Author Archives: Camilla

Aug 5 2011

Song – The Lord Gave Me a Temple

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Song – The Lord Gave Me a Temple

Preparation

  • Items needed: a flashlight, sticky tack, clear page protectors, a brown piece of cardstock, tape, magnets, and a yellow permanent marker or a piece of yellow paper.
  • Print the visual aid pictures. Place the boy figure on top of the spirit figure and hold it up to the light. Cut out around both figures so the cutouts match. Place the spirit figure on top of the brown piece of cardstock, trace, and then cut out the brown cardstock outline. Write the word “Sins” on the brown cutout.
  • Take one sheet of the page protectors and tape the boy figure to the right, bottom corner.  Cut the page protector in a rectangular shape around the boy figure to form a pocket. When done it should be sealed on the right and bottom, with an opening on the top and left side. (If you don’t have a page protector, use some other kind of clear plastic and tape together the right and bottom edges.)
  • Cut out another sheet of page protector 7 X 7½ inches. Place the boy figure under it, and using a yellow permanent marker (Sharpie) draw rays of light on the page protector around the boy figure.  If a yellow Sharpie is not available you can use a small sheet of yellow paper in place of the rays of light.
  • Cut out the temple outline around the rectangle and glue it to a heavy piece of paper.
  • Cut out around the outline of the mother and baby, the temple, the small sun, and the grave.  Cut off some of the bottom of the sun and tape it to the back of the gravestone. Attach a small magnet or piece of tape behind each figure (removable double-sided tape works great).
  • Print the first verse word pages.

 

VERSE ONE

Place the earth and heaven scenes on the board. Put the word pages in a row on top of the board as you discuss each one.

The Lord gave me a temple to live within on earth. Explain that this song isn’t talking about the temple buildings we normally think of when we hear the word temple. Ask the children what they think the song is talking about. (Our bodies) Show the picture of the boy and put it on the earth scene.

  • Why is the body considered to be a temple?  Remind the children that a temple is a place where the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost) can dwell.  Read the scripture 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Point to the words that say “to live within” and ask the children to explain what it means to live within your temple. (Your spirit lives within your body.) (Put the spirit figure into the clear pocket behind the boy figure.)

Once in Heaven I was spirit.  Take the spirit figure out of the body and put it on the page labeled heaven. Explain that we lived in heaven as spirits before we came to earth.

But I left my home at birth.  Take the spirit figure off the page labeled heaven, and put the picture of the mother and baby on the earth. Tell the children that when they were born, their spirit left heaven and entered into their body on earth.

I’ll make my temple brighter;   To make something brighter you would fill it with light. (Attach the top of the boy figure to the flashlight with sticky tack, and turn the flashlight on.)

  • What does the light represent? The light represents the gospel. Explain that just as light reveals things when turned on, through the gospel, truth is revealed. So in order to make our temples brighter we need to fill our lives with gospel truths, such as honesty, love, etc.

I’ll keep my spirit free.  

  • What should we keep our spirits free of? (Sin) Because sin would extinguish our desire for truth in our lives, and put out the light of the Holy Ghost within us, and bind us in darkness. (Show the dark brown cutout labeled sin and put it in front of the spirit figure. Insert the spirit and the cutout into the body to show how sin would extinguish the light from the body. Emphasize that we need to keep our spirits free from sin.)

My body is the temple my Father gave to me.  Place the boy figure on the outline of the temple, and discuss how we would treat a temple of God. We would keep it clean – uncontaminated from sin and dirt.

After discussing the song, have senior primary sing the song as you operate the visual aids. Then take off the first word page, and have a volunteer do the visual aids for that part as the primary sings the song again. (You will do the rest of the visual aids as they sing). After that take off the next two lines, and have another volunteer do that part of the visual aids. Sing the song again. Then take off the next two word pages and choose another volunteer to do the visuals for that part. By this time you will have three people helping with the visual aids. Be sure to situate them so everyone can see what they are doing.

For junior primary you may need to break the song down so they sing each part after discussing it. After you have discussed all the parts, do the above activity.

VERSE TWO

Preparation: Print the word and activity pages for the second verse. Cut out the yellow signs with their words. Put a small magnet behind each yellow sign.

Presentation

(Place the earth and celestial glory scenes on the board. Place the word pages on the top of the board as you discuss each song line.)

If I keep my body clean and pure and habit free,  (Place the boy figure on the earth scene.)

  • How do we keep our bodies clean and pure, and habit free? By being careful about what we take into our bodies and minds. We need to be selective about what we listen to, read, and watch because some things can encourage unclean thoughts and actions. Some things that are taken into the body and mind can also become habit forming and addictive.
  • What does addiction mean? Addiction is an extremely strong craving for something that can become so powerful that satisfying it becomes a top priority, which can interfere with things we should be doing. (Place the happy and sad face signs on the board across from the boy figure. Show the yellow signs one at a time and discuss if the item would or would not lead us in the direction of keeping our bodies clean, pure, and habit free. Attach each sign in a row, heading from the boy to either the happy or sad face.)

