Attach the flags to each end of the wire before class.
Instruct the class that the wire represents the commandments, specifically commandment to be honest.
Have a member of class bend the wire back and forth until it breaks in the middle. Display the flags that are now separated. Say: "It was strong in the beginning, but by starting to bend the truth and telling little white lies, eventually our connection to eternal life got weaker and weaker until it broke."
Read 2 Nephi 28:8 justifying for ourselves in committing a little sin or little lies, brings condemnation and ultimately separation from God forever... like the broken wire.
(Put a quarter on your head) Tell the children that whomever can get the quarter off your head without touching you can have it. When they cannot get the quarter, tell them that if anyone of them had asked, you would have handed him/her the quarter.
The Bible says "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7 (see also verse 8).
God desires to share His blessings with us, but we must ask in order to receive.
For more lesson development (why we don't get answers to prayer, why God answers prayers, and some scriptural examples), cross-reference: Matthew 21:22, John 16:24, James 4:3, 1 John 3:22, I Nephi 15:11, Alma 7:23, 3 Nephi 16:4, 3 Nephi 18:20, Moroni 10:4, D&C 8:1, D&C 14:8, D&C 35:9, D&C 42:3, D&C 42:61, D&C 49:26, D&C 88:63, D&C 124:95, and D&D 103:31 (good one).
Before the lesson begins (on genealogy or temple work or redeeming the dead), pull aside one person and ask them to help you out. So that others who are in class can hear tell them you are going to need to tie them up (do so gently) to the chair. Let them know they will be unable to participate in the lesson, but they can listen.
Only when you remove the gag and talk to them may they respond or make any comments. Every once in a while throughout the lesson, ask them if they are okay (after removing the gag). Are you in pain? Just be sure they are okay.
Finally you can remove the gag and untie them. Ask them how it felt to hear the message but be bound.
Discuss the fact that our ancestors are waiting for us to do their work. They can't participate in the gospel until we have done the work. But many of them are listening and waiting for us to help them.
** This idea might be adjusted to fit a missionary work lesson, too. -Jenny **
Hand out the objects. Explain that each object can be used to handle stains on clothing. Ask the students how s/he would use her/his object to treat a stain: Spot Treater - apply to stain and wash later. Crayons/Markers - create a decoration around the stain, making it look pretty. Patch - cover stain. Wet Wipes - try to wipe away as much as you can.
Explain that sin is like a stain on our spirit. Both the world and the Lord have ways of dealing with sin. Ask the group to consider how the items might represent teachings of the world. After listening to a few ideas, hand out scripture verses to students with objects and discuss.
Patch - D&C 58:42-43 (The world would have us hide our sins. The Lord wants us to confess them and then He will forget them. The sin will truly be gone, not just covered up.)
Spot Treater - Alma 34:33 (The world tells us to put off repentance. The Lord wants us to face up to our mistakes right away.)
Crayons/Markers - Alma 41:10 (The world tries to justify sin in many ways but calling sin by a different name doesn't change what it really is.)
Wet Wipes - Isaiah 1:16-18 (True repentance is not quick and easy. To become completely clean, we must follow the guidelines the Lord has set.) Teach the 5 steps of repentance.
The teacher sits in front of the class devouring a piece of delicious chocolate cake, while verbalizing how delicious it is; how moist; how chocolatey; how delectable.
The class watches and becomes a bit jealous.
The teacher asks, "Oh, did you guys want some of this cake?" the class of course says "yes".
Compare that with the gospel. The gospel is a delicious chocolate cake that we often keep to ourselves. Many people would enjoy this "chocolate cake" but maybe don't realize we have it. Or maybe we're afraid to share.
What if our friends ask us questions that we don't know the answers to, such as what are all the ingredients of the cake? And what if I don't know the answer right away? Well, we can find out the answer by asking someone else or researching for ourselves. Just like I can look up the ingredients of a cake recipe.
Share the gospel...It's a piece of cake!
Alma 32:20
Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
Items needed
Give every member in your class a piece of hard candy (like a Jolly Rancher or Life Saver). Tell them they can't swallow, no matter what.
Continue on with your lesson for about five minutes. Explain that this is how addiction is. The object of your addiction is constantly on your mind, like the desire to swallow when the candy was in their mouth. When the candy was in their mouths, that's all they could think about. They probably didn't even notice what was going on around them or hear what was being taught because they were so distracted. Addictions may not be obvious to those around you, but you can feel them in your mind -- they are a subtle distraction from life.
