Object Lessons

Feel free to add additional Object Lessons to this list!!! Have additional invitations/principles to existing
lessons? Add another bullet point below that lesson!!

1. HAND TAPPING GAME

Everyone overlaps their hands in a circle (left hand over the right hand of their left neighbour). One person taps the
group then everyone follows in a circle, but a double tap means go back the other way. If you go to tap when it isn't
your turn, that hand is out.
- You have to actively pay attention, the same way you have to actively have the Gospel in your life. Talk about
daily/regular things to do that keep the Gospel present. Invitation: do what you came up with.

2. TESTIMONY DRAWING
Give both people paper and a pen. One sits in front of the other. Person A draws a shape on Person B's back (eg.
house). Person B must draw what they feel. The result is two different drawings.
- You can't solely rely on another person's testimony. It is important to have your own and strengthen it. How can we
strengthen our testimonies regularly? Invitation: do what you come up with.

3. JUMP TO JESUS FOOTPRINTS (kids)

Have your comp stand a fair distance away. Tell the kids to jump from you to "Jesus" (your comp) in one jump. They
can't. Place footprints along the way with each of the five Gospel principles on it. Now they can jump on each to get
to "Jesus".
- Key Gospel principles help us and are necessary for us to come unto Christ. We can't do it by ourselves.

4. LETTER "F" GAME (members)

Read 1 Nephi 1:1 and have everyone count the number of times they see the letter "f" in the verse. There's 14
including the annotation but most will miss it and others. Have them try a second time and they'll get a different
answer.
- Sometimes rereading scriptures allows you to learn something new or receive answers. Invitation: find a new way
to study.

5. GRATITUDE CAMPING GAME

Each person (as a pen is passed) asks "can I bring...?" To be allowed to bring what they say, they must say "thank
you" when given the pen.
- The importance of expressing gratitude in prayer. Invitation: gratitude journal, show gratitude in daily prayers.

6. HIDE AND SEEK CHOCOLATES (kids)

Hide nine chocolates in a room and keep one on you (hidden). Tell them they need to find ten. To get the last one,
they must ask you for it.
- The importance of asking for help and blessings when you need it, even though Heavenly Father always knows your
needs. It shows effort/faith and is appreciated.

7. SQUIGGLE DRAWING
On a piece of paper each, draw a random line or shape. The pass to the person next to you. Use your new squiggle to
make a pretty drawing.
- Everyone has their own (spiritual) gifts and ability to interpret things differently. D&C 46. Invitation: What do you
think your gifts are? What do you want to develop and how? Do it.

8. PLATES
Lay six objects out flat (eg. pamphlets), each represents a letter of the word PLATES. Have someone hide something
under one (eg. Christ photo) while your comp turns away. After reading a scripture as a clue (the first word from the
scripture begins with the letter the object is hidden under), have your comp turn back and guess where it is hidden.
- The prophet's direction and guidance help us to receive answers and truths, and to know God's word. Speaker who
reads the scripture is the "prophet". By listening to the prophet and BOM, we can find what we desire (happiness,
peace, knowledge). Invitation: read the BOM. Pray to know if the BOM is true or if the current president is a prophet.
9. PRAYER KNOT
Lay a scarf out and ask the person to make it into a knot. Tell them they must place one hand on each end of the
scarf and can't take them off. After they try, you do it by folding your arms as if going to pray, then hold the scarf and
pull it into a knot by unfolding your arms.
- The importance of always praying and turning to God, especially when in a knot (hard situation). What are some
knots in our lives? Why should we turn to God in prayer to help solve them? INVITE: pray for Heavenly Father’s
help/guidance
- God gives us tasks that are sometimes seemingly impossible. What are some hard things God has asked us to do?
Why is it important for us to turn to him for guidance/instruction?

10. DON'T EAT THE “X”

Draw a tic-tac-toe grid and place a skittle in each box. Have everyone turn around and you draw an "X" small in a
box. Hide it by placing the skittle back on top of it. Tell them if they pick one without the hidden letter they can eat it,
but if they go to pick up the one hiding the ”X” you'll yell out "stop!"
- Good choices result in blessings. Read a scripture about agency. Importance of listening to the Spirit- it guides us
and keeps us safe.

