Lesson 27: The Age of accountability

1. “Lesson 27: The Age of Accountability,” Primary 3: Choose the Right B, (1994),128 Lesson 27: The Age of accountability

2. Purpose To help the children understand that at the age of eight they begin to become accountable for their actions.

3. (Enter Name Here) OUR OPENING PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY

4. Attention Activity • Here we have what is called a “onezy”. • It is usually worn by a baby.

5. Attention Activity • Would this fit any of you? • Why not?

6. Attention Activity • Once you were small enough to fit into tiny clothes such as this, but your bodies have grown bigger.

7. Attention Activity • Just as you have grow in physical size, you also grow in other ways, such as in your ability to do things like dressing themselves.

8. Attention Activity • What can you do now that you could not do when you were a baby?

9. Attention Activity • These things show that you are growing older and learning more. • A person who has learned to do these things is also usually old enough to know right from wrong.

10. Discussion • Heavenly Father is wise. • He knows that we must learn what is right and wrong. • When we have grown enough and learned enough about right and wrong, we become accountable for what we do.

11. Discussion • Being accountable means that we must take responsibility for what we do wrong, and we are blessed for what we do right.

12. Discussion • At what age do we begin to be accountable to Heavenly Father for what we do?

13. Discussion • At what age do we begin to be accountable to Heavenly Father for what we do? • (Eight.)

14. Discussion Heavenly Father knows we are old enough to be responsible for our actions, he allows something important to take place when we are eight.

15. Discussion • What important event happens when we are eight?

16. Discussion • What important event happens when we are eight? • We are baptized • (see Doctrine and Covenants 68:27.)

17. Discussion • Why is baptism important?

18. Discussion • Why is baptism important? • Because when we are baptized and confirmed, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and make a covenant with Heavenly Father to obey his commandments.

19. Discussion • Being baptized does not mean we will never make a mistake again. • It means we are old enough to be responsible for our choices. • We are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.

20. article of faith • Which article of faith tells us that we are responsible for our own sins?

21. article of faith Which article of faith tells us that we are responsible for our own sins? The second article of faith.

22. article of faith • Let’s all repeat the second article of faith together. • 2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

23. We Are responsible to chose the right • What do the letters on our class ring stand for? • Let’s all say the words “Choose the right.” • Your ring can help you realize that you are growing old enough to learn to be responsible to choose the right.

24. Learning to choose right from wrong is a big step in growing up. • Our Father in Heaven will not force us to do right.

25. He gives us freedom to choose for ourselves between right and wrong and to be responsible for keeping the promises we make.

26. He knows that only by having freedom to choose for ourselves can we grow and learn.

27. C T R • Can you tell me what these three letters stand for again? • I have confidence that you can learn what is right and wrong and become responsible for your actions.

28. Activity • I need a volunteer to hold on to this book that I have brought today. • You are responsible to take care of it. • Putting in in other words, you will be accountable for this book during class.

29. Activity • If it gets lost, torn, or otherwise damaged, you will have to answer to me. • You will be accountable to me for the book.

30. Activity • I need a volunteer to hold on to this ball that I have brought today. • You will be responsible for the ball just as our other volunteer is responsible for the book.

31. Activity • I need a volunteer to hold on to this bag of treats that I have brought today. • You will be responsible for this bag just as our other volunteers are responsible for the book and the ball.

32. Activity • You can share the treat with the entire class after the closing prayer.

33. Activity • Could our treat volunteer choose to eat all of this treat alone?

34. Activity • Could our treat volunteer choose to eat all of this treat alone? • Yes, they could choose to disobey the teacher and eat it rather than save it to share.

35. Activity • Our treat volunteer has the freedom to choose what to do, but they will be held accountable for that choice.

36. Activity • This is similar to life. • Heavenly Father’s plan gives us choices. • We may choose right or wrong, wisely or foolishly, but we are responsible for our choices and the results.

37. Scripture story • A group of people in the Book of Mormon had a very difficult choice to make, and they decided to choose the right. • Listen to the following story.

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39. The sons of Mosiah taught the gospel to the Lamanites. • Thousands of Lamanites repented and joined the Church.

40. Those Lamanites who joined the Church called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, or the people of Ammon. • They were good, hardworking people.

41. The Lamanites who did not repent were angry with the people of Ammon and prepared to fight them.

42. The people of Ammon knew that the wicked Lamanites would come to kill them but decided not to fight back. • They had repented of killing.

43. They buried their weapons deep in the ground and promised God they would never kill again.

44. When the wicked Lamanites came and began killing them, they bowed to the ground and prayed.

45. Seeing that the people of Ammon would not fight back, many of the wicked Lamanites stopped killing them.

46. The Lamanites were sorry that they had killed. • They threw down their weapons and joined the people of Ammon. • They would not fight anymore.

47. More Lamanites came to kill the people of Ammon. • They still would not fight back, and many were killed.

48. Not wanting the people he loved to be destroyed, Ammon prayed for help. • The Lord told him to take his people and leave the land.

49. The Nephites in Zarahemla gave Ammon and his people the land of Jershon and protected them. • They became friends.

50. Discussion • These people made another decision too. • Let’s read Alma 24:17–18.