Lesson 1 The Keystone of Our Religion - Amazon S3 · Lesson 1 The Keystone of Our Religion Includes: o Lesson Plan (S ources: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson

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By Donna McAllister

Lesson 1The Keystone of Our Religion

Includes:o Lesson Plan (Sources: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson 1; New Era June 2002)

o Lesson Help #1 = Arch Keystone - Postero Lesson Help #2 = President Benson Quote 1o Lesson Help #3 = President Benson Quote 2o Lesson Help #4 = Joseph Smith’s Testimony - Skito Lesson Help #5 = Witnesses - Postero Lesson Help #6 = World Conditions – Fill in the Blanks Quizo Lesson Help #7 = President Benson Quote 3o Lesson Help #8 = President Benson Quote 4

Instructions:* Use as much or as little of this lesson as you need to meet the class’s needs.Some less attentive classes will only pay attention to the activities and stories.Other classes will profit from most of the lesson.* The text that is blue is linked to the internet where you will find that scripture orpicture. To link to the internet, find the text that is blue, place your cursor iconover the text, hit the Ctrl key on your keyboard, and at the same time left clickwith your mouse.* Print the lesson plan and use as a script when teaching your Sunday Schoolclass.* Print any of the Lesson Helps that you want to use. If you don’t want to copy thecolored ones in color, an alternate (Alt.) black and white version is supplied(except for pictures). You can copy the black and white helps on colored paper ifyou’d like.* All class activities and handouts are in black and white, or have alternateversions so that you can make additional copies in your ward library if you needto.* A good way to display lesson helps while you teach, is to use magnets.


Lesson 1The Keystone of Our Religion

PurposeTo help class members understand how the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion and how abiding byits precepts helps us draw nearer to God.

Scripture ReferencesIntroductory material to the Book of Mormon, including the title page, the introduction, the Testimony of ThreeWitnesses, the Testimony of Eight Witnesses, and the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Preparation- Prepare Lesson Help sections as needed- Pencils- Felt Pen- Chalk (optional)- Pictures: Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith in His Room (62492; Gospel Art Picture Kit 404) and Joseph SmithReceives the Gold Plates (62012; Gospel Art Picture Kit 406).- Video (optional) “For Our Day,” a four-minute segment of Book of Mormon Video Presentations (53911).

Lesson Development

Attention Activity

[Display Lesson Help #1 Arch Keystone – Poster (or draw one on the board)]

[Tell the class:]“When an arch such as this one is constructed correctly, it can remain standing even without any mortar (orcement) between the stones. It is the keystone that holds the arch together and keeps the other stones in place.Today we’re going to talk about the keystone of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

[Leave Lesson Help #1 on the board – you will be writing on it as the lesson progresses]

Scripture Discussion and Application

1. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.

[Ask a class member to read The Introduction to the Book of Mormon – sixth paragraph]

[With a felt pen, write Book of Mormon on Lesson Help #1 under the word Keystone]

[Display Lesson Help #2 President Benson Quote 1 and read it or ask a class member to read it aloud]President Ezra Taft Benson explained, “Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all theChurch stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. There are three ways in which the Book ofMormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of ourdoctrine. It is the keystone of testimony (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6).


[With a felt pen, write Witness of Christ on Lesson Help #1 under the words Book of Mormon]

[Have class members turn to the Title page of the Book of Mormon, and explain that this page was written bythe prophet Moroni.]

QUESTION: According to the second paragraph, what are three purposes of the Book of Mormon? {to showthe remnant of the house of Israel the great things the Lord has done for their fathers; to teach the covenantsrequired by the Lord; and to convince all people that Jesus is the Christ, manifesting Himself to all nations}

[Tell the class:]“In 1982 the subtitle ‘Another Testament of Jesus Christ’ was added to the title of the Book of Mormon. TheLord tells us why it is important to have this additional testament of the Savior.”[Ask a class member to read 2 Nephi 29:8–9]

[With a felt pen, write Doctrine on Lesson Help #1 under the words Witness of Christ]

[Display Lesson Help #3 President Benson Quote 2 and read it or ask a class member to read it aloud]President Benson stated: “The Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the ‘fulness of thegospel of Jesus Christ’ (D&C 20:9). That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine everrevealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required forour salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even children can learn the ways of salvation andexaltation” (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6).

[With a felt pen, write Testimony on Lesson Help #1 under the word Doctrine]

[Tell the class:]“Let’s find out what we need to do to gain a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.”[Ask a class member to read Moroni 10:3–5]

[Optional STORY]Some years ago while traveling to my mission in Germany, I found myself, in stormy November, aboard a shipsailing from New York to Bremerhaven. The ocean boiled with turmoil. We were all seasick. All we could eatwere soda crackers and zwieback, a type of dry toast. I was almost afraid I was not going to die!As the days passed it dawned on me—I’m really going on a mission. Do I truly have a testimony? Am Iprepared to bear it “at all times and … in all places” (Mosiah 18:9)?I thought I had a testimony, but now the real trial of my faith was coming. I was going to a foreign land wherethe only words I could speak in German were Volkswagen and auf Wiedersehen.During the voyage I realized my testimony was not a spiritual fire of conviction, particularly of the Book ofMormon. And so I knelt on the cold steel floor of that rocking ship and begged the Lord with my tears. I prayed,“Dear Father, I have to know that the Book of Mormon is true. I have read it, I think I understand it, but I desirethe fire which helps a man know that the Book of Mormon is Thy word. Please, Father, help me.”Somewhere on the lonely Atlantic, during those turbulent days, a sweet spirit and peace came to me—“thepeace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philip. 4:7). I received a witness that the Book of Mormon isthe word of God, and that supernal event became my hour of conversion.If you question whether you have a testimony of the restored gospel, I encourage you to read, ponder, and studythe Book of Mormon. Why the Book of Mormon? Because this holy scripture is the great testifier andconverter. This ancient record is a spiritual compass for us to follow. (Robert K. Dellenbach, “Hour ofConversion,” New Era, Jun 2002, 41)

2. Many witnesses have testified of the Book of Mormon.

[Display Pictures: Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith in His Room and Joseph Smith Receives the Gold Plates]


[Give a copy of Lesson Help #4 Joseph’s Smith’s Testimony – Skit to 3 class members, assign parts, and askthem to read it to the class]

[Tell the class:]“After Joseph Smith had finished translating the Book of Mormon, other people were privileged to see theplates. First, Three Witnesses and then later, Eight Witnesses.

[Display Lesson Help #5 Witnesses – Poster and read it to the class]

QUESTION: What other witnesses do we have that the Book of Mormon is true? {current prophet; apostles;Holy Ghost; etc.}

3. The Book of Mormon was written for our day.

[Optional Video presentation “For Our Day”]

[Tell the class:]“Although the Book of Mormon is an ancient document, it was written and preserved for our day.”

[Ask a class member to read Moroni 1:4]

“In the Book of Mormon, Moroni talked about the conditions that would exist in the world when the Book ofMormon was again brought forth.”[Give a section of Lesson Help #6 World Conditions – Fill in the Blanks Quiz and a pencil to each classmember. Let them work either individually, or as a group to find the answers]

ANSWERS: World Conditions - Moroni Chapter 8 – Fill in the Blanksa. “The power of God shall be denied” (verse 28).b. “There shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth” (verse 31).c. People will “lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts” (verse 36).d. People will “love money … more than [they] love the poor and the needy” (verse 37).e. People will be “ashamed to take upon [themselves] the name of Christ” (verse 38).

[Display Lesson Help #7 President Benson Quote 3 and read it or ask a class member to read it aloud]President Benson taught: “The Book of Mormon … was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book;neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. … Each of the major writers of the Book ofMormon testified that he wrote for future generations. … If they saw our day and chose those things whichwould be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantlyask ourselves, ‘Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? Whatlesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?’ ” (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6).

4. The Book of Mormon can bring us nearer to God.

[Tell the class:]“We are told that there will be consequences to us, individually and as a church, if we do not study the Book ofMormon.”[Ask a class member to read D&C 84:56-57]

“There are also blessings in our life when we study and ponder the Book of Mormon regularly.”

[Display Lesson Help #8 President Benson Quote 4 and read it or ask a class member to read it aloud]


President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The moment you begin a serious study of [the Book of Mormon, you] willfind greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power tostay on the strait and narrow path. … When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find lifein greater and greater abundance” (Ensign, Nov. 1986, 7).

Conclusion

[Tell the class:]“The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion and when we live by its precepts we can draw nearer toGod.”

