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The priesthood was restored
by Melanie Day
OBJECT LESSON: Take about four to five feet's
worth of masking tape (or yarn) and place it on the floor. On the
opposite side of the room, do the same thing again. Ask a child to
come forward and place him/her at the beginning of the masking tape.
Blindfold the child. Have three additional children volunteer to help
blindfolded child walk straight on line, representing Peter, James and John
(you can use name tags if you want).
After the child has reached the end of the 1st set of tape (assisted), ask
the child to find the second piece of tape without taking the blindfold off.
He'll probably get lost. While child is lost say, "While the
priesthood was not upon the earth, people were lost and confused and didn't
know what the truth was."
Have another child volunteer to help be Joseph Smith. After the
blindfolded child has been lost for a moment or two, have child representing
Joseph Smith take child's hand and lead him/her directly to the beginning of
the second piece of tape and walk the line together.
The whole point of the activity is to show that there was a time when the
priesthood was not upon the earth. No one had the authority to act in
God's name. Jesus
knew that men could not direct His church on earth without power from God.
He said that this power would be given by the laying on of hands by those
who are in authority. With God's authority, we can walk on the
straight and narrow. Heavenly Father restored this priesthood through
Joseph Smith. Because of this we don't have this same confusion.
GAME: To help the children understand the blessing of
having the priesthood of God restored to the earth, have them locate and
read aloud together
1 Pet. 2:9. Discuss the blessings and obligations that come
from being a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people.” Place these wordstrips in a container:
Blessing a baby, Baptism, collecting fast
offerings, Confirmation, Blessing the sacrament, Giving a healing blessing,
A new teacher being set apart, A family in front of the temple, Dedication
of a building, Missionaries, A bishop, dedicating a church or home,
and The prophet. Have one or
two children choose a wordstrip and then draw the scene on the chalkboard
while the rest of the Primary guesses what blessing from the priesthood is
being drawn. (This activity could be done in teams.) Discuss how the
priesthood is used in that instance. Have the children tell what they can do
to honor the priesthood holder. Repeat until all the wordstrips have
been used.
SONG: If you have some extra time, this would be a fun
song to learn. It is from the December 2005 Friend Magazine called, "Truth
Restored".
SUMMARY: Without the priesthood, the Church could not have been
organized, no one could be baptized or receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,
no one could receive the blessings of the temple, and no one could return to
live with Heavenly Father. How wonderful it is that a kind and loving
Heavenly Father restored the priesthood so that His servants on the earth
could have the power to act in His name! Share your testimony and/or
experience of how the priesthood has blessed your life.
Other Optional Activities -
This idea would work better with Senior Primary as they are able to read.
Write the fifth article of faith on the chalkboard (We believe that a man
must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those
who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances
thereof). Start on one side of the room and have the first child stand
and say, "We" and then the next child will stand and say "believe" as you
continue around the room (including teachers). Which ever person ends
up saying the last word (thereof) they get to go to the chalkboard and erase
one word. Keep going around the room and continue erasing one word at
a time until it is completely gone. They should then be able to recite
the whole article of faith.
VIDEO CLIP - Restoration of the Priesthood
- President Boyd K. Packer speaks about the need for the restoration of the
priesthood. Includes selections from the movie Restoration of the Priesthood. 6:22 min. (Video Clip 2)
POP UP CRAFT
- This craft would be better for Junior Primary
You
could make thank you cards for your bishop and counselors by letting them
know that you appreciate their examples and the priesthood that they hold.
SOURCES:
- Laurel Rohlfing, “Sharing Time: The Priesthood
Is Restored,” Friend, Apr 1990, 12
-
Sydney S. Reynolds, “Sharing Time: Count Your Blessings,” Friend,
Nov. 1999, 12
- Vicki F. Matsumori, “Sharing Time: The Gospel
Is Restored,” Friend, Feb 2003, 46
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