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LESSON 27: THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

“Lesson 27: The Age of Accountability,” Primary 3: Choose the Right B, (1994),128

PURPOSE TO HELP THE CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE AGE OF EIGHT THEY BEGIN TO BECOME ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

OUR OPENING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY

(ENTER NAME HERE)

ATTENTION ACTIVITY  Here

we have what is called a “onezy”.

 It

is usually worn by a baby.

ATTENTION ACTIVITY

 Would

this fit any of you?

 Why

not?

ATTENTION ACTIVITY  Once

you were small enough to fit into tiny clothes such as this, but your bodies have grown bigger.

ATTENTION ACTIVITY  Just

as you have grow in physical size, you also grow in other ways, such as in your ability to do things like dressing themselves.

ATTENTION ACTIVITY

 What

can you do now that you could not do when you were a baby?

ATTENTION ACTIVITY  These

things show that you are growing older and learning more.  A person who has learned to do these things is also usually old enough to know right from wrong.

DISCUSSION  Heavenly

Father is

wise.  He knows that we must learn what is right and wrong.  When we have grown enough and learned enough about right and wrong, we become accountable for what we do.

DISCUSSION  Being

accountable means that we must take responsibility for what we do wrong, and we are blessed for what we do right.

DISCUSSION  At

what age do we begin to be accountable to Heavenly Father for what we do?

DISCUSSION  At

what age do we begin to be accountable to Heavenly Father for what we do?

 (Eight.)

DISCUSSION Heavenly Father knows we are old enough to be responsible for our actions, he allows something important to take place when we are eight.

DISCUSSION  What

important event happens when we are eight?

DISCUSSION  What

important event happens when we are eight?

 We

are baptized  (see Doctrine and Covenants 68:27.)

DISCUSSION  Why

is baptism important?

DISCUSSION  Why

is baptism important?  Because when we are baptized and confirmed, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and make a covenant with Heavenly Father to obey his commandments.

DISCUSSION  Being

baptized does not mean we will never make a mistake again.  It means we are old enough to be responsible for our choices.  We

are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.

ARTICLE OF FAITH

 Which

article of faith tells us that we are responsible for our own sins?

ARTICLE OF FAITH

 Which

article of faith tells us that we are responsible for our own sins?

 The

second article of faith.

ARTICLE OF FAITH  Let’s

all repeat the second article of faith together.

2

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.



WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CHOSE THE RIGHT  What do the letters on our class ring stand for?  Let’s

all say the words “Choose the right.”  Your ring can help you realize that you are growing old enough to learn to be responsible to choose the right.

 Learning

to choose right from wrong is a big step in growing up.  Our Father in Heaven will not force us to do right.

 He

gives us freedom to choose for ourselves between right and wrong and to be responsible for keeping the promises we make.

 He

knows that only by having freedom to choose for ourselves can we grow and learn.

 Can

you tell me what these three letters stand for again?  I have confidence that you can learn what is right and wrong and become responsible for your actions.

ACTIVITY I

need a volunteer to hold on to this book that I have brought today.  You are responsible to take care of it.  Putting in in other words, you will be accountable for this book during class.

ACTIVITY  If

it gets lost, torn, or otherwise damaged, you will have to answer to me.

 You

will be accountable to me for the book.

ACTIVITY

I

need a volunteer to hold on to this ball that I have brought today.  You will be responsible for the ball just as our other volunteer is responsible for the book.

ACTIVITY I

need a volunteer to hold on to this bag of treats that I have brought today.  You will be responsible for this bag just as our other volunteers are responsible for the book and the ball.

ACTIVITY

 You

can share the treat with the entire class after the closing prayer.

ACTIVITY  Could

our treat volunteer choose to eat all of this treat alone?

ACTIVITY  Could

our treat volunteer choose to eat all of this treat alone?



Yes, they could choose to disobey the teacher and eat it rather than save it to share.

ACTIVITY  Our

treat volunteer has the freedom to choose what to do, but they will be held accountable for that choice.

ACTIVITY  This

is similar to life.  Heavenly Father’s plan gives us choices.  We may choose right or wrong, wisely or foolishly, but we are responsible for our choices and the results.

SCRIPTURE STORY A

group of people in the Book of Mormon had a very difficult choice to make, and they decided to choose the right.  Listen to the following story.

Go to Video Go to Slides Continue

The sons of Mosiah taught the gospel to the Lamanites.  Thousands of Lamanites repented and joined the Church. 



Those Lamanites who joined the Church called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, or the people of Ammon.  They were good, hardworking people.



The Lamanites who did not repent were angry with the people of Ammon and prepared to fight them.





The people of Ammon knew that the wicked Lamanites would come to kill them but decided not to fight back. They had repented of killing.



They buried their weapons deep in the ground and promised God they would never kill again.



When the wicked Lamanites came and began killing them, they bowed to the ground and prayed.



Seeing that the people of Ammon would not fight back, many of the wicked Lamanites stopped killing them.



The Lamanites were sorry that they had killed.

They threw down their weapons and joined the people of Ammon.  They would not fight anymore. 

More Lamanites came to kill the people of Ammon.  They still would not fight back, and many were killed. 



Not wanting the people he loved to be destroyed, Ammon prayed for help. 

The Lord told him to take his people and leave the land.





The Nephites in Zarahemla gave Ammon and his people the land of Jershon and protected them. They became friends.

DISCUSSION

 These

people made another decision too.

 Let’s

read Alma 24:17–18.

DISCUSSION 17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

DISCUSSION 18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own

DISCUSSION lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

DISCUSSION  What

choice did the Anti-NephiLehies make?

DISCUSSION  What

choice did the Anti-NephiLehies make?  They

chose to bury their swords in the ground.

