“Lesson 18: The Birth and Calling of Moses,” Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996),75
• I have a long piece of yarn
with the ends tied
together.
• I need someone to hold it up in a
circle using only their hands.
• Hmm… it looks pretty difficult to
make a circle with just one set of
hands… We need a friend to help
out...
• That looks a little better, but I think if
we add in a few more friends we can
make a better circle.
• Just as each person was needed to
help make the circle, each of us has a
mission to fulfill in the kingdom of
God.
• In this lesson we will learn about the
prophet Moses and the mission he
was called to perform.
• What name did the Lord give to Jacob?
• Let’s read Genesis 32:28; 46:2
–Israel
• Where did the Lord tell Jacob to take
his family? Why?
• Let’s read Genesis 46:3–4
• What were the names of Jacob’s
(Israel’s) twelve sons?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:1–5
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reuben
Simeon •
Levi
Judah •
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
•
Asher
Issacher
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Jacob, whose name was later
changed to Israel, had twelve sons.
The family of each son was called a
tribe, and they were known as the
Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The promises made by the Lord to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were
passed down through those sons.
Their descendants would bring the
blessings of the gospel to many
people throughout the world.
• Israel and the
children of Israel
were also known
as Hebrews.
• The Israelites
were treated well
by the Pharaoh,
who gave them
lands and gifts.
The Baby Moses
• Joseph, his brothers
and the pharaoh of
Egypt died. Many
years went by. The
Israelites lived in
Egypt a long time.
They had many
children.
• One pharaoh of Egypt did
not like the Israelites. He
thought there were too
many of them. He was
afraid they would take his
land away from him.
• The pharaoh made the
Israelites slaves. The
Egyptians made them
work hard and were
mean to them.
• The pharaoh told the Hebrew
midwives to kill all of the baby
boys they helped to be born.
• But the
midwives were
faithful to the
gospel and did
not kill any of
them.
• They told
Pharaoh that the
mothers had
their babies
before they (the
midwives) could
get there to help.
• The pharaoh said all the Israelite
baby boys must be killed. He sent
soldiers to kill them.
• Why didn’t the new Pharaoh like
the Israelites?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:7–10
• Note: King of Egypt and Pharaoh
are both names for the ruler of
Egypt.
• What did the new Pharaoh propose
to do about the Israelites?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:11–14
• What happened to the Israelites as
the Egyptians enslaved them?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:12
• What did Pharaoh want the Hebrew
midwives to do? Why?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:15–16
• What did the midwives do?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:17–19
• Whom did Pharaoh next order
to kill the Hebrew babies?
• Let’s read Exodus 1:22
• What can we do
if we are asked
to do something
we know is
wrong?
• One Israelite mother, Jochebed, was
afraid they would find her baby boy.
• She hid him
for three
months.
• Then Jochebed put her baby in a
basket. She put the basket in the tall
grass by the river. The baby’s sister,
Miriam, stood by to watch the baby.
• The pharaoh had a
daughter. She went to
the river.
• She saw the basket and
opened it. The baby began
to cry. The pharaoh ’s
daughter felt sorry for the
baby. She wanted to take
him to her home.
• She needed someone to take care of the
baby. She wanted to be his mother.
• Miriam went to the pharaoh ’s
daughter. Miriam said she would find
an Israelite woman to take care of the
baby.
• She ran and got her mother. Jochebed
came to take care of the baby.
• What did
Moses’ mother
do to save his
life?
• Let’s read Exodus 2:2–4
• Who watched over the baby Moses?
• His sister, Miriam, and Heavenly
Father
• What did Pharaoh’s daughter
decide to do with the baby Moses
when she found him?
• Let’s read Exodus
2:5–10
• Who took care of
Moses?
• They took the baby to the
pharaoh’s house. The pharaoh’s
daughter named him Moses.
• Moses grew up in the pharaoh’s
house.
• Moses grew to be a
man. His people, the
Israelites, were slaves in
Egypt. He saw his people
working too hard. Moses
was sad for them.
