SUPPLIES: Paper, Pencil, Crayons, Set of Scriptures for each family member


PREPARATION: Prayerfully study the lesson in order to prepare yourself to teach your family about the Articles of Faith.

SONG: Faith, Children’s Songbook, page 96 (There is also a link to the song at end of lesson)

SCRIPTURE: “All things are possible to him that believeth.”
Mark 9:23

OBJECTIVE: To learn about the origin and history of the Articles of Faith

LESSON:

Have you ever wondered what you would say if someone asked you what you believed as a member of the Church? What would you say?

Allow family members to respond.

One of the tools that our Heavenly Father has given us is the scriptures. In the scriptures, we learn all about the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One important part of the scriptures are what we call the Articles of Faith. Do you know where they are found?

Allow family members to respond.

The Articles of Faith are found in the Pearl of Great Price. Our prophets have told us many times that it is very important that we not only read the scriptures, but that we understand what they say. How can we understand what the scriptures say?

Allow family members to respond.

Our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, once told a story about a man from the east who was traveling to San Francisco by bus. When the bus was in Salt Lake City, a young Primary girl got onto the bus and sat next to the man. They began talking with each other and the man asked her if she was a Mormon. The young girl answered that yes, she was a Mormon. The man then asked her what Mormons believe. It was a big question for such a young girl. What would you have said?

Allow family members to respond.

The young girl recited and explained the Articles of Faith. Imagine the look on his face as she did that! He couldn’t believe it! After she got off of the bus, the man thought about her knowledge and her courage. When he arrived in San Francisco, he looked in the phone book for the phone number of the Church. Then he called the local mission president and began to ask questions about the church. The mission president sent some missionaries to teach him. Later, the man and his entire family were baptized members of the Church, all because a young girl in Primary knew and understood the Articles of Faith. And the young girl was courageous enough to share those beliefs with the man. (See Ensign, April 1994, pages 67-68)

Where did the Articles of Faith come from?

Allow family members to respond.

In March 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a letter from a Mr. Wentworth. Mr. Wentworth was a newspaper publisher in Chicago, Illinois. In his letter, he asked the Prophet many questions about the church. As Joseph answered the letter, he was inspired to write thirteen statements that contain many of the beliefs of the Church. These thirteen statements became our Articles of Faith. Later, in 1880, the members of the church voted to accept the Articles of Faith as scripture during the October general conference of the church.

Bear testimony of the importance of the Articles of Faith in your life.

ACTIVITY:

Write and illustrate a column in Mr. Wentworth’s newspaper. Answer each of the following questions in your story:

What are the Articles of Faith?
Thirteen statements of LDS beliefs

Who Wrote the Articles of Faith?
Joseph Smith

Why were the Articles of Faith Written?
To answer questions about LDS beliefs.

Where do we find the Articles of Faith?
In the Pearl of Great Price

When did the Articles of Faith become scripture?
At general conference, October 1880.

How did the Articles of Faith become scripture?
Church members voted for them.

CONCLUSION:

The Articles of Faith are a wonderful scripture source to help us to learn and teach others about the beliefs of our Church.