11. DRAWING CHINESE WHISPERS

Sit in a circle and give everyone a small flip notebook and pen. On the first page, everyone writes the name of an
object. On the next, draw it. Have everyone pass the notebook to the person on the left. On the next page, write
what you think that person's drawing is, flip the page and draw it. Repeat for the full circle until you get your original
book back. At the end you will see you all have different drawings from the original.
- Apostasy and restoration. Different churches changed and misinterpreted scriptures and principles (eg. baptism).
Testify of the blessings of the Restoration.

12. BOOK OF MORMON AND CAN

Lay out a Book of Mormon, rest your finger on it, then get a soft drink can and hit the side of it on your finger. It
won't hurt.
- The importance of a foundation on Christ. Blessings, support and protection will come in hard times.

13. FRICTION PEN ATONEMENT

Draw a person using a normal pen. With a friction pen, scribble over it. Light a lighter just behind the paper and the
friction pen markings will disappear.
- The scribble represents sin/trials. The flame represents Christ and the Atonement. The Atonement heals and allows
us to repent and be clean from our sins.

14. BOOK OF MORMON PHOTO RESTORATION (members)

Cut up a photo of the Book of Mormon and give each person one piece. As you place them down to make the
picture, each person says/writes on the back one way they know Heavenly Father loves them then places their piece
to restore the picture.
- Use for Restoration lesson. Can just be for God is Our Loving Heavenly Father. He loved us enough to sacrifice His
only Son and give us a book which testifies of His full Gospel. If you keep the last piece and place it last, use it to
explain apostasy and priesthood authority. John 3:16.

15. POSITIVITY BUBBLE

Put some water in one balloon and leave the second without then blow them both up. Hold a lighter near each one
at a time, and the one with water will stay while the 100% air one will pop.
- The water represents keeping the commandments or following the prophet's counsel. They keep us safe.

16. SPIRITUALLY STRETCHING (members)

Give the person a sticky note and ask them to stick it as high up on the wall as they can, keeping their feet flat. Give
them another and encourage them by saying 'I think you can go higher'. They'll get it a little higher.
- Stretch yourself spiritually, you're capable of more than you think. Invitation: name something you can do to
spiritually stretch. OR Be an encouraging light to others. Invitation: Notice opportunities to support and uplift others
and do it.
17. COTTON BALL COMMANDMENTS
Have two cotton balls represent two people. A keeps all the commandments and B just selectively/a little. Spray one
with a lot of alcohol spray and the other just a couple times. As you do it, name commandments or good Gospel
habits. Light each with a lighter, A is fine but B will burn.
- When we keep the commandments we're safe, they protect us.

18. RESTORATION ORANGES

Fill a clear jug or glass with water. Place an orange in it and it floats. Take it out and peel it into pieces. Place the
peeled orange in the water and it sinks.
- The peel represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His church is an unpeeled orange because it floats and has the
fullness of the Gospel. The peeled orange is other churches without the Gospel restored. Every church has a piece of
the peel (a piece of Christ's Gospel) but only one has it all fully restored.

19. PEN PROPHET

Have the person close their eyes and make a fist above yours. Tell them to follow your hand where you move it. They
can't. Now hold a pen and have them make a fist holding onto the pen at the top. Ask them to follow it again and
they can now.
- The pen is a prophet. When we have a prophet to guide us, it is easier to follow God's direction.

20. GRATITUDE LIST CIRCLE

One by one, go around in a circle and list things you're grateful for. Each person must remember all previously said
things and resay them before adding their own.
- As you keep going, it gets harder. Remembering to express gratitude in prayer and to those around you is hard but
important.

21. ATONEMENT DYE AND BLEACH

Put coloured dye in a glass, then add bleach. The bleach will gradually remove the colour.
- The Atonement cleanses us of sin and heals trials. Dye represents sin/trials, bleach represents the Atonement.

22. ATONEMENT PEPPER AND DETERGENT

Put some water and pepper in a plate. Dip your finger in detergent and then water and the pepper will move away.
- The Atonement cleanses us of sin and heals trials. Pepper represents sin/trials, detergent represents the
Atonement.

23. ATONEMENT FLAME AND GLASS

Put some water on a plate. Place a lit candle in the middle and a glass over it. The glass and flame bring the water
into the glass.
- The Atonement cleanses us of sin and heals trials. Water represents sin/trials, flame represents the Atonement.

