ISAIAH PROHESIES OF THE SAVIOR

And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified . . . concerning this Messiah, . . . this Redeemer of the world (1 Nephi 10:5).

Great are the words of Isaiah.”*

These words of the Savior to the Nephites tell us just how important Isaiah’s prophecies are to us, too. Isaiah, a prophet who lived over seven hundred years before Jesus Christ, told how we should live our lives by having faith in Him and by obeying His commandments.†

Because the Savior had not yet come to live on the earth, Isaiah told of His birth, His ministry here, and His death and resurrection:

“For unto us a child is born, . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful,  counsellor, The mighty God. . . .

“[He will be] a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy . . . , a refuge from the storm. . . . “He [will be] despised and rejected of men; . . . taken from prison and from judgment: . . . for the transgression of my people [will he be] stricken. . . .
“He will swallow up death in victory.”‡
Isaiah also told about the Second Coming
of Jesus Christ:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that
. . . the Lord’s house shall be established in the top
of the mountains, . . . and all nations shall flow unto
it. . . .

“And he shall judge among the nations, and . . . nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. . . . “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid[,] and the  calf and the young lion . . .; and a little child shall lead them. . . . “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. . . . “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. . . .  “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God;. . . we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
“Now therefore, . . . saith the Lord, . . . my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak.”**
As we study the words of the prophets and do our best to live the gospel, we, too, look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As we hear the gospel from our parents and teachers, and as we study the scriptures and listen to our living prophets, we can say with Isaiah, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that .

STRING PICTURE By Holly Dougherty

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of poster board 11” x 14” (28 cm x 35.6 cm). Draw a line 3/4” (2 cm) from the edge of the long sides on both the top and the bottom. Mark places for six holes on each line 2” (5 cm) apart so that they line up from the top to the bottom; punch the holes (see illustration).

2. Cut six pieces of string 24” (61 cm) long. Thread a piece of string through a top and a corresponding bottom hole, tie taut, and trim ends. Repeat this procedure with the remaining strings (see illustration). Pull the knots to the bottom holes.

3. Cut a piece of poster board 5 1/2” x 14” (14 cm x 35.6 cm). Tape three outside edges of this poster board over the bottom of the strings poster
board (unknotted side) to form a pocket over the strings (see illustration). Print “Isaiah Prophecies of the Savior” on the pocket.

4. Mount this page on heavy paper, and cut out the pictures. Tape the back of each picture to the corresponding numbered string so that each shows above the pocket (see illustration).

5. Lower the pictures behind the pocket by raising the string knots on the back. Pull each picture into view as you retell “Isaiah Prophesies of the Savior”

Filed under: Christmas, Lesson 46: Jesus Christ Will Come Again, 1 Nephi 10:5, Great are the words of Isaiah, ISAIAH P PrOHESIES OF THE SAVIOR

Christmas Coupons

Filed under: Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christma Gift for parents, Christmas

Jesus Christ Will Come Again Puzzle

Filed under: Lesson 45 Easter, Lesson 47 Easter Lesson, Easter Puzzle, Jesus Christ Will Come Again Puzzle

The Bread of Life

By Julie Wardell

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And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger (John 6:35).

A typical day in the village of Nazareth, where Jesus lived, began at sunrise, with each family probably eating a simple meal of bread and curds (what milk first turns into when it is made into cheese). Bread was the main part of each meal. After eating, the father and mother began their daily work.

The mother and her children walked to the well near the marketplace for fresh water; she carried an earthenware jar to hold it in. On the one or two days of the week that farmers and merchants sold their goods there, she did her shopping.

Returning home, the mother started her most important task of the day—making the bread. Wheat or barley kernels were taken from a storage pot and ground between two stones. The coarse flour was put into a bowl, and water was mixed in. Small pieces of day-old dough were kneaded into the mixture for leavening, which is what makes dough rise.

After the dough had risen, a bit of it was saved for the next day’s bread, and the rest was shaped into round flat disks. They were then baked in an earthenware oven that had been heated during the night. Soon the delicious-smelling, golden brown crusted bread was ready to eat.

