Purpose: To teach that we can come to know God, that he has a body, and is a perfected being who loves us.
Possible scriptures: Moses 1:30–39; Moses 2:27; Genesis 1:27;Psalm 24:1; Amos 3:7; Matthew 5:48; Matthew 22:37; Luke 24:39; John 3:16; John 14:6–9; John 14:21,23; Acts 17:27–29; 1 John 4:7–9; 1 Nephi 17:36; Mosiah 4:9; Alma 7:20; Alma 5:40; 3 Nephi 12:48; 3 Nephi 14:9–11; Mormon 9:15–20; Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17; D&C 38:1–3; D&C 88:41–44; Doctrine and Covenants 130:22;
Possible Songs: “A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook 12; “My Heavenly Father loves Me,” Children’s songbook 228; “I Need my Heavenly Father,” Children’s songbook 18; “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” Hymns 68; “Because God loves Me,” Children’s songbook 234; “God’s Love,” Children’s Songbook 97; “Dearest Children, God is Near You,” Hymns 96; “I am a Child of God,” Hymns 301 or Children’s Songbook 2; “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer,” Hymns 26; “Our Savior’s Love,” Hymns 113; “The First Article of Faith,” Children’s songbook 122a;
Possible Materials: Creation picture and picture of space from Gospel Art Book; First Vision picture from Gospel Art Book, (I prefer the one by Del Parson, but at the time of this writing, I’m having trouble pulling it up on the site. It’s a broken link); Puppets of Ammon and Aaron (I have a cleaned up version – one that can print a better quality than found online – that I will gladly send you, but I don’t want to seem like I’m stealing someone else’s creations for my own personal gain, so I don’t want to have them uploaded on the site. If you’d like them – for free, obviously. It’s not my work, just my cleanup skills – for your own personal use, send me a message via the contact tab! Please realize that an actual person will have to read your email, find and attach the folder, and send them to you, so allow time to remain patient!); Picture of Ammon teaching Lamoni
Preparation: Begin with prayer. Ask yourself how understanding the nature of God will help yourself and each member of your family. Read the suggested scriptures, as well as the Gospel Topics section on God the Father. Read through the lesson, including any links, and carefully select the most relevant material for your family. think of a way to set up a pretend camping scene where you hold Family Home Evening. Children: ask a grownup to help you think about how to prepare a camping scene. Then watch the videos on Joseph Smith’s first vision and Ammon teaching Lamoni and his father.
Lesson:
Discuss how last week’s challenge went.
Introduction: Have everyone pretend they’re on a camping trip in the middle of nowhere. There are no lights besides the warm and cozy fire. Get everyone to lay down like they’re all in sleeping bags looking up at the stars. Ask how many stars there are. How did they get there? Was it an accident? Do you think that our universe could have happened by chance? Show the picture in the gospel art kit of what it’s like in the universe. Now have everyone sit up and look at the “Forest” around you. Have people tell you what they “see.” Talk about how it is so amazing that God created this earth for us. Read Mosiah 4:9, then read this quote by President Thomas S. Monson:
If there is a design in this world in which we live, there must be a Designer. Who can behold the many wonders of the universe without believing that there is a design for all mankind? Who can doubt that there is a Designer?
He is Risen! by Thomas S. Monson, April 2010 Conference
Ask your family who is the designer of our world and stars. God created the world for us. He is our Heavenly Father. Who is God? What are some of God’s attributes? For younger children, focus on that God has a body of flesh and blood, and that he is a loving Father. For older audiences, possible discussion topics include Divinity, perfection, love, mercy, truth, justice, goodness, glory, and creation.
From the Scriptures: If you have small children, hold up the finger puppets of Ammon and Aaron (you may want a set for each child). Tell your family that they were two missionaries in the Book of Mormon. They knew that it was important to start our testimonies with an understanding of who God is. They taught people who did not grow up knowing about God or Christ. They taught simple truths and invited their investigators to pray. Two kings, Lamoni and his father were converted. Hold up the picture of Ammon and Lamoni. Then read the stories found in Alma 18:24–40and 22:4–23. While reading allow the children to “teach” Lamoni and his father by wiggling their fingers with the puppets on them. What did Ammon and Aaron teach King Lamoni and his father about Heavenly Father?
From Church History: Show the picture of The First Vision. Tell the story of the First Vision, as found in Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17. How did Joseph Smith know what Heavenly Father and Jesus look like? What kind of bodies do Jesus and Heavenly Father have? What else do we learn about the nature of God from this story? How does the knowledge that Heavenly Father knew Joseph Smith and called him by name help us understand our relationship with Heavenly Father? Explain that because we are spirit children of Heavenly Father, we also look like him. We have bodies like his. The scriptures say we are “created in Heavenly Father’s image” (see Moses 2:26-27; 6:9). Our bodies are like His body. His eternal spirit is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones (see D&C 130:22). God’s body, however, is perfected and glorified, with a glory beyond all description. For older families, read any excerpts from Teachings of the Prophets of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 2 that you feel relevant for your family, but make sure to include the 5th paragraph from the life of Joseph Smith. Talk about the steps he took to come to know who God is. Included answers may be that he believed that there was a God and that God would answer him, He studied the scriptures, He prayed, and he acted on what he learned.
Further Discussion:
Knowing God is so important that the Savior said, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Read the first part of Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3 as a family. Read the scriptures in the “Study” section on the nature of God. Discuss how these scriptures would feel to someone who has never heard of the Gospel before. How can we also draw understanding and comfort from them? How can we share that understanding and comfort with others?
Read through Gospel Principles chapter 1, the section on the Godhead, continuing through the section on God in True to the Faith, and the Encyclopedia of Mormonism’s content on God the Father. You may also find value in Fundamental to our Faith by Elder Dallin H. Oaks or In These Three I Believe by President Gordon B. Hinckley. Discuss anything that stood out to you. Make a special emphasis on the idea that we can come to know God, and know that He knows us. We will be blessed by drawing near to Him.
Recent Conference talks to consider in your discussion: God Among Us, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf; God Loves His Children, by Taniela B. Wakolo; The Love of God, by Todd D. Christofferson; The Things of My Soul, by Ronald A. Rasband
Challenge:
Have the family stand. Help them memorize the first article of faith. If too young, just help them memorize the first part: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father.” Practice all week. If the article of faith is already memorized, memorize Moses 1:39. Discuss what any unknown words mean.
Giving due credit: I read and gained insights from the Sunbeams manual, chapter 2;