I may in Father’s temple claim blessings promised me.   (Put the picture of the temple on the earth scene next to the boy figure.)

  • If we keep our bodies clean and pure we will be worthy to go to the temple and receive ordinances that are necessary for salvation. In the temple we can also be sealed to our families forever. (Write on the board these blessings, preferably near the temple picture.)

On resurrection morning, I’ll take my body bright. (Take off the boy figure and put the gravestone on the earth scene.)  Explain that when a person dies, their body and spirit become separated, but when they are resurrected their spirit and body come together, never to be separated again. (Put the spirit figure into the boy figure.) If we endure in righteousness to the end (meaning until death) we will be resurrected on the morning (meaning beginning) of the first resurrection. And if we are worthy to be resurrected on the morning of the first resurrection, we will receive a glorified celestial body. (Put the light rays (or yellow piece of paper) behind the boy figure.)

And in celestial glory forever live in light.  (Put the boy figure on the page marked celestial glory.) Remind the children that the celestial kingdom is compared to the glory of the sun. In celestial glory we will live forever filled with the light of truth, knowledge, happiness, love, and in the light of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Note: You may need to simplify the discussion and activity for the first line of this verse for Junior Primary. One idea would be to put all the yellow sign pictures on the board, and have the children take off the pictures of things that would not keep their bodies clean, pure and habit free. Read all the signs to the children first. After the activity, do a simplified discussion about addiction and about keeping our minds, actions, and words clean and pure.

Aug 2 2011

Lesson 6 – Nephi Builds a Ship

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Lesson 6
Nephi Builds a Ship

Preparation

  •  Items needed: two pieces of paper for each child, a medium size rock, a large seed, tape, and colored markers.
  • Print the scripture story visual aids from chapter 7 of Book of Mormon Stories. Optional: Also print the pictures concerning Bountiful from the article “Was Lehi Here?”
  • Using the paper boat instructions found in the lesson, make an example paper boat to show to the children.
  • Print one copy of the activity “Nephi Builds a Ship”  which is from the Friend March 1988, Funstuff.
  • Print one copy of the ship activity (print the ship boards onto brown paper).  Attach the sail to the ship outline by cutting off the excess paper under the mast and then gluing or taping the two together. Cut out each individual board on the ship.

 

Attention Activity
Give each child a blank piece of paper. Show the example paper boat, and tell the children you want them to make the same boat with their paper. Give them a couple of minutes to try and complete the activity. Ask if it was hard to do without instructions. Teach them how to build the boat using the following instructions.

Paper Boat Instructions
Fold the piece of paper in half, top to bottom.
Fold the top right and left corners (on the folded edge) down to the middle of the paper forming a triangle.
Fold the bottom of the paper up, against both sides, as if to make a paper hat.
Insert thumbs into the bottom opening. Grab the bottom edges and pull out to make a square.
Fold the bottom corners, points up, against both sides forming a triangle.
Once again, insert thumbs into bottom opening, and grab the bottom edges and pull out to make a square.
Fold the bottom corners, points up, against both sides forming a triangle.
For the last time, insert thumbs into bottom opening, and grab the bottom edges and pull out to make a square.
Pull out the two top triangles to create your paper boat.

Inform the children that in today’s lesson they will be learning how Nephi built a ship with the Lord’s help. The ship Nephi built was large enough to carry Nephi, his family, and their supplies across the ocean.

Scripture Story
Tell the following story using the scripture story visual aids.

After traveling in the wilderness for eight years, Nephi and his family came to an area of vegetation by the sea they called Bountiful. They called it Bountiful because it had an abundance of fruit and wild honey. After they had been there for many days, the voice of the Lord came to Nephi telling him to arise and go up to the mountain.

The Lord spoke to Nephi on the mountain. He told Nephi to construct a ship, and that He would show Nephi how to construct it. The Lord also told Nephi where to find ore so that he could construct tools.

Nephi first made a bellows. The bellows blew on the fire and increased the fires heat so he could melt the ore. With the molten ore, Nephi formed metal tools. Nephi went to the mountain often to pray, and the Lord showed him many things.

Activity- Put the Friend activity “Nephi Builds a Ship” onto a display board. Have volunteers take turns coming up and circling a tool that Nephi might have made. Point out how basic the tools were compared to the modern day tools, and discuss the difficulties of building a ship in Nephi’s time. Ask the children to explain the advantage Nephi had.- (The Lord, who knows all, taught Nephi how to construct a ship.)

