September 2: The Restoration

These ideas are from the following blog:  http://kristysawtelle.com

Chapter 3, Lesson #1: The Restoration 

Opening Song: “The Golden Plates” from primary songbook
Discussion: Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to communicate with us. He wants to be able to hear from us and to send messages of comfort, guidance and information to us. 

Activity:  Morse Code (One way we can communicate with each other)You will need two flashlights. Let everyone see what signal on the flashlight will represent a dot and what represents a dash.  Have the family divide in half and each group go to one end of the room or outside in the dark and decide what word they want to spell for the other group. Let each person do one letter. The other group will write down what letters they think you are sending and then try to interpret the word. Then they get a chance to send you a word.

Discussion: There are a lot of ways we learn to communicate with each other (name some others) but Heavenly Father has told us how he wants us to communicate with him (through prayer) and how he communicates to us. How does He get a message to us? (List some ways) Make sure to mention prophets and scriptures.Heavenly Father wants us to be successful and to return to him so he helps us. One way is by calling prophets to give us direction and information. Throughout the world's history Heavenly Father has sent prophets. Can you name any of them? Can you name our prophet today? How do you personally know that these prophets were called by God? (This is a testimony bearing opportunity for them) 

Scripture: Amos 3: 7 and D&C 1: 38 Have someone help explain these verses and their application to us. Testify of the truthfulness of these verses.

Activity: Tell everyone you are going to talk about what happened to the prophets the Lord sent over time and as you tell the story you will ask questions. Every time someone answers a question right you will quietly place a penny in their hand and continue the story. Choose what parts of the discussion to turn into questions based on your children's age group and knowledge level.

Discussion: Prophets were on the earth all throughout the Old Testament. Then a few years before the Savior's birth the people became so wicked that the Lord took their prophets away. The Savior brought the gospel back to the earth and before he died in the NT he called apostles and a prophet to lead the people. But the people rejected the apostles and killed the prophet. Without apostles and prophets the Savior's gospel was changed and then lost. This period of darkness was called “The Great Apostasy” or Dark Ages. Not until 1830 did the Savior restore His true church again on the earth. This was called the Restoration and came about in answer to young Joseph Smith's prayer.Have family members tell the story of Joseph Smith's first prayer (see page 36-37 of PMG) taking turns and handing out pennies for important information. (Or tell the story and have them fill in the details).   As part of the restoration of His church, the Savior gave us a prophet and some additional scriptures (the Book of Mormon, D&C and Pearl of Great Price)

Activity: Allow everyone a chance to toss their pennies at the target from behind a tape line on the floor, then gather the family together and ask if anyone has received their own testimony of the Restoration, Joseph Smith, President Monson, or the Book or Mormon. As you share your testimony give them a chance to feel the spirit and share their own thoughts in any way they feel comfortable.

Commit: Brainstorm as a family ways you could strengthen your knowledge or testimony of the first vision, prophets, president Monson or the Book of Mormon . These might include memorizing a short portion of the JS story , memorizing the scripture that sent him to the grove to pray, or learning more about our current prophet. Commit everyone to do one thing, no matter how small this week and report back next week.

Families with young children: Write a secret message to each child challenging them to do something from the lesson in the coming week (ex: draw a picture of the first vision). Wrap the note in foil and hide it in their treats before you bake them (cupcakes, cookies, muffins etc). They can eat the treat, find the challenge and choose when to complete it.

Teens and Senior Couples preparing to serve: do the activity on pg. 39 of PMGWrite an example of what YOU would feel comfortable saying when introducing someone to the Book of Mormon. Read the last two paragraphs in the introduction to the Book of Mormon and work together to explain the meaning of each concept in both paragraphs.