Lesson 16

We Can Show Our Faith by Being Obedient

Purpose

To help the children understand that they can show their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by obeying the commandments.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study the account of Lehi and his family in 1 Nephi 1–2.

2. Items or pictures of items that represent the belongings Lehi’s family had to choose from when preparing to go into the wilderness.

3. Prepare to sing or say the words to “Faith” (Children’s Songbook, p. 96).

4. Materials needed:

   1. A Book of Mormon.

   2. Picture 3-39, Lehi Prophesying to the People of Jerusalem (62517; Gospel Art Picture Kit 300); and picture 3-40, Lehi’s Family Leaving Jerusalem (62238; Gospel Art Picture Kit 301); and a picture of the current prophet.

   3. The CTR shield and ring.

5. Make the necessary preparations for any enrichment activities that you will be using.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Follow up with the children if you encouraged them to do something during the week.

Being Obedient Is a Way of Showing Faith

Attention activity

Sing or say the words to the song “Faith.” You can use the actions below for younger classes.

Faith is knowing the sun will rise, (arms form a half-circle over head)

Lighting each new day. (arms slowly drop to shoulder level)

Faith is knowing the Lord will hear (cup hands behind ears)

My prayers each time I pray. (place hands together as in prayer)

Faith is like a little seed: (cup left hand and pretend to plant a seed in it with right hand)

If planted, it will grow. (right hand imitates a plant growing from the cupped left hand)

Faith is a swelling within my heart. (place hands over heart)

When I do right, (point right index finger upward)

I know. (touch right index finger to head)

When Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ ask us to do something, it is called a commandment. When we obey the commandments, we show Heavenly Father and Jesus that we trust them. We know they love us and would never ask us to do anything that would hurt us. We show our faith when we obey.

Remind the children that believing in Heavenly Father and Jesus means that we have faith. Although we may not have seen them during our earthly lives, we have faith in the testimonies of others who have seen them. We also believe that the Holy Ghost is real and that he does not have a body of flesh and bones but is a personage of spirit in the form of a man.

Article of faith

Help the older children memorize the first article of faith. The younger children could repeat it with you and perhaps memorize part of it.

Lehi Showed His Faith by Being Obedient

Scripture story and picture

Explain that we are Heavenly Father’s children and can show that we have faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Lehi showed his faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus by being obedient.

Tell the following scripture story in your own words:

A long time ago, six hundred years before Jesus was born, a prophet named Lehi lived in Jerusalem with his family. Lehi’s wife was named Sariah. They had four sons named Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.

Lehi and his family were prosperous and comfortable. Lehi loved Heavenly Father and Jesus. He tried to teach his family to love them and obey their commandments.

Display picture 3-39, Lehi Prophesying to the People of Jerusalem.

At that time the people who lived in Jerusalem were very wicked. Lehi tried to teach them about Heavenly Father and Jesus and the commandments, but the people would not listen to him.

One day as Lehi was praying, he had a dream or vision. He saw many wonderful things. He also saw that Jerusalem would be destroyed unless the people repented. Lehi praised Heavenly Father because he knew that Heavenly Father wanted to warn the people of Jerusalem. Heavenly Father told him to tell the people about what he had seen. Lehi did as he was commanded. He told the people that Jerusalem would be destroyed unless they repented.

• What did Lehi see in his vision? (Many things, including the destruction of Jerusalem; see 1 Nephi 1:13.)

• How did Lehi feel after his vision? (He praised Heavenly Father; he was happy; see 1 Nephi 1:14–15.)

Telling the people to repent of their wickedness took courage. However, Lehi had faith that Heavenly Father would protect him, so Lehi did as he was commanded. The people would not listen to him and made fun of him and tried to kill him because they didn’t like hearing that they were wicked.

• What did Lehi do to show his faith in Heavenly Father? (He obeyed and told the people to repent; see 1 Nephi 1:4, 18.)

• What did the people do after Lehi told them to repent? (They made fun of him and wanted to kill him; see 1 Nephi 1:19–20.)

• How do you think Lehi felt when the people wouldn’t listen to him?

Scripture discussion

Some time later, Heavenly Father spoke to Lehi. Have the children listen for what he commanded Lehi to do. Read 1 Nephi 2:1–2.

• What did Heavenly Father command Lehi to do? (Leave Jerusalem and go into the wilderness.)

Explain that a wilderness is usually a place where no one lives and where there are no houses, buildings, or roads. Heavenly Father commanded Lehi and his family to leave everyone behind and go to a place where they would have to live by themselves.

