MAKE LEMONADE with These
Sweet LESSON LIFESAVER Activities to Make Learning Fun.
. . . Be Honest in THOUGHT, WORD, and DEED . . .
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men . . . If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (Articles of Faith 1:13).
Four-year-old twins reciting this scripture . . .
BE HONEST IN “THOUGHT”
“They were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted” (Alma 53:20).
THINK KINDLY. Choosing not to think mean or jealous thoughts about friends and siblings.
. . . HONEST IN “THOUGHT”
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. Acknowledging personal feelings and always striving to live by personal standards, even when no one else is watching. President Thomas S. Monson highlighted the principle of integrity by stating, “Be the same person you are in the dark that you are in the light,” during the April 2014 General Conference.
WHAT is your TRUE self? As a child of God we have a divine identity and examples to live by taught by Jesus Christ. You can build spiritual strength through daily: scripture study, prayer, listening to the Holy Ghost.
We need these strong habits to overcome peer pressure.
Download the Peer Pressure cross-match activity (HERE or below)
REHEARSE BEING “TRUE” TO YOURSELF. Roleplay different situations, brainstorm escape plans in this Friend Connection page “Dealing with Peer Pressure” (HERE), and “Peer Pressure Problems” (HERE).
Here are some strategies:
(1) Prepare for the Holy Ghost by HONESTLY obeying the commandments; then God can HONESTLY inspire you, warn you, and tell you the TRUTH about yourself and situations.
(2) Lean on your family, trusted leaders, or friends (with standards) for support;
(3) Develop a quick “escape plan.” This way, if you are uncomfortable or unsafe, you can escape.
(4) Pre-decide your standards (before) so you can make split-decisions-to-split (get out of there fast). Joseph in Egypt had an escape route (running from Potiphar’s wife’s temptation). See Genesis 39:7-12.
(5) Don’t live on the edge. Not knowing your standards can put you in a position where you can be easily tempted. Know that if you sit on the fence (getting too close to temptation) Satan owns the fence.
. . . HONEST IN “THOUGHT”
RECOGNIZING TRUTH. Using the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to distinguish between right and wrong.
. . . HONEST IN “THOUGHT”
THINK WHAT WOULD JESUS DO (WWJD). D&C 121:45 Promises that if you let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly, your “confidence shall wax strong in the presence of God.”
BE HONEST IN “WORD”
“Let us walk honestly” (Romans 13:13).
ALWAYS TELLING THE TRUTH. Choosing not to lie, exaggerate, or spread rumors, even if they made a mistake and are nervous about the consequences.
– In the talk “The Divine Standard of Honesty” by Elder Neil L. Anderson, Apostle said,
“The world would tell us that TRUTH and HONESTY are difficult to define. The world finds humor in casual lying and quickly excuses so-called “innocent” deception. The contrast between right and wrong is dulled, and the consequences of dishonesty are minimized.
To constantly receive the Spirit of Truth—the Holy Ghost—we must fill our lives with truth and honesty. As we become completely honest, our spiritual eyes are opened to increased enlightenment.”
DOWNLOAD the Spirit of Truth: From God/Not From God activity & lesson (HERE, or below).
“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).
. . . HONEST IN “WORD”
KEEPING PROMISES. Building trust by doing the things they say they will do (like finishing chores or playing fairly).
– Tell the story of Barnabas, Ananias, and Sapphira in Acts 4:32-5:10 and download the activity to illustrate (HERE, shown right).
– There are consequences for being dishonest. What are they?
There are also consequences for being honest. What are they?
. . . HONEST IN “WORD”
SPEAKING KINDLY. Using uplifting words that avoid hurting or deceiving others.
BE HONEST IN “DEED”
“Do that which is honest” (2 Corinthians 13:7).
- Playing fair: Not cheating in games or taking credit for someone else’s work.
- Respecting property: Not taking or using things that belong to a family member, school classmate, or friend without asking.
“Sweet Honesty” (HERE) is a true story about a girl who accidentally knocks over a jar of sugar, faces the temptation to hide her mistake, and learns the sweet feeling that comes from telling the truth. - Admitting when they are wrong: Showing courage by telling the truth when they break something or disobey a rule, rather than hiding it.
Love this story, “Honest Gabe” (HERE), where “Gabe wanted to be honest, but he didn’t want to get in trouble.”See the “HONESTY” Index of activities (above) where I will spotlight a few ideas:If children learn about Jesus Christ and His character, they have the perfect example of HONESTY. To spotlight our “Spirit of Truth (From God – Not From God) crossmatch (HERE, shown), and “Honest and Truthful at All Times” sharing time (HERE) we learn that God can be trusted and Satan is not trustworthy as he is the “devil, the father of lies” (Moses 4:4). In John 8:44 “… there is no truth in him. for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
