Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021

Come, Follow Me—
For Primary

Doctrine and Covenants 2021

Living, Learning, and Teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Published by
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah

You Are a Teacher of Children

Jesus sitting with children

You have been called of God to love and teach His children in the Savior’s way. You were set apart to this calling by the authority of His holy priesthood. Even if you are not an experienced teacher, as you live worthily, pray daily, and study the scriptures, Heavenly Father will grant you the influence and power of the Holy Spirit to help you succeed (see 2 Nephi 33:1).

Those entrusted to your care are Heavenly Father’s children, and He knows what they need and how best to reach them. Through the Holy Ghost, God will guide you as you prepare and while you are teaching. He will reveal to you what you should say and what you should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5).

In all aspects of their lives, these precious children are constantly absorbing information, forming and refining their opinions, and making and sharing discoveries. This is especially true with the gospel, for children are often ready and eager to learn its simple truths. Their faith in spiritual things is strong and pure, and they see every moment as a learning opportunity. They willingly act on what they have learned, even if their understanding is still incomplete. This is how we should all receive the gospel. As the Savior taught, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:17).

The calling to teach children is a sacred trust, and it is normal to feel overwhelmed at times. But remember that your Heavenly Father called you, and He will never forsake you. This is the Lord’s work, and as you serve “with all your heart, might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2), He will enlarge your capacities, gifts, and talents, and your service will bless the lives of the children you teach.

Using Come, Follow Me—For Primary

Primary class doing an activity

Preparing to Teach in Primary

Personal and family study at home should be the center of gospel learning. This is true for you and for the children you teach. As you prepare to teach, start by having your own experiences in the scriptures. Your most important preparation will occur as you search the scriptures and seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families is also an important part of both your personal study and your preparation to teach. It will help you gain a deeper understanding of the doctrinal principles found in the scriptures.

During your preparation, thoughts and impressions will come to you about the children you teach. You will receive insights about how the principles in the scriptures will bless their lives. You will be guided to inspire them to discover those principles as they learn from the scriptures for themselves and with their families. Remember to be sensitive to children whose family circumstances may not support regular family scripture study and family home evening.

Teaching Ideas

As you prepare to teach, you might gain additional inspiration by exploring the teaching outlines in this resource. Don’t think of these ideas as step-by-step instructions but rather as suggestions to spark your own inspiration. You know these children—and you will get to know them even better as you interact with them in class. The Lord knows them too, and He will inspire you with the best ways to teach and bless them.

Many other resources are available for you to use as you prepare, including ideas in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and Church magazines. For more information about these and other resources, see “Additional Resources for Teaching Children” in this resource.

Some Things to Keep in Mind

  • Parents have the main responsibility to teach their children. As a teacher, you have an important responsibility to support, encourage, and build upon gospel learning in the home. Be sensitive to children whose parents do not teach the gospel in their home. Include all children in gospel discussions, regardless of their home circumstances.

  • Children can learn by sharing what they know. Sometimes the most powerful teaching moments happen when children teach one another something they have learned from the scriptures. Provide plenty of opportunities for children to share.

  • Understanding the teachings in the Doctrine and Covenants is easier for the children when they know the historical context for those teachings. You can find historical context in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and Doctrine and Covenants Stories.

  • Repetition is good. Children learn gospel truths more effectively when these truths are taught repeatedly through a variety of activities. If you find that a learning activity is effective for the children, consider repeating it, especially if you are teaching younger children. You might also review an activity from a previous lesson.

  • Heavenly Father wants you to succeed as a teacher. He has provided many resources to help you, including teacher council meetings. In these meetings you can counsel with other teachers about challenges you face. You can also discuss and practice principles of Christlike teaching.

  • If you are teaching younger children and need additional help, see “Meeting the Needs of Younger Children” in this resource.

  • This resource includes outlines for every week of the year. On Sundays when Primary is not held because of general conference, stake conference, or any other reason, families continue reading the Doctrine and Covenants at home according to the schedule outlined. Don’t worry about the lessons you miss; teach the assigned weekly outline.

woman studying manual

Additional Resources for Teaching Children

These resources can be found in the Gospel Library app and on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families

You can adapt activities from Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families for use in your Primary class. Don’t worry if children have already done these activities with their families at home; repetition helps children learn. During Primary, children may want to share with others what they are learning at home about the Savior and His gospel.

Hymns and Children’s Songbook

Sacred music invites the Spirit and teaches doctrine in a memorable way. In addition to the printed versions of Hymns and the Children’s Songbook, you can find audio and video recordings of many hymns and children’s songs at music.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Sacred Music and Gospel Media apps.

Behold Your Little Ones

Many of the topics addressed in Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual are similar to those you will teach in Primary. Especially if you teach younger children, consider looking in the nursery manual for additional songs, stories, activities, and crafts.

Friend and Liahona Magazines

The Friend and Liahona magazines provide stories and activities that can supplement the principles that you are teaching from Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

Doctrine and Covenants Stories

Doctrine and Covenants Stories uses pictures and simplified language to help children learn from the Doctrine and Covenants. You can also find videos of these stories in the Gospel Library app and the Gospel Media Library at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Scripture Stories Coloring Book: Doctrine and Covenants

This resource contains activity pages designed to enhance children’s learning from the Doctrine and Covenants.

Videos and Art

Artwork, videos, and other media can help those you teach visualize the doctrine and stories related to the scriptures. Visit the Gospel Media Library at ChurchofJesusChrist.org to browse the Church’s collection of media resources. These resources are also available in the Gospel Media app, and many images are also found in the Gospel Art Book.

True to the Faith

For additional insights into the gospel principles you will teach the children, consider looking in True to the Faith. This reference provides simple explanations of gospel topics, listed in alphabetical order.

woman and child reading Church material

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

Teaching in the Savior’s Way can help you learn about and apply principles of Christlike teaching. These principles are discussed and practiced in teacher council meetings.

Saints

Saints is a multivolume narrative history of the Church. Volume 1, The Standard of Truth, and volume 2, No Unhallowed Hand, cover the same period of Church history as the Doctrine and Covenants. These histories can give you insights into the context surrounding the revelations you study in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Meeting the Needs of Younger Children

young children sitting

Children are ready and eager to learn the gospel if it is presented in a way they can understand. Especially if you teach younger children, consider using the following types of activities to help them learn.

Part of your role as a teacher of young children—in addition to teaching gospel principles—is to help the children learn how to participate appropriately in a Church class. For example, they may need to learn about taking turns, sharing, respecting others, and so on. Some teachers create charts with an assignment for each child to participate in the class in a specific way (such as by saying a prayer, holding a picture, or passing out papers). The assignments can change each week. This helps the children take turns and focus on appropriate classroom behavior.

Children—especially younger children—often benefit from a regular, predictable routine. Because young children have short attention spans and sometimes struggle to focus for an entire class, it is usually best if this routine includes frequent transitions from one activity to another. For example, your class routine might include occasional breaks to play a game, color a picture, sing a song, and so on.

children and teachers in class

Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities

children singing

Primary leaders are responsible to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all children, including those with disabilities. In Primary, every child should be welcomed, loved, nurtured, and included. In this atmosphere it is easier for all children to understand the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and to feel and recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost. The following ideas can help you meet the needs of children with disabilities.

A Pattern for Teaching

children in class

In this resource, you will find the following three-step pattern repeated in each outline: invite sharing, teach the doctrine, and encourage learning at home. In many cases, as you teach, the elements of this pattern may overlap or occur in a different order. For example, consider that sharing is an opportunity to teach the doctrine, and teaching doctrine should involve invitations to share. Likewise, encouraging learning at home can happen throughout a class discussion. Allow adjustments in this pattern to happen naturally, following the promptings of the Spirit to meet the needs of the children you teach.

Invite Sharing

As part of every class, invite the children to share their feelings, insights, experiences, and testimonies about the principles you are teaching. Their comments may include experiences they have had learning at home. You might also review what they learned the previous week and ask how it has influenced their lives.

Teach the Doctrine

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families can help you better understand the doctrine you will teach to the children. Consider what scripture verses, quotations, experiences, questions, and other resources you might share to help the children learn and act on gospel principles. Look for creative ways to help them be excited about what they are learning.

Encourage Learning at Home

Because the home is the center of gospel learning, one of your objectives as a Primary teacher is to encourage learning at home. How can you help the children share with their families what they learned in class? How can you encourage children and their parents to continue to learn from the Doctrine and Covenants at home?

December 28–January 3

Doctrine and Covenants 1

family reading scriptures

“Hearken, O Ye People”

Your first step in preparing to teach should be to prayerfully study Doctrine and Covenants 1. As you do, listen for promptings about the children’s needs, and look for principles that will be meaningful to them. These impressions will help you plan meaningful activities to teach these principles.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Hold up the Doctrine and Covenants, and ask the children to share anything they know about this book. Who wrote it? What does it contain? Why is it important? For help, you could refer to “Chapter 23: The Doctrine and Covenants” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 90–92). Share your love for the Doctrine and Covenants and your eagerness to learn from it this year.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 1:4

Through His prophets, the Lord warns us of spiritual danger.

The Lord declared that His voice is a “voice of warning.” How will you inspire the children to hear and obey the warnings He gives?

Possible Activities

  • Let the children hold pictures of warning signs—such as traffic hazards, bad weather, or poison—and talk about how they warn us of danger. Or tell a story about a time when you obeyed a warning. Compare these warnings to the warnings the Lord gives us through His prophets. Testify that He warns us because He loves us and wants us to be safe (see also this week’s activity page).

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 1:4: “And the voice of warning shall be unto all people.” Share something that the prophet has recently taught that can keep us safe. Show related pictures, if possible. Talk about how you are following the prophet’s counsel.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 29

Joseph Smith is God’s prophet.

As you and the children begin studying the Doctrine and Covenants, help them build their testimonies of Joseph Smith’s divine calling.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith (see Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families; see also Gospel Art Book, no. 87). Ask the children to stand next to the picture and share what they know about Joseph Smith.

  • Let the children hold a picture of the Savior and a picture of Joseph Smith. Talk to them about what the Savior gave us through Joseph Smith, such as commandments (see verse 17) and the Book of Mormon (see verse 29). Tell the children that in the Doctrine and Covenants they will learn about the commandments the Lord gave to the Church through Joseph Smith.

  • Share your feelings about Joseph Smith, and testify that God “called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven” (verse 17).

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38

The prophet’s words are God’s words.

The children you teach may have heard the President of the Church speak, but they may not realize that his words come from God. Help them learn to recognize the words of the prophet as God’s words.

Possible Activities

  • Play a simple game by giving instructions to one child and asking him or her to repeat the instructions for the other children. Help them see that following the child’s instructions is the same as following your instructions and that following the prophet is the same as following the Lord. Read to them the last line of Doctrine and Covenants 1:38: “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”

  • Sing together a song about prophets, such as the last verse of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11). Share your testimony that the prophet speaks the word of God.

  • Share a picture, recording, or video clip of the living prophet. Bear your testimony that the prophet tells us what God wants us to know. Invite the children to share how they feel about the prophet.

    general conference session

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 1:15–17, 29–30

The Lord knew the challenges we would face, so He restored the gospel through Joseph Smith.

You can help the children prepare for future challenges by teaching them how the Restoration of the gospel provides spiritual protection.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of some of the problems in the world today. Review Doctrine and Covenants 1:15–16 with them, and help them identify some of the problems that the Lord prophesied would occur. Invite them to discover in verses 17 and 29–30 what the Lord has done to help us face the challenges of our time.

  • Ask the children to imagine they are preparing for a trip. What would they pack? How would it help them to know that it would rain during their trip or that their car would get a flat tire? Read together verse 17, and discuss what the Lord knew would happen to us and how He prepared for it. (If necessary, explain that a “calamity” is a disaster or terrible thing.) How do God’s commandments help us deal with the challenges of our time?

Doctrine and Covenants 1:30

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s “true and living church.”

How can you help the children appreciate the great blessings of belonging to “the only true and living church”?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to list some things that are living and some things that are not (if possible, bring pictures or examples). What is the difference between a living thing and a nonliving thing? Read together verse 30. What does it mean that the Church is “true”? that it is “living”?

  • Display a picture, such as a painting of the Savior, and ask the children to describe it with the lights in the room turned off. Use this activity to help the children see that for many people, the Savior’s true Church is in “obscurity” and “darkness.” How can we help others learn about the Church?

Doctrine and Covenants 1:37–38

The word of the Lord lasts forever.

You can help the children build their faith in Jesus Christ by teaching them that His word is sure and dependable.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children compare things that are temporary, like a bubble or a snowflake, with things that seem permanent, like a mountain or the sun. Ask them to find in verses 37–38 something that the Lord said is permanent. Why is it a blessing to know that God’s word “shall not pass away”?

  • Help the children understand that the “voice of my servants” includes the voices of our apostles and prophets. Help the children find “prophecies and promises” in a recent general conference address by one of the Lord’s servants. Bear your testimony that these words are inspired by the Lord and “shall all be fulfilled.”

Encourage Learning at Home

Review with the children what they learned today, and invite them to pick one thing that they feel everyone should know about. Encourage them to share it with a friend or family member.

Improving Our Teaching

Children learn in many ways. “Not all children are alike, and each child is developing rapidly. Your efforts to teach children will be most effective as you use a variety of teaching methods,” including stories, visual aids, and music (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

activity page: the prophet warns us of spiritual danger

January 4–10

Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26

the Sacred Grove

Sacred Grove, by Greg K. Olsen

“I Saw a Pillar of Light”

As you study the scriptures, think about the children you teach. The Holy Ghost can inspire you, through the impressions you receive, to know what to focus on in class.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite a few children to share what they know about Joseph Smith and his prayer in the Sacred Grove (showing a picture of the First Vision can help). Ask them how they feel when they hear that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visited Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith were to visit our class, what would we ask him about his experience?

