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As an object lesson/handout for this lesson, I gave each of the girls a couple of plain Vanilla wafers at the beginning of class - I told them if they wanted to, they could eat the cookies, but they would be "rewarded" if they didn't eat them (none of them ate them) At the end of the lesson I handed each girl a big heart sugar cookie that I had frosted with pink frosting, and wrapped in saran wrap - I had a tag attached with a ribbon which read "when we exercise self control, we will receive "sweet" rewards".  The girls LOVED this (they would love anything that was food related actually ) but this was a successful object lesson and handout. (Idea by Ann)
Give them lollipops with the following message attached "Avoid All Immoral & Suggestive Materials & Entertainment - "Lick" temptation! Don't participate in activities that aren't appropriate".
Handout from Christy's Clipart



Deseret Book
Lesson Helps from Debanae
Lesson Helps from Jenny Smith
Lesson Helps from Young Women Connection
Opening Story Steve Young-(New Era November 1989 p.36) "Eighth String Quarterback"  What is self discipline and how did it help Steve Young? To go from 8th string to starting quarterback was a huge accomplishment. How did he do it?  Much of what we do or not do in this life is determined by out ability to discipline ourselves. This discipline includes doing things that are hard and difficult as well as not doing other things. Today we are going to talk about how self discipline can keep us clean and pure. How we can discipline ourselves to avoid certain things and practice doing other things to help us reach our ultimate goal...which is eternal life.
"A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step" Where are you going? Which road will you choose with street post pointing different directions?  I took some large paper and drew a road that twisted and turned and had the following road signs on it. I had the girls drive a remote controlled car along the road stopping at the various road signs. We then discussed how they could have self discipline to remain clean and pure. At the end of the road was the temple. I made corresponding road signs that said " Stop dressing immodestly" along with the other signs to place on the chalk board. It was very effective and we had good discussions. All the material I got out of the strength of youth pamphlet. (Idea by Kathy in California)



Additional comments and picture by Becky Young: I just used some cardstock and drew a map.. I actually told the girls we were taking a "road trip" (they all got excited when I said that) and I used the little car in the picture to drive it around. For the map, I drew the shape of the sign w/ the number on it and when we got to that sign, I took the sign out and taped it on (had them already taped w/ wax paper on the back). 

ETERNAL ROAD TRIP

Show Map...As we try to drive through this road of life you will see all kinds of road signs to help us follow the right path. Start by driving, when you get to a sign stop and we will talk about each one.

STOP- dressing immodestly. When you are dressed modestly you invite the companionship of the spirit. We should never lower our standards for any occasion!!! (school formals, beach, party with friends, school) Let's list some of the do's and don'ts of modest dress... help us prepare for the temple.  Short shorts, skirts, low cut in front or back, don't cover shoulder, Tight clothing, shirts that don't cover stomach

KEEP RIGHT -Keep right thoughts and good language always. What message do you send when you use foul language?  Let's get realistic, you guys hear this garbage all the time at school right? So how does self discipline help you so that it does not rub off on you? Foul language harms your spirit, degrades you. Choose friends that don't do this, help others to stop.

WRONG WAY - Doing drugs and alcohol is always the wrong way. Never use tobacco in any way, any form of alcohol is harmful to you body and spirit.  What does alcohol do to you?  It weakens your judgment and can lead to you breaking the law of chastity.

"Some become enslaved with compulsive habits or yield to appetites and plead that they are helpless before their habit the temptations are stronger than their will to resist. But we can choose. We can break bad addictive habits with sheer determination to do so."  -Richard L Evans.  How does self discipline play a role here?

U-TURN: You turn and run away from any situation where the spirit can't dwell. You are always free to choose in this life. But with that choice you will also have to suffer the consequences. Joseph of Egypt and Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:12) turn and run.

STOP- stop with a simple good night kiss!!! Satan may try and tempt you to rationalize sexual intimacy before marriage. It is all around us isn't it? In fact you are looked upon as weird if you don't. The Lord has given us clear guidelines that will keep us safe from Satan's temptation. -no passionate kissing - stay in safe areas -no lying down -no touching private sacred parts of the body with or without clothing.  Don't date before your 16 story from lesson.

YIELD- Yield to the spirit. We need to make sure that we are doing the things that will allow us to have the Lord's spirit to be with us.  How does self discipline help here? Prayer, seminary, scripture study, attend our meetings,... It is all hard to do, but the more you do it the easier it gets right?  A missionary serving in the eastern United States was confronted by a college student who was less interested in the [gospel] message than in the missionary's strict moral code. The student sneeringly asked the missionary how he controlled his desires when there were so many beautiful girls around, implying that the missionary must not [have normal feelings]. The elder explained: 'It is not that I am abnormal; it is that I know I am responsible and in charge of mind and body. You think you are helpless in the face of your desires. You think you are a victim of them. I have proven to myself that I am the master of those feelings' " (Terrance D. Olson, "Teaching Morality to Your Children," p. 14).  As we exercise self discipline we strengthen our spirit's control over our body. Then our ability to control ourselves increases every time we make a choice to do it.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE - What are we trying to become? What are your goals for the future? How do you have to discipline your selves to reach those goals?  We are trying to become temple worthy daughters of our Heavenly Father, future missionaries, college students, and mothers.

ONE WAY- There is only one way to the temple and to return to our Heavenly Father and that is to follow the lords plan. Each time we use our self discipline to make good choices we are one step closer to returning to our Heavenly Father. President Brigham Young said, "When you are overtaken in a fault, or commit an overt act unthinkingly; when you are full of evil passion, and wish to yield to it, then stop and let the spirit, which God has put into your tabernacles, take the lead. If you do that, I will promise that you will overcome all evil, and obtain eternal lives" (in Journal of Discourses, 2:256; italics added).



James E. Faust, “The Power of Self-Mastery,” Liahona, July 2000, 52; Ensign, May 2000, 43. Use President Faust’s definition of self-mastery to introduce the lesson.
 

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Personal Purity,” Liahona, Oct. 2000, 40; New Era, Feb. 2000, 4. Consider replacing the case studies with Elder Holland’s three reasons for staying pure.

  Check your church library to see if they have any of these videos...

Morality for Youth - States the Lord's standard for morality and provides parents, leaders, and teachers with a starting place for discussions with youth to help them stay morally clean. 22 minutes. (Clip 3)