How Can I Strengthen My Faith in Jesus Christ Every Day?

(Lesson-match Interactive Activities)

YOUTH CLASSES

TOPIC #1
Exodus 14-17

HOW CAN I STRENGTHEN MY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST EVERY DAY?

(below)

TOPIC #2

Exodus 18-20

WHY DOES GOD GIVE US COMMANDMENTS?

(GO HERE) ⇒

MUTUAL NIGHT, SEMINARY, OR FAMILY NIGHT ACTIVITIES

APPLE PIE POSITIVE SELF-TALK SEMINAR:
Be prepared to show youth an apple and a fresh apple pie (hopefully one that is warm fresh out of the oven). Tell the youth that it is easy to be just an apple, but with a little more effort we can be like an apple pie. As we know, we are all children of God; we have the desire to be better.
[Leader: You may want to demonstrate how to make an apple pie.] To make an apple pie we must add sugar and butter to make caramel syrup. We add the spices and a rich tasty crust. Self-mastery is like that. You can take yourself the way you are (show the apple) or we can add the things that make you even better than you are now (show the apple pie). Don’t be afraid to tell yourself that you are of great worth and value. Add spice to your life by strengthening your character.
     List “Apple”ing Character Traits on the board.
     Step 1: Have guest speakers come prepared to speak (see 3 below). Provide notepaper and pencils for youth with an apple and apple pie sticker.
     Step 2: Ahead of time put up positive self-talk signs in the shapes of apples all over the room on the floor, ceiling, walls, table, light, and board.
Ideas: “You’re the apple of Heavenly Father’s eye.” “Bloom where you’re planted,” “Confidence is a gift you can give yourself,” “Practice releases pressure,” “If it is to be, it is up to me,”  “Nothing is too good to be true, nothing is too good to last,” “Do your best and leave the rest,” “Count to 10 and then start over again,” “If at first you don’t succeed … try, try again.”
     Step 3: Have a guest speaker tell how youth can make their life into “apple pie” quality by building their character. Ideas: (1) Describe good self-talk and bad self-talk. Talk about what positive self-talk can do. (2) Search the scriptures to find the right and wrong way to care for yourself, e.g., the Word of Wisdom, commandments like fasting, exercising, etc.
     Step 4: Have youth list five self-talk messages they wish to take home and memorize. See Step 2 (above).

MORE YOUTH DOCTRINAL CLASS DISCUSSION IDEAS:

• Read together Alma 37:6–7. As a class or quorum, list on the board some of the “small and simple things” that the Lord has invited us to do each day to come unto Him. Those you teach could then review President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Small and Simple Things” to find additional small things that can have a great influence on our lives. What impact can these things have? What are we inspired to do to make these things a more consistent part of our daily lives?

• Why does faith in Jesus Christ need to be nourished daily? To help members better understand this, you could show one or more of the videos listed under “Supporting Resources.” In these videos, Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught about the need for daily efforts to sustain our faith. Invite those you teach to share things they learned that inspire them to increase their faith in Jesus Christ every day.

• Consistent daily efforts are the best way to strengthen our faith in Christ. To discuss this idea, read together Elder David A. Bednar’s third suggestion in his message “More Diligent and Concerned at Home” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 17–20). What lessons can we learn from his description of a painting in his office? How do these lessons apply to our efforts to build our faith in Jesus Christ? Reading together Alma 32:21, 26–43 could add to your discussion. What insights do we find about how to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ?

• We can increase our faith by choosing to learn from experiences that test it. You might show the video “Spiritual Whirlwinds” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Discuss together what we can do during a trial to strengthen our faith. (See also Neil L. Andersen, “Spiritual Whirlwinds,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 18–21.) You might ask class or quorum members to share times when they felt that their faith in Christ was tested and what they did to strengthen their faith during that time. Point out that Exodus 14–17 describes the frequent murmuring, or complaining, of the Israelites when they experienced trials. How can murmuring during trials weaken our faith? What is the difference between murmuring and expressing our concerns to Heavenly Father during hard times?

Encourage class or quorum members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. If they would like, they could share their ideas. Invite them to think about how acting on their impressions will strengthen their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

• “Daily Bread: Pattern,” “Daily Bread: Change,” “Daily Bread: Experience” (videos below), ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Daily Bread: Pattern

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mo… – Just as we need daily physical sustenance, the need for daily spiritual sustenance is just as strong. For the Children of Israel, manna was a daily reminder of the source of their blessings; today, we can remember Jesus Christ every day as we pray, read the scriptures, and meditate. 

Daily Bread Experience

Sometimes in life, there is nowhere else to turn but to God. Elder D. Todd Christofferson shares a personal experience that taught him to truly pray, recognize answers to prayers, and take life one day at a time.