Object Lessons Make Sunday School Exciting

As some of you may know, I used to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher in my single's ward, and I absolutely loved my calling.  I didn't have to worry about getting people to church, I didn't have to go to any special meetings, and I didn't have to bug people about getting their home teaching done.  While on the flip-side, I got the opportunity to interact with members of the congregation and teach lessons, which is something I enjoy doing.

I had an absolute blast with my Sunday school lessons and I hope the people in my class did as well.  I believe that students can tell when their teacher is excited about their subject matter, and that energy rubs off on the students.

I tend to incorporate a lot of pictures, stories, and other attention activities into my lessons; since I always had a tough time paying attention in Sunday School.  Recently I found an object lesson that went along perfectly with a lesson I was teaching on the resurrection of Christ.

I got to the point in my lesson where two angels declare to Mary Magdalene and the other women that Jesus "is not here, but is risen."

The manual points out that President Howard W. Hunter said that those words "contain all the hope, assurance, and belief necessary to sustain us in our challenging and sometimes grief-filled lives."  To illustrate this point, I pulled out a crisp 50 dollar bill that I had withdrawn from the bank a few days earlier:

[Yes, I am aware that that is a 20 dollar bill.  I didn't feel like getting another $50 for the blog.  So use your imagination.]

I asked the class, "who would like $50?"  And of course, most people responded that they would enjoy having an extra $50 in their pocket.

"Well what if I were to wrinkle the bill into a tiny little ball like this?" I said.

The class said that they would still want the money.

"What if I were to stomp the money into the ground and rub on the floor?"

The chorus came again: "I still want it!"

"Well, okay then.  You're making me pull out the big guns."

That's right: Taco Bell Hot Sauce. The class's reaction to this was particularly awesome. I pulled out a paper towel and wiped the excess hot sauce off the bill.  I then held it up--wrinkled, dirty and wet--and asked "who still wants this?"

A few class members said they would still take the money.

"Okay then, you've left me no choice," I sighed.

The class just stared at me in shock.  I remember one of them saying "NOO!"

I asked one last time if anyone still wanted the money.  A few class members said yes, and then another class member said, "No, stop saying you want it! He might light it on fire next!"

I asked someone in the front row why they still wanted the mangled bill.  They said it was because it's still worth $50 to the bank, which is true.

Now let's apply this to the Resurrection with a story.

President Monson once told a story about a time he was in a priesthood leadership meeting with his former stake president, President Child.  President Child was known for his deep knowledge of the scriptures and his probing questions.  When it was his turn to speak, he quoted a well known scripture from Doctrine and Covenants section 18.  If you know your D & C fairly well, you know that the scripture says that "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

I'm quoting President Monson's talk now:

"He [President Child] then turned to one elders quorum president and asked, 'What is the worth of a soul?'"

"The stunned quorum president hesitated as he formulated his reply.  I had a prayer in my heart that he would be able to answer the question.  He finally responded, 'The worth of a soul is its capacity to become as God.'"

"Brother Child closed his scriptures, walked solemnly and quietly up the aisle and back to the stand.  As he passed by me, he said, "A most profound reply."- ("Our Sacred Priesthood Trust," April General Conference, Priesthood session.)


In other words, the true worth of a soul isn't who you are now, but it is the potential of what you can become.
In Senatobia, Mississippi, I knew a man who worked for the Federal Reserve.  One day, he brought a giant bag of shredded money to a dinner party we were having.  See, when a bill becomes too worn out for the banks to use, they send it to the Federal Reserve, which shreds the money into hundreds of tiny pieces.

The bag likely had well over $1,000 in it.  The man told me that if anyone were to put a bill completely back together, with the same serial number and everything, the Government would be legally obligated to accept it as legal tender.  This is why the Fed shreds the money into such small pieces.

We as people can be a lot like paper money.  No matter how ripped, wrinkled, or stained that fifty dollar bill was; it was still worth fifty dollars.  And no matter how broken, messed up, or scarred your life is; it is still immensely valuable to our Heavenly Father.

Do not forget that in your dark moments!  You may feel worthless, but to God your worth is infinite.  No matter where you are in your life, He still wants you to return to live with him.  That's the wonderful miracle of the resurrection and the atonement of Jesus Christ: every single thing that was ever wrong on this world can be set right through Christ.  What a wonderfully comforting thought that is.