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

Lesson 43: D&C 121-123

October 18-24
D&C 121-123
"O God, Where art thou"

Materials: pictures below, scriptures, video
Opening Song: "Abide with me tis' eventide" (Hymns, 165)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: Show the picture below. 

This is a to scale model of Liberty Jail. On Dec. 1, 1838, Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae were imprisoned there on false charges. What do you notice about the room from the picture? The room was small--only 14 x 14.5 feet. It also had very shallow ceiling--so low that Joseph and other brethren who were over 6 feet tall, could not stand straight up. Joseph described, “We are kept under a strong guard, night and day, … our food is scant, uniform, and coarse; we have not the privilege of cooking for ourselves, we have been compelled to sleep on the floor with straw, and not blankets sufficient to keep us warm; and when we have a fire, we are obliged to have almost a constant smoke.” (Joseph Smith, “Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 March 1839,” in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, 52, josephsmithpapers.org.)

What do you think it would be like to live in those types of conditions?

Lesson:

Joseph and the other men were held in Liberty Jail for over 4 months. During this time, Joseph experience extreme sorrow and depression. Joseph had been imprisoned in terrible conditions for months, without formal charges and without legal aide. 

Things were not better outside the prison however. The governor of Missouri had issued an order saying that members were to be "exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary." Joseph and the other brethren worried about their families being driven from their homes. In fact, when Joseph was suffering in Liberty Jail, Emma was fleeing her home in the dead of winter to find safer shelter to the north in Illinois (Show the picture below). 

                           Of One Heart, Joseph in Liberty Jail by Liz Lemon Swindle                 Of One Heart, Emma on the Ice by Liz Lemon Swindle                               

On March 20, 1839, Joseph wrote down a prayer he had given and the response from the Lord. These writings and other revelations in liberty jail are in the Doctrine and Covenants sections 121-123. Read D&C 121:1-2, 5-6. Joseph was pleading to the Lord for relief from his trials. His heart was being broken and he felt alone. Have you ever felt dismayed? Did you pray to Heavenly Father when you felt alone? Read D&C 121: 7-8. The Lord answers Joseph, speaking peace to Joseph's soul and asking for Jospeh to endure. He points out to Joseph that unlike Job in the Old Testament, Joseph still has friends and loved ones standing by him. Christ assures that all those who endure trials well will be exalted. 

The suffering of the righteous is not a new concept, we have talked about it in Family Home Evening before. Joseph suffered many trials, as did Job, and many other prophets. There is also one person who suffered every pain and anguish and faced countless trials. Who is he? What are some trials that Jesus had to face during His mortal life?

In D&C 122, the Lord gives a big list of some terrible things that could happen to you like being dragged to prison, sentenced to death, thrown into a pit, and having the jaws of hell gape open wide after you. He says that all these things are for our experience and our good. Then he says, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (verse 8). 

We can go through a lot of bad things on earth. We can experience pain, loss, heartache, sickness, and depression--even all at the same time. But no matter what we have experienced, we will never suffer anything like the Savior did in Gethsemane. When we face adversity and trials, we can turn to a loving God who has experienced our pain and sorrow... and worse. We can come unto Him and He will bear us up. 

Activity: Trials: Look to the Light video (9:17)

Bear your testimony of the condescension of the Savior and how it has helped you to turn to Him in times of struggle.

Closing Song: "I stand all amazed" (Hymns, 193)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Apple Cider Whoopie Pies recipe here

Lesson 42: D&C 115-120

 October 11-17
Doctrine and Covenants 115-120
"His sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase"

Materials: bag of candy like Skittles or M&Ms, mason jars, card board, paper, markers, whiteboard and markers
Opening Song: "Because I have been given much" (Hymns, 219)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: Give each family member 10 pieces of candy. Tell your children this candy represents your increase or your income--you have more candy now than you did before. Have each person hold up 1 piece of candy. 1 candy in 10 is 10% of your increase. We have been asked to give 10% of our increase to Heavenly Father as tithing. Have your family members give back the one piece of candy. Explain that even though you had to give back 1 piece, you still have 9 to eat and was it was far that you gave it back to me because I gave you the candy in the first place. That is also how tithing works, Heavenly Father has blessed us with all that we have, so giving 10% back to Him is easy because it was already His. 

