Lesson 45

I Can Be a Good Example for My Family

Purpose

To help the children understand that they can be good examples for their families.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study 1 Nephi 2:1–4; 3:4–5, 7; and 3 Nephi 12:16.

2. Prepare a large sunshine poster as follows:

   

3. Make the following wordstrips to circle the poster:

   

   For younger children who cannot read, you might want to find or make pictures that represent these qualities or show children being helpful, obedient, kind, and so forth.

4. Make or trace copies of the house at the end of the lesson for each child.

   

5. Prepare to help the children sing or say the words to “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198); the words are included at the back of the manual.

6. Materials needed:

   1. A Book of Mormon.

   2. Crayons for each child.

   3. The CTR shield and ring.

   4. Masking tape.

   5. Picture 3-9, Jesus the Christ (62572; Gospel Art Picture Kit 240).

7. Make the necessary preparations for any enrichment activities that you will be using.

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.

A Good Example Helps Others to Learn about and Follow Jesus Christ

Attention activity

Somewhere in the room, display picture 3-9, Jesus the Christ.

Have the children stand up, close their eyes, and hold hands. Take the hand of the first child in line. Lead the line of children around the room, guiding them with your voice as necessary to avoid possible injury and confusion. After several trips around the room, lead them to the picture of Jesus Christ. Explain that by following you, they were all able to find their way safely to the picture of the Savior. Ask the children to return to their seats.

• Why would a leader be helpful in a dark place?

• What is a good example?

Explain that a good example could be like a leader guiding us to safety. Just as following their leader’s voice brought the children safely to the picture of Jesus Christ, so too can following the words of the prophet allow them to return to Heavenly Father and Jesus someday.

• What good examples have helped you to be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus?

Scripture discussion

Explain that Jesus Christ taught that we should be good examples for others. Read and discuss 3 Nephi 12:16. Point out that when we set good examples for others, we are like lights in the darkness to people to show them the right way to live.

Shield, ring, and story

Display the CTR shield and ring. Ask the children to listen how Jayant did what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ wanted in the following story:

“Jayant loved the Church even before he became a member. He liked to listen to his uncle talk about the gospel and tell how he had been the first person from India to join the Church in Fiji.

“After listening to the missionaries, Jayant asked his parents if he might join the Church. They gave their permission, and Jayant tried hard to be a missionary to his family by living the principles of the gospel and being a good example.

“Before long Jayant’s father and brother were baptized, but his mother hesitated. Her grandfather had been an important Hindu priest in India, and she was worried about what her family would say if she became a [Latter-day Saint]. Because of the example of her son, however, she too finally joined the Church.

“Now all of Jayant’s family are active in their branch in Suva, Fiji, and they know the love and joy that come from serving our Father in Heaven” (“A Good Example,” Friend, Mar. 1974, p. 48).

• How did Jayant set a good example for his family?

• What effect did Jayant’s good example have on his family?

Point to the CTR shield and ring. Explain that when we do what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do, we are doing what is right and obeying the commandments. When we do this, we help others want to live righteously also.

We Can Be Good Examples for Our Families

Poster activity

Display the sunshine poster where all the class members can see it. Read the sentence with the children.

Place the wordstrips or pictures on a table or the floor. Explain that they tell different ways in which we can be good examples for our families.

Have the children take turns choosing wordstrips and placing or taping them on the poster to form rays of sunshine as illustrated. As the children choose each wordstrip, tell the corresponding story.

After each wordstrip has been placed and the story told, have the children say “I can be a good example for my family by being ,” filling in the blank with the word or phrase on the wordstrip. For example, “I can be a good example for my family by being a peacemaker.”

Stories and discussion

Obedient

Relate the story of Lehi’s family leaving Jerusalem (see 1 Nephi 2:1–4).

• How did Lehi’s sons react when he asked them to return to Jerusalem for the brass plates (see 1 Nephi 3:4–5)?

Explain that after Laman and Lemuel complained and said they did not want to go, Nephi told how he felt. Read aloud 1 Nephi 3:7.

• How did Nephi set a good example for his brothers?

• How can you set a good example by being obedient?

Helpful

Bruce saw his mother busily getting his little sister ready for church. He knew she still had to get herself ready and dress the baby. Bruce decided to help his mother. He went into the baby’s room and dressed him. Bruce’s mother was grateful for his help. She smiled and gave Bruce a big hug and a kiss.

