Lesson 50: Haggai; Zechariah 1-3; 7-14

December 5-11
Haggai; Zechariah 1-3; 7-14
"Holiness unto the Lord"

Materials: Paper and pencils, scriptures, picture of Provo City Center Temple, blocks or marshmallows and toothpicks
Opening Song: "I'm trying to be like Jesus" (Children's Songbook, 78)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity:

Give each family member a piece of paper and something to write with. Write down 3 things you would like to accomplish in the next week. Look at the items on your list and number them 1-3 based on what you want to do first. 

When we put an item at the top of our to do list. It is usually because it's important to us or it's something that needs to be done like an obligation. This is called a priority. When we prioritize things in our lives, it means we are putting the most important things on the top of our list. 

Lesson:  

Heavenly Father blesses people who make Him a priority. Think about you list you made. Did you think about putting your personal prayers and scripture study on the list? It is often far to easy to not make the Lord our first priority, but He should be. When we do put the Lord first in our lives, everything else becomes easier to do and blessings follow. Jesus taught about priorities when He said, “Seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (JST, Matt. 6:38, in Matt. 6:33, footnote a).

After Persia allowed Israelites to return to their homeland in Jerusalem, there were many things the Israelites needed to do. "But after roughly 15 years had passed since the Israelites’ return, the Lord was displeased that the rebuilding of the temple had not been given higher priority" (Come Follow Me For Individuals and Families, 2022. pg. 217). The Lord rebuked the Israelites and asked them to "consider their ways" (Haggai 1:5). A similar rebuke was given to Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio, when the saints procrastinated building a temple there. Read D&C 95: 3-4. Why does the Lord want the building of temples to be a priority for His children?

Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God. That means we have to seek it for ourselves by coming unto Christ through the building of our personal testimonies. It also means we need to build the kingdom of God as we share the gospel with others. We can share the gospel with others in our own families, our church callings, and with friends and acquaintances not of our faith. We can also build the kingdom of God as we participate in proxy ordinances in the holy temple. This is why building temples is such a priority in His church. 

Read Haggai 1:8 and 2:9. The Israelites did build a new temple to replace Solomon's temple that had been destroyed by the Assyrians. This new temple was referred to as the temple of Zerubabbel after its architect. (Show the picture of the Provo City Center Temple from the Manuel on page 219). Sometimes, holy buildings are destroyed. The Provo tabernacle burned down in 2010. Like the temple of Zerubabbel, the tabernacle was later rebuilt into the Provo City Center Temple making the "glory of this latter house... greater than of the former." 

Activities: Choose one of the following

• Using children's blocks or marshmallows and toothpicks, have each family member build their own little temple. 
• Go onto the website temples.churchofjesuschrist.org and look at the list of temples. Click on some of the temples that are currently under construction or have been announced. 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "We also need priorities. Our priorities determine what we seek in life. Most of what has been taught in this conference concerns priorities. I hope we will heed these teachings... As regards knowledge, the highest priority religious knowledge is what we receive in the temple. That knowledge is obtained from the explicit and symbolic teachings of the endowment, and from the whisperings of the Spirit that come as we are desirous to seek and receptive to hear the revelation available to us in that sacred place" ("Focus and Priorities" April 2001, General Conference). 

Bear your testimony of the temple.  

Closing Prayer:
Closing Song: "Help me dear father" (Children's Songbook, 99)
Refreshment: Peppermint Oreo balls recipe here

Lesson 49: Nahum; Habakkuk Zephaniah

November 28- December 4
Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
"His ways are everlasting"

Materials: a picture of Christ, poster board, markers
Opening Song: "Jesus once was a little child" (Children's Songbook, 55)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity: Show a picture of the Savior. Ask your family to go around the room and share one word that describes Jesus Christ. 

Lesson: 

This week, as we read from the books Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, we will hear prophesies about the destruction and captivity Israel and other nations that failed to keep the covenant. They worshiped false gods, became complacent, became prideful, and failed to trust in the Lord. 

These prophets also encouraged their readers to come unto Christ and that Israel would one day again be gathered. Read Zephaniah 2:3. We all know what it means to seek the Lord--it means to come unto Christ in our hearts and in our actions. What does is mean to seek righteousness? (Choosing the right, keeping the commandments, trying to be good). What does Zephaniah mean when he says, "seek meekness?" What is meekness?

A meek peson is one who is "Godfearing, righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering." (Guide to the Scriptures, "Meek, meekness." churchofjesuschrist.org) The Savior used the word meek when he chose to describe himself; "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Mathew 11: 29). 

Elder Bednar gave a talk about meekness in April 2018 General Conference. He said, "The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others" ("Meek and Lowly of Heart"). 

Activity: Righteousness/meekness poster 

Before FHE: using markers write the words below all over a standard sized poster board. Tape the pasteboard onto a bank wall with masking tape. 

righteous, responsive, willing, submissive, strong, restrained, active, courageous, modest, gracious, teachable, humble, acknowledging, grateful, god-fearing, weak, passive, prideful, timid, excessive, self-aggrandizing, brash, easily provoked, pretentious, over bearing, apathetic,  stubborn

Directions: Have family members use a marker and come up one at a time to circle words that have to do with being righteous or meek. Have each family member pick one word that has been circled. How can you use this attribute to be more Christlike?

Christ was the ultimate example of meekness. Elder Bendar said, "The Savior declared, 'Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.' Meekness is an essential aspect of the divine nature and can be received and developed in our lives because of and through the Savior’s Atonement. I testify that Jesus Christ is our resurrected and living Redeemer. And I promise that He will guide, protect, and strengthen us as we walk in the meekness of His Spirit."

Bear your testimony of the Savior and how you have tried to emulate Christlike attributes. 

Closing Song: "Seek the Lord early" (Children's Songbook, 108)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Eggnog Cheesecake recipe here