Tag Archives: object lesson

Oct 9 2016

Lesson 38: Peace Among the Nephites

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Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites

Preparation

  • Items needed: two large, clear plastic cups, string, a dowel rod or ruler, a clear glass of water, food coloring, a large clear glass bowl, pencils, a small scoop of dirt in a baggie, tape, tacky wax, chalk and eraser, one sheet of colored card stock, a black marker, and small bag of butter mints.
  • Measuring scale assembly instructions: Punch two holes beneath the top edge of each plastic cup (the holes should be evenly spaced and on opposites sides of the cup). Cut two 24 inch pieces of string. Stick one end of one of the strings through a hole on one of the cups, then stick the other end through the other hole. Tie the ends into knots. Do the same with the other cup and string. Cut another piece of string 40 inches long and tie the ends together so it forms a loop. Hang it around the center of the dowel rod and tape down the string on the dowel. Hang the top of the string loop on a door handle and make sure the dowel rod sits evenly. Make adjustments if needed. Loop each cup’s string over an end of the dowel rod and tape down the string on the dowel. The scale should sit evenly. Once again make adjustments if needed.
  • Print and cutout all the signs. Tape the end of the arrow to the center of the dowel rod so the arrow points up. Using tacky wax, attach all the small words to the cardstock in random order.
  • Print one crossword puzzle for each person in the class. Print and cut out some healthy food items and some junk food items (from clipartix). Print the scripture story pictures or display them on an electronic device.
  • Before class starts, hang the scale on a clip or tack at the top of the board. Attach the sign “Health” in-between the cups on the scale. Attach the smiley face to the left of the scale and the sad face to the right. Put the cup of water and the food colorings in the clear glass bowl to help protect against spillage.

Attention Activity

Show the children the scale. Explain that our physical bodies need the nutrients that are found in healthy food choices in order to sustain good health. Add pictures of healthy foods to the left cup, and the scale arrow will point to the smiley face which represents good health.

  • What happens if we decrease the amount of healthy foods we eat (take off the healthy foods) and increase our consumption of junk food like candy bars, chips, soda, (put these items in the right scale cup)? (Good health could decrease.)

Explain that just as our bodies need proper nourishment to be healthy and strong, our spirits also need proper nourishment to be healthy and strong. (Put the sign “Spiritual” above the health sign, and take off the junk food items from the scale.)

  • What does our spirit need in order to be healthy and strong? (Spiritual food such as scripture study, prayer, church attendance, etc.)

Scripture Story

(Show the children the story pictures as you tell the story.

  1. Explain that after Jesus departed from the Nephites, the disciples continued to teach the people, and within a few years all the people in the land were converted to the Lord.
  2. The people listened to the disciple’s teachings. They repented and were baptized, and they received the Holy Ghost. Their spirits were nourished. (Write the things they did to nourish their spirits on the healthy food pictures. Tape them on the left scale cup as you mention each item.)

Have the children look up 4 Nephi 1:12 to find out what other ways the people nourished their spirits. (Have the children write the items they find on the healthy food pictures and put them in the left cup.) (They kept the commandments, fasted, prayed, and they attended church to hear the word of God.)

Explain that when our spirits are strong and nourished we tend to make righteous choices, and making good choices helps our happiness levels increase. Explain that because the Nephites nourished their spirits and were committed to following Jesus’s teachings, their happiness level increased. According to 4 Nephi 1:16 there never was a happier people.

Activity

Show the children the cardstock with the words on it. Have them take off the words they associate with happiness and put them under the smiley face. Then hand out a crossword puzzle and a pencil to each child. Have the children take turns reading the clues and finding the word on the board that matches the clue. Put a check mark next to the word if it is the correct word. Have the children write the answer in the correct spot on their crossword puzzle. Explain that the clues and words tell us what the Nephites experienced as a result of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

(See the following answers for discussion ideas on some of the words.)

Activity Answers

Fairness/Every man did deal justly one with another.

Sharing/They had all things common among them. (There were no poor.)

  • What does it mean that the people had “all things common among them”? Each person gave the extra he produced (crops, flocks, etc), and this extra was used for those who were in need of help.

Healing/All manner of miracles did they work.  (Read 4 Nephi 1:5)  The miracles included healing the lame, the blind, the deaf, and raising the dead.)

Peace/There were no contentions, strifes, or tumults in the land.  (Meaning there was no fighting, arguing, riots, or war.)

Charity/The love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people.

