YOUTH CAN TEACH
PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE (Youth Goal Planner)
HOW CAN I BE WORTHY TO ENTER GOD’S TEMPLE?
YOUTH CAN TEACH with this YOUTH GOAL PLANNER to review Alma 5 and record questions Alma asked his sons. Then they can review the qualifications to enter the temple. These are talked about in the two interviews for a temple recommend. Discuss each of the topics that will be addressed and the thoughts they can prepare.
SHARING ACTIVITY:
Have the youth take turns telling how we can become worthy to enter the temple by sharing stories and comments about PREPARING FOR THE TEMPLE. See Examples below.
Search and Ponder in the Book of Mormon Alma 5 to fill in this YOUTH GOAL PLANNER.
Questions Alma Asks and My Answers.
Things I will Do to Prepare to Enter the Temple (to be morally clean.
• Modesty. What we wear states who we are and our standards. “Modesty is an attitude of decency and humility in our language, behavior, dress, and grooming.
Modest Dress (dressing as if you were in God’s presence is a good way to judge it). Immodest clothing, e.g. short shorts, miniskirts, tight clothing, and shirts that don’t cover the stomach. “Modesty in appearance is always in fashion for followers of Christ,” says Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. He also said to choose clothing as you would choose friends, selecting attire that uplifts and instills confidence in God’s presence.
If we are modest, we don’t try to bring too much attention to ourselves. Rather, we seek to glorify God.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that modest dress and behavior help protect against temptation and encouraged setting clear boundaries. See Courage to Choose Modesty (HERE)
• Dating. The Church leaders have advised young people to wait on dating until they are 16. And then, don’t date steadily until after their teen years. If dating a person more than once, have OTHER DATES between each date. Choose dates with high moral standards. Steady dating can limit chances to date other potential eternal partners.
• Media: Avoid overuse of the media to gain your self-esteem and identity. President Gordon B. Hinckley warned that pornography* (entertainment that leads to evil desires) damages hearts and souls and strangles sacred relationships.
Avoid pornography. For you will need the Spirit of the Lord to make decisions mentally, spiritually, socially, and physically. As your body, mind, and spirit is a “temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
• Pornography can be spiritually destructive and powerfully addictive. Elder Richard G. Scott described the path as “beginning with curiosity and stimulation until an “immoral, addictive habit is formed”.
• It can destroy relationships, degrade individuals. President Russell M. Nelson warned that pornography “is degrading of women. It is evil. It is infectious, destructive, and addictive”.
• It diminishes agency, leading to a loss of freedom.
PREPARING TO ENTER THE TEMPLE
Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S
STORIES, QUOTES, & ACTIVITES
#1 Faith & testimony in God
(See ACTIVITY shown right)
Alma taught us this important truth… “even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you” (Alma 32:27). A 16 year old young woman shares her feeling that her Heavenly Father “had been softening” her heart early in her life, to receive the gospel.” Read about Alexandria’s experience it HERE.
#2 Testimony of the Atonement.
(See ACTIVITY shown right)
“Jacob, the brother of Nephi, described the Atonement as “infinite” (2 Nephi 9:7), meaning without limitations or externally imposed constraints. “That is why the Atonement is so remarkable and so necessary. Little wonder, then, that we not only need to appreciate this incomparable gift but also to understand it clearly. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of performing the magnificent Atonement… Read more from Elder Samuelson Jr. HERE.
#3 Testimony of the Restored Gospel.
(See ACTIVITY shown right)
“As Church leaders, we are often asked, ‘How do I receive a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ?’ Gaining a testimony and becoming converted begins with study and prayer, then living the gospel with patience and persistence and inviting and waiting upon the Spirit. The life of Joseph Smith and the pattern of the Restoration are excellent examples of this process”… Learn more from Elder Robert D. Hales HERE.
#4 Sustain Prophet and church leaders.
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– President Eyring said that when we raise our hands to sustain people, we promise to help them do what they have been called to do. So, it means supporting or helping.
– Elder Ulisses Soares said, “We are regular people, and the Lord has called us to something above our capacity. But we feel we can reach that capacity because people are praying for us.”
#5 Moral Cleanliness/Chastity.
