Tell a child right before going into class to stand up after the prayer and hand them out to each person without being prompted to.
Then, ask the students why this person stood up and performed the action of handing out the slips of paper.
Explain that he was asked to do it before class and that this is a lot like foreordination. Once in the class, he didn't have to do it. He still had his agency, but he chose to do it.
Before your students were born, "Heavenly Father had specific things for you to accomplish on earth. He foreordained you to accomplishing your own personal mission on earth as well as to any callings you receive".
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedientto the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
Keep items hidden until required.
The say: I've got some amazing inventions to show you. Look at this pen - can you see what's special about it? It never runs out, because it hasn't got any ink in it. Don't you think that's wonderful? Look at this next invention - a special clock. Can you see what's different about it? It never needs adjusting because it has no hands. Are you impressed? Now how about this next one - a "wonder" glue. If you get it on your fingers it will just pull off because it doesn't stick to anything very well.- Don't you think that's an amazing sort of glue?
Would you say these inventions are a success or a failure? A pen that doesn't write, a clock that doesn't tell the time, a glue that doesn't stick very well - they all seem like failures. They remind me of somebody in the bible. Somebody who was supposed to be a follower of Jesus but, when under pressure, denied even knowing Him.
Who was that? (Peter). Yes, at that particular moment Peter seemed like a failure didn't he? Have you ever felt like that?
But I didn't finish my story about the inventions: There was once a research scientist called Dr. Spencer Silver. His job was to improve the adhesives used in the products sold by his company. One day he somehow managed to make a glue that didn't stick to anything very well - it was very easy easy to pull off, and he noticed that when peeled off it stayed quite sticky. To most people that might have seemed completely useless. However Dr. Silver felt sure that his unusual adhesive must have a use, but he couldn't think what. He spent next few years trying to get the other people in his company interested in his special adhesive, but nobody could think what it could be used for.
One of those people was a man called Art Fry. He was intrigued by Dr. Silver's glue, but like everyone else couldn't think of a good use for it. Art Fry sang in the choir at his church, and used to put bits of paper in his hymn book so that he could find the right page for the next hymn quickly. But sometimes those bits of paper fell out (demonstrate), and he lost his place. He thought: "If only I had some bookmarks that stuck like magnets to the pages without damaging them". Suddenly he remembered Dr. Silver's adhesive, and at that moment one of the most successful office products of the last 50 years was born. Does anybody know what it was?
The company was the 3M Company, and the product was "Post-It Notes" (show the pad). When 3M's made the first ones, people didn't seem too interested. But 3M sent free samples everywhere, and once people had tried them, they wanted more of them and orders came flooding in. The product was first sold in 1980, and ten years later "Post-Its" were named one of the top consumer products of the decade.
But it all started with something that seemed a complete failure, until one man with a hymn book saw that it could be used in a wonderful way. Again that reminds me of the Apostle Peter. People most likely thought of him as a failure when he denied Christ! And yet he became a wonderful and courageous leader. Sometimes people think "I'm no good - I'm just a failure - How could the Lord possibly use me?" But Heavenly Father can take even a "failure" and change them, and use them to achieve something wonderful. So if ever you feel as if you're a failure, remember Peter, and remember the story of the "Post-It" Notes.
Earlier today I went into the garden to see what I could find. I collected a few things here in this margarine tub. Show the tub without revealing the contents.
Pull out the items from the tub one by one, saying a few words about each to make sure everybody knows what it is, and then putting it back in the tub. Examples of things you could use:
"Isn't it exciting what you can find when you really search around?" (Now pull out a half eaten chocolate or boiled sweet).
Look at this! what is it? I think somebody might have had a bite and then thrown it away because they didn't like it. Anyway, no use letting it go to waste - who would like to eat it? (hopefully no response!).
You've been good (perhaps to an older child) you deserve a reward - look, I'll blow some of the dirt off for you - would you like the chocolate? Why not?
Draw out the answer that the chocolate is dirty, and is probably contaminated with germs.
Ask two or three children: "Would you put this in your mouth?", hopefully getting the answer "No!" each time.
We're very careful about what goes into our mouths aren't we? But are we as careful about what comes out?
Jesus spoke about that in Matthew 15:11. What comes out of your mouth? Swearing? Lies? Cheek? Unkind words? It's right to be careful about what goes into our mouths. But the scriptures tell us that we have to be even more careful about what comes out.
Relevant texts: Matthew 15:11, James 3:1-10, Colossians 3:8
Could anybody name some bad habits? biting fingernails, swearing, smoking, eating too much, driving too fast, drinking too much alcohol, gossiping, etc.
Do you know anyone who has tried to break a bad habit and failed?
I need someone quite strong to help with with this illustration "Please see if you can break this thread" give them a length of thread to break.
"That's good, you're big and strong, you should be able to do this...."
Tie a single length of thread round the volunteers wrists, "Whenever you do something bad your conscience will make you feel bad and you will hopefully decide not to do it again. At this point it is easy to break the habit and be free of it."
The volunteer easily snaps the thread which is tying their hands together. Now tie the volunteers hands together again but this time add a couple more turns of the thread, until it is thick enough to prevent them snapping the threads.
"But you see, temptation is all around us and we will soon find that we are doing the same thing again, and we are not worried because it was so easy to 'break' the habit the first time. We have learnt to ignore our conscience that makes us feel bad about doing it, or we have found a reason why we have to keep on doing it. Soon the habit builds up layers that are too strong to break on our own."