• Why was Lehi commanded to take his family out of Jerusalem? (Wicked men were planning to kill Lehi, and the city was going to be destroyed.)

Ask the children to listen to what Lehi did; then read 1 Nephi 2:3–4.

• What did Lehi do? (He packed the things he needed to live in the wilderness and took his family out of Jerusalem.)

Scripture story and picture

Show picture 3-40, Lehi’s Family Leaving Jerusalem.

Although Lehi had lived in Jerusalem for a long time, he promptly obeyed the commandment to leave his home. Lehi and his family left their home, their land, most of their clothing, their gold and silver, and other belongings. They took only food, some clothing, tents, and other necessary items that they may have carried on camels or donkeys. Then they left and went into the wilderness.

Point out that it was not easy for Lehi to leave, but he was willing to obey this commandment.

• What did Lehi do that showed he had faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? (He was obedient. He warned the wicked people, and he left his home and belongings and went into the wilderness because he was commanded to do so.)

Discussion

Ask the children to pretend they are members of Lehi’s family.

Have them think about what they would take with them if they went into the wilderness. Have them tell you what they would want to take and what they would leave behind. You could show several items or pictures of items that represent what Lehi’s family had to choose from; for example, a ring might represent jewelry, a coin might mean money, an apple could stand for food. Have the children choose what Lehi’s family needed. Remind them that they could take only a few things.

Activity

Have the children decide what they would choose to take with them if they were going into the wilderness with Lehi. The first child then says, “If I were going into the wilderness with Lehi, I would take .” (The child would fill in the blank with whatever he has chosen to take.) The next child repeats what the first child said and then adds an additional item that he has chosen. Each succeeding child repeats all of the previous items and adds one of his own. Continue until each child (and the teacher) has had at least one turn.

• How do you think you would feel knowing that you wouldn’t see your friends and belongings again?

• How do you think Lehi’s family felt?

Obeying Heavenly Father by leaving Jerusalem took great faith. Lehi and his family received blessings because they were obedient.

When We Choose the Right, We Are Obedient

Role-play activity

Display the CTR shield and ring.

• What do the letters C T R stand for? (Choose the right.)

Tell the children that choosing the right means doing what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do.

Tell the following stories in your own words, and have the children role-play the situations.

1. On the way home you and some friends pass your neighbor’s yard. In the yard is a fruit tree covered with juicy fruit. Your friends want you to come with them and pick some of the fruit to eat. They say that there is so much fruit that a few pieces won’t be missed.

   • What would Heavenly Father and Jesus want you to do?

   Tell the children that when they choose the right, they are being obedient and are showing faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

2. You want to play with your favorite toy, but your brother has it.

   • What would Heavenly Father and Jesus want you to do?

   Explain that when we do what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do, we are choosing the right.

   If time permits, you can display the picture of the prophet and ask the children to name some things that he has asked us to do. Discuss how obeying these commandments can bring blessings.

Summary

Show the CTR shield and ring again and remind the children to always choose the right. When they choose the right, they are obeying. When they obey, they are showing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that they have faith in them.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

Enrichment Activities

Choose from the following activities those that will work best for your children. You can use them in the lesson itself or as a review or summary. For additional guidance, see “Class Time” in “Helps for the Teacher.”

1. Have a member of your ward or branch tell how obedience has helped him or her. A returned missionary, new convert, or someone who has recently been through the temple would be an appropriate choice. Obtain approval from your Primary president and priesthood leader before asking the individual to come to your class.

2. Gather several items that offer protection, such as shoes, hat, umbrella, and so on. Have enough items so every child in your class can participate. Ask the children, one at a time, to select an item and tell what kind of protection it gives (shoes protect feet, and so on). Tell the children that when we obey our parents and leaders, we are also protected. Talk about some rules and how they can be a protection.

3. Hold up your hands and show the children how you can move your fingers. Explain that you can move your own hands and fingers, but you can’t move another person’s fingers. Ask the children to hold up their hands, move their fingers, and open and close their hands. Help the children understand that when they tell their hands to choose the right, they are obeying.

4. Sing or say the second verse of “I Have Two Little Hands.”

   Kind Father, I thank thee for two little hands

   And ask thee to bless them till each understands

   That children can only be happy all day

   When two little hands have learned how to obey.

   (Children’s Songbook, p. 272)

5. Find all of the ways that we can choose the right that are included in the thirteenth article of faith. Involve the children in doing so. Have them count the ways, point to them, or repeat them. Encourage those children who can to memorize a phrase or two that is important to them.