May 17 2012

Lesson 28 – Nephi and Lehi in Prison

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Lesson 28

 Nephi and Lehi in Prison

Preparation
• Items needed: a lamp or battery powered lantern, a clear page protector, a half sheet of poster board, double-sided removable tape, a picture of Jesus , scriptures for each child, a table easel, chalk and eraser, a small piece of thick dark paper, a piece of cooking wax paper, and a Pringles potato chip canister with plastic lid (or some other type of container that won’t let light in but is thin enough to cut holes in such as a shoe box.)
• Print the signs. Cut out the sign that says “I am the light of the world” and tape it to the top of the picture of Jesus. Also cut out the direction card that says “Look behind the picture of Jesus.” Tape the direction card to the inside bottom of the canister. Cut out a circle of wax paper and a circle of dark paper using the plastic lid as a guide. Put a hole in the middle of each paper about the size of a pea. Tape the wax paper inside the clear plastic lid. Tape the dark paper under the wax paper. Put the lid on the canister. Optional: glue decorative paper onto the outside of the canister. (If using a shoe box for this activity, poke an eye hole in the tall end of the box about the size of a pea and put the direction card on the opposite end. Cut a golf ball sized hole in the side of the box and tape a piece of thick dark paper over the hole.)
• Print the activity visual aids. Cover the back of the cloud page with glue (Scotch permanent glue stick works well), and adhere it to the front of the picture of Jesus. Cut the combined page into 12 puzzle pieces using the puzzle outline as a guide. Tape a page protector to the middle of the half sheet of poster board. Attach the puzzle pieces around it with double-sided removable tape (see above picture). Press the pieces on lightly so the tape will remain on the puzzle pieces when moving them to the page protector. Have extra tape available in class just in case.
• Print the handouts; one cloud handout will be needed per child. Glue the cloud page on top of the pictures of Jesus (just like the activity page). Cut the page into four sections so one cloud is on each cut section. Put the handouts in a Ziploc baggie. Place the Ziploc baggie on the easel and then put the picture of Jesus in front of it. Display the picture of Jesus on a table in class.
• Print the scripture story visual aids. Cut each page in half so one picture is on each half. Number the back of each picture in the order printed.

 

Attention Activity
Show the children the canister and explain that there are directions inside the canister that will lead them to a special handout. Have them take turns looking through the eye hole to try and read the directions. Ask the children if any of them can see the directions. Take the dark cover off the lid and ask them to try again. (Tell the children to wait to follow the directions. Explain that they will retrieve the items towards the end of the lesson.)

• Why were the directions visible the second time? Because light was let into the canister.

Ask a child to read the caption on the picture of Jesus. Explain that the full scripture is found in John 8:12 and it says: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

• What does the “light of life” mean? (The guiding light that leads to eternal life.) How is Jesus the guiding light of the world? Jesus lights the way to eternal life through His example and teachings.

• What might happen if a person didn’t have a light when walking in a dark area such as in a forest on a dark, cloudy night? (They might trip and fall over obstacles and get hurt.) Could the person find their desired destination? It would be difficult.

Just as we would need a light to help us find our way in the dark, we also need a light to help us find our way through the dark clouds of Satan’s lies and temptations on earth and see the way to eternal life.

Scripture Account
Remind the children of last week’s lesson concerning Helaman and the stripling warriors. Explain that after the war with the Lamanites, Helaman once again began to preach the gospel and build up the church. After Helaman died, the records he had kept were eventually given to his son who was also named Helaman. His son Helaman became a chief judge and served righteously. He had two sons by the names of Nephi and Lehi. He taught them many things

• Why do you think Helaman named his sons after Nephi and Lehi? (See Helaman 5:6.) He named them after righteous men hoping his sons would be reminded of their deeds and try to be like them.

• Ask the children if any of them are named after a person with praiseworthy characteristics.  Ask them how they feel when they hear about the characteristics of the person they are named after. Does it inspire them? Do they want to strive to be like that person?

