Be Strong and of a Good Courage – Joshua 1-8; 23-24

Gathered in this post are resources to help you teach your family not only the stories of the people in the Old Testament but also the doctrine and principles found in the study block for the Come, Follow Me reading of Joshua 1-8; 23-24. There are resources for children, youth, and adults. Every resource linked to is free! Most links are to church websites or websites approved for further gospel study. Choose on thing a day to do with your family or a couple to do for family home evening. Enjoy!

Everyone

Music – The Battle of Jericho – The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (2:31 minutes)

Video – Staying Spiritually Fit – Now is the time to prepare to meet God. Just as an athlete prepares daily for game day; when we work on our spirituality daily and give our all to the Lord, we strengthen our testimonies of Him and of His gospel. (3:31 minutes)

Video – Inspiring Short: The Miracle of the Ordinary | Lawrence E. Corbridge – “How can you believe in extraordinary things such as angels and gold plates and your divine potential? Easy, just look around and believe. (3 minutes)

Video – Strengthened in the Lord – Youth in New York City share how seeking the Savior and following Him has helped strengthen their lives. (4:23 minutes)

Video – Choose This Day – Henry B. Eyring, a disciple of Jesus Christ, urges us to seek God’s help to overcome complacency and discouragement and find joy in serving Him today. (3 minutes)

Primary Children

Activity – Scripture Hero Cards: Joshua and Rahab – Cut out and read about the heroes on the cards.

Video – Joshua the Prophet – Old Testament Stories

Video – Joshua – Old Testament Scripture Reader

“Be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua 1-4; 6

Activity – The City of Jericho – Search and Find

Activity/Article – Keep Trying! – Peter F. Meurs of the Seventy shares how he was afraid to play the piano and speak in front of people but that working through his fears has helped him to bless others. Includes a find it activity.

Poster – Be Strong and of a Good Courage – Print out and put where you can see it daily.

Story – Joshua’s Courage – Scripture Stories for Young Readers

Story – S.O.C.K.S. Rock – Sydney become a “Sisters of Courage, Kindness and Service” and made a pair of crazy socks to remind her.

Video – Rahab and the Spies – Old Testament Stories

I can think about the scriptures day and night. Joshua 1:8

Activity – Scripture Cards – Scripture cards to help in happy times and in challenging times.

Activity – Family Scripture Fun – Make scripture reading fun with these cool ideas.

Activity – Gospel A to Z – Use each letter of the alphabet to draw a gospel picture.

Article – How can the scriptures help me? – Boyd K. Packer shares thoughts on the subject.

Story – Always Ready – Jeffrey faces many choices throughout the day, but he reads his scriptures in the morning so he can receive extra help to make good media choices all day.

Story – The Dinner Game – A family starts a new tradition of guessing scripture quotes while eating Sunday dinner.

I must be baptized to enter the kingdom of heaven. Joshua 3

Activity – I Must be Baptized to Enter the Kingdom of Heaven – Coloring page

Article – Being a Witness for God – Henry B. Eyring teaches that we promise at baptism to be witnesses for God.

Article – What to Do Now? – Ideas for how to live righteously after your baptism.

Story – Jacob’s Testimony – A young boy worries that he is not good enough to be baptized.

I can choose to serve Jesus Christ. Joshua 24:15

Activity – I Can Make Good Choices – Coloring page

Activity – Following Jesus: Be Helpful – Ideas for serving others

Activity – A Big Helper – How many things can you find that Carlos could help with?

Activity – Following Jesus – Coloring page. Children follow the Savior by sharing and helping other children.

Activity/Article – Go and Do – Henry B. Eyring shares a story about a Relief Society president he knew as a child who helped others. Includes some ideas for ways children can help now.

Sunday School – Youth and Adults

Article – Thoughts to Keep in Mind: The Historical Books in the Old Testament – The books of Joshua through Esther are traditionally known as the “historical books” of the Old Testament. This doesn’t mean that other books in the Old Testament don’t have historical value. Rather, the historical books are called that because the main objective of their writers was to show God’s hand in the history of the people of Israel.

Video – The Book of Joshua – Book of Mormon Central (16:44 minutes)

Video – How Does Joshua Symbolize Christ? – Book of Mormon Central (4:26 minutes)

Video – Violence in the Book of Joshua – There are some passages in the bible that just don’t sit well and the book of Joshua is definitely up there with uncomfortable scriptures because of its violence. The truth is, there are many passages in the Bible that have always been, and will always be difficult to grapple with. We don’t always know all the answers. We aren’t likely to solve the millennia-old problem of violence in the Bible, but one thing to consider as we study the book of Joshua, is the role of hyperbole and exaggeration in biblical and ancient texts. Book of Mormon Central (5:56 mintues)

God will be with me if I am faithful to Him. Joshua 1:1-9

Article – Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection – When we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, when we draw upon the Savior’s Atonement and press forward with faith, we are fortified against the adversary.

