Short Attention Span Sunday School: Primary 5 Lesson 7 Joseph Smith Translates the Gold Plates

PRIMARY 5 LESSON 7 JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATES THE GOLD PLATES PURPOSE FROM THE MANUAL

To help the children understand and recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost and desire to be worthy of his companionship.

CLASSROOM PREP

Bring cut out hearts to put on the board (it’s almost Valentine’s Day!)

Write on the board:

“Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your (tape up heart here), by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your (tape up another heart here). - D&C 8:2

LESSON QUICK-VIEW:

1/OPENING ACTIVITY

2/HOLY GHOST OBJECT LESSON

3/LESSON

4/DECISION-MAKING PRACTICE ACTIVITY

5/LEFT/RIGHT STORY GAME

6/VALENTINE CARDS FOR BISHOPRIC (DELIVER TREATS/CARDS BEFORE PRIMARY)

OPENING ACTIVITY

Watercolor reveal - pass out plates with “HOLY GHOST” written on it in white crayon

Pass out paintbrushes and watercolor palettes

Let them dip their brushes into water (bring an empty water bottle and fill @ church)

They will reveal the words “HOLY GHOST”

Talk about how sometimes the Holy Ghost reveals things to us in a quiet manner, slowly

HOLY GHOST OBJECT LESSON

Let’s talk about the Holy Ghost. What do you guys know about Him?

(he works together with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, he is a member of the Godhead, he is a personage without a body but with a spirit, he is also called the Comforter, the Spirit, he reveals truth, by the power of the Holy Ghost we can receive our testimony, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is given to us to dwell with us at all times if we are worthy, etc. etc. etc.)

Everyone close their eyes and listen to the music I’m going to play.
Think about how the music makes you feel.

• Play spooky-ish dramatic music. (with no words)
• Play the loud music. (something from The Messiah)
• Play the soft music. (something classical etc.)

When the Holy Ghost speaks to us, it’s a feeling much like how we feel when we listen to music. We need to learn how to recognize the Holy Ghost.
The way we feel with the spooky music is often how we feel when the Holy Ghost is warning us.
The way we feel with the soft music is how we feel when we know a choice is a good once.
Sometimes it’s loud and sometimes it’s quiet.

LESSON

Today we’re going to be learning about the importance of listening to the Holy Ghost

Remember that after Joseph repented for not listening to the Lord’s answer “no”, and Martin lost the 116 pages, his gift of translation was taken away for awhile? He had the plates taken away by the Angel Moroni.

After he repented he was allowed to continuing translating.

However, he didn’t have time to take care of his family and farm and translate as fast as he wanted.

The work of translation was slowed.

Martin wasn’t allowed to be his scribe anymore. He needed someone else.

He prayed and asked Heavenly Father for help.

Let’s read what the answer was → D&C 10:4  Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end.

He was told to stop translating a few months later, until the Lord told him to start again. He was promised that if he obeyed, the Lord would provide help with the translation.
Let’s read what he was told → D&C 5:30  And if this be the case, behold, I say unto thee Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again; then thou mayest translate again.

At this time, a young man named Oliver Cowdery was teaching school in Palmyra and living with Joseph Smith’s parents. He heard about Joseph and the gold plates. He asked about them, but his parents were a bit afraid to talk about it because of all of the persecution.

They grew to trust him, and eventually did tell him.

Oliver pondered and prayed. He felt that Joseph was a prophet and that he should be his scribe.

He wanted to meet Joseph, so he traveled with Sam (one of the younger brothers) to Harmony.

Joseph realized the Lord had sent Oliver to help with translation and they got to know one another.

Oliver wrote of his experiences as scribe: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven. … Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim … the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon’” (footnote to Joseph Smith—History 1:71).

Joseph learned he couldn’t translate without the help of the Holy Ghost. One morning he was upset with his wife Emma. He couldn’t translate at all! He went outside to pray and ask the Lord why. He realized he needed to get along with his wife before he could have the help of the Holy Ghost. He came back inside and asked Emma’s forgiveness. He was then able to translate.

Translating went faster with Oliver’s help.

Oliver wanted to try translating and was given permission but wasn’t able to. He thought he could just ask for the ability but he learned it required more than that - he had to be very close to the Spirit.

The Lord taught a decision making process to Oliver Cowdery D&C 9:8-9

POST THESE UP ON THE BOARD
1. Study the problem/question in your mind. Think about what you can do to solve/answer it.
2. Decide what you think you should do.

