Come Follow Me Teaching Resources and Ideas for November 20-26, 2023 {1 and 2 Peter}

 This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for November 20-26, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:   

These 1/2 page activity sheets are designed to be printed double-sided and cut in half.  They're geared for ages 8-14, but littler kids love the coloring pages and older kids/kids at heart often enjoy the activities.  They're perfect to use as attention getters or as reviews in your classes or families.  Our ward hands them out along with the sacrament program each week.



TRIALS CAN STRENGTHEN US OBJECT LESSON: 

To demonstrate how trials can actually make us stronger, hold up a flat piece of paper and try to make if "fly" through the air.  Point out how poorly the paper flies.  Now begin folding and creasing the paper into an airplane.  Explain as you fold the paper that each crease represents a trial (mention possible {or current} trials as you fold).  With each fold (trial) the paper becomes strong until eventually it can fly through the air gracefully.  Our lives are very similar.  Just like the folds make the paper stronger, trials make us stronger.  Some of our trials may seem at the time, but Heavenly Father is always mindful of us.  Each trial that we endure brings greater strength and experience into our lives. 

ACTIVITY:  Pass out paper to everyone and have fun making paper airplanes.  Have a contest to see whose plane flies the farthest, fastest, highest, etc. 

QUOTES:   

The attributes of the Savior, as we perceive them, are not a script to be followed or list to be checked off. They are interwoven characteristics, added one to another, which develop in us in interactive ways. In other words, we cannot obtain one Christlike characteristic without also obtaining and influencing others. As one characteristic becomes strong, so do many more."   "Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ," Robert D. Hales, April 2017

"We comprehend more fully the exceeding great and precious promises and begin to partake of the divine nature by responding affirmatively to the call from the Lord to glory and virtue. As described by Peter, this call is fulfilled by striving to escape the corruption that is in the world.

As we press forward submissively with faith in the Savior, then because of His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, “a mighty change [takes place] in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”5 We are “born again; yea, born of God, changed from [our] carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God.”  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 

Such a comprehensive change in our nature typically does not occur quickly or all at once. Like the Savior, we also receive “not of the fulness at the first, but [receive] grace for grace.”  “For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom.""  "Exceeding Great and Precious Promises," David A. Bednar, October 2017

"This experience helped me realize that although our lives may at times be relatively smooth, the time will come for each of us when we will face unexpected challenges and storms that will push the limits of our ability to endure. Physical, mental, family, and employment challenges; natural disasters; and other matters of life or death are but some of the examples of the storms that we will face in this life.

When faced with these storms, we often experience feelings of despair or fear. President Russell M. Nelson said, “Faith is the antidote for fear”—faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (“Let Your Faith Show,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 29). As I have seen the storms that affect people’s lives, I have concluded that no matter what kind of storm is battering us—regardless of whether there is a solution to it or whether there is an end in sight—there is only one refuge, and it is the same for all types of storms. This single refuge provided by our Heavenly Father is our Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement."  "Finding Refuge from the Storms of Life," Ricardo Gimenez, April 2020

VIDEO: 

Latter-Day Kids:  A Story about Trials and Adversity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6C-UJVkICM

ENJOY LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!

CFM Teaching Resources for November 13-19, 2023 {James}

 This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for November 13-19, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:   

These 1/2 page activity sheets are designed to be printed double-sided and cut in half.  They're geared for ages 8-14, but littler kids love the coloring pages and older kids/kids at heart often enjoy the activities.  They're perfect to use as attention getters or as reviews in your classes or families.  Our ward hands them out along with the sacrament program each week.



OUR WORDS MATTER OBJECT LESSON (James 3): 

Items needed:  tube of toothpaste, bowl, spoon

Start off the discussion by talking about how big things can be controlled by small things (James 3).  

Some examples: 
-Steering wheel helps the car go the right direction
-A small seed can grow into a big tree
-A tiny leak can be the start of a ship sinking
-Little babies grow up to be adults that can do many righteous or evil deeds
-Rudder of boat steers the ship (actual example from James 3)
-Tiny spark starts a big forest fire (actual example from James 3)

This doesn't need to take long; it's just a discussion starter that will lead you into reading James 3:4-6.

Springboarding off the first part of the conversation and the scriptures you just read, ask why our tongues can be so powerful.  

Now talk about how our words matter.   We may have heard that "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can never hurt us."   Ask if they think that's true.   Be careful here, as their parents may very well be teaching them this very message, but ask them how they feel when someone says something mean to them.   Does it help if they say they're sorry afterward?   Maybe, but those words can still hurt our feelings.  

Now pull out the toothpaste and ask for someone to come squeeze it out into the bowl. 

 

 Now ask for a volunteer to come put the toothpaste back into the tube using the spoon. 

Is this technically possible?  Perhaps, but it would take a long time and be pretty messy.   Tell the kids, that this is like when we say unkind things to another person.   We can say we're sorry and try to be nice to them afterward and those are great things to do to heal the relationship, but we can't take those words back.   Taking the time and going through the messiness is worth it, but it would have been much easier if we'd never said those unkind words in the first place.   

Now relate this back to the power of our tongues.   They can do a lot of good (ask the class for examples) when we bear our testimonies, speak kindly to others, and stand up for truth, but they have the power to do a lot of bad as well.  And that's why we should be  careful with how we use our tongues/words.  

QUOTES:   

"This pattern of dramatic change produced by small things is a pattern we see over and over again in the Book of Mormon. Please turn with me to Alma chapter 4 and look at verses 6-12. Here we find a description of a people descending into wickedness. It begins with small things, like the wearing of expensive clothes, and pride in “. . . all manner of precious things . . .” (verse 6), and gossip, and unkind words. Look at verse 8, “. . . the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another . . .” (emphasis added).

