Apostasy and Restoration Sharing time

Sharing Time- Jesus Christ Restored the Gospel through Joseph Smith

April 2013 week 1

 

 

 

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He established His church. I am going to need your help to build the church with these blocks.  (I used clear Container Store boxes with removable lids) We need to find out what Jesus Christ’s church looked like and what instructions He gave to make it God’s church. So let’s add to the building, so far we only have two doors which we will find out later what’s inside! Rach (sorry I don't have your full name!) created these fabulous label boxes!!! Thanks so much! Here is her document: http://www.flcrosbys.blogspot.com/2013/04/apostasy-and-restoration-sharing-time.html

 

There are different building blocks around the room that we need to find. Right now we are finding the black letters side of the boxes. Later we will get to the red letters and inside the boxes too.(if you choose to incorporate a singing time with objects in the boxes)
 

• We are looking for the building block that has "PROPHETS" in black letters and a picture of a prophet of long ago. Prophets were sent on the earth long ago to help warn people that Jesus Christ would be coming to earth and this building block has King Benjamin on a tower teaching people to watch for the Savior to come. matching picture on block- http://store.lds.org/images/estore/products/eng/811_62298000_p_348.jpg

• Jesus taught that He himself was the chief cornerstone of the church of God. Can someone find the picture of JESUS CHRIST and the words "Jesus Christ" in black (look for the letter J) so that it can be added to the church of God. Jesus Christ would come to the earth to teach the people how to make it back to Heavenly Father. We can’t have the church of God without Jesus Christ, the Savior. matching picture on block- https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/manual/36617/36617_all_003_07-christ.jpg

• When Jesus came to the earth, he appointed twelve people to be APOSTLES to be his special helpers. To help teach about His Jesus Christ and his purpose, to tell people that the church of God was on the earth and help do good for people. Can someone find a building block that has Jesus Christ with his hands on an apostle’s head ordaining him to be a special helper. The word "Apostles "(Look for an A at the beginning) in black is also on the building block. Let’s put the Apostle block on to remember that there were apostles long ago. matching picture on block- Primary packet picture 2-66 or https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/manual/36617/36617_all_001_03-ordaining.jpg

• When Jesus came to this earth he brought the power of the PRIESTHOOD to help heal people of sickness, sin or doing things wrong, and other challenges. Jesus was able to make people that couldn’t see, see again and those that couldn’t walk, get up and walk. He also gave this power to his Apostles (point to previous block). Can someone find the building block where Jesus is healing or making someone feel better and has the word "Priesthood" in Black letters (look for the P at the beginning). Let’s add that to the church of God. matching picture on block- GAK 213 or http://www.lds.org/images/Manuals/tchg-pix.nfo:o:150.jpg

• The Lord also had another special member of the Godhead to the earth that would not have a body, but would help the people feel that what Jesus and his helpers were teaching were true and to follow them. Let’s find the block that has "HOLY GHOST" written on it in black and add it to Christ’s church. matching picture on block- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TDnlXM7jg9VmEU6VtUgliAUPUA3vgdQ30Kg2c0u1MuDxS6pQNVQHzBtDdbKJhqQTxwnaIJ5FQ6w3yA85c8-rnhriQNGenBKqq19HvRN4-ORmqpd4mHdQ0LCmTYFtoGXUplUaiWAQtN2o/s1600/heavenlyfatherandjesuschrist.gif

• Jesus Christ brought special saving ORDINANCES or things that we need to do in order to make it back to heaven to Heavenly Father. One of these ordinances is baptism. Can someone find the building block that shows that even Jesus Christ was baptized to show that everyone needed to do this and be saved. The black letters say "Ordinances".(look for the O at the beginning) matching picture on block- http://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/images/3/30/John-Baptist-Baptism-Jesus-Mormon.jpg

• The people of old were given REVELATION by the prophets. Things that were going to happen to and to be ready for them. Can someone find the block with Noah warning the people that there was going to be a flood and to repent and be saved. matching picture- GAK 102 or  http://www.lds.org/images/Manuals/tchg-pix.nfo:o:2c0.jpg

