Youth Lesson - How can I teach others how to do family history work?

Invite the youth to share experiences they have had applying something they learned in a previous lesson.
Invite the youth to share experiences in which they have helped someone learn how to use technology (such as a computer, a cell phone, or a similar device).

Have one of the youth show the rest of the class how to use FamilySearch Tree.  Have one of the youth show the rest of the class how to use FamilySearch Indexing.  Show the youth how to use Puzzilla.

Show the youth the list of titles of the videos in the “Serve” section of the Youth and Family History website. Ask them to select one they would like to watch to learn how to help others do family history work. Watch the video as a class, and ask the youth to think of people they could help in the ways described in the video. Encourage them to make plans to help these people and discuss their plans as a class.

Youth Lesson - Why is it important to learn about my family history?

What did we talk about last week in class?  Or even something that stood out from some of the other lessons that you found useful.

Do you have any questions from your personal study or anything you would like to share?
 
Why is it important to learn about your family history?

Family History is so important that the Church puts a lot of time and money into family history research. It also puts a lot of focus on us doing our family history work.

For example:

There is a world wide indexing event going on right now that started Friday and goes all this week.

The Church would like to break the record for the number of indexers indexing in a week.  The previous record was 91,721.  They would like to get 100,000 volunteers this week. It's not about doing a ton of names or batches. This is about the number of people doing anything on indexing.

How many of you are doing indexing?

Another push the church is doing is Elder Anderson's temple challenge. Do you remember what he challenged the youth to do?

The challenge is to prepare as many names for the temple as baptisms you perform in the temple, and help someone else to do the same.

Accomplish the Challenge

FIND: Find a Name to Take to the Temple

TAKE: Complete Temple Ordinances for Your Ancestor

Share the Challenge

TEACH: Share your experience with friends and family.

So why is it so important to learn about your family history, your ancestors?

John 3:5

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

If there was not a way prepared, then those that died without baptism would not be able to enter the kingdom of God.

1 Peter. 3:18-20

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Those that don't have the gospel and have not been baptized by someone authorized by God are stuck and can't progress when they die, like being in prison. When Christ died he went and preached to those spirits that were stuck like that. We have the opportunity to be baptized for those spirits, so they can choose if they want to accept baptism and be prepared for the resurrection.

1 Peter 4:6

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Everyone must be given the chance to choose to accept what Jesus has given them.

We've talked about before that everyone has certain apostles they really like to listen to. I like to listen to Elder Oaks because he is forceful and direct. Some like Elder Holland and president Uchtdorf for similar reasons and because he is funny.

Elder Scott is the exact opposite for me. It is really hard for me to listen to him speak. What I have found though is that he usually has very powerful and useful things to say.  So don't give up on speakers that are hard for you to listen to. Maybe they don't say it the way you like. Maybe their voice bugs you. Maybe they put you to sleep. Just know there are those whose style don't work for us, who have great things in their talks if we hang in there with them.

Elder Scott in October 2012 general conference said, "This glorious doctrine [of baptism for the dead] is another witness of the all-encompassing nature of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

It is amazing to me as I study how much was done through the atonement. On the surface I think the atonement is he allowed for us to be resurrected and to repent, which is huge by itself. Then I remember that part of the atonement is opening spirit prison to allow for preaching the gospel to the dead. Additionally the atonement allows temple work to be done for those who accept the gospel there. The more you peel the layers of the atonement, there is so much more to it at every turn.

Elder Bednar said this "Many of you may think family history work is to be performed primarily by older people. But I know of no age limit described in the scriptures or guidelines announced by Church leaders restricting this important service to mature adults. You are sons and daughters of God, children of the covenant, and builders of the kingdom. You need not wait until you reach an arbitrary age to fulfill your responsibility to assist in the work of salvation for the human family."

We watched a couple of videos from the lesson.

When I was a youth they talked to us about us being a chosen generation and like the army of Helaman. Now today the Lord says the same to you as well, except that he is mobilizing your army in greater strength and with more powerful tools to fight adversary.

He had raised the bar on what is expected of young people. He has lowered the missionary age. He has brought forth amazing technologies in our homes and in our pockets. This truly is your day to do a marvelous work.

As Elder Bednar said that it use to be older people being experts on Genealogy. Today the tools are so advanced that many older people don't know how to do genealogy as well. You are the ones that know how to collaborate on social media and to use search engines like Google to find information about your and others ancestors. You know how to use computers to pull information out of documents and enter them to be searchable to the world through indexing.

Help the kids make pedigree charts.

Youth Lesson - How can I prepare to receive temple ordinances?

What did we talk about last week?

Is there anything you would like to share from your gospel studies this week?

How can I prepare to receive temple ordinances?