Later in verse 11 Mormon tells us that wickedness in the Church led “. . . unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people” (emphasis added). This great wickedness did not happen all at once. It began with small things, but these small things grew into great evil in the space of a single year.
We find this same pattern repeated many times. In the book of Helaman chapters 3 and 4, in Helaman chapter 6, in 3 Nephi chapter 6, we read of wonderful periods of prosperity and righteousness followed by a decline into wickedness that begins with small things. Describing the power of small things, Mormon writes that wickedness “. . . did grow upon them from day to day” (Helaman 3:36) until it hit a critical point and then, in just a few months, great evil almost exploded into the society.

The Book of Mormon also shows us how these epidemics of wickedness and evil may be stopped. Some are stopped by war and great destruction. But in some, intervention by the prophets of God works through small things to bring about great and dramatic repentance and righteousness, also in a very short time. (See, for example, Helaman 5:50-52.)"  " Out of Small Things Proceedeth That Which is Great," Kim Clark, BYU-Idaho Devotional, January 2006

"We observe vast, sweeping world events; however, we must remember that the purposes of the Lord in our personal lives generally are fulfilled through the small and simple things, and not the momentous and spectacular.

Alma, teaching his son Helaman about the importance of the record written on the plates of brass, said:
“Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
“And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” (Alma 37:6–7.)"  "Small and Simple Things,"  M. Russell Ballard, April 1990

VIDEOS: 

James 1:  Doers of the Word   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD1YX8tsCiI

James 3:  The Tongue is of Fire  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXvLBKxRstA


TRUE CHRISTIANITY  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqjvG3E7moA


ASK OF GOD:  JOSEPH'S FIRST VISION   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBvk_6_dW6k&t=15s


ENJOY LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!

Come Follow Me Teaching Resources and Ideas for November 6-12, 2023 {Hebrews 7-13}

 This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for November 6-12, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:   

These 1/2 page activity sheets are designed to be printed double-sided and cut in half.  They're geared for ages 8-14, but littler kids love the coloring pages and older kids/kids at heart often enjoy the activities.  They're perfect to use as attention getters or as reviews in your classes or families.  Our ward hands them out along with the sacrament program each week.

GAME:  FAITH CHARADES AND RELATING IT TO OUR LIVES 

Have some strips of paper prepared with names  of several well known people who acted in faith.  Make sure they are names  that your class will be familiar with.  Some examples could include, Moses, Noah, Joseph Smith, your Mom, President Nelson, Nephi, your Bishop, Moroni, Mary, Alma, King Benjamin, David, etc.

Start off the lesson talking about what faith is (Hebrews 11:1) and the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 ( Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob Joseph, Moses, etc). 

Introduce the game and tell them that you're going to talk a little bit more about some people of faith...some mentioned in Hebrews, some not.   Have the kids take turns picking a name and acting it out while the others try to guess who it is.   Give a little recap after each person is guessed on how that person acted in faith.  THEN ask what we can learn about faith in our modern day from that person.   This is the most important part of the lesson, so don't skip over this.  

What are some modern lessons we can learn from these people of faith?    

Noah:  live your life in a way that you can hear the warnings from God.  That might be a prompting to stop doing something or to start doing something you've been neglecting.  

Joseph Smith:  Make sure you're seeking truth in the right places.   There is a lot of false/misleading information out in the world (especially on the internet) and you want to make sure that you're looking for truth in places where God can inspire you.  

Moroni:   Don't be afraid to stand up for truth and righteousness, even when the world around you seems to be confused.   There are things that matter (our families, our testimonies, our faith, our covenants) and there are things that distract from the things that matter.  Those distractions are not necessarily bad things, though they can be, but anything that keeps us from doing what's right. 

David:   Sometimes the problems ahead of us look big and scary, but trust in God and He will help you through them.  

Mary:  Just because we aren't considered important in the eyes of the world, doesn't mean we don't have a great work to do.  Humble yourself and live so that God can help you reach your full potential. 

Moses:  We all have weaknesses. Don't let those weaknesses discourage you or get in the way of doing the right thing.

Plus a million more.  What did you come up with?  

QUOTES:   

"It matters not where we live or what our individual circumstances may be. Each day our righteous living can demonstrate a faith in Jesus Christ that sees beyond mortal heartaches, disappointments, and unfulfilled promises. It is a glorious thing to possess a faith that enables us to look forward to that day “when all that was promised the Saints will be given.”  "Seeing the Promises Afar Off," Anne Pingree, October 2003

"My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the “light that is endless, that can never be darkened.”3 It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, “What light through yonder window breaks?” It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun.4 To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His “more excellent ministry” with a future of “better promises.” He is your “high priest of good things to come.”" "An High Priest of Good Things to Come," Jeffrey R. Holland, October 1999

"When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”9 And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!" "Joy and Spiritual Survival," Russell M. Nelson, October 2016

VIDEOS: 

Hebrews 11:  Substance of Faith:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbGhD-FcCS8

Latter-day Kids:  Faith is the Evidence of Things Not Seen  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT5Pmj-0oqo

ENJOY LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!

CFM Teaching Ideas and Resources for October 30 - November 5, 2023 {Hebrews 1-6}

This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for October 30 - November 5, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:   

These 1/2 page activity sheets are designed to be printed double-sided and cut in half.  They're geared for ages 8-14, but littler kids love the coloring pages and older kids/kids at heart often enjoy the activities.  They're perfect to use as attention getters or as reviews in your classes or families.  Our ward hands them out along with the sacrament program each week.



