POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. LIAHONA LEADS THE WAY inspiration dial. Youth learn that the Holy Ghost is like the Liahona a compass that led Lehi and his family to the promised land. Alma 37:44 tells them that “it is easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point you a straight course” and more. Following that inspiration, making good choices will help them keep the Holy Ghost (our own personal Liahona) guiding them.
Come Follow Me: Primary, Sunday School, Seminary, family home evening, and daily devotionals
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY
Choose the Right to Receive Personal Revelation
(Liahona Leads the Way inspiration dial)
Help children/youth know that being righteous helps us receive inspiration and guidance just as being righteous made the Liahona work for Lehi’s family. Prayerfully study 1 Nephi 16, Alma 37:38–46 (see vs. 44 below*), and Proverbs 3:5–6.
ACTIVITY: Present the activity below. See Lesson Ideas (that follow).
To Present:
1. Traveling to the Promised Land: Talk about Lehi and his family and why they traveled in the wilderness and on ships to the promised land, leaving their home in Jerusalem. Talk about the trials they had of not always having the food and water they needed and how the traveling was a hardship to their families
(1 Nephi 7).
*Alma 37:44 “For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.”
2. Liahona: Tell children/youth Lehi was given the Liahona to guide them. Show the Liahona Leads the Way poster and describe it as follows. “The Liahona was a ball-like compass to guide them to find food and water and safety as they traveled. The Liahona was made of brass and had two spindles to point the way. There were also words written on it they could read clearly when it was working. The Liahona only worked when the Nephites were righteous (1 Nephi 16:28-29).”
3. Liahona Stopped: Tell about the time it stopped working while they were on the ship. “Lehi and his family built a ship and started sailing to the Promised Land (America). Laman and Lemuel were being wicked and Nephi told them to stop. They got angry with Nephi and tied him up with ropes. The Liahona stopped working. A terrible storm blew the ship off course for three days and they did not know which way to steer it. Lehi told them to untie Nephi, but they would not listen. Nephi’s wife and children begged them to untie Nephi, but they refused. When the ship was about to sink, they were afraid they would drown, so they repented and untied Nephi. Nephi picked up the Liahona and it worked again, and the sea became calm. Only then could they sail to the Promised Land (1 Nephi 18).”
4. Dial the Liahona: Help children/youth imagine having the Liahona today. Tell them, “If each of our families could have a Liahona today to guide us, how would we keep it going to get the help we need?” Have children/youth take turns drawing a card #1-10 and reading the action on the card. Then dial the Liahona to see if that action makes us worthy of inspiration. If the correlating number on the dial says “yes,” that means we would be worthy to receive inspiration. If there is a “no,” this means the Liahona would not work as well because our choice was not a righteous choice.
5. Talk About the Holy Ghost: Tell children/youth, “Today Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us the Holy Ghost to guide and to comfort us. When we choose the right, His spirit can inspire us to make the right choices. When we don’t keep Heavenly Father’s commandments, it is harder to receive the guidance we need.
Lesson Ideas (teach the theme using the concepts below and the activity above):
• Reading the scriptures brings me comfort (Psalm 23).
• The scriptures teach me how the people of Alma received comfort in their trials. I can also receive comfort (Mosiah 24:8-15; Primary 4, lesson 13).
• The scriptures teach me that Esther had courage. I can have courage (Esther 2-8; Primary 6, lesson 38).
• The scriptures teach me that the Nephites were guided when they had faith. When I have faith, I can be guided and receive courage to choose the right (Primary 4, lesson 5; Gospel Principles, chapter 21).
TO MAKE Print, color, and cut out the Liahona and 1-10 choice cards. Laminate the Liahona’s three parts and cards and trim. Attach dial to the back of the Liahona with a paper fastener (metal brad).
THOUGHT TREAT: Liahona Lifesavers Cookie. Place a Lifesavers candy in the center of a round cookie with frosting (to resemble a Liahona). Talk about the Liahona and how it worked when Lehi’s family was righteous. The compass was moved by God to show them which way to travel to the Promised Land of America. It was a life-saver. We too can receive guidance, comfort, and courage from the Holy Ghost as we are righteous.
THIS ACTIVITY CAN BE USED FOR Come Follow Me
FOR PRIMARY:
1 Nephi 16:10, 28–29; 18:8–13, 20–22
The Lord can guide and direct me.
Teach the children that even when they face difficult challenges, the Lord can guide them (see 1 Nephi 16:29).
Possible Activities
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Show the children a compass, a map, or something else that helps us find our way, and explain how to use these tools. Compare these tools to the Liahona as you summarize the story in 1 Nephi 16:10, 28–29 and 18:9–13, 20–22. Point out that when Lehi’s family was not obedient, the Liahona did not work (see also 1 Nephi 18:9–12, 20–22). What helps us today to find our way back to Heavenly Father?
Your Patriarchal Blessing: A Liahona of Light
