Joseph Smith Lesson 2 - The Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith: The Book of Mormon

By Deborah Pace Rowley

Story: Moroni and the Gold Plates

Tell the family that you want to tell a story but you are not sure how it goes. You wrote down a note to remind yourself about the story. It has to do with the Angel Moroni and Joseph Smith. Your note says this: 1 night-3 visits-2 tired-4 years. See if the family can figure out what any of these numbers or words mean and work together to tell the story about Joseph Smith and the Angel Moroni.  This is what the numbers mean: The Angel Moroni came to visit Joseph 1 night when he was in bed. He came 3 times that night and repeated the same message each time. The next day Joseph was 2 tired to work and he told his father about his experience. His father sent him home and the Angel Moroni appeared again. He asked Joseph to meet him each year for 4 years on the Hill Cumorah where the gold plates were buried. He received more instruction each time, then after four years he received the plates.

Activity: Translation Treasure Hunt

Once Joseph had the plates, he began to translate them from the reformed Egyptian language that the Nephites used to English. Tell the family they get to try a little bit of translating with a special treasure hunt. Prepare ahead by hiding a small box filled with candy in the washing machine. Make several copies of the Translation Treasure Hunt for the family. See the link below. Divide into two or three teams. Work together as a team to translate the three clues using the secret code. When you have the clues deciphered, run to find the treasure. Share the treat with the rest of the family.

Clue 1: Get Wet. Clue 2: Go in dirty, come out clean. Clue 3: Soapy Clothes.

Talk about what it was like to translate. Did you think you knew where the treasure was after one clue? Where you right? Did you need to translate all the clues to get the full picture? How did Joseph Smith translate the book of Mormon? Explain that Joseph used special stones to help him translate. They were called the Urim and Thumin. He didn’t have a code like we did to tell him how to translate each letter or picture. He needed to rely on the Holy Ghost to help him know what the words said.

Game: Book of Mormon Stories

When Joseph Smith was translating he read the same wonderful Book of Mormon stories that we know and love. He even read about himself in the scriptures. Read 2 Nephi 3:15. Who was the seer who had the same name as Joseph the ancient prophet? Joseph Smith. What was his father’s name? Joseph Smith Sr. What was the thing that he would bring forth by the power of the Lord that would bring salvation to his people? The Book of Mormon.

This is a game where you try to guess favorite Book of Mormon stories. Print out the Book of Mormon stories cards from the link below. To play this game, one person comes forward and draws a card. On the card is a Book of Mormon story. The person can say anything that that they want to help the family guess the correct story except for the forbidden words that are listed on the card. (This is similar to the game of Taboo.) You can’t say those four words or you are out and someone else gets to come up and draw a card. Continue to play until all the stories are guessed and all the cards have been used.

Game: Guard the Plates

Play this game as you would play “Capture the Flag”. Instead of having a flag at each end of the field for the opposing teams to capture, use two small boxes that you have wrapped in gold wrapping paper. These are the golden plates for each team to guard. After Joseph Smith was given the plates by Moroni, he had to guard the plates with his life. He was shot at and his home was broken into by wicked men trying to steal the plates. At different times Joseph hid the plates in a barrel, under the floor boards of his house, and in a hollowed out log in order to keep them safe. The team that is able to successfully keep their plates from being stolen is the winner.

Testimony:

Ask the family to share their testimonies of the Book of Mormon and their gratitude to Joseph Smith for bringing us this sacred record.

Treat: Build your own gold plates

For refreshments you can have the children build their own gold plates by stacking 4 graham cracker squares on top of each other with yellow frosting in the middle of each layer and on top. Then bite a pretzel in half (you don’t need the knot in the middle or the side in your mouth). This should make a C-shaped ring that you can stick onto the side of your plates with frosting. 

Print a copy of the Translation Treasure Hunt HERE.
Print a copy of the Book of Mormon Stories cards HERE.

Jesus Christ Lesson 5 - The Atonement

Jesus Christ: The Atonement

By:

Deborah Pace Rowley

Object Lesson: Trapped in Sin

Before the lesson, find a large box that a family member can stand in. If you can’t find a big box, a large laundry basket would also work for this activity. Also buy all the necessary ingredients for ice cream sundaes. As the lesson begins, explain that sin is like a trap that prevents us from growing. Sin keeps us from being happy and receiving the blessings that Heavenly Father has for us. Have one family member stand in the box that has been labeled sin. Tell them they can’t get out of the box. Invite the other family members to join you in the kitchen where you proceed to get out all the toppings for ice cream sundaes. When the child in the box starts to complain, explain that they can’t enjoy the treats with the rest of the family because they are trapped by sin. You don’t need to actually eat the ice cream sundaes right now. Save the sundaes until the end of the lesson, but make a big enough deal out of “pretending to eat” that the person in the box feels the pain of their predicament.