OBJECT LESSON:  JESUS IS ABOVE ALL  

ITEMS NEEDED:  tall clear glass, honey, milk (almond milk works great too), liquid dish soap, vegetable oil

Start off with a little discussion of "What's Better?" 

You can anywhere with this....ice cream vs. cake, football vs. soccer, red vs. blue, winter vs. summer, Lucky Charms vs. Captain Crunch, pancakes vs. waffles, strawberries vs. pineapple, etc.

It doesn't really matter what you compare and how they answer.  The point is that everyone will have their own opinions and that's okay.  After doing that for a minute, ask them their answer for this comparison:

Jesus vs. anyone/anything else in the world

Use their answer (which "Jesus" is the only with a truly right answer) to launch your discussion about the book of Hebrews.   

Read Hebrews 1: 1-4  and talk about how Jesus is perfect and is "above all"...even the angels. 
 
Now onto the OBJECT LESSON to illustrate this point.   Here's a little video I created to illustrate it (don't laugh!)

Object Lesson by Lara   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YldN8t5n-pg



Set the tall clear glass at the front of the class and pour in a couple tablespoons (no need to measure, but enough to partially fill the glass) of each ingredient in any order (honey, milk, colored liquid dish soap, and vegetable oil).   The ingredients will separate into layers, with the vegetable oil at the top...no matter what order you add the ingredients. 

For fun, if you wish, you can even have a second glass to allow them to change the order of how you add the ingredients and show how the vegetable oil is always on top.  

Compare that vegetable oil to Jesus Christ and how His perfect life and love means that we should make Him the most important thing in our lives.  We need to make sure that we aren't letting distractions and other "good things" get in the way of making time to connect with God each day.   Jesus should always be on top! 

QUOTES:  

"True worship begins when our hearts are right before the Father and the Son. What is our heart condition today? Paradoxically, in order to have a healed and faithful heart, we must first allow it to break before the Lord. “Ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit,”7 the Lord declares. The result of sacrificing our heart, or our will, to the Lord is that we receive the spiritual guidance we need.

With a growing understanding of the Lord’s grace and mercy, we will find that our self-willed hearts begin to crack and break in gratitude. Then we reach for Him, yearning to yoke ourselves to the Only Begotten Son of God. In our brokenhearted reaching and yoking, we receive new hope and fresh guidance through the Holy Ghost.

I have struggled to banish the mortal desire to have things my way, eventually realizing that my way is oh so lacking, limited, and inferior to the way of Jesus Christ. “His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.”Can we love Jesus Christ and His way more than we love ourselves and our own agenda?"  "Yielding Our Hearts to God," Niell Marriott, October 2015

"For anyone today with pains so intense or so unique that you feel no one else could fully appreciate them, you may have a point. There may be no family member, friend, or priesthood leader—however sensitive and well-meaning each may be—who knows exactly what you are feeling or has the precise words to help you heal. But know this: there is One who understands perfectly what you are experiencing, who is “mightier than all the earth,” and who is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that [you] ask or think.” The process will unfold in His way and on His schedule, but Christ stands ready always to heal every ounce and aspect of your agony."  "The Exquisite Gift of the Son," Matthew Holland, October 2020

VIDEOS: 

Bible Project:  Book of Hebrews Summary:  A Complete Animated Overview (the first half is most applicable for this week) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fNWTZZwgbs&t=29s  (this video is not created for an LDS audience, but I found the doctrine sound and I found the summary very helpful for understanding a bit more about the Book of Hebrews)

ENJOY LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!

Come Follow Me Teaching Ideas and Resources for October 23-29, 2023 {1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon}

This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for October 23-29, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:   

These 1/2 page activity sheets are designed to be printed double-sided and cut in half.  They're geared for ages 8-14, but littler kids love the coloring pages and older kids/kids at heart often enjoy the activities.  They're perfect to use as attention getters or as reviews in your classes or families.  Our ward hands them out along with the sacrament program each week.




TEACHING IDEA:   SCRIPTURES ARE LIFE'S GPS: 

Ask your class/family what they do when they want to find somewhere they've never been before.   Allow them some time to answer and lead them (if they don't come up with it on their own) to how nice it is to use the  Maps or GPS app on your phone.   Talk a little about how nice it is that the GPS can tell you not only where you are right now, but the best route to get to a place you've never been before.   
  Then tell them that you're hoping to live with God again someday and you want to know the way to "heaven" or the "Celestial Kingdom"  (whatever terminology is best for your students).  Open up the GPS App on your phone and type in “Heaven” or "Celestial Kingdom" for the destination .  Show them your results and ask them if any of that looks like it will be helpful information to finding your way to live with God again.  

Ask them if they know of any better ways to learn the way to get back to God.   There are lots of right answers you can discuss here, including praying, listening to our leaders at General Conference, reading the scriptures, etc.   All these are great answers and worth discussing more.   

To finish up,  read, 2 Timothy 3:16:  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."  

Bear testimony that the scriptures are a good GPS for our life and that by reading the scriptures we can learn more about Jesus and even get a better idea of how we're doing on our journey.   Jesus is the best example of all and if we do our best to follow Him, repent when we mess up, and make sure we take some quiet time each day to connect with God and make sure we are on the "covenant path," someday, through Christ's love and atonement, we will be able to live with God again.    

