Saturday, March 1, 2008

Jacob and Sherem

I teach a class of 9- and 10-year-olds in Primary (junior
Sunday School). Tomorrow, our lesson is about Jacob, the brother of Nephi, and his confrontation with Sherem, the anti-Christ. I thought I'd post this text about Jacob from my series about prophets. I'm going to read it tomorrow and try to have the class guess who I am talking about.

In wilderness I came to earth,
A wanderer, alone since birth.
The promised land I sought in youth,
By heeding Liahona's truth.

Though elder brothers strayed apart,
Still Nephi's words did pierce my heart,
And goodly parents planted me,
Like nether branch of olive tree.

The mantle passed, I prophesied,
When came the anti-Christ who lied,
Sign-seeking Sherem, who did shame
By blaspheming against his name--

'Till by the word of holy God,
I smote him dead, my mouth the rod.
Astonished, all the people fell,
And bid Christ save from awful hell.

My life has passed as if a dream.
World-weary, soon I leave life's stream,
My body spent to last sinew--
My brethren, I bid adieu.

I'm guessing none of the kids in my class know who this is about on the first reading, though they may get it if I read it a second time carefully and point out clues.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Did you say you teach Primary??? They must grow 'em smart down in Happy valley. I don't think our High Priests would guess that one.

Like the Blog Dan. Chris