Bread was important to the people of both Old and New Testament times. When the ancient Israelites fled slavery in Egypt, they did not have time for dough to rise, so they made unleavened bread to take on their journey. To remind them of their escape to freedom, the Israelites ate only unleavened bread during the Festival of Passover each year. (See Ezek. 45:21.)

At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated Passover with his Apostles. He used the unleavened bread to represent his body when he instituted the ordinance of the sacrament: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and brake it, and blessed it, and gave to his disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is in remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you” (Matt. 26:26 [see footnote b]).

One of the miracles performed by Jesus was with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Many people had come to the desert to be healed and taught by him. When evening came, the disciples were worried about the lack of food for the people and suggested that he send the multitude back to their villages.

But Jesus told his disciples, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

“And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

“He said, Bring them hither to me.

“And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

“And they did all eat, and were filled. …

“And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.” (See Matt. 14:13–21.)

The next day the people sought Jesus out again and asked him for a greater sign to prove that he was the Messiah than feeding the 5,000. After all, they said, their ancestors had been fed daily with manna from heaven.

Jesus answered them, “Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. …

“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (See John 6:22–35.)

Jesus wanted the people to know that Heavenly Father had given their forefathers the manna and that, like all ordinary food, it sustained only their bodies. But now, through Jesus himself, Heavenly Father was offering them the eternal bread of life, which would sustain them spiritually.

The next time you see bread, remember the importance it played in the Bible not only as a life-sustaining food for the body but also as a symbol of Jesus Christ and all that he did for us.

Filed under: Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper, Ezek. 45:21, John 6:22, John 6:35, Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper, Matt. 26:26, never hunger, The Bread of Life, The Last Supper

In Remembrance of Jesus

Elder Robert D. Hales

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

The time had come for Christ’s ministry on earth to end. It was the Passover season. The people were celebrating and rejoicing in the goodness of God for having saved their forefathers from the plagues that had come upon Egypt in the days of Moses. Jesus had assembled His Apostles in the Upper Room for the Last Supper. Soon He would make His atoning sacrifice so that all mankind—those who had lived before that time, those who were then living, and all those who would yet live on earth—would be able to return to Heavenly Father’s presence if they would repent from their sins and be obedient to His commandments.

For all who come unto Christ and take His name upon them through baptism, there is great responsibility to be worthy to participate weekly in the sacrament to renew their baptismal covenant, take His name upon them, renew their promise to keep all of His commandments, remember Him, know Him, and understand His greatness.

When we are baptized in His name and always remember Him and keep His commandments, He gives us the greatest blessing He can give us: to always have His Spirit to be with us. We are not left alone. We have the light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us in an otherwise very dark and dreary world. Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Where the light of Christ is found, the darkness of Lucifer, even Satan, must depart, defeated.

May we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, and always remember Him in all that we do and all that we say—may we follow His light and choose the right.

Filed under: Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper, In Remembrance of Jesus, John 3:16, Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper

Jesus Brings Lazarus Back to Life

New Testament Riddle

By Donna Lugg Pape

My sisters spoke to Jesus,

And many tears they shed.

Then Jesus came up to my grave

And raised me from the dead.

Who am I?

Who were my sisters?

To check your answers and to learn more about this event, read John 11:1–44.

Filed under: Lesson 28: Jesus Christ Raises Lazarus from the Dead, Lesson 28: Jesus Christ Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Heavenly Father’s Plan

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).

Long before we were born, we attended a council in heaven and learned of Heavenly Father’s plan. An important part of His plan was for the earth to be created, to which we could come and have physical bodies. We could not become like Him if we didn’t.

Heavenly Father also placed a veil (something that hides or covers) across our minds so that we couldn’t remember our pre-earth life. That way, we could learn to have faith in Him and Jesus Christ, to control our minds and our bodies, and to obey the commandments and choose the right.

Knowing that we would sin and make mistakes, Heavenly Father asked for a savior—someone to atone for us. Jesus Christ said that He would be our Savior, and He was chosen. He followed Heavenly Father’s plan: He created the earth for us. He organized His church. He taught us through the prophets, apostles, other Church leaders and teachers, and through His own words and example. He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross for our sins. Then He overcame death so that we can overcome death, too.