• One day Moses saw an
Egyptian beating an
Israelite. In trying to
stop the beating he
killed the Egyptian.
• Moses fled Egypt to Midian. There he
defended Jethro’s daughters against
bullying shepherds. He married
Zipporah, the oldest daughter.
• Moses received
the priesthood
from his fatherin-law and raised
two sons.
• What happened when
Moses tried to defend a
Hebrew slave?
• Let’s read Exodus 2:11–12
• Why did Moses leave Egypt?
• Let’s read Exodus 2:13–15
• Moses was tending sheep near Mount
Horeb (Sinai) and saw a bush that
appeared to burn but was not destroyed.
• Jesus Christ called
Moses by name from
the burning bush.
• Jesus knew that the
Israelites were not
happy. He did not
want them to be
slaves.
• Jesus told
Moses to lead
the Israelites
out of Egypt to
the promised
land.
• Moses thought he could not lead the
Israelites. Jesus said Aaron could help
Moses. Aaron was Moses’ older brother.
• How did Moses find out what the Lord
wanted him to do?
• Let’s read Exodus 3:2–10; Moses 1:1–2,
25–26
• What was Moses’ mission? Why was
this a difficult mission?
• Let’s read Exodus 3:19–20; 4:10
• Why do you think the Lord sometimes
asks us to do things that are difficult?
• How did Moses feel when God told him
what his mission would be?
• Let’s read Exodus 3:11
• What did the Lord tell Moses that gave
him strength and courage?
• Let’s read Moses 1:6
• What encouragement could you give to
someone who feels overwhelmed by an
assignment or trial?
• Let’s read 1 Nephi 3:7
• Moses was a prophet of God. Moses
and Aaron went to the king of Egypt.
They asked him to let the Israelites
leave Egypt.
• We’ll learn
more of Moses’
story in our
next four
lessons.
• What important mission was
performed by the Hebrew midwives?
• by Miriam, Moses’ sister?
• by Jochebed, Moses’ mother?
• by the daughter of Pharaoh?
• How did each of these people help
make it possible for Moses to fulfill his
mission?
• How can you know what work the Lord
has for you to perform?
• The following quotation is by
Virginia H. Pearce, who served as
First Counselor in the Young
Women general presidency:
“ Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live,
and they are in charge of this world.
They know me. They love me. They
have a plan for my future. I will obey the
commandments, work hard, and trust in
their plan. Sooner or later, everything
will be okay” (“Faith Is the Answer,” Ensign, May 1994, p. 92).
Enrichment Activity #2
• How can you prepare yourself
to fulfill your future callings?
• We can learn about our
mission in life, as Moses did,
by revelation from Heavenly
Father.
• Let’s read Moses 1:25–26
• Do you know what a patriarchal
blessing is?
• Patriarchs are ordained to give
patriarchal blessings to members of
the Church.
Enrichment Activity #3
• These blessings may give us
some understanding of our
callings on earth.
• They are the word of the Lord
personally to us.
• President Boyd K. Packer said:
• “Members should seek blessings as they feel
inspired to do so. There is no fixed age at which
one may receive a patriarchal blessing. The
bishop ensures that the member is of sufficient
age and maturity to understand the meaning
and significance of the blessing (November 2002
Ensign).Activity #3
Enrichment
• Each patriarchal
blessing is sacred and
not to be shared in
detail with people
outside your family.
• Here is part of mine that I
can share with you…
Enrichment Activity #3
• I am going to list your responses on the
chalkboard under the heading I Am Doing.
• I am going to list your responses under the
heading I Will Do.
Enrichment Activity #5
• “Every one of you was endowed by your
Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity
to do good in the world. Train your minds and
your hands that you may be equipped to
serve well in the society of which you are a
part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being
thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you
the quality of mercy which comes as a part of
the divine attributes you have inherited” (“The Light
within You,” Ensign, May 1995, p. 99).
Enrichment Activity #5
• What did Moses give up to become the
leader of the Hebrews?
