Lesson 53

The Restoration (Part 1)

Introduction

The teaching materials for this doctrinal mastery topic are divided into four parts. In part 1, students will study paragraphs 4.1 and 4.5–4.7 of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document and learn that ancient prophets foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel, which was necessary because of the Great Apostasy that had taken place after the deaths of Christ and His Apostles. They will also study the doctrinal mastery passage Isaiah 29:13–14.

Note: You could teach the segments of this lesson in a single class session or over the course of several class sessions, dividing class time between Doctrinal Mastery and a regular sequential scripture lesson. If you choose to teach the segments over the course of several class sessions, you may need to briefly review with students what they learned in previous segments before you teach a new segment.

Suggestions for Teaching

Doctrinal Mastery is inspired and timely

Speaking to Seminaries and Institutes teachers about Doctrinal Mastery, President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “This initiative is inspired and timely. It will have a wonderful influence on our young people. However, the success of Doctrinal Mastery, and of all the other programs of study in CES, will depend to an important extent upon you” (M. Russell Ballard, “The Opportunities and Responsibilities of CES Teachers in the 21st Century” [evening with a General Authority, Feb. 26, 2016], broadcasts.lds.org).

Understanding the Doctrine

Segment 1 (15 minutes)

Display the following picture of a church or draw a picture of one on the board.

Write the following question on the board: What are some elements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that make it unique? (It may be helpful to point out the “elements” can refer to the Church’s organization, doctrine, and practices.)

Invite students to come to the board and write their responses to this question around the picture or drawing of a church on the board. (Students could mention things like modern-day prophets, continuing revelation, latter-day scripture, restored doctrine and ordinances, and divine priesthood authority.)

• Have the Church and these elements of it always existed on the earth? Why or why not?

Invite students to open their copies of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document to topic 4, “The Restoration.” Ask a student to read aloud paragraph 4.5. Invite the class to follow along, looking for the definition of apostasy.

• What is apostasy?

Invite a student to come to the front of the class, and give him or her an eraser. Invite another student to read aloud paragraphs 4.6–4.7 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document. Ask the class to follow along, looking for elements of the Lord’s Church and gospel that were changed or lost during the period known as the Great Apostasy. As students report what they find, invite the student at the front of the class to erase the elements of the Lord’s Church that students wrote on the board.

• How would your life be different if these elements of the Church and the gospel were still lost today?

Segment 2 (5 minutes)

Write the word Restoration on the board, and ask students to explain what it means to restore something. You may need to explain that to restore something means to bring it back to its original state. You could also show the following pictures as an example of something being restored.

Invite a student to read aloud paragraph 4.1 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document. Ask the class to follow along, looking for who foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel.

• Who foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel? (You may want to invite students to consider marking the following key statement of doctrine in their copies of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document: Ancient prophets foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel.)

• Why do you think it is important to know that the Lord revealed to ancient prophets that there would be a latter-day Restoration of the gospel?

• Which doctrinal mastery scripture passage in the Old Testament helps teach this key statement of doctrine? (Isaiah 29:13–14.)

Invite students to turn to Isaiah 29:13–14 and to consider marking this doctrinal mastery passage in a distinctive way so they can locate it easily. You may also want to invite them to consider recording the key statement of doctrine from paragraph 4.1 in their scriptures.

Segment 3 (20 minutes)

Divide the class into two groups. Invite a student to read Isaiah 29:13–14 aloud. Ask half of the class to follow along, looking for words or phrases that describe individuals in a state of apostasy. Ask the other half to follow along, looking for what the Lord would do to help those in a state of apostasy.

• How do these verses describe individuals who are in a state of apostasy?

• What did the Lord say He would do to help those in a state of apostasy?

• What does the phrase “a marvellous work and a wonder” refer to? (It refers to the Restoration of the gospel, including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.)

• Why is it important to understand that the Restoration of the gospel was accomplished by the power of God and not by men?

• In what way is the latter-day Restoration of the gospel a “marvellous work and a wonder”?

Assign each student a partner to work with. Invite the partnerships to discuss what has been restored as part of the “marvellous work and a wonder.” After sufficient time, ask students to come to the board and write a restored element of the Church that is most meaningful to them around the picture of the chapel used in segment 1.

Invite students to answer the following question in their class notebooks or study journals:

• How has the Restoration of the gospel blessed your life?

You may want to invite students to share with the class what they wrote. Consider sharing your own thoughts. Testify of the latter-day Restoration of the gospel. Consider inviting students to share their understanding of the Restoration with a family member or friend.