QUOTES:   

"Likewise, those who have faith and the word of God deep in their hearts will be able to absorb and overcome the fiery darts that the adversary will surely send to destroy us. Otherwise, our faith, hope, and conviction may not endure, and like the empty microwave oven, we could become a casualty.

I have learned that having the word of God deep in my soul, coupled with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, allows me to draw upon the power of God to overcome the adversary and anything he may throw at me. As we face challenges, we can rely upon the promise of the Lord taught by Paul: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  "Enduring Power," Elder Kelly R. Johnson, October 2020

"Recently, as I have been reading and pondering the scriptures, two passages in particular have stayed with me. Both are familiar to us. The first is from the Sermon on the Mount: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The second scripture is one which came to my mind as I pondered the meaning of the first. It is from the Apostle Paul’s Epistle to Timothy: “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
I believe the second scripture explains, in great part, how we can accomplish the first. We become examples of the believers by living the gospel of Jesus Christ in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. As we do so, our lights will shine for others to see.

Each of us came to earth having been given the Light of Christ. As we follow the example of the Savior and live as He lived and as He taught, that light will burn within us and will light the way for others." "Be An Example and a Light," Thomas S. Monson, October 2015


VIDEOS: 

2 Timothy 4:  I Have Kept the Faith/ The Apostle Paul Endures to the End   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjlyUNAi7Oc



2 Timothy 3:  A Prophecy of the Last Days  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbWqN8Hm3A


Book of Philemon Summary:  A Complete Animated Overview (not a church produced video)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW9Q3Jt6Yvk




ENJOY LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!

CFM Teaching Ideas for August 14-20, 2023 {Romans 7-16}

This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for August 14-20, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

(Can I ask a favor please?   If you use these activity sheets or teaching ideas, PLEASE leave a comment and let me know.   I spend a lot of time pulling these together and I'm trying to determine if they're worth my time continuing forward. )

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:    These printable activity sheets are designed to be printed 2 to a page (double-sided).  They make for good reviews or discussion starters in your classes or families.  In our ward, they are handed out with the sacrament programs and many kids, teens, and even adults enjoy them.  

TEACHING IDEA: 

This video is a little cheesy, but I feel like it does a great job at teaching about what discipleship actually is {Romans 12-16}.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2s4KuhrSZY

 IDEA #2 (directly taken from the Don't Miss This podcast--start at 29:31): 
Romans 16 is Paul telling different people what he loves and respects about them.  After reading some of these scriptures, go around your family or class, person by person, and tell them something good you see in them.  I imagine it would be a very memorable and meaningful experience and a great way to tie the scriptures to their real lives.  

QUOTE(S):   

“The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it. Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve...Finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But also know that while you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.”  Enzio Busche, "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit," 1996

“The day is gone when you can be a quiet and comfortable Christian. Your religion is not just about showing up for church on Sunday. It is about showing up as a true disciple from Sunday morning through Saturday night. … There is no such thing as a ‘part-time’ disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Russell M. Nelson, "BYU Commencement Address," 2014

VIDEOS:  
The Goal:  A Story of Faith, Friendship, and Forgiveness   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aBU-wSjuPQ



Nearer My God to Thee  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKsr49csFYk



HAVE FUN LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!!

 

CFM Resources and Teaching Ideas for July 17-23, 2023 {Acts 10-15}

This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for July 17-23, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET:
These 1/2 page activity sheets are geared for kids 8-14 years old, but the coloring pages are for all and many older teens and adults enjoy the activities (especially when there's a word search like this week).  They're perfect for handing out with the sacrament programs on Sunday, or as a review/discussion starter in your families and classes.    The word search and fill in the blank activity is original; the artwork is from the church website.   


TEACHING IDEA:   
Need:  lengths of yarn and at least one volunteer  (sticks can be used in place of yarn if desired)

  It was a foreign concept when Peter received the revelation to teach the gospel to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.  This simple object lesson will illustrate how we are stronger together.

Have two people take hold on opposite ends of a single strand of yarn and break it.  Then put several strands together (ideally in different colors/thicknesses) and then have two people take a hold on the opposite ends and try to break it.  It should be impossible (or at least much harder) to break now. 

Use this demonstration as a discussion starter about how the Gospel is for all.  We may look different, or speak different languages, or have different abilities, or whatever, but Christ died for us all and when we love and include others in the Gospel, we are all stronger and better for it. 

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."  Acts 10:34-35

QUOTE(S):  

"Anyone can choose to come unto Jesus Christ, make covenants with Heavenly Father, and follow in Their ways. And this truth should guide how we share the Lord’s gospel and His love.

We can’t just look at someone’s outward characteristics and think they’re not the “type” for the gospel. We can’t just apply worldly labels to people and think those labels disqualify them from being included at church. We can’t just decide not to serve someone simply because they have different political opinions, hobbies, or tastes from ours.

God doesn’t see a person as a collection of labels representing various groups or attributes. He sees an individual—His child. And that’s how we should see each person—as a unique individual with an equal chance and ability to come unto God."  "Gather--Don't Scatter," David Edwards, Church Magazines, July 2023

"For Latter-day Saints, being a Christian means being a disciple of Jesus Christ, loving and worshiping Him above all. It means prizing Christ and centering one’s life on His teachings from the New Testament. It means striving to live the kind of life that Christ commanded, honoring Him in word and deed. This is the meaning of a Christian, and there is no doubt that Latter-day Saints — who pattern their lives after all of these things — belong to Christ’s fold."  "Christianity: Following Jesus in Word and Deed," Mormon Newsroom, November 2011


VIDEOS:  
I'll Walk With You--A Song To Teach Inclusion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK7NaQDtcOg


Acts 10:  Peter Teaches the Gentiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeEUuzU9MQg&list=PL4A73DDEE675FBC39&index=41


Acts 15:  The Jerusalem Conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3X-ZTxhpyE&list=PL4A73DDEE675FBC39&index=93

Acts 10:  Peter Visits Cornelius/Bible Story/Life Kids (told in Lego figurines)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kx_ioknMSA

ARE "MORMONS" CHRISTIANS?  This article addresses this question from a faithful perspective.  I highly recommend reading it--especially for those who are faced with the question from those who believe that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not Christians.  This video also addresses this question.

