Why Does God Give Us Commandments?

(Lesson-match Interactive Activities)

YOUTH CLASSES

April 10, 2022
TOPIC #1
Exodus 14-17

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

(GO HERE) ⇒

April 27, 2022
TOPIC #2

Exodus 18-20

WHY DOES GOD GIVE US COMMANDMENTS?

(Below) ⇓

PART 1
Why Does God Give Us Commandments?
(Lesson-match Interactive Activities)

LESSON-MATCH ACTIVITIES 4 in on 1 bundle to save $ or click individual activities below

At the beginning of the meeting, repeat together the Young Women Theme or the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme. Then lead a discussion about the work of salvation and exaltation using one or more of the questions below or questions of your own (see General Handbook, 10.2, 11.2, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Plan ways to act on what you discuss.

• Live the gospel. What recent experiences have brought us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

• Care for those in need. Has someone recently moved into our ward or joined the Church? How can we help them feel welcome?

• Invite all to receive the gospel. Are there any activities coming up that we can invite our friends to attend?

• Unite families for eternity. What efforts can we make to record our personal histories?

At the end of the lesson, as appropriate, do the following:

• Testify of the principles taught.

• Remind class or quorum members about the plans and invitations made during the meeting.

Invite all to receive the gospel. Are there any activities coming up that we can invite our friends to attend?

MUTUAL NIGHT ACTIVITIES:

HOST A DANCE: Youth can host with dance instructors and a disc jockey.
• Dance Theme #1—Country/Western: square dance, line dance, or swing dance; eat farm-grown food on pie tins and drink out of canning jars; bob for apples, decorate with bales of hay, and dress western.
• Dance Theme #2—Ballroom:  dress formal; formal dinner by candlelight.
• Dance Theme #3—Fifties:  dance to oldies, e.g., Beatles, Beach Boys, Elvis, Jan and Dean; eat hamburgers, fries, and malts with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
• Dance Theme #4—Disco Fever: disco music or movie Grease, have a John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John dancing contest; eat pizza, and root beer floats.
• Dance and Movie Theme #5—Roaring Twenties: show the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie, make raspberry shakes and serve tapioca (as mentioned in the movie).

AT ALL DANCES: Have instructors teach youth dance steps. To assign dance partners: Count the number of young women and the number of young men. Then place numbers, e.g. 1-15 in one sack and 1-15 in another sack. Have young men draw from one sack and young women from the other sack. Then have them pair up with their matching numbers. Have a contest and award prizes.

PIE EATING CONTEST: Have young women bake pies and young men compete to eat them. Then serve pies with ice cream on top.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM AND CRAZY COOKIE BAKE: Hand churn ice cream, and have youth bring candies to decorate frosted cookies.

SHOW VIDEO: The Mormonad “Wish You Were Here” from the New Era, a magazine for Mormon teens. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO FROM YOUR I-PHONE. Featured Scripture: Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

SHOW VIDEO to encourage youth to spend more time communicating with family and friends, rather than technology. Subject: Things as they really are – Elder David A. Bednar warns of the harmful effects digital technologies can have on our souls and invites us to ask ourselves two questions to see if we are using these technologies properly. (3:27) CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO FROM YOUR I-PHONE.

PART 2
Why Does God Give Us Commandments?
(Lesson-match Interactive Activities)

LESSON-MATCH ACTIVITIES 4 in on 1 bundle to save $ or click individual activities below

Reading Exodus 20 might prompt you to THINK ABOUT WHY WE HAVE COMMANDMENTS. Some people see commandments as restrictive or as an attempt to control us. But because we know that God is a loving Father, we can trust that His laws are for our good, even if we don’t always know the reasons for them. He has promised us that we can know His commandments are true when we live them (see John 7:17).

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Because the Father and the Son love us with infinite, perfect love and because They know we cannot see everything They see, They have given us laws that will guide and protect us. There is a strong connection between God’s love and His laws” (“The Love and Laws of God” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], 2, speeches.byu.edu).

Why are you grateful for the commandments?
DOWNLOAD Don’t Bottle-up Your Testimony spin-the-bottle (HERE, shown above)

What would you like members of your class or quorum to understand about why God has given us commandments? You can prepare to teach by reviewing Exodus 20 and President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Loving Others and Living with Differences” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 25–28).

ColorQuote (above) “But as we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, as we strive ever more consistently to do good and become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps.” – Elder David A. Bednar

Lehi Sees a Vision of the Tree of Life | 1 Nephi 8 | Book of Mormon

In the wilderness, Lehi has a vision filled with symbolism that includes the tree of life. In his vision, he struggles for some time in the dark before finally making his way to the tree. He eats or partakes of its fruit and desires his family to do likewise. He sees a rod of iron, a strait and narrow path, and the mists of darkness that enshroud men. Sariah, Nephi, and Sam eat the fruit, but Laman and Lemuel refuse.

PART 3
Why Does God Give Us Commandments?
(Lesson-match Interactive Activities)

LESSON-MATCH ACTIVITIES 4 in on 1 bundle to save $ or click individual activities below

To help class or quorum members review the Ten Commandments, you could ask them to list as many of these commandments as they can from memory. If they need help, they could look in Exodus 20:3–17. WHY DOES GOD GIVE US COMMANDMENTS? To help answer this question, they might discuss a few of the Ten Commandments in small groups. HOW CAN LIVING THESE COMMANDMENTS HELP US FIND HAPPINESS AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD? The following ideas can help those you teach learn more about why God gives us commandments.

• The scriptures contain answers to the question “Why does God give us commandments?” You could invite class or quorum members to look for answers in one or more of the scriptures found in “Supporting Resources.” Then ask them to share something they found. They could also watch the following videos looking for insights: “Instructions Included,” “Why Does God Give Us Commandments?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

• To help class or quorum members understand why God gives us commandments, you might compare having commandments from God to experiences they can relate to. For instance, you could ask them to imagine that they are riding along a mountain road near a steep cliff and there is a fence along the side of the road. Ask them to discuss with another person questions like the following: How are God’s commandments like the fence? How has obeying the commandments blessed us?
  DOWNLOAD Keeping Inside the Fence Post-and-Present Activity (HERE or below)

  What other comparisons can help us understand why God gives us commandments and why we should obey them? For some examples, you could invite them to review one of the messages or videos found in “Supporting Resources.” Ask them to share the comparisons they find and discuss what they learn.

• Your discussion may lead class or quorum members to discuss how we should treat those who do not believe or live some commandments. You might invite them to look for counsel in President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Loving Others and Living with Differences.” You might ask questions like these: How should we treat those who choose to live differently than we do? How can we see the good in others when they make different choices than we do?

ColorQuote (DOWNLOAD HERE or above) “Obedience opens the door to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the spiritual gifts and abilities activated by the power of the Holy Ghost enable us to avoid deception – and to see, to feel, to know, to understand, and to remember things as they really are.” David A. Bednar, Apostle, “Things as They Really Are”

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.

• Deuteronomy 10:12–13; Alma 36:30; Doctrine and Covenants 1:24–28; 82:8–10; 93:20, 28; 130:18–21 (Why God gives us commandments)

• Jeffrey R. Holland, “We Are All Enlisted” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 44–47; see also the video “Stay within the Lines”); Richard G. Scott, “The Atonement Can Secure Your Peace and Happiness” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 40–42; see also the video “A Secure Anchor”); Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 115–17; see also the video with the same title)