1 Corinthians 14–16

Repeat the following phrase several times with the children: “In Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Show a picture of the resurrected Savior (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Explain that we will all die someday, but because Jesus was resurrected, we will all come back to life after we die.

Use an object lesson like this one to teach about the Resurrection: Show the children a jacket, which represents our physical bodies. When we are alive, our spirits are in our bodies, and our bodies can move (put the jacket on). When we die, our spirits leave our physical bodies, and our bodies cannot move (remove the jacket and lay it on a table or chair to represent a body without its spirit). When we are resurrected, our spirits return to our bodies (put the jacket on again), and they are never separated again. Let the children take turns putting the jacket on and taking it off while another child explains what happens when we are resurrected.

Help the children think of things they cannot do for themselves (such as carrying something heavy or reaching something on a high shelf). Who helps them do these things? Show a picture of one of your ancestors who died without being baptized. Tell the children about this person, and explain that this person can’t be baptized without help from someone on earth.

Ask the children if they have any family members who have been to the temple to perform baptisms for the dead. Show pictures of a temple baptismal font. Do the children know what happens here? Explain that in the temple we can be baptized for people who have died without being baptized. Then those people can choose whether to accept the baptism.

Write on the board celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. Help the children learn to say these terms.

Show pictures of the sun, moon, and stars. Which shines the brightest? Read 1 Corinthians 15:40–41 to the children (see also Joseph Smith Translation, 1 Corinthians 15:40, footnote a). Explain that the sun, moon, and stars represent the kingdoms we can live in after we are resurrected. In the celestial kingdom, we can live with Heavenly Father.

Draw the sun on the board and place small pieces of paper, or steps, on the ground leading to the sun. Each paper could represent something we need to do to enter the celestial kingdom (see D&C 76:50–53). Allow the children to share ideas and take steps toward the celestial kingdom.

Invite the children to take turns reading verses in 1 Corinthians 15:12–22, looking for answers to the question “What would happen if there were no resurrection?”

Invite the children to role-play how to explain resurrection to someone. For ideas, see Thomas S. Monson’s message “Mrs. Patton—the Story Continues” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 21–24). See also the video “Until We Meet Again” (LDS.org). Bear your testimony of the Resurrection of Christ.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:29. What were the Saints in Paul’s day doing that we also do today?

Ask the children why we are baptized for the dead. If necessary, explain that many of our ancestors did not have the opportunity to be baptized and confirmed during this life. In the temple, we can be baptized and confirmed for them.

A few days before class, ask a parent of one of the children to come prepared to share his or her family tree, or to tell a story about an ancestor. You could also share about your own ancestors.

Invite a member of the bishopric to share some things the children can do to be worthy to enter the temple. Ask the children what they can do to remember to do these things. Write their ideas on the board. Invite them to make a goal to go to the temple someday.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:40–41 and invite a child to draw a sun, moon, and star on the board. Ask class members to identify which kind of resurrected body is represented by each drawing.

Sing together a song about temples, such as “The Lord Gave Me a Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 153). What does this song teach us about preparing to live in celestial glory?

Explain that Joseph Smith had a vision in which he saw three kingdoms that match the kinds of bodies Paul describes. Help the children find phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–53, 70; 76:71–79; 76:81–82 that describe these three kingdoms.