The Savior’s Earthly Ministry and the Great Apostasy

Preparation: See Activity for materials needed

Opening Song: I Know My Father Lives (H-p.302, CS pg.5)

Opening Prayer

What did Christ do while He lived on the Earth?

Jesus Christ, our Savior, led a perfect life. In order to show us what he wanted us to do,
he was baptized by John the Baptist. He taught us how to love and serve one another.
He performed miracles by making the blind see, helping the deaf to hear and making the
lame walk. He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He taught
that we should love and take care of the hungry, cold and lonely. When we help others,
we are serving the Lord. (See Matthew 25:35-46)

How did Christ Establish His Church?

Jesus wanted his gospel taught to people all over the earth, so he chose twelve Apostles
to testify of him. They were the original leaders of his Church. They received the
authority to act in his name and do the works they had seen him do. Those who
received authority from them were also able to teach, baptize, and perform other
ordinances in his name.

What is the Great Apostasy?

The Great Apostasy began after the deaths of the Savior and His Apostles. People did
not have prophets to lead and guide them. Men began to change the principles of the
gospel and made alterations to Christ’s Church. Because of this widespread apostasy,
the Lord took the Priesthood from the earth. Men did not have priesthood power to lead
people to the true knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Parts of the Holy
Scriptures were corrupted or lost, and no one had the authority to confer the gift of the
Holy Ghost or perform other priesthood ordinances.
Discussion: Why is it important to have one church that contains all the truths than a
lot of churches only containing one or a few?

How does learning about the Apostasy help your understand of the gospel?

Activity:

Materials Needed: (needs to be prepared in advance)

-15 small paper/plastic cups
-Marker (Sharpie)
-Print off the small pictures of the Quorum of the Twelve (cut out each picture
individually--the Ensign Conference edition is perfect for the size of head pictures you'll
need)
-Tape or glue

Instructions for creating the cups:

On one side, write the names of the original 12 Apostles found in the New Testament.
Under 10 of their names write one gospel principle. Use gospel principles such as
tithing, baptism, Gift of Holy Ghost, faith, temple ordinances, etc.

For a couple of examples, write:

Matthew Mark

Tithing Baptism

On the last three cups, under Peter, James and John write the 3-fold mission of the
church--one per cup:

Peter James John

Proclaim the Gospel. Redeem the dead. Endure to the End.

On the opposite side of the cup, tape or glue the photos of the present-day Apostles. Be
sure to use one name and one picture per cup. Write the same gospel principle under
their pictures as well (just as you did on the other side). On the opposite side of Peter,
James and John, be sure to put the photos of President Monson, President Eyring and
President Uchtdorf (or the current members of the Presidency if using this lesson after
these people have changed).

Teaching Apostasy with cups:

*Use as much or as little detail as you're comfortable with sharing with the ages you
have in your families, groups, and ward.

Build the cups up into a pyramid using the original 12 Apostles and the gospel principles.
Talk about how they went out and taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and helped build the
church on the earth.

Talk about how after Jesus' death, the church began to fall apart. Many of the Apostles
were killed and the truths (represented by the gospel principles you wrote on the cups)
were scattered.

Grouping the cups in small groups of three, explain how different churches had a few of
the truths, but none of them had all of them anymore. This caused a great darkness--
and lots of confusion for many, many years.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, restored the church again through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Using the other side of the cups, rebuild the church using the Latter-day Apostles and
top off the pyramid with President Monson, President Eyring and President Uchtdorf.
Explain how the same church the existed when Jesus was on the earth, exists again
today. We have all the truths again in one church, which is led by a living prophet.

*You can allow the children to re-teach this analogy to one another for repetition.

Closing Song: “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” (CS p.78)

Closing Prayer
Treat: Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 cups orange juice
1 banana cut in pieces
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
Add ingredients together in blender and blend until smooth.