• Remind the children that they took on a special name at baptism. What name is that? (See 2 Nephi 31:13 & Mosiah 6:1-2) The name of Jesus Christ. Explain that in today’s lesson they are going to discuss ways they can become more like Jesus Christ.

Scripture Story Continued
After Helaman died, his son Nephi served as chief judge for a time, but when the people began to become wicked and prideful he gave up the judgment seat to go and preach among them with his brother Lehi.

• The judgment seat was the top political office among the Nephites. It was influential like being a president or a prime minister. Why would Nephi give up a position where he could influence many people for good? The laws of the land were established by the voice of the people, and because of the wickedness of the people the laws had become corrupted and had little influence for good. Nephi felt he would have more influence and do more good by preaching the word of God.

Nephi and Lehi went from city to city preaching the word of God with great power, convincing many to repent. After they had gone among all the people of Nehi in the land southward, they went among the Lamanites and preached to them. Many of the Lamanites and the Nephite dissenters who lived among them were baptized unto repentance.

Scripture Story Activity
Put the scripture story visuals on the right side of the board in random order using tape or magnets. Read the story below to the children in numerical order. After reading each numbered section, stop and have a child choose a visual aid that goes with that part of the story. Have them turn over the card to see if it is right. The number on the back should match the number on the paragraph you read. If it is correct have the child move it to the left side of the board. The pictures on the left should be kept in the correct order.

1. Nephi and Lehi then went to the Land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites and Nephite dissenters who resided there. In the Land of Nephi the Lamanites cast Nephi and Lehi into prison. They were given no food.

2. After several days the Lamanites came to the prison to slay them. When the Lamanites entered the prison, Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire. The Lamanites dared not lay their hands on them fearing they would be burned.

3. Nephi and Lehi were not burned by the fire. They told the Lamanites that God was demonstrating his marvelous power by protecting them with the fire.

4. Then the earth and the walls of the prison shook as if they might tumble down. The Lamanites were overshadowed by a cloud of darkness and they were afraid.

5. As they stood there in the darkness they heard a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness saying, “Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.” It was not a voice of thunder but a still voice of perfect mildness, and it did pierce them to their souls.

6. The walls and earth shook and the voice spoke to them two more times. The Lamanites were frozen with fear.

7. There was a Nephite among them who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented. He saw through the cloud of darkness and saw that Nephi and Lehi’s faces were shining with light.

8. Their eyes were lifted up to heaven, and they were in the attitude of talking to some being that they beheld.

9. The Nephite man did cry unto the multitude to turn and look. The Lamanites asked the man what it all meant and who Nephi and Lehi were conversing with. The Nephite, whose name was Aminadab, said that they do converse with the angels of God. The Lamanites asked Aminadab what they could do to make the cloud of darkness disperse. Aminadab told them they must repent and pray to God until they gained faith in Christ.

10. They did as Aminadab said and the cloud of darkness dispersed.

11. When they looked about and saw the cloud of darkness had dispersed, they also saw they were encircled by a pillar of fire. It did not hurt them and they were filled with unspeakable joy. The Spirit of God did enter into their hearts. They saw and heard many marvelous things.

12. There were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things, and they did go forth and minister to the people declaring all the things they had heard and seen.

13. The more part of the Lamanites were convinced of the truth of the matter because of the great amount of evidence. All those who were convinced did lay down their weapons of war, and they let go of their hatred and the traditions of their fathers.

The Lamanites had been living their lives in darkness by believing Satan’s lies, following the incorrect traditions of their fathers, and filling their lives with hatred for the Nephites.

• What did the Lamanites do to escape the darkness? They prayed for forgiveness and for faith in Jesus Christ. Afterwards they changed their lives and followed the teachings of Jesus.