Goodwill/There were no envyings.  (There was no jealousy. There was only gladness that others were blessed.)

Honesty/There were no … lyings.

Safety/There were no robbers or murderers.

Virtue/There were no whoredoms nor any manner of lasciviousness (crude behavior). (The people were chaste and clean.)

Unity/ There were no divisions of race or class. (There was no manner of “ites.” The people were no longer divided into Nephites and Lamanites but were united.)

Help the children understand that each one of the clues in the crossword puzzle relates to how we treat people. Help them see that the most important key to happiness is how we treat others. When we live the gospel, we treat each other with love and kindness, and as a result we enjoy greater peace and happiness in our lives.

Scripture Story Continued

3) The people were blessed in all their doings because of their righteousness. They prospered and built cities. They were strong and multiplied. The people lived in peace for many years. After nearly 200 years, two generations had passed on, and the people had multiplied and had spread out over all the land.

4) Then sin slowly started creeping into the land again.

Object Lesson

Show the children the glass of water, and put one drop of blue food coloring into the water. Have the children watch it spread throughout the glass and observe how quickly one little drop spreads. Explain that if people allow themselves to be exposed to a little sin, it can quickly grow and spread if left unchecked. We need to be careful about what we allow into our thoughts and lives.

4) The people had become very rich because of their prosperity in Christ, and they began allowing pride to take a hold in their lives. (4 Nephi 1:23-24)  The people began to wear expensive clothing, jewelry, and other fine things of the world. From that time forth the people did not have their goods and their substance common among them. (4 Nephi 1:25)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said this about pride: “At its core, pride is a sin of comparison, for though it usually begins with ‘Look how wonderful I am and what great things I have done,’ it always seems to end with ‘Therefore, I am better than you.’

The people began to focus on themselves instead of helping others. (Put the words “selfishness” and “poverty” on the right side of the board. Do the same for the italicized words as they are mentioned below.)

Have the children read 4 Nephi 1:26-27 & 29 to find the ways pride and sin began to spread. Put a different colored drop of food coloring in the water for every item mentioned. (The water should turn brown.)

  • They once again began to be divided into social classes. (Inequality)
  • They built many different churches to themselves (not to God). The churches were built up to help people get gain (Greed). They denied the true church of Christ.
  • These churches professed to know Christ but denied most parts of his gospel. (These people were no longer nourishing their spirits with the teachings of Christ and they were becoming spiritually weaker and weaker.) (Take out the items from the left side cup on the scale.)
  • The churches became open to all manner of wickedness. They allowed the wicked to participate in sacred ordinances.
  • One of the churches denied Christ and persecuted the members of the true church of Christ because of the members’ humility and belief in Christ. (Persecution) They despised them because of the many miracles which were wrought among them. (Hate) (Jealousy)

Point out that as the people let wickedness into their lives, it spread. Have the children observe the color of the water, and explain that instead of nourishing their spirits, they filled their lives with worthless, self-indulgent thoughts, and their choice became increasingly wicked. They were filling their lives with darkness and dirt. (Put the dirt in the cup on the right side of the scale.) The choices they made resulted in misery and unhappiness for many people.

5) Among the true church of Christ were three disciples that Jesus had given power to remain on the earth until his second coming. Before Jesus Christ departed, he had asked each of his twelve Nephite disciples what they desired of him. Nine requested to speedily return to him when their ministry on the earth was complete.

6) Three of the disciples asked to remain on the earth to bring souls unto Christ. Those three became translated beings who would not taste death.

7) Those who denied Christ began to try and exercise power and authority over the three disciples. They cast them into prison; but by the power of God which was in them, the prisons were broken and they came out. They also cast the disciples into fiery furnaces and into dens of wild beasts, and from each place they came out unharmed. (4 Nephi 1:30, 33)

  • Why didn’t the people repent, realize their mistake, and change their ways after seeing these mighty miracles of God? (Their hearts were set upon wickedness. They wanted to do all manner of iniquity.) (4 Nephi 1:34)

The people dwindled more and more in unbelief and wickedness from year to year. Point out that the people had been given the wonderful blessing of the gospel. Show the children the butter mints and explain that they represent gospel blessings. Give each child a couple of mints to eat. Point out how sweet and wonderful they are. Put two mints in the water near the side of the glass so they are visible to the class. Ask the children to watch what happens to them in the dirty water. (They will dwindle away and disappear.) Explain that the Nephite’s faith and blessings dwindled and wasted away as the people increased in wickedness.