When Nephi’s brothers saw that Nephi was preparing to build a ship, they began to murmur against him. They called him a fool. They didn’t believe Nephi could build a ship, and they also didn’t want to help with the labor. Nephi was sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts.

• Show the children the rock and the seed. Ask what would happen if the seed fell on the hard rock. Would it grow? Why not? What does a seed need to grow in?

Faith in God is described as being like a seed. Just as a seed needs soft, nutritious soil in order to grow, faith needs a soft and willing heart in order to grow. Laman and Lemuel’s hearts were hard, and they wouldn’t let the Lord in. The seed of faith couldn’t develop and grow in their hearts.

• Why did Laman and Lemuel harden their hearts? They did not want to listen to the Lord because the things they wanted to do were in oppostion to the commandments of the Lord.

Nephi reminded Laman and Lemuel of the many mighty miracles the Lord had performed in the time of Moses. Nephi also pointed out the miracles Laman and Lemuel had witnessed such as seeing an angel and hearing the voice of the Lord. He asked how they could be so hard in their hearts.

After Nephi had said these things, his brothers were angry with him and wanted to throw him into the sea. As they came forward to do so, Nephi told them not to touch him because he was filled with the power of God. He told them if they laid hands on him, God would smite them. Nephi told his brothers they should not murmur anymore, and they should help build the ship. He told them if the Lord has such great power to wrought so many miracles, couldn’t the Lord instruct him on how to build a ship.

Nephi’s brothers were confounded, and they did not dare touch him for many days. The Lord told Nephi to stretch forth his hand and shock them. Laman and Lemuel were shaken and believed that the Lord was with Nephi.

They helped build the ship. When it was done they could see it was a good ship

Activity
Tape the sail and the ship outline onto the display board.

• Throughout Nephi’s life, he tried to help his family members build their faith. How can we help build our own faith and our family’s faith? One way to build faith in God is to do the things He asks. When we do this our faith grows as we see the good outcome and results.

Pass out a colored marker and one or more ship boards to each child. Direct the children to think of commandments the Lord has asked us to do. Instruct them to write one commandment on the front of each ship board.

After they write down a commandment on their boards, give the children a moment to think about what the good results of keeping those commandments would be. Have the children take turns taping their boards to the ship outline, telling what commandment they chose, and what the good results of keeping that commandment would be. (Each board has a specific place on the outline. If the children are unsure where their board goes, have them try again later.)

After the ship has been built, remind the children they can be like Nephi and help build the faith of their family members through encouraging them to keep the commandments and by being a good example of keeping the commandments.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week –
1 Nephi 17:1-55 and 1 Nephi 18:1-4

Jul 23 2011

I Love to See the Temple Review

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I Love to See the Temple – Review

Preparation

  • Copy the desired amounts of each of the review word pages (see presentation for more info on amounts needed.)  Cut apart the small word strips and put each set in a baggie. Cut the page with the song title on it in half.  Cut out the large word boxes and be prepared to put them on the chalk board with magnets or tape.

Presentation

Senior  Primary
Put the temple visual aid on the board with all the windows open (include boy and stepping stones). Have the children sing both verses of the song. Watch to see what parts they are having troubles with. Review those parts and then close the windows. Give each child (or have them work in pairs or groups) a baggie full of words and the half sheet of paper. Give them three minutes to put the lines in the correct order on their paper. Have available some glue sticks for those that finish early.  Have them lightly glue their word strips on their paper. (For those that don’t have the time to glue their word strips, they can take them home in their baggie and glue them at home if they desire.) When the time is up, post each of the large word boxes next to their matching visual aid on the temple, going in order. (Reopen the windows as you go.)

Junior Primary

Put the temple visual aid on the board with the windows open (include the boy and stepping stones). Attach the big word boxes to a seperate board in mixed up order (do only one verse at a time). Have a child choose one of the word boxes. Read it out loud for all the non-readers, and then have them put it next to its matching visual aid. Or… point to the visual aids in order, read the line choices to the children, and choose a volunteer to find its matching line.

Jul 1 2011

I Love to See the Temple

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I Love to See the Temple

Preparation

  • Print the I Love to See the Temple Visuals.
  • Cut out the temple pieces. You will need to leave the top white edges on all the pieces and the right white edge on the right-sided pieces. Arrange the pieces in the correct order and then glue each piece together (the white edges will give you edges to glue each piece to).
  • Cut open the windows on the temple with an exacto knife as shown on the visual. Fold the back edge of the windows so they can open and close.  Cut out the window pictures and tape each picture to the back of its appropriate window slot.
  • Cut open the door and crease its back edge so it will open and close. Glue a light yellow background behind the door.
  • To trace the sign’s shape around the words that will be on it, center the words over the sign shape on the temple, then trace the outside shape around the words, and then cut it out. Cut the sign in half so one side says “Holiness to the Lord” and the other says “House of the Lord”.
  • Close the windows and doors with sticky tack.
  • Cut out around the boy, the girl figure, and the walking stones. (Optional:  Put magnets on the back of the these pieces.)
  • Items needed: a black marker and magnets or tape.

