Teachers: The lessons in the manual contain more information than you will probably be able to teach in one class period. Seek the Spirit of the Lord in selecting the scripture passages, stories, activities, questions, and other lesson materials that best meet the needs of class members.

Basic Resources

• Do you want to see this week's lesson? Lesson 45

• You can read the assigned scriptures for this week online: Malachi 4:5–6; John 3:5; D&C 138:30; Articles of Faith 1:4.

• Do you have an MP3 player? Try downloading Malachi 4, which is in this week's reading. For more Old Testament audio, click here.

• The official scripture study aids often have helpful information you can use in your lessons. For example, for this week's lesson, read the entry on "Salvation for the Dead" in the Guide to the Scriptures.

Art

A photograph of a temple baptismal font is available online or in your meetinghouse library: Temple Baptismal Font, Gospel Art Picture Kit, no. 504.

Recent Talks and Articles in Church Magazines

Would you like to see what Church leaders have said recently about topics in this week's lesson? Click on the photographs or article titles below to read the complete articles.

What has President Hinckley said to youth about performing baptisms for the dead? Read the following: "What a marvelous thing that is that you, an ordinary boy or girl, can stand in the place of some great man or woman who at one time lived upon the earth but who is now powerless to move forward without the blessing that you can give to him or her" ("Inspirational Thoughts," Ensign, Apr. 2002, 4).

President James E. Faust shared the following about the importance of family history work for people of all ages: "It is a joy to become acquainted with our forebears who died long ago. Each of us has a fascinating family history. Finding your ancestors can be one of the most interesting puzzles you young men can work on. "Each of us has to begin this work somewhere, and it can be done by young or old. This summer 170 children of the Accra Ghana Lartebiokorshie Stake worked on their four-generation family trees during a two-hour program, with more than 74 completing and displaying their trees" ("The Phenomenon That Is You," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 53).

Music

Below are a couple of songs that relate to this week's lesson. You could read words from a song in class or have your class sing the song together. Click on the song titles below to go to the Church Music site, where you can read or listen to the song online. Or, search for a hymn that relates to the lesson.

• "Truth from Elijah," Children's Songbook, no. 90
• "High on the Mountain Top," Hymns, no. 5

Additional Helps

How can this lesson encourage your class members to complete their Duty to God and Personal Progress goals? Consider the ideas below.

• "Work with a family member to gather the names of some deceased relatives who were not members of the Church. Identify their birth and death dates and submit their names to the temple. Help plan a temple trip and do baptisms for those relatives" (Young Women Personal Progress, "Good Works Value Project," 51).

• "Family Activities: 4. Keep a written record of your family history. Ask a parent or the ward family history consultant to help you prepare a 4-generation pedigree chart" (Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God [Deacon], 13).

• "Quorum Activities: 6. Participate in baptisms for the dead, if possible. If not, talk with a priesthood leader about the temple and what it means to Latter-day Saints" (Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God [Deacon], 14).