Doctrine and Covenants Stories “Chapter 3: The Angel Moroni and the Gold Plates” Images and Video
Joseph Smith was called by God to do an important work.
It had been three years since God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in the grove, but Joseph hadn’t received any additional revelations since then. He began to wonder about his standing before the Lord. Like all of us, he had made mistakes, and he felt condemned by them.
I can pray to be forgiven.
Read with the children Joseph Smith—History 1:29. How did Joseph Smith feel about his mistakes? What did he do about them? What can we learn from Joseph’s example that can help us when we make mistakes? Ask the children how it makes them feel to know that Joseph was called by God even though he was not perfect.
What does it mean to know your “standing before [God]”? (Joseph Smith—History 1:29).
- Why is it important to think about our “standing before [God]”?
Liahona January 2021 “What did Moroni Teach Joseph” A short explanation of what Moroni taught Joseph when he appeared to him four times.
You could ask a family member to read aloud part or all of Moroni’s message from Joseph Smith—History 1:33–42 four times (because Moroni repeated this message four times). Between each reading, ask the other family members to share what they remember from his message, without looking at the scriptures. Why might the Lord repeat important messages several times? What are some other ways the Lord teaches us through repetition?
(Another option would be to have some items covered on a tray that are related to Moroni’s message. Uncover the tray for a short time and then recover it. See if the children can remember what was on the tray. Do this three more times and see if they remember more each time. Afterwards, use the items on the tray to teach about the words Moroni spoke.)
Read Joseph Smith—History 1:33 aloud, and ask the children to stand when they hear the phrase “God had a work for me to do.” What did God want Joseph to do? What does He ask us to do? Let the children draw pictures of things God wants them to do, such as praying, serving, or reading the scriptures.
Display a picture of Moroni visiting Joseph Smith (see Gospel Art Book, no. 91). Ask the children to point out things they notice in the picture. Summarize the account of Moroni’s visits to Joseph. Invite the children to pretend to be Joseph Smith at various points in the story by folding their arms like they are praying, pretending to climb the Hill Cumorah, and so on.
Invite the children to act out or draw pictures of events from Joseph Smith—History 1:30–54, such as Moroni appearing to Joseph, Joseph talking to his father, and Joseph finding the plates. What do we learn from this account about the work Joseph was called to do?
Read with the children Joseph Smith—History 1:33–35, and ask them to listen for what Moroni wanted Joseph to know about the work Joseph was called to do. How have we been blessed because Joseph Smith fulfilled his work as translator of the Book of Mormon? Invite the children to read the Book of Mormon regularly.
Friend January 2021 “Joseph Smith and the Gold Plates”
Book of Mormon Coloring Book “Moroni Buried the Gold Plates”
Friend January 2021 “Getting the Gold Plates” Coloring Page
Friend November 2015 “Find the Gold Plates”
Friend December 2015 Beginning at the star, draw lines from dot to dot as instructed in the answers to the following questions.
- After reading the Book of Matthew, Joseph Smith decided to pray about which church to join. (See JS—H 1:11.)
- True: Move right three dots
- False: Move left three dots
- Joseph Smith was instructed to join any church he wanted to. (See JS—H 1:19.)
- True: Move up one dot
- False: Move diagonally down and left two dots
- Joseph Smith was fourteen years old when he received the First Vision. (See JS—H 1:23.)
- True: Move down two dots
- False: Move left two dots
- Joseph Smith received a strong testimony of the reality and divinity of Heavenly Father and Jesus, which he never denied. (See JS—H 1:25.)
- True: Move right three dots
- False: Move down two dots
- Joseph Smith had forgotten to say his prayers the night Moroni first appeared to him. (See JS—H 1:29–30.)
- True: Move down and right one dot
- False: Move diagonally up and right two dots
- Joseph Smith’s room was very dark while Moroni was there. (See JS—H 1:32.)
- True: Move down two dots
- False: Move up two dots
- Moroni told Joseph Smith that he, Moroni, had been sent by Noah to teach Joseph. (See JS—H 1:33.)
- True: Move down one dot
- False: Move diagonally down and left two dots
- Moroni told Joseph Smith about certain gold plates that contained the gospel. (See JS—H 1:34.)
