Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth

The Armor of God

Preparation: Make sure everyone has scriptures. Have a bicycle helmet
ready. Tape together the two Armor of God pages for a visual aid in the
lesson. Gather cardboard or posterboard and tinfoil for the activity. Print
off the Armor of God bookmarks. Prepare one for each person in your
family. Print off a Mormonad poster for each bedroom in the house.

Objective: To understand that in today’s world we need to protect ourselves

by wearing the armor of God each day. We are better prepared to live in the
world but not of the world.

Opening Song: Keep the Commandments (Children’s Songbook pg. 146)

Scriptures: Ephesians 6:13-17 Doctrine and Covenants 27: 15-18

Lesson: Show your family the bicycle helmet. Ask one of the older
children what would happen if they fell off their bike without wearing a
helmet. What happens when we fall off our bike with our helmet on? We
need to wear this protective equipment to keep us safe.

Read the story by Elder James E. Faust.

“We were dressed in our home each morning, not only with hats and
raincoats and boots to protect us from physical storm, but even more
carefully our parents dressed us each day in the armor of God. As we
would kneel in family prayer and listen to our father, a bearer of the
priesthood, pour out his soul to the Lord for the protection of his family
against fiery darts of the wicked, one more layer was added to our shield of
faith.“ (L. Tom Perry, "Build Your Shield of Faith," Ensign, May
1974, 98)

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth
As a family take turns reading either Ephesians 6:13-17 or D&C 27:15-
18, looking for ways you can protect yourselves against Satan. Use the
Armor of God poster to help you in your discussion of how each piece of
armor protects you.

Note: The apostle Paul taught this parable because there were many
Roman soldiers in the land and when the people saw them they could be
reminded of how to protect themselves against evil.

Activity: Cut out the breastplate, sword, helmet, shield, shoes, and belt
from posterboard. Cover with foil. Have each person take turns putting the
armor on and telling what each piece protects them from.

Follow up: Hang the Armor of God poster from the lesson on the fridge.
Pass out the bookmarks. Hang the Mormonad posters in each bedroom as a
reminder each day to put on the armor of God.

Closing Song: Nephi’s Courage (Children’s Songbook pg 120)

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth
James E. Faust, “Keep Your Chin Strap Fastened,”
New Era, Nov 1981, 4
As a young man I participated in athletics. I liked being part of the team and feeling the team
spirit. I enjoyed the fellowship of the other players. The challenge was also part of the sport.

I wanted to be like my older brother Gus (Dr. A. F. Faust), who was a good athlete and
competitor—very fast and strong. I did not have any exceptional ability, but I had a sound
body and good eyesight. I found that if I trained hard and persevered, I could compete.

I believed in the promise of the Lord contained in the Word of Wisdom: “And all saints who
remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall
receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; And shall find wisdom and great
treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall run and not be weary, and shall
walk and not faint” (D&C 89:18–20).

It has been many years since I competed, but I still remember the agony of getting in shape—
the painful shin splints, the sore muscles, and the times when it seemed that my whole body
ached. But it was all worthwhile when the day of the game or the race arrived. It felt good to
be a competitor.

Father and my special Uncle Jim (after whom I was named) were almost always there to
watch us. Father didn’t say much to us before or after, but he always seemed to favor our
team and was proud to have his boys in the arena doing their best. Sometimes father used to
speak a little loudly to the referee when he thought the referee was wrong. Even though he
didn’t say so, I always knew that he was pulling for me.

One cool, crisp day we were scrimmaging on the football field at Granite High School in Salt
Lake City. We were preparing for a big game on Friday afternoon. The farmers who had been
harvesting their celery crops in the fields around the stadium came over to watch us. Earlier
that afternoon the fastener on my helmet had broken, and I had difficulty keeping my helmet
on. In every play as I was jostled, my helmet would fly off and go rolling away, and I would
have to scurry around and find it before the next play. Coach Rex Sutherland would not let
us play without helmets because it was too dangerous.

On one important play I received a slight jar and my helmet went rolling away, but the play
was still moving and I was in the middle of it. I didn’t want to leave the action of the play
and go find my helmet, so I continued to press hard to tackle the ball carrier on the other
side. I put my head down to bore in and try to grab the ball carrier. One of the players who
was running interference for the ball carrier hit me hard, and I went down and lost
consciousness.

Imagine my embarrassment when I regained consciousness and found the players huddled
around looking down at me while I was lying on my back on the ground. It seemed like not

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth
only the players, but also the spectators were wondering what was the matter with me.
Coach Sutherland wanted to know, in a concerned voice, if I could move. I was a little sick to
my stomach and unsteady, but I said in as strong a voice as I could muster that I was all
right. Then I got up and found my helmet and headed for my position in the lineup for the
next play.

That was the only time that I was ever knocked unconscious. It was my own fault. I had
learned a great lesson—it is always important to keep your chin strap fastened so that your
helmet is in place and you have protection.

In medieval times those who entered into combat wore protective helmets, breastplates, and
often whole suits of steel armor. In our day we need a different kind of armor, spiritual
armor. The Lord said, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God” (Eph. 6:13).

Spiritual armor not only protects against the many things that can knock us spiritually
senseless, but also protects us physically and in many other ways. For instance, it can help us
to have wise discernment in making all of the important decisions we have to make. We can
also have special insights in choosing friends and associates. Through this protection we can
have and enjoy an inner strength, peace, and calmness that will be constant and unfailing
resources.

In addition, other unseen hosts may be available to us if we follow our prophet and other
leaders. When the prophet Elisha was surrounded by a host of the Syrian army with a large
number of horses and chariots, his servant who saw them was frightened by the host and
said to the prophet, “How shall we do? …

“And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord
opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kgs. 6:15, 17.)

Concerned unseen hosts from the other side of the veil may be watching over us. Protection
is available to all who desire it, seek it, and wrap it around themselves securely buckled, and
not with a defective fastener like my football helmet.

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth

Armor of God poster from The New Era, January 2009, pgs.22-23

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth

Armor of God poster from The New Era, January 2009, pgs.22-23

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth

Mormonad from The New Era, June 2001

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Lesson prepared by Montserrat Wadsworth

Armor of God clipart from Kate Myers

http://lds.about.com/library/gallery/clipart/katesklipart/church/blkatesklipart_church6.h
tm

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