I just wanted to share an object lesson that we did for a short (because of graduation) midweek activity with our Laurel group last night. I can't take credit for it--somebody else gave me the idea, but it worked really well.

This month's theme is "Redeeming the Dead". As you know, it is sometimes hard to come up with good activities that help drive home the importance and appreciation for this beautiful gospel principle. The object lesson went like this: I told the girls that I knew things were really hectic today because of school and that we really didn't have much time. I told them I thought it would be a good idea to just go and get a sloppy ice cream Sunday and talk. They thought that was a GREAT idea. So I asked who wanted to go and they all raised their hands. So I said "Okay, all of you that can lift this set of dumbbells (weighing 75 lbs.) over your head once can go. So they each took a turn trying to lift it over their heads (including the Laurel Advisor). None of them could perform the task I gave them. I then said, "Well, it looks like I will be enjoying that ice cream all alone. That doesn't sound very fun to me." The advisor, who was "in" on the object lesson said, "You could go and eat the ice cream and then tell us all how good it tasted." I responded by saying "Yeah, I could do that, but how good would that make you feel? How do you explain how ice cream tastes anyway?" So finally I agreed that I would lift the weights above my head for each of them so they could come and get ice cream with me. They were excited and readily agreed.

So we went and got ice cream. It didn't take the girls long to figure out this was an object lesson but when I asked them what the point of the lesson was--nobody knew. So then I began to explain by asking questions. "Why do we do temple work for the dead?" (because they can't do it by themselves) "Why?" (because they don't have any bodies). "So you're telling me they are PHYSICALLY unable to do their work?" (yes). "Oh, I see. Kind of like how you were PHYSICALLY unable to raise the dumbbell over your head" (I saw a light go on in each of their heads) "If I had come and got ice cream by myself do you think that would have been much fun?" (no) "Why?" (because you like us too much) "Right. Just like you love your families and you don't want to be without them for eternity either! That's why temple work is so important!"

It was really fun to see their faces when they began to understand exactly what happened that night. I'm sorry this took so long to write but I thought they began to understand not just the concept of temple work, but how those spirits might feel about being left behind being unable to perform their own temple work or how the girls may feel without their families in the eternities .