New verse to Book of Mormon Stories

Pat Graham, one of the wonderful composers of many children's songs, wrote another verse to "Book of Mormon Stories," p. 118.  At a recent workshop that she gave, she shared the verse that she wrote.  It's a perfect first verse if you choose to teach it.   It just might become a favorite verse!

Remember to review songs that you have learned.

Lehi was a prophet

   teaching in Jerusalem.

Fearing they would be destroyed

   his family fled with him.

Following the Liahona

   over land and sea,

They were led, when they lived

   righteously.

Keep the Commandments

We learn from Lehi and Nephi how important it is to keep the commandments that the Lord has given us. Nephi was able to get the brass plates from Laban because he obeyed the commandment to to bring the plates back to Lehi. The Liahona only showed the directions or gave instructions when the people obeyed the commandments.  They were kept safe and felt peace.  They received blessings and so can we.

"Keep the Commandments," p. 146, tells us the very things the Nephites were told.  This song has several lines that are repeated. Repetition helps us to learn and remember.

• Sing the first two lines.
• Ask the children what two things we can have if we keep the commandments.  Safety and peace 
• Sing the two lines a couple of time with the children.
• Sing the next 2 lines.
• Ask the children what Heavenly Father will send us if we keep His commandments.  Blessings
• Sing the two lines a couple of time with the children.
• The last two lines will be easy.  Sing them then have the children sing with you.
• Sing the first verse all the way through 2 times.

*Remember to review songs that you have taught in previous weeks so the children remember them.

The Iron Rod

It's important that we all take the time to teach as many hymns as we can to these Primary children.  "The Iron Rod," # 274, is perfect for this year's study of the Book of Mormon.

Begin with the first 2 lines:

• "To Nephi, seer of olden time,"
• show a picture of Nephi
• "seer" a person that can see the future such as a prophet
• "A vision came from God"
• What is a vision?
• This hymn talks about holding to "the rod of iron" in Nephi's dream.
• "Wherein the holy word sublime"
• "Holy word" - word of God
• sublime -  beauty that can inspire great admiration or awe, wonder
• "Was shown an iron rod"
• What did the iron rod represent? The word of God
• Where can we find the word of God?  The scriptures

The chorus is easy to teach by singing one line and having the children repeat it with you a few times. (3 times is my magic number).  You can use word strips for "strong, bright and true" so the children get the correct order.

The children will love this hymn - especially the chorus!

Book of Mormon Stories

We are studying the Book of Mormon this year and what a great time to learn or review the song on page 118! 

Choose pictures for versus 3 - 8

• Alma
• Abinadi
• Ammon
• two thousand sons - army of Helaman
• Samuel the Lamanite
• Risen Christ blessing the children.

You might want to review or teach the first 2 verses and then add a verse each week.  The children will know the melody so words will be what needs work and repetition.  Showing the rhyming words in each verse can help, also.