(See ACTIVITY ColorQuote “Unchastity is the great deamon of the day …” HERE shown left*)
Have someone from your class read the story about the LARK willing to exchange his feathers for worms. President Kimball tells the story in “The Miracle of Forgiveness” book p. 214-115 and also found in the Priesthood Lesson 34 Moral Cleanliness (HERE).
#6 Follow the teachings of Jesus.
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Elder Dale G. Renlund taught us five ways to follow our Savior, “Know Who You Are, Seek to Know Heavenly Father’s Will, Align Your Will with Heavenly Father’s Will, Make and Keep Covenants with God, and Endure to the End.” Read more HERE.
#7 TEACHINGS. Do you support teachings that are contrary to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Note. If teachings are inconsistent or contrary to the Church’s teachings and principles, we are not to engage, endorse, or promote these doctrines.
(See Articles of Faith ACTIVITIES shown right)
#8 QUALITIES A-E
– (8a) QUALITY Honor the Sabbath
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The Sabbath can be a challenge as it is different from other days of the week. It depends on how we look at it. It can be a time to SHOW OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND SAVIOR HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THEM. “Looking back… most of our happy family memories come from the wonderful Sundays we spent together—playing board games, building our relationships, eating scrumptious favourites and learning and growing in the gospel…” Read more about this family HERE.
– (8b) QUALITY Prepare for the Sacrament
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To partake of the Sacrament and experience a portion of our Savior’s Atonement takes thought and preparation. Sincere repentance and a renewal of our baptismal covenant should be our primary focus. The simplicity and beauty of this experience can be found in this presentation by Kim Webb Reid found HERE.
– (8c) QUALITY Live Commandments
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We read in 1 Corinthians 8:3, “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” We also know from John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” God’s commandments are a manifestation of His great love for us. Grandma Carole needed to teach this concept to her little granddaughter Chloe. Read about it HERE.
– (8d) QUALITY Be Honest
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We often hear that HONESTY is telling the TRUTH to ourselves and others, and INTEGRITY is LIVING that truth. Our Prophet Russell M. Nelson said, “Some people are so easily tempted to lie a little, to cheat a little, to steal a little, or to bear false witness—just a little. You cannot commit a little sin without being subject to the consequences. If you tolerate a little sin today, you tolerate a little more tomorrow, and before long, a cord of integrity is broken.” Talk, BYU Devotional 1993 “Integrity of Heart.”
– (8e) QUALITY Full Tithe Payer
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Dallan H. Oaks tells a story (found HERE) of his widowed mother who said she can’t get along without paying tithing. She said, “When I pay my tithing, I have the Lord’s promise that he will bless us, and we must have those blessings if we are to get along.”
#9 Keep the Word of Wisdom.
(See ACTIVITY shown right)
The Word of Wisdom is the Church’s current stand or law of health. To better understand their meaning and get answers to your questions, go to “Ask Us: Top Reference Questions about the Word of Wisdom” HERE.
#10 Money obligations to the former spouse not resolved/paid. Sometimes a mother and father divorce and many things change. The financial responsibility frequently falls to the father if there are young children still in the home and the mother is not working. Navigating the finances can be difficult. If there are legal obligations, they must be paid to get a temple recommend.
#11 Keep covenants made in the temple. There are five covenants made in the temple endowment ordinance. They are Obedience, Sacrifice, The Law of the Gospel, Chastity, and the Law of Consecration.
#12 Wear temple garments. In the temple, we are taught to wear the holy garments throughout our lives. If we are true and faithful to our covenants, they are a protection to us. There are times when wearing them is not possible i.e. swimming. With some sports they should be worn when it is possible to do so. More is found HERE.
#13 Any serious sins (not resolved with priesthood authority). If you have not spoken to your bishop about serious offenses to God, it would be wise to do so. Your bishop is a judge in Israel and is there to help you stay on your covenant path. He loves everyone under his stewardship and keeps all conversations private. If you do not know if something you have done warrants this kind of visit, then simply ask him.
#14 Worthy to Participate in Temple Ordinances. This question seems hard to answer sometimes because we are hard on ourselves. If you have come this far in the questions, have answered honestly, love your Savior, and God, you likely are worthy!
