M&M: The Merciful Shall Obtain Mercy

UPDATE (3/5/2017) You can now view and download the file for the M&M tag. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the link!

Here is one last handout for our recent lesson on forgiveness. 

I asked each girl to share a time when she forgave someone. After she shared I gave her a pack of M&M's with a little tag that said:

"Blessed are the Merciful: for they shall obtain Mercy."

-Matthew 5:7

I reminded the girls that in order for us to be forgiven for our sins, we must also forgive.

I love it when candy fits so perfectly into the lesson!

If you are still working on a lesson for this month, here are some ideas that I have posted on the topic of The Atonement that you may be able to use this week. Or you can just file them away for next year!

What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ? (link to Come Follow Me)

An "Egg-stra" Special Gift

How Can Repentance Help Me Every Day? (link to Come Follow Me)

How Repentance Heals Us

Object Lesson: A Change Of Heart

Repentance Road Map

Repentance Is Like Soap

What is Grace? (link to Come Follow Me)

Grow In Grace

Why Do I Need to Forgive Others? (link to Come Follow Me)

"Fortunately" We Have Forgiveness

Object Lesson: A Change Of Heart

Grudges: Let Them Go!

Forgive Yourself!

How Can the Atonement Help Me During My Trials? (link to Come Follow Me)

The Atonement Can Help Us During Our Trials

UPDATE (3/5/2017) You can now view and download the file for the M&M tag here! Enjoy!

"Fortunately" We Have Forgiveness

For our recent lesson on forgiveness in Young Women I made this quick little handout to give to the girls.

The handout said:

We all make mistakes, but "Fortunately" we have forgiveness!

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

- Isaiah 1:18

I gave each girl a fortune cookie and inside some of them were scriptures and quotes from talks on forgiveness that we used to learn more about the topic.

I thought it was a fun way to introduce the topic and it helped the girls be a little more engaged.

March is almost over! Have you taught about forgiveness this month?

Grow in Grace

In Young Women on Sunday we talked about grace. Grace isn't something that we discuss a lot in our Church, but it is really a very important part of the Gospel. Because the girls weren't too familiar with the concept, we spent a lot of time going over what the meaning of the word "grace" is. 

This is a great definition of grace:

Grace is divine help and strength that we receive through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through grace, we are saved from sin and death. In addition, grace is an enabling power that strengthens us from day to day and helps us endure to the end. Effort is required on our part to receive the fulness of the Lord's grace.

(source)

During our lesson we focused primarily on how grace gives us strength to face challenges and trials in our day to day lives. We talked about how this aspect of grace is depicted in the parable of the vine and the branches in John 15:1-10.

As we read and discussed the parable, I used this Easter Egg Tree as a fun visual to help the girls better understand grace. We discussed that the vine is Jesus Christ and that the branches are the members of the Church. We can receive strength and nourishment from the vine. We talked about how the husbandman, our Heavenly Father, must "prune" us through challenges and trials. Although difficult at the time, this helps us to learn and grow and bring forth "much fruit" (good works). It is through this process that we "grow in grace" (2 Peter 3:18) through the help of Jesus.

(You can find a great talk that explains the parable of the vine and the branches and how it relates to grace here.)

I had each girl share how they have "grown in grace" or been given the strength to do something that they could not accomplish on their own.

After each girl shared her experience, I gave her a handout to remind her to "grow in grace":

Peter taught us to "grow in grace . . ." 

- 2 Peter 3:18

If we are "rooted" in Christ, His grace will give us strength to overcome trials and challenges, learn and grow in this life, and bring forth much "good fruit".

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing"

-John 15:5

The girls also got some "good fruit" in the form of Starburst Jelly Beans to remind them of what can be produced through grace.

Did you teach the Youth about grace this month? Did you find that they were not too familiar with the concept? How did you help them to better understand what grace is?

Object Lesson: A Change of Heart

I can't take credit for this really great object lesson idea. I saw the idea here, but I had to share because it goes so well with March's theme of the Atonement.

I froze some small hearts inside ice cubes then sealed the ice cubes inside plastic bags to prevent water from getting everywhere. I gave each girl an ice cube and I told them to use their hands to melt it until they got to what was inside. After some time, the cold of the ice started to cause some pain, but the girls continued on until they found the heart inside.

Once all the girls had melted the ice cube we talked about how repentance requires us to have a change of heart. We need to have a change of heart so that we no longer have the desire to continue to sin. We must align our will with our Heavenly Father's. Like trying to melt the ice cube, this can sometimes be a long and painful process, but the Lord will help us through it and in the end we will have joy because we are doing what our Heavenly Father wants us to do. 

I then shared this scripture with the girls:

And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil. 

