“Chapter 29: Living with Others in Peace and Harmony,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,
Here is my outline for Joseph Smith Lesson #29, Living with Others in Peace and Harmony
Show various pictures such as scenery, temples, world, ending with sacred grove and O Jerusalem. With each picture ask how the sisters feel as they view each picture. (see if library has a picture of the Lion and Lamb together.)
One of the desires of the early Latter-day Saints was simply to be allowed to live their religion in peace. But wherever they moved, peace eluded them. Eventually most of the Saints settled in Caldwell County, a new county organized by the state legislature to accommodate the Saints. Far West, which served as the county seat, soon became a thriving Latter-day Saint settlement.
The Prophet Joseph Smith had continued to live in Kirtland, Ohio, but in January 1838, he was forced to leave, fearing for his life. With his family, he traveled the 900 miles to Far West.. To accommodate the Church members pouring into the area, the Prophet designated areas near Far West where the Saints could settle. In July 1838, cornerstones were dedicated for a temple in Far West, giving the Saints hope that they could establish a permanent settlement where they could enjoy prosperity and peace. Unfortunately, tensions similar to those they experienced in Jackson County soon divided them from local settlers, and in the fall of 1838, mobs and militia once again began to harass and attack Latter-day Saints.
One day the Prophet was visiting his parents’ home in Far West, when a group of armed militiamen came in and announced that they had come to kill him for a supposed crime. Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet’s mother, described his gift for peacemaking:
Quote #1
“[Joseph] looked upon them with a very pleasant smile and, stepping up to them, gave each of them his hand in a manner which convinced them that he was neither a guilty criminal nor yet a cowering hypocrite. They stopped and stared as though a spectre had crossed their path.Quote #2
“Joseph sat down and entered into conversation with them and explained to them the views and feelings of the people called Mormons and what their course had been, as also the treatment which they had met with from their enemies since the first outset of the Church. He told them that malice and detraction had pursued them ever since they entered Missouri, but they were a people who had never broken the laws to his knowledge. But if they had, they stood ready to be tried by the law. …Quote #3
“After this, he rose and said, ‘Mother, I believe I will go home. Emma will be expecting me.’ Two of the men sprang to their feet, saying, ‘You shall not go alone, for it is not safe. We will go with you and guard you.’ Joseph thanked them, and they went with him.
“The remainder of the officers stood by the door while these were absent, and I overheard the following conversation between them:Quote #4
“First Officer: ‘Did you not feel strangely when Smith took you by the hand? I never felt so in my life.’Quote #5
“Second Officer: ‘I felt as though I could not move. I would not harm one hair of that man’s head for the whole world.’Quote #6
“Third Officer: ‘This is the last time you will ever catch me coming to kill Joe Smith or the Mormons either.’ …Quote #7
“Those men who went with my son promised to go disband the militia under them and go home, and said that if he had any use for them, they would come back and follow him anywhere.”
Speaking the truth in a kind, forthright way, Joseph Smith overcame prejudice and hostility and made peace with many of those who had been his enemies.
Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.’ [Matthew 5:9.] Wherefore if the nation, a single State, community, or family ought to be grateful for anything, it is peace.
What does it mean that the Peacemakers shall be called the Children of God?
1. The light from the Father will be granted to this children that live in a peaceful manner, and will find happiness.
2. Dwell in unity with the Father
What traits did Joseph Smith share that are like the Savior’s in matters of being a Peacemaker?
What are Joseph Smith’s views on peace?
How did he show it?
Quote #8
It is like the music of the spheres
It charms our souls and calms our fears;
It turns the world to Paradise
And men to pearls of greater price.
How can being a Peacmaker be likened to a Pearl of Great Price?
(chalk board, 1 spot for what not to do, and 1 spot for what we should do.)Quote #9
Let the Twelve and all Saints be willing to confess all their sins, and not keep back a part; and let [them] be humble, and not be exalted, and beware of pride, and not seek to excel one above another, but act for each other’s good, and pray for one another, and honor our brother or make honorable mention of his name, and not backbite and devour our brother
Have the sisters look through the section (We can cultivate peace by honoring one another and refusing to find fault.
What feelings, emotions, and behaviors drive away peace? Fault finding, backbiting, gossip, ungenerous thoughts and feelings, pride, selfishness, anger, ambition, me first thinking,
How do you feel when you find fault with others?
What feelings, emotions, and behaviors can we develop to nurture peace? Love, careful of other’s feelings, honor one another more than self, extol the good in others, humility, act for each other’s good, pray for one another.
How do you feel when you look for virtuous qualities in others?
How do you think other people feel when you take time to acknowledge their virtuous qualities?
How can we as sisters in the ward build one another up? (It is an individual effort, for mutual harmony and unity, at oneness)(Symbolism of temple endowment, individual covenant to obtain eternal blessings as one united family.)
What have people done to build you up?
What does it mean to honor one another?
In what way do these actions lead to peace?
How can our striving to live and become a peacemaker help others in our community and nation?