HAVE FUN LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!!

CFM Teaching Ideas and Printable Activity Sheet for July 10-16, 2023 {Acts 6-9}

This blogpost features some  resources and ideas to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for July 10-16, 2023.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET: 
These printable activity sheets are meant to be printed 2 to a page and are especially meant for kids ages 8-14, though the coloring pages are for all ages and many older teens/adults also enjoy the activities.  Hand them out with your sacrament programs or use them as a discussion starter in your families/classes.      


TEACHING IDEA:   
PREPARE:  Familiarize yourself with the story of Saul's conversion. (this link is a good overview)
NEED: Brownie or cake mix + ingredients to make them (if you're making them for a class, you may want to have some already baked for them to eat.) 

Have the ingredients/finished product hidden when you start the discussion.  Start off by talking about how good the cake/brownies look on the front of the box.  Then open the box and pull out the bag of the powdered mix and talk about how what's inside the box doesn't look much like the picture on the outside. 

Then talk about how they need to be transformed in order to be what is shown on the box.   If you have time, go ahead and make the brownies/cake together....talking as you add each ingredient and how by itself it doesn't look like much, but together they transform the brownies/cake into the best version of themselves.

Now relate it to the story of Saul.   Saul starts off like that powdered mix.   He's not his best self yet.   He's sinning and persecuting Christians before he is transformed by his encounter with Christ.    Christ adds "ingredients" to Saul's life --like love, mercy, and forgiveness--that help him to be totally transformed.   Christ can do that in our lives as well.   He takes us as we are and helps us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.  

QUOTE(S):   

"Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own." 
"Waiting on the Road to Damascus,"  Dieter Uchtdorf,  April 2011

"God is full of grace, love, quiet courage, soft promptings, whisperings, beauty, and strength. I think He prefers to let us grow gradually, building a strong foundation and sparing us some of the agonies that comes from suddenly being thrust into the presence of the divine. That doesn't mean that we won't have pain or He won't intervene from time to time. But the small and simple things manifest God's love as much as the big, dramatic, and glorious.

Another tidbit of knowledge I learned that day in Sunday School and in the years since is that, as a culture and as human beings in general, we enjoy flashy, dramatic stories that gloss over the inglorious details. How many times had I read about Paul and Alma and so many others without truly registering the amount of pain and fear involved in their experience or the growth and repentance that came after?We want the incomprehensible joy that Alma felt and the infamy that Paul attained without experiencing the suffering and work in between."

 "One Beautiful Aspect of Paul's Conversion I Overlooked for 20+ Years," Danielle Wagner, LDS Living, July 2019

 
VIDEOS:  
Saul of Tarsus:  Animated New Testament Bible Stories  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnMMOP5Is_Q


Stephen Testifies and is Martyred  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye6T7sGvAtA




TALK TO REVIEW: 
This talk would be excellent to read and familiarize yourself with before teaching a lesson on this week's material:   Waiting on the Road to Damascus, Dieter Uchtdorf,  April 2011

HAVE FUN LEARNING THE GOSPEL TOGETHER!!!!  😁

Come, Follow Me Teaching Ideas for March 27 - April 2, 2023 {Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5-6}

Hello, Come Follow Me friends!   

I'm back with another round of teaching ideas and an original activity page to go along with each week's CFM reading.   Our studies in April are full of some of the most memorable and meaningful moments of Christ's life, so I don't try to cover every topic and event, but rather spotlight some of the ones that stood out to me the most.   

See here for the catalog of my other Come, Follow Me posts.  

Here are some resources for the readings for March 27 - April 2, 2023, which include Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5-6. 

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY PAGE (includes an original crossword puzzle, a coloring page from the church website, and a fill-in-the-blank scripture).  These are great for handing out to accompany the sacrament programs, as an attention activity in a Sunday School or Primary class, or as a fun review with your family.    Enjoy!  

OBJECT LESSON:  
Serve a meal with some form of bread (even if it's gluten free) as a side.   Spaghetti or soup would be especially good.  Make sure to mention during the meal how much the bread completes the meal and makes it even better and helps us to be fuller.   Then read John 6:35 and talk about how Jesus is the bread of life.  When we make time for Christ in our lives every day, He blesses us and makes us better than we could be on our own.  Then talk about how we even use bread to remember Christ during the sacrament each Sunday, so we can remember that it is through Him that we can have the fullness of eternal life.  

