October: Becoming More Christlike

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE GRATEFUL?
In conjunction with the talks referenced in the lesson, you can use my lesson on gratitude as a "saving principle", which I have stored online here. 

BECOMING MORE CHRISTLIKE
For a general lesson on becoming more Christlike, you can focus on the Christlike Attributes found in the Preach My Gospel missionary handbook, available to download as a .pdf towards the end of the chapter at this link.  First, overview the 9 attributes mentioned, and their meanings, using the Bible Dictionary definition for Faith as a starter.  You can use one of the activities below (probably both would not fit in one lesson period), and then have the students check off the inventory on the list and challenge them to work on one Christlike attribute that week.  (If you do the treasure hunt activity, suggest that they eat one chocolate at the end of each day for their reward for working on their attribute--either the same attribute all week, or a different attribute each day.)

Spoons Card Game
My daughter made a card game for her class to play "Spoons."  For this game, you need a small class.  Make 36 cards (4 for each of the attributes).  On one card, write the attribute.  One a second card, write the definition.  On a third card, write a scripture about that attribute.  One a fourth card, write a quote from a recent general conference about that attribute.  Make sure the actual word is in the scripture and general conference quote so it can quickly be recognized.  The instructions for playing the game can be found all over the Internet--for example, at this link.  Be careful!  It can get wild and fun!  But when we're having fun, we're paying attention, right?

Treasure Hunt
For my class, we are going to learn about an example of a Christlike person, Jesse Knight, whom the famous non-Mormon historian of Mormon History (if you can follow that) said was one of the greatest examples of Mormonism.  Follow this link to his story.  Give a card with the title of one Christ-like attribute to each student and ask them to raise their card when they hear that attribute used in Jesse's story.  (They are not obvious, so if they don't get it, just talk about it together at the end of the story.)

Then we are going to have a WALKING (one foot must always be on the ground, and only whispering is allowed) treasure hunt through the church-house, since Jesse was a great treasure-hunter, with scriptures as clues hidden at the drinking fountain, in hymn books, in the tithing box, behind the picture of Christ, in the kitchen sink, in the coat closet, with the librarian, etc. and the final treasure will be in the trunk of my car:  A box full of miniature paper treasure boxes (print them on white cardstock) filled with silver-wrapped Hershey's Kisses and Hershey's Treasures chocolates.

Here are the clues I used.  Each clue but the first has the location where it should be hidden printed above the scripture.  I am having my husband hide the clues after class starts so no one will see them ahead of time or accidentally remove them.  Make sure you park your car where the kids don't have to run across a parking lot to reach it.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

(New Testament | John 4:13 - 14)

Drinking Fountain

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

(Old Testament | Malachi 3:10)

Tithing Box

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 25:12)

Hymnbook

And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 11:8 - 10)

Picture of Christ with the Nephites (by High Council room)

For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:12)

Kitchen Stove

And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:13)

Lamp in the foyer

Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 88:118)

Librarian

But I say unto you, that ye shall not resist evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also;

And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also;

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:39 - 40)

Coat Closet

And let all things be done in cleanliness before me.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 42:41)

Janitorial Closet

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.  (Hint: Sister Jensen’s modern-day wagon)

(Old Testament | Genesis 45:19)

HOW CAN I INVITE OTHERS TO BECOME MORE LIKE THE SAVIOR?
and
HOW CAN I USE THE SCRIPTURES TO HELP OTHERS BECOME MORE CHRISTLIKE?

One of the great characteristics of the Savior, and which is particularly difficult to learn in our instant-gratification world, is patience.  It may be appropriate to focus an entire lesson on this attribute of Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-6 tells us that one of the godly attributes we should cultivate is patience
James 1:3-4, the verses right before the one that initiated the Restoration, tell us that patience is essential for perfection, and we know that perfection is a commandment.

An excerpt from President Uchtdorf's conference talk on the famous marshmallow experiment can be found in the video "Continue in Patience" on MormonChannel.org at this link.  (All of the Mormon Channel videos are also available on YouTube, if that works better for you.)  This talk teaches us that success in this life is available to those who exercise patience.  This is a great reason to learn patience.  Patience is also necessary for exaltation.

Three kinds of patience, in particular, are necessary for the exercise of faith and the journey to perfection.  You can use a video for each of these three to instigate conversation about the development of this attribute.

1) Waiting upon the Lord and trusting in His plan for our life.  Read Romans 5:1-3 and 8:28.  Not one of the students in your class is going to live the life he anticipates.  Everyone will have surprises, trials, detours.  Some will be initiated by the Lord.  Some will be allowed by the Lord.  Enduring them well will build a godly character.  A great example of this can be found in Stephanie Nielsen, who endured burns on most of her body in an airplane accident.  Her testimony is shared on "My New Life," MormonChannel at this link.  This one is 8 minutes long, so you may want to just pick out a little 2-minute clip in the middle.  Elder Holland shared her story in his October 2013 (yes, today!) General Conference talk, and you may prefer to share an excerpt from his talk.

2) Patience in developing our gifts.  Read Hebrews 6:12 and D&C 67:13 (last half).  Kaha'o, a blind LDS teenage pianist shares his story on "An Extraordinary Gift" at this link.  Before sharing the story, ask each class member to be thinking about gifts he has to contribute to society and the Kingdom of God.  After the story, ask the class members to share what they were thinking of.

3) Patience with differences in others.  Read 2 Timothy 2:24.  "The Civility Experiment" is a very fun little clip about how a woman who thought she was kind to all discovered hypocrisy in herself.  It is available at this link.  There is also a beautiful story about the spiritual rescue of a homeless man in the September 2013 Ensign, "Rescued by the Gospel".

To finish this lesson, give each student a little handout with the scriptures on it stapled to a snack-size Ziploc bag with two large marshmallows in it, asking the students to not eat the marshmallows, but to put it somewhere where they can be reminded that they need to learn patience.  (If it is Fast Sunday, this will work even better!)


HOW DID THE SAVIOR COMPARE GOSPEL TRUTHS TO FAMILIAR OBJECTS AND EXPERIENCES?

Follow this link to "Why Parables?" , which includes a discussion of parables in general, and several parables in specific:

• The Parable of the Sower
• The Parable of the Mustard Seed
• The Parable of the Leaven
• The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
• The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
• The Parable of the Gospel Net
• The Parable of the Householder

Follow this link to "He Was Lost and Is Found", including:

• The Parable of the Lost Sheep
• The Parable of the Lost Coin
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Follow this link to "Who Is My Neighbor", regarding the Parable of the Good Samaritan (if you haven't already used it during the Atonement discussions.

Follow this link to a lesson discussing:

• The Parable of the Ten Virgins
• The Parable of the Talents
• The Parable of the Pounds
• The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

Follow this link to a lesson discussing:

• The Parable of the Great Supper
• The Parable of the Unjust Steward (You may want to save this one for the discussion on spiritual and temporal reliance) 
• The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man