Wednesday, September 16, 2015

God Calls Prophets

God Calls Prophets

Suggestions for Songs
Follow the Prophet
We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet


Suggestions for videos:




Related Scriptures
Preparation:

Read and study some stories about prophets from the scriptures based upon what your child would find interesting. For example, you could study the stories of Noah's Ark and Daniel and the lion's den if your child is interested in animals. I will use these stories for examples in this lesson. Also, read Preach My Gospel's section on prophets (Link).

Activity and Lesson:

Start off the activity by reminding your child that Heavenly Father loves them. Review with your child ways that Heavenly Father shows his love for us (He is our father, He sent us families). Now tell your child that another way that our Father in Heaven shows love for us is by sending us prophets.

Explain that a prophet is a man who is called of God and given his priesthood, or the authority to act in his name. That means that he can tell the world what God wants them to know and perform miracles to accomplish that work.

Now share a couple of stories to illustrate. Pictures are helpful at this age, or, if you're feeling really motivated, you can make some puppets. (I didn't, but you can).

A painting by Harry Anderson showing Noah standing on a stack of lumber with his arms raised, warning the people who stand around him laughing.
Click here for this picture

Noah's Ark:

Noah was a prophet.The Lord told him to warn the people that a flood was coming, and that they needed to repent. They laughed at him and made fun of him. He built a huge boat, called an ark, and placed two or more of every animal in the boat. Then, he took those people who would listen to him, mainly his family, into the boat as well. After they shut the doors it began to rain for a really long time.

Eventually, the rain stopped and the floods went down. Noah and his family were able to leave the boat and start over, because the Lord had warned them and saved their family.

A black-and-white illustration of the young Daniel kneeling in prayer beside a lion.
Click here for this picture
Daniel in the Lion's Den:

Daniel was a prophet. He wanted to keep God's commandments, and one of those commandments is for us to pray only to Heavenly Father. Some evil men tricked the king into making a law that said that everyone to pray to the king instead of to God, but Daniel refused. Even though the king and Daniel were friends, the king had to punish Daniel for breaking his law. The punishment was to be thrown into a pit with lions.

Daniel kept praying, and when he was thrown in, the lions didn't eat him. Instead they left him alone.

The next morning, the king rushed to the pit to see if Daniel was still alive. He was, and the king pulled him out. Then, he punished the evil men who had tricked him. He also commanded that everyone should pray to Daniel's God.

Teach your child that the words of the prophets are found in the scriptures. Tell them that prophets teach us about Jesus Christ and His atonement, and that those teachings are called the gospel. The gospel is taught every time there is a prophet.

Conclusion:

Bear your testimony that prophets are sent by the Lord to warn us and protect us. Testify that there are prophets on the earth today, because God loves us now as much as he did in the times of Noah and Daniel. Testify that if we listen to the counsel of prophets that we will be safe and protected.

Other Resources:
Nursery Manual: Lesson 24
Preach My Gospel

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