Lesson 17

The Priesthood Helps Me

Purpose

To help each child understand how the priesthood can help us.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study Mark 4:35–41. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 13.

2. Prepare to sing or say the words to the first verse and chorus of “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” (Hymns, no. 105). Also prepare to explain the meaning of some of the more difficult words to the children.

3. Materials needed:

   1. A Bible.

   2. A flashlight or small lamp. If it is not possible to bring one, use the light in your classroom.

   3. Picture 2-20, Boy Being Baptized (62018); picture 2-27, Administering to the Sick (62342); picture 2-28, Stilling the Storm (Gospel Art Picture Kit 214; 62139); picture 2-29, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 2-30, Girl Being Confirmed (62020); picture 2-31, Blessing a Baby; picture 2-32, Newly Married Couple in Front of the Temple; picture 2-33, A Father Blessing His Daughter.

4. Make the necessary preparations for any enrichment activities you want to use.

Note: Be sensitive to the feelings of children in your class who do not have fathers in their homes or whose fathers do not hold the priesthood.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Follow up with the children if you encouraged them to do something during the week.

The Priesthood Is the Greatest Power

Attention activity

Use a flashlight, a small lamp, or the light fixture in your classroom to help illustrate the meaning of the word power. Begin the discussion with the light off. Point out that although all the parts seem to be properly in place, the flashlight or lamp is not giving off light.

• What must happen before the light will work?

Let a child show what happens when the light is switched on. Explain that the flashlight or lamp must have electrical power before it will give off light.

Scripture story

Tell the children that this lesson is about another kind of power—a power even greater than electricity. Invite the children to listen to the following story and to think about what kind of power is being used. Tell the story found in Mark 4:35–41.

• How would you feel if you were on a boat during a bad storm?

Explain that the disciples woke Jesus Christ because they were frightened of the storm. Read aloud what the disciples asked Jesus in the last part of Mark 4:38 (from Master). The disciples were afraid that the storm would sink the boat and they would all die.

Show picture 2-28, Stilling the Storm, and read aloud Mark 4:39 to see what Jesus did. Have the children repeat Jesus’ words: “Peace, be still.”

Explain that the disciples were amazed that the storm was calmed so quickly. Read aloud from Mark 4:41 what they asked each other: “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Jesus’ disciples were surprised that he had the power to control the wind and the waves.

Song

Sing or say the words to the first verse and chorus of “Master, the Tempest Is Raging.” Before you begin, tell the children that this is a song about the story they have just heard. Ask them to listen for Jesus’ words (“Peace, be still”) in the chorus. (The words to this song may be difficult for young children to understand, but the Spirit can help them understand the meaning of the song. You may want to explain some of the more difficult words to the children.)

You may want to help the children pantomime various actions as you sing or say the words. They could move back and forth as if in a rocking boat, make wave-like movements with their hands, show the fear on the disciples’ faces, and so on.

Master, the tempest is raging!

The billows are tossing high!

The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.

No shelter or help is nigh.

Carest thou not that we perish?

How canst thou lie asleep

When each moment so madly is threat’ning

A grave in the angry deep?

Chorus:

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:

Peace, be still.

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea

Or demons or men or whatever it be,

No waters can swallow the ship where lies

The Master of ocean and earth and skies.

They all shall sweetly obey thy will:

Peace, be still; peace, be still.

They all shall sweetly obey thy will:

Peace, peace, be still.

• What great power did Jesus Christ have that enabled him to stop the storm? (The power of the priesthood, which is the power to act in Heavenly Father’s name.)

Have the children say priesthood aloud.

We Can Be Blessed by the Priesthood

Teacher presentation

Explain that many men in the Church have this same power. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give the priesthood to worthy men in the Church. When these men are directed by Heavenly Father, they can use the priesthood to help us and bless us.

• Whom do you know who holds the priesthood?

Picture discussion

Show the pictures of priesthood ordinances, one at a time. Let the children hold or point to the pictures and help tell what is taking place in each one. Emphasize that all these things are done by men who hold the priesthood. Let the children talk about any experiences they have had with these ordinances.

Show picture 2-27, Administering to the Sick. Remind the children of the things they learned in lesson 16 about administering to the sick. Help the children remember that men who hold the priesthood can give blessings to people who are sick to help them get well.

• Have you ever been administered to because you were sick?

Show picture 2-29, Passing the Sacrament. Explain that priests in the Aaronic Priesthood or men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood bless the sacrament, and deacons in the Aaronic Priesthood pass the sacrament. Let the children tell about their older family members or friends who help with the sacrament.

Show picture 2-20, Boy Being Baptized. Remind the children that we are each baptized by a man who holds the priesthood, just as Jesus Christ was. John the Baptist held the priesthood, so he was able to baptize Jesus.

• Have any of you ever been to a baptism? (If any of the children have already been baptized, you may want to ask them to tell about their baptisms.)