The volunteer now tries to snap the threads and free their hands but they struggle.
"Perhaps at this point we could ask a friend to help us break free from this habit."
Ask the volunteer to call on a friend who will come up and try to snap some of the threads. But as the friend snaps a thread, keep winding the threads further and further up the volunteers arms until they can't move.
"Friends can help us a little bit and might be able to break one or two strands of the habit."
"But Habits are strong, and they creep up and up, strangling out our self will and self control until we are trapped and even our friends are powerless to help us break free from the habits."
Now make a few final winds of thread completely around the volunteers whole body, pinning their arms down.
"Now you are trapped and powerless against this habit. It has you firmly in it's grip and there is nothing that you can do in your own strength to escape it."
Now slip your hand inside the glove with the picture of Jesus on it, and pick up the scissors. The glove and the scissors should be hidden behind the picture of Jesus. The audience should see just the picture of Jesus.
*This could also be done by sticking some double sided tape of the back of your hand and once you have picked up the scissors, stick the picture to the back of your hand so that only the picture is visible to the audience.
"But the bible tells us: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:25-27
Now, keeping the picture facing the audience, cut through the threads tying the volunteers arms together, pick up the cut threads and throw them aside (perhaps into the laps of the people in the front row)
Only Jesus can take our bad habit and set us completely free. The Holy Spirit will give us the strength we need to resist the temptation next time it tries to trap us again. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
Show the class the caramel covered onion. Really talk up the "apple". Tell them how delicious it is (they probably won't need much convincing.) Invite a volunteer to eat it and describe to the others in the class how good it is. At this point, depending on the volunteer's nature and how far you want to take the lesson, you can either ask the volunteer to take a big bite into the apple or you could cut it, revealing the onion inside, and then let them off the hook once they realize what it really is.
Teaches that as individuals move closer to the Savior, they also grow closer to each other. This is a good unity lesson.
Place a picture of the Savior on the floor. Place the pictures of family or class members around that picture. Point out that as individuals move closer to the Savior, they also grow closer to each other. If you don't have pictures of class members, you can place the picture on the floor, have students gather around the image in a circle, and then ask class members to approach the picture.
How can we move closer to the Savior?
Why does our nearness to the Savior directly affect our relationships with others?
Why must we approach the Savior? Why can't he come to us first?
See D&C 88:63 "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you..."
Ask everyone to close their eyes and listen to the music that you are about to play. Tell them to think about how the music makes them feel.
Play the scary music (you can find web sites that allow you to download Halloween music and sounds for free).
Play the loud music.
Next, play the soft music.
Let them know that when the Holy Ghost speaks to us we won't hear an actual voice. It's a feeling much like the feelings we get when we listen to music. Learning to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost is difficult but very important. The way we feel when we listen to the scary music is much like the way feel when the Spirit is warning us. The way we feel when we listen to soft calming music is much like the way we will feel when the choice we need to make is a good one.
Compare this to the way the Holy Ghost speaks to us: sometimes loud, sometimes quiet and calming. You can also compare this to the way we recognize the Spirit: Sometimes it's loud and obvious, sometimes it's quiet and hard to hear.
Ask for a volunteer. Tell them that if they do 10 jumping jacks (or something quick) that you PROMISE (use the word "promise" over and over) that you will give them a pack of gum.
After they have finished, tell them they did a good job but you've changed your mind and only give them 1 piece instead of the whole pack.
Ask for another volunteer and do the same thing over (the kids will say" but you promised!!!" Act very sincere but have excuses for not wanting to give the whole thing.
After, call the same kids up and ask them "How do you feel when you did everything I asked you to do but I broke my promise?"(Give them the rest of the pack)
This is where you explain that the only one that will never break his promise is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They won't and in fact, they cannot, by eternal law. Hold up the scriptures and tell them it is full of wonderful promises and if we do our part, he will do his. (I also slip in the Temple and how great the promises are there, too.)
For he will fulfill all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers (Alma 37:17).
While introducing the lesson to the class, display the basket of goodies where all in the class can see.
Start eating the contents of the basket and show extreme enjoyment of eating each morsel you put into your mouth, without offering anything to anyone else. (ensure no one helps themselves).
While you continue to enjoy eating, ask each girl in the room to share what they love about the Gospel. Once each has shared their love, explain: As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, we are privileged and blessed to partake of the fruits that only the Lord can bless us with. There are many, who are not members, that observe the way we live, what we say and do, and they often recognise the countenance of one that loves the Lord. And often without knowing it, they long to partake of the kind of happiness that only the Lord can provide.
Scripture Ref:
John 21:17 '...Feed my sheep.' Christ asked his disciple Peter, 'Lovest thou me?' and Peter answered saying, 'Yea Lord; thou knowest that i love thee'. Christ then answered him 'Feed my sheep'. Then ask, 'How much do we really love the Saviour?' no need for anyone to answer.
Repeat the scripture and replace Peter's name with your own and then offer and share the basket of goodies with each girl.
The Value of Work!
Have the delicious cookies sitting on a table and ask the girls how much work went into making the cookies. They should say the usually dumping ingredients into a bowl, mixing them, and cooking them.
But if you really think about how many people helped to make the cookie possible it is amazing. First, the farmer, who planted the wheat, tended it, watered it, and harvested it. Then the people who ground it into flour, and refined it, packaged it, and shipped it to a store. That is just the flour. You could talk about the sugar, chocolate chips, butter, and so on and so forth.
The point is everything we enjoy in life takes work.