8) Once again the people began to divide into different groups of “ites.” Those who did rebel against God were called Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmealites. They did teach their children that they should not believe. The children were taught to hate the children of God, just as the Lamanites had taught their children to hate the Nephites. The wicked grew in numbers and became more numerous than the people of God. The more wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton. The robbers of Gadianton spread over all the land. (4 Nephi 1:34-39) (Add “Theft” and “Murder” to the right side of the board.)

9) Eventually, even those who were called the people of Nephi began to be proud in their hearts because of their exceeding riches, and they become vain like unto their brethren the Lamanites. (4 Nephi 1:43) After three hundred years had passed from the time of Christ, both the Nephites and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked.

Conclusion

Explain that just as our bodies feel miserable and sick when we are unwell, we can experience misery and unhappiness in our lives when our spirits are not strong and healthy because we tend to make choices that lead to unhappiness. In the next lesson we will learn about the increasingly terrible and sorrowful things that occurred among the Nephites because of the poor choices they made as a result of allowing wickedness into their lives. (Put the words “War” and “Destruction” on the right side of the board.)

Point out the lists under happiness and unhappiness and ask the children which they would prefer. Remind the children that if they desire to live lives filled with the blessings of happiness and peace, they must strive to follow the Savior and his teachings. Remind the children that the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us how to make good choices that lead to happiness.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: 3 Nephi 28:1-9 &  4 Nephi 1:1-18, 23–46

 

 

 

May 20 2016

Lesson 19: The Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s Covenant

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Lesson 19
The Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s Covenant

Preparation
• Print the story visuals and cut each page in half, except for the last page. Number the back of the scripture story pages to help keep them in order.  (Note: The scripture story visual aids are from chapter twenty-six of Book of Mormon Stories, and the picture of the dog is from Microsoft word clipart.)
• Print and cut out the commandment/situation word strips. Fold the strips and put them into a small container.
• Items needed: chalk and eraser, a shallow dish such as a cake pan, two disposable plastic or styrofoam cups (fill one cup with water and put it in the freezer), a small Tupperware container of water, tongs, one plastic spoon per child, enough ice cubes to half fill a gallon sized Ziploc bag, a small ice chest, 1/3 cup of rock salt, a gallon sized Ziploc bag, and a sandwich sized Ziploc bag filled with the following ice-cream ingredients: 1 cup half-and-half, 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla. (Squeeze the air out of the bag before sealing it.) Put the ice cubes, frozen water, and ice cream ingredients into the ice chest to keep them cold.

Attention Story
There were once two girls who promised their mother they would wash the family dog. Their mother promised that if they would do that chore she would take them swimming. (Show the picture of the dog.) Washing the dog was a harder task than either of the children expected.  It was a messy, dirty job, and the dog did not want to be washed. The dog would squirm away as they were trying to wash it, and then it would roll in the dirt and get dirty again. In frustration, one of the children stopped working and would not help anymore. The other child continued to try and finish the task. She eventually figured out a way to keep the dog contained so it could not get away. She was able to finish washing and drying the dog even though it was a difficult job.

• When the task of washing the dog got difficult how did each child respond? One child gave up and did not finish the task, and the other kept her promise and finished the task.

Activity
Pour water into the empty plastic cup, and put the cup in the shallow dish. Explain to the children that the cup of water represents someone who is not firm in keeping their promises. When pressure or difficulty arises, their resolve to keep their commitment breaks. (Demonstrate this by applying pressure to the container with your hand. The container will crush and water will spill out.)

Show the children the cup of ice. Tell them it represents someone who is firm in keeping their commitments regardless of difficulty or pressure. Squeeze the cup. It should be firm and unyielding.

• Remind the children that promises should not be made lightly. What happens if we don’t keep our word and are not dependable? We may lose the trust of others. The girl who did not help wash the dog was not trusted to complete certain future tasks without supervision, but the girl who kept her promise was allowed more freedom and trust.

If we do not keep our promises we also do not get the promised benefits agreed upon in two-way promises. The girl that didn’t help wash the dog was not able to go swimming that day.

A two-way promise between two people is when both people promise something. When one person breaks their side of the promise the other person is not responsible to fulfill their side of the agreement.

• What is a two-way promise called that is made between us and Heavenly Father? A covenant.