 

Presentation

Put the picture of the temple on the chalkboard. Post or show the visuals as you discuss each of the following lines of the song:

I love to see the temple – Put the picture of the boy to the left of the temple.

I’m going there someday – Ask the children what age they must be to attend the temple for the first time, and ask what they will do there. (Twelve and baptisms for the dead) Open the window where the baptismal font is.

To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray – Open the window of the girl praying. Explain that the temple’s sacredness and its peaceful atmosphere is maintained so that the things of the Spirit can be felt abundantly.

For the temple is a House of God – Post the “House of the Lord” on the bottom of the sign area. Explain that these words are etched into the outside of each of the temples. The temple is a house of God. It is a place where his spirit can dwell and a place where he instructs his children.

A place of love and beauty – Open the window to the picture of the celestial room, and point out how beautiful the insides and outsides of temples are. Also point out the heart that is in the picture. Explain that the heart is to help remind them that the temple is a place of love. We feel love from our Heavenly Father as we participate in saving ordinances he provides for our salvation.  We also feel love for our ancestors as we do service for them in the temple

I’ll prepare myself while I am young. This is my sacred duty – Ask the children what things they need to do in order to prepare to go to the temple. Responses might include: pay tithing, attend church, be baptized, be honest, gain a testimony, obey the Word of Wisdom, etc. Write their responses on the walking stones, and put the stones on the board to make a path from the children to the temple. Ask the children why it is their sacred duty to prepare themselves to go to the temple. (If we wish to return to live with our Heavenly Father we must go to the temple so that we can receive certain necessary saving ordinances found only in the temple.)

Second Verse

I love to see the temple. I’ll go inside someday – Open the temple doors. Discuss when they will be able to go to the temple for the first time as adults, such as when they are married or going on a mission.

I’ll covenant with my Father. I”ll promise to obey – Open the window to the words “Covenant, Promise, Obey”, and explain that we make sacred covenants in the temple. Covenants are promises we make with the Lord. The covenants we make help us achieve exaltation, but we must obey the promises we make if we wish to receive the promised blessings.

For the temple is a holy place – Put the top half of the sign on that says “Holiness to the Lord,” and explain that these words are also etched onto the outside of temples. Explain that the temple is a holy place with holy purposes.

Where we are sealed together – Open the window that shows the couple in white.

As a child of God I’ve learned this truth, a family is forever  – Show the picture of the girl, and then open the window and show the family.

 

Note: All the pictures come from church produced materials.

Jun 25 2011

Fourth of July Song Choosing Activity

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Fourth of July Song Choosing Activity

Activity Description: The stars on the flag have song titles on them, and the stripes of the flag have lines from the song on them. A child choose a song title and then a line from that song. The child has to draw a representation of that song line on the board while the children sing the song. The children then guess what line it is.

This activity could be used to sing patriotic songs for the Fourth of July week, or it could be used to review songs.

Preparation

  • Items needed: red, white, and blue ribbon or paper, about 100 straight pins, a 12×18 foam board (3/4 inch thick), masking tape, a container for the pins, and chalk and eraser. (A piece of cardboard, and tape instead of pins, could be used instead of the foam board.)
  • Cut the ribbon or paper  into strips (I used 1 1/2 inch ribbon for my stripes and 7/8 inch ribbon for my star area. Each piece of 1 1/2 inch ribbon was approx. 5 inches long, and the 7/8 inch ribbon pieces were approx. 4 1/2 inches long.)  I had 42 red pieces, 38 white pieces, 23 small blue pieces, and 7 small white pieces. I had to cut a little off the sides of the foam board when I was done to make it all fit.
  • Write the song titles on the back of the small white strips of ribbon, and include the flag stripe row number where the lines for that song will be. Write the song lines on the back of the wide white or red ribbons according to which row they will be on. (I attached pieces of masking tape to the back middle of the ribbons so I could write on them. If you use paper strips you should be able to write directly on the strip.)
  • Make each strip into a loop, and attach each loop onto its place on the foam board with a pin (or attach onto a piece of cardboard using tape).
  • Optional: Attach a ribbon border around the outside edge of the foam board using pins or hot glue.

 

Presentation

Choose two children to come to the front. Have each of them choose a white star loop off the flag. Each of their song titles will direct them to a stripe in the flag. Have them choose one of the loops on that stripe. (Have them put the pin into a container.) Have the child who thinks he/she can draw a representation of their song line, tell their song title to the primary. Have the other child sit down and think about how to draw the line they have chosen.