• Let’s read Hebrews 11:24–26
• If you had to
choose only one
of the following,
would you rather
be a disciple of
Jesus Christ or
rich and famous?
Why?
Enrichment Activity #1
• “There is neither man nor woman in this
Church who is not on a mission. That
mission will last as long as they live, and
it is to do good, to promote
righteousness, to teach the principles of
truth, and to prevail upon themselves
and every body around them to live
those principles that they may obtain
eternal life” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe
[1941], p. 322).
Enrichment Activity #1
Now, let’s look at
the list on the
board and find
missions that
will accomplish
the things
President Young
mentioned.
Enrichment Activity #1
• How did Moses help the daughters of
the priest of Midian?
• Let’s read Exodus 2:16–17
• The priest of Midian (also known as
Reuel or Jethro) conferred the
Melchizedek priesthood on Moses
(see D&C 84:6).
• Moses married in the covenant when
he married one of Jethro’s daughters.
Let’s solve this
maze and
read the
signs out
loud as we
pass them.
Enrichment Activity #4
• Hugh B. Brown, former
counselor in the First
Presidency, shared this story:
• On Elder Brown’s farm grew a
currant bush that had grown
very large. Because it had been
allowed to grow freely, it
produced no blossoms and no
currants. As Elder Brown cut off
most of the long branches, he
imagined what the currant bush
might say if it could talk.
Enrichment Activity #6
• “How could you do this to me? I was making
such wonderful growth. I was almost as big
as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are
inside the fence, and now you have cut me
down. Every plant in the garden will look
down on me, because I didn’t make what I
should have made.” He thought, “I am the
gardener here, and I know what I want you
to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or
a shade tree. I want you to be a currant
bush.” As time passed, the currant bush grew
blossoms and bore fruit.
Enrichment Activity #6
• Years later Elder Brown was in the British
Army, working toward becoming a general.
He had passed all the necessary tests and
felt confident he would receive the
promotion. When he learned that he had
been assigned to a less important position
because he was a member of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was
very disappointed. He wondered why God
had allowed this to happen to him. He felt
he had done everything he could to deserve
the promotion.
Enrichment Activity #6
• Then he remembered his own words
years before. “I am the gardener here. I
know what I want you to do.” He knelt
to pray for forgiveness. He realized that
the Lord knew what his mission in life
was to be and would bless him in
fulfilling it as he continued to live
righteously. (See “The Currant Bush,” New Era, Jan. 1973, pp. 14–
15.)
Enrichment Activity #6
• Rather than spending his life
as an important army
officer, President Brown
eventually was called to be
an Apostle of Jesus Christ
and served in the First
Presidency of the Church.
• Sometimes we want things that would take
our time and attention away from our life’s
mission. We need to rely on the Lord’s
guidance to help us choose wisely and
accept what comes to us.
Enrichment Activity #6
• My life is a gift; my life has a plan.
My life has a purpose; in heav’n it began.
My choice was to come to this lovely home on
earth
And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.
I will follow God’s plan for me,
Holding fast to his word and his love.
I will work, and I will pray;
I will always walk in his way.
Then I will be happy on earth
And in my home above.
• Words and music: Vanja Y. Watkins, b. 1938. © 1981 IRI
Enrichment Activity #7
• I bear my testimony that each of us has a
mission to perform in this life.
• It is important to
live righteously in
order to be worthy
and able to serve.
Heavenly Father will
help and bless us as
we strive to learn
about and perform
our mission.
• Images and clipart are from lds.org, sugardoodle.net and
Microsoft Office. Hymn and lesson materials are from lds.org.
The lesson and activities are from the Primary 6 Old
Testament manual. The scripture story is from the September
1982 New Era, February 2002 Ensign, Old Testament Scripture
Stories and text that accompanies the “Moses in the
Bulrushes” & “Moses and the Burning Bush” pictures in the
Gospel Art Picture Kit on lds.org.
• No copyrighted materials were knowingly used in this
presentation. Please do not use this presentation for
commercial use.