General Conference Talk: “The Temptations of Christ” Howard W. Hunter October 2017 general conference
Thought: “When we speak of repentance, we aren’t just talking about self-improvement efforts. True repentance is more than that—it is inspired by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His power to forgive our sins” (Howard W. Hunter “The Temptations of Christ” October 2017 general conference)
Song: “Stand for the Right” Children’s Songbook, no. 159
Lesson: Read or adapt the following summary from the beginning of Helaman, then discuss the questions below.
Following their conversion, the righteous Lamanites began to preach the gospel among the Nephites. Both peoples enjoyed a period of peace and friendly association. After a time, Gadianton and his band of robbers resumed their secret works of murder and wickedness. The Lamanites hunted down the robbers in their land and converted many to righteousness. The Nephites embraced the robbers, descended into wickedness, and overtook the government. In a short period of time, Satan had laid great hold upon the hearts of the Nephites, and the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from them. Nephi went to a garden tower in his home, bowed himself in prayer, and cried aloud for the wickedness he had seen. People heard him praying, and a crowd gathered on the street below. Now read Helaman 7:12-22, 25, 28 and answer these questions:
- Nephi spoke of Satan as one who was “seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo.” How did the Nephites give in to Satan’s enticing?
- What is Satan doing to try to cause you everlasting misery?
Activity:
Play balloon volleyball with your family and one blown-up balloon. You can split up into teams and play against each other for some friendly competition. Or if your family wants something a little different, you can play in a circle. The goal of the game could be to keep the balloon from touching the ground or to keep it away from one person in the family (Family Home Evening Resource Book (1997), 290).
For more bite-sized Book of Mormon lessons, check out The Book of Mormon Family Reader, available at Deseret Book stores or on deseretbook.com.
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