We make covenants with Heavenly Father when we are baptized. If we keep our covenants we can gain the promised rewards, including the greatest reward of all, the gift of eternal life. Those who are given eternal life have great freedom and power. Only those who can be trusted to do the right thing are given that freedom and power.

In today’s lesson we learn about a group of people who were firm in keeping their covenants even in the face of great difficulty and adversity.

Scripture Story
Teach the following scripture story using pictures from chapter twenty-six of Book of Mormon Stories as visual aids.

Because of the efforts of the sons of Mosiah many Lamanites had been converted to the gospel. The king of the Lamanites and all those who were converted had changed their natures. They were a new people and did not want to be called Lamanites anymore. They wanted to be called by a new name. The king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, and they chose a new name to call themselves.

They decided to be called Anti-Nephi-Lehies. (Write the name on the board.) Tell the children that the word “anti” does not have the modern day meaning of being opposed to something. In some languages the word “anti” has a meaning similar to the word “imitation.” The people who had been converted desired to become like Lehi and Nephi. They chose a name to reflect that righteous desire.

The Lamanites who had not been converted were very angry at all those who were converted to the teachings of the Nephites. They began to rebel against the king. They took up arms to destroy the king and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The king died in the same year that the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of God. Before he died he conferred the kingdom upon one of his sons.

• Why did the unconverted Lamanites want to destroy the Anti-Nephi-Lehies? It was a Lamanite tradition to believe that the Nephite way was wrong. The unconverted Lamanites may have felt anger towards the Ant-Nephi-Lehies for following the Nephite way. Another reason may have been that the changes in those who had become converted made the other Lamanites feel anger at the reminders of the evil things they were doing. They may have wanted to destroy that goodness and not feel the guilt.

When Ammon and his brethren saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy the Anti- Nephi-Lehies, they came to the land of Ishmael to talk to the new Lamanite king and to Lamoni, his brother, concerning what the Anti-Nephi-Lehies should do to defend themselves against the Lamanites.

The king, and none of the people who had been converted to the Lord, would take up arms to fight against their brethren the Lamanites. They would not even make preparations for war. They had repented of the murders they had committed in unrighteous wars. They were afraid that if they took up arms to fight and kill again, they would again be stained with sin, and they might not be forgiven this time. They decided to bury their weapons deep in the earth as a covenant to God that they would not kill again.

• Have the children look at the pictures of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies collecting and burying their weapons, and ask the children what kinds of weapons the picture suggests were buried. Have them look closely at the picture to identify the different types of weapons.

• What could happen to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies if they didn’t have weapons to defend themselves against attack? They could die.

• Why did the Anti-Nephi-Lehies value their covenants more than their lives? They were overwhelmingly grateful to the Lord for forgiving them of their sins. They understood the eternal value of what they had gained and did not want to lose it.

• When someone makes a covenant or promise, an action is usually performed as a token or sign of the covenant such as shaking hands, signing a document, etc. What was the token or sign of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s covenant to never kill again? Burial of their weapons

• When you made your first covenants with Heavenly Father at age eight what action did you perform as a sign of your commitment? Baptism

When the Lamanites came into the land to destroy the king and his people, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies went out to meet them. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies prostrated themselves on the earth, which meant they bowed themselves very low, or they laid on the ground with their faces down. They then began to call on the name of the Lord praising him. They were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them and slay them with the sword. Without meeting any resistance the Lamanites killed 1,005 of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies.

• Why were the Anti-Nephi-Lehies praising God and not afraid to die? (See Alma 27:28) They were grateful for and had faith in Jesus Christ. They knew that because of Jesus Christ they could be resurrected.

When the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, but they would lie down and perish as they were praising God, they stopped slaying them. Many of the Lamanites felt sorrow and remorse for killing their brethren the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them up again. They repented and joined with the people of God. The amount of people that joined the people of God was more than the number who had been slain.

Those Lamanites who did not join the Anti-Nephi-Lehies became even angrier because they had slain their brethren. They put the blame on the Nephites and swore vengeance upon them. The Lamanites took their armies and went to the Nephite lands.

The Lamanites had many battles with the Nephites. When the Lamanites saw that could not overpower the Nephites, they returned again to their own land. After suffering much loss and affliction, many of them joined the Anti-Nephi-Lehies because they began to believe in the Lord. They believed that he gave great power to the Nephites.

But a hard hearted group of people that lived among the Lamanites began to stir up the other Lamanites again in anger against the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. These hard hearted people were apostate Nephites. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies again refused to take up arms, and they once again suffered themselves to be slain.

