September: What blessings does Heavenly Father promise if I obey the commandments?

All Printouts and Videos found HERE

1. Introduction

• Traffic Sign Analogy
• Show the youth the paper full of traffic signs
• Do Not Enter sign - What is the point of this sign? But what if I really want to go in, can I? So why should I obey this sign?
• What do commandments have in common with traffic signs?
• Quote #1 from Tad R. Callister - "Commandments are no more restrictive to the spiritual man than street signs are to the motorists. Neither prohibits our progress; on the contrary, the enhance it by serving as guideposts or directional signs to help us find our destination."

2. Learning Together & Likening the Scriptures

• What other commandments have we been given? (List these on one side of the board under the heading "Commandments"
• What do we get in return for keeping these commandments? (Blessings)
• What are some blessings we get for keeping the commandments we listed on the board? (List their responses on the other side of the board under the heading "Promised Blessings"
• Pass out scriptures cards to the youth to find blessings to specific commandments and discuss

3. Teaching Others

• Using the topical guide under "Commandments of God", have the youth find an example of keeping the commandments and how that person was blessed. Have the youth share with the class.
• Example: D&C 95:8-9 - Commanded to build a temple

4. Making it Personal

• Show the video "A Shower of Heavenly Blessings"
• Have the youth ponder the following while they watch the video... "Summarize in one sentence what they learned from the video about blessings of keeping the commandments."
• What role does faith play in being obedient and receiving blessings?
• How can keeping the commandments help our testimonies grow?
• Quote #2, #3, #4 from Elder L. Whitney Clayton

5. Conclusion

• What blessings have you received as a result of keeping the commandments? Or your parents, family, or friends?

January: How Can Studying the Scriptures Help Me Learn about Heavenly Father?

All Printouts/Videos for this Lesson found HERE

This was my first week teaching my new class, so I did a little Get to Know you Activity.

1. Get to Know You Activity

• Tangled Web from Amy Henning - Sit in a circle on the floor. Hold a ball of yarn. Tell the students something about yourself. Then roll the ball of yarn to someone else without letting go of the end of the yarn. Continue until they have created a giant web. 
• I had everyone stand up while still holding the yarn. I focused on how we need each other to learn and grow and that every ones thoughts and comments are important. If one student drops his or her strand of yarn, our web weakens. What are some reasons why our web might weaken? (Making fun of other comments, distracted during the lesson, etc.)
• I talked about how I hoped that this room could be an environment where we are comfortable sharing our testimonies and knowledge about the topics we will be talking about this year. Also, asking questions that you might have, so that we can discover the answers together.

2. Introduction

• Can you imagine a time when the scriptures were not available to all?
• Watch the video, The Blessings of the Scriptures
• I stole this part from Kar's Kith and Kin, "Ask them to imagine for a minute that they were living in the 1500s. You didn't have scriptures of your own. Your priest chose what scriptures to share with you (or not to share with you). You didn't have the ability to sit down, read scriptures yourself, and commune with Heavenly Father. There is a reason this period of time was called the Dark Ages."
• What happens to those who do not have or do not use the scriptures?
• What are the blessings of reading the scriptures?
• Read the quotes in the printouts

3. Scriptures Challenge

• This year I really wanted to focus on reading the scriptures daily. I created a scriptures chart with the theme for this month of The Godhead. On the back they can write down what they learned about the Godhead while they are reading the scriptures this month. Then at the end of the month, they get entered into a drawing. 5 entries for reading every day. 1 entry for each thing they learned. 
• Display Topic

4. Liken the Scriptures

• List on the board truths that they know about God
• Go to the Topical Guide and find scriptures that teach those truths. I had half of the class look up "God, Love of" and "God, Wisdom of". List the scripture next to the truth on the board.
• Why are the scriptures important in helping us understand God?

5. Learn Together (I had to skip this becuase I was running out of time)

• Divide up into groups and read the scriptures listed in Part 1 of the handouts. What did you learn about Heavenly Father? What was your favorite verse?
• 2 Nephi 26:23-33
• Mosiah 2:19-25
• D&C 1:17-39
• 1 Nephi 1:8-20

6. Making it Personal

• Individually read "God" in the Bible Dictionary. Write down one thing they learned about God and look up any related scriptures. Share with class or neighbors. 

7. Conclusion

• Is there anything that stands out to you today?
• Do you have a greater understanding of something in particular?
• Do you have any other questions?