After we die, He will judge us according to our faith in Him and how we lived on earth. He taught about this in a story called the parable of the sheep and the goats:

“When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

“And before him shall be gathered all nations [people]: and he shall separate them one from another … :

“And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

“When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

“Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Then the King told those on His left hand—those who did not try to be like the Savior and choose the right—that they would not be able to live again with Him and Heavenly Father. (See Matt. 25:31–46.)

Jesus Christ will finish Heavenly Father’s wonderful plan. The Savior said to the righteous:

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2–3.)

Sheep and Goats Matching Game

By Kimberly Webb

Instructions: Remove this page from the magazine, mount it on heavy paper, and cut out the cards. On a table or the floor, spread out the cards facedown. A player takes a turn by turning two cards over. If the cards don’t match, the cards are turned back over and it’s the next player’s turn. Pictures of sheep match with things that a person would do to follow the Savior. Pictures of goats match with things that would take one away from Him. If the two cards match, the player keeps them. His or her turn continues until he or she does not get another match. When all the cards are gone, the player with the greatest number of pairs wins.

Filed under: Lesson 27: Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, John 14:2–3, Lesson 27: Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Matt. 25:31–46, Moses 1:39, Sheep and Goats Matching Game

Practice Makes Perfect

By Becky Rademacher Godfrey

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Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matt. 25:40).

My name is Eric, and I love to play basketball. According to Eddy, our team’s student manager, I’m the fifth grader most likely to make a shot. Mom says I play so well because I play so often. “Practice makes perfect,” she says. Today I discovered that I could use some practice at something besides basketball. …

At lunch, my friend Kurt and I were walking toward our usual table, when I saw Trevor sitting alone, picking green pepper bits off his pizza. All of a sudden, I had a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it wasn’t entirely because of green peppers.

Trevor is a boy who comes to our ward sometimes. Yesterday Sister McQueiry, my Primary teacher, asked me to stay after class. She told me that the ward had set a goal to reach out to less-active members and that she needed my help. She knew that Trevor went to my school, and she asked me to invite him to Primary. I told her I would. When I saw Trevor, I knew I should talk to him right away, but I didn’t want to.

I mean, what would he think if I walked over there and just started talking? What would everyone else think? If he were an OK guy, why wasn’t anybody else sitting by him? Besides, this was only Monday, and I had all week to ask him to Primary. So I sat with Kurt at our usual table.

I must’ve felt a little guilty, though, because I ate my pizza, salad, corn, and chocolate cake a lot more slowly than usual. After about fifteen minutes, everyone else was out on the playground, but I was still eating my slice of pizza. The lunchroom was practically empty—except for Trevor and me.

I finally went over and sat by him. He was really quiet at first, but when I asked him about Boston, where his family had moved from, he started talking. I was so busy listening to him that I missed the entire lunch recess, and I barely remembered to ask him to church the next Sunday. I felt relieved to have my “Trevor assignment” over with.

I rushed home and played about ten games of one-on-one with Kurt before dinner. At family home evening, my sister, Kim, gave the lesson. It was all about the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31–46 [Matt. 25:31–46]. It compares the sheep to righteous people and the goats to wicked people. In verses 33–38 and 40, it says: “And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you …

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

“When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? …

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

As I listened to the parable, I thought about Trevor eating lunch all alone. Then I thought about Jesus. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Was I really ignoring Jesus when I ignored Trevor?

Kim ended her lesson, and Dad asked if anybody had any questions. I raised my hand.

“Eric?” asked Dad, a little surprised.

“I just wanted to know,” I started, not sure how to ask my question, “if you do something good, but it takes you a while to do it and you really didn’t want to do it, but you did it anyway, would you be a sheep or a goat?”

Dad gave me a look of real concern. “What are you talking about?” he finally asked. And so I told him about Trevor.

“It sounds to me as if you knew the right thing to do and you did it.” I felt relieved to hear Dad’s answer. “But,” he added, “your attitude could use a little work.”

“You’re a sheep,” Kim decided. “Pretty much, anyway.”

“Today you were kind because you knew it was right,” Mom added. “In time, I hope you will help others because you love them as Jesus does. But it will take time and practice.”