Show the kids some temple cards and have them notice the ordinances.

Go through the ordinances as described in:

Preparing to Enter the House of the Lord, ensign July 2015

The same article is in the New Era. Have the kids read from the New Era.

Youth Lesson - What spiritual truths can I learn from the ordinances of the gospel?

What did we learn about last week?

What did you learn about in your personal study this week?

Here's some questions I thought of while studying this week: Is it possible to have joy and sadness at the same time? Is it possible to have joy while in pain?

The dictionary defines joy as:

The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation:

Is it possible to have joy and sadness at the same time? Is it possible to have joy while in pain?

From last general conference Elder José A. Teixeira said,

“Brothers and sisters, today more than in any other time, we have at our disposal exceptional opportunities and resources to deepen our understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement. Using these resources appropriately will help us live a fruitful life filled with joy.”

“The more we understand the extraordinary role of Christ in our lives, the more conscious we become of our purpose here in mortality, which is to have joy. That joy, however, does not preclude us from experiencing trials and difficulties, even some so great and complex that they may lead us to think that happiness is not possible in such circumstances.”

Perhaps that underlying joy get covered up a little, but it keeps us from hiring bottom or falling into despair, depression, or hopelessness. Perhaps faith, hope and joy feed each other and keep each other alive within us as we go through trials. Perhaps we build our faith which give us how, which gives us joy which gives us desire to obtain more faith. What do you think?

Have you had any gospel discussions this week with friends or family you would like to share?
 
What spiritual truths can I learn from the ordinances of the gospel?

From the manual :

"Ordinances are sacred, formal acts performed under priesthood authority. Ordinances symbolize gospel truths and teach us about Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Ordinances also teach us about who we are and remind us of our duty to God. Learning about the symbolism in the ordinances helps us understand the gospel more completely and strengthens our faith in Jesus Christ."

Let's break down what they are talking about here.

How do ordinances teach us about gospel truths?

What are some examples of ordinances that teach us gospel truths?

How do ordinances teach you about who you are?

How do ordinances remind you of your duty to God?

Let's talk about some of the ordinances and what they tell us about these things.

Sacrament Ordinance

Luke 22:19-20

19 ¶And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

That was a quick summary of the Sacrament. He gives the bread, which is a symbol of him body and we eat to remember him. He gives the cup of wine as a symbol of his blood which was shed for us. He calls it a new testament.

Do any of you have thoughts on this scripture?

3 Nephi 18:1-11

1 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
2 And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.
3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat.
4 And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.
5 And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.
6 And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.
7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

Who knows where the Sacrament prayers are in the scriptures?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:77,79

So going back to the questions about ordinances, let's apply them specifically to baptism.

How does not Sacrament teach us about gospel truths?

How does the Sacrament teach you about who you are?

How does the Sacrament remind you of your duty to God?

Baptism covenant

Mosiah 18:8-10

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37

37 And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

Youth Lesson - How can using scripture study skills help me learn more about the priesthood? 28 June 2015

Have you learned anything this week in your personal studies?

Have you had any gospel conversations with friends or families that were interesting that you would like to share?

How can using scripture study skills help me learn more about the priesthood?

We have spent the last month studying about priesthood. Why have we spent so much time talking about something that only boys hold to a class that also had girls in it?  Why is this relevant to you young women..

You will be choosing a man whose name you will take. When you take his name, that signifies that you trust him to behave in way that keeps that name honorable.

The priesthood is to help him to keep that name honorable.  Learning about and using the priesthood teach men in ways very specific to them and uses their attributes of being a man.

You need to know how to help them to be their best in the priesthood and you need them to understand their duties in the priesthood to know how to help you be your best in motherhood, which is all women.

As we think about this let’s consider Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother’s roles in the universe.

Why is the universe governed by our Heavenly Father? Why do the scriptures not say more about Heavenly Mother who is the Queen of the universe?

Let's read the part of the family proclamation to learn the role of a fathers and husbands.

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

How does the world speak of women? Have you girls noticed how the world often treats women? How do you feel about that?

How does the world speak about God?

How would the world speak of a woman God if they knew about her?

Based on what we learned about the role of a father or husband why would Heavenly Father keep Mother hidden from being written much about our taught much about?  A father is to preside, provide, and protect.

He keeps Her hidden because She is critically important and sacred.  Her job is to nurture and His job is to provide for her and to protect her so she can do her job.

I program computers we write what is called computer code or instructions to the computer to tell it how to do stuff.  We protect that code because we do not want it altered or stolen and we do not want bad things done with our code. We protect that code through a big word called obfuscation. Which means to hide it or make it unrecognizable to others. If they do not know it is there or how to read it then they can't mess with it.