Visual Aid: Sweet Rewards

Show the picture of the ice cream sundae that is available at the end of this lesson. Ask the person in the box how they felt thinking that they were going to miss out on the ice cream sundaes. Wouldn’t it be much worse missing out on all of Heavenly Father’s blessings? Do you know that someone made it possible for us to get out of the box after we have sinned? Who is that person? Jesus Christ. As a family label each part of the ice cream sundae with one of the blessings or rewards that we have been promised from our Heavenly Father.  These could include: the celestial kingdom, happiness, eternal life, peace, living with the Father and Son again, eternal families, treasures of knowledge, the gift of the Holy Ghost, all that the Father has etc. After you have labeled each part, ask how we are able to enjoy these rewards when we have all committed sin. Write the words Repentance on a spoon beside the bowl. We are able to enjoy these delicious rewards because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Jesus sacrificed and died for us.  His atonement releases us from the trap of sin if we will just repent.

Scripture Story: Alma the Younger

Make some visual aids with the family to illustrate the scripture story of Alma the Younger. Give each family member a piece of paper, some markers or crayons and one of the word strips below. Each person then illustrates their page to go along with that part of the story. Depending upon the size of your family, you may need to have each person illustrate more than one page. When each person has completed their illustrations, you can tell the story of Alma the Younger. You can either ask family members to hold up their page when you come to their part, or you can tape all of the pictures together and create a roller-box TV according to the instructions below.

Roller-Box TV:

If you decide to create a roller-box TV, you will need to gather a box, some rods and tape.

1.     Cut a square in the side of a large box or carton. The opening should be slightly smaller than the 8 ½ x 11 pictures to be displayed.

2.     Cut two rods about six inches longer than the width of the box. You might use dowel rods, an old broom handle, wrapping paper tubes or sticks broken off a tree in your yard.

3.     Cut two holes for the rods at the top and bottom of each side of the box.

4.     Insert the rods through the holes.

5.     Tape the ends of the pictures together in the proper sequence so they form a single scroll of paper.

6.     Tape the last picture on the scroll to the rod on the right hand side of the T.V. Roll up all the pictures around this rod and then tape the first picture to the rod on the left hand side of the T.V.

7.     Mom or Dad can be the narrator and read the word strips in order as they scroll through the pictures on the “screen”.

Word Strips:

Even though his father was the prophet, Alma the younger and his friends spent their time causing trouble and seeking to destroy the church of God.

Alma’s father prayed and fasted for many days that his son would be humbled and recognize his sins.

One day, an angel appeared to Alma the Younger and his friends. The angel spoke to them and his voice shook the earth.

Alma the Younger fell to the ground because he was so afraid of the power of God.

For three days and night, he lay on a bed as if he were dead.

Even though Alma could not move or speak, he could think. All he could think about was the terrible things he had done. He was tormented with guilt and pain because of his sins.

 Then Alma remembered Jesus Christ. In his mind, he called out to the Savior and began to repent. Instantly, his pain was gone and he felt joy and peace because of the Atonement.

He stood up and began to teach the people about repentance and the love the Savior has for us. He became a powerful missionary and a great example of the rest of his life.

Liken the Scriptures:

Read the family the following verses where Alma describes the difference between these two feelings to his son Helaman. First he describes the pain of sin and then he describes the joy of repentance. Alma 36: 13-21.

Song: I Stand All Amazed

Have the family lie on their backs on the living room floor and turn off the lights. Then play a recording of the song “I Stand All Amazed.” This is available at LDS.org. If you are musical, you can sing this song quietly to your children. Have them listen carefully to the words as the song plays and think about their feelings for the Savior.

Testimony:

Ask family members to share their gratitude for repentance and the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Treat: Ice cream Sundaes

Invite all the family into the kitchen to eat the ice cream sundaes. Remind the family that all the sweet blessings of our Heavenly Father are available to us if we repent because of Jesus Christ. 

Click on the items below to download.

Jesus Christ Lesson 5 - The Atonement Lesson Plan

Ice Cream Sundae Picture

Alma The Younger Word Strips