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Joseph Smith—History 1:3–20

Joseph Smith was prepared to be a prophet of God.

Learning about Joseph Smith’s youth could help the children relate to him and prepare to learn from his experiences. Perhaps you can help them see how Joseph’s experiences as a boy prepared him to be a prophet of God.

Possible Activities

  • Ask a child to hold a picture of Joseph Smith (see Gospel Art Book, no. 87) while you share some facts about Joseph found in Joseph Smith—History 1:3–14 (see also “Chapter 1: Joseph Smith and His Family,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 6–8, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Help them compare details about his family and his life to their own. Share your testimony that Joseph was chosen by God and prepared to be a prophet (see “Voices of the Restoration: Joseph Smith’s Family,” in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). If necessary, teach the children that a prophet is someone who speaks for God.

  • Invite a young man in the ward to visit your class, pretending to be Joseph Smith. Prepare a few questions for the children to ask him that are answered in Joseph Smith—History 1:3–20 (you may want to share these questions with the young man in advance). Then invite the young man to read some of Joseph Smith’s own words about the First Vision (for example, Joseph Smith—History 1:25).

Joseph Smith—History 1:10–17

Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.

Joseph Smith’s experience can inspire the children to pray with faith that God will hear them.

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about the questions Joseph Smith had (see Joseph Smith—History 1:10). What can we do when we have questions about God? Show the children a copy of the Bible, and explain that when Joseph read the Bible, he learned that he could “ask of God” (James 1:5; see also Gospel Art Book, no. 89). Bear your testimony that we can ask God questions through prayer.

  • Tell about an experience when you were confused, asked God for help, and received an answer. Help the children think of times when their prayers were answered. You could also share a story from the Church magazines about a child’s prayer being answered.

Joseph Smith—History 1:17–19

Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can help the children lay the foundation for a strong testimony of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Share with them how you gained your testimony of this important event.

Possible Activities

  • Show the picture of the First Vision in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and share in your own words what happened when Joseph prayed. Invite the children to draw their own pictures of the story.

  • Invite the children to color this week’s activity page and use it to tell the story of the First Vision (see also “Chapter 2: Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 9–12, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Read Joseph Smith—History 1:17, and point out to the children the words that Heavenly Father said to Joseph Smith.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Joseph Smith—History 1:10–13

God can answer my questions through the scriptures.

Joseph Smith was inspired by a passage he read in the Bible, and this led to the First Vision and the Restoration of Christ’s Church. Help the children see how studying the scriptures can help them find answers to their spiritual questions.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children different books (like an encyclopedia or a cookbook), and help them think of questions these books could answer. Then show them a copy of the scriptures. What questions can these books answer? You might provide an example of a question that is answered in the scriptures. Read together Joseph Smith—History 1:10–11 to find out what questions Joseph Smith had and what answers he found in the scriptures.

  • Help the children find words in verse 12 that describe how reading James 1:5 affected Joseph Smith. Share an experience you have had with the scriptures—for example, when you found an answer to one of your questions through reading the scriptures. Sing together “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109).

Joseph Smith—History 1:10–19

Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.

God knew Joseph Smith, and when Joseph prayed, God heard him. While the experiences of the children you teach may be different from Joseph’s, you can help them feel that God knows them and hears them when they pray.

Possible Activities

  • Invite a parent of one of the children to stand outside the classroom and answer questions from the children using methods such as sending a text message, making a phone call, writing a note, or sending a messenger. What are some of the ways Heavenly Father communicates with us? (see “Revelation,” Guide to the Scriptures, scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). According to Joseph Smith—History 1:16–19, how did Heavenly Father answer Joseph Smith’s prayer? How has He answered our prayers?

  • Sing together “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13).

    young woman praying

Joseph Smith—History 1:14–19, 25

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith.

Each of the children you teach needs a testimony of Joseph Smith’s experience in the Sacred Grove. How can you help them gain or strengthen their testimony?

Possible Activities

  • To review the account of the First Vision, write summaries of each verse from Joseph Smith—History 1:14–19 on separate slips of paper. Place the papers in a container, and invite the children to choose them one by one and place them on the board in the correct order.

  • Invite the children to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like to be Joseph as you read selected parts of Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17. Ask them to share their thoughts and feelings about Joseph’s experience.

  • Show the video “Ask of God: Joseph Smith’s First Vision” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask the children to share something they learn about Joseph’s vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

  • Read together Joseph’s testimony in Joseph Smith—History 1:25. Ask the children to look for words and phrases that show Joseph’s faith. How can we remain faithful to God and our testimonies when other people disagree with us?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision with someone—if possible, with someone who hasn’t heard it before. They could use this week’s activity page to help them tell the story.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage reverence. To remind the children to be reverent, you might sing or hum a song, display a picture of Jesus, or use a hand signal that the children recognize.

activity page: Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

January 11–17

Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65

Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith

He Called Me by Name, by Michael Malm

“The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn to Their Fathers”

Begin your preparation by reading Doctrine and Covenants 2 and Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65. The ideas in this outline can help you teach the truths in these passages.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

You could begin class by asking the children to share what they know about the angel Moroni’s visit to Joseph Smith.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Joseph Smith—History 1:27–54

Heavenly Father called Joseph Smith to help Him do His work.

The children’s appreciation for the Prophet Joseph Smith can deepen as they learn about the work God called him to do.

Possible Activities

  • Display a picture of Moroni visiting Joseph Smith (see Gospel Art Book, no. 91). Ask the children to point out things they notice in the picture. Summarize the account of Moroni’s visits to Joseph. As needed, refer to Joseph Smith—History 1:27–54 and “Chapter 3: The Angel Moroni and the Gold Plates” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 13–17). Invite the children to pretend to be Joseph Smith at various points in the story by folding their arms like they are praying, pretending to climb the Hill Cumorah, and so on.

  • Read Joseph Smith—History 1:33 aloud, and ask the children to stand when they hear the phrase “God had a work for me to do.” What did God want Joseph to do? What does He ask us to do? Let the children draw pictures of things God wants them to do, such as praying, serving, or reading the scriptures.

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Elijah gave Joseph Smith power to seal families together.

Learning about the sealing power restored through Joseph Smith could help the children appreciate the blessings of eternal families.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children say the name “Elijah” a few times. Ask them to listen for this name as you read Doctrine and Covenants 2:1. Explain that these are Moroni’s words to Joseph Smith, and they teach that Elijah would come to restore priesthood authority. Elijah later did appear to Joseph in the Kirtland Temple and gave the Prophet the power to seal families together.

  • Ask the children to tell you something they love about their families. Display a picture of a family next to a temple—your own family, if possible (or see Gospel Art Book, no. 120). Testify that Heavenly Father wants families to be together forever, and this is one reason He gave us temples.

  • Sing together “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 188). What does this song say we can do to be with our families forever?

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Learning about my ancestors can bring me joy.

Even small children can become excited about and feel the joy of family history.

Possible Activities

  • Invite a parent of one of the children to come to class and share a story about an ancestor (and display a picture if available). Talk about the joy you feel when you learn about your family history.

  • Give each child a paper heart. Help them write their name and “I promise to remember my ancestors” on it. Read Doctrine and Covenants 2:2, and explain that Elijah came to turn our hearts to our ancestors.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Joseph Smith—History 1:28–29

I can pray to be forgiven.

The children you teach may sometimes feel “condemned for [their] weakness and imperfections” (Joseph Smith—History 1:29) as Joseph Smith did. Help them learn that they can turn to Heavenly Father for forgiveness.

Possible Activities

  • Read with the children Joseph Smith—History 1:29. How did Joseph Smith feel about his mistakes? What did he do about them? What can we learn from Joseph’s example that can help us when we make mistakes? Ask the children how it makes them feel to know that Joseph was called by God even though he was not perfect.

  • Why is it important to think about our “standing before [God]”? (Joseph Smith—History 1:29). Tell the children what you do when you wonder about where you stand with God.

Joseph Smith—History 1:30–54

Joseph Smith was called by God to do an important work.

Studying Moroni’s message to Joseph Smith can help the children strengthen their testimonies about Joseph’s sacred calling.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to act out or draw pictures of events from Joseph Smith—History 1:30–54, such as Moroni appearing to Joseph (verses 30–47), Joseph talking to his father (verses 48–50), and Joseph finding the plates (verses 51–54). What do we learn from this account about the work Joseph was called to do?

  • Read with the children Joseph Smith—History 1:33–35, and ask them to listen for what Moroni wanted Joseph to know about the work Joseph was called to do. How have we been blessed because Joseph Smith fulfilled his work as translator of the Book of Mormon? Invite the children to read the Book of Mormon regularly.

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Heavenly Father wants families to be sealed in the temple.

Moroni told Joseph Smith that Elijah would come to “reveal … the Priesthood” (verse 1). This refers to the sealing power of the priesthood that allows families to be united eternally and enables us to receive ordinances for our ancestors in the temple.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to read the prophecy in Doctrine and Covenants 2:1. Ask them to look for who the Lord would send in the last days and what this person would reveal. Display a picture of Elijah in the Kirtland Temple (see Gospel Art Book, no. 95), and talk about how this prophecy was fulfilled 13 years after Moroni’s visit (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–15).

  • Explain that Elijah restored priesthood keys that allow families to be sealed together eternally. Show some objects that could help the children understand what it means to seal something, such as a can of food or a plastic storage bag with a zipper lock. How do these objects help us understand what it means for a family to be sealed?

  • Display a picture of a temple, and help the children name some of the things we do in temples. Explain that baptisms for the dead, eternal marriage, and sealing families in the temple are all possible because of the priesthood keys Elijah restored.

  • Invite a young woman or young man in the ward to share an experience in which he or she found an ancestor’s name and was baptized for that ancestor in the temple.

    Palmyra New York Temple

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to ask their parents to tell them a story about one of their ancestors or help them prepare an ancestor’s favorite meal and eat it together.

Improving Our Teaching

Help young children learn from the scriptures. To help young children learn from the scriptures, focus on a single verse or even just a key phrase. You might invite the children to stand up or raise their hands when they hear that word or phrase. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 21.)

activity page: I can do my family history

January 18–24

Doctrine and Covenants 3–5

men working in field

Harvest Time in France, by James Taylor Harwood

“My Work Shall Go Forth”

As you study Doctrine and Covenants 3–5, you may receive impressions about what the children you teach need to understand. The activities in this outline may also give you ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the picture of Joseph Smith from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and help the children share what they know about the story it portrays. Help them remember the story of Martin Harris losing the first pages of the Book of Mormon translation (see “Chapter 4: Martin Harris and the Lost Pages,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21; or Saints, 1:51–56).

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 3:7–10

I can choose the right when others try to get me to do wrong.

Help the children learn what Joseph Smith learned: if they trust Heavenly Father, He will be “with [them] in every time of trouble” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:8).

Possible Activities

  • Review the story of Martin Harris and the lost manuscript pages (see Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Share with the children some potential situations when they might be tempted to do something they know isn’t right. How can Heavenly Father help us choose the right? (see Doctrine and Covenants 3:8).

    Martin Harris
  • Read these words from Doctrine and Covenants 3:8: “He would have extended his arm and supported you.” Invite the children to stand and extend their arms as you read the phrase again. Share with them some ways the Lord may extend His arm to help them when others try to get them to do wrong things. Let them take turns extending their arms as they tell about other ways the Lord extends His arm to help us.

Doctrine and Covenants 4

The Lord needs me to do His work.

Children can “embark in the service of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2) in many ways, and they can prepare now for additional opportunities in their future.

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 4:1 to the children. Bring some pictures that depict God’s “marvelous” latter-day work (such as pictures of missionaries, temples, and the Book of Mormon). Let the children take turns selecting a picture and talking about it. Share why the Lord’s work is marvelous to you.

  • Help the children think of actions or draw pictures depicting the phrase “serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2). Share an example of someone you know who serves God in this way.

  • Sing together a song about missionary work, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). Discuss what the song teaches about how we can help God do His work.

Doctrine and Covenants 5:10

We have received the word of God through Joseph Smith.

How can you help the children strengthen their testimonies that Joseph Smith and other prophets teach the word of God?

Possible Activities

  • Hide a picture of Joseph Smith somewhere in the room (see Gospel Art Book, no. 87). Read Doctrine and Covenants 5:10, and invite the children to look for the picture to find out who the word “you” is referring to. Bear your testimony that we have received God’s word through Joseph Smith.

  • Show the children copies of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. Explain that God gave us these scriptures through Joseph Smith. Share some of your favorite verses from these books, and tell why you are grateful for them.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 3:5–10; 5:21–22

I should care more about pleasing God than pleasing others.

As the children learn about Joseph Smith’s experience with the lost pages of the Book of Mormon translation, they can be inspired to remain faithful when others tempt them to be disobedient.

Possible Activities

  • A few days in advance, invite one of the children to come to class prepared to share the story of Joseph Smith and Martin Harris losing the first pages of the Book of Mormon translation (see Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21; or Saints, 1:51–56). Read together Doctrine and Covenants 3:5–8; 5:21–22, and look for the blessings that come when we remain true to God.

  • Give the children time to think about a situation where a friend might try to get them to do something wrong. Invite them to find a passage in Doctrine and Covenants 3:5–8; 5:21–22 that could help them during those situations. Role-play a few examples.

Doctrine and Covenants 4

The Lord needs me to do His work.

Doctrine and Covenants 4 can inspire the children to be part of the Lord’s “marvelous work” (verse 1).

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board Serve God. Invite the children to search Doctrine and Covenants 4 and make a list of things they learn about what it means to serve God. Ask them to add to the list things they learn from the song “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162) or another song about serving God.

