The Lesson - How can I deepen my understanding of covenants? - What I Did.

'Sup, homey slicies?

1.  Making Connections

So I happen to have the Gospel Art Kit in my own little house.  I. Love. That. Thing.  My friend Kathleen gave me hers and I use it almost weekly.  It's so great for Family Home Evenings, my calling, everything.  Love, love, love.  The lesson suggested to have the teacher find pictures of people making, breaking, or keeping covenants.  I couldn't find any about breaking covenants (I probably could have found some on the internet if I had looked harder), but I did find several of the making of covenants.  Before class, I displayed the following pictures from the Gospel Art Kit on the board:

1.  Baptism [109]
2.  Passing the Sacrament [604]
3.  Young Couple Going to the Temple [609]
4.  The Last Supper [225]
5.  Alma Baptizes in the Waters of Mormon [309]
6.  The Anti-Nephi-Lehies Burying Their Swords [311]

At the beginning of class, I pointed to each picture and had the students identify the covenant being made in each picture.  Then I told them we were going to be talking more about covenants today, specifically on how to use our scriptures to deepen our understanding of covenants. 

2.  Covenant Worksheet

I handed out the following worksheets - I wanted them to do these individually:

Covenant

Directions: Read the following excerpt from True to the Faith. Then answer the questions that follow the excerpt.

A covenant is a sacred agreement between God and a person or group of people. God sets specific conditions, and He promises to bless us as we obey those conditions. When we choose not to keep covenants, we cannot receive the blessings, and in some instances we suffer a penalty as a consequence of our disobedience.

All the saving ordinances of the priesthood are accompanied by covenants. For example, you made a covenant when you were baptized, and you renew that covenant each time you partake of the sacrament (see Mosiah 18:8–10; D&C 20:37, 77, 79). If you have received the Melchizedek Priesthood, you have entered into the oath and covenant of the priesthood (see D&C 84:33–44). The temple endowment

and the sealing ordinance also include sacred covenants.

Always remember and honor the covenants you make with the Lord. Then you will not need to be

commanded in everything you do (see D&C 58:26–28). You will be inspired by the Holy Ghost, and Christlike conduct will be part of your nature. As the Lord has promised, you will “receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal” (D&C 42:61). Your greatest hope should be to enjoy the sanctification that comes from this divine guidance; your greatest fear should be to forfeit these blessings.

• True to the Faith, p. 44

1. What is a covenant?

2. Why do we make covenants?

3. What blessings do we receive when we keep them?
   
   
   Then I just asked one person to share his answer to number 1, another person to share his answer to number 2, and so on.  Here are what I hoped would be their answers - the answer key, if you will:
   
   
   1.  What is a covenant?  An agreement between God and a person or group of people.
   2.  Why do we make covenants?  To receive blessings.
   3.  What blessings to we receive when we keep them?  We won't have to be commanded in everything we do.  We will have the Holy Ghost inspire us.  Christlike conduct will become part of our nature (that's my favorite one).  We'll be sanctified.  (I reminded the kids that "sanctified" means "cleansed."
   
   
   3.  Scriptures about Covenants
   
   
   This next worksheet I designed to have the students work on in teams.  So you'll see four different worksheets here:
   
   
   Scriptures about the Covenant of Baptism
   
   
   Directions: With your partner, read Mosiah 18:8-10, D&C 20:37, D&C 18:21-25, D&C 76:51-52, 33:11, 3 Ne. 11:33, and 2 Ne. 31:12. As you read, fill out the following two lists about the covenant of baptism. Be prepared to share your lists with the class. Also, see if you can answer the question at the bottom of this page and share that as well.
   
   
   Promises We Make                                          Promises God Makes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: Can you think of a story from the scriptures, OR can you think of something from your own life that shows that God always fulfills his promises?
   
   
   Scriptures about the Covenant of the Sacrament
   
   
   Directions: With your partner, read D&C 20:77, 79. As you read, fill out the following two lists about the covenant of the sacrament. Be prepared to share your lists with the class. Also, see if you can answer the question at the bottom of this page and share that as well.
   
   
   Promises We Make                                           Promises God Makes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: Can you think of a story from the scriptures, OR can you think of something from your own life that shows that God always fulfills his promises?
   
   
   Scriptures about the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
   
   
   Directions: With your partner, read D&C 84: 33-44. As you read, fill out the following two lists about the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Be prepared to share your lists with the class. Also, see if you can answer the question at the bottom of this page and share that as well.
   
   
   Promises We Make                                           Promises God Makes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: Can you think of a story from the scriptures, OR can you think of something from your own life that shows that God always fulfills his promises?
   
   
   Scriptures about the Abrahamic Covenant
   
   
   Directions: With your partner, read Abraham 2:8-11. Also, read the following small excerpt from Elder Russell M. Nelson's talk from General Conference in October of 2011 to help you to understand the scriptures. As you read, fill out the following two lists about the Abrahamic Covenant. Be prepared to share your lists with the class. Also, see if you can answer the question at the bottom of this page and share that as well.
   
