Jesus Christ’s Birth: Jesus Christ Was Born on Earth (Christmas), Book of Mormon Prophet Samuel the Lamanite announces the birth of baby Jesus (mobile ornament)

Explain that throughout the Book of Mormon, the prophets talked about and looked forward to the birth of Jesus Christ. The members of Christ’s Church looked forward to the Savior’s birth and prayed about it for many years. Tell the following story in your own words:

Five years before the birth of Jesus, a prophet named Samuel was called by God to prepare the people for the birth of Jesus. He was to warn them to repent and believe in the Savior. Samuel was a Lamanite. The Nephites had become wicked and would not listen. They became so angry with Samuel that they threw him out of their city. But the voice of the Lord came to Samuel and told him to return again. He courageously climbed upon the city wall and told the people to repent and prepare themselves for the coming birth of Jesus Christ.

Display picture 3-73, Samuel the Lamanite on the Wall.

Explain that Samuel told the people that in five years Jesus Christ would come to earth. The event that had been foretold for so long was actually coming very soon. Samuel explained that certain things would happen that would tell them that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. The night before Jesus was born there would be great lights in the sky. They would be so bright that during the night there would be no darkness. At night it would be as light as if it were daytime.

Read Helaman 14:5 to the class.

• What did Samuel tell the Nephites to look for? (A new star.)

Tell the children that Samuel the Lamanite told the Nephites that they would see a new star in the sky when Jesus was born. Samuel knew this because he had been told by an angel that these signs would come.

• Why do you think Heavenly Father sent an angel to tell Samuel these things? (So he could tell the people.)

• Why do you think Heavenly Father wanted Samuel to tell the Nephites about these signs? (To let them know when Jesus was born and to try to get the people to repent.)

Explain that Heavenly Father sent an angel to tell Samuel about the coming events. He wanted the people in America to be looking forward to Jesus Christ’s birth. Heavenly Father wanted them to know it was coming soon.

Five years after Samuel told the Nephites that Jesus would be born, the Church members were waiting for the signs that Samuel had told them about. They were watching for the night without darkness that would signal his birth. The wicked people, who did not believe Samuel’s words, told the faithful followers that they would put them to death if the signs did not appear by a certain day.

The prophet at that time was a man named Nephi. Nephi was worried about what the unbelievers would do to the righteous people if the signs did not come by the day the unbelievers had chosen. He was so full of sorrow that he prayed to Heavenly Father because of the troubles they were having. Nephi prayed all day. Then the voice of the Lord came to Nephi.

Read 3 Nephi 1:13 to the children.

• How do you think Nephi felt when he heard Jesus Christ speak these words?

Explain that Nephi was comforted and knew that Jesus would be born the next day. That very evening the first sign came.

• What happened that night?

Let the children tell what they know. Help them understand that the night came, but there was no darkness. The people were surprised that there didn’t seem to be any night. They became so amazed that they fell to the earth. The righteous people knew that the time had arrived that they had looked forward to for many years. They knew that Jesus Christ was going to be born. Then something else happened.

Read 3 Nephi 1:21 to the class to see what it was.

Explain that the Savior had been born. The faith that they had had for many years now turned to great joy as they saw the new star in the sky. Even though the Nephites were unable to go see the child, they knew his birth was important to them.

• Why did Heavenly Father make sure that the Nephites saw the star? (So they would know that Jesus Christ was born.)

• How do you think the Nephites felt when they saw the star?

Explain that the star was also seen in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ’s birth was important to everyone. It was something that people had looked forward to for many years, and it really happened.