Honesty is the best policy
by Melanie Day

SONG - I believe in being honest
 

ACTIVITY - Ask the family if there is a horse in the room. Tell them that even if they looked very carefully, they could not find a horse in the room because there isn’t one. It would not be honest to say there is a horse in the room. Ask if they can see ______ (name something that the family can easily see). Explain that it would be honest to say that this item is in the room. Tell the children that when they say something that is true or real, they are being honest.  Ask your family to raise both hands when you say something that is true and lower both hands when you say something that is not true. Make simple but obvious statements, such as “I have a flower in my hair,” “I am wearing a dress,” “Trent's pants are red,” or “You are sitting on a chair.”

LESSON - Show a picture of Joseph Smith (Click here to print a picture from the Church's website). Tell the family that the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “We believe in being honest” in the thirteenth article of faith.  (Optional: You could work together at memorizing the thirteenth article of faith)

• What does it mean to be honest?  Explain that being honest includes telling the truth, not taking things that belong to someone else, and treating other people fairly.
 

Show the Bible and tell the family that Moses brought the Ten Commandments to his people (see Exodus 20). Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus gave Moses two commandments on honesty: “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” Read Exodus 20:15–16 aloud.

• What does it mean to steal?  Explain that to bear false witness means to say something that is not true.
 

Jesus told the truth - Tell the story found in Mark 14:53–65.  Explain that the soldiers took Jesus to the home of the Jewish high priest, where the Jewish leaders asked him many questions. Read aloud from Mark 14:61 one of the questions they asked him: “Art thou the Christ?”  Explain that Jesus knew that if he said he was the Christ, the special Son of Heavenly Father, the leaders would not let him go. Read aloud from Mark 14:62 what Jesus said when he answered the high priest: “And Jesus said, I am.” Point out that Jesus always told the truth, even when his life was in danger.  Jesus wants us to tell the truth always, even when it is hard to do so.

OBJECT LESSON - Trust Tower - this object lesson was adapted from this website. 

Materials needed: 8 dominoes or other building type blocks for each child

Directions: Explain carefully step by step what each object represents.   "I'm going to give you each 8 dominoes, and we're going to build a tower of trust.  (Pass out the dominoes)
The foundation of any tower is the base where it begins.  Four of our dominos will represent the foundation.  (Have each child place a domino standing up vertically) When we build a relationship with God or other people the foundation we use is trust.  Let's think of four ways we can build trust.  This first domino might be keeping your word when you say you're going to do something.  If you say, "Dad, I'll wash the car this afternoon for you." what should happen in order for dad to be able to trust you?  You should do it.  This second domino might be not doing something you've been told not to do.  (Have each child place a second domino standing up vertically close to the first domino). If mom says, "Do not get in the pool while I am gone."  What should happen while mom is gone?  You should stay out of the pool.  The third domino might be always letting mom or dad or the adult in charge of you know where you are and what you are doing.  (Have each child place a third domino standing up opposite from domino #1) If your grandma thinks you are at someone's house, but you want to leave and go somewhere else, what should you do?  Call and ask permission.  The final domino of our foundation may be admitting when you've done something wrong no matter what the punishment might be.  (Have each child place the fourth domino standing up opposite from domino #2.  The four dominos should now form a square.)  If dad wants to know why you told a lie about your brother to your friend, what should you do?  Admit that you did it and ask for forgiveness.  (Have the children stand the remaining dominos up on the foundation, adding one to the top for a roof.  Each tower should be dependent upon the four basic dominos holding it up.)  If one of these foundation dominos is removed, what happens to the tower?  (Experiment and try it) When you lie or break promises in a relationship with someone, it removes trust.  Pretty soon the whole relationship has a problem because there's no trust between the people.  (Repeat the experiment; then put the dominos away and review the point asking key questions such as: What is the basic foundation of all friendships or relationships?  Trust.  What kinds of things do we do to build trust?  Keep our word, obey, show respect, admit faults.  What happens when trust is broken through dishonesty or falsehood?  The friendship or relationship suffers.)  Jesus has shown us many times that He can be trusted.  He is never dishonest or false.  Only through His help can we be that true."

STORY - I'm going to read the story, "The Best Treasure in the Whole World"

TREAT - I have some left over chocolate gold coins and I'm going to wrap up a couple in some fabric and tie each one off with some ribbon at the top and give each child a "treasure".