This week we step back to the early years of Joseph Smith's life. He started out in the most humble of circumstances with trials and challenges. He was shaped by the experiences of his youth. We hope this study of the early life of Joseph Smith Jr., the prophet, will enhance the study of D&C 2.
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➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 K A R A O K E V I D E O : "Praise to the Man"
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N
As for two volunteers to do a stick pull! Participants sit on the floor across from one another. Each person’s feet should be against their opponent’s feet. Each person holds onto the stick and tries to pull the other person off the ground by pulling on the stick.
Invite others to play until everyone who wants to play has had an opportunity.
Now ask the following questions:
1) Can you guess who liked to play this game? (Joseph Smith.)
2) Can you guess who the champion stick puller of Hancock County, Illinois was in 1843? (Joseph Smith.)
Explain: God called Joseph Smith to be a Prophet. God prepared and guided Joseph throughout his life. Today, we are going to learn about the life of Joseph Smith and some of the things that God did for Joseph to prepare him for his calling.
🎥 V I D E O : "My Servant Joseph | Animated Come Follow Me Lesson for Kids"
Say: “Now we are going to watch a video about Joseph Smith. See how many things you can remember about his life.”
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) How many kids were in Joseph Smith’s family? (Eleven.)
2) What lessons do you think Joseph learned from his brothers and sisters? (Discuss.)
3) What were some of the jobs the kids had to help with on the farm? (Chores, building fences, harvesting maple syrup.)
4) What lessons do you think Joseph learned from working on the farm? (Discuss.)
5) What happened to Joseph's leg when he was seven years old? (It became infected, and he had to endure a painful surgery to save his leg. He had to use crutches for the next 3 years.)
6) What do you think Joseph learned from this experience? (Discuss.)
7) What book did Joseph use to practice reading? (The family copy of the bible.)
8) What do you think Joseph learned from studying the bible? (Discuss.)
9) Think about what you and your family have experienced over the last year. What are some lessons you can learn from your experiences? (Discuss.)
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the following scriptures and discuss the questions that follow.
10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
1) What was Joseph trying to do? (He was trying to decide what church to join.)
2) What was the “war of words and tumult of opinions” about? (Religion and who was right.)
3) Did Joseph know what to do? (No.)
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
1) Was it easy for him to solve this problem? Or extremely difficult? (Extremely difficult.)
2) Can you think of anything in your life that is causing extreme difficulty for you right now? (Discuss.)
3) What was Joseph Smith reading while he was facing this difficult challenge? (The bible.)
4) What did the scriptures teach Joseph? (That he could ask God for help with his problem.)
5) Do you think this scripture is for us too? Can we ask God for help when we have a difficult problem? (Yes!)
125 I give unto you my servant Joseph to be a presiding elder over all my church, to be a translator, a revelator, a seer, and prophet.
1) What are some of the things that God called Joseph Smith to fo? (Be a presiding elder, a translator, a revelator, and a prophet.)
➤ A C T I V I T Y
Invite the children to color the Joseph Smith Coloring Page. Use this time to talk about how God prepared Joseph Smith for his calling, and how we can learn and grow from our experiences.
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
'Come, Follow Me' is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.