DISCUSSION  What

choice did the Anti-NephiLehies make?  They

chose to bury their swords in the ground.

 Why

did they do this?

DISCUSSION  What

choice did the Anti-NephiLehies make?  They

chose to bury their swords in the ground.

 Why

did they do this?

 Because

they made a covenant or promise never to kill again.

DISCUSSION

 The

Anti-Nephi-Lehies were faithful to their promise even when other people were trying to kill them.

DISCUSSION  How

were the Anti-Nephi-Lehies responsible for what they did?

 What

can you learn from the AntiNephi-Lehies about choosing the right?

DISCUSSION

 Being

accountable means that they are responsible for what they do.

ACCOUNTABLE  Let’s

all say this word together.

 When

they are eight years old, Heavenly Father considers them old enough to begin to be accountable for their actions.

DARE TO DO RIGHT 1. Dare to do right! Dare to be true! You have a work that no other can do; Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well, Angels will hasten the story to tell. Chorus Dare, dare, dare to do right; Dare, dare, dare to be true, Dare to be true, dare to be true.

DARE TO DO RIGHT 2. Dare to do right! Dare to be true! Other men’s failures can never save you. Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith; Stand like a hero and battle till death. Chorus Dare, dare, dare to do right; Dare, dare, dare to be true, Dare to be true, dare to be true. Words: George L. Taylor, b. 1835 Music: Arr. by A. C. Smyth, 1840–1909

SITUATION  When

you become eight you are accountable, but those who are not yet eight can practice being responsible now by helping parents and keeping your promises to others.  Listen to the following situation.

SITUATION

 When

you become eight they are accountable, but those who are not yet eight can practice being responsible now by helping parents and keeping their promises to others.  Listen to the following situation.

SITUATION  Pretend

that your mother is sick and asks you to clean part of the house.  You want to play, so you run outside to be with your friends.

SITUATION  When

you come back inside, your mother calls to you from her bed and asks, “Did you clean the part of the house that I asked you to clean?”

SITUATION

You answer yes, and then quickly straighten up a few things in the areas you should have already cleaned.

DISCUSSION

 When

your parents give you work to do, it means that you are old enough to be responsible and accountable enough to do that work.

DISCUSSION  Have

you ever returned from Primary, from a friend’s house, or from school and had one of your parents say, “Tell me what you did today?”

DISCUSSION

 When

you report to your parents and tell them what you have done, you are accounting for your actions.  Your parents love you.  This is why your parents want to know what you do at home, at school, and at play.

 Our

Heavenly Father loves us also, and, like our parents, he wants us to report and be accountable to him for the good things and the bad things we do.

ARTICLE OF FAITH  When

we do bad things—like stealing, lying, or hurting someone—after we are eight years old, they are called sins.

 Let’s

repeat the second article of faith together.

ARTICLE OF FAITH

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

ACCOUNTABLE  Can

 You

we all say the word above?

are preparing to be accountable to Heavenly Father, because when you become eight years old you are old enough to show responsibility and know right from wrong.

SUMMARY  1.

Who is accountable for teaching you to pray?

 2.

Who is accountable for saying your prayers?

 3.

Who is accountable for teaching you the lessons in Primary?

SUMMARY

 4.

Who is accountable for learning what your Primary teacher teaches?

 5.

Who is accountable for the way you act in Primary?

SUMMARY  6.

Who is accountable for doing what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want you to do?

 7.

Who is accountable for keeping your baptismal covenants?

SUMMARY  Can

you share ways you are or will be accountable?  Some ways are:  Telling

the truth  Being modest  Attending Church meetings  Avoiding alcohol, drugs, and tobacco;  Keeping promises they make.

SUMMARY  Time

for some of you to be accountable now.  Will those of you that have my ball and book please account for your items now.  Please return all three items to me and thank you for watching over them during our class.

SUMMARY  This

is an important time in your life, but you are not alone.  You have parents and leaders to guide and help you.  You also have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to love you and guide you.

SUMMARY  This

is an important time in your life, but you are not alone.  You have parents and leaders to guide and help you.  You also have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to love you and guide you.

SUMMARY  After

baptism, you have the Holy Ghost to prompt you continually.  I want to encourage you to show more and more that you are learning to be responsible and to account for what you do.

SUMMARY  You

will all make mistakes from time to time.  Everyone does.  But you can repent and do better each day with the help of the holy Ghost..

TESTIMONY I

want to bear you my testimony that Heavenly Father loves all of his children.  For this reason, he has planned a way for us to grow and become more like he is.  I am confident that each one of you can become more responsible for what he or she does.

OUR OPENING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY

(ENTER NAME HERE)

NOW OUR VOLUNTEER WITH THE TREATS CAN PASS OUT ONE PER PERSON.

THE END

IMAGES AND CLIPART ARE FROM LDS.ORG, MICROSOFT OFFICE, AND OTHER WEBSITES INDICATING THE IMAGES WERE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN OR PERMITTED FOR CHURCH AND HOME USE.

THE LESSON AND SCRIPTURE STORY ARE FROM LDS.ORG. THE SCRIPTURE STORY SLIDE FORMAT CAME FROM PRIMARY 4 – LESSON 19 BY ERICKA COVALT.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS PRESENTATION FOR COMMERCIAL USE. FEEL FREE TO ALTER THE PRESENTATION FOR USE IN CHURCH OR HOME TO SUIT PERSONAL PREFERENCE. THIS PRESENTATION IS INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT, NOT REPLACE, THE LESSON MANUAL AND SCRIPTURES. TEACHERS SHOULD REFER TO THE MANUAL, SCRIPTURES AND OTHER RESOURCES WHEN PREPARING AND CONDUCTING THE LESSON.

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 68:27

27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands