Showing posts with label #agency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #agency. Show all posts

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Gospel Principles for Kids Lesson 6: The Fall

The Fall of Adam and Eve



The Garden of Eden
• Under what conditions did Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden?

Adam and Eve were in a terrestrial state in the Garden of Eden. They still were not in a position to learn about opposites, because everything was good!
I used this mini book to summarize the story of the fall.


Adam and Eve’s Separation from God
• What physical and spiritual changes occurred in Adam and Eve as a result of their transgression?

Because Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the Lord sent them out of the Garden of Eden into the world. As God had promised, they became mortal. They and their children would experience sickness, pain, and physical death.

Because of their transgression, Adam and Eve also suffered spiritual death. This meant they and their children could not walk and talk face to face with God. Adam and Eve and their children were separated from God both physically and spiritually.


Great Blessings Resulted from the Transgression:
• How does the Fall provide opportunities for us to become like our Heavenly Father?

I think the following is great background information as you give the lesson, but I would summarize with the graphic above from the Old Testament Resource Manual:

Some people believe Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, latter-day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us. Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life. None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden.

After the Fall, Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:11).

The prophet Lehi explained:

“And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen [been cut off from the presence of God], but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created. …

“And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

“But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:22–25).

I also used this worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3uNEVAAKowpMy1mVGFzZHpOX28/edit

and this from a Mary Ross FHE book:


Quoted material, titles and headings come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gospel Principles manual unless otherwise noted. Click here for the full lesson.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Gospel Principles for Kids Lesson 4: Freedom to Choose

Freedom to Choose


Agency Is an Eternal Principle

God has told us through His prophets that we are free to choose between good and evil. We may choose liberty and eternal life by following Jesus Christ. We are also free to choose captivity and death by following Satan. The right to choose between good and evil and to act for ourselves is called agency.

Agency Is a Necessary Part of the Plan of Salvation

When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make more right choices.

We began to make choices as spirit children in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our choices there made us worthy to come to earth. If we keep His commandments and make right choices, we will learn and understand. We will become like Him. 


This is the angle I took with my young children:
Heavenly Father wants us to make good choices and so he has given us some guides.
I drew a simple drawing of paths going off in different directions and had the girls choose a guide to help them choose the correct path.  Each path had something bad or something good such as 
a. There is a scary alligator that chases you or b. You see a good friend.
a. There is a dark forest and get lost or b. You see the temple.  
a. There are mean kids who throw things at you or b. You see your family in your yard.


A friend of mine asks her kids who is smiling right now after they make a choice, is it Satan or Jesus?  This is an easy measure for whether we've made a good choice or bad.

This video shows that when confronted with a choice, we can make good decisions and help others do the same.


For older kids, I like this video too.



Quoted material, titles and headings come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gospel Principles manual unless otherwise noted. Click here for the full lesson.