Activity
Put the puzzle and page protector on the board and explain that the children are going to do an activity that will help show them ways they can follow Jesus and fill their lives with light. Have them work in groups of two. Explain that you want them to think of some things that Jesus taught or some examples he set (if they need help they can look in the chapter headlines of the book of Luke in the New Testament for ideas.) Ideas might include the following: ministered to the sick and afflicted, prayed, fasted, kept the Sabbath Day holy, taught the gospel, knew the scriptures, served others, was baptized, was meek and humble, loved others, forgave. (Remind the children that one way to know and remember what Jesus did and taught is to read their scriptures daily. His teachings are found in all the books of scripture.)

Have the groups take turns telling an answer. After they give an answer have them write it on the board and then put a puzzle piece on the page protector. Continue in this manner until all the puzzle pieces are in the correct order on the page protector. When all the pieces are in the correct order, tape or pin the page protector on a lamp (or lantern) and turn on the lamp. The picture of Jesus should shine through. Explain that when we learn and do the things Jesus taught, then we are filling our lives with light: the knowledge, understanding, and truths that lead to eternal life.

Have one of the children now follow the directions they read in the canister. Once the child has retrieved the items from behind the picture of Jesus, explain that the items are miniature copies of the picture on the lamp. Tell them to each take one home and pin or tape it to the outside of a lamp shade (preferably a lamp in their room, and with permission from parents). Explain that every time the lamp is turned on they will see the picture of Jesus, and it will be a reminder for them to follow Jesus because he is the light that leads to eternal life.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: Helaman 5:14-52

 

May 12 2012

Blooming Flower Song Review Idea

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Note: I used this idea for Mother’s Day but it could be used with spring, summer, or fall flowers for reviewing songs.

Tell the children they are going to review the songs they will be singing in Sacrament Meeting for Mother’s Day. Show them the flowers and tell them you brought flowers as a visual aid because mothers love getting flowers on Mother’s Day. Point out that the flowers are very pretty, but they aren’t blooming yet or as pretty as they could be. They are like the Mother’s Day songs, they are beautiful but still need a little work. Explain that the flowers will take notice and “bloom” when the children sing their songs with amazing projection, presentation, and word recall.

Preparation

  • Items needed: inexpensive silk flowers that have petals that can fold up, green twine or thin green ribbon, a glue gun, decorative ribbon, a small rubber band, clear tape, and 2×3 Ziploc type baggies (from craft store). (If this item is not available you can make the small baggies using larger Ziploc baggies. Cut a piece of plastic four inches by three inches. Fold it over and tape together the bottom and side with clear tape.)
  • The flowers need to be on their own stem. If your silk flowers came in a bunch, cut the bottom of each stem with wire cutters. Remove the leaves from the stems. Put one flower in each baggie by poking the stem through the bottom of the small baggie and pulling the baggie up over the flower (you may wish to cut the zip part of the baggie off first).
  • Cut a piece of twine for each flower. The twine should be a little longer than the stem. Tie the top of the twine around the bottom of the baggie and then put a piece of clear tape around the tied section. The rest of the twine should hang down the stem. Do this with each flower. Hot glue some of the leaves to the bottom of the baggie where the twine is tied and taped. Gather the flowers into a bunch and put a rubber band around them about two inches down from the flowers. Tie a decorative ribbon around the rubber band.

Presentation

Pull down on a string and the baggie will be pulled off a flower and the flower will “bloom”.  Show the children the top of the flowers when pulling the string. (The above pictures don’t do the effect justice. It is really fun and amazing when the flowers “bloom”.)

Note: The above flowers came in a bunch for a dollar at Dollar Tree, but I think it would be more fun if all the flowers were different. The children would look forward to seeing what each one looks like when they open.

May 12 2012

Repentance: Stories

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Table of Contents

Friend March 2024 “The Shiny Purple Stone” Marie collects pretty stones. When she saw a a pretty purple color on a display table at the library, she put it in her pocket. That night for story time her father read her a story from the Friend magazine about a boy who repented after making a wrong choice. She started feeling uncomfortable. Even though it was hard, she told her father what she had done and she prepared to take the stone back and apologize. She began to feel lots better.