3. Ask Heavenly Father if your decision is right.
4. Listen with your heart and mind. If it’s right, the Holy Ghost will give you a good feeling. If it’s wrong, you won’t feel good and you then need to make a different choice.

We can make the right choice if we follow these steps.

DECISION-MAKING PRACTICE ACTIVITY

Situations below written out on slips and folded up and in a jar.

Everyone takes turns picking one out and discussing how they would use the four steps above to figure out what to do.

1. You are invited to a birthday party that happens at the same time as church.
2. Your friend at school asks if they can copy your answers to a test.
3. Your mom or dad asks you to clean your room when you'd rather go play outside.
4. You have homework to do that you haven't done yet, and it's time to go to bed.
5. You and your siblings each get one cookie for dessert. You're all alone in the kitchen and you spot one last cookie on the plate, and you really want to take it.
6. Your friend pays $1 for you to get a piece of licorice at school as a treat and says you can pay them back. You keep forgetting. Then one day you remember and you have $1 in your pocket. But they haven't reminded you to pay them back.

LEFT/RIGHT STORY GAME (actual story below)
Left/Right Story Game (below)

• Everyone sits or stands in a circle
• One person is handed a treat bag (pink M&Ms? Valentine Hershey's Kisses? heart-shaped Rice Krispie treat?) --> to be eaten at the end of class or at home (and treat bag could have a special label with cute graphic and D&C 8:2 on it)
• We start reading the story out loud (split into parts to equal the # of kids) - when there's a RIGHT the treat bag gets handed to the right, when there's a LEFT the treat bag gets handed to the left. and stop partway through.
• The person with the treats gets to keep them and exits the circle
• We continue reading with the smaller group and so on and so forth.

VALENTINE CARDS FOR THE BISHOPRIC/DELIVER TREATS TO THEM BEFORE PRIMARY

LEFT/RIGHT STORY GAME DETAILED

One day in a house just LEFT of Primary Street, lived a family called the LEFTings. The LEFTings were a happy family. They knew how RIGHT it was to choose the RIGHT so they could have the Holy Ghost dwell in their home. They had family home evening each week where they learned the gospel, played games, and ate treats. One day Leonard LEFTing invited his best friend, Ricky RIGHTman over for family home evening.

“I’m so glad your mom let you come over tonight, Ricky RIGHTman,” said Leonard.

“Me too!” replied Ricky.

As they headed towards the LEFTing’s kitchen, Leonard whispered to Ricky that they should play a prank on his sister Linda LEFTing. Ricky didn’t feel RIGHT about doing that, so he didn’t say anything. He guessed the RIGHT thing to do would be to tell Leonard that they shouldn’t. But then Leonard might get mad at him and stop inviting him over. Ricky didn’t want to feel LEFT out. He remembered how Heavenly Father taught him to make the RIGHT decisions. First think about what the RIGHT thing to do is. Then decide what you should do. Then ask Heavenly Father if the decision is RIGHT. Then listen with your heart and mind. If it’s RIGHT, the Holy Ghost will make you feel good. If it’s wrong, you will be LEFT with a feeling that isn’t good.

Ricky and Leonard went into their family room, which was RIGHT next to the kitchen. Linda was there reading a book. She didn’t them, because they were RIGHT behind her. Leonard whispered in Ricky’s LEFT ear, “Let’s sneak up and yell that there’s a spider on her head!” Ricky quickly thought about what he could do to get Leonard to change his mind but not make him mad. He decided that he should distract Leonard with something else even more fun. This LEFT Ricky with a good feeling. He quickly prayed to ask Heavenly Father if that was the RIGHT thing to do. He felt really good about it, so he knew it was RIGHT. The Holy Ghost told him!

His decision was to tell Leonard that instead, they should invite Linda to make cookies with them. He knew Leonard LEFTing was a huge cookie lover!

“I have a better idea,” Ricky RIGHTman whispered in Leonard’s ear.

“Hey Linda,” Ricky said in his normal voice, “Do you want to go make cookies with us? I bet there will be LEFTover dough to eat!” Leonard got a huge grin on his face. He liked the idea! Ricky was so relieved and knew he had chosen the RIGHT thing to do.

Linda also got a huge grin on her face and came RIGHT over to the kitchen. They got to work and the LEFTing and RIGHTman crew made a great batch of cookies!

Choosing the RIGHT and following the Holy Ghost can be delicious!

*spooky/soft/loud music activity from jennysmith.net