LESSON 44: Moroni and the Book of Mormon Promise

Transcription

1 LESSON 44: Moroni and the Book of Mormon Promise

2 PURPOSE To encourage the children to gain a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon and study it and live its teachings throughout their lives.

3 Search, Ponder, and Pray 1. I love to read the holy scriptures, And, ev ry time I do, I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart A testimony that they re true. 2. So, prayerfully I ll read the scriptures Each day my whole life through. I ll come to understand. I ll heed the Lord s command And live as he would have me do. Chorus Search, ponder, and pray Are the things that I must do. The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside, I ll know the scriptures are true. Words: Jaclyn Thomas Milne, b IRI Music: Carol Baker Black, b IRI

4 OUR OPENING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY (Enter Name Here)

5 This picture depicts Moroni near the end of his life on earth. Your study of the Book of Mormon, in Primary, is also coming to an end.

6 Moroni had completed the sacred record. His father, Mormon, had been killed; his relatives were dead; he had no friends. The arrows, swords, and shields of battle were left on the battlefields

7 There was destruction everywhere. For years Moroni had been living alone, hiding from the Lamanites and protecting the sacred records.

8 He had abridged (summarized) the twentyfour gold plates (book of Ether) and finished his own writing on the plates his father had given him.

9 Referring to the picture, explain that Moroni is about to place the gold plates in a stone box in the Hill Cumorah. Moroni made a special promise to all those who read the Book of Mormon..

10 This promise is one of the last things Moroni wrote on the gold plates. It is a promise about getting a testimony of the Book of Mormon.

11 During today s lesson you will discover the steps to take to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. You will also learn about the promise Moroni gave us.

12 LESSON 44: Moroni and His Writings

13 GO TO THE VIDEO GO TO THE SLIDES DISCUSSION TIME

14 Before Moroni buried the plates for the last time, he wrote a promise to the Lamanites and to anyone else who would read the records.

15 He told people to read the records, really think about them, and then ask Heavenly Father if they are true.

16 Moroni promised that if people would ask sincerely, with faith in Christ, the Holy Ghost would help them know the records are true.

17 Moroni wrote that if people repent, follow Jesus Christ, and love Heavenly Father, they can become perfect.

18 When Moroni finished writing on the gold plates, he hid them in a stone box in the Hill Cumorah and covered the box with a big rock. His mortal work was finished.

19 DISCUSSION TIME

20 What did Moroni want us to remember? (Moroni 10:3.)

21 What did Moroni say we should do to find out if the Book of Mormon is true? (Moroni 10:4.)

22 Who will help us know the Book of Mormon is true? (Moroni 10:5.)

23 What is Moroni s promise to us? 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would a ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not b true; and if ye shall ask with a c sincere heart, with d real intent, having e faith in Christ, he will f manifest the g truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may a know the b truth of all things.

24 How can we recognize the power of the Holy Ghost when he is testifying to us that the Book of Mormon is true? The Lord prompts us most often through our feelings. The Holy Ghost often gives us a feeling of peace that something is right and good. It may be a warm feeling inside us.

25 What is the most important thing you can learn from studying the Book of Mormon? That Jesus is the Christ. It says on the title page of the Book of Mormon, the following:

26 An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

27 An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. Translated by Joseph Smith, Jun.

28 What did Moroni say about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon? (Mormon 8:16.) By what power would the Book of Mormon come forth?

29 Who received the gold plates and translated them into the Book of Mormon?

30 Now that the work of the Book of Mormon prophets and the Prophet Joseph Smith has been completed, what responsibility do we have to the Book of Mormon? To study it Gain a testimony of it Live its teachings Share our testimony with others

31 Now that the work of the Book of Mormon prophets and the Prophet Joseph Smith has been completed, what responsibility do we have to the Book of Mormon? To study it Gain a testimony of it Live its teachings Share our testimony with others

32 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES T

33 You can use these steps to gain your own testimony T

34 Read The first step in gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon is to read and study it. T

35 Remember Moroni said we should remember how kind and merciful Jesus Christ is and we should fill our hearts with gratitude for him. This love and gratitude will prepare us for the spirit of revelation. T

36 Ponder We must ponder or think in our hearts and minds the things we have learned about Jesus Christ and his teachings in the Book of Mormon. T

37 Pray We must pray sincerely, asking God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if the Book of Mormon is true. T

38 President Ezra Taft Benson, the 13 th president of the Church, said the following: T

39 There are three great reasons why Latterday Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a life-time pursuit. The first is that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. A keystone is the central stone in an arch. It holds all the other stones in place, and if removed, the arch crumbles. There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony. The second great reason is that it was written for our day. The third reason is [that] it helps us draw nearer to God. T

40 There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. He went on to say You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, pp. 4) T

41 We learn in Revelation 14:6 and Doctrine and Covenants 133:36 that an angel (Moroni) returned the everlasting gospel to the earth. Invite the children to look for the golden statue of Moroni on top of some of our temples and remember Moroni, who never failed in his testimony of Jesus Christ: And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ (Moroni 1:3). T

42 Let s read and try to memorize the eight article of faith. 8 We believe the a Bible to be the b word of God as far as it is translated c correctly; we also believe the d Book of Mormon to be the word of God. T

43 When we gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, we also gain a testimony that Jesus is the Christ. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of God. T

44 What are some of your favorite accounts from the book of Mormon. What important lessons can be learned from each account. T

45 Testimony I want to testify to the truthfulness of Moroni s promise in Moroni 10:3-5. Each of you can have your own testimony that the Book of Mormon is true. Would any of you like to bear your testimony of the Book of Mormon?

46 OUR CLOSING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY (Enter Name Here)

47 THE END

48 Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft office, and other websites indicating the images were in the public domain or permitted for church and home use. The Lesson and Scripture story are from lds.org. Please do not use this presentation for commercial use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in church or home to suit personal preference. This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.

49 Moroni 10:3 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how a merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and b ponder it in your c hearts. Return

50 Moroni 10:4 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would a ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not b true; and if ye shall ask with a c sincere heart, with d real intent, having e faith in Christ, he will f manifest the g truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Return

51 Moroni 10:5 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may a know the b truth of all things. Return

52 Mormon 8:16 16 And blessed be a he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be b brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God. Return

53 Revelation 14:6 6 And I saw another a angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the b everlasting c gospel to d preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every e nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Return

54 Doctrine and Covenants 133:36 36 And now, verily saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you, O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine a angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting b gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto c many that dwell on the earth. Return

55 Moroni 1:3 3 And I, Moroni, will not a deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life. Return

56 Moroni 10:3 5 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how a merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and b ponder it in your c hearts. 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would a ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not b true; and if ye shall ask with a c sincere heart, with d real intent, having e faith in Christ, he will f manifest the g truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may a know the b truth of all things. Return

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