QUOTES:  

"The symbolism of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is beautiful to contemplate. The bread and water represent the flesh and blood of Him who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water, poignantly reminding us of the price He paid to redeem us. As the bread is broken, we remember the Savior’s torn flesh. Elder Dallin H. Oaks once observed that “because it is broken and torn, each piece of bread is unique, just as the individuals who partake of it are unique. We all have different sins to repent of. We all have different needs to be strengthened through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we remember in this ordinance.” As we drink the water, we think of the blood He shed in Gethsemane and on the cross and its sanctifying power. Knowing that “no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom,” we resolve to be among “those who have washed their garments in [the Savior’s] blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.”
{Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Living Bread Which Came Down From Heaven", General Conference, Oct 2017, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-living-bread-which-came-down-from-heaven?lang=eng }  


"Knowing that Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life—the way by which all can receive eternal life—we have an important responsibility. We should seek to help people come to Him and partake of His word, like the people who were filled with the loaves and fishes. Our friends may not know they are hungry in spirit. They may try to consume many things to satisfy their spiritual hunger, and as a result, they may feel frustrated and lost. Let us help them know how they can be spiritually filled—by coming unto Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life." 
 {Elder Won Yong Ko, "Lessons from the New Testament: Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life,"  March 2007 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2007/03/lessons-from-the-new-testament-jesus-christ-the-bread-of-life?lang=eng}

VIDEOS: 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vci5QPRvSQk

From Elder Christofferson on why we need to make Christ our "daily bread":   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJKmXtoMI5s

What resources have you found?   Share them here in the comments!   

Enjoy learning the gospel together!  

Come Follow Me Printable Activity Page and Teaching Ideas for March 20-26: Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13

  Hello!  Each week I gather some resources to complement the Come, Follow Me for that week.   The printable activity pages are also created by me with the artwork generally coming from the church website and the activities are *mostly* original.   See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

March 20-26, 2023
Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13

OBJECT LESSON (taken from this website):
You can use this object lesson at any time during your lesson, but it may be most effective after you explain Matthew 13:23: “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Instant snow powder, or the “stuffing” inside of a diaper (they are both made from similar materials)
• Soil
• A glass container
• Water

What to do:

Put some soil into the glass container. Explain the properties of good soil to the kids (it must be deep enough for seeds, moist, weed/thorn/rock free, etc.

Add the “seeds” to the soil (the instant snow powder). “Nurture” the seed by pouring water over it to make it grow. The instant snow will expand to thirty or more times its original size, just like a crop would.

Explain:

If the Word of God has been “sown” in us, how can we produce “fruit”? We can do that by sharing God’s Word with others. Think about: one person shares the gospel with one person. That person shares the gospel with five other people. Those five people each share it with ten others. That’s a lot of fruit from just one seed!

QUOTE ABOUT PARABLES:

"Jesus Christ was the greatest teacher who ever taught,” declared President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985). One of the Savior’s most striking teaching methods was His use of parables. Concerning the parables of Jesus, President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) said: “They are so simple a child can understand, yet profound enough for the sage and philosopher. …

“Each of the parables spoken by the Savior seems to teach a principle or give an admonition regarding the attributes necessary to qualify for exaltation....

...Your diligent study and application of the parables of Jesus will bring you closer to the central purpose of life: to come unto Christ and live His gospel. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) said: “Parables are a call to investigate the truth; to learn more; to inquire into the spiritual realities, which, through them, are but dimly viewed. Parables start truth seekers out in the direction of further light and knowledge and understanding; they invite men to ponder such truths as they are able to bear in the hope of learning more. Parables are a call to come unto Christ, to believe his doctrines, to live his laws, and to be saved in his kingdom.” 
{Parables of Jesus: The Priceless Parables, Frank Judd Jr, Ensign, January 2003}

SOME CHURCH VIDEOS ABOUT PARABLES: 

The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
The Parables of the Wheat and the Tares, Mustard Seed, and Leaven

SOME MORE RESOURCES: 
This is a great article from the Ensign that explains parables really well.
 
HOW TO USE THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITY PAGES:

These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

Come Follow Me Printable Activity Page and Teaching Ideas for March 13-19, 2023; Matthew 11-12; Luke 11

 Each week I gather some great resources and teaching ideas to go along  with  this week's Come, Follow Me reading.    See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

March 13-19, 2023
Matthew 11-12; Luke 11

TEACHING IDEA:
This video has a great object lesson you can use to teach about the concept of our burdens being lighter when we let Christ into our lives.
:



QUOTE ABOUT HOW THE SAVIOR EASES OUR BURDENS:
“Come unto me,” the Savior said, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). So you come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter. That’s what we mean by coming unto Christ, being yoked to Him."  {The Mission and Ministry of the Savior, Russell M Nelson, Ensign, June 2005}

A GREAT VISUAL TO TEACH ABOUT YOKES: 

There is more good information found at the original source where this visual came from.

MORE RESOURCES:
https://bookofmormoncentral.org/blog/how-does-taking-on-jesus-s-yoke-make-our-own-burdens-light
https://ldsblogs.com/34070/what-does-it-mean-to-carry-christs-yoke

HOW TO USE THE ACTIVITY PAGES:

These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

General Conference Packet for April 2020

Hello!   Here's a General Conference packet I created for older kids.   I had fun creating it and hope that your kids enjoy using it. 

I thought it would be easier to get blogging done during quarantine, but the lack of routine is doing a number on all of us!   Hope all of you out there are healthy and finding the blessings in the whole world being on pause. 

Enjoy Conference!

COME FOLLOW ME CROSSWORD PUZZLE AND COLORING SHEET FOR JACOB 1-4

I hope this blogpost finds you all happy, healthy, and well stocked with toilet paper and hand soap!   We are living in crazy times right now and it's hard not to feel a little alarmed by the whirlwind of fear that seems to be swirling around us.   I hope you find peace and perspective as you study the scriptures this week.   I love the words in Jacob 4:6-10 that remind us that we can have unshaken faith and hope by searching the words of the prophets, by coming unto God with our weaknesses, and by seeking to take our counsel from the Lord. 