  • Bring tools (or pictures of tools) that someone might use to work in a field. How do these tools help us? Help the children find things in Doctrine and Covenants 4:5–6 that could be like tools for doing God’s work.

  • Invite full-time or ward missionaries to share something from Doctrine and Covenants 4 that has inspired them to do God’s work. What can we do to help with God’s work?

Doctrine and Covenants 5:1–7, 11, 16, 23–24

I can be a witness that the Book of Mormon is true.

Martin Harris was promised that he could be one of the witnesses of the gold plates if he was faithful. We won’t see the plates like Martin did, but we can receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon. How can you help the children develop and share their own witnesses of the Book of Mormon?

Possible Activities

  • Write questions like the following on the board, and help the children find answers in Doctrine and Covenants 5:1–3, 7, 11: What did Martin Harris desire to know? Who could Joseph Smith show the gold plates to? Why would seeing the plates likely not be enough to convince someone that the Book of Mormon is true?

  • Ask the children what a witness is and why a witness is important. What did Martin Harris need to do to be a witness of the gold plates? (see Doctrine and Covenants 5:23–24). Even though we haven’t seen the plates, what can we do to be witnesses of the Book of Mormon? (see Doctrine and Covenants 5:16; Moroni 10:3–5).

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to write their testimonies of the Book of Mormon and share them with someone they know.

Improving Our Teaching

Adapt activities to accommodate children with disabilities. Small adaptations to activities can ensure that all children can learn from them. For instance, if an activity suggests showing a picture, you could sing a song instead to include children with visual impairments.

activity page: I can help do the Lord’s work

January 25–31

Doctrine and Covenants 6–9

scribe writing on paper

“This Is the Spirit of Revelation”

Begin preparing to teach by reading Doctrine and Covenants 6–9. Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and this outline can spark ideas about how to teach the children in your class.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Do the children know Oliver Cowdery’s story about receiving an answer to prayer? (see Saints, 1:58–60). Perhaps they too have had an experience with prayer that they could share.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 6:5; 8:2; 9:7–9

Heavenly Father can speak to us through the Holy Ghost.

Help the children understand that they have a loving Father in Heaven who listens to their prayers and answers them through His Spirit.

Possible Activities

  • Use “Chapter 5: Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 22–25, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to tell the children about Oliver Cowdery and what he learned about how Heavenly Father speaks to us. Ask the children to tell you their favorite parts of the story, and let them take turns telling you about Oliver Cowdery.

  • Tell the children that Oliver Cowdery tried to translate the Book of Mormon but couldn’t, so Joseph asked the Lord why. Read to the children the Lord’s answer: “You must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8). Invite them to pretend to study and pray. Help the children understand that this is how we can receive answers from the Lord too—by studying and asking for His help.

    Oliver Cowdery
  • Invite the children to touch their heads and their chests as you read the words “mind” and “heart” in Doctrine and Covenants 8:2. Help them understand that Heavenly Father speaks to us through the Holy Ghost, who gives us thoughts and feelings. Sing together a song about the Holy Ghost, such as “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, 105). What does the song teach about how the Spirit speaks to us? Share an experience when you felt the Holy Ghost in your mind and heart.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:33–36

With the Savior’s help, I don’t need to be afraid.

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had many reasons to be afraid—persecution and poverty were just some of the challenges they faced. The Lord’s message to Joseph and Oliver can also encourage the children when they feel afraid.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to repeat the phrase “fear not, little flock” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:34) several times. Explain that a flock is a group of animals, like sheep. Show a picture of the Savior as a shepherd (see Gospel Art Book, no. 64), and testify that He is watching over us like a shepherd watches over His sheep. Because He loves us, we don’t need to be afraid.

  • Let the children pretend to be a flock of frightened sheep. What might sheep sometimes be afraid of? Let one child pretend to be the shepherd keeping the sheep safe. What are we sometimes afraid of? Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ is like our shepherd and that He can calm our fears. Sing together a song about the Savior, such as “Little Lambs So White and Fair” (Children’s Songbook, 58).

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 to the children, and invite them to repeat the phrase “doubt not, fear not.” Help the children think of ways that they can “look unto,” or remember, the Savior during the coming week (see also this week’s activity page).

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 6:5, 15–16, 22–23; 8:2; 9:7–9

The Holy Ghost speaks to my mind and my heart.

The children you teach may have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Do they understand how to recognize personal revelation from the Spirit?

Possible Activities

  • Draw on the board a head and a heart. Help the children read the following verses and determine which describe the Holy Ghost speaking to our minds, to our hearts, or to both: Doctrine and Covenants 6:15, 23; 8:2; 9:89:9. Tell the children, from your experiences, what it’s like when the Holy Ghost speaks to your mind and heart.

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 6:5, and invite the children to share experiences they have had with praying and receiving answers. Help them think of examples of someone in the scriptures who prayed and received an answer to a question (see 1 Nephi 2:16; Enos 1:1–6; Ether 2:18–3:6).

  • Write on the board How does the Holy Ghost speak to us? Invite the children to search in Doctrine and Covenants 6:15–16, 22–23; 8:2; 9:7–9 for answers to the question. Share experiences in which you felt the Holy Ghost speaking to you.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:33–37

“Fear not to do good.”

The children you teach may at times feel afraid to stand for the right. Doctrine and Covenants 6:33–37 can inspire them to be courageous, even in difficult circumstances.

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 6:33, and discuss why someone might fear to do good (see also verses 28–29). Help children find words or phrases in verses 33–37 that help give them the courage to do good.

  • Help the children make drawings they can display in their homes to remind them to “look unto [Jesus Christ] in every thought” (verse 36). As they make their drawings, discuss what looking to the Savior means and how it can keep them safe.

  • Sing together a song about courage, such as “Dare to Do Right” (Children’s Songbook, 158) or “Let Us All Press On” (Hymns, no. 243). Ask the children to find in the song some reasons why we should “fear not” (verse 36).

Doctrine and Covenants 8:10

I can ask in faith.

Throughout the scriptures, the Lord reminds us to have faith in Him. How can you help the children you teach to have greater faith in Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board Without you can do nothing; therefore ask in . Invite the children to try to think of a word that fits in both blanks. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 8:10 to find the answer. What are some things we can do if we have faith?

  • After reading together Doctrine and Covenants 8:10, help the children think of things they could ask the Lord to help them with. Invite them to draw a picture that represents something they should ask for. As they show the class their pictures, let the other children guess what the picture represents.

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children select a short phrase from Doctrine and Covenants 6–9 that they would like to share with someone at home, such as “fear not to do good” (6:33), “doubt not, fear not” (6:36), or “without faith you can do nothing” (8:10).

Improving Our Teaching

Use stories. Stories help children understand gospel principles because they demonstrate how others live those principles. As you teach, find ways to include stories—from the scriptures, from Church history, or from your own life—that illustrate the principles in the scriptures.

activity page: Jesus Christ can help me when I feel afraid

February 1–7

Doctrine and Covenants 10–11

Book of Mormon manuscript

Replica of the original Book of Mormon manuscript.

“That You May Come Off Conqueror”

Prayerfully read Doctrine and Covenants 10–11, pondering how you can help the children understand truths in these sections. The ideas in this outline—both for younger children and for older children—can help.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Ask the children to share what they remember from a previous lesson about Martin Harris and the lost pages of the Book of Mormon translation. Share any details they don’t remember. You may want to refer to “Chapter 4: Martin Harris and the Lost Pages” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21).

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

When I pray always, Heavenly Father will bless me.

Sometimes children think they can pray only at specific times and places, and only if they are kneeling or closing their eyes. How can you help them learn how to “pray always”?

Possible Activities

  • Show pictures of things we do often, such as eating, sleeping, or playing. How do these things help us? Display a picture of a child praying while you read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 the words “pray always.” Ask the children to repeat these words several times. How will praying always help us?

  • Use this week’s activity page to help the children think of the many places and times where we can pray.

  • Invite the children to draw pictures of themselves or their families praying at different times and places, such as in church, before school, or at bedtime. Explain that praying always can mean praying often throughout the day. How can we pray even when we are around other people, such as at school or with our friends?

    boys praying

Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13

The Holy Ghost leads me to do good.

Even at a young age, children can begin to recognize when the Spirit is speaking to them.

Possible Activities

  • Hide a lightbulb or flashlight and a picture of a happy face somewhere in the room. Ask the children to find these items. Read Doctrine and Covenants 11:13, and help the children identify words that relate to the items they found. What do these words teach about how the Holy Ghost helps us?

  • Give the children several situations in which they would need to make a choice between right and wrong—such as the choice to tell the truth or to lie, or the choice to be kind or to be mean. How can we know which choice is the right one? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 11:12, and testify that the Holy Ghost will help us make the right choice if we listen to Him.

  • Sing a song about the guidance of the Holy Ghost, such as “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, 107). Ask the children what the song teaches them about how the Holy Ghost helps us.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

When I pray always, I can overcome Satan’s temptations.

You can help the children understand that consistent prayer gives them the power to overcome temptation.

Possible Activities

  • Write words or phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 on strips of paper, and ask the children to put them in the right order. Encourage them to look up the verse if they need help. According to this verse, what blessings come when we pray always? How can remembering to pray throughout our day help us, especially when we are tempted to do something wrong?

  • Invite the children to make a list of some of the times when we can pray and the places where we can pray. For additional ideas, encourage them to look in Alma 34:17–27.

  • Help the children create a small sign or picture that will remind them to pray always. Invite them to hang their signs in their homes where they will see them regularly.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13

The Holy Ghost leads me to do good.

Young people often wonder what the guidance of the Holy Ghost feels like. You can use Doctrine and Covenants 11 to teach the children how to recognize “that Spirit which leadeth to do good” (verse 12).

Possible Activities

  • Help the children make a list of people they go to when they need help or have a question. Why do we trust that these people will help us? Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 11:12 and look for what Hyrum Smith was told to trust. What do we learn from this verse about why we should trust in the guidance of the Holy Ghost?

  • Ask the children what they would say to a friend who asked them what it feels like when the Holy Ghost speaks to them. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13 to find some possible answers.

  • Share with the children some experiences you have had with the Holy Ghost guiding you to do good things. Invite the children to ponder when they might have had experiences like these and then share their experiences if they feel comfortable doing so. Testify that Heavenly Father wants to guide us through the Holy Ghost. Encourage the children to notice during the coming week when they have feelings like those described in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26

I need to know the gospel so I can help others find the truth.

The children you teach will have many opportunities to share the gospel. These verses can teach them how to prepare for these opportunities.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to role-play how they would talk about the gospel with someone who hasn’t heard it before. For example, how would they answer questions about the Book of Mormon? How would they explain who Jesus Christ is? Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26. What did the Lord tell Hyrum Smith he needed to do so that he could teach the gospel? What does it mean to “obtain” God’s word, and how can we do this? How do we “treasure up” God’s word in our hearts?

  • Invite the children to share a scripture that they like and explain why they like it. Let them talk about how the scriptures bless their lives and what they are doing to study God’s word at home. Encourage them to set goals to read God’s word more often.

  • Sing together a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). What does this song teach about how we can be missionaries every day?

  • Share something from “Hope of Israel” by President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson (worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018, ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to inspire the children to help gather God’s children by sharing the gospel.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to have a conversation with a family member about something they learned from Doctrine and Covenants 10 or 11 today. For example, they could share how they plan to pray always.

Improving Our Teaching

Seek revelation daily. As you prepare to teach, pray and ponder the scriptures throughout the week. You will find that the Spirit will “enlighten your mind” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:13). Ideas and impressions about how to teach can come to you anytime and anywhere—as you travel to work, do household chores, or talk with others.

activity page: I can pray always

February 8–14

Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75

Susquehanna River

“Upon You My Fellow Servants”

The children you teach come from varying situations and have different needs. As you prepare, think about how you can best help them learn the truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 12–13 and Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share times when they have seen someone get baptized or receive a priesthood blessing. How did Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receive the priesthood?

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 13

John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood.

On May 15, 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and gave them the Aaronic Priesthood. How will learning about this event bless the children you teach?

Possible Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 13

The priesthood is God’s power.

Lessons about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood are great times to help the children better understand what the priesthood is and how it can bless them.

Possible Activities

  • Bring a few objects to class, including a key. Display the objects, and ask the children to listen as you read Doctrine and Covenants 13 and to find the object that is mentioned in the scripture. What can we do with a key? Show pictures of things we can do because the Aaronic Priesthood was restored (see this week’s activity page; see also Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–4, 107–8). Tell the children how the priesthood has blessed your life.

  • To help the children learn the phrase The priesthood is God’s power, ask them to clap as they say each syllable. Show an item that needs a battery to work, and teach that, like the battery brings power to the item, the priesthood brings God’s power into our lives. Share your testimony of the blessings that have come to you because of the priesthood.

Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75

I can be baptized.

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery read about baptism in the Book of Mormon and wanted to know more. You can help the children you teach look forward to their baptism and learn more about this sacred ordinance.

Possible Activities

  • Show the video “Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Pause the video occasionally to ask the children questions such as “Why did Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery go into the woods?” and “How do you think Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery felt after they were baptized?” Ask them to share how they think they will feel when they are baptized.

  • Tell the children about Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery being baptized (see Joseph Smith—History 1:68–74; see also “Chapter 6: Joseph and Oliver Are Given the Priesthood,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 26–28). Emphasize the joy Joseph and Oliver felt, and tell the children about your baptism. Invite them to draw a picture of themselves being baptized one day.

    boy being baptized

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–72

John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood.

The accounts of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood can help the children you teach understand important truths about the priesthood and priesthood ordinations.

