Scripture
2 Nephi 2:27
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
Hymn
1. Do what is right; the day-dawn is breaking,
Hailing a future of freedom and light.
Angels above us are silent notes taking
Of ev’ry action; then do what is right!
(Chorus)
Do what is right; let the consequence follow.
Battle for freedom in spirit and might;
And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow.
God will protect you; then do what is right!
2. Do what is right; the shackles are falling.
Chains of the bondsmen no longer are bright;
Lightened by hope, soon they’ll cease to be galling.
Truth goeth onward; then do what is right!
(Chorus)
3. Do what is right; be faithful and fearless.
Onward, press onward, the goal is in sight.
Eyes that are wet now, ere long will be tearless.
Blessings await you in doing what’s right!
(Chorus)
Lesson
Begin by making a list with your family of all the things you are free to do. This can include run, walk, laugh, play, go to school, watch movies, pray, read the scriptures, go to church, etc.
Read: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ believe it is is important for us to be free. They have given us agency so we are free to make choices and commandments to help keep us free from bondage. Bondage means we are a slave to something or someone. In the Book of Mormon, Lehi told his son Jacob that men can choose to be free with the help of Christ or, if they make bad choices, they can be in bondage to Satan.
A very long time ago, God’s people were slaves. Moses had to free to people from the Egyptians. Because they were slaves, they were not able to worship God as they pleased and lived a very difficult life. Today, we are not actually slaves to anyone. But Satan has created another way for us to be in bondage. This way is addiction.
Ask: Do you know what the word addiction means?
Read aloud: Addiction means we are dependent on a harmful behavior or substance. People can be addicted to drugs, alcohol, or pornography. If we aren’t careful, we can even become addicted to things that are normally not dangerous, such as television, the internet, and food. Think of addiction as a very hungry monster. No matter how much you feed the monster, it is never satisfied. That is what addiction is like.
One of the scariest things about addiction is that it takes away our ability to make good choices. We are no longer free to do the things Heavenly Father wants us to do. Addiction brings discouragement, shame, sadness, and the consequences of making bad choices.
Heavenly Father, however, knows Satan will try to make us slaves to addiction. Through Jesus Christ and His gospel, He has provided a way for us to remain free. We have families, commandments, Church leaders, and the Holy Ghost to help us make good choices and stay away from things that would be addicting. The most important thing Heavenly Father has given us is the Atonement. The Atonement gives us strength and helps us free ourselves if we do become addicted to something.
Finish the lesson by reviewing your house rules about avoiding addictive substances. This can include what to do if someone tries to show you pictures of private body parts, offers you alcohol, or asks you to do something you feel is wrong. Stress the importance that if we make a mistake, the Atonement can always help make us free again.
*For Teenagers and Adults*
Ask: What stood out to you from this video?
Read aloud: Heavenly Father has created us and given us this opportunity on Earth to help us reach our full potential. Our lives are full of promise and we each have important things to become more like Christ and help others do the same. Addiction is a deadly tool of the adversary to limit our ability to make good choices and lead fulfilling lives. In the video, it talked about the hungers and weaknesses we have that can make us fall prey to Satan’s deceptions.
Ask: What are some of our hungers/weaknesses and how do addictions fool us into thinking they are satiated? (Examples include natural urges/pornography, wanting to belong/substance abuse, loneliness/social media)
Read aloud: Just as Satan knows us and will try to deceive us, Jesus Christ knows us perfectly and has provided His gospel to help us remain free from the bondage of addiction. He has provided numerous resources to help us avoid addictive behaviors and substances and to overcome them and become free again if we do get caught.
Ask: How does the gospel protect us from addiction? What practical ways can we guard ourselves against bondage?
Finish the lesson by bearing testimony and sharing any personal experiences.
Related Products
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Treat
TreatApple Pie Bites or Cucumber Melon Fruit Salad
Apple Pie Bites
Ingredients:
-1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
-1 teaspoon apple pie spice, plus some for sprinkling
-3 tablespoons butter, melted
-1/3 cup chopped pecans
-1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced in 8 slices
-1 can Pillsbury Original crescent rolls
You can also top with nuts, coconut, salted caramel, or other favorite toppings.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and apple pie spice. Set aside.
Melt butter and toss apple slices in butter, set aside.
Arrange crescent roll triangles on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Evenly distribute brown sugar mixture onto each triangle.
Sprinkle each triangle evenly with the chopped pecans.
Place an apple slice on the wide end of each triangle. Wrap crescent roll dough around each apple.
Brush each crescent roll with remaining butter. Sprinkle lightly with additional apple pie spice.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
(Courtesy of The Blond Cook)
Cucumber Melon Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
-5 Mini Cucumbers, like ones from Melissa’s Produce
-3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
-3 cups cantaloupe, cubed
-2 green onions, chopped
Dressing:
-¼ c. white vinegar
-juice of 1 lime (about ¼ c.)
-grated peel of 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
-1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
-2 cloves of garlic, minced
-½ tsp. salt
-½ tsp. pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, melons and onion. Toss to incorporate.
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients (vinegar, lime juice and peel, oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper). Pour dressing over the melon mixture and toss to coat. Serve right away. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
(Courtesy of Delightful E Made)
Activity
Giants Wizards Elves or The Mummy
Giants Wizards Elves
This game is similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. You need to split up into two even teams. There are three specific motions. To be a giant, you stand on your tippy toes and raise your arms above your head. Wizards bends your knees slightly, like you’re on a surfboard, and wiggle your fingers straight in front of you as if you’re casting a spell. Elves crouch down to the ground and cup your hands around your ears.
To play, have the teams line up across from each other, facing away from each other. On the count of three, the players jump around to face one another with whatever character they’d like to be. The winners keep going until only one person is left.
Giants beat elves (by squashing them), elves beat wizards (by dodging their spells), and wizards beat giants (by freezing them with a spell.)
The Mummy
Split into teams and give each team a roll of toilet paper. Someone from each team is chosen to be The Mummy. The object of the game is to see who can use the whole roll of toilet paper the fastest to cover up the mummy.
great resource!