YOUTH LESSON ACTIVITY. HAPPY CHOICES match game. Teach the principles Jesus taught the Nephites, bringing both them and the Lamanites peace and happiness. These include: dealing justly, loving God, having no envyings, sharing all things in common, avoiding contention, and being converted unto the Lord, among other teachings.
USE FOR Come Follow Me, Primary and Home, family home evening, Children and Youth, homeschool
LESSON LIFESAVER Activity
Teachings of Jesus for a Happy Life
Happy Choices Match Game
ACTIVITY: Create a Happy Choices match game to show youth how the Nephites and Lamanites found peace. Remind youth that we too can find peace and happiness as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ. See 4 Nephi 1:2-3, 5, and 15-17.
TO PLAY the game, divide youth into two teams, or they may do the activity individually (in this case, each youth needs their own set of cards). Lay cards facedown and take turns turning two cards over to make a match. When all cards are matched, give one point per card to determine the winning team.
TO MAKE Print, color, and cut out the Happy Choices Match Game cards that follow for each youth.
THOUGHT TREAT: Peace Pancakes. Cook two small pancakes side by side, connecting in the middle. Make a jam smile on each. Tell the youth that the Nephites and Lamanites were happy when they found the peace that comes from living the teachings of Jesus.
TESTIMONY: Bear testimony that we can experience peace and happiness if we humbly live as the Savior has taught us to.
SCRIPTURE CHALLENGE CARD: Help youth Search and Ponder this scripture card by filling in the blanks. PRINT this 5 x 7 scripture card from the pdf included with the above activity. You can punch the two holes on the left and tie a ribbon to attach cards or use two metal rings to connect cards.
4 Nephi 1:15 “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.”
LESSON IDEAS (for the above activity):
• See the “Peace among the Nephites” Lesson 38 in the Book of Mormon Primary 4 Ages 8-11 Lesson Manual (HERE)
FOCUS ON the enrichment Activity #1 as follows for which the above activity “Happy Choices Match Game” was created.
“Prepare wordstrips of these phrases from 4 Nephi 1:2–3, 5, 15–17: “Every man did deal justly one with another.” “They had all things common among them.” “All manner of miracles did they work.” “There was no contention in the land.” “The love of God . . . did dwell in the hearts of the people.” “There were no envyings.” “There were no . . . tumults [rioting].” “There were no . . . lyings.” “There were no robbers.” “There were . . . [no] murderers.” “They were in one, the children of Christ.”
Put the wordstrips in a container, and let each child draw one out and display it. These phrases from 4 Nephi explain why the people were living in peace and happiness.
THIS WAS DONE IN THE ABOVE ACTIVITY (Enjoy!).
• See the video Chapter 48 Peace in America for this subject (below).
• Present the Testimony and challenge Suggested Home Reading from the lesson. “Bear testimony that we can experience peace and happiness if we humbly live as the Savior has taught us to.”
HOME READING. Suggest that the children study 4 Nephi 1:1–18 at home as a review of this lesson.
FOLLOW THE PROPHET Cycle of History wheel. Share with the youth the Book of Mormon stories that tell when the people followed the prophet they became righteous and blessings and prosperity came. Then, if they do not stay humble and keep repenting and choosing the right, they get prideful. At this point, it is easy to become wicked which brings suffering and destruction. Then the cycle begins again.
DOWNLOAD this Cycle of History known as the PRIDE CYCLE activity (HERE, shown below/right).