Possible Activities

  • Read together Joseph Smith—History 1:66–72, and invite the children to draw pictures of what these verses describe. Then let the children tell the story using their pictures. Invite someone to share an experience when he or she saw someone be ordained to a priesthood office. How was that similar to the way Joseph and Oliver were ordained as described in Joseph Smith—History 1:66–72?

  • Give the children a few minutes to make a list of everything they know about John the Baptist, and then allow them to share what they wrote. Invite the children to work in pairs to read one of the following passages and add it to their list: Matthew 3:13–17; Doctrine and Covenants 13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–72.

Doctrine and Covenants 13

I receive blessings through the Aaronic Priesthood.

We receive many blessings through the Aaronic Priesthood. What can you do to help the children you teach understand that these blessings are made possible because the priesthood was restored?

Possible Activities

  • Put pictures of a baptism and the sacrament in a container that requires a key to open. Discuss why keys are important, and let the children use the key to open the container. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 13 and find words and phrases that teach them what blessings come from the Aaronic Priesthood.

  • Show the video “Blessings of the Priesthood” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask the children to identify ways people in the video are blessed because of the priesthood.

Joseph Smith—History 1:73–74

The Holy Ghost can help me understand the scriptures.

After Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized, the Holy Ghost helped them understand the scriptures better. This might be encouraging to children, who might find the scriptures difficult to understand.

Possible Activities

  • Bring a simple puzzle to class, and invite the children to put it together. As they do, ask them how reading the scriptures is similar to putting together a puzzle. Read together Joseph Smith—History 1:73–74, and invite the children to share what helped Joseph and Oliver understand the scriptures. What can we do to seek the help of the Holy Ghost as we study the scriptures?

  • Invite the children to make a bookmark that they can put in their scriptures to remind them to seek the Holy Ghost’s help when they read. Perhaps they could find an inspiring phrase in Joseph Smith—History 1:74 that they could write on their bookmark.

Encourage Learning at Home

If you don’t have time for the children to complete the activity page in class, consider sending copies home so the children can work on it with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Be flexible and listen to the Spirit. Don’t feel like you have to use the ideas in this outline. You know the children you teach; ask Heavenly Father to guide you to the best ways to help them learn gospel doctrine and build their faith.

activity page: the priesthood is God’s power

February 15–21

Doctrine and Covenants 14–17

Joseph Smith and the Three Witnesses kneeling in prayer

“Stand as a Witness”

How can you help the children stand as witnesses of the gospel? The activities in this outline may give you ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Consider inviting a few children to share something they learned this week, at home or in Primary, that they believe is true.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 14:1–7

I can help the Lord do His work.

Consider how the Lord’s words to David Whitmer can help the children understand how they can participate in God’s work.

Possible Activities

  • Briefly share a few details about the Whitmer family (see Saints, 1:68–71 or this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). For example, share who David Whitmer was and how he and his family helped Joseph Smith as he was translating the Book of Mormon.

  • Help the children understand the comparisons between working in a field and participating in God’s “great and marvelous work” (verse 1). For example, reaping a harvest can symbolize bringing souls to Christ. You could show a picture of a farmer, bring farmers’ clothes for the children to try on, or discuss everyday tasks that farmers perform. Explain that David Whitmer was a farmer who wanted to know how he could help the Lord. Read Doctrine and Covenants 14:3–4 to the children, and help them discover what the Lord told David Whitmer to do. How can we help in the Lord’s work?

  • Use a present to teach the children about God’s gift of eternal life. For example, show the children a present with a paper inside that reads, “Eternal Life” (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). Let a child unwrap the gift, and read Doctrine and Covenants 14:7 aloud. Share that eternal life means to live forever with God and to be like Him. Share your testimony of the blessings of keeping the commandments and receiving eternal life.

    missionaries teaching a family

Doctrine and Covenants 15:6; 16:6

I can help others come closer to Jesus Christ.

John Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr. were David Whitmer’s brothers. Like David, they wanted to know how they could help the Lord. He asked them to help “bring souls unto” Him.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to describe something that is important or valuable to them (such as a toy, book, or game). Read Doctrine and Covenants 15:6 or 16:6, and ask the children to raise their hands when they hear what the Lord said is of “most worth.”

  • With the children, make a list of ways they can help someone follow Jesus Christ, such as being friends to others, sharing the scriptures with a friend, or praying for someone in need. To give the children ideas, you could display some relevant pictures from Church magazines or the Gospel Art Book. Or the children could draw their own pictures. Invite them to try something on their list during the week.

Doctrine and Covenants 17

I can be a witness of the things God has done for me.

David Whitmer became one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, and four of his brothers were among the Eight Witnesses. Like David and his brothers, each of us can “stand as a witness” of the truth (Doctrine and Covenants 14:8).

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about the Three and Eight Witnesses (see “Chapter 7: Witnesses See the Gold Plates” [Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 31–33], or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to draw a picture of the witnesses seeing the plates.

  • Invite the children to color this week’s activity page, and use it to tell the account of the Three Witnesses.

  • Hold up a copy of the Book of Mormon, and read to the children the last line of Doctrine and Covenants 17:6: “As your Lord and your God liveth it is true.” Tell the children how you know the Book of Mormon is true. Invite the children to become witnesses of the Book of Mormon by reading it and praying to know if it is true and then sharing their testimony with others.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 14–16

I can help the Lord do His work.

As you discuss the revelations to the Whitmer brothers, you can share some of the ways the Lord invites each of us to help Him in His work.

Possible Activities

  • Share stories about David Whitmer and his family that you feel will be inspiring to the children (see Saints, 1:68–71). How did the Lord use the Whitmers to help build His kingdom?

  • On slips of paper, write simple questions and related scripture references from Doctrine and Covenants 14–16. For example: What is the word of God like? (14:2). What is God’s greatest gift? (14:7). What did the Lord say is of great worth? (15:6; 16:6). Invite each child to select a question and find answers in the verses.

  • Write two headings on the board: Farm Work and The Work of the Lord. Help the children search Doctrine and Covenants 14:3–4 for phrases that relate to farm work, and write them under the first heading. What do these phrases teach us about the work of God? Write the children’s answers under the second heading. How can we help with the work of the Lord?

Doctrine and Covenants 17

I can be a witness of the things God has done for me.

In Doctrine and Covenants 17, the Lord told Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris that they would be the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Help the children learn how they can be a witness of the truth too.

  • Invite a child to come prepared to share the account of the Three Witnesses (see “Chapter 7: Witnesses See the Gold Plates” [Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 31–33], or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What can we learn from this account about how to be brave witnesses? You might also show selections from the video “A Day for the Eternities” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org; the portion about the Three Witnesses begins at about 15:00).

  • Read together the Lord’s promise in Doctrine and Covenants 17:1–3, and help the children find its fulfillment in “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” in the Book of Mormon.

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 17:3–5 to find out what Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer were asked to do after seeing the gold plates. What are some truths we can testify of? Tell about how you have shared your testimony with others, and invite the children to share any experiences they have had.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to stand as a witness of something they learned in class today. Ask them to share how they did this in next week’s class.

Improving Our Teaching

Let the children be active. You can build on children’s active natures by inviting them to act out a story or perform actions that correspond to a song or scripture passage. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26.)

activity page: I can be a witness of God

February 22–28

Doctrine and Covenants 18–19

Martin Harris’s farm

Martin Harris Farm, by Al Rounds

“The Worth of Souls Is Great”

Ask Heavenly Father to help you find principles in Doctrine and Covenants 18–19 that will be especially meaningful to the children.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:2, and explain that the Spirit helped Oliver Cowdery know that the scriptures are true. Tell the children about an experience when the Spirit testified to you that the scriptures are true. Let them share experiences when they felt that the scriptures are true.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–12

Each of us is of great worth to God.

When children know that Heavenly Father loves them—and all of His children—they are more confident and kinder toward others.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children repeat with you Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 several times. Explain that “souls” refers to all of God’s children. Repeat verse 10 with the children, this time replacing “souls” with the children’s names. (See also this week’s activity page.)

  • Help the children think of things that people consider valuable. Then let the children take turns looking in a mirror, and as they do, tell each child that he or she is a child of God and of great worth. Testify that to Heavenly Father, they are more valuable than all the things they thought of earlier.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:13–16

Sharing the gospel brings great joy.

How will you inspire the children to invite others to come unto Christ and experience great joy?

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about something that brings you joy. Let each child tell you about something that brings him or her joy. Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:13, 16. What brings the Lord joy? What does He say will bring us joy?

  • Sing together a song about missionary work, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168), and help the children think of ways they can share the gospel, including in their own home. Tell about a time when you shared the gospel, and let the children share their experiences.

Doctrine and Covenants 19:18–19, 23–24

Jesus Christ obeyed Heavenly Father, even when it was hard.

The Savior’s willingness to “drink the bitter cup, and [not] shrink” (verse 18) is an example to all of us of obeying Heavenly Father’s will. Consider how you will inspire the children to follow Jesus’s example.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of Jesus Christ suffering in Gethsemane (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Ask the children to tell you what they know about what is happening in this picture. Summarize in your own words what the Savior said in Doctrine and Covenants 19:18–19 about His suffering. Emphasize that suffering for our sins was the hardest thing anyone has ever done, but because Jesus loved His Father and us, He obeyed God’s will. How can we obey Heavenly Father?

  • Help the children think of simple actions that go along with phrases in Doctrine and Covenants 19:23. Read the verse several times while the children do the actions. Help them think of ways we can learn of Christ and listen to His words.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–12

Each of us is of great worth to God.

Many people struggle with feelings of low self-worth; others are unkind toward people who are different from them. The powerful message of Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 can change how we view ourselves and people around us.

Possible Activities

  • Ask each child to write his or her name on a piece of paper and pass the papers around the room. Invite them to write on each paper they receive something they like about that person. Encourage them to be kind and thoughtful in their comments. Then help the children read Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–12, and invite them to share what they learn about how God feels about us. Explain that we are all of great worth to God because we are His children.

  • Show the children something that is very valuable to you. How do we treat things that are valuable to us? Ask a child to read Doctrine and Covenants 18:10. How can we show other people that “the worth of [their] souls is great” in our sight?

    Jesus holding a small boy

Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19

Jesus Christ suffered for me.

How will you invite a spirit of reverence in your class so that the Holy Ghost can testify to the children that Jesus Christ paid the price for their sins?

Possible Activities

  • Share the story of Jesus Christ suffering for our sins (see “Chapter 51: Jesus Suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane,” New Testament Stories, 129–32, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to tell the story again in their own words, and then invite them to read how the Savior described the experience in Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19. What do we learn from His description?

  • Invite the children to close their eyes as you read Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19 and to think about how they feel about the Savior. Help the children look in Hymns or the Children’s Songbook for songs that help them express their feelings about Jesus Christ (see the topic indexes in these books). Invite the children to sing the songs they chose and bear their testimonies.

  • Help the children memorize the third article of faith.

Doctrine and Covenants 19:26, 34–35, 38

God’s blessings are greater than the treasures of the earth.

Printing the Book of Mormon was expensive, and Joseph Smith could not afford it. The Lord asked Martin Harris to “impart a portion of [his] property,” his prosperous farm, to pay the printer (verse 34). We have received tremendous blessings because of the sacrifices of Martin and many others.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board questions like the following to help the children understand Doctrine and Covenants 19:26, 34–35, 38: What did the Lord ask Martin Harris to do? Why did He ask him to do it? What did He promise in return? Invite the children to work in pairs to find answers in these verses. Ask them how they might feel if they were Martin Harris.

  • Show the children a copy of the Book of Mormon, and tell them something you love about it. Invite them to share how they feel about it. Briefly talk about Martin Harris’s sacrifice so the Book of Mormon could be printed (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 33). What did the Lord say to Martin in Doctrine and Covenants 19:38 that might have helped him be faithful and obedient? Help the children think of something they can sacrifice to obey God or help in His work.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to think of someone who could be helped by what they learned from Doctrine and Covenants 18 or 19—for example, that we are all of great worth to God. Encourage them to plan how they will share what they learned with that person.

Improving Our Teaching

Help children learn from the scriptures. Some children have a hard time reading scriptures. Focusing on a single verse or phrase may help them.

activity page: I am of great worth

March 1–7

Doctrine and Covenants 20–22

Peter Whitmer home

Peter Whitmer Home, by Al Rounds

“The Rise of the Church of Christ”

As you study Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 this week, teaching ideas may come to your mind. You can find additional teaching ideas in this outline.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and ask the children to share what they know about the organization of the Church. For help, see “Chapter 9: Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 40–42).

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 20–21

The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery gathered with others to organize the restored Church of Jesus Christ. How can you help the children you teach understand the importance of this event?

Possible Activities

  • Use the section heading for Doctrine and Covenants 21 or chapter 9 of Doctrine and Covenants Stories to briefly tell the children what happened on the day the Church was organized. To help them understand this event, show the video “Organization of the Church” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Tell the children why you are thankful that we have The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Explain that being a member of the Church prepares us to live with God again. Help them repeat the phrase “I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” several times or sing “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77).

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 71–74

I am preparing to be baptized.

The children you teach are preparing to be baptized. Help them understand what it means to be baptized and what they can do to be ready.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of a child being baptized (see Gospel Art Book, no. 104), and ask the children to point out things they notice. Read or summarize Doctrine and Covenants 20:71–74, and help the children see how the picture matches the instructions in these verses. Testify that we should follow the Savior’s example and be baptized in the way He has commanded.

  • Summarize Doctrine and Covenants 20:37. What do we learn from this verse about people who want to be baptized? Show pictures of ways the children can prepare for baptism, such as serving others and praying.

  • Sing a song about baptism, such as “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 103), or watch “The Baptism of Jesus” (biblevideos.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to share their feelings about being baptized.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79

The sacrament helps me remember Jesus Christ.