• Apostates are people who have turned away from the truth. Why are apostates often hard hearted? (Read Alma 24:30)

When Ammon and his brethren saw the work of destruction among those whom they loved, they asked the king to gather the people and flee to the Nephites. The king was afraid the Nephites would destroy them because of the many murders and sins they had committed against them. Ammon told the king he would ask the Lord what they should do. The king said that if the Lord gave direction that they should go, then they would go. Ammon went and inquired of the Lord. The Lord told him to get the people out of the land because Satan had a great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites (the apostate Nephites).

So the Anti-Nephi-Lehies gathered their possessions and went to the borders of the Nephite land. Ammon and his brothers went to Zarahemla to talk to the Nephites. They talked to the chief judge and told him all the things that had happened. The chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land desiring the voice of the people concerning admitting the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The Nephite people said they would give the land of Jershon to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They also said they would set their armies between the land of Jershon and the Lamanites to protect them so the Anti-Nephi-Lehies would not have to take up arms against their brethren the Lamanites. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies would merely have to provide food and substance for the army. When Ammon returned and told them the news, they were filled with joy.

• Why were the Nephites willing to help the Anti-Nephi-Lehies? Because of the preaching of Alma, the Nephite people had become righteous. They were trying to do what the Lord would have them do.

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies took possession of the land of Jershon and became known as the people of Ammon. They were distinguished for their zeal towards God, and they were perfectly honest and upright in their treatment towards others.

Activity

Remind the children that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies stayed firm in keeping their covenants. Show the children the cup of ice again, and explain that just as we would have to put water in a freezer to keep it firm, we also need to do certain things in order to stay firm in keeping our covenants. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies kept firm in keeping their covenants by deciding ahead of time what they would do if they were attacked, and they also figured out a solution to their difficult situation. In order to stay firm in keeping our covenants we need to decide ahead of time how we will react to temptation, and we need to figure out solutions to our challenging problems and situations.

Show the children the small sealed Ziploc bag filled with the liquid ingredients. Explain to the children that the bag represents keeping covenants, and its contents represent the covenants. Put the small bag into the big Ziploc bag.

Remind the children that when they made covenants at baptism, one of the covenants they promised to keep was to obey the commandments. Have a child choose a commandment/situation from the container and read it out loud. Ask the children how they could respond to that situation so they can keep firm in keeping their covenants.

For every answer the children give, have them use the tongs and get a piece of ice from the ice chest and put it into the large Ziploc bag. Explain that the ice represents staying firm in keeping our covenants by finding solutions and preparing ahead. Ideas for possible solutions to each of the situations could include:

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy – Take a gift over and do something fun with that friend on another day.
Be Honest – Explain to the neighbor and your parents what happened, and offer to do work to pay for the damage.
Do Not Cheat – Offer to teach them how to do the problems you understood, and then ask for their help figuring out how to do  the problems you didn’t understand.
Obey Your Parents – Put some music on and make a game out of the cleaning, or divide the room into sections so it isn’t so overwhelming.
Dress Modestly- Put a shirt with sleeves under the immodest shirt, or wear a shrug over the shirt.
Tithing – Ask your mom if there is a job you can do for her to earn some money.
Do Not Use Profanity – Ask your friends to not use profanity around you, or find new friends who don’t use profanity,
Pray – Get up a little bit earlier to make time to pray.
Read the Scriptures – Use a study guide to help you understand the scriptures.
Be Kind to Others – Include the child and place him in a position that isn’t too difficult, and practice with the child later to help him become better.
Be Chaste – Ask your parents to help put controls on the computer so those kinds of sites can’t be accessed, or make it a goal to use the computer only when others are around.
Keep the Word of Wisdom – Explain to your friend that you don’t drink alcohol or take drugs because it can be dangerous and harmful to your body, and then suggest something fun they can do instead.

After each commandment situation has been discussed, or when the bag is half full of ice, pour the rock salt onto the ice and seal the bag. Shake or squeeze the bag for a minute, and explain that the action represents problems and temptations that are thrown at them. Give each of the children a turn shaking the bag.

After about five minutes of shaking the bag, check the ice cream. It should be the consistency of frozen yogurt. Give each child one large plastic spoonful of ice cream.