Friend August 2023 “The Sparkly Necklace” When Isabella showed Carolina her mother’s necklace, she thought it was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. She kept it safe for Isabella in her pocket, but when it was time to go home she didn’t give it back. She just wanted to keep it a little longer, but she felt a bad feeling. She put it under her pillow, but her parents found it. She told them the truth and then took it back to Isabella and asked her forgiveness. The bad feeling was replaced by a warm feeling.

Friend March 2022 “(For Little Ones) “A Crayon Mistake” Lucie and her friend drew on some church chairs with crayons while waiting for their moms. Afterwards, she felt sorry for making a mess. Her mom got them wet, soapy paper towels and they cleaned up the mess. It was hard work, but she was glad she could make things better.

Friend February 2022 “Elevator Repentance” Benjamin pushed all the buttons in the elevator on his way up to where he lived. But then a neighbor got in the elevator. Benjamin felt awful. He and his mom went to the neighbors apartment and apologized, and he promised to never to do it again. Then he felt good.

Friend February 2022 “Sarah’s Solo” Sarah forgot the words in the middle of her solo but she started again and did it right that time. She thought how her experience was like repentance. She told her her mom ““I made a mistake in my solo, but I fixed it and moved on. In life, when I make a wrong choice, I can fix it by repenting. Then I can move on and do better.”

Repenting and Not Making the Same Mistake Again

Friend March 2022 “The Bike Prank” Sam’s friends want to do a prank where they take all the valve caps off bikes at a bike stand. Sam doesn’t feel good about it but he agrees. He feels really bad about what they did and asks Heavenly Father to forgive him. The next time his friends want to do the same thing, Sam says no and distracts them with a bike race.

Best to Repent Early

Friend March 2018 “Abuelo’s Shoe Shop” Miguel takes some of his grandfather’s candy without asking first. He learns from his grandfather that it is best to fix mistakes early before they become big problems.

Talking to the Bishop

When do I need the help of the bishop to repent? “Your bishop holds priesthood keys and spiritual gifts to help you repent. You can seek his help and counsel at any time. If you have made serious mistakes, such as breaking the law of chastity, meet with your bishop. He won’t condemn you. He is a representative of Jesus Christ and will help you know how to fully repent and receive the Savior’s healing and strengthening power.” For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices (2022), 8.

For the Strength of Youth February 2026 “The Not-So-Dreaded Bishop’s Office” A boy is afraid to talk to the bishop because he thought the bishop and everyone would think he is a bad person, but he felt so much better and peaceful after talking to him.

Repenting Helps Us Feel Happy

Friend December 2017 “How Can Repenting Make Me Feel Happy?” When Elder Renlund was young, he lit a firecracker in a church building and felt terrible about it. His bishop helped him repent and feel happy again.

Friend September 2024 “The Dart Disaster” Daniel accidentally hit his aunts car with a lawn dart and made a dent. He didn’t say anything when she noticed the dent. He felt awful, but he was afraid. Then he decided to be like his favorite scripture hero, Daniel in the lion’s den. He bravely and he told his mom what happened and that he would work to pay for the damage. The heavy feeling in his stomach left and he felt peaceful.

Repenting of Being Unkind

Friend August 2022 “Repentance Is a Good Thing!” Gemma got mad at her friend but was able to fix things with repentance.

Friend February 2021 “Repenting and Trying Again” After yelling at his brother for breaking his toy, Raymond remembered what the bishop had said during his baptism interview, “We all make mistakes. But we can repent and try again.” Raymond apologized to his little brother for yelling.

Friend October 2020 “Tyler Tries Again” Tyler feels bad about joining in laughing at the new kid when he asks to play. He knows that mistakes happen but we can fix them. He decides to go say sorry and ask the new boy to play.

Friend May 2020 “Sister Squabble” Jaide’s little sister borrowed her tennis shoes without asking and accidentally got them muddy. Jaide was so mad that she told her sister,  “I wish you weren’t my sister.” She felt terrible about what she said.  She read a scripture about Jesus forgiving and healing someone, and she realized she needed to forgive and try and fix what she had done to her sister with her words. 