[As directed by the Spirit, testify of the truths discussed during the lesson.]





Make 3 copies Joseph Smith’s Testimony - Skit Lesson Help #4---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Joseph: My name is Joseph Smith and one night when I was 17 years old, the angel Moroniappeared to me in a bright light.

Moroni: I told Joseph about a book that was written upon gold plates and hidden in the ground nearhis home.

Joseph: He also told me about the Urim and Thummim that were with the gold plates and whichcould be used for translating the plates, but that it wasn’t time for me to get the plates yet.

Moroni: I then warned him that when he did get the plates, he was not to show them to any otherperson.

Joseph: While Moroni spoke to me, I had a vision that showed me where the plates were located.

Moroni: I disappeared and reappeared several times that night, each time telling Joseph the samething.

Joseph: Soon after Moroni left for the last time, a rooster crowed and I realized that it was morning.

Father: I was worried when I noticed that my son, Joseph, was trying to do his chores but was soexhausted that he couldn’t. So I told him to go back to the house.

Joseph: I tried to obey him, but when I was crossing a fence, I collapsed and passed out.

Moroni: When he came to, I was there and gave him the same message and then told Joseph to gotell it to his father.

Father: When Joseph told me what had been going on, I told him that it was of God and he shoulddo what the messenger had commanded him to do.

Joseph: So I went to the area that I had envisioned and was able to find all that Moroni hadexplained.

Moroni: While Joseph was there, I appeared to him again and told him that it wasn’t time for him totake the contents of the box.

Father: Moroni also told him that he was to meet Moroni there every year for the next four years.Joseph did as he was commanded and eventually did receive the gold plates and translators.

Moroni: Many people tried to take then from him, but through the power of the Lord, Joseph wasable to protect them until he had translated them into the Book of Mormon. Then he returned themto me.


Lesson Help #5

THREE WITNESSES:Oliver CowderyDavid WhitmerMartin Harris

EIGHT WITNESSES:Christian Whitmer

Jacob WhitmerPeter Whitmer, Jun.

John WhitmerHiram Page

Joseph Smith, Sen.Hyrum Smith

Samuel H. Smith








Make 3 copies Joseph Smith’s Testimony - Skit Alt. Lesson Help #4---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Joseph: My name is Joseph Smith and one night when I was 17 years old, the angel Moroniappeared to me in a bright light.

Moroni: I told Joseph about a book that was written upon gold plates and hidden in the ground nearhis home.

Joseph: He also told me about the Urim and Thummim that were with the gold plates and whichcould be used for translating the plates, but that it wasn’t time for me to get the plates yet.

Moroni: I then warned him that when he did get the plates, he was not to show them to any otherperson.

Joseph: While Moroni spoke to me, I had a vision that showed me where the plates were located.

Moroni: I disappeared and reappeared several times that night, each time telling Joseph the samething.

Joseph: Soon after Moroni left for the last time, a rooster crowed and I realized that it was morning.

Father: I was worried when I noticed that my son, Joseph, was trying to do his chores but was soexhausted that he couldn’t. So I told him to go back to the house.

Joseph: I tried to obey him, but when I was crossing a fence, I collapsed and passed out.

Moroni: When he came to, I was there and gave him the same message and then told Joseph to gotell it to his father.

Father: When Joseph told me what had been going on, I told him that it was of God and he shoulddo what the messenger had commanded him to do.

Joseph: So I went to the area that I had envisioned and was able to find all that Moroni hadexplained.

Moroni: While Joseph was there, I appeared to him again and told him that it wasn’t time for him totake the contents of the box.

Father: Moroni also told him that he was to meet Moroni there every year for the next four years.Joseph did as he was commanded and eventually did receive the gold plates and translators.

Moroni: Many people tried to take then from him, but through the power of the Lord, Joseph wasable to protect them until he had translated them into the Book of Mormon. Then he returned themto me.


Alt. Lesson Help #5

THREE WITNESSES:Oliver CowderyDavid WhitmerMartin Harris

EIGHT WITNESSES:Christian Whitmer

Jacob WhitmerPeter Whitmer, Jun.

John WhitmerHiram Page

Joseph Smith, Sen.Hyrum Smith


Samuel H. Smith




Documents

Lesson 1 The Keystone of Our Religion - Amazon S3 · Lesson 1 The Keystone of Our Religion Includes: o Lesson Plan (S ources: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson