Ordinances give me access to God’s power.
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be with Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery for the major events of the Restoration? As you read Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75, including the note at the end of verse 71, you might understand at least some of what they felt. What impresses you about their words? Note, in particular, the blessings they received because they received the priesthood and were baptized. What blessings has the Savior given you through priesthood ordinances?
Start passing out these pieces to the youth. If you have a younger class or students that struggle reading, they can still look up the scriptures, but you read as they follow along, they will place their pieces (make sure you have magnets or tape available) as you read to complete the picture. This is in my store.
To learn more, consider creating a table with the headings Ordinances and Blessings. Then you could search scriptures like these to list ordinances and the blessings that come from them: John 14:26; Acts 2:38; Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–22; 131:1–4; Joseph Smith—History 1:73–74. What other blessings would you add to the list? How have the ordinances you’ve received brought the Savior’s power into your life?
Draw 5 steps.
Ask the youth what ordinances we make with God, hint, there are 5.
The youth might be able to guess most of them. Your board will look like this when you are done, you can give hints to help, or have them read the scriptures that are coming to help them figure it out.
This art is in my store.
Then pass out these scripture cards, and they can match the scripture with the correct ordinance. This is a Free Print.
After they match up the scriptures it will look like this:
List the blessings in each step before they place the scripture.
Lastly you are going to separate your class into 3 groups. They are going to be given a small story to read about a real life trial or experience either from Elder Bednar's talk or from Joseph Smith History. They will have stickers (print on sticker paper or just use tape) of different shapes, they will put a sticker by every blessing these people received in the stories. If you have time the different groups can share their story and why they put a sticker by that blessing.
This is in my store.
Your board will look something like this when all the stickers are placed:
They can place more than one sticker in each spot, like the Holy Ghost can help them remember and teach the person in their story.
Close with this quote:
This is a Free Print.
See also David A. Bednar, “With the Power of God in Great Glory,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 28–30; Saints, 1:65–68; “God of Power, God of Right,” Hymns, no. 20; Topics and Questions, “Covenants and Ordinances,” Gospel Library.
This is already included in the lesson bundle, but you can purchase it separately here.