Friend September 2017 “The Sparkly Sticker” Emily and her friends teases a boy in an unkind way, and then Emily feels terrible about it. Her mom remind her that she can repent and make thinks right.

Friend September 2016 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy ignores a friend while walking with the popular girls. She feels bad, repents, and invites the friend she ignored to eat lunch with her and her new friends.

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Friend March 1988 “Heather Mends a Mistake” Heather feels terrible about getting angry and breaking her brother’s model airplane.

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Repenting of being Dishonest

Fiend July 2021 “The Honesty Question” Christy was nominated for an outstanding citizen award, but she had to fill out some questions about the good things she does in the community. She ran out of ideas and decides to write what she plans on doing. She didn’t feel good inside after turning in her answers. She repents and goes to the office to make things right the next day.

Friend August 2019 “My Mastermind Fail” Henry copied some class dollars on his printer so he could buy root-beer floats at the last auction of the school year. Some classmates told the teacher, and he wasn’t allowed to bid on the auction at all. The teacher also emailed his mom. His mom was shocked and sad, and he knew Heavenly Father was too. Henry had just turned twelve but knew he shouldn’t go to the temple unless he was clean, so he repented. He was so happy when he was able to go to the temple. He realized that wickedness never brings happiness.

Repenting of Stealing

Friend August 2017 “Calvin Says Sorry” Calvin takes his friend’s car and feels terrible. He gives it back and says sorry and feels happy.

Friend March 1987 “Travis Repents” Travis steals some toys from a friend, and then he learns how to repent.

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Friend Feb 1982
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Friend Feb 1982

Friend August 2015 “The watermelon thieves”

Friend August 2015
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Friend August 2015 "The watermelon thieves"

Show the video “The Shiny Bicycle” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or tell a story of your own about a child who made a wrong choice and then repented. Help the children discuss what the child in the story did to receive forgiveness. How has the Savior made it possible for us to be forgiven?

May 6 2012

Fathers & Men: Clipart

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Friend June 1983
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May 5 2012

Mother I Love You

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Mother I Love You – Pg 207

Preparation

  • Items needed: ten clothes pins, ten strips of cardstock to cover each set of words, double-sided removable tape.
  • Print the colored hearts (or print the heart outlines onto purple and red colored paper). Cut out the hearts. Glue or tape a heart to the bottom of each clothes pin.
  • Print the song pages. Attach two heart clothes pins to the left side of each song page. Put the red on top and the purple on the bottom to start off.
  • Optional: Attach each song page to a sheet of colored construction paper. Or trim the pages, attach them to cardstock, and put them in page protectors.

Presentation

Introduce the song words to the children as you put each song page on the board. Have the children sing the song. (You may want to sing only a couple of pages at a time with junior primary, and then put it all together.)

Point out and show the heart clothes pins to the children. Assign one of the clothes pin colors to each side of the room. Explain that the children will only sing the lines that their color of clothes pin is pointing to. Have them sing the song. Afterwards have two children go to the board and mix up the clothes pins. They can put either color on any line. Some pages may have two of the same color. Have the children sing the song again, only singing the lines that their color is pointing to.

Have two more children mix up the clothes pins again. After they are done, cover up some of the words using the cardstock strips and double-sided tape. Have them sing the song again and see if they can remember the lines that are covered up. Continue in this manner, mixing up the heart clothes pins and covering up words, until all the words are covered up. This may be a review for senior primary so more words may need to be covered up at a time.

Another idea would be to change who sings what by assigning the colors to certain groups such as boys and girls, specific classes, blue eyed children and brown eyed children, etc.

Note: The song pages are a combination of a couple of flipcharts from Sugardoodle. Thank you to those ladies for the help.

