Lesson 9: D&C 18-19

 February 22-28
D&C 18-19
"The worth of souls is great" 

Materials: Picture of Christ, scriptures, gospel music app, optional: hymn books and children's songbook.
Opening Song: "I'm trying to be like Jesus" (Children's Songbook, 78)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity:

Ask a family member to share their favorite scripture story about Jesus. 

Lesson:

**Before you start the lesson, display your favorite picture(s) of Christ.

After Martin Harris lost the 116 pages of the manuscript,  he was distraught. He sought repentance and wanted to know what his current standing was with the Lord. Christ gave a revelation to Martin Harris through Joseph Smith in response to Martin's question. In section 19, we read that the Lord tells Martin Harris to repent. As He speaks of the importance of repentance; He talks of the atonement. Jesus Christ describes His suffering in Gethsemane in His own words. 

As we read Christ's description of the atonement, think about phrases that send out to you. Read D&C 19:15-20. What stands out to you in those verses?

Christ loves us so much that he took upon himself the pain of all our sins, weakness, and afflictions. He knows our every heartache, our every pang of guilt, and our every sore. He suffered all so that we wouldn't have to suffer for our sins in the hereafter. He does not want us to have to suffer as He did. The only thing keeping us from the torment of feeling the depth of our own sins is repentance. Repentance is the key. He enabled us to repent so that we would be worthy to enter into the kingdom of God. 

Activity: Sing of Christ.

Directions: Using the gospel music app, hymn books, and the children's songbook, have everyone choose their favorite hymn or primary song about the Savior. Each person will take a turn explaining why that song is important to them and then the family should sing at least one verse.  

After you have sang a song per family member, ask your family if they have any thoughts they would like to share about Christ. Remind your family we can show our gratitude for Christ's atonement through repentance. As you kneel down to say your personal prayers, ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness for things you have done wrong. 

Closing Song: "I am a child of God"
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Biscoff Truffles recipe here

Lesson 8: D&C 14-17

 February 15-21
Doctrine and Covenants 14-17
"Stand as a witness"

Materials: a bag, paper and art supplies, scriptures, video (optional) 
Opening Song: "The Golden Plates" (Children's Songbook, 86b)
Opening Prayer:

Attention Activity:

Witness Game: Explain that you will ask a family member to leave the room. When that person is gone the rest of the family will choose something to put into a bag. The family member will return and have to make a guess at what was in the bag. 

While the family member is out of the room, explain that one person will be lying and the rest of the family will tell the truth and stand as a witnesses to what it is in the bag. When the family  member returns they can choose to listen to the witnesses or not.

After the game, explain that the world uses witnesses to testify of the truth. In court, witnesses are called to testify about what they saw or heard in a case. Heavenly Father has also used witnesses to testify of the truth of his gospel. 

Lesson:

Can you think of a time that witnesses are used by the Lord? (baptisms, temple ordinances, missionaries, the witnesses to The Book of Mormon) Why does the Lord use witnesses? Read 2 Corinthians 13:1. After the translation of the gold plates was complete, Heavenly Father gave permission to three special men to be witnesses of The Book of Mormon. These men were Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. As a family read together the introduction to Section 17. 

Activity: Draw it out

Directions: Have paper and art supplies set out for your family. While a family member reads D&C 17 and "The Testimony of the Three Witnesses", have everyone draw a picture of what they read. It may help to make a list of everything the witnesses saw. Have your family members share their pictures.

Why was it so important for the witnesses to see the gold plates? Why was it also important that the breastplate and the Urim and Thummim were also shown to the witnesses? The sword of Laban was perhaps the item most out of place at the scene. But it also could be seen as a testament to the truth of the writings in The Book of Mormon, that the events described in the book are in fact historical. 

Over time, other witnesses were eventually added to the list of witnesses to the gold plates. These include the eight men who penned "The Testimony of the Eight Witnesses," which comprised of Joseph's brothers and father, as well as more members of the Whitmer family, and Hiram Page. Mary Whitmer was also shown the plates by the angel Moroni although she never wrote an official statement. (Emma felt the plates through a tablecloth that Joseph wrapped them in, but never saw them). 

We've now learned that their were at least 13 people who saw the gold plates. 12 stood as witnesses to the plates divine authenticity. How can you be a witness to The Book of Mormon? How can we be witnesses for the Lord?

As we try to emulate Christ's example and bear our testimonies of His church, we can act as His witnesses. Bear your testimony. 

Optional Activity: "A Day for the Eternities" Video from churchofjesuschrist.org

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Closing Song: "I'll go where you want me to go" (Hymns, 270)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Golden Grahams marshmallow treats

Lesson 7: D&C 12-13; JSH 1:66-75

 February 8-14
Doctrine and Covenants  12-13; Joseph Smith History 1:66-75
"Upon you my fellow servants"

Materials: Pictures from the church website below, scriptures, whiteboard and marker
Opening Song: "The priesthood is restored" (Children's Songbook, 89)
Opening Prayer:

John the Baptist Conferring the Aaronic Priesthood (The Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood) © Del Parson, Courtesy of LDS Media Library

Attention Activity:

Show the following pictures below taken from the church website. What do all three pictures have in common? These 3 pictures show priesthood ordinances. Ask your family members what order of the priesthood is in charge of these ordinances? The sacrament and baptisms are ordinances carried out by the Aaronic Priesthood. 