How can you help the children better understand why we partake of the sacrament each week?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:77 to the children. Ask them to stand when they hear what we should remember when we eat the sacrament bread. Do the same with verse 79. (You may want to point out that we drink water instead of wine.) How can we show that we remember Jesus?

  • Tell the children about a time when you made a promise and kept it. Invite them to tell similar stories of their own. Explain that when we take the sacrament, we make promises. Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, emphasizing the promises we make to “always remember him” and “keep his commandments.” Invite the children to share a time when they remembered the Savior or obeyed a commandment.

    children taking the sacrament

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 20–21

The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

In obedience to the Lord’s command, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and others organized the restored Church of Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830. Consider ways to help the children see how this event has blessed their lives.

Possible Activities

  • Remind the children of some of the important events they have been learning about—such as the restoration of the priesthood and the translation of the Book of Mormon. Why did these things need to happen before the Church could be organized?

  • Display pictures of things we do in the Church that are described in section 20, such as learning about God and Jesus Christ, ministering, baptizing, and partaking of the sacrament. Help the children match these pictures with scriptures that describe them, such as Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–21, 47, 70, 72–74, 75–79, and the heading for section 21. What blessings do we have because we are members of the Church?

  • Sing together “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77).

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 77, 79

When I was baptized, I promised to follow Jesus Christ.

Many of the children in your class have been baptized. Remind them of the covenant they made “to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:37).

Possible Activities

  • Invite a few children to come prepared to share what they felt or experienced when they were baptized. Perhaps they could bring a picture from their baptismal day to show the class. Why did they choose to be baptized? How has being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost blessed them?

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, and ask the children to identify the promises we make during the sacrament. To help the children understand that there are things they can do every day to “always remember” Jesus Christ, invite one child to act out something he or she can do to remember the Savior. Ask the others to guess what the action is. According to verse 77, how are we blessed when we always remember the Savior?

  • Help the children compare Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 with verse 77 to find a phrase that is repeated in both. Show the children something that has a name on it (such as a brand name or a personal name). What does the name tell us about the item? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 to discover whose name we take upon ourselves when we are baptized. What does it mean to take Jesus Christ’s name upon us? How should we think and act because we have this name?

Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–6

I am blessed when I follow the prophet.

How will you help the children receive the blessings promised in these verses to those who follow the prophet?

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board Commandments and Blessings. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–6, looking for the commandments the Lord gave and the blessings He promised. Invite them to write on the board what they find.

  • Show a picture of the current prophet, and invite the children to share something they learned or heard from him recently. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 21:5. Invite the children to write or draw something they can do to follow the prophet. Share your testimony that when we follow the prophet, we are following the Savior.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to make a list of reasons they are thankful for the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Encourage them to share their list with a family member or friend.

Improving Our Teaching

Use stories to teach the doctrine. “Stories help children see how the gospel applies to everyday life. … When teaching young children, plan ways to involve them in the story; for example, they could hold pictures, repeat phrases, or act out parts” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

activity page: the Church was organized in 1830

March 8–14

Doctrine and Covenants 23–26

Emma Smith

“Strengthen the Church”

As you prepare to teach, consider activity ideas in both the “Younger Children” and “Older Children” sections.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show a picture of Emma Smith (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Invite the children to share what they know about her, including things they may have learned studying Doctrine and Covenants 25 this past week. “Chapter 13: Joseph and Emma” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 51–55) can help.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 23:6; 26:1

God wants me to pray and learn from the scriptures every day.

The Lord counseled the early leaders and friends of the Church to pray (see Doctrine and Covenants 23:6) and study the scriptures (see Doctrine and Covenants 26:1). How can you help the children make prayer and the scriptures part of their lives?

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 23:6, beginning with “you must pray.” Help them identify the different ways and places the Lord said we should pray. Invite them to draw a picture of themselves praying in one of those ways or places.

  • If needed, explain to the children how to pray. A song about prayer, like “I Pray in Faith” (Children’s Songbook, 14), can help.

  • Read to the children, “Let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures” (Doctrine and Covenants 26:1). Tell them why you study the scriptures. Help them think of ways they can learn from the scriptures, even if they can’t read yet.

  • Sing together “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109) or another song about prayer and scripture study. Help the children discover the blessings promised in the song. Tell them about spiritual feelings you have had when praying and reading the scriptures.

Doctrine and Covenants 25:11–12

Jesus loves “the song of the heart.”

The Lord said that sacred music “is pleasing unto me.” Help the children see singing as not just a fun activity but also a way to worship Him.

Possible Activities

  • Invite each child to share his or her favorite hymn or Church song, and sing some of them together. Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 to the children, and invite them to imagine how Heavenly Father and Jesus feel when They hear us sing these songs.

  • Teach the children a song about singing, such as “Lift Up Your Voice and Sing” (Children’s Songbook, 252), or a song about Jesus Christ, such as “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35). Invite them to sing the song with their families this week.

    children singing

Doctrine and Covenants 25:13, 15

I can prepare to make sacred covenants.

The children you teach are preparing to make their first covenant with Heavenly Father when they are baptized. How can you help them see how precious our covenants are?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:13 to the children. Explain that the word “cleave” in this verse means to hold tightly to something. To help them understand, pass something solid, like a rock (or even an iron rod), around the room and invite the children to hold the object as tightly as they can. Explain that cleaving to our covenants means holding on to (or keeping) the promises we make with Heavenly Father and never letting go (or never giving up).

  • Use this week’s activity page to teach the children about the times when we make covenants with Heavenly Father. Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:15, and explain that the “crown of righteousness” represents the blessing of returning to live with God, our Heavenly King.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 23:3–7; 25:7

Jesus wants me to strengthen those around me.

When the Church was first organized, there weren’t many members. The Lord asked the Saints to build up the Church by sharing the gospel and strengthening one another. We can do the same today.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to find every instance of the words “exhortation” and “exhort” in Doctrine and Covenants 23:3–7; 25:7. Help them define these words. How might exhorting someone strengthen them? Invite the children to role-play “exhorting” someone but doing so with love.

  • How can we do better in the work of strengthening other members of the Church? To illustrate this principle, give one child a task that requires many helpers. Then ask other children to help, and discuss how much easier the task became. Share an experience in which you were strengthened by the service of a fellow Church member.

Doctrine and Covenants 24:1, 8

The Savior can lift me “up out of [my] afflictions.”

Joseph Smith suffered many trials, but he was able to “be patient in afflictions” because the Lord promised that He would always be with him.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children list on the board some of the afflictions or challenges that Joseph Smith and other early Saints were facing (see “Chapter 11: More People Join the Church,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 46–47, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Then invite them to discover what the Lord said to Joseph about his afflictions in Doctrine and Covenants 24:1, 8. How can we seek the Savior’s help when we are having a difficult time?

  • To teach the children that sometimes we need to be “patient in [our] afflictions,” you could show the video “Continue in Patience” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children to think of something they really want but have to wait for. Why does the Lord sometimes require us to have patience during challenging times in our lives? How does He let us know that He is “with [us]” during our afflictions?

Doctrine and Covenants 25:13

I can “cleave unto the covenants” I have made.

Soon after Emma Smith was baptized, the Lord told her, “Cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.” Consider how this counsel could bless the children you teach.

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 25:13, and ask the children what it means in this verse to “cleave unto the covenants” we make. To illustrate, pass around objects that are firmly fastened together and let the children try to tear them apart. Why is the word “cleave” a good word to describe how we should feel about our covenants?

  • If needed, review with the children the covenants we make when we are baptized (see Mosiah 18:8–10; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37). What does it mean to “cleave” to these covenants?

  • Review together some of what you know about Emma Smith’s life (see “Chapter 13: Joseph and Emma” [Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 51–55], or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Give each child a verse or two from section 25, and invite them to share how the Lord’s counsel and assignments might have helped Emma “cleave unto the covenants” she had made. How can we follow her example?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to pick a favorite verse that you discussed together, write down the reference, and share it with a family member or friend.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage reverence. Help the children understand that an important aspect of reverence is thinking about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You might remind them to be reverent by quietly singing or humming a song or displaying a picture of Jesus.

activity page: I can prepare to make covenants

March 15–21

Doctrine and Covenants 27–28

Joseph Smith

“All Things Must Be Done in Order”

The truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 27–28 can strengthen the testimonies of the children you teach. As you consider the children’s needs, which truths are you impressed to focus on in class?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show a picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith and a picture of the current prophet. Invite the children to name the people in the pictures and share things that prophets do.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2

The sacrament helps me remember Jesus Christ.

Young children can learn the importance of the sacrament and find ways to remember the Savior during this sacred ordinance.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of Jesus giving the sacrament to His Apostles (see Gospel Art Book, no. 54). What might it be like to take the sacrament with the Savior? (see Doctrine and Covenants 27:5). Read Doctrine and Covenants 27:2, beginning with “remembering unto the Father,” and ask the children to listen for what the Savior wants us to remember when we take the sacrament.

  • Show the children some bread and water and a picture of the Savior. Let the children hold the picture while you teach them that the sacrament helps us remember Jesus Christ.

  • Help the children think of things they can do to remember Jesus during the sacrament. What do their families do to help each other be reverent? Invite the children to draw a picture they can look at during the sacrament to help them remember the Savior.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18

The armor of God protects me.

Think of ways you can help the children you teach see how keeping the commandments is like putting on the armor of God.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of armor (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). As you read Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18, help the children find the pieces of armor on the picture. Tell the children how the armor of God has helped you “withstand the evil day” (verse 15).

  • The outline for Ephesians in Come Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2019 has an activity page about the armor of God. Cut out the pieces of armor, and let the children put them on one of the figures as you read Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18. Help the children understand things they can do to put on the armor of God, like praying, choosing the right, serving others, and so on.

    children playing

Doctrine and Covenants 28:2, 6–7

The prophet leads the Church.

Do the children you teach know why we have prophets? Use Doctrine and Covenants 28 to help them know that the prophet is the only one who can lead the Church.

Possible Activities

  • Read or tell in your own words the account of Hiram Page (see “Chapter 14: The Prophet and Revelations for the Church,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 56–57). Share your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ chose Joseph Smith to lead the Church in his day (see Doctrine and Covenants 28:2). Share your testimony that the current prophet is called to help the Lord lead His Church in our day.

  • Ask the children to play “follow the leader”—one child could stand at the front of the room, and the rest of the children could imitate whatever he or she does. This could lead into a discussion about why we follow the prophet. You could show a picture of Jesus Christ and emphasize that we follow the prophet because he follows the Savior and speaks the Savior’s words.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2

The sacrament helps me remember Jesus Christ.

How can learning about the principles in Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2 help the children you teach have a more meaningful experience taking the sacrament?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to write down things they think the Savior would want them to know about the sacrament. If needed, they could read “Sacrament” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Let them share some of the things they wrote, and ask them to add to their lists after reading Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2. How will the things on their lists affect how they take the sacrament each Sunday?

  • Help the children think about what it means to take the sacrament “with an eye single to [God’s] glory” (verse 2). Discuss questions like the following: What are some distractions our eyes or minds might be focused on during the sacrament? What can we do to focus our attention on the Savior while we partake of the sacrament? How will this help us follow Him every day?

Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18

The armor of God helps me withstand evil.

The children you teach will face many evil influences throughout their lives. Heavenly Father wants to help them withstand evil. How can you inspire them to put on the armor of God?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18 and draw the pieces of armor mentioned (if needed, they can refer to the image in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). What do the words describing each piece of armor teach us about what we need to fight the evil around us (for example, righteousness, faith, salvation, and so on)?

  • Invite the children to think of things they can do to withstand temptations around them. Ask them to finish the sentence “We put on God’s armor every day by …” with their ideas. Help them see how their efforts to come unto Christ are helping them put on the armor of God.

Doctrine and Covenants 28:1–7, 15

Heavenly Father guides me through the Holy Ghost.

Doctrine and Covenants 28:1–7, 15 can help the children you teach understand that everyone can be guided by the Holy Ghost, but revelation for the Church will always be given through the prophet.

Possible Activities

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to ask their parents if they can teach a home evening lesson on something they learned in class.

Improving Our Teaching

Use music. Primary songs and hymns can help children of all ages understand and internalize gospel truths in a memorable way. They can also keep children actively engaged in learning.

activity page: God leads his Church

March 22–28

Doctrine and Covenants 29

Jesus standing before kneeling people

Every Knee Shall Bow, by J. Kirk Richards

Jesus Christ Will Gather His People

You know the children you teach, and there are many truths in Doctrine and Covenants 29 that can bless them. Follow the inspiration of the Spirit as you study section 29, and record impressions about how you will teach the children these truths.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Consider inviting a few children to share some of the ways they learn the gospel at home—individually or with their families. Invite one or more children to share their testimony of something they learned this week at home.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–2

Jesus Christ will gather His people before He comes again.

We are gathered by the Savior when we accept and follow His teachings.

Possible Activities

  • Let the children color this week’s activity page while you show the video “Chicks and Hens” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children to listen for how the hen protects the chicks.

  • After reading Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–2, act out the analogy of Christ gathering His people “as a hen gathereth her chickens.” One child could pretend to be the hen and choose a corner of the room to stand in. When he or she “clucks,” have all the children gather around him or her. Children could take turns being the hen. Hold up a picture of the Savior and invite the children to gather to Him. Share with the children how Jesus helps us when we gather to Him.

    hen and chicks

    How Many Times, by Liz Lemon Swindle

Doctrine and Covenants 29:2–11

I can prepare to meet the Savior.

Someday, each of us will be in the presence of Jesus Christ. While that day may be far into the future, the children can still think about what it will be like and how they can prepare for it.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of the Second Coming (see Gospel Art Book, no. 66), and help a child read Doctrine and Covenants 29:11. Help the children notice phrases in the scripture that describe what they see in the picture. Share with the children how you feel about Jesus Christ coming to earth again.