"As we think about the future, we should be filled with faith and hope. Always remember that Jesus Christ—the Creator of the universe, the architect of our salvation, and the head of this Church—is in control. "   Elder Ballard {from Face the Future with Faith and Hope, 2012}

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.”  Doctrine and Covenants 68:6

What Does it Mean to Live the Doctrine of Christ? (YW and Aaronic Priesthood Lesson)

Me, my daughter, and husband are all separately teaching this lesson on Sunday. Here are a few thoughts on teaching that we’ve gathered in our studies this week.

First, before we really get down to discussing what it means to LIVE the Doctrine of Christ, let’s first discuss what actually is the Doctrine of Christ? Lucky for us, the “Come, Follow Me” reading for this week gives us the answers and in plain terms.   Don't you just love how Nephi uses a variation of the word "PLAIN" three times in two sentences in 2 Nephi 31:2-3?  😂 It's like he really wants us to know that the doctrine of Christ is not meant to be complicated.

  I created this visual, based on the episode of “Don’t Miss This” for this week. {By the way, if you don’t watch or listen to the “Don’t Miss This” podcast yet, you’re missing out! They really add a lot of insight and perspective to my CFM studies each week.}   So, I was going to draw this hand large on the board (or you could have it printed out if you prefer) and have them look up the scriptures and fill in the blanks.  This could be a group activity with the class looking up the scriptures one at a time and filling it in together, or you could have them fill it out individually first, then discuss each part afterward.  I think they definitely should be copying this visual down into their journals as they go.  

Then we were going to go through each of the fingers and fill in the blanks, so it'll look something like this: 

Then we will talk about the center of the hand, because the whole Doctrine of Christ  really does begin and end with Christ.    It is through Him that we have the gifts of faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost in the first place.   And it is through His atonement that we can return to live with Him again someday. 

I plan on having a copy of this completed one done for them to tape into their journals.  They could also copy it into their journals from the board if that works better for your class.

I was thinking that we would finish up this part of the discussion with reading Moroni 7:41:“And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.”

Then I plan on asking if the Doctrine of Christ sounds familiar to them?   They may recognize that most of it is mentioned in the 4th Article of Faith, and more importantly, it's what they've been learning their whole lives!

 After discussing the simplicity, beauty, and importance of what the Doctrine of Christ is, I thought we'd start talking about what it means to live it.   These two quotes from Elder Ballard's talk (the one mentioned in the lesson) would be a great place to start:

"The best ways for us to see the spiritual purposes of the Church are to live the true, pure, and simple teachings of Christ and also to apply the Savior’s two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. … Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”   Elder Ballard

" Loving God and loving our neighbors is the doctrinal foundation of ministering; home-centered, Church-supported learning; Sabbath-day spiritual worship; and the work of salvation on both sides of the veil supported in the Relief Societies and the elders quorums. All of these things are based on the divine commandments to love God and to love our neighbors. Can there be anything more basic, more fundamental, and more simple than that?" Elder Ballard

I really want to keep the focus on the plainness and simplicity of the Doctrine of Christ, so my plan was to ask a few questions from the lesson plan after reading the quotes and let that lead where our discussion goes from there.  

•  How do each of these principles of the gospel relate to each other? 
• What blessings do we receive when we follow the doctrine of Christ?

What would you add to this lesson?   I'd love to hear your thoughts on it too!    And let me know if you end up using any of these ideas in your lesson.  :)

Come, Follow Me activity sheet for 2 Nephi 26-30 (3/1/2020)

Ahhhh, this week's CFM was a little easier than last week--not only fewer chapters, but far less Isaiah.     Granted, I do like to think I've gained a greater appreciation of Isaiah through the years, but, man, when I'm wading through the middle of 2nd Nephi I do start to yearn for some words of Nephi again.     In the meantime, I keep plugging away hoping that someday (likely in the very distant future) I'll have a perfect understanding of the symbolism and cultural meaning behind Isaiah!

So, in honor of the easier reading this week, I made the word search just a bit easier than usual.   But don't worry....for those of you who like a challenge, I did throw in a bonus word you'll need to figure out first, then find. 


ENRICHMENT IDEAS:    Here's a great talk if you want to read a talk from Elder Bednar on the idea of receiving revelation "line upon line".   And I think it goes well with this FHE lesson about recognizing the spirit. 

"As you ponder the principle of “line upon line, precept upon precept,” you will be able to discern more clearly the consistent help from heaven you have received in your lives. And your faith in the Savior will be stronger, and your hope for the future will be brighter. I pray you will recognize the Lord’s pattern and process for obtaining spiritual knowledge."   David A. Bednar

Have a great week!  

How Can Temples Bless My Life? (YW and Aaronic Priesthood lesson)

I'm teaching the lesson, "How Can Temples Bless My Life?" this Sunday, along with a brand new young woman who has never taught a lesson before.  We met today and discussed how we would like to teach the lesson.  I think long videos are too much for the short lesson time we have now, but we decided that we would like  to send out the link to the video of Elder Bednar and Elder Rasband leading a tour of the Rome Temple before the weekend.  I think there's a lot of good information in there that will set the stage for a better discussion time during the lesson.  Here's a FHE lesson all about temples you could incorporate too. 

When I talk about temples in a lesson, I like to start with my own family's experience with the temple.   If your family doesn't have a similar story, you could share my story about people who lived in the midwest or the video, "Temples are a Beacon" from the lesson.



