This blogpost features a lesson plan and a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for March 24-30, which includes Doctrine and Covenants 27-28. Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.
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STANDING AS A WITNESS OF GOD LESSON PLAN
MATERIALS NEEDED:
1. These videos downloaded and ready to show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiEzf3J4iFk (Selective attention video/ Jump-roping)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkR74UN92xU&t=32s (A beautiful song about being a witness of Christ)
2. Get 2 bags or boxes - one with a treat inside and the other with something boring inside ( like a roll of toilet paper or a pair of socks or something).
Make it so you can't tell which one of the bags has the treat just from looking at it.
(NOTE: please be aware of any food allergies that your class members may have, so that no one is excluded from being able to enjoy the treats. Fruity candies are generally pretty allergy friendly, unless you have someone sensitive to food dyes. Rice Krispie treats made with coconut oil or dairy-free shortening and a gluten free cereal (like Cheerios or Rice Chex), are an easy homemade treat that eliminates most common allergens as well. )
ATTENTION ACTIVITY:
Present to the class the bags or boxes (without them being able to get a glimpse inside) and tell them about the yummy treat you have inside one of them. Mention that one of the bags contains a boring item. Tell them that you're going to allow them to choose one of the bags, but that if they choose wrong, they're out of luck. No second chances. Build it up for a minute and emphasize the fact they don't get anything if they choose the wrong one.
Ask for a volunteer to choose, but stop them before choosing and tell the volunteer that instead of choosing, they're going to be a witness.
Allow them to peek inside both bags and tell the class which bag contains the item they want.
(NOTE: If you have enough class members, you can repeat this process a few times and get a couple more witnesses...especially if your first witness is being silly and recommending the wrong bag)
Then call up a new volunteer and ask them to choose, based on the witnesses' reports.
Distribute the treats now or place them on the table and save them for the end of class.
QUESTION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT WITNESSES IN THE WORLD
Question: “What is a witness?”
The dictionary defines a WITNESS as “one who has personal knowledge or experience of something.” Relate it to the Attention Activity and talk about how the people who saw the treats beforehand were witnesses and now they all can see the treats, so they're all witnesses and can tell others about what they've seen and experienced.
Question: Where do you usually hear the word WITNESS when you're not at church?
Some possible answers may include witnesses that appear in court when there is a car accident, or the police taking statements from witnesses when a crime has been committed.
Now I am going to show you a video clip and I want everyone to pay attention to the challenge (counting how many times the jump ropers in green landed a jump). Maybe even mention that you will have a little prize for the person who guesses correctly.
VIDEO
VIDEO CLIP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiEzf3J4iFk
(NOTE: Definitely preview this video first and make sure it suits the needs /attention span of your class. Do NOT give any hints that there may be more to the video than just counting jumps. We will discuss its relationship to being a witness in the next section)
After watching the video, discuss what people may or may not have missed while watching it. Then talk a bit about how being a witness depends on what you're paying attention to. Some of them may have known to look for an unexpected surprise, others may have been completely shocked to see there was a chicken or that the background color changed. Don't get too far on a tangent though and start to direct the conversation to the meat of the lesson...being a witness for Jesus Christ. (see more details about making this transition in the next section)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WITNESS FOR JESUS?
Speaking of the video again, mention that IN ORDER TO BE A WITNESS FOR SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO IT. Luckily, being a witness for Christ isn't as complicated as searching for surprises in a fast-paced jump-roping video.
SCRIPTURE ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION ABOUT FULL-TIME MISSIONARIES : Have everyone pull out their scriptures and encourage them to look at the section headings in Doctrine and Covenants 30-36 and see if they can find mentions of anyone who was called to be a witness for Christ? (Peter Whitmer Jr, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, Thomas Marsh, Parley Pratt, Ziba Peterson, Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge). Talk a little about how they were called to be WITNESSES for Jesus by being called as missionaries. Maybe talk about a full-time missionary serving from your ward (or in your ward) and talk about how they wear nametags that literally say the name of Jesus Christ right on them. Discuss some of the things full-time missionaries do to be witnesses.
READ A SCRIPTURE AND DISCUSS WHAT BEING A WITNESS CAN LOOK LIKE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE:
Mosiah 18:9
"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— "
Go point by point through the scripture and talk about what each of those things might look like to them at whatever age they're at (make this as interactive as possible and don't be afraid of silence if you ask a question and they don't answer right away; give them time and be prepared to listen):
* "mourn with those that mourn" -- being a friend to people who might be feeling sad or listening to someone who is worried about something
* "comfort those that stand in need of comfort"--letting someone know you care when they have something bad/hard happen to them; don't leave them alone, even if it feels awkward
* "stand as a witness of God at all times..."-- follow the commandments even when no one is watching and when you make a mistake, seek to repent quickly
* "in all things"-- notice how certain shows, video games, internet sites, or music make you feel. If you notice that there are some that give you a bad feeling inside or cause you to waste too much time, find a way to avoid them. Block them from your phone or talk to your parents about helping you set limits.
* "in all places"-- be aware of the choices you make when you are in different situations. If certain friends or certain places make it harder to choose the right, then look for new friends or things you can do to make it easier to choose the right in that situation
CONCLUSION:
Share a time when you had the opportunity to be a WITNESS for Christ or when someone else was a WITNESS and it made a difference for you. Bear your testimony of Christ and if you have time, watch and listen to this beautiful video to finish up.
I AM A WITNESS SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkR74UN92xU&t=32s
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Here is an ACTIVITY SHEET that is designed to print double-sided and cut in half.
They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the
Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom
or home setting.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE ACTIVITY SHEET IN CASE IT'S NOT SHOWING BELOW:
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Be sure to bookmark and check back every week for a new activity sheet and lesson ideas to go along with the Come Follow Me reading!
Enjoy learning the gospel together!