2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30

You could discuss the following statement from President Russell M. Nelson:

We are presently living in what surely is a most complicated time in the history of the world. The complexities and challenges leave many people feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 95)

• What are some of the “complexities and challenges” in the world that affect young adults?

Invite students to think about something in their life that causes them to feel overwhelmed or exhausted. Encourage them as they study today to look for truths that can help in this situation.

Explain that the book of 2 Chronicles records an account of Asa, the third king of Judah. In times of both war and peace, Asa and his people turned to the Lord. To help students learn from Asa’s account, you could invite students to study the following verses with a partner. Each partner could be assigned to read a different set of verses and mark words or phrases that stand out to them. (If students have questions about the meaning of groves and high places, they could read the entry for 2 Chronicles 20:32–33 in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.)

• 2 Chronicles 14:2–13

• 2 Chronicles 15:1–15

After sufficient time, each partner could share the words or phrases they marked with each other. You could then discuss the following questions as a class:

• What helped the people in the account you studied to experience the Lord’s rest?

• What truths can we learn from the experiences of Asa and his people? (Students could identify a truth like this: We are blessed when we seek the Lord with all our hearts.)

• What might it look like to seek Jesus Christ with all our hearts?

To help students think more deeply about seeking the Lord, consider inviting them to find a scripture or statement from a Church leader that relates to seeking the Savior. If needed, you could suggest that students study verses like the following: Jeremiah 29:13; 3 Nephi 14:7–8; Doctrine and Covenants 6:36; 88:63. You could also give students time to study the message by Bishop L. Todd Budge titled “Seek Him with All Your Heart” (Liahona, Nov. 2024, 86–88).

After sufficient time, give students an opportunity to share what they learned with a partner or small group.

Invite students to think of a time when they experienced blessings for seeking the Lord with all their hearts. You could invite a few students to share experiences that are not too personal with the class.

Invite students to reflect on the challenge they recorded at the beginning of class. Encourage them to write something they learned today that could help them seek the Savior amid their challenges. They could create a personal reminder of what they learned—such as writing a note, placing a picture, or displaying a scripture that represents the Savior in a place they will see often.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

Consider sharing the following statement from Elder Neil L. Andersen and asking the accompanying question:

Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those He sends. (“The Prophet of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 26)

• What are some ways we can show that we are willing to listen to the Lord’s prophets?

Encourage students to think about how they would evaluate their willingness to listen to the Lord’s prophets. Encourage them as they study today to look for truths that can help them follow the prophet with greater faith.

To help students understand the context of 2 Chronicles 18, you or a student could explain the following:

Jehoshaphat, the fourth ruler of the Kingdom of Judah, was a righteous king. He and the wicked King Ahab of the Kingdom of Israel formed an alliance to protect both kingdoms against Syria. Ahab wanted to go to battle against the Syrians, but Jehoshaphat first wanted to inquire of the Lord. In response, Ahab gathered 400 of his false prophets to seek their counsel. Ahab’s false prophets told him that he should go to war.

Invite students to study 2 Chronicles 18:6–7, looking for what Jehoshaphat desired after hearing the report of the 400 false prophets. Then consider asking:

• What stands out to you about King Ahab’s assessment of the prophet Micaiah?

Explain that at the encouragement of Jehoshaphat, Ahab sent for the prophet Micaiah. Invite students to read 2 Chronicles 18:12–13, 16–17, 25–27, looking for Micaiah’s message. To help students share their insights, you could ask questions like the following:

• How did Micaiah’s message differ from the message of Ahab’s false prophets?

• Why do you think Ahab preferred to listen to his false prophets rather than a true prophet of the Lord? (As part of this discussion, consider sharing the following statement from President Jeffrey R. Holland.)

Unfortunately, messengers of divinely mandated commandments are often no more popular today than they were anciently. … Hate is an ugly word, yet there are those today who would say with the corrupt Ahab, “I hate [the prophet Micaiah]; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always [prophesied] evil” [2 Chronicles 18:7]. That kind of hate for a prophet’s honesty cost Abinadi his life. As he said to King Noah: “Because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me. … Because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged me that I am mad” [Mosiah 13:4] or, we might add, provincial, patriarchal, bigoted, unkind, narrow, outmoded, and elderly. (“The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 7)

Explain that despite Micaiah’s warning that Ahab would die in battle, Ahab chose to fight against the Syrians. Invite students to study 2 Chronicles 18:28–34 to see how Micaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled.

Ask several students to share principles they learned from this account. Examples of truths they could identify include these: Prophets speak the Lord’s will even when it is not popular. The Lord’s words through His prophets will be fulfilled.

To help students better understand these truths, consider distributing the handout titled “Prophets Speak Truth.” Students could complete the handout with a partner and discuss the questions from the handout together, or they could complete it on their own and write their answers to the questions in their notes or on the back of the handout.

After sufficient time, invite a few students to share insights they gained from the handout. Encourage students to think about what they have learned or felt that can help them improve the way they listen to or follow the Lord’s prophets. Encourage them to record their ideas or spiritual impressions.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could display the following incomplete phrases on the board and invite students to ponder how they would complete each sentence.

• When I face a difficult trial, I …

• When others come to me for help with a difficult situation, I …

Encourage students to think of trials they or people they know are currently facing. Explain that Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah. During his reign, many of the enemies of the Kingdom of Judah combined to fight against them, causing great fear. Invite students to ponder what they can learn from Jehoshaphat’s response to difficulty that could help them in the personal trials they are battling.

Before beginning the following study activity, it may be helpful to introduce the skill “Identifying Gospel Truths in the Scriptures” from Scripture Study Skills. To help students practice this skill, consider displaying the following incomplete phrase:

• The Lord can help us in our personal battles as we …

Invite students to study 2 Chronicles 20:1–22, looking for ways they could complete the phrase. Students could write the truths they identify on the board. Students may identify many truths, including the following:

After the truths have been listed on the board, invite students to choose a principle they would like to study more deeply. One way you could help students deepen their understanding is to give them time to prepare a brief talk or lesson about the principle they chose. You could display the following instructions to help in their preparation:

Prepare a brief talk or lesson about one of the principles taught in 2 Chronicles 20:1–22. Your lesson could include some of the following elements:

• Scriptures or statements from Church leaders.

• Hymns, artwork, or other media.

• A personal story or testimony.

If time permits, you could invite a few willing students to share their talk or lesson with the class.

To conclude, invite students to consider what they have learned or felt that could help them with the trials they thought about earlier in the learning activity. Encourage them to write down their ideas or impressions they have received from the Holy Ghost.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”