Welcome to February!
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February, Week 1
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Genesis 5.
2. Watch the video about Enoch!
Youth
1. Today read Moses 6:1-39.
2. Most of Genesis 5 is a list of the generations between Adam and Eve and Noah. We read a lot of names, but we don’t learn much about them. Then we read this intriguing but unexplained line: “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Surely there’s a story behind that verse! But without further explanation, the list of generations resumes. Thankfully, Moses 6 reveals the details of Enoch’s story—and it’s quite a story.
3. Enoch felt inadequate when he was called to preach repentance to a group of wicked people. The Lord strengthened him to accomplish what he thought he could not do. Have you ever felt Heavenly Father giving you strength to do more than you thought you could do on your own? Have you ever heard of others receiving that kind of strength from God? In contrast, have you ever had thoughts like “I can’t” or “It’s too hard”? Why do you think we have these feelings of inadequacy? President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency explained:
There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate. Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone. (“Rise to Your Call,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 76)
4. Like Enoch, you may feel overwhelmed by what the Lord has asked you to do. The following statement from the First Presidency can offer comfort:
There may be times when you don’t feel strong or capable. That’s normal. Especially in those moments, turn to the Savior. He is the “strength of youth.” (“Message from the First Presidency,” For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices [2022], 2)
You may also receive comfort from the words of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
I believe the Savior Jesus Christ would want you to see, feel, and know that He is your strength. That with His help, there are no limits to what you can accomplish. That your potential is limitless. He would want you to see yourself the way He sees you. And that is very different from the way the world sees you. (“Jesus Christ Is the Strength of Youth,“ Liahona, Nov. 2022, 9)
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Moses 6:1-36.
2. When Enoch was called to preach the gospel, he worried that he would fail. But God helped him do great things.
3. Watch the video about Enoch the prophet.
4. Why did Enoch feel that he couldn’t preach the gospel? How did God help Enoch?
Youth
1.Today read Moses 6:47-68.
2. In Moses 6:52 we learn important elements of the process of following the doctrine of Christ:
- Believe in Him.
- Repent.
- Be baptized.
- Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
About this doctrine, President Russell M. Nelson shared:
The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path. Staying on that narrow but well-defined path will ultimately qualify us to receive all that God has. Nothing could be worth more than all our Father has! (“Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 6)
3. Because we have the book of Moses, we know that God has been teaching His children how to find redemption ever since Adam and Eve. After teaching Adam truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lord told Adam to teach them to future generations. Adam and Eve’s family kept a “book of remembrance.” What would you or your family put in your own book of remembrance? What do you feel the Lord would want you to include?
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Moses 6:37-68.
2. Adam and Enoch taught their people the first principles and ordinances of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. These help us prepare to return to Heavenly Father.
3. Listen to the song, “I Know My Father Lives.”
Youth
1. Today, read Genesis 5.
2. Did ancient patriarchs really live for hundreds of years? The Bible records that Adam and some of his descendants lived extremely long lives. The scriptures do not clearly explain the reason for these long lifespans. After the Flood, the ages of major figures are recorded as decreasing across several generations until they approach the lifespans we recognize today. These long lifespans are also recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 107:41–52. When Joseph Smith dictated his new translation of the Bible, he changed some ages of the patriarchs but preserved their unusually long lifespans.
Day 4
Youth
1. Review Moses 6:1-25.
2. Abel had been chosen to carry the responsibilities of the priesthood to succeeding generations. But after he was murdered, Seth, who was born 130 years after the Fall of Adam and Eve, was selected as the chosen son to carry this sacred priesthood responsibility (see D&C 107:40–42). He was ordained when he was 69 years old and lived a total of 912 years. The scriptures refer to him as a “perfect man, and his likeness was the express likeness of his father” (see D&C 107:43).
3. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:
In the beginning God gave Adam a language that was pure, perfect, and undefiled. This Adamic language, now unknown, was far superior to any tongue which is presently extant. For instance, the name of God the Father, in this original language, is Man of Holiness, signifying that he is a Holy Man and not a vague spiritual essence. (Moses 6:57.)
This first language spoken by mortals was either the celestial tongue of the Gods or such adaptation of it as was necessary to meet the limitations of mortality; and Adam and his posterity had power to speak, read, and write it” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 19).