How does peace reflect joy?Quote #10
“Humanity towards all, reason and refinement to enforce virtue, and good for evil are … eminently designed to cure more disorders of society than an appeal to arms, or even argument untempered with friendship. … Our motto, then, is Peace with all! If we have joy in the love of God, let us try to give a reason of that joy, which all the world cannot gainsay or resist
Quote #11
“We ought always to be aware of those prejudices which sometimes so strangely present themselves, and are so congenial to human nature, against our friends, neighbors, and brethren of the world, who choose to differ from us in opinion and in matters of faith. Our religion is between us and our God. Their religion is between them and their God.
How can prejudices present themselves without our awareness?
How can we prevent the judgemental nature of prejudice?
Quote #12
When we see virtuous qualities in men, we should always acknowledge them, let their understanding be what it may in relation to creeds and doctrine; for all men are, or ought to be free, possessing unalienable rights, and the high and noble qualifications of the laws of nature and of self-preservation, to think and act and say as they please, while they maintain a due respect to the rights and privileges of all other creatures, infringing upon none. This doctrine I do most heartily subscribe to and practice.”
What are some of the benefits of living peaceably with our neighbors?
What does neighbor mean to you?
How can we share the restored gospel with others while showing respect for their beliefs?
Close with
“All persons are entitled to their agency, for God has so ordained it. He has constituted mankind moral agents, and given them power to choose good or evil; to seek after that which is good, by pursuing the pathway of holiness in this life, which brings peace of mind, and joy in the Holy Ghost here, and a fulness of joy and happiness at His right hand hereafter; or to pursue an evil course, going on in sin and rebellion against God, thereby bringing condemnation to their souls in this world, and an eternal loss in the world to come. Since the God of heaven has left these things optional with every individual, we do not wish to deprive them of it. We only wish to act the part of a faithful watchman, agreeable to the word of the Lord to Ezekiel the prophet (, and leave it for others to do as seemeth them good
Testimony including the Power of Jesus Christ to bring peace and grant peace.
Do you have any lesson plans for Lesson 28? You only post every-other lesson in the JS Manual. I teach those lessons…
Comment by Sandy — March 7, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
I only post the Odd number lessons, they are the ones I have been assigned to teach. I don’t plan out the other lessons.
Comment by Tanya — March 7, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
I think your lessons are well structured, but I think it would be better to get the sisters thinking more about personal experiences vs. answers straight from the book. I’d like to read more personal from you as well.
Comment by JoAnna — March 14, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
I’m sorry JoAnn, but you must not be understanding the purpose of my outlines. It is that, an outline. When I prepare my lessons I try to figure out what quotes give the most meaning, and how to draw out the teachings and the Words of Joseph Smith as effectively as possible.
I am sure you are refering to the one section where I state have the sister’s look here, that is because that section was so powerful to me that I could not pick out one quote to use. Instead we talked about it as a disscussion, and in fact that section took up the majority of my lesson time, and I had to skip much of the end. It is that important to me.
As far as my personal application that happens when I teach, generally through the promptings of the Spirit I will have something come to mind that I do not have in my outline that gives a prime example, or object lesson that magnifies what is being taught.
My outlines are just that, something to use as a guide. I try to come up with open ended questions that promote the discussion to practicle application in our lives.
My goal as a teacher is to incourage, have the sisters, look a little higher, seek a little deeper from the “Seminary” answers that are so often given, but to the how do we do it, and what works for different people.
If I put in my outlines all about me, I would not publish them because that is what it would become, me, and not about the Prophet Joseph and his views on the lessons.
I think you would be surprised to sit in one of my lessons and hear the discussions that occur, and I am grateful that I have the chance to learn to teach by the spirit. It is not my words, but the words prompted by the spirit that make the lesson.
An outline is only a guide, and rarely, I mean rarely do I have the sisters, look for answers in the book. I’m sorry you seem to think so, because I do not read straight from the book, but try to guide a lesson from point A to point D smoothly, without much sidetrack, and with as much of a positive attitude I can give.
Comment by Tanya — March 15, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
One more thing JoAnn,
This question and the thoughts after it were my ideas. The inspiration given to me as I pondered what it meant to be a peacemaker.
I had many ideas and good conversation as we discussed this in my class.
What does it mean that the Peacemakers shall be called the Children of God?
1. The light from the Father will be granted to this children that live in a peaceful manner, and will find happiness.
2. Dwell in unity with the Father
Often ideas in parenthesis are to remind me to mention something if it is not brought up in the class.
If you only knew the personal application these last two lesson have been in my life you wouldn’t even wonder.
Just because it isn’t written doesn’t mean it doesn’t come up in class.
Each ward, each RS and priestood quorum is different, that is why my outlines are generic, anyone could take, adapt and use it for their classes.
Comment by Tanya — March 15, 2009 @ 5:06 pm
when will you be posting your outline for Chapter 31? I am teaching the lesson and looking for some ideas. thanks
Comment by Lori — April 10, 2009 @ 10:41 am
Thank you for sharing. I read your blog each lesson and it helps to fill in the extra spirit I need to teach my lessons. Lynda
Comment by Lynda — April 11, 2009 @ 5:20 pm