Tag Archives: Activities

Sep 6 2011

Lesson 10: King Benjamin

Posted on by

Lesson 10
King Benjamin

Preparation

  • Print one copy of the large crossword puzzle and clues from pdf or word and cut out each clue and title. (Or print one copy of the smaller Crossword Puzzle and Clues per child and one copy of the section titles pdf or word.) The crossword puzzle is from the Friend, September 2000, Funstuff.
  •  Items needed: pencils, a marker, a Book of Mormon for each child, magnets or tape, and the Gospel Art Picture “King Benjamin Addresses His People”.

Scripture Story Introduction

Briefly review the previous week’s lesson. Explain that after Enos died, the records of the people were passed down from generation to generation. The Nephites had many battles with the Lamanites through the generations. The Lord warned a Nephite named Mosiah to flee out of the land with as many as would listen to the voice of the Lord. The people fled until they came to a land called the Land of Zarahemla. They discovered a people there called the people of Zarahemla (or Mulekites). The people of Zarahemla had been brought by the hand of the Lord to the promised land. They had come out of Jerusalem at the time King Zedekiah of Judah was carried away captive into Babylon. The Mulekite’s language and religious beliefs had become altered because they had brought no records with them. Mosiah had them taught his language. The people of Zarahemla and the people of Mosiah united. Mosiah was appointed their king.

After King Mosiah died, his son King Benjamin ruled. King Benjamin was a righteous king. King Benjamin ruled the people for many years. When he became old, he called his people together to speak to them and to confer the kingdom upon his son Mosiah. (Display the picture of King Benjamin addressing his people.)

Scripture Story Activity
Hand out a crossword puzzle, crossword puzzle clues (or use the enlarged version of the clues and puzzle and post them on the board when indicated in the lesson),  pencil, and a Book of Mormon to each child. Explain to the children that as they do the crossword puzzle they will learn more about King Benjamin and about his final address to his people.

Instructions: Attach the section title to the board (go in the order given) and read it to the class; also read any explanation that goes with it. Either post the enlarged version of the clues below it (one at a time and in the order given), or have a volunteer read out loud the crossword puzzle clue from their own list. Have a child try to guess what the missing word might be. Direct all the children to look up the scripture reference to see if the guess is correct. Have someone read the whole scripture out loud. Have the children fill in their crossword puzzle space with the correct answer, or have the class fill out the bigger version together on the board. Afterwards, read any further explanations that are given about the answer in the sections below.

King Benjamin called the people together to speak to them before he died.

King Benjamin was getting old and knew that he would die soon. He needed to confer the kingdom upon one of his sons, and he wished to speak to the people before he died. He had his son Mosiah gather the people together.

7 Down) LAND

3 Across) TEMPLE

The temple was of great spiritual consequence to the people, so it was a significant place for King Benjamin to teach and instruct the people.

12 Down) TOWER

The multitude was so great that King Benjamin had a tower built so they could hear his words.

20 Diagonally Up) WRITTEN

Many of the people still could not hear his words as he spoke from the tower, so he had his words written down and sent among the people.

What kind of man was King Benjamin?

We learn more about the kind of man and leader King Benjamin was as he begins his address to his people.

1 Across) LABORED

King Benjamin did not seek for the people’s gold or silver. He labored to serve them. He was a righteous leader.

21 Diagonally Down) COMMANDMENT

5 Across) WICKEDNESS

11 Down) PEACE

There was a serious war between the Lamanites and the Nephites, and King Benjamin was instrumental in driving the Lamanites out of the land. He also taught the Nephites to keep the commandments, and he would not suffer that they commit any manner of wickedness. Because of these things, he established peace in the land.

What are some of the things King Benjamin taught the people during his address?

19 Diagonally Down) ANOTHER

2 Across) SERVICE

Heavenly Father loves his children. When we serve others, we are helping the Lord love and care for his children. The Lord has done much for us, and we can show our love and gratitude to Heavenly Father by serving his children.

6 Across) UNPROFITABLE

The word unprofitable means running at a loss. Everything we have–including our life–our Heavenly Father has given us. The only thing we can give to God in return is our obedience. But when we are obedient, he blesses us and we are indebted to him again. We can never repay our Heavenly Father for the blessings he bestows upon us.

13 Down) HEAVENLY

8 Down) KEEP

4 Across) PROSPERED

22 Diagonally Up) CONTENTIONS

15 Down) SALVATION

An angel had appeared to King Benjamin and had told him of the Savior’s coming in great detail, including of His death and resurrection. Jesus Christ suffered and died for us that we might repent of our sins and live with Heavenly Father again.

9 Down) NAME

When each of us is born into a family, we receive a family name. Ask the children to tell what their family name is.

When we are baptized and become members of the church, we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.  Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, he is the father of our spiritual rebirth and we become his sons and daughters.

Ask the children what characteristics they inherited from their parents. Tell them we can also become like Christ through our covenant to keep His commandments.

Tell the children to read the scripture in this clue again, and then tell why it is important for us to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. (There is no other name or way where salvation can be attained.)

How did the people respond to King Benjamin’s words?

10 Down) SINS

The people of King Benjamin recognized the need for power beyond their own to overcome their sinful condition. They prayed for mercy and asked Heavenly Father to apply the atoning blood of Christ so they could be forgiven of their sins.

16 Down) REMISSION

17 Down) EVIL

The people experienced a mighty change of heart. They had no more disposition to do evil. They had a desire to convert their lives to the things of God.

14 Down) COVENANT

18 Down) SOUL

• When do we make this kind of covenant? (When we are baptized.)  King Benjamin’s people had been baptized; they were members of the church. When King Benjamin spoke to his people, they gained a greater understanding of the gospel and the atonement. They were touched by the Spirit and had a mighty change of heart.  We must also listen to the prophet, study, learn, and gain understanding so we can experience a mighty change of heart and renew and strengthen our commitment to take upon us the name of Christ.

Conclusion
• How did the people of Zarahemla respond to the call to gather to the temple to hear the words of their prophet and king?

• How do we respond to the call to hear the words of the living prophet? Do we eagerly take advantage of those opportunities to hear and read his words?

• When do we have the opportunity to hear the prophet’s words? During General Conference that is held in October and April.

• Where can we read the prophet’s words? Show the children a copy of the Friend magazine and explain that there is a message from the prophet, or one of his counselors, at the beginning of each magazine. We can also read their words in other church magazines.

We need to listen to and obey the living prophet’s words just as King Benjamin’s people listened to and obeyed his words. As we do this, our hearts can change, and we will have no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: Mosiah 2:1–41 and Mosiah 5:1-8

Aug 5 2011

Song – The Lord Gave Me a Temple

Posted on by

 

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.