Joseph Smith Lesson 6-Martyrdom

Joseph Smith: Martyrdom

By: Deborah Pace Rowley

Game: Emotions

This lesson is about the day that Joseph Smith died. It was a very sad day for his family and for the early Saints. They must have felt many different emotions, from anger to loneliness to fear and discouragement. This game will illustrate all the different emotions we feel. Copy and cut out the emotions cards below. To play, one member of the family will draw an emotion card. Then they will stand in front of the family and try to display that emotion on his or her face while everyone else guesses. When the correct emotion is chosen, another member of the family draws a card. Continue to play until all the cards are gone.

Liken the Scriptures: The Death of the Prophet

John Taylor was with Joseph Smith when he died in Carthage Jail and he recorded the events and some of the emotions that Joseph felt. Joseph and Hyrum had been falsely accused and ordered by wicked men to turn themselves in at Carthage Jail. The two brothers went willingly even though they knew that they were innocent and had been told by Holy Ghost that they wouldn’t come home alive. Read Doctrine Section 135 verses 4-5. How did Joseph feel? How would you have felt if you had been in Joseph’s place? Now read what happened at Carthage Jail in Section 135 verses 1 and 2. How do you think Joseph felt before his death? Why did Joseph feel so calm and peaceful? Imagine you lived in Nauvoo on the day that the messenger raced into town on a horse with the message that Joseph Smith had been killed. How would you feel if you thought that this meant the evil men had won and the church was now going to be destroyed? How would you feel if you knew that this was part of God’s plan and that the church would be strengthened because Joseph sealed his testimony with his blood?

Role Play: Reaction

Losing someone to death and other difficult experiences we will face in this life will not be so hard for us if we have an eternal perspective. Have the family show the emotions they would be feelings on their faces if they experienced these situations below. How would you feel if a family member died and you thought you would never see them again? How would you feel if a family member died and you knew you had been sealed and would be with them forever in the next life?
How would you feel if you were very sick and you felt like there was no reason for your suffering? How would you feel if you were very sick and you knew that there was a purpose because God was using this experience to help you become more like Him? How would you feel if you were a spirit in heaven greeting the Prophet Joseph after his death? How would you feel if you were Joseph and Hyrum entering heaven?

Joseph’s death was part of Heavenly Father’s plan. It was not the end of Joseph Smith or the end of God’s church. Read Doctrine and Covenants Section 135:6.

Activity: Quote Hunt

Joseph Smith was one of the greatest men to have ever lived. In just forty-four years he accomplished more than any other man accomplished in a lifetime. For this last activity, have the family find several quotes about Joseph and his life. Copy and cut apart the quotes at the end of this lesson. Prepare ahead by hiding the quotes in the following places.

Obscure Boy- in the refrigerator

Has done more- Under the kitchen table

I have learned for myself- Under the couch cushions

During family home evening help the family find the quotes about Joseph Smith that are hidden around the room by giving them the following clues.

Clue #1

In a place that stores things you’ll find this first clue.

 It isn’t your closet, inside of your shoes.

It isn’t the cupboards, where plates like to hide.

It isn’t the pantry, where snacks can be tried.

It isn’t the shed, where tools can be found.

It’s in the cold place, where food does abound.

When the family has found this clue, lay it out for everyone to see. Read it aloud and have the family discuss it. Why does Joseph say he was an obscure boy? What does obscure mean? Was he obscure because he was so poor and lived in such a small backwoods town? Maybe he felt that he was obscure because he didn’t have a fancy education and he didn’t know any important people. Do you feel obscure some time? After discussing this quote, have the family look for the second quote using this clue.

Clue #2

This place gathers people who like what is there.

It isn’t the office with Dad’s comfy chair.

It isn’t the bedroom with beds to sleep in.

It isn’t the play room with games to begin.

It isn’t the room with the Wii or T.V.

So where could this place possibly be?
It’s a place that we sit three times a day

So we don’t get hungry or faint dead away.

When the family has found the second quote, read and discuss it together. John Taylor wrote this statement about Joseph Smith just after he was killed in the Carthage Jail. How did Joseph go from being an obscure boy to making such an enormous difference in the world? The answer to that question is found in the final quote.  Have the family look for quote #3 with the following clue:

Clue #3

This last place is tricky so listen with care.

Goldilocks didn’t see this hanging out at the Bears.

She never did break it or try it for good.

Baby Bear would’ve loved it if only she would.

It’s a safe place to be unless you’re a cat

And shed your long hair where Mother just sat.

It’s covered with fabric and soft as can be.

You’ll find its just right for our big family.

