Faith in God Award

You may begin to work on the Faith in God Award when you turn eight years old. To earn the award, complete the requirements in this guidebook before your twelfth birthday. Your parents and Primary leaders can help you with the activities.

Basic Requirements

An important part of faith in God is keeping your baptismal covenant and staying spiritually strong. To help you develop faith and resist temptation, do the following things:

• • Pray daily to Heavenly Father.
• • Read the scriptures regularly.
• • Keep the commandments and live “My Gospel Standards” (see back cover).
• • Honor your parents and be kind to your family.
• • Pay your tithing and attend tithing settlement.
• • Attend sacrament meetings and Primary regularly.

Other Requirements

Doing the following activities will help your understanding and testimony of the gospel grow:

• • Write your testimony.
• • Memorize the Articles of Faith and explain what they mean.
• • Complete activities in the guidebook for:
  • Learning and Living the Gospel (page 6)
  • Serving Others (page 8)
  • Developing Talents (page 10)
  • Preparing for the Priesthood (page 12)
• • Have an interview with a member of your bishopric or branch presidency.

Some ideas for activities to earn the Faith in God Award are listed in this guidebook. With help from your parents or Primary leader, you can also plan and do other activities. Use the chart on page 20 to track your progress.

If you are a Cub Scout, you can also earn the Scouting Religious Square Knot patch. To do this, complete all the activities with the Πnext to them.

Learning and Living the Gospel

“Learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.”
Alma 37:35

Complete at least two of the following activities each year:

• • Explain how taking the sacrament helps you renew your baptismal covenant. In a family home evening, teach others about things we can do to remain faithful.
• • Give a family home evening lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20). Discuss how Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayers. Œ
• • Mark these verses about the Holy Ghost in your scriptures: John 14:16–17, 2 Nephi 32:5, and Moroni 10:5. Discuss ways the Holy Ghost helps you.
• • Read a recent conference address given by the prophet. Decide what you can do to follow the prophet, and do it.
• • Give an opening and a closing prayer in family home evening or at Primary. Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps us to stay close to Heavenly Father and the Savior. Œ
• • Tell a story from the Book of Mormon that teaches about faith in Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the Savior. Œ
• • Read D&C 89. Discuss how Heavenly Father blesses us when we faithfully live the Word of Wisdom. Help plan and conduct an activity to teach the Word of Wisdom to others.
• • Prepare a pedigree chart with your name and your parents’ and grandparents’ names. Prepare a family group record for your family and share a family story. Discuss how performing temple work blesses families. Œ
• • Learn to sing “Choose the Right” (Hymns,no. 239). Explain what agency is and what it means to be responsible for your choices. Discuss how making good choices has helped you develop greater faith.
• • Plan and complete your own activity that will help you learn and live the gospel (write the activity below).
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Serving Others

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”
Mosiah 2:17

Complete at least two of the following activities each year:

• • Read and discuss the parable of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:30–37). Plan and complete a service project that helps a family member or neighbor. After completing the project, discuss how it helped your faith grow stronger.
• • Write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grandparents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them. Œ
• • Make a list of the qualities you like in a person. Choose one quality to develop in yourself. Discuss how showing respect and kindness strengthens you, your family, and others.
• • Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal.
• • Entertain young children with songs or games you have learned or made yourself. Show that you know how to care for and protect a young child.
• • Learn about and practice good manners and courtesy.
• • Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.
• • Read the twelfth article of faith. Discuss what it means to be a good citizen and how your actions can affect others.
• • Help your Primary leaders plan and carry out an upcoming quarterly activity. Œ
• • Plan and complete your own activity to serve others (write the activity below).
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Developing Talents

“For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.”
Doctrine and Covenants 46:11

Complete at least two of the following activities each year:

• • Learn how to budget and save money. Discuss why it is important to faithfully pay our tithing and how Heavenly Father blesses us when we do (see 3 Nephi 24:10–11). Pay your tithing and begin saving for a mission.
• • Learn to sing, play, or lead a song from the Children’s Songbook. Teach or share the song in a family home evening or at Primary. Discuss how developing talents helps prepare us for service to Heavenly Father and others.
• • Write a poem, story, or short play that teaches a principle of the gospel or is about Heavenly Father’s creations. Œ
• • Make an item from wood, metal, fabric, or other material, or draw, paint, or sculpt a piece of art. Display your finished work for others to see.
• • Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group.
• • Read D&C 88:118. Discuss what it means to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Improve your personal study habits by doing such things as learning how to choose and read good books or being prepared for school each day.
• • List five things you can do to help around your home. Discuss the importance of obeying and honoring your parents and learning how to work.
• • Plan a physical fitness program for yourself that may include learning to play a sport or game. Participate in the program for one month.
• • Learn about and practice good nutrition, good health, and good grooming, including modest dress.
• • Plan and complete your own activity that will help you develop your talents (write the activity below).
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Preparing for the Priesthood

“The Priesthood of Aaron … is an appendage to the greater, or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances.”
Doctrine and Covenants 107:13–14

Complete the following activities while you are 11 years old. They will help you prepare to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and become a righteous young man.

• • Learn about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (see D&C 13, D&C 107:20, and Joseph Smith—History 1:68–73).
• • Read D&C 20:57–60 and Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God [Deacon], page 7. Discuss with a parent or leader the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood and what it means to do your duty to God.
• • Talk with the deacons quorum presidency about the role of the deacons quorum. Write in your journal how you can serve the Lord as a member of a deacons quorum.
• • Read D&C 88:77–80, 118 and D&C 130:19. Discuss with a parent or Primary leader how important a good education is and how it can help strengthen you as a priesthood holder in your home and family and in the Church.
• • Read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Make a list of things you can do to help strengthen your family and make a happy home. Share the list with your parents or Primary leader.

Articles of Faith

• 1. WE BELIEVE in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
• 2. WE BELIEVE that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
• 3. WE BELIEVE that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
• 4. WE BELIEVE that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• 5. WE BELIEVE that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
• 6. WE BELIEVE in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
• 7. WE BELIEVE in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
• 8. WE BELIEVE the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
• 9. WE BELIEVE all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
• 10. WE BELIEVE in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
• 11. WE CLAIM the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
• 12. WE BELIEVE in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
• 13. WE BELIEVE in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.