“Lesson 43: We Have a Living Prophet,” Primary 1 (2000), 142–44
“Lesson 43,” Primary 1, 142–44
Lesson 43
We Have a Living Prophet
Purpose
To help each child understand that we are blessed when we follow the prophet.
Preparation
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Prayerfully study 1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–20. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 9.
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List on individual pieces of paper several teachings of the living prophet from conference addresses or writings in Church magazines. Prepare at least as many pieces of paper as there are children in the class. Fold the pieces of paper and put them in a bowl or basket. The teachings might include—
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Learn from the scriptures every day.
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Keep the Sabbath day holy.
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Pray every day.
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Go to sacrament meeting and Primary.
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Be honest.
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Materials needed:
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A Bible.
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Picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470); picture 1-29, Building the Ark (Gospel Art Picture Kit 102; 62053); picture 1-42, Boy Samuel Called by the Lord (Gospel Art Picture Kit 111; 62498); picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush (Gospel Art Picture Kit 107; 62239); a picture of the living prophet.
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Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.
Learning Activities
Invite a child to give the opening prayer.
Prophets talk with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
Explain that Noah, Moses, and Joseph Smith were all prophets. A prophet is a man who talks with Heavenly Father and Jesus. Since Heavenly Father and Jesus are not on the earth to teach us, they have prophets to help them. Heavenly Father and Jesus teach the prophet, and the prophet teaches us what we should do so that we can be blessed and happy.
We have a prophet on the earth today
Display the picture of the living prophet. Tell the children something you know about the prophet.
Have the children stand and say, “(Name of the living prophet) is a prophet of God.”
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Why do we need a living prophet? (So we can know what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.)
Explain that the prophet teaches us by speaking at conferences. Conferences are big meetings attended by a lot of people. We might be able to listen to the prophet on television, radio, or recordings. His words are also written in Church magazines that our parents or others can read to us.
We are blessed when we follow the prophet
Refer again to the pictures of Noah, Moses, Joseph Smith, and the living prophet. Explain that because Noah’s family followed him, they were saved from a flood. Because the Israelites followed Moses, they were led out of Egypt into a better land. Because people followed Joseph Smith, they became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Explain that these people were blessed because they followed the prophet. We will also be blessed when we follow the prophet.
Enrichment Activities
Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.
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Obtain an audiocassette or videocassette recording of the living prophet to play for the children, or show pictures of him from Church magazines.
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Sing or say the words to “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, no. 19) for the children.
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Retell the story of President Lorenzo Snow’s vision of the Savior (see lesson 26). Explain that Jesus appeared to President Snow to tell him how to lead the Church. Jesus told President Snow what to teach the members of the Church.
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Think of some situations where the children could follow the prophet’s teachings. Describe each situation to the class, and have the children tell or act out what they would do in each situation to follow the prophet. For example: “You see some money in the kitchen. You would like to have it, but you know it belongs to your mother. What will you do to follow the prophet’s teaching to be honest?”
Additional Activities for Younger Children
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Display a picture of the living prophet during the entire class time. Take time to tell the children who he is. Explain that he loves them and wants to help them return to Heavenly Father and Jesus. Repeat this two or three times during the class.
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Play “Follow the Leader” with the children. Have the children stand in a line. The first child in line runs, hops, skips, or does some other action to the other side of the room. The other children follow the first child, doing what he or she did. Then the first child goes to the end of the line, and the next child becomes the new leader. Continue until each child has had a turn to be the leader.
After the game, explain that the prophet is the leader of the Church. If we follow the things he tells us to do, he will lead us back to Heavenly Father and Jesus.