision.”

Did you want your animal/doll to make it to the tree of life? Mom/Dad share with kids how we also hope that they will be able to hold on to the rod until we reach the tree of life. Let them know that Mom/Dad and the heavens are cheering them on.

Share/summarize this part of the manual: “Lehi’s vision offers an invitation to reflect on where you are – and where you are going – in your personal journey to know the Savior and feel His love. President Boyd

K. Packer taught: ‘You may think that Lehi’s dream or vision has no special meaning for you, but it does. You are in it; all of us are in it.”

Discuss where we feel like we are in this dream and how the different parts apply to us. (How can we react to people pointing a finger of scorn? How can scripture study and following the words of the prophet help us stay on the straight and narrow path, even when there are mists of darkness? Where are we at on our journey to know Christ and feel His love? Etc.). Remind them that Satan hates us and will try his best to stop us from reaching the tree of life and feeling the joy that God and Christ can give us. Satan wants us to be sad like him.

6. Book of Mormon Video – Watch and discuss this 3 minute Iron Rod clip from the church’s new Book of Mormon videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5q8qiO9E7E .

7. God will Reveal Truth to Me if I Diligently Seek It - Read 1 Nephi 10:6 “Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and

in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.” Remind them of how important Jesus is to all of us. Read/summarize 1 Nephi 10:4-11. Share testimonies and reasons why Jesus is so important to us. Mom/Dad share how the Holy Ghost has helped us have testimonies of Christ. Encourage family members to pray to feel the truth of Jesus and His teachings through the Holy Ghost.

The manual suggests: “Read 1 Nephi 10:19, and invite the children to raise their hands when they hear the words “unfolded” and “Holy Ghost.” Help the children understand this scripture, which teaches that the Holy Ghost will help us to know answers to our questions. To help the children visualize what it means for truth to be “unfolded,” bring a folded blanket with a picture of the Savior inside, and ask the children to unfold it.”

Additional Ideas:

Support Articles and Activities from The Ensign: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/01/come-follow-me-book-of-mormon-support-articles-and-activities/1-nephi-8-10?lang=eng

Link for new Book of Mormon videos: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/come-follow-me/individuals-and-families/book-of-mormon-2020/book-of-mormon-videos?lang=eng

13 minute Book of Mormon Video for Lehi’s Vision: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBRiC1slfTw&t=2s Hold to the Rod game from The Friend:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/children/resources/topics/lehi/Hold-to-the-Rod-1988-06-friend.pdf

This “Collaborative Art Museum” activity from The Ensign would be great for kids who are old enough to write: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/01/family-study-fun?lang=eng

More great ideas: https://www.theredcrystal.org/post/come-follow-me-jan-13-19-1-nephi-8-10-come-and-partake-of-the-fruit

Lehi’s Dream Pieces from The Friend: From The Friend https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/magazines/friend/2011/01/FR_2011_01_26___09661_000_038.pdf

The Iron Rod is the Word of God Activity: Cut out the tags from the pages below (created by Crystal from www.theredcrystal.org). Slide them onto a jump rope or yarn to represent the iron rod. Start with the tag labeled “The Word of God” to discuss different ways we can receive and hold onto the word of God. Space the rest of them out on the “iron rod,” and as children progress along the rod, read and discuss the scriptures and quotes from prophets on each tag. End with the tag that says, “The word of God leads me to God and helps me feel His love.” Help them see that the prophets and the scriptures teach us the word of God. They lead us to Jesus and God and help us feel their love. *If you’re teaching older kids, you could also have them find/write their own scriptures and prophet quotes for tags.