1. Introduction
- Handout the coded message and give the class a few minutes to solve the code. They won't be able to solve it.
- What might give you a better chance at being successful? (A Key)
- Pass out the key to decipher the code
- Read the message
- What could the coded message and keys have to do with our lives today?
2. Learn together
- Why do you think that Joseph Smith said that prophets and apostles are a key that will never rust?
- Watch the video, "Why do we have prophets?" Discuss the video.
- We know that Heavenly Father has given us prophets to guide us through life, but is that enough? Once we have the words of the prophets, what must we do?
- Elder Neil L. Anderson, "To these men, that ordination brings a spiritual power and a solemn responsibility - a power to know and to testify and a responsibility to teach and to bless. It also brings a responsibility and a promise to us all. We have the responsibility to listen and to foll, and we have a promise that blessings will come as we believe and act on their words."
- While Christ was on the Earth he taught this through the Parable of the Sower. Reach Matthe 13:3-9
- Who is the sower? (The Lord) What does the seed represents? (The word of God) What does the soil represent? (Heart of the person)
- What does this parable teach us?
3. Making it personal
- Pass out the index cards and have the youth take a couple of minutes to write down a time when a "seed" or the words of the prophets guided them, taught them, or helped them.
- In the meantime, I attempted to draw a large flower pot on the board for the next activity.
- Invite the youth to share their seeds.
4. Teaching others
- As a class make a list of challenge that the youth face today.
- Have each youth select one of the challenges and search the most recent conference talks to find counsel that could help someone overcome that challenge. (I went to Deseret Book and bought an Ensign copy for each youth.)
- They will write the counsel they found on the seed, share with the class and put it on the board.
5. Conclusion
- Bear your testimony of the words of the prophets and apostles
- I focused on the fact that they always come back to the fact that we are children of God. I shared this quote, "A prophet is indeed a revelator, but sometimes what we most need revealed to us is the heart of the gospel we've simply forgotten or overlooked in its simplicity: the Savior loves us, and we are known by Him."
- Then I tied it all back to if we listen to the "seeds" from our prophets and apostles with a heart that is full of good soil, then our testimonies will grow like the fruit in the parable. (I drew a flower coming out of the pot on the chalkboard.) Their word will truly be a key that will not rust. It will be a key to help us return home to our Heavenly Father.
