Lesson 38: Isaiah 13-14; 24-30; 35

September 12-18
Isaiah 13-14; 24-30; 35
"A Marvelous Work and a Wonder"

Materials: stacks of sticky notes (1/ family member), 35 small plastic bathroom cups, printout, glue or tape
Opening Song: "The Spirit of God" (Hymns, 2)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: (Give each family member a stack of at least 5 sticky notes.) We have been given many blessings because we are members of the church. We are going to go on a scavenger hunt to recognize these blessings. You can place a sticky note on anything we have in our home that we have because we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (i.e. scriptures, temple pictures, family proclamation, etc.)

Lesson:

In Luke 4:14, Jesus Christ teaches from the book of Isaiah. Nephi said, "My soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah" (2 Nephi 25:5) Last week, we talked about Isaiah used symbols in his writings to teach. Isaiah was not just a prophet; he was also a seer. He saw and wrote about things past, present, and future. 

In Isaiah 29, Isaiah foretells of future events for him: the destruction of Jerusalem, the apostasy,  and the restoration. What is the apostasy? What is the restoration? Because the priesthood was taken off the earth, the restoration was neccessary to bring to pass Heavenly Father's plan for all his children. Read Isaiah 29: 13-14. The marvelous work and wonder that Isaiah prophesied of is coming to pass through the restoration of the gospel in the latter-days where "the meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel"(29:19).  Isaiah prophesied during the gathering of Israel, which is happening right now, "They also that erred in the spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine" (29:24). 

Activity: Restoration Cups

Note: There is 1 cup missing from this photo (the top cup)

Before FHE, print out the document below and cut each numbered phrase. Tape or glue each number onto the outside of 1 small plastic bathroom cup with the words facing downwards when the cup is upright. Label the top of each cup with the number indicated on the paper. 

Starting with cup #1 Jesus Christ you will build a tower with the cups to represent the church. You will have 2 rows of 7 across the bottom. The next row will have 6 cups, the next row 5, the next row 4, the next row 3, the next row 2, and the final cup should be the #35 temple ordinances cup in the middle on top. (I like to print out a small picture of our local temple to place on this cup and a picture of Christ to put on that cup.)

As you stack the cups, use these talking points to describe how Christ built his church. 

Christ is the cornerstone of the church. He has called prophets to help guide it from the beginning. Christ called 12 apostles to help him in his mortal ministry (name them). Christ set up the priesthood to include the offices of deacon, teacher, priest, bishop, elder, high priest, seventy, and evangelist or patriarch. Christ taught that His church should be named after Him. He taught about his Father, Heavenly Father, and in the Holy Ghost. He taught that the foundational doctrine of the church is faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. He taught people to keep the commandments, and he instituted the sacrament. The Church of Jesus Christ believes in additional scripture to the Bible and, most importantly, that eternal exaltation is possible for those who make scared ordinances and covenants. 

What happened to Jesus Christ here on earth? He was crucified (remove that cup carefully from the tower). After Christ died, he was resurrected and he came back to talk to his apostles. Christs apostles continued to preach his gospel after Christ returned to heaven, but by by one they started to be killed. (Have family members one by one slowly start to remove the apostle cups on the bottom until the tower falls over.) Without proper priesthood authority, the Church of Christ fell. People tried to rebuild it, making churches based on some of the things Christ taught, but none could match Christ's original church. 

Then in the spring of 1820, a 14 year-old boy decided to pray to know which church was the true Church of Christ. What was his name? Joseph Smith would go on to be the Lord's prophet in the latter-days. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, received revelations we know of as the Doctrine and Covenants, and organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Christ's true church through proper priesthood authority and based on the doctrine of Christ. 

Bear your testimony of the restoration of the gospel. How has it a marvelous work and a wonder for you?

Closing Song: "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" (Hymns, 26)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Cannoli Cupcakes recipe here