Scripture
Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
Hymn
1. To Nephi, seer of olden time,
A vision came from God,
Wherein the holy word sublime
Was shown an iron rod.
(Chorus)
Hold to the rod, the iron rod;
‘Tis strong, and bright, and true.
The iron rod is the word of God;
‘Twill safely guide us through.
2. While on our journey here below,
Beneath temptation’s pow’r,
Through mists of darkness we must go,
In peril ev’ry hour.
(Chorus)
3. And when temptation’s pow’r is nigh,
Our pathway clouded o’er,
Upon the rod we can rely,
And heaven’s aid implore.
(Chorus)
4. And, hand o’er hand, the rod along,
Through each succeeding day,
With earnest prayer and hopeful song,
We’ll still pursue our way.
(Chorus)
5. Afar we see the golden rest
To which the rod will guide,
Where, with the angels bright and blest,
Forever we’ll abide.
Lesson
*Suitable for All Ages*
*For Children*
Read aloud: Since the very beginning of the world, Heavenly Father has called prophets to help us learn and grow. A prophet is a man that Heavenly Father picks to be His mouthpiece here on Earth. Prophets teach us about Jesus Christ, give us direction, and warn of us trouble. Just as in ancient times, when we had prophets such as Adam, Noah, and Nephi, we have prophets today. And they still speak the words of God!
Ask: Do you know who the prophet is today?
Show this picture of the First Presidency, and then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Point out who each member of the First Presidency and describe the roles of the counselors. Then discuss how the Twelve are called to be Special Witnesses of Christ. (At the time of the lesson, this was the current First Presidency & Quorum of the Twelve. Use new pictures in the future.)
Read aloud: Every six months, we are very blessed to hear from the general leaders of the Church. These words are scripture to us, and the Lord has promised if we will follow the prophets we will be blessed. However, it can be very hard to remember what the prophets said.
Ask: Does anyone remember anything from last general conference?
Read aloud: One of the best ways we can prepare for General Conference is to review what was said in the last General Conference. This shows Heavenly Father that we cherished His words and are ready for more. So today, we want to go through some things the prophets and apostles said.
Click here to see all of the talk summaries from the most recent General Conference. Depending on time and attention span you can share the First Presidency plus some of your favorites or all of them. Point to the speaker on the pictures or hold up a picture of the speaker as you share the synopsis.
Ask: Did you notice any common themes in these talks? Why do you think it is important to remember what the prophets have said?
Finish by bearing your testimony and discussing ways you can review the previous conference in the upcoming weeks so you are spiritually prepared for the next conference.
*For Teenagers and Adults*
Read John 14:23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Ask: What does it mean to keep Christ’s words? How does this scripture apply to General Conference?
Read aloud: The Lord has promised great blessings to those who keep His words. Today, we have the opportunity to receive counsel from heaven every six months during General Conference. However, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often forget the words of the prophets soon after General Conference ends.
Ask: What are some things that hold us back from remembering the words spoken at General Conference?
Read aloud: In light of all of these things that hold us back, we show the Lord we cherish His words by not only remembering them, but by applying them as best we can. When we do so, we not only improve our lives, but show the Lord we are ready to receive more of His words. As the next General Conference draws closer, we have the great opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds for what will be said. In this time, one of the greatest things we can do is study the words from last General Conference and make a great commitment to follow the prophets.
Ask: What are some ways we can make the words of General Conference an integral part of our lives, no matter the time of year?
Use the short descriptions of each talk above and ask your family to listen for one that sparks their interest. You can then complete the General Conference Discussion activity below or encourage everyone to study the talks on their own time. Finish with your testimony.
Related Products
Treat
TreatTemple Cookies or No-Bake Energy Bites
Temple Cookies
Ingredients:
-3/4 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)
-1 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-1/2 tsp. vanilla
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla thoroughly. In a separate bowl, measure flower, baking powder, and salt together; blend in. Chill at least one hour.
2. Heat over to 400 degrees. Roll dough 1/8″ thick on lightly floured board. Use a temple cookie cutter, like the one above, or a printed template, to cut out your cookies. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cookies are a delicate golden color.
No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients:
-Chocolate Chips
-Toasted Coconut
-Vanilla Extract
-Peanut Butter
-Old-fashioned Oats
-HOney
-Ground Flax Seed
-Chia Seeds (Optional)
Directions:
Mix everything together until you have a moldeable consistency. Put the mixture in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes and then mold into small balls.
(Courtesy of Gimme Some Oven)
Activity
General Conference Discussion or General Conference Who’s Who
General Conference Discussion
First, review the talks of last General Conference found at the top of this lesson (for future conferences, you can read the headings of each talk found online as a good snippet.) Encourage family members to listen for one that sounds interesting or touches them. Then, have each family member go and read the talk by themselves for fifteen minutes. (For younger family members, you can read specific stories or do work from the General Conference activity section found in each month’s Ensign.)
When the time is up, come back together and discuss what you learned. Then, give everyone a sheet of paper and ask them to write at least one question down they have for the upcoming General Conference. Encourage them to keep the paper in sight and add questions as they think of them.
General Conference Who’s Who
Help your family get to know the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve by completing this fun worksheet. Containing facts and life tidbits, your family will feel better acquainted with the brethren when General Conference comes around. You can find the free download and all of the correct answers at the link below.
(Courtesy of Let’s Get Together)
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