24. NAILS OF A CHRIST-CENTERED HOME

Ask them to balance about 7 nails one by one on top of one nail. When they can't figure out how, place one flat then
the rest will be placed across alternating directions. One by one take turns placing them while naming ways to have a
Christ-centred life. Place the last one flat across the top the opposite way then hold it together and you can lift them
all.
- Everything we do must be focussed on Christ, with Him as our foundation.

25. LIMBO COMMANDMENTS (kids)

Play limbo, the goal is to go through without touching the bar.
- The bar represents the commandments or standards set. Our mentality shouldn't be "how close can I get to
breaking the commandment (the bar) without actually breaking it?"

26. WORKS AND FAITH PAPER PLANE

Have everyone throw a piece of paper as far as they can. It won't go far. Then tell them to make it into a paper plane
and throw it. It will go further.
- We can have faith the paper will go far, but without works and effort (making the plane) it won't happen. James
2:17.
27. DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR? (group)
Sit chairs in a circle with one person in the middle. Middle person says to someone "do you love your neighbour?". If
they say yes, the two on either side switch seats. Or they can say "no, but I love [insert quality]" (eg. people with
glasses). All those who fit the category must switch seats and the middle person will try to take someone's seat and
have a new middle person.

28. KINTSUGI POTTERY

Explain that Japanese pottery, kintsugi pottery, is cracked and fixed with gold liquid. Can change objects to fit
different cultures.
- Our sins, trials and weaknesses don't determine our worth. Neither does our appearance.

29. FOUNDATION ON CHRIST

Use three pamphlets with a picture of Christ in the middle. Ask them to balance a book of Mormon using them. If
they can't, open each to a 45-ish degree angle on the middle page with Christ, stand them up and lay the book flat
on top.
- Importance of a foundation on Christ.

30. PUT GOD FIRST

Get a jar/glass and a small ball (small enough to fit in the jar. Explain that the jug represents your life, the ball
represents God and the rice represents distractions in your life. Pour out rice bit by bit, each naming things in your
life (eg. movies, social media, friends). When it's just about full, place the ball and recognise that it doesn't fit in the
jar. Take it out and pour the rice back out. Next place the ball in the jar then the rice until full, now it fits.
- The importance of putting God first before worldly or temporal things. Other life aspects are blessed when we put
God first. Matthew 6:33.

31. JENGA RESTORATION

On the bottom three pieces, write “Jesus Christ”, “the Priesthood” and “apostles and prophets”. Have the Jenga set
built and talk about building up Christ’s church. Then take the “Jesus Christ” piece out when He died, then the
apostles and just have the priesthood remaining. Ask them to take out the Priesthood piece and it falls over. Build
little churches out of the fallen pieces explaining how all only have parts of the Gospel. When Joseph Smith has the
First Vision, build the pieces back to normal and explain how it is restored.
- Teaches the Restoration and necessity of the full Gospel of Christ, the Priesthood and prophets.

32. SILENCING TEMPTATIONS

Place a coin in a glass jar (or something that will make noise when you shake it). Shake it and it will be loud. Then fill
the jar with cotton balls, listing some good Gospel habits for each. Shake it again and there is no sound.
- The sound of just the coin represents temptations, sometimes they can be very loud and distracting. The cotton
balls represent things we can do to protect ourselves from temptations (eg. scripture study, pray, attend church).
When you shake it again with no sound, it shows how temptations can be smaller and easier to overcome when we
are keeping good Gospel habits.

33. COINS
Organize yourselves into two teams. Turn facing away from each other and choose a team member to hold a coin in
their hand. Everyone then holds their hands in a fist then turns to face each other. At the same time, place your
hands flat on the table, trying to not give away which of you has the coin (through sound and sight). Then each team
takes a turn at guessing who has the coin.
- Identifying who has the coin by noticing the sound of the coin or seeing someone put their hand flat carefully
represents paying attention to the Spirit. You must pay close attention to recognise the Spirit in your life.

