LDS Come Follow Me Lesson and Mutual Ideas June 2015: Priesthood and Priesthood Keys

For June 2015 the topic for "Come Follow Me" is,

Priesthood and Priesthood Keys

 Here are the links to each organizations page for the month: Young Women, Aaronic Priesthood, Sunday School

Since, each organization has their own outlines and each lesson will need to be specified to the individual class members and there are already amazing outlines that can be used for guidance, I am only going to share some general ideas that can just be used as supplements.  The great thing about this program is to allow the spirit to guide you to the needs of the youth in your class. Prepare before hand, Pray for guidance, Listen to the Promptings of the Spirit and invite the youth to do the same. 

Here is the Scripture for the month:

“The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth” (D&C 65:2).

Lesson Ideas: There are so many topics to choose from this month. I am just giving supplemental ideas to a few of them. Please refer to the church's website for the wonderful outlines they have for all of the topics, see links below. A great idea to begin each lesson is to invite each class member to come with a scripture or spiritual thought to share with the rest of the class.  (When I was a youth we did this in one of my classes, it is a class I loved to attend and had the most participation in it.)

Young Women: 

• What is the priesthood? Give each member of the class a piece of paper that has the word "Priesthood" on it.  Invite the youth at the beginning of the class to write on the paper what they know about the priesthood.  Write the word Priesthood on the board. Invite the youth to share some things they have written.  Play the video, " Priesthood Blessings Available to All "  Invite the youth to take turns reading from the True to the Faith Book, section "Priesthood".  Stop after each part and invite the youth to discuss the paragraphs.  
• What are my responsibilities in the work of the priesthood?  Invite the young women to watch the video, "Sweet is the Work".  Give each of the young women a paper that says, "What are my responsibilities in the work of the priesthood.  Invite the young women to write some things they song in the movie that could answer this question. Printout "Daughters in My Kingdom: Blessings of the Priesthood for All: An Inseparable Connection with the Priesthood" and divide into sections for each young women to read a section and tell the class about the section they read.  Invite the young women to continue to write down on their paper their responsibilities in the work of the priesthood.
• What are the keys of the priesthood? 
• How do I receive the power and blessings of the priesthood in my life?
• What does it mean to sustain my Church leaders?

Aaronic Priesthood: (See ideas above under Young Women)

• How does worthiness affect priesthood power?  Show the young men a flashlight.  Place the batteries in the flashlight and turn it on.  Explain that the flashlight shines and does it's job because it was given the power to do so.  Turn off the flashlight and take out one of the batteries. Turn the flashlight back on. Does the the flashlight work?  Why not?  Take out both batteries and put them in the wrong way. Turn the flashlight back on. Does the flashlight work?  Why not?  Read the following quote from Come Follow Me: "Priesthood authority comes through ordination, but priesthood power requires personal righteousness, faithfulness, obedience, and diligence. Even if we receive priesthood authority by the laying on of hands, we will have no priesthood power if we are disobedient, unworthy, or unwilling to serve." Invite the young men to share how they think the flashlight can be compared to worthiness and it's effect on the priesthood power.  You could further explain. That the flashlight had the "authority" to give light. When the batteries were put in the right way the flashlight had the "power" to shine.  Same with the priesthood. One might be ordained with priesthood authority. But the power of the priesthood only comes when things are right, when you are living righteously and worthy of that power.  But when one does not live worthy of the power it is like taking a battery out, or putting them in the incorrect position.  They power will not be there. If you find yourself with a battery missing or in the incorrect position. Simply use the principle of repentance and get everything back in the right order.  Play the video, "Priesthood Power and Priesthood Authority"  Invite the youth to answer the question, "Why is it important to always live worthy?"  Play the following video, "Sanctify Yourself"
• What is the priesthood?  See YW above
• What are the keys of the priesthood?
• What are my duties as an Aaronic Priesthood holder?  Provide each young man with a piece of paper. Ask them to list the duties they have as an Aaronic Priesthood holder.  Take turns reading, "Fulfilling My Duty to God (2010), 23, 46–47, 70–71"  You could also show the video, " Fulfilling your Duty to God" or "Faith in the Priesthood".
• Why should I serve a mission?
• What does it mean to sustain my Church leaders?
  

Sunday School: 

• How can I participate effectively in councils in the Church?  Watch the video, "Participate in Councils".  Invite the youth to share with you what the video taught them about participating in councils.  Write down what they say onto the board. Make sure you write, "A Revelatory Experience" on the board.  Invite the youth to discuss some things they can do to prepare to participate in councils. Invite the youth to share any examples or experiences they have had while serving on councils (such as class & quorum presidency meetings and BYC).  
• How do women and priesthood holders work together to build the kingdom of God?  Before hand prepare to bring a string or long piece of yarn and a toilet paper roll. On the toilet paper roll write with sharpie marker, "Building the Kingdom of God".  Invite a youth to come up and hold one end of the rope ask them to suspend the toilet paper roll in the end by holding on end of the string. They should not be able to do this.  Invite another class member to come up and have them hold the other end of the string, with the toilet paper roll strung through the middle and the other youth holding the opposite end.  Invite them to suspend the roll in the air.  Explain to the youth that Heavenly Father create male and female.  Each have a distinct roll and each are NECESSARY in working together to build the kingdom of God.  As a class read through "THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD" Invite the youth to point out the different roles each person has, as well as how men and women can work together to build the kingdom of God. Invite the youth to share how they can prepare now to have the family relationships described in the proclamation.
• Why is it important to follow the counsel given by priesthood leaders?
• How can using scripture study skills help me learn more about the priesthood?
• How can I use stories to teach others about the priesthood?

For more ideas here are my ideas from June 2014: LDS Come Follow Me Lesson & Mutual Ideas, June 2014: Priesthood and Priesthood Keys

Idea's for Mutual: Here is a link to the Youth Activities Planning Site. *** This site is amazing! We recently had a short little training on this site at one of our Round Tables. It is a great resource for planning activities. It will only continue to grow as wards submit more ideas. One really need thing about it is it can link the activities right into your stake or ward calendars. ***

Printing tip: Click on the image and save to your computer. You will then be able to print the image from your computer.