From the beginning, the Lord provided a language and gave men the power to read and write. … The thing which they first wrote, and which of all their writings was of the most worth unto them, was a Book of Remembrance, a book in which they recorded what the Lord had revealed about himself, about his coming, and about the plan of salvation, which plan would have force and validity because of his atonement. This was the beginning of the Holy Scriptures” (The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [1978], 86; see also Moses 6:46).
4. How long has the priesthood been on Earth? The priesthood “is without beginning of days or end of years” (D&C 84:17). From the time of Adam and Eve, the priesthood, the gospel, and the ordinances were available as we have them today (see Moses 5:58–59; see also D&C 107:40–42). The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) taught:
The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed. …
The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam’s authority” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 104).
Week 2
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Moses 7:1-18.
2. God wants us to love each other. The people in Enoch’s city were very righteous and loved and took care of each other. He called his people Zion. God wants us to be a Zion people today, just like the people of Enoch. How can we show love to each other in Primary and at home?
3. There is a Doctrinal Mastery verse in Moses 7! It’s Moses 7:18.
18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
4. OPTIONAL: There is a song to go along with this verse.
Youth
1. Today read Moses 7:1-21.
2. Throughout history, people have tried to achieve what Enoch and his people accomplished: building an ideal society where there is no poverty or violence. As God’s people, we share this desire. We call it building Zion, and it includes — in addition to caring for the poor and promoting peace — making covenants, dwelling together in righteousness, and becoming one with each other and with Jesus Christ, “the King of Zion.” Because the work of establishing Zion continues in our day, it’s helpful to ask, How did Enoch and his people do it? How did they become “of one heart and one mind” despite the wickedness around them? Among the many details Moses 7 gives us about Zion, a particularly valuable one for Latter-day Saints might be this: Zion is not just a city — it is a condition of the heart and spirit. Zion, as the Lord has taught, is “the pure in heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21). So perhaps the best way to build Zion is to start in our own hearts and homes.
3. There is a Doctrinal Mastery verse in Moses 7! It’s Moses 7:18.
18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
4. OPTIONAL: There is a song to go along with this verse.
5. How can I develop unity with others? Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared:
We are too diverse and at times too discordant to be able to come together as one on any other basis or under any other name. … It is only in and through our individual loyalty to and love of Jesus Christ that we can hope to be one. (“One in Christ,” Liahona, May 2023, 78–79)
6. How can I follow Jesus Christ’s righteous example? Righteousness is a Christlike trait that includes “being just, holy, virtuous, upright; acting in obedience to God’s commands; avoiding sin” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Righteous, Righteousness,” Gospel Library). President Russell M. Nelson shared how the Savior blesses us as we strive to be righteous.
As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest. (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 97)
7. How can I follow the Lord and care for the poor? Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following:
As we pursue the cause of Zion, each of us should prayerfully consider whether we are doing … all that we should in the Lord’s eyes with respect to the poor and the needy. (“Come to Zion,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 39)
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Moses 7:19-27.
2. Enoch built a city called the city of Zion. Enoch saw in a vision that the city would eventually be taken up to heaven because of the righteousness of his people. This means that Enoch and his people were translated — in other words, their bodies were changed so they would be free of physical pain and would not experience death until the time of their resurrection.
3. Listen to the Books of the Old Testament song. We are going to learn this this year!
Youth
1. Read Moses 7:22-47.
2. Sometimes we see paintings of God sitting on a throne. Thinking of Him that way can be a little intimidating. What if God were more like a caring parent who stays up late, watching, hoping, and waiting for their children to come safely home?
3. How does God feel when His children do not follow Him? Some people see God as a distant being who isn’t emotionally affected by what happens to us. Enoch gained a different view of God in the vision recorded in Moses 7. Look back at Moses 7:28-33 then read the following statement from President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
That single, riveting scene does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could ever convey. …
What an indelible image of God’s engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do not choose Him nor “the gospel of God” He sent! [Romans 1:1] How easy to love someone who so singularly loves us! …
I bear personal witness this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. (“The Grandeur of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 72)
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Moses 7:28-53.