• What did Bruce do that set a good example for his family?

• How can you set a good example by being helpful?

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “When We’re Helping.”

Stories and discussion

Kind and Loving

Katy was so excited when her mother brought home her new baby brother, Timothy. He wasn’t like other babies. He had a condition called cerebral palsy, which made him shake and jerk in an unusual way. But that didn’t bother Katy. She loved Timothy with all her heart. When her mother was busy, Katy rocked Timothy and sang songs to him. Timothy smiled at Katy whenever she did things for him. When Timothy got bigger, she took him for rides in front of their home in the stroller. Katy often dressed Timothy for bed and read stories to him until he fell asleep.

• How did Katy set a good example?

• How can you be a good example of loving kindness in your home?

A Peacemaker

Carrie was playing on the swing in the yard when her brother came out of the house, ran over to the swing, and started to yell, “Get out of the swing, Carrie. I never get to swing because you’re always in it.”

Instead of arguing, Carrie said, “All right. Let’s take turns pushing each other. I’ll push you first.”

Because Carrie didn’t argue, she and her brother had fun swinging together.

• How was Carrie a good example for her brother?

• How can you set a good example in your home by being a peacemaker?

Forgiving

While Spencer was at school, his little brother played with his toy cars and lost one of them. When Spencer found out what had happened, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he helped his brother look for the lost car. They found it under the bed.

• What did Spencer do to set a good example for his family?

• How can you be a good example for your family by being forgiving?

Understanding

Roberta had the flu and couldn’t go to the Christmas party at school. Her sister, Linda, knew how sad Roberta felt because she couldn’t go, so she brought home a bag of candy and nuts for her. She also told Roberta what had happened at the party.

• How was Linda a good example to her family?

• How can you be a good example to your family by being understanding?

Unselfish

Tony had earned some money by working in his neighbor’s garden. He thought of his family and wanted to do something for them, so he took part of the money and bought his family a treat.

• How was Tony a good example for his family?

• How can you be a good example for your family by being unselfish?

Truthful

Nelson and Jared were in their father’s workshop building a toy boat from scraps of wood when Jared accidentally knocked over a can of paint. Some of the paint spilled on the floor. The boys cleaned up most of it, but some stuck to the floor. As soon as their father came home, Jared went to him and explained what had happened.

Jared’s father did not like the paint on the floor, but he was proud of Jared because he told the truth. He gave Jared some paint thinner and helped him clean the floor.

• How was Jared a good example for his family?

• How can you be a good example for your family by being truthful?

• What does the poster look like now? (A shining sun.)

Explain that good examples are like sunshine. They give light to others and show them the right way.

Summary

Teacher testimony

Bear your testimony of the importance of being a good example for your family. You might want to share a personal experience of when someone’s good example helped you.

Art activity

Have the children color their “I Can Be a Good Example” houses and draw their family members in the houses. Ask them to draw themselves doing something that they can do this week that would set a good example for their families.

Invite the children to choose one thing that they can do for their families before they go to bed tonight.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

Enrichment Activities

Choose from the following activities those that will work best for your children. 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. Make simple sock or paper bag puppets for the children. You may want to use the classroom table for a stage. Using the puppets, help the children role-play positive ways to be examples for their families in the eight areas covered by the lesson.

2. Sing or say the words to “Do As I’m Doing” (Children’s Songbook, p. 276) while making movements that suggest good actions, such as sweeping the floor, walking to church, or shaking hands with the bishopric.

   Do as I’m doing;

   Follow, follow me!

   Do as I’m doing;

   Follow, follow me!

   If I do it high or low,

   If I do it fast or slow,

   Do as I’m doing;

   Follow, follow me!

   Do as I’m doing;

   Follow, follow me!

   (© 1963 by D. C. Heath and Company. Used by permission.)

   Tell the children that when others see our good examples, they will often want to do what we are doing.

3. Ask the children to close their eyes while you put something on their laps. Put a picture on each child’s lap; then ask them to open their eyes and take turns showing their pictures and telling how the people in the pictures are setting good examples. You may want to use pictures 3-13, 3-23, 3-24, 3-25, 3-26, 3-27, and 3-59 from the class picture envelope.