The word of God can make our way prosperous. Joshua 1:8

Article – 38 Different Ways to Study the Scriptures – Even if you don’t love reading, there are many ways to study the scriptures.

Article – Search the Scriptures – The scriptures become a road map, a set of divine directions to assist us on our journey through mortality and our return trip home.

Article – The Power of Scripture – Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.

Video – What Scriptures Mean to Me – The scriptures can hold personal meaning for each individual. Elder Richard G. Scott explained that “they can become stalwart friends.” (4:58 minutes)

Both faith and works are necessary for salvation. Joshua 2

Article – Faith and Good Works – As we look into the mirror at the accumulation of bumps and bruises that evidence our weaknesses, may we be reminded that there are two great stabilizing forces that can anchor our souls.

Video – Faith and Works – An expedition to the North Pole serves as an analogy of how grace, faith, and works are necessary to gain eternal life. (8:25 minutes)

I can experience God’s “wonders” if I have faith in Jesus Christ. Joshua 3-4

Article – Seek Learning By Faith – Learning by faith and from experience are two of the central features of the Father’s plan of happiness.

Article – Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You – Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.

Article – Is It Still Wonderful to You? – To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us.

Video – Crossing the Jordan River – Book of Mormon Central (4:51 minutes)

Obedience brings God’s power into my life. Joshua 6-8

Article – Walls of the Mind –  Just as there was no security in those ancient man-made walls, neither is there any security in modern-day walls outside the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Article – Arise and Shine Forth – One of the greatest ways we can arise and shine forth is to confidently obey the commandments of God.

Video – Rahab’s Example – Book of Mormon Central (5:39 minutes)

Video – Instructions Included – How does keeping the commandments help us? (43 seconds)

“Cleave unto the Lord your God.” “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 23-24

Article – Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets – In modern Israel, serving the Lord means carefully following the Prophets.

Video – Walk His Way – (Joshua 24:14-27) A song about choosing to walk in the ways of the Lord. (3:05 minutes)

Video – No Other Gods Before Me – (Joshua 23-24) A young man relates the dangers of carbon monoxide to that of Idolatry. (2:09 minutes)

Youth Doctrinal Topics

How Can I Show My Gratitude to God?

Article – Grateful in Any Circumstance – Have we not reason to be filled with gratitude, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves?

Article – Gratitude: A Path to Happiness – Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God.

Article – Gratitude as a Saving Principle – A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.

Videos – Gratitude – This collection of 21 videos shows how Latter-day Saints give thanks in all things and how to set a course for a grateful outlook even when trying circumstances make it hard to be joyful or connected to God.

Adults

Article – Israel’s Exodus and Deliverance—Then and Now – The Israelites’ 40 years of wandering are a symbol of our own personal journey to believe.

Article – Joshua 1–24: The Entry into the Promised Land – Old Testament Institute Manual

Article – “Biblical Hebrew Words You Already Know and Why They Are Important” – BYU Religious Studies Center

Article – Seek Learning by Faith – BYU Religious Studies Center

Podcast – Follow Him: Joshua 1-8; 23-24 part 1 (video link) – How does Joshua leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land remind you of the Savior’s mission? Dr. George Pierce explores the importance of names, the power and faith of Rahab, and the importance of children gaining their own testimonies. Find the audio for this episode here.

Podcast – Follow Him: Joshua 1-8; 23-24 part 2 (video link) – Dr. Pierce returns and explores the importance of remembering the hand of the Lord and tackles what modern readers do with violence in the Hebrew Bible. Find the audio for this episode here.

Podcast – Audio Roundtable: Joshua 1-8; 23-24 – From The Interpreter Foundation

Video – Discussions on the Old Testament: Entry into the Promised Land – Professors from the BYU Department of Ancient Scripture discuss the appointment of Joshua as the new leader of Israel as the nation’s life in the promised land begins. BYUtv (26:59 minutes)

Video – Come Follow Me Insights: Joshua: Walls of Jericho – God doesn’t give up when we fail Him. God choses an individual that doesn’t “fit the mold” by society’s standards to do his work. Book of Mormon Central (1:12:48 minutes)

Video Come Follow Up: Joshua 1-8; 23-24 – Come Follow Up host Ben Lomu meets with Old Testament scholar Patrick Mason, as well as special guests Gail Porter, Lanning Porter, and Janiece Johnson, to discuss lessons of faith from the fall of Jericho, as well as how God is with us when we are faithful to him. Also discussed are the story of Rahab, and lessons from the wider context of the book of Joshua. BYUtv (54:31 minutes)