Items needed
Have a volunteer come to the front of the class. Give them the hard piece of play dough and tell them to shape it into what they want. When they aren't able to, ask them why (it's too hard, can't mold it the way they want...).
Give them the soft play dough. Tell them to mold or shape this one the way they want to. When they are done 'playing', ask the class to compare this to humility.
Explain to them that if we are stubborn and 'hardened' like the play dough, and do not rely on the Lord, He will not be able to use us as He intends to. If we are humble and teachable, the Lord will be able to mold us and shape us into what He wants us to be, and we will fulfill our potential.
D&C 136:32
Matthew 26:39
Mosiah 4:11-12
Alma 5:27-28
Helaman 3:33-35
Items needed
This object lesson works best for senior primary aged kids through adults.
Choose a member to help you. I usually always choose a gentleman who looks like he is fairly strong.
Hand him one sheet of paper and ask him to rip it in two. Obviously he will be able to accomplish it easily. (You might write the word action or choice on the paper. It's easy to rip up or stop performing a single action. - Jenny)
Then hand him the ream (or several sheets of paper) and ask him to rip the ream into two. Unless he has Herculean strength he will not be able to. (Compare this to repeatedly making the same decision until it becomes a habit. Habits can be good or bad. Either way they are hard to break. - Jenny)
If time allows I will slowly add to the stack and ask him to rip. He generally has an easy go until the stack gets bigger.
Teach your students that sometimes our trials help us. Just like a postage stamp we may be licked, stamped, trodden on etc but as long as we stick to our destination (our Heavenly Father), we will get there in the end. Just like a postage stamp we have to "stick to it" and endure to the end.
As you start out the lesson let the girls know that you prepared cookies for them and pass them out. Pass out the batch of cookies in which you did not measure the ingredients. See if you get any reactions. If students are too polite to say anything immediately you can let them know that there is something unusual about these cookies. After they point it out say that you can't understand what went wrong, you threw the ingredients on the list but that you didn't think it was very important to measure them exactly.
Then give the girls the real cookies and tell them you followed all the instructions on this batch. Have them tell you what they think. (Why does it matter whether we carefully follow directions with exactness? What directions have you been given to follow exactly? How will your eternal destination "taste" if you don't follow the Lord's instructions with exactness? - Jenny)
Alma 57:21 - "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them."
Explain that the jar of clean water is our mind. Begin by putting one rock in. This could represent seeing one inappropriate movie or TV show (watch the dirt you couldn't see on the rock before float to the bottom).
Add another rock, representing one pornographic image. More dirt floats to the bottom.
Another rock: a inappropriate joke.
Another rock: a cuss word or two.
Another rock: one alcoholic drink or cigarette.
Another rock: inappropriate music.
By now the water isn't so clear anymore and the jar is heavy. Likewise, our spirits become weighed down with sin when we participate in activities that are not Heavenly Father's standards.
Explain that through the atonement we have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven and what a blessing it is to rid ourselves of those heavy sins. Remove the rocks. Our sins can be forgiven and we can feel the freedom and joy that comes only through the atonement. Over time and with faithful obedience to the commandments we can put our sins behind us. Then either replace the jar with one filled with clean water, or simply fill the jar until with clean water until the dirty water overflows (hopefully into a cake pan or something) and only clean water remains.
(Jenny - I think a careful teacher could use this lesson to teach the distinction between sanctification and justification as well. "To be sanctified through the blood of Christ is to become clean, pure, and holy. If justification removes the punishment for past sin, then sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin. ... justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection" Justification and Sanctification by Boyd K Packer)
“Now, they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 13:11–12).
“And we know that justification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true;
“And we know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength” (D&C 20:30–31).
Prepare a lesson on temptation:
1st half of lesson set box of doughnuts on table {staying far away from temptation}
2nd half of lesson hand out doughnut's on napkin's Ask kids not to eat them until after class, almost every child at least tasted the powdered sugar and some will actually eat the doughnuts. {Closer to temptation} harder to resist.
Teach children to resist temptation by avoiding it.
1 Corinthians 6:18 - flee fornication
1 Timothy 5-6 - But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. (1 Tim 6:11)
Genesis 39:12 - he left his coat in her hand and got him out
Show the wind chimes, make them sound, and ask the young men what purpose they have. Ask if they do anything else beside make sound.
Then, read the scripture. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
After discussion on Repentance, have the students put a small pebble in their shoe and stand up until they feel it's sharpness on their foot. Tell them that sins are like this pebble, even though no one else may know it's there the sin is constantly bringing us irritation and pain until we remove it.
Teach students that if they have any unresolved sins, they should keep the pebble in their shoe as a reminder to resolve the sin. Once they've resolved the sin, then they may remove the pebble.
“Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?” 3 Nephi 9:13
Explain that sometimes bad thoughts enter our mind, (push 3-4 pieces of crumpled up dark-colored paper balls into the toilet paper roll; they should fit snugly and 3-4 should fill the whole cardboard roll)
Then explain that we can replace these thought with good thoughts. (push the white crumpled up paper balls into the toilet paper roll. As you do so, it will force the dark paper to fall out the other end.
Display a certain stereogram for the class to look at. Wait until the majority of the students are able to see the picture. Do several if time permits. Some may not see the picture at all, and some may only be able to see parts of it. Show that longer they concentrate, the greater the chance they will be able to see the complete and full picture.
Liken this experience to pondering when we pray or study the gospel.
More stereograms