Lesson:

On May 15, 1829, while Joseph and Oliver were working on The Book of Mormon translation, they read Jesus's sermon in 3 Nephi about baptism. This inspired them to have a lot of questions about baptism. Who has the authority to baptize? How is it done? They knew this was important so they decided to ask the Lord. 

They went into a small patch of woods to pray near Joseph and Emma's home in Harmony, Pennsylvania to ask God about baptism when an angel appeared. 

Activity: Name the angel game

Give your family clues about the angel sent to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in order. When they think they know who the angel is, they should raise their hand. 

1. When he was only 8 days old, an angel ordained him for a sacred mission
2. He grew up in the desert, eating locusts and honey for food and wearing clothes made from camel hair. 
3. His father died to keep him safe from being murdered. 
4. He was baptized as a child.
5. His parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth.
6. He has been called "a burning and a shining light" and "the voice that cries in the wilderness."
7. He was imprisoned and beheaded for offending the royal family.
8. He prepared the way for the Messiah.
9. He was Jesus's cousin.
10. He baptized Jesus.

Who was it that came to Earth to answer Joseph and Oliver's questions about baptism? Read the first 5 lines of JSH 1:72. What do you think John the baptist say about baptism? Read JSH 1:69. He conffered upon them the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood. The Aaronic Priesthood is in charge of what three things? List these on a whiteboard: ministering of angles, gospel of repentance, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. 

John the Baptist conferred these keys upon Joseph Smith and explained that the Gift of the Holy Ghost would be given later. He instructed Joseph to baptize Oliver in the nearby Susquehanna River. Then Oliver baptized Joseph. They also took turns ordaining each other to the Aaronic priesthood as John directed. 

Activity: "Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood" Video

How has your life been blessed because of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood? Because the Aaronic Priesthood was restored we are able to be baptized and renew our baptismal covenants by partaking in the sacrament. Bear your testimony of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.

Closing Song: "When Jesus Christ was baptized" (Children's Songbook, 102)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Ocean water floats recipe here

Lesson 6: D&C 10-11

 February 1-7
Doctrine and Covenants 10-11
"That you may come off conqueror"

Materials: video, whiteboard and marker, scriptures
Opening Song: "The Golden Plates" (Children's Songbook, 86b)
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: D&C 10:52

Attention Activity: 

Play a round of 20 questions with your family with the item being The Book of Mormon. 

Lesson: 

Joseph Smith started translating the Book of Mormon in 1828. He read from the gold plates using the Urim and Thummim to translate the writing in  Reformed Egyptian to English. As he said the words, Joseph would have a scribe write them down. Joseph used three different scribes while translating The Book of Mormon: Emma Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris. These three people did not get to see the plates while Joseph read them. They had to believe what Joseph said about the plates was true--they had to rely on faith. 

Martin Harris's wife did not have faith. She thought Joseph Smith was lying about the gold plates and her husband was wasting his time in helping him to translate. Martin asked if he could borrow the manuscript of what had been translated so far to show his wife what good work they were doing. 

Watch the video: "The work of God" from the churchofjesuschrist.org. Ask a family member to briefly recap what happened in the video. 

Activity: What can we learn?

On a whiteboard or piece of paper have a family member list things we can learn from Martin Harris and Joseph Smith's trial with the loss of the 116 pages of "The Book of Lehi." Some ideas are listed below.

• We need to accept the Lord's answers, even if we don't agree.
• We need to stand up for our faith and beliefs, especially with people we are closest to.
• We need to ask forgiveness when we do something contrary to the will of the Lord.
• God has a plan for everything--even the folly of man. 
• When the Lord inspires us to do something we cannot understand we do it anyway. 
• Satan can not interfere in God's plans.

How do each of these truths influence you and your family? Just like a young child should accept "no" as an answer after asking for a candy from her parent, we need to accept answers we don't like when the Lord gives them. We need to remember that He is in control and ultimately knows whats best for us and best for the kingdom of God. 

Satan tried to interfere with the translation of The Book of Mormon on more than one occasion. Mobs tried to hurt Joseph and steal the plates. The devil influenced the hearts of those close to Joseph like his father-in-law, Isaac Hale, who said, "I consider the whole of it a delusion" (Saints 1, "The Gift and Power of God"). Satan orchestrated the theft of the 116  pages in order to discredit Joseph Smith's translation. 

Even through all this tribulation, Heavenly Father's work in the restoration of the gospel pressed on the translation was completed. Read 1 9:5-6. Remind your family that the Lord had prepared for the loss of the manuscript 2,400 years previously by asking Nephi to include the small plates and again by instructing Mormon to include them in the compilation of the gold plates. 

Bear your testimony of The Book of Mormon. Remind your family that we can learn a lot of different lessons by learning about the struggles of the early saints like Martin Harris. 

Closing Song: "Sweet is the work" (Children's Songbook, 147)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Easy homemade oatmeal cream pie recipe here