  • Ask the children what happened to the liquid because they added ice to the bag. (It became a delicious frozen treat.)
  • Ask what the wonderful results would be of staying firm in keeping our covenants. We could gain eternal life, which is the greatest of all God’s gifts.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: Alma 23:16-17, Alma 24:1-30, Alma 25:1-6, Alma 25:13-14, and Alma 27:1-30

Feb 8 2012

Lesson 21 – Zoramite’s Prayers on a Rameumptom

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Lesson 21
Zoramite’s Prayers on a Rameumptom

Preparation

  • Items needed:  tape, wet wipes, a paper plate, two mixing bowls, a half cup measure, a tablespoon measure, two wooden spoons, and the ingredients to make the peanut butter candy recipe (the recipe can be found in the visual aid file). Also bring some strange and unusual substitute ingredients such as bread crumbs for the graham crackers, applesauce for the sweetener, whole peanuts for the peanut butter, dried pieces of prunes for the chocolate chips.  (Important Note: Be aware of any food allergies before giving children food.)
  •  Print and cut out the activity and scripture story visual aids. Cut apart each level of the Rameumptom so there are seven pieces. Be prepared to build the Rameumpton on the chalk board.

Attention Activity

Put the bowl, spoon, and measuring items on the table and explain to the children that you are going to make some peanut butter candy for them. Show them the recipe, but then toss it aside. Tell the children that you have decided not to follow the recipe because you want to try some different ingredients. Show the children the substitute ingredients you brought, and then mix together various amounts of those ingredients. (Be sure to mention the correct recipe ingredients as you do this. For example: “The recipe calls for peanut butter, but I want the candy to be really crunchy so I think I will add whole peanuts.”)

After combining the substitute ingredients show the children the results. Ask them if they think the mixture looks like peanut butter candy.

Ask the children what the results would be if someone tried to make up their own ingredients for gaining salvation instead of following Heavenly Father’s plan. Would they get the desired results? Tell the children that in today’s lesson they will be learning about a group of people who tried to do just that.

Scripture Story
Remind the children of last week’s lesson about Korihor. Ask if they remember what happened to him after he lost his ability to speak. (He found it necessary to beg for food, and eventually he was trodden down among a people that called themselves the Zoramites.) The Zoramites had once been members of the church, but they had fallen away and apostatized. Apostasy means a turning away from something. The Zoramites had turned away from the teachings of the church and had tried to make up their own form of religion and own ingredients for salvation.

• Why might some people try to make up their own form of religion? One reason is to make a religion agree with what they want. What did the Zoramites desire? (Read Alma 31:24-25) They wanted to indulge in wickedness and the pride of worldly riches.

The Zoramites had discontinued obeying the commandments, they had stopped praying to God daily, and they had altered the teachings of the church to suit what they desired. (See Alma 31:9-11)

The Zoramite people lived near the borders of the wilderness, and the wilderness was full of Lamanites. Because the Zoramites had dissented from the Nephites, the Nephites were afraid the Zoramites would try to join with the Lamanites.

Alma knew that the word of God had a powerful effect upon a man’s heart, so he and several others (including two of his sons, three of the sons of Mosiah, Amulek, and Zeezrom) went to preach the word of God to the Zoramites.

• Ask the children if they can recall a time when a scripture they read or a teaching they heard at church motivated them to change.

When Alma and his companions came into the land of the Zoramites, they were astonished at what they found. The Zoramites were gathering once a week in synagogues they had built (houses of worship), but their worship was not like anything Alma and his companions had ever seen before. In the center of the synagogue was a tower where one person at a time could stand. This tower was called a Rameumptom – meaning holy stand. (Put the picture of the Rameumptom and the worshiper on the board.) Whoever desired to worship would go onto the Rameumptom, stretch up his arms toward heaven, and speak with a loud voice the following prayer: Read Alma 31:15-16

• Why did the Zoramites choose to believe in incorrect principles about God, and why did they not want to believe in Christ? One possible reason may have been to deny the doctrine of the plan of salvation – of coming to earth to get a body and be tested. They wanted to think they were elected (chosen) to be saved regardless of what they did. They did not want to believe in sin or the need for a Savior.

• In the Zoramite’s prayer they did not ask God for help in dealing with the challenges of life. Did the Zoramites have faith in God answering their prayers? Faith in God comes through learning of Him and doing His will.

Above the picture of the person worshiping on the Rameumptom put up the sign that says “The Zoramite’s Prayer.” Underneath the picture put up the sign that says “1) lacked faith in God and in Christ.”