-Alma 19:33

I think this was such a great object lesson to teach the girls the process and importance of having a change of heart when we repent.

When we had our lesson on forgiveness, the subject of having a change of heart came up again. This great quote from President Uchtdorf shows how we must have a change of heart when we forgive others:

Forgiving ourselves and others is not easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking—even a change of heart. But there is good news. This “mighty change” of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives.

How is it done? Through the love of God.

Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another.

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

(source)

You could definitely use this object lesson when you teach about repentance OR forgiveness!

Do you use object lessons when you teach? What has been a really good object lesson you have used recently?

Repentance Is Like Soap

Here is a quick handout I made for our Young Women lesson on repentance last year.

 I used the following quote that I found on Sugardoodle here.

Soap is a practical household necessity.

Soap is cleansing.

For physical cleanliness, soap must be applied frequently.

Repentance is a practical principle of the gospel.

Repentance is cleansing.

Spiritual cleanliness requires constant repentance.

 I gave the girls the handouts with cute little rose-shaped soap petals I found at Dollar Tree. Quick, easy, and cute!

Do you teach the Youth this month? How will you teach about repentance?

The Atonement Can Help Us During Our Trials

Here's a handout I used for the Young Women when we talked about how the Atonement can help us during our trials (see more here).

I made a little tag that said the following:

When your trials seem like they are too much to "BEAR" turn to your Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the enabling power of the Atonement and you will find "PIECE" and "JOY" during adversity.

I filled little treat bags with some Gummy Bears, Reese's Pieces, and Almond Joys and attached the tags. I thought it turned out cute and it is always fun to be able to incorporate a treat!

How are your lessons going this month? How will you teach the Youth about how the Atonement can help us during our trials?

Grudges: Let Them Go!

Another quick handout I used last year for our lesson on forgiveness.

I wrote the following at the top of each handout, attached a balloon, and added a quote by President Uchtdorf:

Don't hold on to grudges- filling them with time, energy, and hot air.

Let them go!

Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord's way.

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

(source)

We talked about how holding on to grudges can hurt us. Even though it may be difficult, through the power of the Atonement we can find peace and the change of heart required to forgive those who have wronged us. 

I asked the girls to think of a grudge they were holding on to and someone they needed to forgive as they blew up their balloon. I then told them to, "let it go," as they released their balloon. Of course this is easier said than done, but we talked about how it was a start and that they could pray to their Heavenly Father for help in forgiving others.

Letting go of grudges can be difficult. How will you encourage your class to let them go?

Forgive Yourself!

I just wanted to share a quick little handout I made last year for our lesson on forgiveness.

I used this quote by President Uchtdorf and attached a small mirror (found at JoAnn's) to it:

When the Lord requires that we forgive all men, that includes forgiving ourselves. Sometimes, of all the people in the world, the one who is the hardest to forgive—as well as perhaps the one who is most in need of our forgiveness—is the person looking back at us in the mirror. 

– President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

(source)

I think this is a great reminder for everyone- forgive others AND yourself!

Are you teaching the Youth this month? What ideas are you using to teach about forgiveness?

Repentance Road Map

UPDATE (3/5/2017)

You can now view and download the file for the Repentance Road Map. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the link!

When I was preparing to teach the Young Women about repentance, I read this quote from Elder Neil L. Andersen that gave me a great idea for an activity:

For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult. It requires running into the wind, swimming upstream. Jesus said, "if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is "re-turning" toward God.

- Neil L. Andersen

(source)

I used this idea of "re-turning" toward God to create a "Repentance Road Map". I used True to the Faith (found here) as a reference for the steps of repentance and a little creativity to relate each step to a road sign on our map.

At the top of the map I wrote the following, represented by a "Wrong Way" sign:

On the highway of life we occasionally sin and go off course, but with repentance, we can find our way back.

Next, I put a quote from Elder Andersen with a "U-turn" sign:

"When we sin, we turn away from God. When we repent, we turn back toward God."

 Under the heading, "Directions Back to the Straight and Narrow Path", I listed the steps of repentance and explained to the girls a little about how they related to each road sign.

1. "Stop" sign- Faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Before you start on your road to repentance, you must first stop and confirm your testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is through them that repentance is possible.

2. "Rough Road" sign- Sorrow for Sin. Feeling bad about what you have done is not easy.

3. "Merge Right" sign- Confession. To start on the "right" path you need to begin by admitting the wrong you have done.

4. "No U-Turn" sign- Abandonment of Sin. It is important that you continue moving forward on your road to repentance and not "u-turn" back to old sins.

5. "Construction Ahead" sign- Restitution. It takes some work to make things right again.