Explain to the primary children that they will sing the song while the child draws a picture on the board. After they are done singing they can try and guess which line it is. The child who guesses correctly gets to come up and choose either a new star song title, or another stripe from the song they just sang if it needs reviewed again. Have that child go sit down and think about how to draw the line. Have the child who has been thinking about his/her line come up and tell what song title they have, and then have the child draw the line while the children sing. Continue on in this manner until all the song titles have been sung or reviewed.

Junior Primary children may need the help of a teacher to discuss ideas on what to draw, and they may also need help drawing. Also let the senior Primary know that they can get the help of a teacher or member of the Primary presidency if needed.

 

 

Jun 19 2011

Lesson 3 – The Brass Plates

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Lesson 3
The Brass Plates

  • Preparation
    • Items needed: a pencil for each child, thirty feet of yarn or string cut into three foot sections, a bowl of water, a small sponge, and a rock.
    • Print one copy of the Brass Plates Code for each child. Cut off and save the answer keys.
  • Print and cut out the name tags and the location signs. Hole punch the top corners of the name tags. String a 3 foot piece of yarn through the holes on each name tag sign. Tie the ends together of each piece of yarn so that each name tag has a loop of yarn that will fit over a child’s head.
    • Gather some basic items to use as props for the scripture story such as: two blankets (one to make a tent, and one to make a small cave), something to represent silver and gold (a treasure type chest, jewelry, or fake coins), paper cut up into four thin strips, a long stick to use as a rod, a plastic sword or a stick, a cape for Laban (this could be a tablecloth or a sheet), something to use as brass plates (such as a heavy book wrapped in cloth).
    • Print the bookmarks onto cardstock. Cut them out and hole punch the tops. Tie tassels in the holes using ribbon or yarn.

Attention Activity
Hand out a copy of the “Brass Plates Code” to each child. Do not give them the answer key. Tell them they have thirty seconds to figure out what section four of the “Purpose” says. It won’t take them long to figure out there is no possible way to do it out without help.

Explain that just like the task you gave them seemed impossible to accomplish, sometimes Heavenly Father’s commandments may seem difficult to obey. But with God’s help we can accomplish all he asks of us. Direct the children to put the “Brass Plates Code” under their chair for now, and explain that you will provide a way for them to do the coded message later on in the lesson.

Have the children look up and read the scripture 1 Nephi 3:7. Explain that in today’s lesson they are going to learn about a commandment the Lord gave to Nephi and his brothers. The commandment seemed impossible to accomplish, but with the Lord’s help they were able to do all they were asked to do.

Introduction
After reviewing what happened to Lehi and his family in last week’s lesson, inform the children that Lehi told his sons that the Lord wanted them to go back to Jerusalem and get a record of the Jews that was engraved on brass plates. God’s word was written on the brass plates. It was important for Lehi’s family to have the brass plates so they would have a written record of God’s commandments.

Game
Tell the children they are going to play a game that will show them why Lehi and his family needed a written record of God’s commandments.

Have the children sit in a row. Whisper the following message to the first person in the row, making sure no one else can hear what is being said: “Blessed are they who hear the Lord’s commandments and obey them.”

Have that person whisper what they heard to the person sitting next to them. Have each child pass on the whispered message until the message reaches the child at the end of the row. Have the last person repeat out loud what they think they heard. They probably won’t repeat the message correctly. Tell everyone what the original message was.

Explain that the whisper game shows how easy it would be to mix up the word of God if it isn’t written down.

Scripture Story
Inform the children they are going to act out the scripture story of Nephi and his brothers going to get the brass plates. Direct the children to each choose a scripture character name tag. Have them put the name tag around their neck with the name showing in the front. Some children can play more than one part if needed.

Have the children help you set up the room. Use the example set up diagram as a guide. Place a blanket over two chairs to represent a tent. Form a line of chairs to represent the wall of Jerusalem. Set a chair in Laban’s house for Laban to sit on. Place the gold and silver in Lehi’s house. Put a blanket over a table or chairs to represent a small cave. Lay the rod by the cave. Set the brass plates in an area by Laban’s house. Tape the location signs to their appropriate spots.

Example Set Up: 

Inform the children that you will be reading small parts of the story out loud. After each small part, you will stop and let them act out that part, including saying what the character might say.

Play Acting Script
(Have the children who are acting out the parts of Lehi, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi, stand by the tent to start the first scene.)

Lehi told his sons that they needed to go back to Jerusalem to get the plates so they would have a record of Gods commandments.

Laman and Lemuel did not want to go back to Jerusalem. They were angry saying it was too hard of a thing that Lehi required of them.

• Why do you think Laban and Lemuel thought it was a hard thing to go back to Jerusalem? It was a two week trip to Jerusalem each way, and they had to travel in the dangerous, bandit infested, hot desert. They also probably thought that Laban would not give them the plates.

Lehi said that he had not required it of them, that the Lord did.