  • As a class, sing a song about the Second Coming, such as “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83). Show the children pictures of things they can do to prepare to meet the Savior and live with Him forever (see Gospel Art Book for some ideas). Help them find other ways to prepare in Doctrine and Covenants 29:2–10.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 29

Heavenly Father prepared a plan of salvation for me.

The more a child knows about God’s plan of salvation, the more he or she can exercise faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to follow that plan. What parts of the plan do you feel impressed to focus on?

Possible Activities

  • Ask several children to share an example of a time when they had a plan, such as for a trip or for accomplishing a task. You could also share examples of plans, such as a calendar with activities written on it or instructions to make something. Why are plans useful? Share with the children that Heavenly Father has a plan that will allow us to become like Him.

  • To help the children understand God’s plan, make signs with these terms: premortal life, the Creation, the Fall, earth life, and the Second Coming. After explaining each term (see Doctrine and Covenants 29:9–45), give each sign to a different child, and ask them to stand in a line in the correct order to show when each event occurs in Heavenly Father’s plan. Each child could share what he or she knows about what is on his or her sign. Help the children see how knowing about Heavenly Father’s plan helps us become more like Him and the Savior.

  • Use one or more of the activities below to teach truths about the plan and how they apply to us. Consider asking a few of the children to come prepared to help you teach.

    • Agency. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father has given us the gift of agency—the freedom to choose—and holds us accountable for our choices (see Doctrine and Covenants 29:39–40). Create two signs for each child: one that represents making a good choice (for example, a smiling face) and one that represents making a bad choice (for example, a frowning face). Share examples of good choices and bad choices, and ask the children to raise the correct sign. Ask the children to share blessings that come when we follow Jesus Christ. Why does Heavenly Father let us make our own choices?

    • The commandments. Invite the children to make a list on the board of some of the commandments. (For examples, they could search Exodus 20:3–17 and Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–15.) Why does Heavenly Father give us commandments? What do we learn from Doctrine and Covenants 29:35 about Heavenly Father’s commandments?

    • The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Help the children see that Heavenly Father prepared a way for us to be forgiven when we make wrong choices. Ask each child to read one of the verses in Doctrine and Covenants 29:1, 42–43 and share what it teaches about the Savior’s Atonement. Find a creative way to invite the children to share what they found, like in order of their birthdays, or shortest to tallest, and so on.

Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–2

Jesus Christ will gather His people before He comes again.

How can you help the children you teach be excited about helping with the gathering of Israel?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–2 and look for what the Lord compares Himself to. What do the children imagine when they read this comparison? What did the Lord say we must do to be gathered by Him?

  • One way to get the children excited about the gathering is to share the story of someone who joined the Church. For example, who introduced your family to the Church? Consider asking children in advance to find out about the first member of the Church in their families and share his or her story with the class.

  • Invite the children to make a list of ways they can help people gather to the Savior. For example, they could invite friends or family members to a Primary activity or to a home evening with their families.

  • The tenth article of faith talks about the gathering of Israel. Do any of the children have this article of faith memorized? If they do, invite them to recite it for the class. If not, help them set a goal to memorize it.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to write down a truth they learned in class. Ask for a few ideas of what they will do to share this truth with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Pay attention. Pay attention to how the children in your class are responding to learning activities. If they become restless, it may be time to move on to another activity or to take a walk. If you notice that the children are engaged and learning, don’t feel pressured to move on.

activity page: Jesus Christ will gather His people

March 29–April 4

Easter

Christus statue

“I Am He Who Liveth, I Am He Who Was Slain”

An Easter Sunday Primary class is an excellent opportunity to help the children strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Seek the Lord’s guidance on how to do that. You may find some helpful ideas in this outline.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Let the children share with you what they know about the reason we celebrate Easter. Ask them what their families do to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter time. Or let them share what they are learning about Jesus Christ at home and in the scriptures.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 138:11–17

Because of Jesus Christ, I will be resurrected.

As you teach the children about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Doctrine and Covenants 138:11–17 can help you explain what it means to be resurrected. These verses can also help build their faith that they will be resurrected someday.

Possible Activities

  • Show pictures of the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Savior (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 57, 58, and 59). Ask the children what they know about these events. Testify that Jesus died for us and rose from the dead so that we can all be resurrected after we die.

  • Think of an object lesson that can help the children understand what happens when we die (our spirits and bodies separate) and when we are resurrected (our spirits and bodies come back together). For example, what happens when we remove the battery from a flashlight or the ink container from a pen? What happens when these things are reunited?

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 138:17: “The spirit and the body [will] be united never again to be divided, that they might receive a fulness of joy.” Why are we grateful for our bodies? Share the joy you feel to know that we will all be resurrected and have our bodies again.

  • Sing together a song about the Resurrection, such as “Did Jesus Really Live Again?” or “Jesus Has Risen” (Children’s Songbook, 64, 70). Give the children pictures that represent words or phrases in the song (for examples, see Gospel Art Book, nos. 59, 60, and 61), and invite them to hold up their pictures when they sing those words.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:11–24; 110:1–7; Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17

The Prophet Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ.

One way to help the children strengthen their faith in the Savior is to share with them Joseph Smith’s testimony: “He lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–23).

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of Joseph Smith’s First Vision (see the January 4–10 outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Invite the children to tell you what is happening in the picture, and ask them to find Jesus Christ. Ask the children if they know about other times Joseph Smith saw the Savior. In your own words, tell about the experiences described in Doctrine and Covenants 76:11–24; 110:1–7. Tell the children how these scriptures build your faith in Jesus Christ.

  • As the children color this week’s activity page, read to them the scriptures it refers to. Point out details in the pictures that are described in the verses. Testify to the children that the Prophet Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ, and this is one reason we know that Jesus lives.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 76:11–24; 110:1–10; Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17

The Prophet Joseph Smith testified that Jesus Christ lives.

A prophet’s most important mission is to testify of Jesus Christ. Help the children build their faith in the Savior by learning from Joseph Smith’s testimony of Him.

Possible Activities

  • The following passages describe times when Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith: Doctrine and Covenants 76:11–24; 110:1–10; Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17. On the board, list some truths we learn about the Savior from these verses. Invite the children to identify which verses teach the truths listed on the board. What else do we learn about Jesus Christ from Joseph Smith’s experiences?

  • On this week’s activity page, help the children match the pictures with the scripture verses. Why is it a blessing to know that Joseph Smith saw the risen Savior? Share your testimony that Jesus Christ lives and that Joseph Smith is a prophet.

Doctrine and Covenants 63:49; 88:14–17, 27; 138:11, 14–17

Because of Jesus Christ, I will be resurrected.

How will you help the children deepen their appreciation for the Savior’s gift of resurrection to all of us?

Possible Activities

  • Assign each child one of the following scripture passages: Doctrine and Covenants 63:49; 88:14–17, 27; 138:11, 14–17. Invite the children to search their verses to find a phrase that they feel captures the message of Easter. Let them share their thoughts. If time allows, let them make cards that feature the phrases they found that they can give to family members or friends.

  • Ask the children how they would explain to a younger sibling or a friend what it means to be resurrected. For ideas, read together Doctrine and Covenants 138:14–17, and consider questions like these: What happens to our spirits and bodies when we die? What happens when we are resurrected? How did Jesus Christ make resurrection possible?

  • Show the video “Because He Lives” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and let the children share how they feel about what the Savior did for them.

    Jesus Praying

Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–13; 19:16–19; 45:3–5; 58:42–43

Because of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven of my sins.

In addition to saving us from physical death, Jesus Christ provided a way for us to be saved from spiritual death—in other words, to be forgiven of our sins and return to God’s presence.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board two headings similar to these: What the Savior did and What I must do. Invite each child to search one of the following passages to find something that belongs under these headings: Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–13; 19:16–19; 45:3–5; 58:42–43. Share your joy and gratitude for what the Savior did for us.

  • Help the children learn the third article of faith. You could help them memorize it by showing pictures that go with key phrases.

  • Show the video “The Shiny Bicycle” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or tell a story of your own about a child who made a wrong choice and then repented. Help the children discuss what the child in the story did to receive forgiveness. How has the Savior made it possible for us to be forgiven?

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children think of something they can do to tell other people—especially their family members—what Jesus Christ has done for us. The next time you meet, ask them to share with you what they did.

Improving Our Teaching

Children benefit from repetition. Don’t hesitate to repeat activities multiple times, especially with younger children. Repetition will help the children remember what they are learning.

activity page: Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ

April 5–11

Doctrine and Covenants 30–36

early Church missionaries

“You Are Called to Preach My Gospel”

As you prayerfully study Doctrine and Covenants 30–36 with the children in your class in mind, the Spirit may give you ideas about how to teach them. Look for additional ideas in this outline.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Hold up a picture of missionaries, and ask the children to share what they know about missionary work.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 33:2–3, 6–10

I can share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Even young children can share their witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How can you use these verses to help inspire them to do so?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to try to say a phrase like “God loves you” with their mouths closed. Point out that we can’t teach people about the gospel if we don’t open our mouths. Read Doctrine and Covenants 33:8–10, and invite the children to open their mouths every time they hear the phrase “open your mouths.” Why does Heavenly Father want us to open our mouths and share the gospel with others?

  • Whisper something very quietly to the children, such as “Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God,” and ask them to repeat what you said. Then say the same phrase in a louder voice. Read Doctrine and Covenants 33:2. Help the children understand that “lift[ing] up [our] voices” means to not be afraid to tell others about Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, and other gospel truths.

  • Place paper dolls or pictures of people around the room. Invite the children to find the people and gather them to the front of the room. Read Doctrine and Covenants 33:6, and explain what it means that the Lord will “gather [His] elect.” Testify that we can help gather people to the Lord as we share the gospel.

  • Sing a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). Help the children think of ways they can help other people learn about Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 33:12–17

I can build my life on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The counsel the Lord gave to Ezra Thayer and Northrop Sweet can help the children you teach build their lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of the foundation of a building, and ask them to describe it. Why does a building need a strong, solid foundation? Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 33:12–13, and explain that the Lord wants us to build our lives on His gospel. Help the children think of some ways they can build their lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

  • Give the children some objects that they can use to build a tower, such as blocks or plastic cups. Label each object with a picture representing things the Lord said in Doctrine and Covenants 33:14–17. Invite the children to build a tower as you talk with them about how these things help us build our lives on Jesus Christ’s gospel.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 30:1–2

I should focus more on the things of God than the things of the earth.

The Lord’s counsel to David Whitmer in section 30 can help the children you teach stay faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 30:1 together, and ask the children to summarize, in their own words, the counsel the Lord gave David Whitmer. In what ways might we sometimes “fear man,” or worry what others might think, instead of doing what we know we should?

  • Ask the children to try to do two tasks at once, such as reciting an article of faith while writing down the names of all of the children in the class. Ask them why it was hard to focus on the first task. What are some “things of the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 30:2) that can distract us from remembering Jesus Christ and His gospel? How can we keep our focus on Him rather than on less important things?

Doctrine and Covenants 30–34

I can share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many children in the Church look forward to serving a full-time or service mission. The experiences of the missionaries addressed in sections 30–34 could help them prepare.

Possible Activities

  • Invite a ward member to learn about one of the missionaries called in Doctrine and Covenants 30–34 and to share with the children what they learned (see “Voices of the Restoration: Early Converts” in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families or “The Faith and Fall of Thomas Marsh,” “Ezra Thayer: From Skeptic to Believer,” “Orson Pratt’s Call to Serve,” Revelations in Context, 54–69).

  • Draw a large mouth on the board, and help the children find in Doctrine and Covenants 33:8–10 the Lord’s promises to us when we open our mouths to share the gospel. Let the children write these promises on the board, and help them understand what these promises mean. Ask each child to write inside the mouth a gospel truth they can share with others.

  • Show a picture of a trumpet, and talk about what it means to preach the gospel “as with the sound of a trump.” How do we “lift up” our voices? (Doctrine and Covenants 33:2; 34:6).

  • Ask the children to share how they are preparing to serve missions someday. If they know someone (perhaps a family member) who is serving, invite them to tell about his or her experiences. Or invite missionaries, a returned missionary, or someone preparing for a mission to share his or her enthusiasm for missionary work. Share some of your experiences sharing the gospel, including experiences in your daily life.

    boys playing

Doctrine and Covenants 33:12–17

I can build my life on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If the children can learn at an early age how to build their lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ, they are more likely to stay faithful to Him. The counsel given in these verses can help them.

Possible Activities

  • Bring to class items of differing hardness, such as a stuffed animal, a sponge, clay, and a rock. Allow the children to handle each one. Ask them to look in Doctrine and Covenants 33:12–13 to find out how the Lord describes His gospel. Why is “rock” a good word to describe the gospel? How can we build our lives on the rock of the gospel?

  • Help the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 33:12–17 and find things we can do to build our lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Invite the children to draw a picture of something they find, and let them guess what each other’s pictures are portraying.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to be like missionaries by sharing with their families something they learned in Primary today.

Improving Our Teaching

Testify of promised blessings. When you invite children to live a gospel principle, share promises God has made to those who live that principle. For example, you can bear testimony of the blessings that the Lord gives to those who open their mouths and share the gospel.

activity page: I can share the gospel

April 12–18

Doctrine and Covenants 37–40

Saints preparing to move

Saints Move to Kirtland, by Sam Lawlor

“If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine”

God knows what the children in your class need to learn. Let Him guide you as you select principles and activities to help you teach them.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Pass around a copy of the scriptures. As each child holds the scriptures, let that child share one thing he or she remembers from last week’s lesson or from reading the scriptures at home this week.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 38:24–27

I can love others.

The Lord wanted the Saints to gather together in Ohio and to love each other as equals. How can you help the children feel unity with and love for others?