34. HAND ANALOGY DISPENSATIONS/APOSTASY (explaining it to anyone)

Hold up your hand. Point to your pinky finger and explain that God put a prophet on the earth to teach the people.
Then point to the bottom space between your pinky and your ring finger and explain that then the prophet was
taken off the earth (either they died or were killed by the wicked people), so God's power/the priesthood was no
longer on the earth. Do this with the next two fingers. Once you get to the index finger, explain that then Jesus Christ
was on the earth and briefly talk about how he came to minister to and teach the people. Drag your finger down the
side of your index finger and explain that Christ died and shortly after, so did all of His apostles, and that is what we
call the Great Apostasy because it was a longer period of time than any other apostasy or dispensation. Now drag
your finger up to the tip of your thumb. Explain that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet and now we are in the last
dispensation.

35. HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES (LAW OF CHASTITY)

Head - think good thoughts
Shoulders/knees - don't touch anyone and don't let anyone touch you from your shoulders down to your knees
Toes - go good places
Eyes - look at good things
Ears - listen to good things
Mouth - say good things
Nose - idk…. Don't do drugs I guess? God "nose"/knows what you're doing? My dad always

36. NOAH'S ARK

The place you live in is flooding and you've built an ark. Each person goes around asking if they can bring something
on the ark, but there's a rule that only the leader/teacher/missionaries know about.
ROUND 1: Each person can only bring something that starts with the first letter of their name. So Emily cannot bring
a bed, but she can bring an elephant. Jonah can bring a jump rope, but he can't bring a phone. You go around until
somebody figures out the rule.
ROUND 2: Now everyone thinks of a person who's not in the room/house/not related to them (just depends on the
setting) that they want to bring on the ark. This can be anyone, because all are wanted on the ark.
ROUND 3: As a group or family, everyone has to think of one family they want to bring on the ark with them.
INVITATION - think of 3 ways you can serve that family this week and follow through with it!

37. CANDY TITHING (kids)

Have a bunch of candy (hidden in your bag or something), and give 10 pieces to each child (or group of children,
however it works best for you). Tell them that now they have to pay their “tithing” on that candy, so have them give
back 1 piece, or 10%. Talk about where our tithing goes and how Heavenly Father promises us that He will always
bless us if we continually pay our tithing. Now give them a few more pieces or just another handful of candy and
explain that because they were obedient and paid their tithing on that candy, Heavenly Father is giving them more
blessings.

38. 10 COMMANDMENTS HAND SIGNS

1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” - Hold up 1 finger to represent just 1 God.
2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” - You know the “Happy llama, sad llama” song from
middle school? Make that llama. 2 fingers are up in the air to remember commandment #2, and in the shape
of an animal to remember no graven image (like the egyptian gods and stuff way back when)
3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” - Hold up 3 fingers and put them over your lips
to remember to not say the Lord’s name in vain.
4. ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” - Use both hands and make the party/rock on hand sign (index
and pinky fingers up while the others are down). Now touch both your pinkies and index fingers together.
They should make the shape of a church building/church steeples.
5. “Honour thy father and thy mother.” - Hold up five fingers. With your fingers outstretched, touch your
thumb to your forehead (ASL for father) and then to your chin (ASL for mother)
6. “Thou shalt not kill.” - Use three fingers on each hand to make finger guns. The commandment says to not
kill, so do the motion as if you were putting them in your holsters.
7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” - Hold up five fingers on your left hand. Using your right hand, make a
circle with your thumb and your index finger, so they make a ring. Put the “ring” over the ring finger on your
left hand.
8. “Thou shalt not steal.” - Hold up four fingers on each hand (thumbs down, all others up). Explain that back in
the day, in some countries they would cut off your thumbs if you were caught stealing.
9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” - Hold up four fingers by your mouth, the way you
would if you were telling a secret. With the other hand, make the “talking” hand sign, like what people do
with hand puppets, and have it on the other side of the hand that’s by your mouth (so mouth on one side,
talking hand on the other). Explain that it basically means to not spread lies, rumors, or gossip.
10. “Thou shalt not covet.” - Using both hands, act as if you’re grabbing things out in front of you. To covet
means to want everything else/to be jealous or envious of others.
39. THE SACRIFICE GAME
This is super fun to do with any group of any size and of any age. You have 11 notecards, each with something
written on it (they're all listed below). Explain to the group that the object of the game is that they will have 2 items
(so phone and entertainment to start with) and they have to choose one to sacrifice. Once it's been sacrificed, it's
taken off the entire earth forever. So if you choose to sacrifice a phone, then you now have to choose between
entertainment and transportation. The game keeps going until you get to the last card, which is testimony. The goal
is to have them end up with their testimony, so to sacrifice the other card. Talk about why it's important to keep
your testimony ("because it's the only thing we can take with us when we die"). If they don't end up with testimony
(usually the only other things they end up with are family or temple) then just tie that item back to their testimony.
Then invite them to think of little sacrifices they can make in their own lives to strengthen their testimonies.
THE CARDS
1. Phone
2. Entertainment
3. Transportation (if sacrificed, they can still walk or run, but no cars, bikes, planes, trains, etc)
4. Education (everyone can keep what they already know but nobody can learn anything new)
5. Money
6. Health/Healthcare (they can be healthy but if they get sick then no medicines or doctors to help)
7. Friends
8. Food (everyone dies in 2 weeks or whatever it is)
9. Family (you're still related and you know who your family is, but they're all scattered throughout the earth so
you can't see or communicate with them)
10. Temple (everyone can keep any ordinances they've already made but nobody can participate in any new
ordinances)
11. Testimony (they lose all they know and believe to be true about the gospel)