2. Take a look at the verses we read today. What is it that makes God weep, or cry? Take a look at verses 32, 33, and 37 for some answers. What do these verses teach us about how God feels about His children? How do we know that God loves us?
3. What do you think are some things we can do to make Heavenly Father happy?
Youth
1. Read Moses 7:53-69.
2. One of the Savior’s titles is “the King of Zion” (Moses 7:53). He watches over His people, and in the last days He will preserve them from the great tribulations that will occur.
3. When we think about the Second Coming, we sometimes think of it as a scary thing. But when Jesus comes again, the world will be renewed and transformed into a paradise. President Russell M. Nelson said:
In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory” [Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:36], He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful. (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 95)
4. Enoch and his people built “the City of Holiness, even Zion” (Moses 7:19). The Lord promised they would “dwell in safety forever” (Moses 7:20). Enoch then saw and wept over the destruction that would come during the Flood. Seeking comfort, Enoch asked if the Lord would have mercy on the people who came after the Flood. In response, the Lord taught about and showed Enoch the Savior and His Atonement (see Moses 7:42–57).
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Moses 7:47-69.
2. In his vision, Enoch saw the latter days, including the Savior’s Second Coming. Take a look at some pictures of Jesus Christ coming to visit people. (One, two, three.) How do you think the people in the pictures felt when Jesus came to see them? How can we prepare for when Jesus comes again?
3. Listen to the song, “When He Comes Again.”
Youth
1. Enoch wept again when he heard the earth mourn because of the wickedness of the people. Enoch prayed and asked God if he would have compassion on the earth and bless the children of Noah. The Lord promised Enoch that He would never again flood the earth. The Lord also promised that He would “call upon the children of Noah,” which means that He would invite them to accept the gospel. The Lord also taught Enoch that those who build their lives upon the Savior would never fall.
2. Verse 62 describes events of the last days. Consider what phrases like these might mean: “righteousness will I send down out of heaven,” “truth will I send forth out of the earth,” “righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood.” What do these phrases teach you about God’s work in the latter days?
3. President Ezra Taft Benson explained that the Lord promised that “righteousness would come from heaven and truth out of the earth. We have seen the marvelous fulfillment of that prophecy in our generation. The Book of Mormon has come forth out of the earth, filled with truth, serving as the very ‘keystone of our religion.’ God has also sent down righteousness from heaven. The Father Himself appeared with His Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The angel Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James, and numerous other angels were directed by heaven to restore the necessary powers to the kingdom. Further, the Prophet Joseph Smith received revelation after revelation from the heavens during those first critical years of the Church’s growth. These revelations have been preserved for us in the Doctrine and Covenants.”
Week 3
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Moses 8.
2. Following the Prophet will bless you and your family. If you can learn to follow the prophet, you will be blessed and kept spiritually safe, just as Noah’s family was kept safe from the Flood.
3. Do you know who our prophet is today? When do you get to hear the direction he has for you?
4. Listen to “Choose to Serve the Lord.”
Youth
1. Read Moses 8.
2. The Lord promised Enoch that Noah would be one of his descendants. Read Moses 8:1-11 and see if you can figure out what relationship Noah had with Enoch.
3. Read Moses 8:17. What does it mean that God will not always strive with man? How much time does it say He is going to give people to repent?
4. All that God does is for the benefit of His children. Some people wonder why a loving God would destroy almost all of the people on earth through the Flood. Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that God intervened “when corruption had reached an agency-destroying point that spirits could not, in justice, be sent here.” President John Taylor explained that “by taking away their earthly existence [God] prevented them from entailing their sins upon their posterity and degenerating [or corrupting] them, and also prevented them from committing further acts of wickedness.” Why do you think it is important to understand that what God did is for the benefit of His children?
5. Our Church leaders have shared many suggestions to help us overcome the wickedness in the world. Read the following for ideas on how you can overcome wickedness. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
Overcoming the world is keeping our promises to God—our baptismal and temple covenants. … Overcoming the world means turning ourselves outward, remembering the second commandment [see Mark 12:31]: “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant” [Matthew 23:11]. … Overcoming the world is being less concerned with our online connections and more concerned with our heavenly connection to God. … Overcoming the world is remembering, even when we are discouraged, the times we have felt the love and light of the Savior. (“Overcoming the World,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 59–60)
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Genesis 6-7.
