Mini Lesson on Faith
 by Cara Barker

Show picture of Prophet.
Q: Who is this?
A: Prophet.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can see it

Close eyes. Clap hands.
Q: What is this?
A: Clapping hands.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can hear it.

Blindfold a girl. Give her a handful of pennies.
Q: What is this?
A: Pennies.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can feel it

Blindfold a girl. Put vinegar under her nose.
Q: What is this?
A: Vinegar.
Q: How do you know?
A: Smell

Show salt shaker. Blindfold a girl. Have her taste.
Q: What is this?
A: Sugar.
Q: How do you know?
A. Taste

Show picture of Christ.
Q: Who is this?
A: Christ.
Q: How do you know?
A: Faith
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There are 2 kinds of faith. Those who have some faith, but the roots are real shallow (like, you know its true, but still rely on others faith). Then those that are firmly planted and are confident .. The 1st kind can be compared to a tomato plant. Even though the plant is beautiful when the sun is shining and it is warm, as soon as cold weather or "adversity" comes, the plant withers and dies. The 2nd kind is like a carrot plant. The plant is puny, but the roots are deep. They have many fine hair-like roots to help anchor the plant firmly in the ground (gospel, faith in Christ). When cold "adversity" comes the plant appears to die. But the fruit of the plant is buried deep within and is firmly anchored, and does not die.

Lets compare our faith to planting a seed. How do we develop our faith so we are like the carrot and not the tomato?

Ground/dirt (prepared, proper dirt, not mud) = Gospel/ Jesus Christ
Seed = you
Fertilizer, water, sun = scriptures, church, prayer.

Who in here trusts me? Who knows that no matter what I asked you to do you would do it because you trust me, and you know that I would never do anything to hurt any of you? And the reason I am asking is because I have a good reason? Do you have faith in me? (Pick someone)

"OK, I need you to eat a spoonful of dirt and swallow it, but don't say anything yet" (Blend graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers and oatmeal. Makes a nice looking dirt) You said you had faith in me, you trusted me!

Many times in mortality it would appear that Heavenly Father and/or Jesus Christ wants us to eat dirt. Life just isn't going the way we want it. But if we have faith in them, if we have a supreme trust in them, then we will do what is asked, whether we think we will like it or not. Often times, we will find that those things we perceived as being dirt were really something wonderful in disguise.

What is printed on the face of a penny? In god we trust. Do you trust him, do you have faith in him?

We need to have faith in Christ because he is here to show us the way.

(This is one of those puzzles that has 6 lines. "Trace each line only once w/o lifting your pencil" type thing) Let them try it on their own. Then have someone come up and do it on the board while the others follow along on their copy. Puzzle (1-2,2-3,3-4,4-5,5-6,6-4,4-1,1-6,6-2,2-5,5-1) Wasn't the puzzle easier to do after we were shown the way to complete it? Have faith to follow him.

He is also our anchor. We can wrap our selves around him like the carrot and secure ourselves there. "Just as ships need anchors to keep them from drifting away on the open seas, people need spiritual anchors in their lives if they are to remain steadfast and not drift into the sea of temptation and sin." "Faith in god and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the main anchor we must have in our lives to hold us fast during times of social turbulence and wickedness that seem to be everywhere today."