Unlike the candy which will become smaller and eventually dissolve, an addiction will grow and grow until it overpowers your agency. You will need help to overcome it -- from the Bishop/Branch President, counselors, friends, family, and most importantly, the Savior.
Items needed
Place the two labelled magnets approx 30 cms (one foot) apart on a table top. Place the paper clips (class members) round about the middle point between the magnets. (Allow some paper clips to get caught by the magnet force of Satan)
Watch and see how those paper clips that are placed closer to Satan quickly become fixed to the Satan magnet.
Explain to the class the danger of making choices that can place them in the wrong place, even though it may appear attractive.
Explain that the journey back can be very difficult but that there is a way back if we will repent.(Pull the paper clip off the Satan magnet)
Explain that through the atonement of Christ we can repent (place paper clip in the middle of the two magnets again... this time a little nearer to the Heavenly Father magnet) and watch the paper clip this time cling to the Heavenly Father magnet.
Explain that we can avoid many problems in life if we plan to be closer to our Heavenly Father and keep his commandments... follow the prophet... etc. Also, as we choose the right and stay close to Heavenly Father it is more difficult for the magnetic force labelled Satan to attract us.
Items needed
Ask: What is the difference between the two kinds of pennies? Is it possible to make the tarnished pennies shine like the new pennies?
Pour some vinegar on the plate. Sprinkle in a some salt and allow enough time for it to dissolve.
In the meantime, discuss baptism or repentance or the atonement with your students.
Then tell the class that just like you, the tarnished pennies can be made clean again. Drop them into the vinegar-salt mixture. They should begin to become clean in about 30 seconds.
Take the pennies & rub with the cloth until they are clean & shiny. (See also How to Clean Pennies with Vinegar)
Ask a young woman to put on the prescription glasses and read Isaiah 55:8-9. It should be blurry for her.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Then ask the student to read the scripture without the glasses.
How does understanding that God's ways are higher than our ways help us see more clearly?
How can we use this information to keep an eternal perspective when we are faced with difficult times in life?
The period of time when the true Church no longer existed on earth is called the Great Apostasy. (Gospel Principles, Lesson 16: The Church of Jesus Christ in Former Times) Priesthood authority was restored to the earth by Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith.
That has a lot of big words. What does it mean?
Pretend that this building (Show the simple block building without the "Authority/Priesthood" block) represents the Church as Jesus organized it when he was on the earth.
The church cannot be organized correctly without the priesthood (add the "Authority/Priesthood" block).
The church must be “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20). If the priesthood is gone, the church is not built the way Heavenly Father wants it to be organized. After Jesus returned to Heaven, wicked people tried to destroy the church. Many people changed the way the church was organized. (Move the blocks around and build the tower differently)
People taught their own ideas instead of Heavenly Father's. Jesus's Apostles were killed. The perfect church Jesus organized was broken. (Knock the block tower over)
The priesthood was finally taken from the earth because the people were so wicked. (Find "Authority/Priesthood" block and take it back.)
Many people tried to rebuild Jesus's church, but they couldn't build it just right. Without the priesthood, the church can't be built correctly. (Build a building without the "Authority Priesthood" block.)
People lived a long time without the priesthood. They forgot how much Heavenly Father loves us. They forgot and changed His commandments. They changed Heavenly Father's ordinances, like baptism and the sacrament. They even forgot why we came to earth. People were very confused. Heavenly Father knew the Great Apostasy would happen, and He prepared a way for the gospel to be restored -- He prepared a way to rebuild His church correctly.
When he was 14 years old, Joseph Smith asked Heavenly Father which church he should join. The Savior told him not to join any church because the true Church was not on the earth. Jesus told Joseph that that he would help organize the true church again. John the Baptist came in 1829 to ordain Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood (see D&C 13; D&C 27:8).
Later, Jesus' Apostles Peter, James, and John, gave Joseph and Oliver the Melchizedek Priesthood (see D&C 27:12–13).
Through this Restoration the priesthood was returned to the earth! (Build the tower correctly, with the "Authority/Priesthood" block) The church was organized again like Heavenly Father wants it. Heavenly Father has promised us that since the church has been restored, it will never be destroyed again (Daniel 2:44). (see Gospel Principles, Lesson 16: The Church of Jesus Christ in Former Times and Gospel Principles, Lesson 17: The Church of Jesus Christ Today)
** This would be an especially effective object lesson if when you removed the "Priesthood Authority" block the structure collapsed on its own. -- Jenny **
** You may also want to consider labeling some of the other blocks "apostles" or "seventies" or whatever if you are using this lesson to teach the offices of the priesthood. -- Jenny**
