My Choices Have Consequences

By Karen Ashton

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated (D&C 130:20–21).

Every day you have choices to make, and each choice has a consequence or result. If you choose to not sleep, as a consequence you will be tired. If you choose to not eat, as a consequence you will be hungry. When you choose to read the scriptures, you can learn Heavenly Father’s words (see John 5:39). When you draw near to Heavenly Father in prayer, He will hear you and will draw near to you and listen (see D&C 88:62–63).

Making a choice is like picking up a stick. When you pick up one end of a stick, the other end always comes with it. When you make a choice, a consequence always comes with it.

Some consequences come quickly after you make a choice. Sometimes you may not recognize a consequence until long after you make the choice. But eventually there is always a consequence.

The consequence of a right choice is a blessing from Heavenly Father. You have made important choices in the past and received blessings. When you lived in heaven, you made a choice to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. The consequence of making that right choice was the blessing of coming to earth and obtaining a body. Now that you are on earth, Heavenly Father wants you to continue to make right choices so that you can receive more blessings and be happy.

Satan does not want you to be happy, and he knows that wrong choices will bring consequences of unhappiness.

But Heavenly Father loves you and wants to help you make good choices. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show you how to make right choices. The Savior came to live on the earth to set an example for you to follow. When you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and obey Heavenly Father’s commandments, there are happy consequences.

Instructions

Remove this page from the magazine and mount it on heavy paper. Cut out the two disks and the windows in the top disk. Punch holes in the center of each disk, place the top disk on top of the bottom disk, and insert a paper fastener through the center of the disks. Turn the top disk to see a commandment from Heavenly Father. Read the scripture in the other window to find out what blessings are promised to those who keep that commandment.

Illustrated by Robert T. Barrett

Remember Jesus Christ. 3 Ne. 18:7

Love one another. John 13:34–35

Honor your father and mother. Ex. 20:12

Pray. Alma 37:37

Pay an honest tithing. Mal. 3:10

Forgive others. D&C 82:1

Be baptized. 3 Ne. 11:33

Be obedient. Mosiah 5:8–9

Keep the commandments. Mosiah 2:41

Keep the Word of Wisdom. D&C 89:18–21

Study the scriptures. John 5:39

Keep the Sabbath day holy. D&C 59:9–13

Sharing Time Ideas

Note: The practice song for March might be “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (Children’s Songbook, p. 281).

1. Explain that Heavenly Father’s commandments are written in the scriptures, that He tells us not only the commandments but the consequences of keeping or not keeping them. Often a commandment and its consequences are found side by side or within a few verses of each other. Divide the children into four groups. Give each group a piece of paper folded down the center. On the top, left-hand side of the paper, print Commandments. On the top, right-hand side, print Consequences. Allow each group time to find the commandments and their consequences from one of these scripture references: D&C 89, D&C 59, D&C 88:118–126, D&C 42:18–31. Give each group time to report its findings. Tell the children that it is important not only to understand a commandment but to understand the consequences of keeping or not keeping that commandment. Give each child a list of the references and suggest that the children share this activity with their families.

2. Give each class a standard from “My Gospel Standards.” Allow enough time for each class to prepare to role-play a situation in which they might use that standard. After each role play, discuss what the consequences of keeping or not keeping that standard might be. Give the children a copy of “My Gospel Standards” (see Friend, Nov. 1996, pp. 24–25) and suggest that they share this activity with their families.

3. Explain to the younger children that choosing to keep the commandments can make them feel good inside. It can make them smile. Give each of them a sheet of paper with a circle drawn on it to represent a face and have them draw the eyes, nose, and hair for the face. Give each child a colored, crescent-shaped piece of paper that could be put on the face to represent a smile or a frown. Have them place the mouth on the face according to how they would feel in the following situations: Your mother asks you to clean up your toys, and you do; you draw a picture of your grandmother, and she puts it on her refrigerator; you eat some of your brother’s candy without asking him. Make up more situations for the children in your Primary.

4. Invite a family or a class to dramatize the story of Lehi’s family and the Liahona (see 1 Ne. 18:9–21). Discuss the consequences to Lehi’s family when some of them did not keep the commandments of God.

5. Hide the titles of the following songs from the Children’s Songbook around the room: Invite a child to find a title. Sing the song, then decide with the whole Primary what commandment or commandments that song reminds you to keep. Write the commandments on the chalkboard. “Seek the Lord Early,” p. 108 (pray); “Called to Serve,” pp. 174–175 (be a missionary); “I Love to See the Temple,” p. 95 (go to the temple to make covenants); “I’ll Walk with You,” pp. 140–141 (love one another); “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,” pp. 78–79 (follow the example of the Savior); “When I Am Baptized,” p. 103 (be baptized); “The Lord Gave Me a Temple,” p. 153 (obey the Word of Wisdom). Give every child a list of the songs, and suggest that they share this activity with their families.

6. Tell the story of Noah (see Gen. 6:5–7:24). Let the children prepare a TV news program called “Choice and Consequence” based on the story. Assign announcers, a weatherman, reporters, and people to be interviewed before and after the rain begins to fall. Younger children might enjoy drawing a picture of Noah, the ark, the animals, and the storm. Have all the groups join together to present the broadcast. Talk to the children about the choices the people of Noah’s time made and the consequences of those choices. Suggest that the children share this activity with their families.

7. For additional resources on the topic “Choice and Consequence,” see the following from the Friend: “Choosing What’s Right,” Nov. 1993, pp. 8–10; “Snow Day at Grammie’s,” Feb. 1995, pp. 40–42; “Coming Home,” Apr. 1995, pp. 2–4; “Promises,” Aug. 1995, IFC. See also “Choose the Right,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, pp. 66–68.