40. HOLY GHOST "SIGNS"

Have everyone choose a hand sign (scratching nose, thumbs up, rubbing elbow ect.)
The object of the game is to pass the signs around without the person in the middle knowing.
To pass the sign you do someone else's sign, then they do their sign to receive it. (example John's sign is . Sally wants
to pass the sign to John, to do this she does ✌🏻 with her hands. She still has the sign until John does ✌🏽 that with his
hands.)
To start, someone stands in the middle of the circle with their eyes closed (probably your companion). Then you
(missionary) pass the sign to someone. Then (your companion) opens their eyes.
ROUND 1. everyone passes the sign around until the person in the middle guesses correctly. Whoever had the sign
goes into the middle. Go until everyone has had a turn in the middle or people are really getting the hang of it.
ROUND 2. Now the person in the middle has their eyes closed.
The lesson asked which was harder: eyes open or eyes closed? Eyes open is like having the spirit. Eyes closed is like
not having the spirit. The hand signs represent the signs of the holy ghost. Take it any direction from there.

41. RUBIX CUBE APOSTASY AND RESTORATION

Have a perfect rubix cube. Explain that this is Christ's Church that He established upon the earth. It's His perfect
gospel. Talk about different things that happened during/because of the apostasy. As you do so, start mixing up the
cube. Once it's mixed pretty well, hand the cube over to someone else in the room (who you think can't solve it) and
ask them to try and solve it. They can't. But then have someone who can solve rubix cubes solve it, and relate that to
how Joseph Smith was given that ability to restore Christ's church again. Make sure to tell them that it didn't happen
all at once, though. It took time, it took learning. Joseph Smith didn't know what the "cube" was supposed to look
like. He didn't have a guide or a map yet, but little by little, line upon line, and precept upon precept, Jospeh was
able to solve it with the help of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Once the cube is back in its perfect state, ask them
if this is a different cube. The answer is obviously no. So this Church is not a different church from the one Christ
established - this is the same. The church was restored to be just as it was when Christ was on the Earth.

42. FORGIVENESS ROCKS

Have them wear a backpack and then start putting in big rocks or other heavy objects that represent each time you
choose not to forgive someone. Then talk about forgiveness and how it provides relief and helps us to be happier as
you take the heavy objects out each time the person forgives!
43. TEMPLE SEALINGS
Get a clear ziplock bag and put in two pictures of a guy and a girl (I had stickers of Anna and Kristoff from Frozen that
I put on paper and cut out). You put them in without closing the bag then when they “die,” flip over the bag and
since it’s not closed, they fall out and can’t be together. Put them back in with a picture of the temple and “seal” the
bag to represent a temple sealing. Flip the bag over and they won’t fall out because they’re sealed together and kept
their covenants(:

44. STUMP THE MISSIONARIES - OBJECTS

Have them run around the house and grab an object! Once they have their object have them relate it to the Gospel!
Talk about how the Gospel is in every aspect of their life! If you can't relate it back, then you've been stumped.

45. STUMP THE MISSIONARIES - SCRIPTURES

Have someone (without them looking) choose a random page in the BoM (1-531) and then a random verse. Using
only that verse, relate it back to Christ and/or a Gospel principle (to make it harder, decide on a specific Gospel
principle beforehand with the group). Talk about how all things relate back to Christ/His gospel.