The scriptures (and church history) are full of instances when God has given commandments that didn't make sense to the people who received the commandments. Adam knew not why God commanded him to offer up sacrifices unto the Lord, Noah was commanded to build a massive ark on dry ground, and Nephi and his brothers were commanded to return to Jerusalem over and over again. When we are asked to follow a commandment that we do not fully understand, it can be a great trial of our faith. But we are always blessed when we act in faith and strive to keep all of the commandments of the Lord.
LESSON BUNDLE DOWNLOADS:
➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 O P E N I N G S O N G : "Nephi's Courage
➤ P R E P A R A T I O N
You will need some slips of paper and a pen or pencil. Before the lesson, prepare a short treasure hunt! Write clues on separate pieces of paper. Each clue should tell the children to go to a familiar object in the house. For example: “Go look in the drawer where we keep the toothbrushes.” Hold on to the first clue (you’ll give this one directly to the children), and hide the remaining clues in order. Hide a small treat or surprise at the final location.
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N A C T I V I T Y
Tell the children that they will be going on a treasure hunt and in order to find the treasure, they must obey the instructions on each of the clues! Give them the first clue and let them complete the treasure hunt! Assist the children during the activity if they need help. Once you have completed the activity, invite the children to return to their seats and discuss the following questions.
1) Was it easy to find the treasure? (Yes!)
2) What if you didn’t have any clues? (It would be much more difficult!)
3) Did you argue with the clues? Or did you obey the clues? (They obeyed the clues quickly!)
4) When Heavenly Father gives us commandments through His prophets, should we argue with them, or should we obey them quickly too? Why? (Discuss.)
Explain: Today we are going to learn about obeying the Lord and doing what He asks us to do, even when we don’t understand why. We will always be blessed when we are obedient to the Lord and when we do what he asks us to do.
🎥 V I D E O : "Elisha Heals Naaman | A Story about Obedience"
Now we are going to watch a video about a man named Naaman. Naaman didn’t want to obey the prophet at first. But later, Naaman decided to do what the prophet asked. Let’s watch and see why he didn’t want to obey at first.
[Watch Video: “Elisha Heals Naaman | A Story about Obedience”]
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) Why didn’t Naaman want to go wash in the Jordan River seven times? (He didn’t understand why the prophet wanted him to do that.)
2) Why did Naaman change his mind? (His servant reminded him about obedience, and Naaman humbled himself.)
3) What happened when Naaman obeyed the prophet of the Lord? (Naaman was healed!)
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the following scriptures and discuss the questions that follow.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
1) Why do you think it is hard sometimes to do a little thing that the prophet asks us to do? (Discuss.)
2) Can you think of any little things that the Lord’s prophets have asked us to? (Discuss.)
And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
1) Did Adam know the reason that the Lord wanted him to offer sacrifices? (No.)
2) So why did Adam offer sacrifices unto the Lord? (Because the Lord commanded him and Adam was willing to obey the Lord!)
[Read the first part of Alma 37:46]
O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us.
1) What does it mean to be “slothful?” (It means being lazy, or taking a long time.)
2) What do you think is the opposite of being slothful? (Discuss.)
3) What are some things that the Lord has asked us to do that are easy? (Discuss some simple things that we have been asked to do in the scriptures and by the Lord’s modern prophets.)
➤ A C T I V I T Y
Invite Children to color the scene from the video. Use this time to talk about characters from the scriptures who were willing to obey even when they didn’t understand the reason for the commandment.
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
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