Preperation:
1.Make as many copies of the keys as you have family members.
2.Get three really nice, (jewelry, or knick knack boxes) Or wrap three small boxes. (2 with expensive looking wrapping paper, You can leave one very plain).
Have their favorite candy in one, a very expensive looking jewel or chrystal, and in the bigger plainer box, a set of scriptures.
3.Make copies of the lesson below between the dotted lines
4. Display pictures of the restoration.
LESSON
1. Song: "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" (hymn book)
2. Prayer:
3. Hand a key to each person in family. Show the three boxes. Tell your family that each box contains something very special.
Inside the first box is a family heirloom that is worth alot of money and would take care of a person financially for the rest of there lives.
The second box has something with great appeal to it, it would give them great immediate pleasure, and is very desirable, especially if your hungery.
The third box (plain one) has the most worthwhile thing that will enlighten and save the soul, and will prepare them for the eternities, truth, laws and inspiration.
Hand your family members a key and tell them to place it on the box that they would honestly choose.
4. Ask, Why was the gospel, and its authority taken away from people?
(explain),
A long time ago the prophets were all killed off. The people no longer wanted the truth nor the peace and joy the gospel could bring.(as are found in box #3) They chose the other things before they chose God and his truths. They became evil, and lusted after the things of the flesh. (box # 2) They wanted Riches and power of men. (box #1) So God took it away from them.
To demonstrate this further take the box of jewelry and say, "I want to leave this family heirloom to someone very special to me, I am going to give it to".......(place it on the floor and say), "I am going to give it to the family pet".
5. Ask, does the family pet want this expensive gift? Does it mean anything to the dog, fish or cat?
Well that is why Father took the gift of the gospel away from man, because he could care less about it.
6. Why and how was it restored? Man was seeking it. And the Lord was ready to give it back to the earth and His people.
7. Print the word strips below and cut between the dotted lines. Make into the shape of keys or just strips. Put into a jar or box and play a Question game. Each member of the family who can, will pick a question from the question box, and read it. If no one knows the answer have the person read it off of their strip.
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Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (while translating the Book of Mormon), came to the instructions of the Savior to the Nephites on the subject of baptism, They realized that no one had the authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." What is this authority? (priesthood)
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What did Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery do about this problem of no authority?
They, on a certain day, went into the woods to pray. then a messenger (JS-History 1:68) from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and laid his hands upon them, ordained them, saying: "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness" (JS-History 1:68-69)
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What messenger restored the baptism ordination?
(John the Baptist)
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What authority did John the Baptist give to Joseph and Oliver?
Conferred upon them the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood.
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*Who was the first to be baptised in the restoration?
According to the record, after receiving the priesthood from John, Joseph baptized Oliver, then Oliver baptized Joseph. After they were baptized, according to the Prophet, "I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthood—for so we were commanded" (JS-History 1:71).
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After there baptism and confirmation, What did Joseph and Oliver experience?
Joseph Smith: "They experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. The Holy Ghost fell upon them, they prophesied, they experienced joy, peace, comprehension, and wisdom. (JS-History 1)
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How significant was the restoration in the eternal war between good and evil?
The adversary had bound men up for many years and now his plan to keep men in darkness was thwarted. Satan himself appeared as an angel of light. READ (D&C 128:20)
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Why do the keys of authority have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent?
Joseph Smith said, "The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam's authority." (HC, 3:386)
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· If Joseph and Oliver had been baptised before, why would they be commanded to baptize each other? (JS-History 1:70). They did not have the authority. After they were ordained with the priesthood, they then had the authority to baptize each other.
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What are the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood?
The keys of presidency in the Aaronic Priesthood.
The right to preside in the Aaronic Priesthood.
The right to authorize either themselves or someone else to use the Aaronic Priesthood.
Preach repentance:
Home teaching. Under the direction of the senior companion, he may present lessons that encourage families to improve their lives.
Missionary work. Priests may assist the full time missionaries or stake missionaries.
All Aaronic Priesthood holders have the opportunity to share the gospel by the examples they set in their daily lives, by sharing their testimony, and by member missionary work.
Through testimony bearing.
Through fellowshipping.
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The Melchizedek Priesthood was bestowed sometime between May 15 and the latter part of June 1829.
WHAT AUTHORITY AND BLESSINGS WERE RESTORED WITH THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD?
Authority to administer the gospel of Jesus Christ (D&C 84:19).
Authority to govern the Church.
Preach the gospel.
Administer the ordinances of salvation.
The keys of all the spiritual blessings of the Church (D&C 107:18).
Joseph Smith said that the "Melchizedek Priesthood . . . is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is revealed from heaven." (TPJS, pp166-67)
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Who are all the Keys of the kingdom with now?
"The keys of the kingdom of God on earth are held by the apostles. The president of the church, who is the senior apostle, holds all the keys presently on earth and presides over all the organizational and ordinance work of the Church (D&C 107:8-9, 91-92). He delegates authority by giving the keys of specific offices to others (D&C 124:123). Only presiding priesthood officers (including General Authorities, stake presidents, mission presidents, temple presidents, bishops, branch presidents, and quorum presidents) hold keys pertaining to their respective offices. Latter-day Saints distinguish between holding the priesthood and holding keys to direct the work of the priesthood: one does not receive additional priesthood when one is given keys (Joseph F. Smith, IE 4 [Jan. 1901]:230)."
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8. Song: "The Priesthood is Restored" The Childrens Songbook
9. Prayer and blessing on dessert. DESSERT RECIPES
