Family Home Evenings and more....: second coming

As I've recently been called to be the YW president in our ward, I thought I'd use this blog to share some of the lessons and ideas that we use along the way. This lesson could easily be adapted to a family home evening as well. Be sure to check out the resource list at the bottom of the lesson.

Objective:
Each young woman will recognize the responsibilities her generation has to prepare for the Second Coming.

Preparation:
1. Hide a paper crown under one of the seats or in the room
2. Gather items from the spiritual 72-hour kit (flashlight, roadmap, first aid kit, wipes, water, food, cash, radio) and tape the scriptures onto them. (see below)
3. Find a picture of a young girl (someone from your family preferably) dressed up as a princess
4. Print off quotes so that they can be read
5. Make hand-outs for them to take home

Introductory activity: Hide paper crown underneath a seat, then have the person find it be the queen for the day. They get to pick the people who give the prayers, choose songs, hand out items, etc.
Talk briefly about modern kings and queens and how they don’t do much today.

Briefly mention (or have them mention) some righteous and wicked kings through history.
Righteous (Benjamin, Mosiah, Limhi, Lamoni, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, Hezekiah)
Wicked (Noah, Coriantumr, Laman)

Summarize Mosiah 29:13, 16-17, 21, 26--when King Mosiah talks about how the ideal form of government is a righteous king, but because the evil that a wicked king perpetuates is so great and they're so difficult to overthrow without a lot of bloodshed, that it's better to be ruled by the people.

What are the characteristics of a righteous king?

Show picture Savior at the Second Coming and discuss how he is “the King of Kings”, which means that we are a royal generation.

Explain that the generation the YW are a part of has been called a royal generation because the valiant among them will help prepare the world for the 2^nd coming.

Read QUOTE #1:

“My dear friends, you are a royal generation. You were preserved to come to the earth in this time for a special purpose. Not just a few of you, but all of you. There are things for each of you to do that no one else can do as well as you…If you will let Him, I testify that our Father in Heaven will walk with you through the journey of life and inspire you to know your special purpose here.” Elder H. Burke Peterson

Show picture of a young girl as a princess. Talk about how most of us come to this earth with an innate sense of our divinity.

…then we seem to forget.

Royal generation? What does it mean? Who is our king?   What is a generation?
Kate Middleton
what would you do if she accepted an invitation to come to lunch at your house? Would you wait until the last minute to prepare? Would you put out paper plates and hot dogs? Would you leave your dirty dishes in the sink?

Of course not…you’d be honored and do your best to use your manners, clean your house, and prepare a delicious meal served on your finest table settings.

Imagine how honored we’d be with Kate Middleton allowing us to serve her lunch. Think of the great honor it is to be among the royal generation to usher in the King of Kings.

Except we don’t know when he is coming.

What are some of the signs that we’ll see before His coming (don't focus on the signs, keep it positive)?

Signs: restoration of the gospel, priesthood, gospel preached throughout the world, destruction of wicked, book of mormon .

Share experience about someone being scared of the second coming.

Ask: Do we need to be scared?
Read Dallin H Oaks Quote:
“We are surrounded by challenges on all sides. But with faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

Christ is our King of Kings and when we live like we believe it, there is No Need to Fear!

WE just need to be prepared.

Doctrine and Covenants 38:30 —if we are prepared, we shall not fear.

What do we usually think of when we think of being prepared?
Food storage, 72-hour kits, batteries, etc.

Show 72-hour kit and go through item by item and compare to spiritual preparation.    (see below for items and scriptures to have prepared)

D & C 87:8
Discuss its meaning
Talk about Holy Places
What it is. What it isn’t.

Simply put, you are a royal generation and have been held back for thousands of years to come forth in this day. You are the leaders of tomorrow and as we’ve been promised, you are strong enough to withstand any temptation before you. You are the daughter of a King.

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Here is the front of the handout, you can download it here (I added a text box that said, "You are a royal generation."):

the back:

A royal treat: Greek Yogurt Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting with Princess Cupcake Picks

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CUT OUT THE FOLLOWING STRIPS AND TAPE THEM TO THE CORRESPONDING ITEMS IN YOUR 72-HOUR KIT AND THEN PLACE THEM IN A BACKPACK (source: That Good Part):

Water – Jesus Christ
- “Jesus answered and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. … But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” – John 4:10, 14
Flashlight – The Light of Christ
- “12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” – John 8:12
Radio – The Gift of the Holy Ghost
- “3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. 4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.
  5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.”- 3 Nephi 11:3-5
Map – The Scriptures
- “3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” – 2 Nephi 32:3“
First Aid Kit – Faith

“22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” – Matthew 9:22

Wipes (sanitary/antibacterial wipes) – Repentance

“86 Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.” – Doctrine and Covenants 88:86

Swiss-Army Knife or multi-purpose tool – Spiritual Gifts

“8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; 9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.” – Doctrine and Covenants 46:8-9

Cash – Knowledge

” 19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” – Doctrine and Covenants 130:19

Clothes – Priesthood

“17 Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years. 18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.
19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.” – Doctrine and Covenants 84:17-22