Have a child read out loud the next part of the Zoramite prayer found in Alma 31:17-18. Put the next sign up that says “2) was selfish and prideful.”  Explain that the Zoramites wanted to view themselves as the chosen and saved ones and that all others would suffer in hell.

• If the Zoramites did not have faith in God, what might have been the purpose of their elaborate prayers? They may have been using the prayers to reinforce their false beliefs, and they also appeared to be using the prayers to elevate themselves above others and declare that they were better than everyone else.

• In what ways might people think they are better than others and become lifted up in pride? Answers might include the following: people may think they are better than others because of how smart,  pretty or handsome, athletic, wealthy, or talented they are. (Build the Rameumptom tower on the board as each answer is given.)

After hearing a Zoramite prayer Alma and his fellow missionaries were astonished. As they continued to watch, they realized that every man who went onto the tower offered the same prayer. Then, after the Zoramite people had offered up their prayers, they returned to their homes, not speaking of God again until they had assembled themselves together again at the Rameumptom. Put up the last sign “3) were repetitious and insincere.”

When Alma saw the prayers of the Zoramites his heart was grieved for he saw they were a wicked people. He lifted his voice up to heaven in prayer. (Put the picture of Alma praying on the board.) Alma prayed for strength and patience in afflictions. He prayed for comfort for himself and his companions, and he prayed for success in bringing souls to Christ.

Put the sign “Alma’s Prayer” above the picture of Alma. Underneath the picture put up the following signs as you read and discuss each one.

1) showed faith in God and Jesus Christ
Alma petitioned the Lord for blessings in his prayer. He had faith that the Lord would bless and help him.

2) was humble and not selfish.
Alma prayed for others.

• How can we humble ourselves so we are not lifted up in pride? (Have the children take off a level of the Rameumpton tower for every answer they give.) Answers may include the following: by remembering that our gifts, talents, and abilities come from the Lord, by praying for humility, by looking for the good in others, by building love for others by praying for them and serving  them.

3) was not repetitious or insincere
Alma prayer was not repetitious or insincere because he was praying for specific needs.

• What happens if we don’t pray daily and sincerely? We tend to lose the guidance of the Spirit, which is essential for managing the challenges and temptations of life. What was the result of the Zoramites not praying daily? They succumbed to Satan’s temptations.

After Alma said the words of his prayer, he put his hands upon his companions, which probably meant he set them apart for their assignments or gave them a special blessing to face the difficult challenges ahead. As he did this they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion Activity
Remind the children of the wrong ingredients used for making peanut butter candy, and remind them of the wrong ingredients for salvation that the Zoramites followed.

Point out that just as there are wrong ingredients for making peanut butter candy and wrong ingredients to gaining salvation, there are also right ingredients. Show the children the right ingredients for the peanut butter candy.

• What would be some of the right ingredients for gaining salvation? Obey God’s commandments, gain an understanding of correct doctrine, have faith in Jesus Christ, be humble, pray daily, etc.

Measure out and mix the correct candy ingredients. Have the children wash their hands with wet wipes, and then give them each a spoonful of the mixture. Have them roll their candy into balls and then coat them with coconut or sprinkles. Invite them to taste the finished product. Point out how sweet and delicious it is. Explain that just as we enjoyed the benefits of following the correct recipe for peanut butter candy, if we will follow the correct steps for attaining eternal salvation we can one day enjoy all the wonderful blessings related to gaining eternal life.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: Alma 31:1-25

Nov 30 2010

Missionary #1

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Why Share the Gospel –  Activity

Preparation
• Items needed: A gift bag or gift box, paper and pencils, scriptures

Attention Activity
Show the family the gift bag/box. Hand out a paper and pencil to each person. Have the family members write down what they think would be the greatest gift they could give to someone. Collect the papers and put them in the gift bag/box. Pull out one response at a time, and read and discuss the responses. (Make sure to point out the positive of each person’s response, such as fun, needed, useful, long lasting, etc)

Scripture
Have the family look up and read D&C 14:7 – “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”

God has given us many wonderful things on this earth, but according to this scripture the gift of eternal life is better than anything we could ever receive on earth. Eternal life (or exaltation) is to live in God’s presence and live the kind of life He has.

We can not give someone eternal life, but we can share something with others that will help them get on the path towards gaining eternal life.

• What do you think that is? The gospel (The gospel is all the doctrines, laws, and ordinances needed to gain eternal life.)

Aug 16 2010

Word of Wisdom #1

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Object Lesson

 Preparation:

Print one copy of the car and family picture.