When you have found the last clue, lay it between Quote #1 and Quote #2. Joseph said this phrase to his mother just after his experience in the Sacred Grove. Joseph had learned for himself about God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.  He had gained his own knowledge and testimony of truth. This is the reason he was able to go from being an obscure boy to one who accomplished a great mission on this earth. Finding out the truth for himself and gaining his own testimony was necessary for his success. The same is true for each of us. We will be successful, accomplish our mission on this earth, and make a difference in the world if we can follow Joseph’s example and learn the truth for ourselves and learn to receive our own revelation.

Testimony:

Share your testimony and feelings about the Prophet Joseph Smith with your family. Express your knowledge that death isn’t the end and that we will continue to live after we die. 

Treat: Smiley Face Cookies

Make sugar cookies for family home evening then provide frosting and  other things so that family members can decorate the cookies with big smiley faces. Small tubes of decorator’s frosting, pieces of string licorice, mini M&M’s or other small candies make a great choice. As the family is decorating remind them that we can be happy if we keep an eternal perspective about life and death. 

Emotions Cards

Quote Hunt

Bonus Post - Easter Walk

by Tiffany Rudd

Of course I love all the books Deborah has written, but Easter Walk is definitely one of my favorites! Reading the book together and going on our own Easter Walk has become a special Easter tradition in our family. It is such a wonderful and memorable way to remind children, and parents, the reason we celebrate Easter. I hope it becomes a treasured tradition in your family too. You can purchase the book Easter Walk at Deseret Book and follow the instructions below to go on your own Easter Walk as a family. *You can use the code SPRINGSHIPPING at deseretbook.com to get free shipping on any in-stock order over $10 through April 6th! 

Walk around your neighborhood or go to a park or wooded area near your home.  You may want to carry a sack to hold your treasures. Read the following verses in the Bible and the Book of Mormon and have your children find items suggested by the scriptures. Discuss the significance of each item as you walk or after you arrive home. Bear testimony to your family of the truthfulness of the Atonement and the Resurrection. Share your feelings about the Savior. As you do this, your children will feel the Spirit and their testimonies will grow.

Scripture Clue 1: Mark 15:17

         Something pointed and sharp to represent the crown of thorns.

Scripture Clue 2: John 19:17-18

         Something made of wood to represent the cross.

Scripture Clue 3: Luke 23:46

         Something dead to represent the Savior’s death.

Scripture Clue 4: 3 Nephi 8:23

         Something dark to represent the darkness in Jerusalem and in
         America.

Scripture Clue 5: Mark 15:46

         Something hard and round to represent the stone placed in
         front of the tomb.

Scripture Clue 6: Matthew 28:5-6

         Something alive to represent that Jesus Christ is alive again. 

Excellence Night on the Treasure of Virtue

by Deborah Pace Rowley 

Each year, the young women in the LDS church hold an event called Excellence Night. The purpose of this event is to spotlight the goals the girls have accomplished during the year. This outline could be adapted for a youth group of another religious faith or even changed to become a special event for a Girl Scout troop. The theme for this evening was the Treasure of Virtue. We had decorated the room with different size treasure chests or “fancy boxes” and trunks we had collected from the homes in our neighborhood.  One chest was labeled Faith. Another chest was labeled Divine Nature etc. Each girl had placed an item in the appropriate chest that represented the goal that she had completed for the year. For example: One girl put in a pair of running shoes because she had accomplished her goal of running for the school cross country team.

At the beginning of the evening, we had several older young women sitting at the front. They had been assigned to read the story “The Treasure of Virtue.”  At certain places in the story, the reader would pause and we would have 3 or 4 girls come to the front and open a chest and tell about the goals that they had accomplished in that value. Then we would continue with the story. At the end of the evening we sent the girls on a treasure hunt. They went to various places around the church building, collecting clues which finally led them to a key and then a locked chest. When they opened the chest, they found their own special copy of the story and a key on the chain to remind them to treasure their virtue. It was a meaningful evening and a fun way to recognize the girls for what they had accomplished.  Feel free to use this story and adapt it to make your own special recognition night. 

The Gifts We Desire to Give Our Children Part III

by Deborah Rowley
Whew!! This is a long list of things that we want to give our children. Are there enough holidays between now and the day that they leave home? Parenting can be overwhelming. When ALL of this is done, when there are no more diapers to change, no more snotty noses to wipe, no more fingerprints to clean off the walls, what will I have accomplished? What will I have given to my children, I mean, besides a GAZILLION unappreciated hours of service and a huge chunk of my heart, mind, and soul.   

