“Sharing Time: I Can Gain a Testimony by Listening to the Prophets,” Friend, Oct. 1991, 36

Sharing Time:

I Can Gain a Testimony by Listening to the Prophets

By Daryl V. Hoole

To him give all the prophets witness (Acts 10:43).

The name Ezra Taft Benson is one that you know well because he is the President of the Church. He is our prophet. We are grateful for his leadership.

One way Heavenly Father shows His love for us is by sending prophets to guide and teach us and to testify to us of the truth. The mission of a prophet is to receive knowledge from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, then teach us what They would have us do. Receiving knowledge from heaven is called revelation.

The most important knowledge that a prophet can reveal to us is that Heavenly Father lives and that Jesus is the Christ. A prophet helps us to know that we are children of Heavenly Father and that He and Jesus Christ love us. A prophet teaches us how we can show our love to Them. From prophets we learn about how to live the gospel, how we can be happy, and what we need to do to return to Heavenly Father.

When prophets share their knowledge and experiences with us, they are bearing testimony, or, in other words, they are giving witness to what they have seen or heard. When we listen to prophets’ testimonies about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost can help us know that the prophets’ words are true.

At general conference in April 1989, President Benson’s message was to you, the children of the Church. He said: “Today I desire to teach you what our Heavenly Father wants you to know so that you can learn to do His will and enjoy true happiness. It will help you now and throughout your life.” Then he told you that Heavenly Father wants you to read the Book of Mormon, to pray every day, to honor your fathers and mothers, to attend sacrament meeting and Primary, and to choose the right in everything you do. Near the end of his talk, he declared: “God bless the children of this Church. How I love you! How Heavenly Father loves you!” (See Ensign, May 1989, pages 81–83.)

Instructions

One way you can gain a testimony is by listening to or reading the words of the prophets. Prophets in the scriptures have taught us the gospel and testified to us that Heavenly Father lives and that Jesus is the Christ. Here are pictures of four of those prophets. Clues are given to help you guess who each prophet was. When you know, write his name in the blank. Next, cut out the testimonies.

They are not in order. Read each testimony, decide which of the four prophets gave it, then paste it in the box under that prophet’s picture.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki

Testimonies

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father. (D&C 76:22–23.)
And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend (Ex. 33:11).
And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things (Ether 12:39).
I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another (1 Ne. 11:11).

As a baby I was hidden in a basket in the river.
- I led my people out of bondage in Egypt
- The Lord revealed the Ten Commandments through me.
- My name is ____________________.
I journeyed with my family to the Promised Land.
- I was the fourth son of a man named Lehi.
- I engraved the record of my people on golden plates.
- My name is ____________________.
I was the last survivor of my people.
- As a resurrected being, I delivered the golden plates to Joseph Smith.
- My statue stands on top of a number of temples.
- My name is ____________________.
In answer to a prayer, I saw the Father and the Son in a vision when I was fourteen years old.
- I translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God.
- Through me the Church of Jesus Christ was restored.
- My name is ____________________.

Answers:

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Sing hymns and Primary songs that express appreciation for our prophets and that tell us some of the things prophets teach us to do, such as the following: “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet,” Hymns, 1985, no. 19; “Latter-day Prophets,” Children’s Songbook, page 134; “Keep the Commandments,” Children’s Songbook, page 146; “The Ninth Article of Faith,” Children’s Songbook, page 128; “Follow the Prophet,” Children’s Songbook, page 110.

2. Recite the ninth article of faith and discuss revelation as it pertains to prophets. Help the children understand that one way to gain a testimony is to read or hear the words of the prophets.

3. Make a word search like the following, in which the words of the theme are hidden: “I Can Gain a Testimony by Listening to the Prophets.” Have the children find the words.

4. Divide the children into groups. Give each group a copy of a different scriptural passage (see list of references below) that you have cut into several pieces to make a puzzle. Have each group put together the pieces. As each group completes its puzzle, it could stand and recite the scripture.

5. Have a scripture chase in which children look up scriptures after you give them the references. The scriptures should be about Book of Mormon prophets who bore testimony that they saw or heard Jesus Christ. Take time to read, explain the context of, and discuss each scripture, and bear testimony to its truth. (Suggested scriptures: 1 Ne. 1:5–8; 1 Ne. 11:11 and heading; Jacob 7:1–3, 5; Enos 1:5; Alma 5:1, 46; Alma 36:22 and heading; Hel. 10:4–12; 3 Ne. 1:10–14, 3 Ne. 7:15–16; Morm. 1:15–16; Ether 3:6, 11–13; Ether 9:21–22; Ether 12:38–39.