Is that code working and doing powerful stuff? Yes. Is it vital for the computer to work properly? Yes. But it is hidden.

I think Father has obfuscated mother from our view because she is that important.

Is she working and doing powerful things? Absolutely. Is She vitally important for things to work properly. Knowing the importance of earthly mothers I would say with certainty that Her role in our salvation is huge.

When I was a kid and onto when I was a teen I could sass my dad and I would likely get some level of trouble from my dad, but sometimes he would let it slide, but any trouble I got was nothing like he would give me if I sassed my mom.  And if I called my mom a disrespectful name, then I could be sure that my life was about to change in drastic ways.  This was because he would protect her from anything.

Let's read from the beginning of the lesson:

"One of the best ways to learn about the priesthood is to study the scriptures. Studying the scriptures involves more than just reading. In order to understand scriptures that teach about the priesthood, we can learn and apply scripture study skills such as defining difficult words and using footnotes and other study aids."

We learn about the priesthood through what is in the scriptures, but also by what is not in the scriptures. We do not hear about heavenly Mother in the scriptures. Why is that? I believe that is because women are sacred and they have a great work on earth and in the eternities that gets minimized and ridiculed by the world, so I think Father guards Mother against that.

I also believe the priesthood is primarily here to clear the way for mothers or the relief society to do their work.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:8

8 Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.

Part of keeping order is that we have priesthood and motherhood.

The Lord gives us the scriptures to show us how things should be in order so that we can refer back to them as we fulfill our roles with the priesthood. That we might understand those roles . The Lord wants us to know how things work, so we can do things the way they work so we can be happy.

Bible Dictionary Melchizedek Priesthood

Let's read the entry in the Bible Dictionary and all the scriptures listed so we can see what the scriptures say about the priesthood.

D&C 42:11

“Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by someone who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church”

Priesthood holders are to take the lead in their home. They are reasonable to call people together for prayer and Family home evening. Why not mom? Because she had her own responsibilities. She had been monitoring the welfare of the children all day and learning about their needs to council with the father in what the family needs.

Because of the way men were created for their responsibilities in life the Lord knew they would need the additional responsibility of leading their home to remind them the importance of home and family.

It is important that young women learn about the priesthood, because they have the responsibility of choosing who the man to lead her family in righteousness. When you take a man's lady name you are saying that you trust that his name is a name of honor and righteousness. That having his name as your name will never bring you shame.

Let's read some from Larry M Gibson, Fatherhood—Our Eternal Destiny during last general conference where he breaks down Doctrine and Covenants 20 and he talks about how Aaronic Priesthood holders can apply it to their lives.

“Invite all [of your family] to come unto Christ” (verse 59).

“Watch over [them] always, and be with and strengthen them” (verse 53).

“Preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize” members of your family (verse 46).

“Exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties” (verse 47).

“See that there is no iniquity in [your family], neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking” (verse 54).

“See that [your family meets] together often” (verse 55).

Assist your father in his duties as patriarch. Support your mother with priesthood strength when a father is not present (see verses 52, 56).

When asked, “ordain other priests, teachers, and deacons” in your family (verse 48).

Youth Lesson - How can I participate effectively in councils in the Church?

What did we talk about last week?

Have you learned anything in your personal gospel study that you would like to share?

Have you have any gospel conversations with friends or family that you found interesting?

Today we are going to talk about:
How can I participate effectively in councils in the Church?

The Lord’s Church is governed through councils. Under the direction of priesthood leadership, leaders counsel together for the benefit of individuals, families, and the Church. Effective councils invite full expression from all council members, who seek to be united and guided by the Holy Ghost to build the kingdom of God. Learning how revelation is received in councils can help us participate effectively in council meetings, including presidency meetings, bishopric youth committee meetings, and family councils.

What councils have the youth participated in (for example, class and quorum presidencies or the bishopric youth committee)? How well do the youth understand the purposes of councils?

Ask the youth how those worked.

In my old ward I was on the ward council for a while.

We would talk about how to help those in our ward. Our ward, not as a group of church members, but as everyone in our ward boundaries.

Without giving confidential information about things that were discussed in your counsels, are there things you would like to share about the benefits you saw when working on a counsel?

Often things we talk about in counsels are sacred, so just like other sacred things we are careful what we share. How are things in counsels sacred?

Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Have you ever heard this scripture before? What are they usually talking about when they give this scripture?

Often I have heard people talk about why we go to church, but does this apply to counsels and how?

Here's another scripture that is usually use when talking about the importance of going to church.

Moroni 6:5

5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

Think about this in the context of meeting together in counsels.

Why would it be less effective if one person made all of the decisions without counseling with others?

