Honesty

Chapter 31

Honesty Is a Principle of Salvation

• What would society be like if everyone were perfectly honest?
The 13th article of faith says, “We believe in being honest.” The
Book of Mormon tells us about a group of people who were “distin-
guished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they
were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm
in the faith of Christ, even unto the end” (Alma 27:27). Because of
their honesty, these people were noted by their fellowmen and by
God. It is important to learn what honesty is, how we are tempted
to be dishonest, and how we can overcome this temptation.
Complete honesty is necessary for our salvation. President Brigham
Young said, “If we accept salvation on the terms it is offered to us,
we have got to be honest in every thought, in our reflections, in our
meditations, in our private circles, in our deals, in our declarations,
and in every act of our lives” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church:
Brigham Young [1997], 293).
God is honest and just in all things (see Alma 7:20). We too must be
honest in all things to become like Him. The brother of Jared testi-
fied, “Yea, Lord, I know that thou . . . art a God of truth, and canst
not lie” (Ether 3:12). In contrast, the devil is a liar. In fact, he is the
father of lies (see 2 Nephi 9:9). “Those who choose to cheat and lie
and deceive and misrepresent become his slaves” (Mark E. Petersen,
in Conference Report, Oct. 1971, 65; or ­Ensign, Dec. 1971, 73).
Honest people love truth and justice. They are honest in their words
and actions. They do not lie, steal, or cheat.

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 Tithes and Offerings
Chapter 32

Paying Tithes and Offerings

• How does our willingness to pay tithes and offerings show grati-
tude to our Heavenly Father for all His blessings to us?
We have been given commandments to help us prepare in every
way to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. He has given us
a way to thank Him for our blessings. Willingly paying tithes and
offerings is one way we thank Him. As we pay these offerings, we
show that we love Him and will obey His counsel.
• In what ways does the payment of tithes and offerings help us
thank our Heavenly Father?

Obeying the Law of Tithing

• What is an honest tithe?
Anciently, Abraham and Jacob obeyed the commandment to pay a
tithe of one-tenth of their increase (see Hebrews 7:1–10; Genesis
14:19–20; 28:20–22).
In modern times the Prophet Joseph Smith prayed, “O Lord, show
unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of
thy people for a tithing” (D&C 119, section introduction). The Lord
answered: “This shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.
And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth
of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto
them forever” (D&C 119:3–4). The First Presidency has explained
that “one-tenth of all their interest annually” refers to our income
(see First Presidency letter, Mar. 19, 1970).

For teachers: Use questions at the beginning of a section to start a discussion and send
class members or family members to the text to find more information. Use questions at
the end of a section to help class members or family members ponder and discuss the
meaning of what they have read and apply it in their lives.

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 Missionary Work
Chapter 33

The Lord’s Church Is a Missionary Church

• In what ways is missionary work part of God’s plan for His children?
The Lord revealed the gospel plan to Adam: “And thus the Gospel
began to be preached, from the beginning” (Moses 5:58). Later,
Adam’s righteous descendants were sent to preach the gospel:
“They . . . called upon all men, everywhere, to repent; and faith was
taught unto the children of men” (Moses 6:23).
All the prophets have been missionaries. Each in his day was
commanded to preach the gospel message. Whenever the priest-
hood has been on the earth, the Lord has needed missionaries to
preach the eternal principles of the gospel to His children.
The Lord’s Church has always been a missionary church. When the
Savior lived on the earth, He ordained Apostles and Seventies and
gave them the authority and responsibility to preach the gospel.
Most of their preaching was to their own people, the Jews (see
Matthew 10:5–6). After Jesus was resurrected, He sent Apostles to
preach the gospel to the Gentiles. He commanded the Apostles,
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”
(Mark 16:15).
The Apostle Paul was a great missionary sent to the Gentiles. After
he was converted to the Church, he spent the remainder of his life
preaching the gospel to them. At different times during his mis-
sion he was whipped, stoned, and imprisoned. Yet he continued to
preach the gospel (see Acts 23:10–12; 26).
Missionary work began again when the Lord’s Church was
restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Today the Apostles
For teachers: Sharing experiences with gospel principles can invite the Spirit. You may
want to contact a few class members or family members in advance, asking them to pre-
pare to share experiences that are meaningful to them and that may help others.