Nephi said he would go and do what the Lord commanded. He had faith that the Lord would help them accomplish whatever He asked them to do.

The sons of Lehi journeyed back to Jerusalem.

When they arrived, they cast lots to see who would go to Laban’s house to ask him for the plates. The lot fell to Laman. (We do not know exactly what was involved in casting lots, but we do know it was kind of like making a choice by drawing straws or flipping a coin.) (Using the paper cut up into strips, direct the children to draw straws and have Laman win.)

Laman went and asked Laban for the brass plates.

Laban would not give Laman the plates. Laban became angry and threatened Laman.

Laman was afraid and ran back to his brothers.

Nephi’s brothers wanted to return to their father in the wilderness, but Nephi said they must obey the Lord and get the brass plates.

Nephi and his brothers decided to go back to their former home in Jerusalem and get their gold and silver to trade to Laban for the brass plates.

They took the gold and silver to Laban, but Laban was a greedy, dishonest, cruel person. Laban had them thrown out of his house, and he sent his servants to slay them so that he could have the brothers gold and silver.

The four brothers fled into the wilderness and hid themselves in a cavity of a rock to escape the servants of Laban.

Laman and Lemuel then became angry and began to beat Nephi and Sam with a rod. (Supervise this part carefully. You may not want the children to act it out; instead discuss how it would have felt to be beaten by a rod and the harm that it could have caused.)

An angel of God appeared and commanded them to stop. The angel said that the Lord would help them get the plates.

After the angel left, Laman and Lemuel were still afraid to go get the plates. They did not think it possible that the Lord could deliver Laban into their hands because Laban had many men at his command that could harm them.

• Why were Laman and Lemuel still afraid even after seeing an angel of God? Not even direct evidence of God’s power was enough to change their hearts. They did not have faith in God. Faith comes from the Holy Ghost’s witness that the things of God are true. Laman and Lemuel’s hearts were hard, and they would not let the Holy Ghost in.

(Show the children the bowl of water, rock, and sponge. Ask what would happen if you put the sponge in the water, and then ask what would happen if you put the rock in the water. Explain that Laman and Lemuel had hardened their hearts and would not let the Holy Ghost in. Nephi’s heart was soft because he was humble and teachable. He had allowed the Holy Ghost into his heart, so he had great faith in God.)

Nephi knew the Lord would provide a way for them to accomplish the task they had been given, so they went back to the city walls. As Nephi’s brothers waited outside the walls of Jerusalem, Nephi crept into the city at night.

As he came near the house of Laban, he saw Laban lying drunk on the ground with his sword next to him. The Lord had delivered Laban into his hands.

Nephi hesitated because he did not want to harm anyone. But Laban was a thief and a murderer, and the Lord told Nephi that it was better for one wicked man to perish than a whole nation to perish in unbelief. Nephi, his family, and future generations of his family could not keep the commandments and prosper if they did not know the commandments.

Even though it was difficult, Nephi realized that it was necessary to slay Laban, so Nephi smote Laban using the sword. (Do not have the children act out this part. Explain that in Nephi’s case he was commanded to slay Laban for eternal purposes – to protect a nation from perishing in unbelief, but remind the children that violence and killing is wrong unless under such specific circumstances as protecting lives.)

Nephi then dressed in Laban’s clothing and went to Laban’s treasury. (Have Nephi put on Laban’s cape.)

At the treasury, Nephi spoke like Laban and told Laban’s servant Zoram to bring the brass plates and follow him.

Zoram obeyed thinking Nephi was Laban. Zoram followed Nephi to outside the gates of Jerusalem.

Laman, Lemuel, and Sam were afraid when they saw Nephi. They thought it was Laban and they began to run away. Nephi called to them. They stopped when they heard Nephi’s voice.

When Zoram saw the brothers of Nephi and heard Nephi’s real voice, he became afraid and tried to run. Nephi held onto him and told him they would not hurt him if he would swear an oath to go with them into the wilderness.

Nephi explained to Zoram that the Lord had commanded him and his brothers to get the brass plates. Zoram believed him and swore an oath to go with them.

They all traveled back to the valley in the wilderness. Lehi and Sariah rejoiced when they returned safely.

Conclusion
• What was the main reason Nephi and his family needed the brass plates? Let the children answer the question. Have them check their answer by giving them the answer key to the “Brass Plates Code”. Inform them they can now fill out section four with the help you promised. Instruct them to fill out the rest of the code later at home to find out the other purposes of the brass plates.

With the Lord’s help, Nephi was able to keep a commandment that seemed impossible to do. The Lord will always prepare a way for us to obey his commandments.

Give each child a bookmark to help them remember this important lesson, and tell them they can use the bookmark to mark where they are reading in the Book of Mormon.

Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – 1 Nephi 3:1-31 and 1 Nephi 4:1-38.

