Week 3: Jesus Christ

Song: I Know That My Savior Loves Me (found here)

Thought: The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles
If time or circumstances don't allow for sharing the whole testimony consider sharing this portion:
"We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles--that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

Object Lesson:
Have a bowl of water, a bowl with some dirt in it, some soap, and a towel set out. Let each member of your family who wants to participate take a turn mixing up some mud and getting it all over their hands. Discuss how when we are not choosing the right that it is like getting muddy. Ask them how they would clean the mud off of their hands. Allow each person to wash their hands with the soap and water then dry with the towel. Discuss how repentance is like soap and that it cleanses our souls and how the clean water is like the atonement of Jesus Christ (the living water) that washes away our sins and makes it as though they never happened.

Video: Reclaimed

Lesson Activity:
For younger children consider printing this coloring page and puzzle to keep them engaged while older family members continue with the following activity.

Read the paragraph under the heading "What He Has Done for Us" in Elder Dallin H. Oaks's talk "Teachings of Jesus." Ask family members what they would respond to the woman's question "What's He done for me?" Using the next nine headings from the talk discuss what the Savior has done for us. (Consider reading those sub-headings or even watching the whole talk) then challenge family members to find relevant scriptures that teach those concepts. (This idea can be found here and here.)
1. Life of the World
2. Light of the World
3. Doing the Will of the Father
4. The Great Exemplar
5. Priesthood Power
6. Guidance by the Holy Ghost
7. Guidance by His Commandments
8. Focus on Eternal Life
9. The Atonement

This weeks challenge: (Taken from Elder Oak's talk)
Jesus issued the challenge "What think ye of Christ?" The Apostle Paul challenged the Corinthians to "examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." All of us should answer the challenges for ourselves. Where is our ultimate loyalty?
There is no middle ground. We are followers of Jesus Christ. Our citizenship is in His Church and His gospel, and we should not use a visa to visit Babylon or act like one of its citizens. We should honor His name, keep His commandments, and "seek not the things of this world but seek...first to build up the kingdon of God, and to establish his righteousness."