2 Nephi 1-5
"We lived after the manner of happiness"
Materials: trifold poster board, 9 cups, tissue paper, 9 rubber bands, scissors, brown and green crayons, slips of paper (see below), hot glue gun
Opening Song: "Follow the Prophet" verse 1 (Children's Songbook, 110)
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: 2 Nephi 2: 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
Attention Activity:
Show the picture of Adam and Eve below. Who are these people? Ask a family member to briefly tell the story of Adam and Eve as they remember it or they can act it out.
Adam and Eve, by Lowell Bruce Bennett (62461); GAK 101; Primary manual 1-33; Primary manual 5-56; Primary manual 6-04; Genesis 1–3; Moses 2–4
Lesson:
We've been reading about Lehi and his family in The Book Of Mormon. After Lehi and his family crossed the ocean and came to the Americas, Lehi had become very old. He knew he would soon die, so he decided to talk to each of his children to tell them important things. One of the important things he wanted to teach his children was about the fall of Adam and Eve. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we understand the story of the Garden of Eden a lot differently than most churches.
The Fall of Adam and Eve Punch Game
Before FHE: Prepare a punch game with a trifold poster board and 9 plastic cups. First, draw a simple tree in the middle back section of the trifold board. Using the cup as a stencil draw 9 circles to represent "fruit" on the tree, cut out circles with scissors or exacto knife (cut the circle smaller than the brim so the cup won't fall through). Slide the cups into the holes in the board and hot glue in place. Cut out strips below and place one in each of the plastic cups. Cut 9 pieces of tissue paper large enough to cover and wrap around the opening of the plastic cups. Rubber band tissue to brim of plastic cups to stay in place (it needs to be tight). For good tutorial click here.
To play: Have each member of your family take turns punching into the poster board and reading the strips below discussing the truths about the Fall of Adam and Eve described in 2 Nephi 2.
- If Adam and Eve had not fallen they would have been stuck forever in the Garden of Eden. In a way the garden of Eden was just a beautiful prison. 2 Ne 2:22 "they must have remained forever and had no end."
- If Adam and Eve had not fallen, they never would have grown old or died. Death is an essential part of Heavenly Father's plan. 2 Ne 2:22 "And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were created."
- If Adam and Eve had not fallen, "they would have had no children." Adam and Eve had been commanded to "multiply and replenish the earth." But this was not possible in the Garden of Eden. Having children is an essential part of Heavenly Father's plan. 2 Ne 2:23
- If Adam and Eve had not fallen, "they would remain in a state of innocence." They would never learn anything or gain intelligence. 2 Ne 2:23
- If Adam and Eve had not fallen, they would never be able to experience joy or do anything good because in the Garden of Eden there is nothing bad like pain or sin. In order to appreciate and understand things like joy we have to know what pain is. 2 Ne 2:23
- The fall was a wise part of Heavenly Father's plan. 2 Ne 2:24
- Adam fell so all of God's children could come to earth, receive bodies, and be tested to receive the joy of eternal life. 2 Ne 2:25
- Jesus Christ was an essential part of Heavenly Father's plan. His atonement redeems us from the fall of Adam and Eve. 2 Ne 2:26
- Because of the fall, we know good from evil and can choose to keep God's commandments. We are free to choose liberty and eternal life or captivity and spiritual death. 2 Ne 2:27-29
Optional Activity: Video"Lehi Teaches How We Might Have Joy"
Many of other churches believe that the Fall of Adam and Eve was just a big mistake. That Adam and Eve were selfish and bad for partaking of the fruit and wanting to gain further light and knowledge. We learn in 2 Nephi that isn't the case. Adam and Eve were meant to partake of the fruit. They were meant to move on from the Garden of Eden, grow, progress, and eventually die. This needed the happen for The Plan of Salvation to come to fruition.
Brad Wilcox said, "Latter-Day Saints are unique among Christians because we understand that God did not create the world with the goal for us all to live forever in the Garden of Eden. Mortality was Plan A, not Plan B. The Atonement of Christ was not a last ditch attempt to salvage the wreckage Adam and Eve had made of the world. It was planned from the beginning. Repentance was not provided as a safety net for those weak souls who should not be perfectly obedient. It was designed as an essential past of the perfection process for each one of us." (Because of the Messiah in a Manger, xii.)*
Bear your testimony of the fall of Adam and Eve and the Plan of Salvation.
Closing Song: "I Will Follow God's Plan" (Children's Songbook, 164)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment:
Caramel Apple Pop Recipe here
*Wilcox, Brad. Because of the Messiah in a Manger. Deseret Book, 2018.