2. Watch the video about Noah.
3. Look at this picture of Noah’s ark to get a better idea of how very big it was and who was on board.
4. Listen to the first three verses of “Follow the Prophet.” That is only the first two minutes. These verses talk about Adam, Enoch, and Noah – all prophets we have learned about so far this year.
Youth
1. Read Genesis 6-7.
2. God lovingly asks us to obey His commandments. Some commandments may be difficult to understand, but they are always for our good. Noah’s family was saved from the Flood because they obeyed God’s commandment to build an ark. The Lord commanded Noah to build an ark in which his family and “every living thing of all flesh” (Genesis 6:19) were saved from the Flood. Floodwater destroyed the wicked and all creatures that lived on the land except those in the ark. When the floodwater receded, Noah and his family exited the ark. The Lord gave them commandments and established with them the covenant He had made with Enoch.
3. As you read the following quotes, identify God’s purpose for giving commandments.
The commandments and covenants He offers you are not tests to control you. They are a gift to lift you toward receiving all the gifts of God and returning home to your Heavenly Father and the Lord, who love you. (Henry B. Eyring, “Legacy of Encouragement,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 100)
God’s plan includes directions for us, referred to in the scriptures as commandments. These commandments are neither a whimsical set nor an arbitrary collection of imposed rules meant only to train us to be obedient. They are linked to our developing the attributes of godliness, returning to our Heavenly Father, and receiving enduring joy. (Dale G. Renlund, “Choose You This Day,” Liahona, Nov. 2018, 105)
4.President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) shared some reasons why Noah and his family needed faith in Christ to fulfill the commandment to build the ark.
As yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. His people mocked and called him a fool. His preaching fell on deaf ears. His warnings were considered irrational. There was no precedent; never had it been known that a deluge [or flood] could cover the earth. How foolish to build an ark on dry ground with the sun shining and life moving forward as usual!
5. How would Noah be blessed by acting in faith to build the ark when there appeared to be no danger? What are some things the Lord has asked us to do that might appear foolish to others? If we act in faith by obeying the Lord’s commands, we can receive His blessings and protection.
6. Consider the following poem, quoted by President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015).
All the water in the world,
However hard it tried,
Could never sink the smallest ship
Unless it [got] inside.
And all the evil in the world,
The blackest kind of sin,
Can never hurt you the least bit
Unless you let it in.
(Author unknown. Quoted by Boyd K. Packer, “The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 24)
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Genesis 8-9.
2. Gospel covenants can be represented by a sign, symbol, or “token.” For example, think about how the bread and water of the sacrament or the waters of baptism are related to covenants. God promised Noah that he would not flood the earth anymore, and he left a symbol as a reminder of that promise. What was the symbol? (Click here for a hint.)
3. Listen to “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Read Genesis 8-9.
2. After the Flood, the waters on the earth gradually receded and the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Noah sent out birds to determine how far the water level had lowered. When a dove returned with an olive leaf, Noah knew the waters had receded enough. After Noah and his family had been on the ark for about a year, God directed them to exit the ark. Noah offered animal sacrifices to the Lord, gave thanks, and asked the Lord to “not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake.” The Lord commanded Noah and his family to multiply and replenish the earth, instructed them on how to treat living things, and commanded them not to shed man’s blood (murder).
3. In Genesis 9:8-11, God formed a covenant with Noah and his sons. He lays out a token, or symbol, of that covenant in verses 12-17. What was the token of this covenant? (Click here for a hint.) God uses tokens as reminders of covenants. The rainbow became a symbol and reminder of God’s mercy to His children on earth.
4. There was more to the covenant God made with Noah than promising not to flood the earth again. The Joseph Smith Translation helps us understand that God was renewing the same covenant He made with Enoch. This covenant was that when Noah’s posterity obeyed all of God’s commandments, the heavens and earth would rejoice and Enoch’s city of Zion would again come upon the earth.
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Genesis 11.
