Easy Last Minute Youth Activity or FHE Lesson

Need an idea for a last minute youth activity or FHE lesson that doesn't take much prep work?   This activity is easy to pull off,  fun for the participants, and thought provoking enough to make it meaningful as well.

Gospel Analogy Skits

Prep:   (5 minutes) Gather about 15 random items from around the house.    Some good items might include a flashlight, bottle of aloe vera, a clock, a baby bib, a towel, a can of food, a blanket, a hat, an eraser, etc.

Divide  into groups of 2-3 people, or if doing with a small group, have individuals do it themselves.

Without giving any directions, have every group/individual come pick one of the random items.

Watch the first two minutes of this talk from Women's Conference, about the soda can analogy:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/filling-our-homes-with-light-and-truth?lang=eng

Talk for just a minute about the soda can analogy, then challenge them to find their own gospel analogy  with the object they've picked and then present it to the group as a 2-minute skit or commercial.   Emphasize that it does not need to be long.  

Give them pens, paper, and 10-15 minutes for planning.

Have them come to the front of the room and perform their skits. I highly recommend doing your own skit too.   They love watching their leaders act silly and it gives them a glimpse of how to do it!  Encourage group participation, clapping, etc….make it fun.

We got some very insightful gospel analogies and even had time to do another round, which we deemed the "speed round" because everyone only got 2 minutes to plan.

It was a great last-minute activity that was also fun and memorable!

******************************

Here are some of the analogies we came up with:

Slinky--When you pull it too far it is weak and shapeless, but when you push it together it is strong and has a point of focus.   If we prioritize our lives well, we can be like the strong and focused slinky.

Flashlight--We can bring light to a dark world with our good examples.

Bib--When we wear the "Super Duper Handy Dandy Bib of the Gospel" we can resist the stains of the world.

Aloe vera--The gospel can bring us soothing and healing when we are feeling spiritually burned.

Clock--We sometimes get caught up in the world's timing and thinking that God is not answering our prayers, etc., but when we understand the eternal perspective of God, we know that God's timing is all we need to worry about.

Bubbles--The atonement of Christ can take away the burden of sin and help us to feel the lightness of forgiveness.

Can of pumpkin--The can doesn't look like much and neither does the pumpkin inside, but when you follow a recipe and mix it up with the right ingredients,  you can make a delicious treat.   This was compared to how our lives are and when we follow the "recipe" for living the gospel, God will bless us and make our lives so much sweeter.

First aid kit--When we are feeling hurt, we can turn to the first aid kit of the gospel and find healing for our spiritual wounds.