OUR FAMILY'S STORY
I grew up in the great state of Minnesota.    It was a great place to grow up, but when I was a child, the closest temples were over 1000 miles away.  Idaho Falls, Cardston, Washington DC, and the Utah temples were all right about the same distance away, which meant that going to the temple was quite an ordeal for the people in our area.    Our family didn't have much money, but my parents always did love a good road trip, so they'd build visiting temples into our family trips. 

That distance meant that they generally only went to the temple once a year or so, but my parents would usually set aside a day or two out of our vacation  and attend as many sessions as they could during that time.  I learned first-hand from their example,  that the temple  was important to my parents. 

This is what visiting the temple looked like when I was a child:

Then, in the year I turned 12, the temple in Chicago, Illinois was dedicated and that is where I went on all of our youth temple trips.  Chicago is about 400 miles away from where I grew up, so significantly closer than driving to Utah, Cardston, Idaho, or DC, but still an event.  We generally went with the youth a couple times per year and my parents would do babysitting exchanges with other families, so they could be away for 20+ hours at a time while they did a session.

This is what traveling to the temple looked like when I was a teen: 
 

When I was a college student, I worked at a store that sold glass temples at the University Mall in Provo.    As part of that job, I had the opportunity to get asked a lot of questions about temples.   I got asked design questions--why don't all temple have an angel Moroni statue?   And a lot of questions about where temples were and why?   I was quite the temple trivia whiz in my time and I enjoyed learning more about temples in a time when the internet wasn't really a widespread thing yet.  haha. 😂

 At the time I worked there in the early 1990's, there were about 50 temples in operation around the world.  It was sometime in that time period that Gordon B. Hinckley announced his plan to have 100 temples built by the year 2000.   As someone who grew up so far away from a temple, that announcement blew me away.   What a blessing it was going to be for so many people around the world and I wondered if Minnesota would ever get one. 

Sure enough, in 1998, plans to build one in Minnesota were announced and in January of the year 2000 it was completed--the 69th temple.   There were 102 dedicated by the end of that year.  The year 2000 was a great year for temples in the latter-days! 

Though I no longer lived in Minnesota, I rejoiced with the people of Minnesota and with all the people in the upper-midwest who now had a temple in their backyards after having sacrificed so much money and so many hours  of their time to go to the temple for so many years.     Today there are 182 functioning temples with another 40 or so somewhere in the process of being built (source).   Think of all the people in the world who are blessed for their closer proximity to the temple. 

WHY DO TEMPLES MATTER? 
So I've spent all this time telling you about how great it is that temples are more accessible to the people, but why does that matter? 

#1. I think the first thing people think of when they think of blessings of the temple is that when couples are married and/or families are sealed in the temple, those families are sealed together forever. 

"The full realization of the blessings of a temple marriage is almost beyond our mortal comprehension. Such a marriage will continue to grow in the celestial realm. There we can become perfected."  Russell M. Nelson

The ability to be sealed to our families is a wonderful blessing and should be a goal for all to strive for, but you don't have to wait until you're married or sealed to enjoy the blessings of the temple. 

President Russell M. Nelson told us that “Building and maintaining temples may not change your life, but spending your time in the temple surely will.”

Why is that?  

Elder Quentin L. Cook answers it well:   

“The temple is also a place of refuge, thanksgiving, instruction, and understanding, “that [we] may be perfected … in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth.” Throughout my life it has been a place of tranquility and peace in a world that is literally in commotion. It is wonderful to leave the cares of the world behind in that sacred setting.”(source)

#2.  The temple is a haven from the world. 

I'll be totally honest here.   The temple is often not easy for me to go to.  Not only does the horrible traffic make the 20-25 miles to get there exceedingly long and painful, but I'm often exhausted and struggle to stay awake during sessions.   BUT, when I do make the effort to go,  and though I'm often a little irritable and fight nodding off the entire way through the session, I STILL AM BLESSED WITH PEACE.    The world is more fast-paced than it's ever been and we literally need...yes, need...this time for our minds, spirits, and bodies to take a break from the freneticism of the world.  Now,  more than ever,  we need to give ourselves that quiet time to commune with God without the distractions that beset us almost everywhere else we could otherwise be.  

So those are some nice blessings for us when we go to the temple, but what about the actual work you do while you're there?

“After we receive our own temple ordinances and make sacred covenants with God, each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord. And our ancestors need us to serve as proxy for them."  Russell M. Nelson

#3.  Our ancestors are relying on us to perform important saving ordinances for them. 

“This work is all about people. It’s about giving every one of our Heavenly Father’s sons and daughters the chance to make covenants and receive saving, exalting ordinances. It’s all about helping his children return home to him.”-- Sheri Dew 

I love that when we walk in the doors of the temple all people are equal. We walk in the doors to do a selfless work of saving our ancestors, and there are no distinctions of wealth, status, or position. We all wear the same clothing, missionaries don't wear their tags, and general authorities sit in the same seats with the rest of us. It's actually a beautiful thing to behold....people from all walks of life gathering together to do an important work that can't be done anywhere else. And it doesn't matter to our ancestors whether a farmer, grocery store clerk, or CEO is the one doing their work. They're just happy it's being done. Think of the joy we facilitate on the other side of the veil when we participate in temple work.

IDEAS FOR THE LESSON
Because I am working with a young woman who will be preparing her own part of the lesson, it is my plan to have these ideas, quotes and stories tucked away.   I'm also reviewing this lesson for more ideas.   We'll see where she takes the lesson and go from there.  I feel strongly though, that I need to end with this quote:

“Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings.”  Thomas S. Monson (source