Even though we may be doing good things and avoiding bad things, do we still get caught up in our own way of thinking or how we think something should be done?

Have you ever had your mind on something and someone says something that really makes you think about something different?  Have you had an experience like that which you would like to share?

Counsels are like that. We bring together people that have different life experiences, which cause them to see things from a different perspective. Taking together helps us perhaps to see more.

Have your ever seen one of those pictures that are zoomed way in and it is hard to determine what the picture is? Then you zoom out a bit and the picture make more sense. When we meet in counsels it helps us is to see what we think we see another way and often it makes more sense.

In many ways the way we do teaching youth classes in the Church is a lot like a counsel. We all reason things out together through the input of all of us.

Jesus often taught by asking questions and having his students participate in thinking about issues and taking the issue or question out.

Luke 10:25-28

25 ¶And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Is there anything you have thought about as we have talked that you would like to use when you participate in a counsel next?

Youth Lesson - How does reverence help me receive revelation?

What have you learned in your personal gospel study this week?

Have you had any gospel conversations with friends or family that you would like to share?

Did you all hear that Elder Perry died.

Did you all go to stake conference a couple weeks ago? What did they talk about in stake conference?

Here are a few things I heard:

They asked the question, "When was the last time you knelt in prayer and asked your father in heaven what he would like you to understand in your patriarchal blessing?"

Have any of you received your patriarchal blessings? What is a patriarchal blessing?

They quoted Bishop Gary E Stevenson, in his April 2014 talk Your Four Minutes

"I express my utmost confidence in your abilities. You have the Savior of the world on your side. If you seek His help and follow His directions, how can you fail?"

The Layton stakes are being shifted from the Ogden temple district to the Bountiful temple district. How do you guys feel about that.

We are going to talk about, "How does reverence help me receive revelation?"

What is reverence?

Psalms 46:10

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Part of reverence is being still. Is there more to being still than just folding your arms and keeping your mouth quiet?

With that in mind, think again about "be still... And know that I am God."

Does anyone have the Come Follow Me manual on your device? Have you been to the Come Follow Me web site to see all the things they have there on gospel topics to help youth figure out gospel stuff?

Could someone read the quote on reverence fun the manual?

"When we are reverent, we show our love for God and are better able to receive personal revelation. A reverent attitude helps make us more sensitive to the still, small voice of the Spirit. If we treat sacred things with reverence, Heavenly Father will trust us and reveal to us additional truths."

Why would Heavenly Father wait for us to show reverence for what he has given us before giving us more?

Let's say a parent gives a child a knife when they are old enough and the parent had explained what a knife is, what it does and the consequences of not being careful with it. What if that child starts swinging it around and not respecting that they are holding a knife? Will the parent trust the child with an ax or a gun or even a crystal vase?

These are all things one should be careful with. The parent will likely not only not trust them with other dangerous or fragile things, but the parent will likely take back the thing the kid was entrusted with in the first place.

When we are playing with toys we perhaps can be somewhat casual, but when we are given a knife things just got serious, right?

The same is true of the gospel. We can be joking about video games or movies, but when someone brings up Jesus, things just got serious.  We are much more reverent when the topic of Jesus or other sacred things are brought up.

Give reverence to sacred things

Reverence can mean to hold something sacred.  We give reverence to the temple, the sacrament, and the Savior because these are things that we hold sacred.  Do you have anything else that you hold sacred?

Dnc 63:64

64 Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit; and in this there is no condemnation, and ye receive the Spirit through prayer; wherefore, without this there remaineth condemnation.

Things that come from above must be spoken with  care. What does that mean?

The scripture also says to speak of sacred things by constraint of the spirit. What does that mean?

Some things we only talk about when the spirit tells us to.   What are examples of some sacred things the Lord might ask you not to speak of except when told to by the Spirit.

Things like visions or words of blessings (like patriarchal blessings or guidance received when ordained to a calling).   What about our sins and our repentance process?  Is that sacred? Kind of weird to think of our sins as sacred isn't it?

Nephi was constrained not to write about John's revelation because it was John's calling.

So that is a little about what reverence is, but how can reverence help us receive revelation? What do you think?

Elder Oaks in last general conference had this to say about having reverence for the Sacrament :

"If the emblems of the sacrament are being passed and you are texting or whispering or playing video games or doing anything else to deny yourself essential spiritual food, you are severing your spiritual roots."

When we are irreverent when we ought to be paying close attention we are disconnecting from the spirit. What is critical to receiving revelation?... The spirit or the Holy Ghost, right?

So reverence helps us lock into the Holy Ghost and prepare to receive revelation.

Have any of you have experienced receiving inspiration from the Holy Ghost when you have been reverent that you would like to share?

Look up  reverence and revelation in true to the Faith and have class read.