Object Lesson
(Show the car picture)

  • What is this a picture of? (A car)
  • Where do cars come from? (From the manufacturing plants that make them.)
  • Who knows more about cars than anyone else? (The people who make them or repair them.)

Show the car manual) The people who make the cars provide an instruction book. The instruction book tells a car owner how to take care of their car so that it will last a long time and give good service. The car manual tells what kind of fuel to put into the car.

If someone put water in their cars gas tank, what would happen? (The car would not run, and it would probably be damaged.) A car needs the right fuel to run properly. It also needs other proper fluids and care.

(Show the picture of the family.)

  • Who created the earth and our bodies? (Jesus, under Heavenly Father’s direction)
  • Who would know more about our bodies than anyone else? (Our creator)

The Lord wants us to keep our bodies in the best possible condition so that we can be healthy, happy, and accomplish all that we need to do on the earth. Just as makers of cars provide instruc­tions on how the cars should be cared for, so has the Lord provided us with instructions on how to care for our bodies.

  •  What are these instructions called? (The Word of Wisdom)

The Word of Wisdom is found in the scriptures, in D&C 89. The Word of Wisdom tells us what things are good for our bodies and what things are not good.  Just like a car can be harmed with the wrong fuel, so can our bodies be harmed by putting things in them that are not good for them.

Our Heavenly Father gave us the wonderful gift of a body. We need to show our gratitude by following His instructions and taking good care of our bodies.

Aug 2 2010

Missionary #2

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Why Share the Gospel – Scripture Story and Object Lesson

 Preparation

  • Print pictures from Doctrine-and-Covenant-Stories. Divide each picture page by cutting on the dotted lines.
  • Gather ingredients to make a chocolate cake. Also collect a mixing bowl, a spoon, and a few extra odd items such as pickles, mustard, etc.

 

Scripture Story – Apostasy and Restoration

 (Teach the following story using the pictures from Doctrine and Covenants Stories as visual aids.  Read the following corresponding text as you show the pictures to the family.)

#1) The gospel has been on the earth since the time of Adam, whenever there has been a righteous man who has authority to administer in God’s name, and a people who are willing to listen to and accept the gospel.

#2) When people reject and rebel against the commandments of God, they are in a state of apostasy (a turning away from truth). They lose the blessings of divine guidance and authority. This happened several times during the Old Testament time period. Another time period apostasy occurred was after the Savior was resurrected.

#3) After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the apostles continued to teach people about Jesus and his gospel. Many people joined the church, but soon apostasy began to creep into the church. Some of the people began to turn away from the truth and teach false ideas based on their old religious beliefs.

#4) During this time period, there was also persecution going on from outside the church. Many church members were persecuted and killed because of their beliefs. One by one the apostles were all killed by these persecutors.  After the apostles died, the priesthood keys and authority were no longer on the earth.  Because of the wicked state of the people, they were not restored to the earth at that time. Without prophets and apostles to lead and guide, more and more error crept into church doctrine. Knowledge and understanding about many important doctrines were lost, including the knowledge of the purpose of life.

#5) Ordinances were also changed. Baptisms began to be preformed on babies instead of waiting until a child had grown to the age of accountability. Baptisms also began to be done by sprinkling water instead of  by immersion.  Because of the changes to doctrine and ordinances, and the loss of priesthood keys and authority, the true church was no longer on the earth.

Object Lesson

Show the family the chocolate cake ingredients you gathered. Tell them you don’t have the recipe, but  it doesn’t matter because you think you can remember how to do it. Tell them you also want to make a few changes and add some things to the cake that you think will make it taste better.  Mix ingredients in random amounts, and add a few of the extra items.  Ask the family if they think your concoction will make a delicious chocolate cake? Why not? Without the right ingredients and recipe, the end result won’t be as hoped for.

Tell the family that just as the cake needed the correct ingredients, it is also necessary for a church to consist of the correct components, which includes correct doctrines and ordinances, and power and authority from God.

  •  How and when was the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth again?  In 1830, through Joseph Smith

 

#6) When Joseph Smith was young, he noticed how the different churches interpreted the same things in different ways. He wanted to know which of all the teachings and churches were correct.

#7) As he prayed for an answer, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. The restoration process then began. Joseph Smith, who had been chosen for this responsiblity because of his faithfulness in the preexistence, helped restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth once again.  Because of the restoration we now have vital truths, knowledge, and the true priesthood authority that had been lost.