Jun 4 2011

Fathers: Song

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Fathers – pg 209

Father’s Day

Preparation

  • Print the song pages, ties, and word strips. Cut out the ties, small pictures, word strips, and word boxes. Attach one set of the words to the front of the ties, one per tie.
  • Put the word strips in a sentence strip holder.  (A sentence strip holder can be made out of poster board, strips of page protector plastic, and clear tape.) Put the second set of words in the sentence strip holder – in their correct spots but turned around.

Presentation

Post the first song page on the board – “The father of our home leads our family.”

  • As the priesthood holder in the family, the father leads the home. When husband and wife work together in love and righteousness, their decisions are heaven blessed.

Post the next part of the song- “with wisdom’s light, in all that’s right.” Point out the owl in the picture, and explain that it represents the word “wisdom”. Ask if the children have ever heard the expression “a wise old owl”. Explain that because of the ability of an owl to see in the dark, owls have come to represent manifestations of wisdom. Also point out the moon in the picture, and ask the children if they ever been out at night when there is a full moon. The light from a bright, full moon can help you see where to go when it is dark. Just like an owl and the moon are useful in the dark, a father who is following the wisdom, light, and direction of the Lord can help his family see the right (CTR) ways to go in a dark world full of Satan’s temptations.

Post on the board the next line – “My father’s good to me.”  Point out the child a getting a ride on his father’s shoulders. Ask the children to think about all the good and helpful things their father does for them. Invite the children to share some of them.

Post the next line on the board – “Fathers are so special. With a very special love.” Fathers have very special rolls in the family that are vitally important and needed. The next few lines tells about some of these rolls.

Post the next line on the board – “They watch us and protect us.”  Point out that the father  in the picture is watching his child so he doesn’t get hurt as he learns to ride a bike. Fathers do their best to take care of and protect their wives and children.

Post the next line on the board – “They guide us and direct us.” Explain that the words guide and direct have very similar meanings. They both mean to help show us the right ways to go and the right things to do.

Post the last line in the song  -“Back to our home above.”  Explain that the last line of the verse says that a righteous father can help guide us back to our home with Heavenly Father.

Have senior primary sing the song. (In junior primary have them sing after every couple of pages you post.)

Memorizing the Verse

Show the children the word strips. Now explain to the children that you are going to test to them  to see if  they can remember certain words. Show the ties with words on them and explain that their job is to put the tie in the place they think it belongs, and then turn over the word in the slot and see if they are right. (Go in order with the junior primary. Read the lines to them and their choices. Do half of the song at a time. You can post the pictures near each word strip to help junior primary remember the words.)

After all the matches have been made, turn over two to three word strips, but leave the tie words as a clue to the sentence.  Have the children sing the song. Continue in this manner until all the word strips are covered up and the children have the song memorized.

May 21 2011

Praise to the Man – Memorizing the First Verse

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Preparation

  • Print the picture pages.
  • Text ten people and ask them to send you a list of five to ten blessings we enjoy because of the restoration. Cut a poster in half and write the top nine answers on it in a row (the answers that are given the most). Cut the other half of the poster (or a different colored poster) into nine strips, and cover each answer with one of the strips. (Be sure to make a list of their order so you know which cover strip to take off when one is guessed. )The results from the poll I took were: Living Prophet, Priesthood, Holy Ghost, Temples, Book of Mormon, Eternal Families, Baptism. You can use my results or do your own survey. (I only had seven top answers, so I just covered up two that the children had guessed the week before, because it took two weeks to do this activity. They liked trying to figure out what was missing.)

Presentation

The following week after introducing the first verse, have the children start memorizing the verse. Post the word pages from the previous week on the board in order. Post the picture pages in random order on the wall next to the board. Explain that each picture matches one of the word pages on the board. Remind the children that because of the prophet Joseph Smith many wonderful blessings of the gospel are restored to the earth again.

Show the poster and explain to the children that you polled/asked ten people to tell  you some blessings that we enjoy because of the restoration. Explain that the top nine answers are on the poster. Tell them you will be watching for those who raise their hands first to call on and guess the answers. Be sure to praise them for their answers, even if they are not on the board. If they guess one of the items on the poster they get to come up and try to match a picture with its word page. (Have them put the picture next to its matching word page.)

After two matches have been made, have the children sing the song. After another two matches have been made, cover most of the words on the two previously matched word pages with their matching pictures. Sing the song all the way through again.

After another two matches have been made, cover the first two pages completely with their matching pictures. Then take the two other previously made matches and cover most of the words on those pages. Sing the song again.

Continue in this manner until all the pages are covered with pictures and the children have the song memorized.

Junior Primary: Have junior primary find the matching pictures in the correct order of the song. After they make the correct matches, sing only that part. Continue to build onto that with the above method.  The survey activity may be a little difficult for junior primary, but they will be able to do it if you give them clues to the answers.