2. Watch the video about the Tower of Babel.
3. What does Helaman 3:28 say about the right way to reach heaven?
4. The people of Babel thought they could reach heaven by building a tower rather than by living the gospel of Jesus Christ. While people today might not try to build towers in order to reach heaven, many try to find peace and happiness by following paths other than the one Jesus Christ has established.
5. Listen to “Choose the Right.”
Youth
1. Read Genesis 11.
2. The ‘slime’ in verse 3 was a substance like asphalt or tar that was used not only as an adhesive for the bricks but also to seal objects against water or moisture. Why might the people have wanted to use a substance for mortar that would resist water? (Some people think that the people used slime as mortar to make the tower waterproof so it would keep them safe in their sins if God decided to flood the earth again.)
3. What did the Lord do to the inhabitants of earth? He confused their languages and scattered them across the earth. Because they could not communicate and scattered across the land, they could not continue building the tower.
4. In addition to providing an explanation for the numerous languages now found on the earth, the account of the Tower of Babel shows how quickly (in less than 150 years) the people forgot the lessons of the Flood and turned again from the Lord. The Book of Mormon illustrates how the actual confounding of the languages may not have occurred instantaneously but may have happened over an unknown length of time. Jared asked his brother to call upon the Lord and request that their language not be confounded. This request was granted. Then Jared asked his brother to plead that the language of their friends would stay the same as theirs. This request was also granted. These events imply that the confounding of the languages did not happen in an instant.
February, Week 4
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Abraham 1.
2. Abraham was living in a place where people had turned to wickedness and were making human sacrifices. In verse 11 we read about three young women who were sacrificed because they would not bow down to stone or wooden idols. Abraham’s father sent him to be sacrificed, too, but he prayed to Heavenly Father and he was rescued.
3. Watch the video “The Deliverance of Abraham.”
Youth
1. Read Abraham 1.
2. Like many of us, Abraham lived in a wicked environment, yet he desired to be righteous. President Dallin H. Oaks taught the importance of having righteous desires:
As important as it is to lose every desire for sin, eternal life requires more. To achieve our eternal destiny, we will desire and work for the qualities required to become an eternal being. … If this seems too difficult — and surely it is not easy for any of us — then we should begin with a desire for such qualities and call upon our loving Heavenly Father for help with our feelings.
3. Heavenly Father loves us and wants to bless us for the righteous desires of our hearts. But not every hope is fulfilled in this life. Have you ever felt this way? If you have, that’s OK. There are many examples in the scriptures when people’s lives or circumstances may not have happened like they wanted. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
As the Lord’s servant, I promise you that as you are faithful to Jesus Christ and your covenants, you will receive compensating blessings in this life and your righteous desires in the eternal time line of the Lord. There can be happiness in the journey of mortality even when all of our righteous hopes are not realized. (“The Personal Journey of a Child of God,” Liahona, May 2021, 47)
4. Unlike us, Abraham lived in an area where people were practicing human sacrifice. In verse 11 we read about three virtuous young women who were sacrificed because they refused to bow down to idols. Abraham was going to be sacrificed as well, but he cried unto the Lord and was rescued.
5. Watch the video “The Deliverance of Abraham.”
Day 2
*Primary
1. Read Abraham 2 and Genesis 12.
2. Look at Abraham 2:6, 9-11. Find the promises that the Lord gives Abraham. See if you can find the responsibilities he is given. Abraham was promised so many descendants that it would be easier to count the grains of sand on a beach or the stars in the sky than his posterity. (At this point, Abraham and Sarai did not have any children.) It is important to note that not just his descendants, but anyone who receives the Gospel is counted as belonging to the family of Abraham.
3. Watch the video “Abraham and Sarah.”
*4. Print the PDF. Cut out the blessings and responsibilities of the Abrahamic covenant and glue them in the correct columns.
*Youth
1. Read Abraham 2 and Genesis 12.
2. There is a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in this chapter, Abraham 2:9-11.
9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;
11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
3. Look at Abraham 2:6, 9-11. Find the promises that the Lord gives Abraham. See if you can find the responsibilities he is given. Abraham was promised so many descendants that it would be easier to count the grains of sand on a beach or the stars in the sky than his posterity. (At this point, Abraham and Sarai did not have any children.) It is important to note that not just his descendants, but anyone who receives the Gospel is counted as belonging to the family of Abraham.
