YOUTH LESSON ACTIVITY. FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT decision maker. Compare this fruit tree with repentance (“a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit”). Replace those actions with right actions (“good fruit bringeth forth good fruit”). If we are making the right choices, our rewards are FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Use for COME FOLLOW ME Young Women, Young Men, Family Home Evening, Primary and Home, Seminary, Sunday School, Bible Study
POST-AND-PRESENT Activity
Fruits of the Spirit (decision maker)
Youth can present this to other youth or in Family Home Evening. This decision maker will help youth learn that the Holy Ghost can guide us to make righteous decisions. This way we can bring forth good fruit. Youth can learn the difference between a good fruit and a bad fruit.
Fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Matthew 7:17-20) found on the tree. On the tree you will find this scripture “good fruit bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
To prepare, review the messages found in Galatians 5 and Matthew 7 about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). See Lesson Ideas: 2 Nephi 32:5; Moroni 10:5; D&C 130:22.
POST AND PRESENT IDEAS: (1) Mount visuals on a poster with tape, or a chalkboard with magnets, or (2) Place on a table with youth sitting around the table.
Step 1 – Talk about the Fruit: Discuss the following to help youth learn if the fruit they are placing on their tree of life is good fruit.
• One day Jesus gave a Sermon on a mountain to 5,000 people (Matthew 7:18-21) and He taught them about a good tree producing good fruit and a bad tree producing evil fruit and what happened to the fruit.
• Jesus said, “a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit” (place a smiley fruit visual on the tree), neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit (hold up a frowny fruit visual). “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire [place frowny fruit into the fire]. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (See Step #2 that follows.)
• Jesus said that those who keep Heavenly Father’s commandments can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Those who do evil “shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21-22).”
• Jesus also said, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).” It is not enough just to “live in the Spirit,” to come to Primary each week or have a family home evening and learn about choosing the right, we must also “walk in the Spirit,” by obeying God’s commandments. This will produce good fruit on our tree and make us strong.
• Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle Paul told us how we can tell if our tree is bearing good fruit. He said, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22).”
Step #2 – Place the Fruit: Youth can find fruit that is worthy to enter God’s kingdom and place it on the tree or fruit that is unworthy and place it in the fire.
- Have the youth take turns coming up and choosing a piece of fruit and reading the action on the back of the fruit. These are to be pasted on the back of the fruit. Example LONGSUFFERING (pear-shaped fruit) reads “Madeline knew that it would be a long drive home, and her parents were tired from the trip. Even though she wanted a drink and something to eat, she didn’t complain.”
- If it is a good choice or good fruit they can place the fruit on the tree. If it is a bad choice or bad fruit they can place it in the fire.
- Read Matthew 7:8-20 “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
- Also, see Alma 5:52 “And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire, yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire. Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.” DISCUSSION POINTS (Choice, Jesus Christ, Scriptures) • Jesus wants us to make the right choices so we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father someday.• Good choices can make us feel good, happy, and at peace.• Bad choices can make us feel sad, unhappy, and lonely.• We bring joy and happiness, or good fruit, to others when we are gentle and kind.• We can repent when we are unkind, selfish, or angry.
• Jesus wants us to work hard at being kind and helpful, doing good to others. By our “good fruits,” others will know we follow Jesus Christ.
• In the scriptures, Jesus teaches us how to put forth good fruit.
TO MAKE Print activity in color or black and white. Color and cut out the tree, fruit, fire, and fruit wordstrips. Mount tree and fire on a poster and laminate the entire poster. Glue the fruit wordstrips on the backs of matching fruit, e.g., the LOVE action wordstrip goes on the back of the LOVE fruit. Laminate fruit. Place the double-stick tape on the back of the fruit to mount them on the tree or around the fire.
NOTES FROM Come, Follow Me (HERE as follows)
If I “walk in the Spirit,” I will receive the “fruit of the Spirit.”
When we are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we can receive the fruit of the Spirit more in our lives. How will you help the children recognize this fruit in their lives?
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Give each child a piece of paper (you could cut the paper into fruit shapes), and ask the children to find a “fruit of the Spirit” listed in Galatians 5:22–23. Invite them to write one of the fruits on one side of their paper and a word that means the opposite on the other side. (Help them understand words they aren’t familiar with.) Invite them to share their fruits with the class. What can we do to have the Holy Ghost with us always?
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Invite the children to read about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23 and write about or draw a picture of a time when they felt one of those fruits. Ask them to share their story or picture with another person in the class. Why is fruit a good way to help us understand how the Spirit influences us?
More Learning Activities:
SCRIPTURE POSTER TO DOWNLOAD
• The Holy Ghost Testifies of Truth – Moroni 10:5 scripture poster – “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
SONGS USING VISUALS to DOWNLOAD:
• If I Listen with My Heart (January 2011 Friend)
The Holy Ghost (CS, 105)
• Nephi’s Courage (CS, 120)
• Choose the Right (Hymnal, 239)
• TESTIMONY SHARING: SEE *QUESTIONS BELOW
• SHOW VIDEO on Agency and Accountability – Easily Guided – This world champion has learned how to let God take the reins. (3:40)
YOUTH TESTIMONY SHARING: Ask youth to share their testimony on the lesson subjects below. Click on the QUESTION* next to the “Come, Follow Me” Lesson to lead you into a discussion or the sharing of testimonies.
JANUARY: “The Godhead”
*QUESTION “Come Follow Me” Lesson 4: What are the roles of the Holy Ghost?
MAY: “Prophets and Revelation”
*QUESTION “Come Follow Me” Lesson 2: How do I receive personal revelation?
JULY: “Ordinances and Covenants”
*QUESTION “Come Follow Me” Lesson 4: How do I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Source: ST 2009 #5
INSPIRATION:
“Becoming Godlike through the Fruits of the Spirit
Explain that by following Heavenly Father’s plan and living the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus and eventually become gods ourselves. To become godlike while we are on earth, we want to develop the qualities and attitudes that Heavenly Father and Jesus have. These qualities and attitudes are some of the fruits of the Spirit.
Explain that another word for fruits is results. We receive these qualities and attitudes as the results of living the gospel.” (READ MORE in this lesson “Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit” for young men)