Apr 26 2012

Articles of Faith: Activities & Games

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Friend August 2017

Questions such as this could be asked to review the Article of Faith. In a small group children could write their answer on a paper and show it to the teacher. In a large group have the children hold up fingers to show their answer.

Friend June 2015
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Friend Feb 1981
Friend Feb 1981

Answers: Across—(1) baptism, (4) prophecy, (7) Savior, (8) visions, (11) sins, (12) literal, (15) revelation, (17) obedience, (19) Holy, (20) renewed, (21) gift, (23) principle, (24) Bible, (25) honest. Down—(2) translated, (3) spirit, (5) reveal, (6) conscience, (9) Son, (10) Zion, (13) privilege, (14) earth, (16) worship, (18) Eternal, (22) that.

Friend August 1987
Friend August 1987
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Friend August 1987

Apr 23 2012

When I Am Baptized – Verse One

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Song – When I Am Baptized- Verse One (CS, pg. 103) 

  •  Print the raindrops onto blue paper and cut them out.  Also print the pictures. Cut them out and trim them so they look similar to above pictures. (The pictures are from Microsoft Word clipart)
  • Print eight clouds onto white cardstock and cut them out. Print two sets of the rainbow. Cut out the rainbow pieces. Each piece then needs to be cut into two puzzle pieces. Work on one rainbow at a time. The two end pieces need to be cut so that each piece will fit on the back of a raindrop. Each of the two middle pieces need to be cut so each piece will fit on the back of one of the pictures. (The first rainbow goes with the first verse and the second rainbow goes with the chorus.)
  • After the rainbows are cut into puzzle pieces, attach them to the back of the raindrops and pictures. I attached them face down with removable double-sided tape, and then I attached a magnet to the back of each piece. (The magnet serves a dual purpose of holding a raindrop or picture on the board, and then later to attach the rainbow piece on the board. ) I also attached a magnet to the top, back of each of the clouds for easy set up.
  • When setting up, put a raindrop under each cloud and attach them to the left side of the chalkboard (see above picture example).  Only set up four clouds and raindrops at a time. The raindrops should be sticking out of the bottom of the clouds so they children can pull them down. Tape each of the pictures on the walls around the room before primary starts.

 

Presentation

Choose a child to pull down the first raindrop. Have the child read the words and look around the room for a picture that matches it.  The other children can help by pointing to the picture if needed. Have the child put the picture under the raindrop. Choose another child to pull down the next raindrop and find its matching picture. Have junior primary sing these first two lines. After that continue with the activity until all four raindrops are pulled down and have matching pictures with them. Have junior primary sing the last two lines and then put all four together. Have senior primary sing all four lines.

Memorizing Activity

Have a child choose a raindrop to take off the board. That child will hold it so the other children can’t see the words. Have the children sing the verse again. If the children can remember and sing the missing words, the child can take the rainbow piece off the back of the raindrop and put it on the board above the clouds.

Explain to the children the following reason a rainbow is used in this activity: Remind the children that the song is about baptism, and the rain washing clean the earth in the song is used symbolically and reminds us of baptism and being washed clean of sin. And just like we enjoy rainbows after rain, there are many wonderful  things we enjoy after being baptized, such the gift of the Holy Ghost, being clean of sin (but remind them we have the sacrament and repentance to help us be clean again if we make a mistake), being members of the church of Jesus Christ, being on the path towards gaining eternal life, etc.

After explaining what the rainbow in the activity reminds us of, have another child choose a raindrop to take off the board. Continue doing the above memorizing activity until each of the raindrops and pictures are off the board and the rainbow is complete.

After the children learn the first four lines of the song, put up the clouds and raindrops for the chorus on the right side of the board, and do the same entire activity with the chorus.

Note: If the children in senior primary are already familiar with the first verse, this will just be a review. Have them tell you what the first line is. Have the child that quotes it correctly, or almost correctly, check it by pulling down the first raindrop. Have that child find the matching picture. Contiue in this manner. During the memorizing part have the children take off two raindrops at a time, and then do the same with the pictures.