6. "Merge" sign- Righteous Living. Once you have "re-turned" toward God, you can "merge" back to the straight and narrow path.

I put large road signs on the board during the lesson and the girls followed along on their own maps.

I think the girls enjoyed my approach to this lesson and I think it helped to keep them interested and focused.

Have you taught about the steps of repentance before? How did you approach the subject?

UPDATE (3/5/2017)
You can now view and download the file for the Repentance Road Map here. Enjoy!

How Repentance Heals Us

UPDATE (3/5/2017) You can now view and download the file for the Healing Hearts. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the link!

Last March I taught the Young Women a lesson on repentance. Many times when we hear the word "repentance" we get uncomfortable thinking that it is a bad thing or a thing that only bad people need. This is not true. We all need repentance and it is a great gift provided by our Heavenly Father and Jesus because they want to help us and heal us. As we read Elder Andersen's talk entitled, "Repent . . . That I May Heal You" (found here), we discussed several "band aids" or qualities of repentance that show that repentance is a wonderful thing all about love and healing.

I put a sad and hurt girl on the board. Each Young Woman read a quote from Elder Andersen's talk then came up to the board and put a band aid on the girl to "heal" her. Each band aid was labeled with a healing/comforting quality of repentance or its process. I tried to pick out things that would calm the girls' fears about repentance or that would help them better understand the repentance process.

Following is what I wrote on each heart, I put in bold the parts that I wanted the girls to pay special attention to:

In this life, it is never too late to repent.

Don't be discouraged. If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting.

If you are concerned, counsel with your bishop. He will help you.

Repentance removes pain and guilt from our hearts and replaces them with joy and peace of conscience.

The Savior is there, reaching out to each of us, bidding us: "Come unto me" We can repent. We can!

The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to "re-turn" toward God.

For most, repenting is quiet and quite private, daily seeking the Lord's help to make needed changes.

The Lord will forget our sins, but to help us the Lord at times allows the residue of our mistakes to rest in our memory.

I hope that through Elder Andersen's talk and our lesson the girls learned that repentance is a wonderful thing! I also hope that I was able to clear up any confusion about it.

Do you find that the Youth often feel like repentance is a bad thing? How have you tried to clear up this misconception?

UPDATE (3/5/2017) You can now view and download the file for the Healing Hearts here! Enjoy!

An "Egg-stra" Special Gift

Last year I taught the Young Women during the month of March. March is already just around the corner again, so I thought I would share some of the ideas I used last year over the next little while. I hope someone who is teaching the Youth in March this year will find some of these ideas helpful!

Our first lesson last March was entitled, "What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?" At the beginning of the lesson I gave each girl a “gift” just for coming to class. I put the gift in a plastic egg. The egg represented a new beginning. 

When Jesus Christ gave his life for us He gave everyone a new beginning, immortality. Everyone who has ever lived on Earth gets the gift of immortality from Jesus Christ just for coming to Earth because of His Atonement on our behalf. Jesus also gave everyone a chance to earn an “egg-stra” special gift, the gift of Eternal Life. Eternal Life doesn’t come without hard work and perseverance while here on Earth. We need to keep the commandments, repent, and endure to the end to gain Celestial Glory. This part of the Atonement is conditional on what we do in our lifetime. Those who are baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and go the “egg-stra” mile by living the commandments and receiving the ordinances of the Temple can live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again in the Celestial Kingdom. 

I told the girls that at the end of the lesson I had something much better than this egg, but to receive it they must work hard during the lesson. Everyone who wanted to receive this “egg-stra” special gift must participate at least once and they would then receive it.

Because it was Fast Sunday, I wasn't able to use food for the gifts so I had to be a little more creative. The first gift that all the girls received at the beginning of class was a flower with their birthstone on it to put in their Sunday journals. I thought this went well with the gift of immortality because it is something everyone who is born receives (hence the birthstone). I had the girls go around the room and share what month they were born in and something special about themselves. Because I was new to Young Women at the time, this helped me get to know the girls better.

The second gift was a charm to put on a necklace they received at New Beginnings. The charm was heart shaped and went with the talk by Sister Linda K. Burton about having the principles of the Atonement written on our hearts. We discussed this talk during the lesson. You can find it here.

When I gave the girls the "egg-stra" special gift I gave them a little handout (pictured above) which said,

"Eternal Life is an 'egg-stra' special gift made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In order to receive this gift, however, we must go the 'egg-stra' mile by obeying the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."

I hope this lesson helped the girls better understand the Atonement, immortality, and Eternal Life. I know it helped me understand it better as I studied and taught it.

Will you be teaching the Youth during the month of March? Have you started planning your lessons already?