Elder David A. Bednar (Apr. '20): "Let This House Be Built unto My Name"

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Explanation:

The ideas in this blog are meant to be used in small, home-like environments (2-5 people), although any of them could be adapted for other contexts.  I am also envisioning these activities as guided by a parent(s), but again that need not be the case.  For teaching ideas to use in Relief Society and Elders Quorum classes see my other blog here.

For Adults:

  1. Point out that Elder Bednar makes three statements that begin with common conceptions of the temple but then go on to expand and deepen our vision of the temple.
  2. Read these quotes:
    1. par. 16 ("We do not . . . sons and daughters")
    2. par. 21 ("We do not . . . and become good")
    3. par. 38 ("Understandable, the announcement . . .  of the building")
  3. Take time to discuss each quote and what the second half teaches us about how we should think about temples and temple worship.
  4. Set a goal to bring your approach to temple worship more in line with what Elder Bednar talks about.

For Teens/Tweens:

  1. Explain that the temple can bless us in many ways.  Elder Bednar helps us to remember some of these blessings by bringing to light correlations between the blessings and parts of our bodies.
  2. Ask the teens/tweens to think about blessings they have received from their temple worship as each of the following quotes are read:  
    1. Heart-- par. 16 ("We do not . . . sons and daughters")
    2. Ears-- par. 17 ("As we become . . . unto the Savior")
    3. Biceps-- par. 21 ("We do not . . . and become good").
  3. As you read each quote, spend a couple of minutes talking with the teens/tweens about what these blessings might mean, how you have felt these blessings, and how they have witnessed these blessings in their own lives.

For Kids:

  1. Explain that Elijah was an Old Testament prophet and that he came to the Kirtland temple to give Joseph Smith the sealing keys (the power to seal ordinances here on Earth and in Heaven).
  2. Discuss/demonstrate how a key can lock something up tight or open it.  That is what the sealing keys to-- they lock up tight and open up certain blessings.
  3. Talk about how the sealing keys lock us tight to our Heavenly Father (perhaps read par. 20 ["Ordinance that are . . . into our lives"]).
  4. talk about how the sealing keys open our hearts up to more love for our ancestors and make us want to help them (perhaps read par. 12 ["Elijah shal reveal . . . to the fathers"]).
  5. Ask the kids to tell you one thing they learned about the sealing keys.

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