4. During the famine in Ur, Abraham and Sarai went to Egypt, but before they entered the Lord warned Abraham that the Egyptians would kill him so they could take his wife because she was beautiful. He was told to tell the Egyptians she was his sister instead of his wife, and they wouldn’t kill him. The plan worked, and Sarai was taken into Pharaoh’s house. The Lord sent a plague to Pharaoh’s house and the Pharaoh realized Sarai was being protected and sent Abraham and his wife away.
*5. Print page 1 of the PDF. Write the responsibilities and blessings of the Abrahamic covenant in the correct columns. (There are some ideas on page 2.)
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Genesis 13 and 14.
2. In the Old Testament, sometimes people changed their names through their lives. Abram is another name that Abraham used, so when it says Abram we’re still talking about Abraham. Abram and Lot left Egypt and settled together in the land of Canaan. There wasn’t enough land to support both Abram and Lot’s cattle. Abram didn’t want to fight with Lot and so he told him to choose where to live. Even though Lot took the most fertile land in Jordan with the best grass and water, Abram still didn’t fight with him. He decided it was more important to be a peacemaker than to take the best place, so he left with everything he had and settled in the land of Canaan.
3. Lot pitched his tent close to the city of Sodom. Today, Sodom is remembered as a very, very wicked city. The people of Sodom were at war with neighboring kingdoms, and they captured Lot and all of his people. One of Lot’s people escaped and reached Abram to tell him about Lot’s capture. Abram armed hundreds of his servants and chased them, and in the night time they attacked, rescuing Lot, his people, and his wealth. After this rescue, Abram was met by two of the kings. One king, the righteous king Melchizedek (sound familiar?), offered him a blessing, which Abram accepted. The wicked king of Sodom, on the other hand, attempted to strike a bargain. If Abram would return Lot and all his people to the king of Sodom, he would allow Abram to keep all of Lot’s wealth, making him even richer. Abram refused to take this bargain. Why do you think Abram accepted something from one king but not the other? What would you have done if you were Abram?
4. Listen to “Choose to Serve the Lord.”
Youth
1. Read Geneses 12 and 17.
2. The Lord established a covenant with Abraham that promised blessings to him, his wife Sarah, and their posterity. It is now known as the Abrahamic covenant. The same promises and blessings are available to us.
3. President Russell M. Nelson said:
The covenant God made with Abraham and later reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob is of transcendent significance. It contained several promises, including:
- Jesus the Christ would be born through Abraham’s lineage.
- Abraham’s posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.
- Abraham would become a father of many nations.
- Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.
- All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.
- The covenant would be everlasting—even through “a thousand generations.”
(“Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 87)
4. Why does the Abrahamic covenant matter to me? President Russell M. Nelson taught how each of us can also receive these same blessings that God promised Abraham:
When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.
… You and I personally entered the covenant path at baptism. Then we enter it more completely in the temple. The blessings of the Abrahamic covenant are conferred in holy temples. These blessings allow us, upon being resurrected, to “inherit thrones, kingdoms, powers, principalities, and dominions, to our ‘exaltation and glory in all things’ [Doctrine and Covenants 132:19].” (“The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 4, 6)
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Genesis 15 and 16.
2. Sometimes in the past, some men married more than one wife. Sarah decided to have her servant Hagar marry Abraham, because she thought then he could have children and his covenant promises could come to pass.
3. Watch the video about Hagar.
4. Listen to “Choose the Right.”
Youth
1. Today, we are specifically discussing the Doctrinal Mastery scripture Abraham 2:9-11.
9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;
11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
2. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the following about our identity:
You may enjoy music, athletics, or be mechanically inclined, and someday you may work in a trade or a profession or in the arts. As important as such activities and occupations can be, they do not define who we are. First and foremost, we are spiritual beings. We are sons [and daughters] of God and the seed of Abraham. (“Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 47)
3. As the seed of Abraham, the Savior has given us a responsibility to bless all the families of the earth with the blessings of His gospel. President Russell M. Nelson testified:
Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world. That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? (“Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88)
Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel. (“Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 92–93)
4. How can I help to gather Israel on the other side of the veil? President Russell M. Nelson taught:
Go forward to March!When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. (“Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 92)