Possible Activities

  • Use this week’s activity page to show the children that when the Church was very new, the Lord asked the members to move together to Ohio (see also the map in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). God wanted them to learn how to love and get along with each other. Ask the children for ideas about how they can show love for each other.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 38:25 to the children, and tell them in your own words what it means to esteem your brother or sister as yourself (see also Matthew 7:12). Help them repeat the scripture, replacing “his brother” with each other’s names.

  • Sing a song about loving and including others, such as “I’ll Walk with You” or “We Are Different” (Children’s Songbook, 140–41, 263). As you sing, let the children hold pictures of children from other places in the world.

  • Help the children act out a scenario in which someone new joins their Primary class. How could we help him or her feel welcome? The children might enjoy doing this role play with finger puppets or cutout figures.

Doctrine and Covenants 38:30

If I am prepared, I need not fear.

One way that Heavenly Father helps us not be afraid is by teaching us to be prepared.

Possible Activities

  • Repeat several times the phrase “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (verse 30). After a few times, leave out a word, and let the children say the missing word. Tell the children about a time when you were prepared for something and being prepared helped you not be afraid.

  • Help the children think of things Heavenly Father wants them to prepare for, such as being baptized or going to the temple. Use pictures or objects to give them ideas. Talk about ways they can prepare, and let them draw pictures of themselves preparing for or participating in the things they thought of.

Doctrine and Covenants 39:6, 23

I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost when I am confirmed.

What do the children in your class need to understand about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost? The Lord’s instructions to James Covel about this ordinance might help.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of someone being baptized and someone being confirmed (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 104, 105). Read Doctrine and Covenants 39:23, and ask the children to point to the correct picture when they hear you read about baptism or confirmation.

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 39:6, and show the children pictures or objects that represent ways the Holy Ghost blesses us (including those mentioned in verse 6). Let the children take turns holding the pictures or objects, and as they do, bear testimony about how the Holy Ghost has blessed you in these ways. Help the children recognize times when they might feel the Spirit’s influence.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 37; 38:31–33

God gathers us to bless us.

Gathering in Ohio was a great sacrifice for many of the early Saints. Today we are not commanded to gather in one location, but we do gather as families, wards, and stakes.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children this week’s activity page or the map in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 37, and help the children find on the map the places mentioned in the revelation. What did the Lord command the Saints to do?

  • Choose a key phrase or sentence from Doctrine and Covenants 38:31–33 that you feel describes why the Lord wanted His people to gather together. Scatter words from this sentence around the room, and invite the children to gather them, put them in the right order, and find where the sentence appears in the verses. Why does the Lord want us to gather?

Doctrine and Covenants 38:24–27

God wants His people to be united.

To prepare the Saints to gather, the Lord taught them to see each other as equals and “be one” (verse 27). How might this instruction bless the children you teach?

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 38:24–27, and invite the children to write down words from these verses that they feel are important, including words that are repeated. Why might the Lord have repeated these words? Let them share what they wrote, and discuss what they learn from those words.

  • Help the children think of situations in which someone might feel left out, such as being a new member of the Church or moving to a new neighborhood or school. What does Doctrine and Covenants 38:24–27 suggest about how we should treat someone in these circumstances? Role-play some possible situations.

  • Share an object lesson that illustrates how things can be combined or united to become one, such as pieces of cloth that make one quilt or ingredients that make one loaf of bread. What do these examples teach us about becoming one as God’s people?

Doctrine and Covenants 39–40

I can keep my promises.

James Covel had made a promise to obey the Lord, but he did not keep his promise. Learning about his experience could help the children to remember the importance of being obedient.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read the section headings for Doctrine and Covenants 39 and 40, and ask them to summarize in words or drawings what they learn about James Covel.

  • Write questions on the board that will help the children understand section 40, such as What did James Covel covenant to do? Why didn’t he keep his covenant? Invite the children to find answers in section 40.

  • Help the children remember the promises they made when they were baptized (see Mosiah 18:8–10). Help the children list some fears or “cares of the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 40:2) that might prevent a person from keeping these promises. Invite the children to write themselves a short message as a reminder that obeying Heavenly Father’s commandments will help them overcome fears or worldly cares. Encourage them to keep their reminder someplace where they can see it often.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to discuss with their parents or other family members how they can be more united as a family.

Improving Our Teaching

Memorize a scripture. Consider selecting a scripture passage that you think could strengthen the testimonies of the children, and help them memorize it. Younger children could memorize a portion of a scripture or simply a phrase.

activity page: I can love others

April 19–25

Doctrine and Covenants 41–44

Jesus Christ

“My Law to Govern My Church”

During your preparation this week, pay attention to the impressions you receive from the Spirit. What do you feel the children need to learn from Doctrine and Covenants 41–44?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Toss a ball to a child, and ask the child to share one commandment that he or she knows about. Keep passing the ball until everyone has had a chance to share something.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 42:2

I can obey God’s laws.

As the Church grew and members gathered in Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith what He called His “law” and commanded the Saints to “hearken and hear and obey” it. How can you help the children understand that we are blessed when we are obedient?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 42:2, emphasizing the word “obey.” Give the children a few simple scenarios in which a child chooses to obey or disobey a law or rule. Ask the children to listen carefully and smile if the person in the story obeys and frown if the person disobeys. Share blessings you have received when you have obeyed God’s laws.

  • Play a game by giving the children a rule to follow. For instance, you could tell them that they must raise their hands and be called on to answer questions. Then let them practice obeying by asking them questions and calling on those who raise their hands. What laws has God given us?

  • Complete the activity page with the children, or sing a song about obeying God’s laws, such as “I Want to Live the Gospel” (Children’s Songbook, 148). Tell the children how obeying God’s laws has brought you happiness.

    Primary class

Doctrine and Covenants 42:38

I am serving Jesus Christ when I serve others.

The Lord wants His Saints to care for the poor and needy. Help the children understand that when they are serving people in need, they are also serving the Savior.

Possible Activities

  • If Jesus Christ were in our class today, what would we say to Him? How would we treat Him? Show a picture of the Savior, and explain Jesus’s teaching that when we show love to others, we are also showing love to Him. Help the children repeat verse 38 with you, a few words at a time.

  • Help the children think of ways they can serve Jesus by serving others. They can find some ideas from the video “Pass It On” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) or from pictures of the Savior helping others, such as pictures of Him healing the sick or being kind to children (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 4247). Testify that when they serve others, they are also serving Jesus.

Doctrine and Covenants 43:1–7

The Lord leads His Church through His prophet.

You can help the children avoid being deceived throughout their lives by teaching them, while they are young, the Lord’s pattern for leading His Church through the living prophet.

Possible Activities

  • Show pictures of different people, including a picture of the current prophet. Place the pictures face down, and let the children turn over the pictures one by one until they find the prophet. Explain the Lord’s teaching that only the prophet is “appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from [the Lord]” to lead the Church (Doctrine and Covenants 43:2).

  • Sing together a song about prophets, such as the last verse of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11). Share your testimony that the prophet leads the Church.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 41:5

A disciple is someone who receives God’s law and obeys it.

Do the children you teach know what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Doctrine and Covenants 41:5 can help them understand how to be better disciples.

Possible Activities

  • Write Doctrine and Covenants 41:5 on a piece of paper, leaving blanks where the word “disciple” should be. Ask the children to fill in the blanks, looking in Doctrine and Covenants 41:5 if they need help. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Share how you are striving to be a better disciple of Christ.

  • After discussing Doctrine and Covenants 41:5, ask the children to think of laws we have received from the Lord. Invite them to take turns acting out obeying one of those laws while the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

  • Give each class member a strip of paper, and ask them to write on it one way they can be a better disciple. Invite each child to share what they wrote, and then tape the strips together to create a paper chain.

Doctrine and Covenants 42:61, 68

God reveals wisdom to those who ask.

Children ask lots of questions as they grow in their knowledge of the world and the gospel. How can you use Doctrine and Covenants 42:61, 68 to help them know how to gain wisdom from the Lord?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to share with you something that helps them feel peaceful and something that helps them feel joyful. Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 42:61 looking for the words “peaceable” and “joy.” Help the children think of truths God has revealed that bring them peace and joy.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 42:61, 68 with the children, emphasizing the phrase “revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge.” Explain that God does not reveal everything at once; instead, He gives us a little bit at a time. Show how a puzzle is built little by little, or use something similar to help the children understand this principle. Share an experience when you received revelation that blessed you.

Doctrine and Covenants 43:1–7

Only the prophet can receive revelation for the whole Church.

As the children grow, they will likely meet people who want to lead them astray. How can you help the children trust God’s pattern of leading His children through His chosen prophet?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to imagine that someone stands up in testimony meeting and tells the ward that he has received a revelation for the Church (for example, that we should no longer drink milk or that we should start holding sacrament meetings on Tuesdays instead of Sundays). He says that we should listen to what he says instead of the prophet. What would be wrong with that? Help the children search Doctrine and Covenants 43:1–7 to find out how the Lord gives commandments to His Church.

  • Show a picture of the living prophet, and invite the children to share something he taught recently. If they need help, show a video clip or read a passage from a recent general conference message. Why is it a blessing to have a living prophet today?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to choose a law or commandment they feel they should focus on obeying this week. Encourage them to share their goal with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Teach children to record impressions. Even children can learn the habit of recording spiritual impressions. They can record impressions by marking scriptures, drawing pictures, or making simple journal entries.

activity page: I am happy when I obey God

April 26–May 2

Doctrine and Covenants 45

youth outside temple

“The Promises … Shall Be Fulfilled”

As a teacher, your most important preparation is spiritual. Begin by studying Doctrine and Covenants 45 and praying for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. This outline provides ideas that may be helpful to you. You might also find ideas in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families or in the Liahona or Friend.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Ask the children if they would like to share something they learned from the scriptures this week. Choose someone to share, and ask the other children to raise their hands if they learned about something similar.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 45:32

I can “stand in holy places.”

In Doctrine and Covenants 45:32, the Lord taught that His disciples will find safety in the last days by standing in holy places—places that are special to the Lord. How can you help the children recognize the holy places in their lives?

Possible Activities

  • Place pictures of a home, a church building, and a temple in different places throughout the room. Give clues describing these places, and invite the children to stand near the picture you are describing. Read the first line from Doctrine and Covenants 45:32. Testify that we are blessed when we spend time in holy places like our homes, our church buildings, and the temple. Ask the children to talk about how they feel when they are in holy places like these.

  • Invite the children to complete this week’s activity page. Help them write “I can help my home become a holy place” and “Doctrine and Covenants 45:32” on their drawing. What can they do to help their home become a holy place?

  • To help the children think about what it means to “not be moved,” ask them to stand still without moving for one minute. Read the first line from Doctrine and Covenants 45:32. Help the children understand that to “stand in holy places, and … not be moved” means to choose the right at all times, no matter what is happening. Invite them to “not be moved” away from righteous thoughts and actions.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:44–45

Jesus Christ will come again.

When the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, heard the revelation found in Doctrine and Covenants 45, which speaks of the last days and the Savior’s Second Coming, they received it with joy. Consider how you will help the children prepare joyfully for the Second Coming.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think about how they feel when they know that someone special is coming to visit them, like a grandparent or a friend. How do they prepare for the visit? Show a picture of the Savior, and read part or all of Doctrine and Covenants 45:44–45. Tell the children how you feel about the Savior coming again, and let them share their feelings.

  • Show a picture of the Savior’s Second Coming (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families), and ask the children to share what they feel when they see the picture. Share your testimony that Jesus Christ will come again.

  • Sing a song about the Savior’s Second Coming, such as “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83). Use the song to discuss ways we can prepare for Jesus to come again, such as by doing God’s will and letting our light shine for others.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5

Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the Father.

How will you help the children strengthen their faith that Jesus Christ is their Advocate? How have you learned this for yourself?

Possible Activities

  • Write several words and phrases found in Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5 on separate pieces of paper. Give the children a minute to study these verses in their scriptures, and then invite them to close their scriptures and put the words on the papers in the order they appear in the verse. According to these verses, what does the Savior say to plead our cause before Heavenly Father?

  • Help the children define the word advocate, perhaps by looking it up in a dictionary. What did the Savior do that made it possible for Him to be our Advocate? Share your feelings about what Jesus Christ has done for us, and let the children share their feelings.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:9

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a light to the world.

Help the children you teach think of ways the gospel prepares the world for the Savior’s Second Coming.

Possible Activities

  • Show pictures of a light and a flag, or draw these things on the board. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 45:9 and think of ways the gospel is like a light, a standard (or flag), and a messenger. You might explain that anciently, a standard was a banner or flag carried into battle. It helped soldiers know where to gather and what to do.

    Captain Moroni holding Title of Liberty
  • Help the children memorize all or part of verse 9 by writing it on the board and erasing a few words at a time.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:37–38

Jesus Christ will come again.

It can be frightening for children to read about the wars, wickedness, and destruction that are prophesied to occur before the Savior’s Second Coming. How can you help them look forward with joy to this promised day?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children how they know when a new season is near. What signs do they look for? Explain that just as there are signs of a new season, there are signs of the Second Coming. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 45:37–38. What did Jesus say that the signs of His Second Coming would be like? To help the children discover the signs we should be looking for, assign each child (or group of children) to read a few verses from Doctrine and Covenants 45 that describe these signs. Verses 26–27, 31–33, 40–42 could be used, for example. Let the children share what they found. Which of these signs are being fulfilled today?

  • On separate pieces of paper, write some of the promises regarding future events that you found in your study of section 45. Some examples of these promises can be found in verses 44–45, 51–52, 55, 58–59, 66–71. List on the board the verses where the promises are found. Give the children the papers, and ask them to use their scriptures to match the verses on the board to the promises. Discuss what these promises mean, and invite the children to share which promises help them feel excited about the Savior’s Second Coming.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to think of one thing they learned during class that they can share with their families. Ask a few of them to share with the class what they want to share at home.