MUTUAL OR FAMILY NIGHT ACTIVITIES:
FAITH & TESTIMONY IN GOD (see temple question #1 above)
MISSING PERSONAGE. Ask youth to write on slips of paper what they would miss if they did not have a certain member of the Godhead, assigning three or more to each personage. If they want their comments read, place them in a container to share. Read Mark 12:30.
TESTIMONY OF RESTORED GOSPEL (see temple question #3 above)
CONVERT’S TESTIMONY SHARING. Ask several converts to share their testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and answer questions.
SUSTAIN PROPHET AND CHURCH LEADERS (see temple question #4 above)
CONFERENCE CHAT. Print/copy quotes from prophets. Place them in a box labeled “A Latter-day Prophet Speaks.” Ask the youth to take turns drawing a message from the box, reading it aloud. Then tell or ask the other youth what it means to you/them.
MORAL CLEANLINESS/CHASTITY (see temple question #5 above)
CHASTITY TALK AND CHASTITY CHOICES: Bishops are very good at talking on this subject; so are their wives. Seminary teachers are also good resources. After a guest speaker, help the youth project themselves into the future at the choices they want to make. Compare dating someone who chooses to be chaste and someone who does not. Talk about group dates as opposed to single dating. Talk about the daily spiritual nourishment needed to help you make chaste choices.
Tell the story of Joseph resisting Potiphar’s wife, running from the temptation. See Genesis 39. See the picture and story (HERE).
FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS (see temple question #6 above)
JESUS 24-7 (TIE A YELLOW RIBBON). Have youth take the challenge of Sister Ames to “Live for twenty-four hours as if Christ were right beside you, seeing everything you do.” (The story, called “Twenty-four Golden Hours,” (HERE) portrays how Charlotte, once an unhappy and discontented young lady, benefited from practicing the teachings of the Savior.)
Tie a yellow ribbon around their finger or wrist of each youth, and ask them to wear the ribbon when they are home to remind them to act as if the Savior were there.
HONOR THE SABBATH (see temple question #8 above)
SABBATH DAY SHOW-AND-TELL IDEA NIGHT. Have the youth bring games and activities they like to do with their family. They can present a family home evening idea, play a gospel game (or any game their family enjoys), scripture activities, and more.
Ideas: ~ Bible Bingo (make up your own game) ~ scripture chase ~ give a lesson from the Friend magazine ~ make thumbprint pictures of animals found in the scriptures ~ share journal entries ~ review missionary discussions ~ write letters to missionaries or family and friends ~ tell stories about ancestors or show an object that belonged to an ancestor ~ make a gospel grab bag by looking up favorite scriptures and placing them in a bag ~ make a testimony time capsule (burying written testimonies) to dig up before gratuating from high school. This is a great way to send youth out into the world with stronger faith.
PREPARE FOR THE SACRAMENT (see temple question #8 above)
SACRAMENT SACRED-SCRIPTURE SEARCH. Pondering these scriptures will help youth prepare for partaking of the sacrament each week. These could be placed on cards with fill-in-the-blank words.
• Priesthood ordinance (3 Nephi 18:15)
• The sacrament is given to the Nephites after Christ’s resurrection (3 Nephi 18:1-12)
• Importance of taking the sacrament each Sunday in sacrament meeting (D&C 20:75)
• A reminder of baptismal promises (D&C 20:37, Mosiah 18:6-10)
• Helps us think of Jesus and find peace (D&C 19:23-24)
• Reminds us that Jesus took our sins upon Him (Hebrews 9:28; 13:12, Mosiah 3:5-8)
• Jesus is the gate through which we enter heaven (John 14:6; 2 Nephi 9:41)
• Jesus suffered and gave His life for us so that we might have remission of our sins (John 19:16-20, Mosiah 4:1-2, Alma 4:14-15, 2 Nephi 2:6-9)
YOUTH GOAL Choice & Accountability #6
YOUTH CAN TEACH
So, please let them teach as it helps them learn the gospel and grow their testimony as they share it.
Use this BRIGHT IDEAS LESSON Planner to plan lesson objectives, activities, and discussions (included with each activity).
