Prepare yourself spiritually
As you prepare, prayerfully study these scriptures and resources. What do you feel inspired to share with the young women?
D&C 82:10 (The Lord is bound when we obey)
Henry B. Eyring, “Daughters in the Covenant,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 125–28
Rosemary M. Wixom, “Keeping Covenants Protects Us, Prepares Us, and Empowers Us,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 116–18
Jean A. Stevens, “Covenant Daughters of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 114–17
“Covenant,” True to the Faith (2004), 44
Music for youth theme: “Press Forward”
At the beginning of each class, invite the young women to share, teach, and testify about the experiences they have had applying what they learned in the previous week’s lesson. This will encourage personal conversion and help the young women see the relevance of the gospel in their daily lives.
Introduce the doctrine
Choose from these ideas or think of your own to introduce this week’s lesson:
- Ask the young women to list the covenants or promises they have made with God. How have these covenants influenced their lives? Encourage them to continue thinking about this question as they learn more about covenants during this lesson.
- Invite the young women to define the word covenant (if they need help, refer them to the explanation of covenants in True to the Faith). How is a covenant similar to and different from an agreement, a contract, or a promise?
Each of the activities below will help the young women understand why we receive ordinances and make covenants. Following the inspiration of the Spirit, select one or more that will work best for your class:
- Show a picture of the people of Ammon burying their weapons. Ask a young woman to briefly tell the story of the people of Ammon and the covenant they made (see Alma 53:10–18; 56:5–8). Why did the people choose to keep their covenants despite the danger they faced? How did their example influence their enemies? How did it influence their children? Invite each young woman to write on the board the name of a person who has taught her through example about keeping covenants. Ask her to share with the class what she learned from that person.
- Invite the young women to read scriptures (such as those listed in this outline) and list on the board the blessings promised in these scriptures to those who make and keep sacred covenants. Ask the young women how these blessings are fulfilled in our lives (encourage them to share examples). Testify of the blessings you have experienced as you have kept covenants.
- Invite the young women to review President Henry B. Eyring’s talk “Daughters in the Covenant” or Sister Jean A. Stevens’s talk “Covenant Daughters of God.” Ask them to look for examples of covenant-keeping women and girls in the talk and to write on the board how each sister kept her covenants. What do the young women learn from these sisters? What examples of covenant-keeping women have influenced their lives?
- As a class, watch the video “Walk in His Light.” Invite the young women to make a list, as they watch, of examples they see of covenants being made and kept. After the video, invite them to search Sister Rosemary M. Wixom’s talk “Keeping Covenants Protects Us, Prepares Us, and Empowers Us” to identify blessings that come from the covenants on their lists. Ask the young women to share what they find and discuss specific situations they could face in which they could find strength or protection in their covenants.
- Invite the young women to imagine they are trying to help a friend of another faith understand covenants. Invite them to study “Covenant” in True to the Faith or the scriptures listed in this outline and prepare ways to explain covenants to their friend. Invite them to role-play teaching each other. Ask them to include in their explanation reasons why their covenants are important to them.
Ask the young women to share what they learned today. Do they understand covenants better? What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be helpful to spend more time on this doctrine?
Live what we are learning
Invite the young women to consider how they will live by what they have learned today. For example, they could:
- Examine their lives during the coming week and make note of blessings that come from keeping their covenants. Encourage them to share their thought and insights in future classes.
- Memorize D&C 82:10 and write in their journals what this scripture teaches them about ordinances and covenants and what they will do to prepare for covenants they will make in the future.