Purpose:
Possible scriptures: John 14:16-21,25-27; Romans 8:16-17; 2 Nephi 32:8-9; 3 Nephi 11:35-36; 3 Nephi 28:11; Moroni 8:26; Doctrine and Covenants 11:12; Doctrine and Covenants 42:17; Doctrine and Covenants 46:7-33; Doctrine and Covenants 130: 22-23; Doctrine and Covenants 132:19;
Possible Songs: I Know My Father Lives, Children’s Songbook page 5; Listen, Listen, Children’s Songbook page 107; The Still Small Voice, Children’s Songbook page 106; The Holy Ghost, Children’s Songbook 105; Let the Holy Spirit Guide, hymn 143
Possible Materials: my treasure hunt; some small prize at the end (perhaps a picture for each person of the family); this picture of Christ ordaining his Apostles,
Preparation: Begin with prayer. Read the suggested scriptures, along with John 14-16. Read through the lesson, including any links, and carefully select the most relevant material for your family. Children: listen to the story about Harold B. Lee and Wilford Woodruff. Ask a parent to help you print, cut, and hide the clues for a treasure hunt.
Lesson:
Discuss how last week’s challenge went.
Introduction: Remind your family that we learned about Heavenly Father. He loves us. He wants us to be like Him. He sent His Son to show us how to be like Him and to create the path back to Heavenly Father. We have to remember to stay on the path that Jesus made for us. There is another person that can help us to be like God. He is called the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost does not have a body like Heavenly Father does, because he needs to speak to our spirits. He couldn’t do that if he had a body.
The Holy Ghost helps us to stay on the path by helping us know when we are drifting or which way we need to go. He gives us clues to make it back to Heavenly Father. Tell your family that we are going to go on a treasure hunt and learn about the Holy Ghost by following the clues. To make it easier, I’ve made a printable document of the chart. You can find it by clicking here. At the conclusion of the treasure hunt, you can pick what your family will need to “find” but it will need to be something little and easy to hide. You don’t have to have any prize if you don’t want (especially for older families), because the prize is eternal life! as given to us in the last clue! Along with all the roles and gifts of the Holy Ghost we collected along the way.
| Where | Scripture | Role of the Holy Ghost/clue | |
| 1 | Give this clue to your family | 3 Nephi 28:11 | Witnesses of the Father and Son: The Godhead is a group of three, Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost and Me. |
| 2 | A picture of Jesus Christ | Moroni 10:4-5 | Testifies of Truth: Go to the bookshelf, o seeker, o sleuth, Pick out the book full of gospel and truth. |
| 3 | Book of Mormon on a bookshelf | Moroni 8:26 | Comforts us: This item of comfort found in a bed, Fills us with warmth, like love that is spread. |
| 4 | Blanket or other lovey | Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3 | Sends inspiration and confirmation: Beit phone call or text, this device sends us word, Likewise inspiration, sometimes felt, sometimes heard. |
| 5 | Someone’s phone | Alma 5:46 | Delivers messages from Heavenly Father: Sometimes God has a message for me, The Holy Ghost makes that delivery! |
| 6 | A box on the front porch or taped to the mailbox | Alma 24:8 or Acts 2:37-38 | Softens hearts: A softened heart can feel cozy and sweet, It’s pliable, akin to a pillow you eat. |
| 7 | Wherever you store your marshmallows. | Hebrews 4:12 or 1 Nephi 4:10-11 | Sends warnings: Don’t touch! Be careful! Watch what you do! The Holy Ghost can be a warning to you. |
| 8 | Something your kids know is dangerous (the oven or knives) | Doctrine & Covenants 33:15 | Dwells with recipients of the gift of the Holy Ghost: When we are baptized we are given the power To call upon gospel light in a dark hour. |
| 9 | Light switch or flashlight | 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 | Grants the gifts of the spirit: The Holy Ghost knows what we need Like a bag full of supplies to help us succeed. |
| 10 | Purse or backpack | Ephesians 4:30 or D&C 76:53 | Seals on earth and in heaven: When we go to this place as husband and wife And always keep our covenants, we earn eternal life. |
| 11 | Picture of the temple | x | x |
From the Scriptures: Hold up the picture of Christ ordaining His apostles. Talk about how Jesus had 12 apostles to help Him lead his church. He knew He was about to go back to Heavenly Father. Read John 14:16-27. Discuss how Jesus knew his Disciples would miss him when he was gone, so he said that he would ask Heavenly Father to send a Comforter to help them feel better. Discuss how that comforter is the Holy Ghost and he can comfort us when we are sad and lonely, too. He promised that if we would listen, and be baptized and confirmed, the Holy Ghost would always be with us.
From Church History: Read this story about Harold B Lee as a boy {the link takes you right to the paragraph to read. Otherwise, it’s the 5th paragraph} by Elder Harold B. Lee and discuss how the Holy Ghost is a voice of warning. Sometimes, but not always, the Holy Ghost is a voice we can hear. For younger children, use this version with pictures that is found in the friend.
Then tell the story about about how President Woodruff listened to the Holy Ghost and it kept him safe. For younger audiences, use this graphic story. For older audiences, it is found starting at the 16th paragraph of Prayer and Prompting by Elder Packer. The Holy Ghost has the important job of warning us! If we listen, we will never lose that voice of warning. And even when hard things happen, the Holy Ghost can comfort us. Bear your testimony of how the Holy Ghost has helped you in your life. Point out that sometimes the Holy Ghost can be loud, but usually He will just send a quiet feeling.
Further Discussion:
The spirit is not always with us. It never abandons us, instead we make it leave. Discuss times that the spirit withdraws from our lives and what we need to do to get it back. Focus on profanity, uncleanliness, disobedience, rebellion, sin, and anger. Discuss what would have happened in any of the previous stories had the people not been receptive to the Holy Ghost?
Read The Unspeakable Gift of the Holy Ghost, by Jay E. Jensen and The Sacred Roles of the Holy Ghost, by Kevin R. Duncan. Look for the ways the Holy Ghost works for our salvation.
Recent Conference talks to consider in your discussion: Click here.
Challenge:
Remind your family of the lesson where we learned the first article of faith. We learned that God is our Eternal Father. If your family only learned the first part, tell them that we have now learned 2 more members of the Godhead: Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Challenge your family to memorize the entire first article of faith this week.
If your family has already memorized the first article of faith, memorize Doctrine and Covenants 11:12 instead.
Giving due credit: as usual, I read and learned from the Sunbeams Manual Lesson 7 (Nursery Manual lesson 6), Gospel Principles Chapter 7, True to the Faith on the Holy Ghost, and Gospel topics on the Holy Ghost. If you want an amazing article that teaches a lot, check out What is the difference between the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ, and the Light of Christ? from the June 1989 Ensign. I learned a lot!