   
   “The covenant God made with Abraham and later reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob is of transcendent significance. It contained several promises, including:
   
   
   1. Jesus the Christ would be born through Abraham’s lineage.
   2. Abraham’s posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.
   3. Abraham would become a father of many nations.
   4. Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.
   5. All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.
   6. And that covenant would be everlasting—even through “a thousand generations.”
   
   
   ...the Lord appeared in these latter days to renew that Abrahamic covenant...With this renewal, we have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. We have the right to receive the fulness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and qualify for God’s greatest blessing—that of eternal life.
   
   
   Some of us are the literal seed of Abraham; others are gathered into his family by adoption. The Lord makes no distinction. Together we receive these promised blessings—if we seek the Lord and obey His commandments. But if we don’t, we lose the blessings of the covenant.”
   
   
   
   Promises We Make                                          Promises God Makes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Question: Can you think of a story from the scriptures, OR can you think of something from your own life that shows that God always fulfills his promises?
   
   
   
   
   After I gave the students maybe 8 or so minutes to do these worksheets, it was time to share.  I asked one person to share the promises made by God and by us for each covenant, and then one person to share a story from the scriptures or his own life that shows that God always fulfills his promises.
   
   We went over the covenant of baptism first.  I had done these worksheets before the kids had done them, so I had my little "answer keys" on hand in case they couldn't figure things out.  Here's what I was hoping they would come up with for baptism:
   
   
   Promises we make - 
   1.  To take upon ourselves the name of Christ.
   2.  To bear one another's burdens.
   3.  To mourn with those that mourn.
   4.  To comfort those that stand in need of comfort.
   5.  To stand as witnesses of God.
   6.  To obey the commandments of God and to serve him.
   
   
   Promises God makes - 
   1.  To accept each worthy person as a member of the church and kingdom of God upon this earth.
   2.  To forgive each person's sins when he repents.
   3.  To allow each person to inherit the kingdom of God if he is faithful.
   4.  To give each person the right to receive the Holy Ghost.
   
   
   At this point, we paused, because I had made a leetle present to give to each student that would help remind them about the six promises we made when we made the covenant of baptism.
   
   
   When my oldest son turned 8, my dad gave a talk at his baptism about the covenant of baptism.  And my cute, completely un-artsy dad had made a gift for Dylan:
   

   

   He's so cute.  There are six colors of leather string thingeys on the keychain.  My dad wanted Dylan to remember that he had made six promises when he was baptized.  The keychain is attached to Dylan's scripture bag.
   
   So I decided, at 11 p.m. on Saturday night, that I wanted to do something similar for my kids.  Thank goodness Wal-Mart stays open late.  So I went there, but they didn't have any leather string thingeys.  I considered buying ribbon, and that's what I really should have done, in retrospect.  I used embroidery floss, because it was cheapest.  I chose six different colors, and I wanted them to match this handout that I found online, so I chose yellows and beiges and whites.  Here's the end result:
   
   

   

   
   

   

   
   

   

    Again, in retrospect, something thicker that had more distinct colors would have probably been a better idea.  But the kids really did love it so much.  And they had fun picking through the tassel at the end to see the six different colors.  So whatevs.  We all do our best, eh?
   
   Then I had the students with the baptismal covenant worksheet share their answer to the question of scriptures or personal experiences that prove that God fulfills his promises.  After they shared their ideas, I shared mine.  I thought of the Abrahamic covenant, where Abraham was promised that his seed would be given a land for their inheritance.  It took a reeeally long time, but the Lord did fulfill that promise to Abraham's seed.  And then I thought of my patriarchal blessing.  In a way, the patriarchal blessing feels like a covenant to me - the Lord promises certain things if we live in a certain way.  So I talked a little bit about that.
   
   Kay, on to the sacrament covenant promises.  Here's the answer key for that:
   
   Promises we make:
   1.  Remember Jesus
   2.  Take upon us Jesus' name.
   3.  Keep his commandments.
   
   Promises God makes:
   The Spirit will always be with us.
   
   Then I had that pair share their answers to the question of scriptures or personal experiences that show that God fulfills his promises.
   
   The oath and covenant of the priesthood promises answer key:
   
   Promises priesthood holders make:
   1.  Magnify callings
   2.  Obtain the two priesthoods
   
   Promises God makes:
   1.  Sanctified unto the renewing of bodies
   2.  Become sons of Moses and of Aaron
   3.  Become seed of Abraham
   4.  Become the elect of God
   5.  Inherit all that God has.
   
   Then that pair shares their answers to the question of scriptures or personal experiences that show that God fulfills his promises.
   
   The Abrahamic Covenant answer key:
   
   Promises we make:
   1.  We seek the Lord
   2.  We obey His commandments
   
   Promises God makes:
   1.  Christ would be born through Abraham's lineage.
   2.  Abraham's posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.
   3.  Abraham would become a father of many nations.
   4.  Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.
   5.  All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.
   6.  And that covenant would be everlasting - even through "a thousand generations."
   7.  Eternal life.
   
   And then that pair shared their answers to the question of scriptures or personal experiences that show that God fulfills his promises.
   
   And that was all the time we had!
   
   Huzzah!