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(Again, I do
not know who to give credit to)
Carol in Idaho -This is NOT the original Silent Christmas lesson that
has been sent around, but this is a modified version that I created
using the FHE Resource book, lesson 37, pg 159, in the Suggested Lesson
Part 2: Celebration.
I modified it because I didn't have access to the "Candlelight Carol"
song, and I preferred the format in the FHE manual...I thought it flowed
better,
and I knew the information was church-approved, which is always
comforting. :)
We presented this silent lesson as a combined YM / YW lesson this past
Christmas, and it was wonderful! We gathered in the YM's room and had
opening prayer together. We explained that we were going to have a
silent lesson and that the cue to turn pages would be to watch me
(we didn't have transparencies or a projector). We then walked
reverently to the YW room, which was decorated in white lights and
pictures of Christ. We even hung a green table cloth over the window,
to soften the light into the room.
After the lesson we had some neat comments, and the YM president said,
that he didn't feel like talking the rest of the day because he felt so
peaceful. It really turned out well.
This is the modified version I came up with (from the original lesson
and the FHE manual.....by the way, all the songs came from
Mormon Tabernacle Choir CDs):
COVER PAGE:
"Come, Let Us Adore Him"
Welcome to our Silent Christmas Lesson
Please no talking.
The purpose in presenting this in silence, is to help you feel the
spirit in different ways. You will be reading, writing, listening
and watching.
Please sit down and listen to the song:
"What Child is This?"
PAGE TWO:
What Child Is This? This is Christ, the Lord.
Please open your scriptures and read Matthew 1:18-23. Listen to
the words of the Hymn: "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful"
PAGE THREE:
We have all been given an invitation to
Come, Adore Him.
Do we heed the call that has been extended? Do we Come? Do we
Adore Him?
Many years ago this same invitation was given to find Him and adore Him.
Please read Luke 2:8-14
PAGE FOUR:
The shepherds had a glorious invitation to find the baby and adore Him.
An angel and a multitude of the heavenly host presented their
invitation. Yet,
they had not seen the baby. They only knew what they had been told.
Do you think the shepherds believed that the Savior had been born before
they went to see Him?
We weren't in Bethlehem. We did not hear the angels sing. Yet, the
invitation is there to come.
Sometimes we have faith to believe things without seeing them. As you
have learned about the principles of the gospel, has there been
something that,
as you heard it or learned about it, you knew was true right away?
PAGE
FIVE:
Please finish reading the story of the Savior's birth found in Luke
2:15-20.
And after the angels were gone away, the shepherds went to Bethlehem,
"to see this thing which is come to pass." They did not hesitate,
in fact, it
says that "they came with haste". They "found the babe lying in a
manger."
They had Come. They knew. And then they shared.
They "returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen", much like their heavenly invitation.
Please listen to "Joy to the World"
(After the song I turned on the Luke II video)
PAGE SIX:
There in the sheltered warmth of a cave, beneath the limestone hills of
Bethlehem, Jesus was born and was cradled in a manger. He left His
divine
and holy station, He left all the glory and majesty to enter the body of
a tiny infant.
The story Luke shares with us, of the birth of Christ, is true. Mary
believed it would happen. The shepherds believed that it did happen.
Do you believe? Have you Come unto Him?
Do you Adore Him and Praise Him?
Does Christ know that you believe?
Please listen to "Silent Night" as you share your feelings on the next
page.
PAGE SEVEN:
Please share your feelings of Our Savior's birth.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Then we ended with a prayer.
version 2 with added material....we have added a few more pages to tie
in the yearly theme of being Steadfast in Christ. So I thought
that I would share it with you all.
PAGE EIGHT
Christ's life, His atonement, His church and the Book of Mormon are just
a few of the gifts of Christ that bless us, not only at the Christmas
season, but throughout our lives.
What can we possible give to the Lord this Christmas time? Consider
allthat He has done and is doing for you.
Is there something that you could give Him in return to show your
gratitude?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
PAGE NINE (We will have quiet music playing while they read this)
If The Savior Came to Visit You by Donna Green
If the Savior came to visit you for just a day or two,
Would you be really comfortable with all the things you do?
Would everything within your home go on the same old way?
Or would you have to change your ways during the Savior's stay?
If the Savior came to your house to spend some time with you,
Would you be prepared to meet Him and a warm friendship renew?
Would you really know Him and long to have Him stay,
Or would you hope that He would wait and come another day?
So you could do the many things that you've been planning to,
But never seemed to have the time or take the time to do?
"If only I had know that he would come today,
I really would have been prepared." Are these words you might say?
"Please give me but another day and I will use it to prepare,
To read my scriptures faithfully, help those in need and kneel in
prayer."
But no one knows when He will come. Not the hour or the day.
And if we are to be prepared we must begin today.
To take upon us our Savior's name, come to know Him and do His will----
Look forward to His coming, each sacred scripture to fulfill.
For whether His coming for each of us, is a great or dreadful day,
Will be determined by our faithfulness and how we live each day?
PAGE TEN
Live As If The Savior Were By Your Side
For twenty four hours live as if the Savior were by your side. Begin
the day with prayer. Thank your Heavenly Father for the example
of the Saviorin your life. Pray for help throughout the day to live as
if the Savior were by your side.
At the end of the day record your thoughts and how you feel as you
strive to live as if the Savior were by your side. Determine what you
need to do
daily to be more Christlike. End the day with prayer and a commitment
toalways live as if the Savior were by your side.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After page nine I will probably stand and bear my testimony to them and
say that in order to be steadfast in Christ we need to come unto the
Savior and get to know Him first and then I will challenge them to do
this last page sometime during the holidays.
Then we will close with the song, If the Savior stood beside me. And
then the prayer.
We hope that this will be a good way to re-emphasize this scripture and
also make them think of what they need to do in their own lives to Come
unto
Christ. Kind of like helping them set a goal or two for the new year.
And then hopefully this will lead right into introducing the new
theme after the
1st of the year of Search diligently, pray always and be believing.
Just thought I'd share what we are doing.
Silent Lesson - Version 1
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