Lesson 44: D&C 124

 October 25-31
Doctrine and Covenants 124
"A House Unto My Name"

Materials: pictures below, paper and art supplies, two plates of cookies, Come Follow Me Manual
Opening Song: "As Sisters in Zion" (Hymns, 309)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity:

Imagine you were going to start building a new city--a beautiful city. What kind of setting what you build your beautiful city in? Show the pictures below. Would you build your city in green hills, in a mountain valley, on the rolling plains, or in a mosquito infested swamp?

                                        

Lesson:

Read the introductory paragraph for this weeks lesson in Come Follow Me: For Individuals and Families. ("As difficult as...)

The saints started to build a new city in Illinois. What was the city called? What does Nauvoo mean? For the next several years, the saints would live in relative peace. Nauvoo fast became a beautiful city where the saints could take refuge. In 1841, Joseph received a new revelation--D&C 124. In it, the saints were once again instructed to build a temple of the Lord. The Lord instructed Joseph to write a proclamation of the gospel to all the earth, He gave instructions to build a boarding house in Nauvoo, and He gave counsel to church leaders. 

The Church was blossoming. In the spring of 1842, the Nauvoo temple was well into construction with the walls being about 3 feet high. The members in Nauvoo all wanted to contribute to the work. The sisters talked about organizing a sewing group to help clothe the workers of the temple and their families. The sisters met on a Thursday in March to go over the particulars of formal a sewing society for Nauvoo. They wrote down their goals and bylaws and asked Joseph Smith to look over them. 

Joseph replied, "Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and he has something better for them than a written constitution. I invite hem all to meet with me and a few brethren... next Thursday afternoon, and I will organize the women under the priesthood after the pattern of the priesthood." (Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society, pg. 12) March 17, 1842 in the upstairs room of the red brick store in Nauvoo, the woman organized The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo under the direction of the prophet, with Emma Smith acting as it's first president. 

The organization of the Church was divinely designed to include an organization where the women of the Church could "find ample score for every power and capability of doing good with which they are most liberally endowed" (Eliza R. Snow, "Female Relief Society," Deseret News, Apr. 22, 1868, 81.). The prophet Joseph made it clear that the Relief Society was "a restoration of an ancient pattern" of female disciples during Christ's mortal ministry. 

Today, The Relief Society is one of the oldest women's organization in the world with 7 million members in 188 countries. For 179 years, the Relief Society has been providing humanitarian aid, charity, education, and fellowship to people all over the globe. 

Activity: Thank you letter

Using paper and art supplies, have family members write a thank you letter to the ward Relief Society President. Make a large batch of cookies together and divide onto two plates. Deliver the letter in person with one plate of cookies. Ask your Relief Society President who could benefit from a kind gesture in your community and deliver them the second plate of cookies. 

Ask a woman in your family bear their testimony of the Relief Society Organization. 

Closing Song: "Mother, I love you" (Children's Songbook, 207)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Butterscotch Toffee Cookies recipe here