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 Developing Our Talents
Chapter 34

We All Have Different Talents and Abilities

We all have special gifts, talents, and abilities given to us by our
Heavenly Father. When we were born, we brought these gifts, tal-
ents, and abilities with us (see chapter 2 in this book).
The prophet Moses was a great leader, but he needed Aaron, his
brother, to help as a spokesman (see Exodus 4:14–16). Some of
us are leaders like Moses or good speakers like Aaron. Some of us
can sing well or play an instrument. Others of us may be good in
sports or able to work well with our hands. Other talents we might
have are understanding others, patience, cheerfulness, or the abil-
ity to teach others.
• How have you benefited from the talents of others?

We Should Use and Improve Our Talents

• How can we develop our talents?
We have a responsibility to develop the talents we have been given.
Sometimes we think we do not have many talents or that other
people have been blessed with more abilities than we possess.
Sometimes we do not use our talents because we are afraid that we
might fail or be criticized by others. We should not hide our talents.
We should use them. Then others can see our good works and glo-
rify our Heavenly Father (see Matthew 5:16).
There are certain things we must do to develop our talents. First, we
must discover our talents. We should evaluate ourselves to find our
strengths and abilities. Our family and friends can help us do this.

For teachers: One way to show class members that you care about them individually is
to call them by name. Learn their names. When new class members attend the class,
introduce them to the others.

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 The Family
Can Be Eternal
Chapter 36

The Importance of Families

• Why did our Heavenly Father send us to earth as members of
families?
“Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. . . .
The family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of
His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” E­ nsign,
Nov. 1995, 102).
After Heavenly Father brought Adam and Eve together in mar-
riage, He commanded them to have children (see Genesis 1:28).
He has revealed that one of the purposes of marriage is to provide
mortal bodies for His spirit children. Parents are partners with our
Heavenly Father. He wants each of His spirit children to receive a
physical body and to experience earth life. When a man and a
woman bring children into this world, they help our Heavenly
Father carry out His plan.
Every new child should be welcomed into the family with gladness.
Each is a child of God. We should take time to enjoy our children,
to play with them, and to teach them.
President David O. McKay said, “With all my heart I believe that
the best place to prepare for . . . eternal life is in the home” (“Blue-
print for Family Living,” Improvement Era, Apr. 1963, 252). At
home, with our families, we can learn self-control, sacrifice, loyalty,
and the value of work. We can learn to love, to share, and to serve
one another.

For teachers: As you teach this chapter and the next two chapters about families, be sensi-
tive to the feelings of those who do not have ideal situations at home.

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 Family Responsibilities
Chapter 37

Responsibilities of the Parents

• What responsibilities do husbands and wives share in raising their
children?
Each person has an important place in his or her family. Through
prophets the Lord has explained how fathers, mothers, and children
should behave and feel toward one another. As husbands, wives,
and children, we need to learn what the Lord expects us to do
to fulfill our purpose as a family. If we all do our part, we will be
united eternally.
In the sacred responsibilities of parenthood, “fathers and mothers
are obligated to help one another as equal partners” (“The Family:
A Proclamation to the World,” ­Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). They should
work together to provide for the spiritual, emotional, intellectual,
and physical needs of the family.
Some responsibilities must be shared by the husband and the wife.
Parents should teach their children the gospel. The Lord warned
that if parents do not teach their children about faith, repentance,
baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the sin will be upon the
heads of the parents. Parents should also teach their children to
pray and to obey the Lord’s commandments. (See D&C 68:25, 28.)
One of the best ways parents can teach their children is by exam-
ple. Husbands and wives should show love and respect for each
other and for their children by both actions and words. It is impor-
tant to remember that each member of the family is a child of God.
Parents should treat their children with love and respect, being firm
but kind to them.

