How Firm a Foundation

Song: How Firm a Foundation (Hymns no. 85)
February 2009 Gospel Principle # 3: The priesthood blesses my family.
40 minutes

Verse One:

Music Leader: (2 minutes)
Sing “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” pg. 281 using actions.

Presidency Member: (3 minutes)

• Ask why the Foolish Man’s house washed away but the Wise Man’s house stood still.


• Point out that the sand the Foolish Man built on and the rock the Wise Man built on are called foundations.


• Show the picture of the Salt Lake Temple and briefly tell the story behind the foundation of the temple. (Lesson 44: The Salt Lake Temple Is Constructed and Dedicated,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997), 263)


• Point out that just like Heavenly Father wants his temple to have a strong foundation so it will last for a long time He also wants our faith to have a strong foundation so it will last for a long time too.


• Look at the Music Leader.

Music Leader: (3 minutes)

• Tell the children to listen while you sing for what Jesus Christ laid as the foundation to our faith.


• Sing the first two lines of the first verse.


• Ask the children for the foundation to our faith. (His excellent word)


• Ask where we can find the words of Christ. (the scriptures) Expound as necessary.


• Invite the children to sing the first two lines of the first verse with you.


• Look at the Presidency Member.

Presidency Member: (3 minutes)

• Open the Book of Mormon to the Introduction and read the first paragraph. The important parts are the first and third printed lines, “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible, … and contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel.”


• Get out a clear cup (on a plate or paper towel to catch excess water) and pour water into it so all the children can see. Pour just a little in at first and ask, “Is this full?” Pour a little more and ask again. Pour a little more in and ask again. Compliment the children and fill it all the way full.


• Explain that the cup is the gospel and the level of the water is how much of the gospel is in the scriptures.


• Ask if there is any more space to put water in the cup--if there is any more of the gospel that Heavenly Father could get into the scriptures.


• Explain that because the scriptures contain the fullness of the gospel there is no more gospel left to put in the scriptures.


• Look at the Music Leader.

Music Leader: (4 minutes)

• Sing the third line of the first verse pointing to the cup.


• Explain that you just sang a question and tell them to listen for who you are asking it to.


• Sing the last line starting soft and getting louder each time you repeat yourself.


• Ask the children who you sang the question to. They might not get it so just tell them.


• Explain what the word refuge means.


• Let them sing just the fourth and fifth lines with you starting quietly at first and getting louder as you repeat. You may even want to let them crouch down with you when you sing the fourth line and slowly stand up each time you repeat.


• Then sing the last half of the first verse with them (you may have to repeat the third line again once or twice so they get it).


• Then sing the whole first verse together.

Verse Three:

Presidency Member: (5 minutes)

• Let the children get comfortable on the floor or in their chairs for a story. The best story would be one of your own about when someone in your family received a priesthood blessing. However, you can also use GAK 215 and tell the story of Jairus’s daughter.


• Point out that Jesus told Jairus to have faith—our faith in Jesus Christ needs to have a strong foundation so that when we need help we will believe Christ will help us.


• Ask the children if Jesus can be here now to bless them.


• Explain that because Jesus Christ can’t be here Heavenly Father shares the priesthood, the power and authority of God, with worthy men and young men on earth (GP pg. 81).


• Look at the Music Leader.

Music Leader: (2 minutes)

• Sing the first half of the second verse.


• Invite the children to sing with you.


• Look at the Presidency Member.

Presidency Member: (10 minutes)

• Explain that some dads hold the priesthood and ask about families that don’t have a dad right now, that have a dad who doesn’t have the priesthood, or whose dad died and his spirit is with Heavenly Father.


• Use GAK 614 to explain that Heavenly Father wants all families to benefit from the priesthood so he sends home teachers to check up on families.


• Explain that even when a dad has the priesthood sometimes he needs someone else with the priesthood to help bless his family so every family has home teachers.


• Ask if their home teacher has helped give them a priesthood blessing.


• Use GAK 601, 602, 603, 609, and 613 to talk about ways the priesthood blesses our families.


• Explain that all these ways the priesthood blesses our families strengthens us, helps us, and causes our families to stand stronger.


• Look at the Music Leader.

Music Leader: (8 minutes)

• Sing the second half of the second verse starting soft again and getting louder as you repeat.


• Invite the children to sing with you.


• Sing the whole second verse.


• Review the first verse.


• Sing the first and second verses together.

Acknowledgements:

• The idea to use “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” came from Bruce T. Forbes, a member of the primusic yahoo group.


• The idea to use the Salt Lake Temple construction story came from Carolyn Elderedge, a stake music leader, who shared it on SugarDoodle.net.

Thanks for sharing!