• A long time ago people living before and after Jesus came to earth wrote down their stories and Christ’s teachings. We know that as the Bible. America wrote their stories and miracles down too on plates of brass so that after they died others could remember them.  Mormon later abridged them onto gold plates. These are SCRIPTURE. (Have a child put the Scripture block at the top) matching picture on block-GAK 325 or https://www.lds.org/images/Manuals/tchg-pix.nfo:o:1b6.jpg

       As the prophets wrote, more and more people started not listening to the words. They were becoming very wicked and started killing Prophets, Apostles and even Jesus Christ.  And eventually, God got angry and said “No More!!” (Kick over all of the blocks and let them fall on the floor, this was quite effective when I did it) and Heavenly Father took Revelation from the earth, Priesthood power, didn’t sent any more Prophets, Apostles, hid the plates. This time is called the APOSTASY. And for a long time, there was no church like we have on the earth today.        

      People tried to build the church back up again, they used their own ideas about Scripture, Prophets, Revelation, but without the correct parts, it just didn’t look the same! (Try and incorrectly build the church as talking.)                                     

      Until a special boy was sent to help bring back or restore the true church that was gone.(Open the doors of the church to show Joseph Smith first vision picture from Primary picture packet 1-4 or http://store.lds.org/images/estore/products/eng/192_62470000_p_348.jpg.)

      Joseph Smith when he was 14 years old was trying to figure out which one of these built up churches was right. He saw Heavenly Father and Jesus and they told him that he was going to bring back or restore the true church. Now let’s build the church back up like Jesus Christ did through Joseph Smith. (If time, let the kids find them boxes, if not just have them build the church. The boxes are now facing the opposite side with red letters and corresponding pictures in the same order that the "ancient" blocks were stacked.)     

  

 

•  Heavenly Father sent PROPHETS again to the earth, We have President Monson today to tell us things that we need to be doing just like King Benjamin did long ago. matching picture on block- GAK 307 or http://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/images/9/9f/MONSON_medium.jpg
•   Heavenly Father would send JESUS CHRIST to the earth again. This hasn’t happened yet so we need to listen to the prophet to know how to get ready. matching picture on block- Primary picture packet 2-65 or http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d102/everyday_something/Book%20of%20Mormon/second_coming.jpg
•   APOSTLES were sent to the earth again to be special helpers to the prophet. These men help President Monson teach the gospel and Jesus Christ just like those did long ago. matching picture on block- http://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/manual/32495/32495_all_001_07-Quorum12.jpg 
•   The PRIESTHOOD was restored and the power to heal people again of sickness like Jesus did. matching picture on block- Primary picture packet- 1-40   
• The gift of the HOLY GHOST was again given to us to help us know when something is right. We can learn that the church is true by the power of the Holy Ghost. We may not see Heavenly Father and Jesus like Joseph Smith did, but we can know it is as true as if we did see them here today.  matching picture on block- Primary picture packet 1-12
• ORDINANCES like baptism were brought back to the earth. We also can seal our families in the temple forever. Matching picture- Primary packet 1-11 or http://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/images/4/4b/Bautismo2.jpg 
• Heavenly Father gave us back REVELATION and to be able to have help from Him with our problems through prayer or to give us directions on what we need to do from prophets and other church leaders to be ready for Jesus to come. Matching picture from Ensign, April 2008, 24 or could use https://www.lds.org/bc/content/church/news/images/LDS-general-conference-photo-2011-15-02-large.jpg
•   And Joseph Smith was able to translate the plates of gold into a language that we could understand and learn from the people that lived when Christ’s church was on the earth. We have the Bible and the Book of Mormon, SCRIPTURE, to give us directions from God. matching picture on block-  from Friend, February 2003, 3 http://res.ldschurch.ch/magazines/thefriend/en/2003/thefriend_2003-02.pdf cut and put with scriptures clipart as background

 

I am grateful for this church and that is has been restored on the earth today In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

*Singing Time idea- The boxes of the restored church is established. Have the children look inside the boxes for the item that represents that restored part and sing a song that goes with it.