Note: The pictures came from different “Praise to the Man” flipcharts on Sugardoodle. Thank you to all those people who submitted those flipcharts.

 

 

 

 

May 7 2011

Crying Mother Song Review

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Crying Mother Song Review –
Mother’s Day
This week we are reviewing the Mother’s Day songs the children have learned, and I am using the Crying Mother idea. I have seen the idea on several sites. Thank you to whoever originally thought of it. It is great!
Preparation
  • Items needed: a half a sheet of foam board- 15X20 inches,  a small 4X6 piece of foam board, two sheets of color paper, two water guns (or squirt bottles) with long tips on their nose, a glue gun, sticky tack, a black sharpie marker, and an easel from the meetinghouse library
  • Print the picture of the mother. Cut out the sign that says “Mother’s Day”. Cut out the insides of each eye on the picture of the mother, all the way to the edges.  Laminate the two sheets of colored paper, the sign that says “Mother’s Day, and the picture of the mother. Very carefully cut out the middle of the plastic part of the eyes. Do not cut into the printed paper part of the eye or the ink will bleed when you squirt water through the eye. Note: You may be able to use clear contact paper instead of lamination. I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know if it will keep a good enough seal so the ink won’t bleed.
  • Hot glue the two sheets of colored paper onto the middle of the foam board. Place the picture of the mother on the colored paper where you wish it go. With a pin, poke a hole through the cut out part of each eye, all the way through the foam board. Hot glue the 4X6 piece of foam board over the pin holes on the back of the foam board. Once again poke a pin through each eye all the way through the second sheet of foam board. With a knife, carve out a hole (where each pin hole is) through both sheets of foam board. The holes should be the size of the tip of the water gun (or squirt bottle).  Cut a small hole in each piece of colored paper where the pin prick is. Hot glue the picture of the mother onto the colored papers with the holes lining up with the holes in the eyes. With the black sharpie, color in the eye and color the tip of each water gun/squirt bottle.
  • Fill each water gun/squirt bottle, and coat the tips with a ring of sticky tack. Push the water gun/squirt bottle tips all the way into the holes on the back of the foam board. The sticky tack should hold the water guns in place but also allow you to take each out to refill. Try out the water guns/squirt bottles to make sure they will squirt through the holes, and adjust if needed.
Presentation
Show the children the picture of the mother. Put it on an easel  Be careful so the children don’t see the water guns/squirt bottles. Ask the children what day it is. (Mother’s Day)  Using sticky tack, attach the Mother’s Day sign to the bottom of the picture.  Remind the children they are going to sing to their mothers in Sacrament Meeting.
  • Ask, “Did you know that it makes some mothers cry to hear their children sing Mother’s Day songs?”

 

Explain to the children that today they are going to practice the Mother’s Day songs and try to sing them so beautifully that they will make a mother in the audience cry.
When they sing a song wonderfully, reach around the picture and squirt one of the squirt guns. Point it out and exclaim that they made a mother cry because of their beautiful singing.  It will surprise the children and get them excited.
Carry the picture around the room as they continue practice singing the songs. Explain that when someone is singing particularly good it will make the mother cry again.
Resource: Mother picture – Nursery Manual
May 4 2011

Book of Mormon Lesson Tips

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Display Board
A display board will be needed for many of the lessons. Various items can be used as a display board such as a wall, a chalkboard, a dry erase board, a flannel board, a poster board, etc. (See this link for directions on how to make a felt/vinyl display board.) The following items can be used to attach items to the display board: tape, magnets, sticky tack, removable double sided tape, Velcro, etc.

Scripture Use
The Book of Mormon will be used for every lesson. Encourage the children to bring their scriptures. Some lessons will specify when a Book of Mormon for each child is absolutely necessary. You may want to have extra copies of the Book of Mormon available for those lessons.

Scripture references in the lesson are meant to be looked up by all the children. Once the scripture reference has been found, choose a child to read the reference as the others follow along in their own books. This will give the children experience looking up and reading scriptures. It will also help each child focus on the scripture and understand it better.

Food Object Lessons
Some of the lessons use food for object lessons. Please be aware of any allergies before giving children food. If a child has a food allergy, provide an alternative food item for that child.

Scripture Story Visual Aids

The scripture story visual aids can be printed, or to save ink they can be shown on a laptop computer by scrolling down as each picture is discussed. Some of the lessons do require the pictures to be printed for activities associated with the scripture story. Read each lesson thoroughly before teaching to see which method will work best.

Scripture Stories

The scripture stories in the lessons are a shortened version of the original. In order to have a comprehensive understanding of the lesson and story, it is best to read the original scripture story in the Book of Mormon before teaching the lesson. There may also be important parts you could feel inspired to add back into the lesson for specifics needs in your class.