These last gifts have to do with the attitudes and character traits we want to model for our children. I don’t have to be perfect, but I can try to be the kind of person that I want my children to follow.   

13. The gift of service. We will give our children opportunities to serve others, in our own family and in our neighborhood so that they can learn the joy of acting unselfishly.   

14. The gift of identity. We will teach our children about their family history so that they can feel a connection to their ancestors and a strong tie to their grandparents. We will help them find positive role models to identify with.

15. The gift of optimism. We will model optimism and show our children how to look for the bright side in any situation. We will not complain or endlessly bemoan our fate in life.  

16.  The gift of goals. We will our children to set goals and give them support in fulfilling these goals so they can feel the pride of worthy accomplishment.    

17. The gift of gratitude. We will be grateful and try to express our thankfulness often. We will look for opportunities to count our blessings as a family and point out all the good things we have to our children.

18. The gift of forgiveness. We will be forgiving and patient when our children make mistakes. We will model how to forgive each other and our children so that they can learn to forgive themselves.    

Gifts We Desire to Give Our Children Part II

by Deborah Pace Rowley

Sometimes parenting feels like a slot machine. We keep putting in all our hard-earned coins and pulling all these handles and then we sit desperately hoping for a good outcome and judging our success or failure by how our kids behave. I don’t gamble but I still think that this perspective of parenting is flawed. We don’t have control of outcome, even if we wish we did. Our kids have the ability to choose. And their choices often make us look and feel bad. So if I can’t base my feelings of success or failure on their actions, what else is there? This is where the gifts come in. Lucky me! I am the giver and I am in control of all the things I give my children: both the tangible Christmas and birthday gifts and the intangible life lessons that I do my best to teach them. Of course, they can choose what they want to do with my gifts. But if I give these gifts will all my heart, I can be at peace.

These next six gifts are the gifts we felt our children would need to successfully LAUNCH and not live with dear old mom and dad FOR…ever.

7. The gift of meaningful relationships. We will give our children an example of a loving marriage, practice communicating respectfully and proper teaching about chastity and sex.

8. The gift of hard work. We will give our children the satisfaction of completing difficult tasks as well as teaching them skills in cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work and home and car maintenance.

9. The gift of healthy habits. We will provide nutritious food for our children and will participate in physical activity as a family. We will help our children understand the reasons to avoid drugs and alcohol.

10. The gift of learning. We will support our children in their school work and help them develop a love of reading by sharing with them the best books. 

11. The gift of talents. We know that God gave each of our children talents. We want to give them the encouragement, support, and resources to explore interests in sports, music, art and other areas of the child’s choice.

12. The gift of financial teaching. We want to prepare our children to handle money responsibly, with experience making decisions about money, budgeting, saving and distinguishing between wants and needs.  

Gifts We Desire To Give Our Children Part I

by Deborah Pace Rowley

Have you seen the movie The Ultimate Gift? A wealthy grandfather promises his inheritance to his grandson if he meets certain conditions. The purpose of each task is to teach this spoiled- rotten (but good-looking!) young man hard work, friendship, gratitude and other powerful principles that ultimately change his forever.

These lessons, much more than the insane amount of money he receives at the end, are the grandfather’s real legacy to his grandson.  Have you thought about what gifts you will leave your children? I don’t mean the gift of a trust fund (as if!) or Grandma Estella’s china or Grandma G.G.’s antique monkey. Take a look at him, I just know the kids are going to fight over him when I am gone!

So what life lessons or hard-earned truths do you want to pass on to your kids?

When our children were small, my husband and I created a list of 18 gifts we wanted to give our children. These first six gifts are spiritual in nature. These are the gifts we felt would help our children to find meaning and purpose in life.  They are listed first because they matter most to us. Our highest priority is giving these gifts to our children. Regardless of your faith tradition, what gifts do you desire to give your children MORE than anything else?

1. The gift of LOVE. We want our children to know that they are cherished for who they are without needing to perform or accomplish to earn their parents’ affection.

2. The gift of our testimonies of Jesus Christ. We desire to share this testimony by word and example so often that there is no question of our love and commitment to Him.

3. The gift of scripture. We are working to show our children the strength we find in the word of God and want to help them seek guidance and answers in its pages.

4. The gift of a home filled with the Spirit of God. We want our home to be a peaceful sanctuary where our children feel God’s love and are guided in recognizing His spirit in their own lives.

5. The gift of prayer. We hope our children will learn through our prayers as a family that God does hear us and helps us in times of crisis and distress.

6. The gift of repentance. We want our children to know that no matter what mistakes they make, they can be forgiven and healed through the atonement of Jesus Christ.