Lesson 24: Alma 13-16

June 15-21
Alma 13-16
"Enter Into the Rest of the Lord"

Materials: priesthood cards (front and back) printed and cut out, scriptures
Opening Song: "Love is Spoken Here" (Children's Songbook, 190)
Opening Prayer: 
Scripture: Alma 13:11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were ^asanctified, and their ^bgarments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

Attention Activity:
Have the cards below printed and cut out (Backside below). Lay them out on the floor or the table scrambled. Have your family unscramble them to spell out "priesthood."

Lesson:
Today we are going to discuss truths Alma teaches about righteous men/priesthood holders. In Alma chapter 13, Alma shares that through their own righteousness, priesthood bearers are sanctified and enter into the rest of the Lord. 

Turn your attention back to the "priesthood" cards. On the back of each card is a verse from chapter 13 and a truth about the priesthood summarized from that verse. Have each family member take turns flipping over the cards and reading about the priesthood. 

Now that we know a little more about the priesthood, let's learn about the blessings promised to them. Keep in mind that these blessings are available to every worthy endowed member of the Church, male and female. Read Alma 13:10-12. 

Activity: 
Close your eyes and imagine you have just been outside and are now very dirty. Maybe you were working in the yard pulling weeds and your fingernails and hands are covered in dirt. Maybe you were playing in the yard after a rainstorm and now have itchy grass and mud over your legs and arms. You feel dirty and uncomfortable. Now imagine that you just stepped out of the bath or shower. Your hair smells like shampoo, and your skin is clean and fresh. Repentance is kind of like taking a shower after you're sweaty and dirty from being outside. How are these feelings similar to what we feel when we sin and then repent and become clean through the Savior's atonement? 

Through Christ's atonement we can repent and as Alma says be "sanctified", "be "washed white", and be "pure and spotless before God." When we are truly clean and ready to enter into the kingdom of God we will no long want to sin, but look at it with "abhorrence" (disgust). The blessing from becoming clean like this is that we can "enter into the rest of the Lord." Entering into His rest is another way of saying gaining celestial glory, exaltation, or everlasting life. 

Through the ordinances of the holy Melchezidek Priesthood, we are able to receive redemption through Jesus Christ and through our faithfulness we can become clean and enter into his rest.

Closing Song: "The Fifth Article of Faith" song (Children's Songbook, 125)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment:
Cinnamon and Sugar Soft Pretzels recipe here