Lesson 29: D&C 77-80

July 12-18
Doctrine and Covenants 77-80
"I will lead you along"

Materials: quotation cards, card stock, scrapbook paper (cut to bookmark size), white paper, craft supplies. 
Opening Song: "The Lord is my light" (Hymns, 89)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: Show the following video about the thankful leper. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2010-11-41-chapter-37-the-ten-lepers?lang=eng

How many sick people did Jesus heal in the video? How many remembered to say thank you? Why do you think gratitude is important?

Lesson:

Read D&C 78: 17-19. The Lord is comforting us in these verses telling us he will lead us and to be cheerful even when times are difficult. He also emphasizes being thankful. Do you "receive all things with thankfulness"? Are you grateful? Do you receive trials with thankfulness? What about commandments?

Gratitude is important to our Heavenly Father. It shows humility and love when we say thank you. Many different verses in the scriptures talk about be grateful or thanksgiving. It is an important step to becoming more Christ like. When was the last time you said thank you to the important people in your life that help you? What can you do to show your gratitude towards them? How can we show gratitude towards Heavenly Father?

Activity: Quotation bookmarks.

Before FHE, print out the cards below on thick paper like card stock. Cut them out and place them down on a table or the floor. Have your family take turns reading each quotation about gratitude. When they are done reading, they need to say one thing they are grateful for and no one should repeat what has already been said. When everyone is done, have them choose one of the cards. Using scrapbook paper each person will create a bookmark. 

Cut the scrapbook paper to bookmark size (about 2.5"x 7"). Paste the quotation card on top of the patterned side of the paper. On the backside trace and cut white paper (if not already white) and write or draw something you are thankful for. (If you have a laminator, they are great for this.) 

Keep your bookmark in a place you will see often to remind you to express grattitude to those around you and to Heavenly Father in your prayers. You may even try saying a prayer of thanksgiving where you just thank Heavenly Father for all the blessings your have been given. 

Bear your testimony on gratitude. 

Closing Song: "Count your many blessings" (Hymns, 241)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Humble Pie recipe here

Lesson 28: D&C 76

 July 5-11
Doctrine and Covenants 76
"Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory"

Materials: art supplies, paper, video 
Opening Song: "I am a child of God"
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: Pass out paper and art supplies. Have your family draw or describe the most beautiful place they can imagine. 

Lesson: 

We just described the most beautiful place we can imagine. The scriptures tell us that the glory and beauty of the celestial kingdom is beyond comprehension. The scriptures describe it as a place where the streets are paved in pure gold, the gates are made of a transcendent pearl, and God's throne is said to shine like a bright fire (see D&C 137:4). Read D&C 76:11. What kind of blessings are waiting for us in the celestial kingdom? The Lord has offered us not just a cottage or even a house, but mansions and dominions. But, we have to be worthy. Our Heavenly Father wants us to receive eternal life in the celestial kingdom, but we have to ready for it. So how? How do we qualify for the celestial kingdom? What can we do to be worthy of those amazing blessings?

Activity: I am a child of God lyric study

Everyone knows the song, "I am a child of God." Did you know that the song teaches us what we can do to live with Heavenly Father in the celestial kingdom?  I am going to play that shows the lyrics for the song. As you watch, think about what the song says we can do to be able to got to celestial kingdom. Video link here. 

The song talks about our journey on mortality. This life is a sort of test that helps us learn how to become more like Jesus. We are given the gospel and things like our home and our parents to help us learn to become more Christlike. Later, the song talks about promises blessings that are in store for us--the blessings of eternal life. It says that we have to learn his will and endure in order to receive these blessings.

So who gets eternal life? What kind of people receive celestial glory? Read D&C 76: 51-53. Celestial people accept Christ as their Savior; they are baptized and confirmed and continuously repent. Being sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise means that the Holy Ghost ratifies our ordinances and covenants with the Lord according to our worthiness. As members of the church, we must strive to keep the covenants we've made in order to receive the blessings associated with that promise. 

Have a family member read the following quote from Elder Cornish, 

"Let me be direct and clear. The answers to the questions “Am I good enough?” and “Will I make it?” are “Yes! You are going to be good enough” and “Yes, you are going to make it as long as you keep repenting and do not rationalize or rebel.” The God of heaven is not a heartless referee looking for any excuse to throw us out of the game. He is our perfectly loving Father, who yearns more than anything else to have all of His children come back home and live with Him as families forever. He truly gave His Only Begotten Son that we might not perish but have everlasting life!¹ Please believe, and please take hope and comfort from, this eternal truth. Our Heavenly Father intends for us to make it! That is His work and His glory." ("Am I Good Enough? Will I Make It?" October 2016, General Conference) 

Activity: Temple Recommend Questions. A good way to tell if you are on the track (or as church leaders call it, "the covenant path") is by answering the temple questions. If you are worthy to hold a temple recommend, that is a good indication that you are on the path to the celestial kingdom. 

Use this link to read the temple questions to your family. Have them hold up a thumbs up for yes and a thumbs down for no. 

Bear your testimony of the plan of salvation and eternal life. 

Closing Song: "Teach me to walk in the light" (verses 1-2) (Children's Songbook, 177)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: heaven and earth cake recipe here