I wonder if you can be willing to practice love and service like you’re willing to practice basketball. I wonder if you can practice them while you practice basketball. I’ve decided to have lunch with Trevor tomorrow. He seems interesting. Besides, Trevor is even taller than I am. I wonder if he can hit the outside jumper.

Filed under: Lesson 27: Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Lesson 27: Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

Saul’s Conversion

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5).

At the time of Christ, Saul was born in Tarsus, a coastal city now located in Turkey. He was a Jew, and as he grew older, he diligently studied the scriptures. After the Savior’s death, Saul, with the permission of the Jewish leaders, began to persecute and jail Christians. He believed that they were teaching false doctrine and leading many Jews away from the truth. Saul also received permission from the high priest in Jerusalem to go to the city of Damascus, 130 miles (208 k) away, and arrest anyone teaching about Jesus Christ in the synagogues there.

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. …

“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:3–6.)

Saul arose and found that he was blind. Those traveling with Saul led him to Damascus and to the home of a man named Judas. For three days Saul remained there, not eating or drinking. He prayed for help in understanding what the Lord wanted him to do.

Meanwhile, a Christian named Ananias  received a vision that he should find Saul and give him a priesthood blessing to restore his sight. Knowing that Saul had persecuted and jailed many Saints in Jerusalem, Ananias was afraid, but the Lord assured him that Saul had changed.

Ananias found Saul and gave him the blessing. “He received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. …

“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:18, 20.)

Because Saul prayed to know the Lord’s will and was obedient after being blinded, his sight was restored and he learned and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was known from then on as Paul, and he dedicated his life to teaching and testifying of the Savior and His gospel.

Instructions

Color the flannel-board figures, then mount them on heavy paper. Cut them out and use them to retell the story of Paul’s conversion, and discuss how the gospel blesses your life.

Click to View Larger Format
Saul receiving a vision on the road to Damascus; Saul praying; Ananias blessing Saul; Saul (now Paul) preaching in the synagogues.
(Illustrated by Beth M. Whittaker.)

Filed under: Lesson 42: The Conversion of Saul, Acts 9:3–6, Ananias, Lesson 42: The Conversion of Saul, Saul’s Conversion

The Atonement and Resurrection

Click to View Larger Format
Illustrated by Dick Brown

1	Luke 20:9–19	Temple
2	Mark 14:1–2; John 12:1–5; Matt. 26:14–16	Bethany
3	Luke 22:7–14	Upper room
4	John 13:1–17, 20	Upper room
5	John 13:21–30	Upper room
6	Matt. 26:26–29 (Read also footnotes 26b and 28a.)	Upper room
7	John 13:34–35; John 15:9–17	Upper room
8	John 17	Upper room
9	Matt. 26:30–35	Mount of Olives
10	Luke 22:40–46; Mark 14:39–42	Garden of Gethsemane
11	John 18:3–11; Luke 22:47–51	Garden of Gethsemane
12	John 18:12–14, 19–24; Matt. 26:57–68	Caiaphas’s Palace 1
13	John 18:15–18, 25–27	Caiaphas’s Palace
14	Mark 15:1; John 18:29–38	Judgment Hall 2
15	Luke 23:6–11	Herod’s Palace 3
16	Matt. 27:15–25	Judgment Hall
17	Mark 15:15–20	Judgment Hall
18	John 19:4–16	Judgment Hall
19	John 19:17–22	Golgotha
20	Luke 23:34 (Read also footnote 34c.); John 19:23–24	Golgotha
21	Matt. 27:39–44; Luke 23:39–43	Golgotha
22	John 19:25–27	Golgotha
23	Matt. 27:45–46, 50–54 (Read also footnote 50a.)	Golgotha
24	John 19:31–37	Golgotha
25	John 19:38–42	Garden Tomb
26	Matt. 27:62–66	Garden Tomb
27	John 20:1–18	Garden
28	Luke 24:12–33
29	John 20:19–31
30	John 21:1–17
31	Acts 1:1–11	Easter

To learn about some of the events that occurred on the last two days of Jesus’ mortal life, read each of the verses listed on each day of the calendar until Easter. (Or do this with your family for family home evening.) When a location is mentioned, find that place on the map.

 

Filed under: Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper, Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper, The Atonement and Resurrection