Angela's Lesson Helps
by Angela Williams / ga09302007


 

Introduction to Lesson

Post Cookie Recipe in the Room – for everyone to see the directions.

Bring Kitchen Aid and Ingredients to Make Cookies.  Show them that I should follow the recipe as is instructed, but I was running late today and didn’t have time to go shopping this weekend, so I brought what I had and I think I know how to make this recipe better anyway, so I am just going to do it my way and not follow the directions.

No brown sugar – molasses (to make it darker – use a lot)
Butter – Crisco
Flour
Sugar
Pepper instead of Salt
Eggs with the shells
Chocolate chips
Use only approximations for the measurements.

WHAT DO YOU THINK – SHOULD WE BAKE THESE COOKIES? (have the girls look at the batter.)

Over Cookie recipe hang another recipe – God’s Recipe for Happiness. – JUST LIKE THE COOKIE RECIPE – GOD HAS GIVEN US A RECIPE TO FOLLOW TO BE HAPPY. NOW WE CAN CHOOSE TO OBEY THIS RECIPE OR DO IT OUR OWN WAY – BUT OUR LIVES COULD END UP JUST LIKE THE BATTER FOR THOSE COOKIES.

GOD'S RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS
2 parts – daily prayer
10 parts – obedience to commandments
1 part – church attendance
100 parts – Chastity
100% pure – obedience to parents
0 cups - caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and drugs
Pinch of charity, service and integrity
Sprinkle with love

Mix all ingredients together with 10-30 minutes of scripture study and daily seminar attendance.

LESSON: Just like this cookie recipe – God has given us a recipe to follow in this life to help us out and for us to be happy. (read some of the items). But HE HAS ALSO GIVEN US FREE AGENCY TO DECIDE FOR OURSELVES HOW WELL WE WANT TO FOLLOW HIS RECIPE IN OUR LIVES.

We can choose to follow GOD’S RECIPE (HIS commandments) and make correct decisions and receive more happiness in life (have edible cookies). Or we can NOT FOLLOW GOD’s RECIPE (disobey HIS commandments) and make incorrect decisions which results in hardship, hard lessons to learn and nothing to show for it (non-edible cookies).

MOST DECISION IN LIFE REQUIRE A CHOICE AND YOU HAVE TWO OUTCOMES –

MY CHOICE – TO MAKE COOKIES:
OUTCOME 1: Disobey the cookie Recipe - I ended up with horrible cookies – one I couldn’t eat and a waste of time and effort and money. It could have been much easier if I had obeyed the recipe.

OUTCOME 2: Follow the cookie Recipe – and ended up with good edible cookies (WHICH I WILL BRING NEXT WEEK BECAUSE IT IS FAST SUNDAY). The recipe was created to help me make good edible cookies in the end. I would have saved myself time, money and been much happier in the end.

QUESTIONS
• What are some choices between good and evil that you must make every day?
• What consequences could result from making a wrong choice in each of the areas listed on the chalkboard? Write the young women’s answers on the chalkboard as shown.
• What blessings would you receive if you made the right choices?


God has given us commandments and the ability to know right from wrong. You and only you, get to choose what actions you will take in life. If you choose to do good, God will reward you with blessings. (with edible cookies).
If you choose incorrectly, there will be consequences to your actions. You might feel lousy, you might feel guilty or things might be taken away from you or you might have to delay your progression because of those wrong choices (non-edible cookies).

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLE: Joseph and Potipher’s wife.
Genesis 39:6-8
Genesis 39:10-12

The wife took the garment that Joseph left behind as he was trying to escape this vixen and she used it to lay a trap so that it would look like he was there to hurt her instead of her trying to seduce him. So, when her husband came home, she told him that Joseph had been there and tried to hurt her and showed him the garment as proof. The efforts of Potiphar’s wife to tempt Joseph did not cease because he refused her once. She tempted him day after day, and he continued to resist her. Finally, in her anger and frustration, she accused Joseph of the very sin of which she was guilty. As a result, Joseph was put in prison.

Genesis 39:20-23
While Joseph was in prison he was given the power to interrupt dreams. And he eventually became so well known for it that he ended up interrupting the king’s dream.

Genesis 41:38-42
“But the Lord was with Joseph” because he chose to obey. Eventually, Joseph was released from prison and became a ruler over all of Egypt.

There are three things that you need to remember about Agency:

1) You need to have a KNOWLEDGE between good and bad. Now each of us have this knowledge because we are members of this church. We know about right and wrong through 1) baptism 2) families/parents 3) church 4) scriptures
2) It is our CHOICE – It is up to us to make our own choices, no one can do it for us – that is the great part of the Plan of Salvation. God gives us direction and help, but it is up to use to make the ultimate decision
3) There are REWARDS or CONSEQUENCES to our actions. While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. God has established eternal laws and you will be rewarded or punished according to your actions. The consequences may not be immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad.

Using the example of Joseph – his story shows the three elements of Agency-

1) Knowledge of good and evil – He was older so he knew good and evil. He had been taught the ways of the Lord by his father, so he knew God’s commandments.
2) Make choices: Because he knew God’s commandments –He choose not commit adultery
3) Outcome of his choice - Although the outcome wasn’t immediate – he was rewarded to become ruler over all of Egypt. God was bound by His own laws that he had to reward Joseph for his obedience to the commandments.

The ATONEMENT – Important thing to remember is that although you are responsible for your own actions – if you happen to make the wrong choice – we thankfully still have the power of repentance. The Atonement happened so that we could be forgiven of our mistakes and that no matter what our Heavenly Father will allow us to be forgiven of almost anything, if we work hard to repent, and not make the mistake again.

How wonderful it is to know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much that there he gave us rules/laws in this life to help us make the correct decisions, but also a back up plan that if we didn’t make the correct decisions, there is still away to be forgiven and we can still receive blessings and happiness if we choose to use the atonement in our lives and repent of our mistakes.

I gave them a handout of two recipe cards. One with God's recipe for Happiness and one for a real chocolate chip cookie recipe. I also gave them a handout the included quotes and the three elements of agency.

ANOTHER ANGLE TO TAKE:

FRUITS OF YOUR LABORS:  As you strive to make correct decision to life’s choices, your choices will show others around you the type of person you are. Your choices will bare certain fruits that will be visible for all to see. Will your decision bring froth good fruit or will it bring forth bad fruit?  Deciding what movie to watch or not watch? What activities you participate in on Sunday. How you dress? How you treat others at school or at church or even within your family? Even the language that comes out of your mouth. All of these are decisions that you make each day and every single decision you make bares a certain fruit (good or bad) and has a specific reward or punishment.

Those who are compliant with the Lord’s plan and exercise their free agency correctly will manifest the fruits of the gospel and set them apart as a beacon to all who are seeking for light and truth.

Matt. 7:15-20. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruits; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Possible TAKE AWAY: Basket full of candy fruits (RUNTS) or Fruit snacks with a ribbon and a the “fruits of your labor” scripture tied to it.

You are responsible for the choices you make. You are a daughter of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances. You are also responsible for developing the abilities and talents Heavenly Father has given you. You are accountable to Him for what you do. Choose to do many good things of your own free will.