- True: Move down two dots
- False: Move up two dots
- Moroni quoted prophecies from the Old Testament. (See JS—H 1:36–40.)
- True: Move up two dots
- False: Move diagonally down and left two dots
- The Book of Mormon was translated from the gold plates. (See JS—H 1:66–67.)
- True: Move left three dots
- False: Move right one dot.
Friend December 1988 “Do You Know” Joseph is visited by Moroni. Story and question.
On the way home Joseph passed out. When he came to, Moroni was there calling his name. The angel repeated what he’d told Joseph the night before; he also told Joseph to do something then. What did Moroni tell Joseph to do? Do you know?
A. Joseph was to tell his father everything that Moroni had told him.
B. Joseph was to go home to bed until he felt strong enough to work with his father again.
C. Joseph was to go immediately to where the gold plates were hidden and dig them up.
D. Joseph was to get his five brothers to help him get the gold plates and translate them.
Craft Idea
Friend January 2021 “Show and Tell” Anna made a diorama of Joseph Smith getting the gold plates.
Additional Resources:
Primary 5 Manual: Doctrine and Covenants “Lesson 3: The Angel Moroni Visits Joseph Smith” Story, activity and lesson ideas.
Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources “Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65”
Primary 5 Manual: Doctrine and Covenants “Lesson 5: Joseph Smith Receives the Gold Plates”
Resources by Topic: Joseph Smith Stories, Activities and Media
Song Ideas
Sing or say the words to “An Angel Came to Joseph Smith”(Children’s Songbook, p. 86)
Heavenly Father wants families to be sealed in the temple.
- Ask the children to read or listen to the prophecy in Doctrine and Covenants 2:1. Ask them to look for who the Lord would send in the last days and what this person would reveal. Display a picture of Elijah in the Kirtland Temple (see Gospel Art Book, no. 95), and talk about how this prophecy was fulfilled 13 years after Moroni’s visit (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–15).
- Explain that Elijah restored priesthood keys that allow families to be sealed together eternally. Show some objects that could help the children understand what it means to seal something, such as a can of food or a plastic storage bag with a zipper lock. How do these objects help us understand what it means for a family to be sealed?
Latter Day Kids “Come Follow Me: A Welding Link: (The Sealing Power)” Videos, songs, activities, and lesson ideas.
- Display a picture of a temple, and help the children name some of the things we do in temples. Explain that baptisms for the dead, eternal marriage, and sealing families in the temple are all possible because of the priesthood keys Elijah restored.
Ask the children to tell you something they love about their families. Display a picture of a family next to a temple—your own family, if possible (or see Gospel Art Book,no. 120). Testify that Heavenly Father wants families to be together forever, and this is one reason He gave us temples.
Friend April 2020 “Alonso’s Forever Family” Alonso learned that because of Jesus’s resurrection people who have died will live again. He also learned about being sealed to his family. His parents had both died and he was living with his grandma. He couldn’t wait to go to the temple and be sealed to his parents. He saved any money he got so he and his grandma could make the trip to the temple. He was so grateful that families can be together forever
- Sing together “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 188). What does this song say we can do to be with our families forever?
Learning about my ancestors can bring me joy.
How have you felt your heart turn toward your ancestors? Think of ways you can experience such feelings more often. Perhaps you could ask a relative to share a story with you about one of your ancestors—even better, you could record it. Or you could invite [a family member] to learn about an ancestor and to share what they learn with the rest of the family. Maybe you could identify a deceased ancestor who never received gospel ordinances and then have a family member perform that work in the temple.
Why does the Lord want us to learn about our family members and perform temple ordinances for them? How are we blessed when we participate in family history and temple work?
To help your children understand the “promises made to the fathers,” you could read Abraham 2:9–11 together. Identify the promises God made as part of His covenant with Abraham. How do we “plant” these promises in our hearts?
Give each child a paper heart. Help them write their name and “I promise to remember my ancestors” on it. Read Doctrine and Covenants 2:2, and explain that Elijah came to turn our hearts to our ancestors.
Friend January 2021 “Come Follow Me”
Song Idea
Gospel Media: Hearts of the Children Sing-along video