YOUTH LESSON ACTIVITY. VALUE-PACK (book) of GOOD CHOICES. Youth can be inspired as they pray, asking the Holy Ghost to guide them in making right choices with this book to prompt them. TOPICS that may be found here: The language they use; keeping the Sabbath day holy; the clothes they wear; obeying their parents; their music choices; stealing; the movies, video, and television shows they watch; and telling the truth. 

USE FOR Come Follow Me, Primary and Home, family home evening, Childen and Youth, homeschool

LESSON LIFESAVER Activity
Scriptures Guide Me – Value-Pack Book of Good Choices

ACTIVITY: Help youth learn to be happy by making the right choices. With this Value-pack Book of Good Choices, they can record ways they can make good choices in Language, modesty and cleanliness, friendship, honesty, Sabbath, family, inviting the Holy Ghost to guide them, music to uplift, wholesome entertainment-books-magazines, and honesty. (See the Enrichment Activity #2* at the bottom of this page for which this activity was created.)

TO MAKE Print, color, and cut out the Good Choices book for each youth. Paper punch holes top left. Tie a 6-inch piece of string, yarn, or ribbon at the top to hold book pages together.

THOUGHT TREAT:
Choose the Right Crackers. With cheese or frosting from a tube, frost three crackers or three graham cracker pieces with the letters C, T, and R.

TESTIMONY: Testify that deciding to follow Jesus Christ will lead to making righteous choices and that this is the only way to find true happiness.

SCRIPTURE CHALLENGE CARD: Help children Search and Ponder this scripture card by filling in the blanks. PRINT this 5 x 7 scripture card from the pdf included with the above activity. You can punch the two holes on the left and tie a ribbon to attach cards or use two metal rings to connect cards.

Alma 39:14 “Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, ye cannot carry them with you.”

LESSON IDEAS (for the above activity):

• Review and present the Lesson: Alma Counsels His Son Corianton (see details below).
• See the video for this subject (below).
• Present the lesson.
• Share the Value-Pack Book of Good Choices (shown above) as you present the Testimony and ideas (below).

*VIDEO: Alma Counsels His Sons | Alma 36–42 | Book of Mormon

Alma the younger talks to his sons one by one. First, he tells his son Helaman how important it is to be born of God. Alma promises him that if he keeps the commandments of God, he will prosper in the land. Alma hands the plates of brass over to him. It is now Helaman’s responsibility to keep a record of the people. Alma then talks with his son Shiblon, who was faithful even when he had stones thrown at him and was persecuted by the people. Alma encourages him to put his trust in God and promises that God will continue to help him through hard times. Alma testifies that it is through Jesus Christ that everyone can be saved. Alma’s son Corianton did not keep God’s commandments as a missionary. Alma helps him understand how serious it is to commit sexual sin. He pleads with Corianton to repent. Alma tells him that Jesus Christ will come into the world to take away our sins. He talks about the Resurrection, the judgment of God, and God’s justice and mercy. Alma encourages Corianton to look to the Savior for forgiveness. Based on Alma 36–42. Book of Mormon Videos The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

LESSON 24

Alma Counsels His Son Corianton

“Lesson 24: Alma Counsels His Son Corianton,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon (1997), 83–86

Purpose

To help the children understand that there are good and bad consequences depending on our choices.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study Alma 39. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,”vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)
2. Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
3. Make a chart of the items listed in the attention activity, or write them on the chalkboard.
4. Materials needed: a Book of Mormon for each child.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children to imagine that they are alone on a raft in the middle of the ocean. They discover that they must lighten their load because the raft is riding low in the water. They must throw overboard all but two items of their supplies. From the following list, ask them to choose the two items they will keep:

• Life jacket
• First aid kit
• A chest filled with gold
• Fishing pole, fishing tackle, and bait
• Case of one dozen bottles of freshwater
• Two-way radio
• Box of emergency flares
• Large can of shark repellent

List the choices on the chalkboard, and ask the children to explain the reasons for their choices. The choices in this activity should pose a dilemma. Point out that choosing would be difficult because they would not know what would happen in the future: they might sink and need the life jacket, become thirsty and need the water to drink, become hungry and need the fishing pole, encounter sharks and need the repellent, need the radio to seek help, get hurt and need the first-aid kit, need the flares for a nighttime rescue, or get rescued in the next few hours and wish they had kept the treasure.

Explain that in life we have many difficult choices to make, but Heavenly Father has given us commandments to help us. This lesson is about making choices.

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account of Alma counseling his son Corianton from Alma 39. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Note: Do not teach the specific content of Alma 39:3–6. Simply summarize it by explaining that Corianton committed a very serious sin while on a mission among the Zoramites. If the children ask about the nature of Corianton’s sin, suggest that they discuss it with their parents.

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading the references with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures.

• What kind of example had Corianton’s brother set for him? (Alma 39:1.) Whom do you look to for a righteous example? What righteous choices have they made?
• Why did Alma say he was unhappy with Corianton? (Alma 39:2.) What does it mean that Corianton did not give heed to his father’s words? (Corianton did not obey Alma.) Why do we need to obey our parents? What does it mean to boast? (To brag or put ourselves above others.) Why is it wrong to boast?
• Why did Alma say he was reminding Corianton of his sins? (Alma 39:7–9. Explain that to “cross yourself in all these things” [verse 9] means to turn away from these evils.) Who knows of all our sins? (Alma 39:8.) How can feelings of guilt lead a person to repent?
• Who did Alma say could give Corianton good advice in making choices? (Alma 39:10.) How have your parents and family helped you make the right decisions? From what other sources can you receive righteous counsel?
• How did Corianton’s unrighteous actions affect the Zoramites? (Alma 39:11.) In what ways may our choices affect others?
• What are some of the choices you have to make? How might the Holy Ghost help you know when you are doing something wrong? How might the Holy Ghost help you know you have made a good decision? Invite class members to share experiences when the Holy Ghost has helped them make decisions.
• What did Alma teach Corianton about repentance? (Alma 39:13.) What do you think it means to “turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength”? Why should we apologize to those whom we have hurt by our wrong choices?
• What was Alma’s counsel about seeking riches? (Alma 39:14.) What happens to people when riches become the most important things in their lives?
• What did Alma teach Corianton about the mission of Jesus Christ? (Alma 39:15.) What was Corianton supposed to teach about? (Alma 39:16.) What can we do to share the gospel with those around us?

You could use enrichment activities 2 and 3 to help the children understand the consequences of the choices they make in their lives.

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

Activity #1:
Review and discuss the second article of faith, and have the children memorize it. Point out that each person is responsible for what he or she does.
DOWNLOAD Article of Faith 1:2 (HERE or below). 

*ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY #2:
Discuss with the children choices they can make in the following or similar areas. Use ideas that are potential problems for the children in your class. Ask them what kinds of choices Jesus would want them to make. Help them consider the consequences of the various choices they could make.

• • The language they use
  • Keeping the Sabbath day holy
  • The clothes they wear
  • Obeying their parents
  • The music they listen to
  • Stealing
  • The movies, videos, and television shows they watch
  • Telling the truth
    DOWNLOAD the above activity that illustrates this Enrichment suggestion.

MORE LESSON IDEAS:

SEE INDEX: CHOOSE THE RIGHT (for more activities and song visuals)