Our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us. He is our creator, our Father, and our God. In His wisdom and foresight He has given us commandments to help us navigate our time on earth. As we trust that Him, and that his commandments are given to bless us and help us, we will find the joy and pace that comes from keeping them. This lesson is designed to help your children understand why we have commandments and that keeping commandments ultimately leads to happiness.
LESSON BUNDLE DOWNLOADS:
➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 O P E N I N G S O N G : "Choose the Right"
➤ P R E P A R A T I O N
Collect several hard cover books to use as dominoes! The more the better! You will also need a marker and two sheets of printer paper.
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N
Draw a happy face on one paper, and draw a sad face on the other paper. Stand the books on end to form two separate rows of “dominoes.” Place the happy face at the end of one row, and place the sad face at the end of the other row. Hint: The books will balance more easily if you open them slightly!
After you have set up the activity, point to the first book in the “happy” row and ask:
1) What do you think will happen if we tip over this book? (The books will knock each other over all the way to the happy face!)
Now, point to the first book in the “sad” row and ask:
1) What do you think will happen if we tip over this book? (The books will knock each other over all the way to the sad face!
Explain that when God gives us a commandment, we have a choice to make. Choosing to obey a commandment from Heavenly Father leads to happiness. Sometimes now, sometimes later. (Tip over the first book to start the chain reaction.)
Choosing not to obey a commandment from Heavenly Father leads to unhappiness. Sometimes now, sometimes later. (Tip over the first book in the other row to start the chain reaction.)
🎥 V I D E O : "Just Follow the Recipe | A Story About Obedience"
Say: “Now we are going to watch a video about a girl who is baking cookies with a recipe from a recipe book! Let’s watch and see if she decides to follow the recipe, or if she decides to ignore the recipe!”
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) . Did the girl choose to follow the recipe? (No!)
2) What happened when she didn’t follow the recipe? (The cookies didn’t turn out right!)
3) Why does Heavenly Father give us commandments? (He wants us to be happy, and He knows the recipe!)
4) What will happen if we follow the recipe? (We will be happy!)
5) Can you think of some things that Heavenly Father has commanded us to do? (Discuss.)
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the following scripture together and discuss the questions that follow.
And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
1) How can we obtain blessings from God? (By obedience to the laws He gives us.)
2) What do you think will happen if we choose not to obey God’s laws? (We will not receive the blessing.)
Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
1) Who is this scripture talking about? (Jesus Christ.)
2) Did Jesus Christ obey Heavenly Father’s Commandments? (Yes!)
And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
1) If we choose to keep the commandments, what will be the result? (We will be blessed in temporal and spiritual things, and we will be in a state of happiness!)
2) Who said this the truth? (The Lord God has spoken it!)
➤ A C T I V I T Y
Pass out the coloring page.
Invite children to color the scene from the video. Use this time to talk about loving and serving others.
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
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