Show picture 2-30, Girl Being Confirmed. Remind the children that after they are baptized, men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood will confirm each of them a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At this time they are also given the gift of the Holy Ghost through the power of the priesthood.

Show picture 2-31, Blessing a Baby. Tell the children that babies in the Church can have a priesthood blessing when they are named. Have the children tell you of a baby they know who was recently blessed in this manner. (If some of the children are concerned because they were not blessed this way as babies, assure them that they will have many other opportunities to receive priesthood blessings.)

Show picture 2-32, Newly Married Couple in Front of the Temple. Explain that when the children are older, they will be able to go to the temple to be married. Men who hold the sealing powers of the priesthood marry righteous couples in the temple. Temple marriage makes it possible for a family to be together forever.

Story

Tell the children that they can receive a priesthood blessing when they have a problem. Show picture 2-33, A Father Blessing His Daughter, and tell a story about a girl who was blessed by the priesthood when she had a problem. You may want to use the following story:

Susanne was getting ready for the first day of school. She had been excited about beginning school, but now that the first day had finally come she was frightened.

Susanne was quiet all morning. Her mother had made her favorite breakfast, but Susanne did not smile when she saw it. She tried to eat, but she could not.

Susanne told her mother that she felt sick. Her mother felt her head to see if she had a fever. She looked in her throat, but it was not red. Susanne’s mother asked her where she felt sick. Susanne said she just felt funny inside.

Susanne’s father said she probably felt funny inside because it was the first day of school. She was a little frightened because she would be away from home all day and didn’t know what to expect. Susanne’s father explained that he had the same feeling when he started his new job.

Susanne’s father offered to give her a blessing before she went to school. The blessing would help take away the frightened, funny feeling Susanne had. Susanne’s father placed his hands on her head and gave her a special blessing.

When Susanne came home that afternoon, she was happy. She told her mother that she liked school and her teacher was nice. Susanne was glad her father gave her a special blessing to help her feel better at school.

Explain that this kind of blessing is often called a father’s blessing. If our fathers are not able to give us blessings, we can ask other men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, such as our home teachers, other family members, or the bishop or branch president, to give us blessings when we need them.

Summary

Picture review

• When might we need or want a priesthood blessing?

Show each picture as the children mention the ordinance that it illustrates. Have the children say aloud together the name of each ordinance or blessing. Mention that these are only a few of the things the power of the priesthood can do for us.

Testimony

Bear testimony of your gratitude that we have the priesthood—the same power Jesus has—to help us in our lives.

Encourage the children to ask for a priesthood blessing from their fathers (or another Melchizedek Priesthood holder) when they need one.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer. Suggest that the child express gratitude for the blessings of the priesthood.

Enrichment Activities

Choose from the following activities those that will work best for the children in your class. You can use them in the lesson itself or as a review or summary. For additional guidance, see “Class Time” in “Helps for the Teacher.”

1. With the approval of your Primary president, invite a parent of a child in your class to tell about the naming and blessing of the child. Ask the parent to tell how the parents felt, how they dressed the baby in nice clothes, and how special it was to have the home teachers and family members and other close friends watch or participate. Also ask the parent to tell how the father felt to be able to use the power of the priesthood to give the baby a name and a blessing.

2. Have the children role-play the story from Mark 4:35–41.

3. Give the children paper and crayons or pencils, and let each child draw a picture of a priesthood ordinance, such as passing the sacrament. Label each child’s picture with the name of the ordinance illustrated.

4. Sing or say the words to one or more of the following songs about priesthood ordinances: “The Priesthood Is Restored” (Children’s Songbook, p. 89), “Before I Take the Sacrament” (Children’s Songbook, p. 73), “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, p. 95), “Baptism” (Children’s Songbook, p. 100), “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, p. 105). The words to “Baptism” and “The Holy Ghost” are included at the back of the manual.

   The Priesthood Is Restored

   The priesthood is restored,

   The truth made known to man,

   That God has spoken to the earth,

   His pow’r is here again.

   Before I Take the Sacrament

   Before I take the sacrament, I sit so quietly.

   I know that Jesus came to earth and died for me.

   I think of all the boys and girls whom Jesus used to know,

   The days he walked upon the earth, so long ago.

   I take the water and the bread and try so hard to be

   The kind of child that Jesus loved in Galilee.

   I Love to See the Temple

   I love to see the temple.

   I’m going there someday

   To feel the Holy Spirit,

   To listen and to pray.

   For the temple is a house of God,

   A place of love and beauty.

   I’ll prepare myself while I am young;

   This is my sacred duty.

   I love to see the temple.

   I’ll go inside someday.

   I’ll cov’nant with my Father;

   I’ll promise to obey.

   For the temple is a holy place

   Where we are sealed together.

   As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:

   A fam’ly is forever.

   (© 1980 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)