For teachers: As with chapter 36, be sensitive to the feelings of those who do not have
ideal situations at home. Emphasize that with guidance from the Lord and help from family
members and the Church, single parents can successfully raise their children.

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 Eternal Marriage
Chapter 38

Marriage Is Ordained of God

Marriage between a man and a woman is a vital part of God’s plan.
The Lord has said, “Whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of
God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man” (D&C 49:15). Since
the beginning, marriage has been a law of the gospel. Marriages are
intended to last forever, not just for our mortal lives.
Adam and Eve were married by God before there was any death
in the world. They had an eternal marriage. They taught the law of
eternal marriage to their children and their children’s children. As
the years passed, wickedness entered the hearts of the people and
the authority to perform this sacred ordinance was taken from the
earth. Through the Restoration of the gospel, eternal marriage has
been restored to earth.
• Why is it important to know that marriage between a man and a
woman is ordained of God?

Eternal Marriage Is Essential for Exaltation

• What is the Lord’s doctrine of marriage, and how does it differ
from the views of the world?
Many people in the world consider marriage to be only a social
custom, a legal agreement between a man and a woman to live
together. But to Latter-day Saints, marriage is much more. Our exal-
tation depends on marriage, along with other principles and ordi-
nances, such as faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of
the Holy Ghost. We believe that marriage is the most sacred rela-
tionship that can exist between a man and a woman. This sacred
relationship affects our happiness now and in the eternities.

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 The Law of Chastity
Chapter 39

A Note to Parents
This chapter includes some parts that are beyond the maturity of
young children. It is best to wait until children are old enough to
understand sexual relations and procreation before teaching them
these parts of the chapter. Our Church leaders have told us that
parents are responsible to teach their children about procreation
(the process of conceiving and bearing children). Parents must also
teach them the law of chastity, which is explained in this chapter.
Parents can begin teaching children to have proper attitudes toward
their bodies when children are very young. Talking to children
frankly but reverently and using the correct names for the parts and
functions of their bodies will help them grow up without unneces-
sary embarrassment about their bodies.
Children are naturally curious. They want to know how their bod-
ies work. They want to know where babies come from. If parents
answer all such questions immediately and clearly so children can
understand, children will continue to take their questions to their
parents. However, if parents answer questions so that children
feel embarrassed, rejected, or dissatisfied, they will probably go to
someone else with their questions and perhaps get incorrect ideas
and improper attitudes.
It is not wise or necessary, however, to tell children everything at
once. Parents need only give them the information they have asked
for and can understand. While answering these questions, parents
can teach children the importance of respecting their bodies and
the bodies of others. Parents should teach children to dress mod-
estly. They should correct the false ideas and vulgar language that
children learn from others.

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 Temple Work
and Family History
Chapter 40

Heavenly Father Wants His Children to Return to Him

The Atonement of Jesus Christ assures each of us that we will be
resurrected and live forever. But if we are to live forever with our
families in Heavenly Father’s presence, we must do all that the
Savior commands us to do. This includes being baptized and con-
firmed and receiving the ordinances of the temple.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we
have each been baptized and confirmed by one having the proper
priesthood authority. Each of us may also go to the temple to receive
the saving priesthood ordinances performed there. But many of
God’s children have not had these same opportunities. They lived at
a time or place when the gospel was not available to them.
Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return and live with
Him. For those who died without baptism or the temple ordinances,
He has provided a way for this to happen. He has asked us to per-
form ordinances for our ancestors in the temples.

Temples of the Lord

• Why are temples important in our lives?
Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are
special buildings dedicated to the Lord. Worthy Church members
may go there to receive sacred ordinances and make covenants with
God. Like baptism, these ordinances and covenants are necessary for
our salvation. They must be performed in the temples of the Lord.
For teachers: Pictures can generate interest and help learners increase their understand-
ing. Consider asking class members or family members to ponder their feelings about
temple work as they look at the picture of a temple in this chapter.

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