Lesson:

Up until 1838 only certain members of the church were asked to live the law of consecration to its fullest. Money had always been hard to come by for the early church as many of the saints came from humble origins. D&C 119 was revealed to Joseph Smith revealing a way for all to give back to the Lord according to their circumstances. Read D&C 119:4. 

Have a family member read the following quote from Gospel Topics:

"One of the blessings of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the privilege of paying tithing. This privilege is a double blessing. By paying tithing, Church members show their gratitude to God for their blessings and their resolve to trust in the Lord rather than in material things. They also help further the work of the Lord in the earth, blessing others of God’s children with the opportunity to learn of Him and grow in the gospel." Our tithing is taken by the bishopric and used to help build and maintain meeting houses and temples, educate church members, help missionaries, and carry on the Lord's work worldwide. 

Tithing is not a new concept, Malachi teaches in the Old Testament to bring tithes to the storehouse and the Lord will "open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

Read D&C 119: 6. If we don't pay tithing, we won't be a Zion people. We "sanctify the land of Zion" as we let go of one tenth of our earnings and make ourselves more holy.

Using a whiteboard and a marker, write down these different dollar amounts $100, $55, $82.50, $1,450. Ask your family how much tithing they should pay on each amount and write it on the board so they know the basic idea of giving one tenth the the Lord. 

Activity: Tithing jars 

Directions: Use this youtube video below as a guide. Have each family member make a tithing jar out of a mason jar. 

"Tithing Jar" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDuj_ELqLW0  

Malachi and other prophets have testified that blessings will pour out of the windows of heaven as we pay tithing. How has paying tithing blessed your life? Share your testimony of tithing. 

Closing Song: "I want to give the Lord my tenth" (Children's Songbook, 150)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Millionaire Pie recipe here

Lesson 41: D&C 111-114

 October 4-10
Doctrine and Covenants 111-114
"I Will Order All Things For Your Good"

Materials: Hearts printout, 1 strip of paper with each family members name, 
Opening Song: "I'll walk with you" (Children's Songbook, 140)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity:

Show the picture below. Ask your family if you have ever felt upset or angry at someone you love. How did you handle your frustration? How do you think the Lord wants us to handle conflict with our loved ones?

Lesson:

In the summer of 1837, members of the Quorum of the twelve struggled to get along. They disagreed and even questioned Joseph Smith's leadership. The President of the Quorum of the 12 was Thomas B. Marsh. He asked Joseph for help and advice on how to address the disgruntled quorum. Joseph received D&C 112 in answer to President Marsh's questions. 

Have a family member read D&C 112: 11. What solution did the Lord offer Thomas Marsh? Jesus made it clear that "love abound unto all men" is, in short, the best way to lead others as well as resolve conflict and disunity. 

Activity: Leading with Love Hearts

Directions: Before FHE, print and cutout the heart below, and tape them around your living room. Have family members take turns picking the hearts and doing the activities on the back to discover the lessons the Lord teaches Thomas B. Marsh to overcome conflict and contention.

Christ gave Thomas B. Marsh, and us, some pretty direct things to focus on in Section 112. He also promised some amazing blessings for following through on this counsel. Display the large heart and read the words on it.

Heavenly Father wants us to love all of His children. He wants us to be kind to each other and show humility, soften our hearts, and pray for each other. As we do theses things, we will be able to overcome the trials and contentions we face. The Lord promises that He will lead us "by the hand." Bear your testimony.

Closing Song: "Jesus said love everyone" (Children's Songbook, 61)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Cookie Fruit Salad recipe here