Improving Our Teaching

Help the children recognize the Spirit. As you teach the children, tell them when you feel the Holy Ghost. Talk about how you recognize His presence. For example, you might feel peaceful or joyful while singing a song about the Savior. Identifying these feelings will help the children notice when they are feeling the Spirit.

activity page: I can stand in holy places

May 3–9

Doctrine and Covenants 46–48

people meeting by pond

The Camp Meeting, by Worthington Whittredge

“Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”

Think about the children you teach as you read Doctrine and Covenants 46–48. Refer to “Meeting the Needs of Younger Children” at the beginning of this resource for additional ideas to consider.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to draw pictures of something they learned in last week’s lesson or at home during the past week. Give them reminders if needed. Then let them talk about their pictures.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 46:2–6

I can help others feel welcome at church.

All of us, including children, want to feel welcome and accepted. How can you use these verses to help the children make others feel welcome at church?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 46:5 aloud, and tell the children in your own words what this verse means. Show pictures of people from around the world. Ask the children which of these people Heavenly Father would want us to invite to our Church meetings. Help the children practice inviting you or each other to come to a Church meeting or activity.

  • Ask the children to imagine that a friend is coming to church for the first time. Help them think of ways they could help their friend feel welcome. Let them practice what they would say or do if they saw a friend walk into the chapel or the classroom for the first time.

Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–26

Heavenly Father blesses me with His gifts.

Each of the children you teach is a son or daughter of Heavenly Father, and He has blessed them with spiritual gifts.

Possible Activities

  • Use Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–26 or “Chapter 20: Gifts of the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 77–80) to explain to the children some of the gifts Heavenly Father gives us through His Spirit and why He gives them. If possible, show objects or pictures that represent each gift. Pause occasionally to ask the children how these gifts could bless someone.

  • Give a child something that can be shared, like a piece of bread or two toys. Ask the child to share what you have given him or her with another class member. Explain that Heavenly Father gives us gifts, and He wants us to use them to help others. Tell the children about a time when you were blessed because someone shared his or her spiritual gifts.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 46:8–26

Heavenly Father gives me spiritual gifts to bless others.

The gifts described in Doctrine and Covenants 46—and many other spiritual gifts—come from God through the Holy Ghost. You can help the children identify the gifts they have been given—and others they can seek—as you study Doctrine and Covenants 46 together.

Possible Activities

  • Write on pieces of paper some of the spiritual gifts found in Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–26 and Articles of Faith 1:7, and hide them around the room. Invite each child to find one of the papers and search the verses to find where that gift is mentioned in the scriptures. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 46:8–9, 12. Why does Heavenly Father give us spiritual gifts?

  • Help the children list on the board the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 46. As each gift is listed, talk about how that gift can be used to bless others. The descriptions in “Chapter 20: Gifts of the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 77–80) can help. Tell the children that they each have spiritual gifts. Encourage them to ask Heavenly Father to help them recognize their gifts and how they can use them to help others.

Doctrine and Covenants 47:1, 3

I can record my history.

The Lord called John Whitmer to keep a history of the Church. Today we are richly blessed because of Church histories that have been kept over the years.

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 47:1, 3, and ask the children to discover what the Lord wanted John Whitmer to do. What does the word “continually” mean in verse 3? How are we blessed by knowing about the history of the Church?

  • If the children you teach keep a journal, ask them to talk about the kinds of things they write about in their journal. The children might enjoy hearing a story from your childhood journal or the journal of an ancestor.

  • Show the children examples of ways they could keep a regular history of their lives. For example, they can write in a book, collect pictures in a scrapbook, type on a computer, or make audio or video recordings. Help the children make a list of things that would be good to include in their personal histories, such as their testimony of Jesus Christ. Invite the children to make a sign or poster to take home with some of these ideas to remind them to record their personal histories.

    girl studying

Doctrine and Covenants 48:1–4

I can help others by sharing what I have been given.

The Lord encouraged the Saints in Ohio to help other Saints by sharing their land and their money. How can you use these verses to help the children find ways to share with others what God has given them?

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a map of New York and Ohio (see the outline for April 12–18 in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Explain that the Lord commanded the Saints in New York and other areas to gather to Ohio, but many of them didn’t have enough money to build a house when they arrived. Help the children find in Doctrine and Covenants 48:1–4 what the Lord asked the Saints in Ohio to do to help. Ask the children what they would want to do to help if they were living in Ohio at this time. What have we been given today that we could use to help others? For an example, see “The Coat” (video, ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 48:4 together, and invite the children to look for something the Lord asked the Saints to do to help His work. Explain that saving money would allow them to buy land and build a temple someday. What can we save money for so we can help do the work of the Lord? Show the video “First Things First” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and discuss how the children in the video fulfilled the Lord’s command to save money.

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to ask family members at home about a spiritual gift that they feel they have been given. Also encourage the children to pray and seek for a gift of the Spirit they would like to develop.

Improving Our Teaching

Help children learn from the scriptures. Young children may not be able to read much, but you can still help them learn from the scriptures. For example, you could read a passage and invite them to stand up or raise their hand when they hear a specific word or phrase.

activity page: God has given me spiritual gifts

May 10–16

Doctrine and Covenants 49–50

pond at sunrise

“That Which Is of God Is Light”

As you read Doctrine and Covenants 49–50, look for messages or principles that you feel will be especially meaningful to the children you teach. A few are suggested in this outline.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the picture from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and help the children talk about how Jesus Christ is like a good shepherd.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 49:12–14

I can follow Jesus Christ.

Help the children understand that they can follow Jesus Christ by believing in Him, repenting, being baptized, and receiving the Holy Ghost.

Possible Activities

  • Display four paper footprints and four pictures representing believing in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Read Doctrine and Covenants 49:12–14, and ask the children to point to the correct picture when each is mentioned in the verses. Let the children help you place the footprints on the floor with the pictures beside them, and invite the children to take turns walking on the footprints. Bear your testimony that when we do the things in these pictures, we are following Jesus Christ.

  • Use this week’s activity page to make finger puppets that can help the children learn how they can follow Jesus Christ by having faith, repenting, being baptized, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:23–25

My spiritual light can grow brighter and brighter.

Abstract concepts like truth and spirit can be hard for young children to understand, but comparing them to light, as the Lord does in Doctrine and Covenants 50:23–25, can help.

Possible Activities

  • Use an activity that illustrates how our spiritual light can grow brighter and brighter. You could show pictures of things that give light (such as a candle, a light bulb, and the sun) and let the children arrange them in increasing order of brightness. Or invite the children to pretend to be lights getting brighter by bending down and slowly standing and stretching up their arms. Help them think of good things they can do to make their spiritual light brighter.

  • Sing with the children a song about their spiritual light, such as “Shine On” (Children’s Songbook, 144). Testify about how Heavenly Father has helped your light grow brighter. Tell the children about the light you see in them.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:41–44

Jesus Christ loves me.

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. We are His sheep, and He loves each of us. What will help the children you teach feel His love for them?

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of Jesus Christ with children (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 47, 84, or 116), and ask the children how they know Jesus loves children. Share how you know Jesus loves you and each of the children in the class.

  • Make paper sheep, write on them the names of the children in the class, and hide them around the room. Display a picture of the Savior, and read Doctrine and Covenants 50:41–42. Help the children understand what these verses teach about how Jesus Christ feels about them. Let them find the sheep around the room and put them on the board near the picture of Jesus so “none of them … shall be lost” (verse 42).

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 49:12–14

I can follow Jesus Christ.

The Lord needs all of us to teach others that they can come unto Him by having faith, repenting, being baptized, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to compare Doctrine and Covenants 49:12–14 with what Peter taught in Acts 2:38 and with the fourth article of faith. What similarities do they find? Why are these truths important?

  • Invite the children to work in pairs and pretend that one of them wants to know how to follow Jesus Christ. The other child in the pair can teach him or her using Doctrine and Covenants 49:12–14.

Doctrine and Covenants 49:15–17

Marriage between man and woman is essential to God’s plan.

The children you teach may face confusing messages about marriage. Doctrine and Covenants 49:15–17 can help them understand how the Lord feels about marriage.

Possible Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 50:40–46

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:40–46 contains imagery that can help the children you teach understand how the Savior feels about them.

Possible Activities

  • Make a matching game using phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 50:40–46. For instance, you could write “Fear not, little children” on one card that would match with another card that says “for you are mine” (verse 41). Read Doctrine and Covenants 50:40–46 together. Then mix up the cards on the floor, a table, or the board, and ask the children to match the phrases. What do these phrases teach us about Jesus Christ?

  • To help the children understand how the Savior is like a good shepherd, ask them to read Doctrine and Covenants 50:40–46 together. Then show the video “Jesus Declares the Parable of the Lost Sheep” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask them to find something in the video that reminds them of what they read. How does Jesus rescue us? How can we be good shepherds to others?

Encourage Learning at Home

Prepare a note for each child with these words: Ask me about . Let the children fill in the blank with something they learned in class (give them help if needed) and pin the note to their clothes to prompt a discussion at home.

Improving Our Teaching

Modify activities for the age of the children you teach. As children grow, they have more to contribute to class. They have more experience and may be better at sharing their thoughts. When teaching younger children, you may need to explain more than with older children. Always give children an opportunity to participate on their own, and then help them as needed.

activity page: I can follow Jesus Christ

May 17–23

Doctrine and Covenants 51–57

farmer with oxen

First Furrow, by James Taylor Harwood

“A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Steward”

In addition to the ideas suggested here, the Spirit may prompt you to focus on something else from Doctrine and Covenants 51–57 that may be important for the children you teach.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Let the children who want to share something they are learning draw numbers from a container to determine the order in which they will share.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 51:9

I can be honest.

Many young children are still learning what it means to tell the truth. Consider how you might reinforce the importance of speaking and acting honestly.

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 51:9: “Let every man deal honestly” (see also Articles of Faith 1:13). Ask the children if they know what it means to be honest. To help them better understand, give them examples of actions that are honest.

  • Share some simple stories of children who face decisions about being honest, such as the decision to admit when they did something wrong. Use pictures, sock puppets, or paper dolls to make the stories more interesting. Ask the children if these people are being honest or dishonest.

  • Sing a song about honesty, such as “Stand for the Right” (Children’s Songbook, 159). Bear your testimony about why it is important to be honest.

Doctrine and Covenants 52:10; 53:3; 55:1

The gift of the Holy Ghost is received by the laying on of hands.

Receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands is mentioned several times in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57. This might be a good opportunity to teach the children about this ordinance.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of a child being confirmed (see Gospel Art Book, no. 105). Invite the children to describe what is happening in the picture. Ask them to clap their hands when they hear “laying on of the hands” or “laying on of hands” while you read one or more of the following verses: Doctrine and Covenants 52:10; 53:3; 55:1.

  • Tell the children about when you received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands after you were baptized. Help the children look forward to receiving this gift themselves. Discuss with them ways we can invite the Spirit in our lives.

  • Sing “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, 105) or a similar song. Point out words and phrases that teach about the gift of the Holy Ghost.

    boy being confirmed

Doctrine and Covenants 54:4–6

I should always keep my promises.

Leman Copley had covenanted to let Saints from Colesville, New York, live on his land in Ohio. But after they arrived, he broke his covenant and made them leave.

Possible Activities

  • Share with the children what happened to the Saints who came to live on Leman Copley’s land (see the section heading for Doctrine and Covenants 54; see also “Chapter 21: A Revelation to Settle in Missouri,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 81–83). Help them consider how the Saints might have felt when Leman broke his promise.

  • Cut a paper heart in half, and give each half to two different children. Ask them to hold up their halves together to make a whole heart. Let other children take turns holding up part of the heart. Help the children compare this to the promises or covenants we make with God. God will always hold up His side of the covenant if we hold up ours.

  • Remind the children that when they are baptized, they will covenant, or promise, to obey God’s commandments. Read to them from Doctrine and Covenants 54:6 how the Lord blesses people who keep their covenants.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 51:1955

I can use the blessings God has given me to bless others.

The Lord has entrusted each of us with gifts and blessings we can use to build His kingdom.

Possible Activities

  • Hide the words “faithful,” “just,” and “wise” around the room. Invite the children to find the words in the room and then find them in Doctrine and Covenants 51:19. Read the verse together, and talk about what it means to be a steward. If necessary, read together the first paragraph of “Steward, Stewardship” in the Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Tell the children about William W. Phelps, who was a newspaper publisher before hearing the gospel and moving to Kirtland. Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 55:1–4 and list what God wanted William to do. Which of these things can apply to all of us, and which are specific to William because of his talents? Ask the children to identify talents they see in each other, and discuss how they can use those talents to serve God and His children.

Doctrine and Covenants 52:14–19

God has a pattern to help me not be deceived.

In these verses, the Lord gave a pattern so “that [we] may not be deceived” (Doctrine and Covenants 52:14) by false teachers and messages.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children an example of a pattern (such as a pattern for sewing clothes or making something), and talk about why patterns are helpful. To help the children learn about a pattern from the Lord, write on the board phrases like He that , the same is , He that  shall be , and He that  is not . Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 52:15–18 and fill in the blanks. Why is this pattern helpful to us? (see verses 14, 19).

  • Draw something simple, and invite the children to follow your pattern to make the same drawing. Then explore with them the Lord’s pattern recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 52:14–19.

Doctrine and Covenants 54

I should always keep my covenants.

Even though our covenants are personal, our faithfulness in keeping them can affect the lives of others. The story of Leman Copley and the Saints from Colesville, New York, illustrates this truth.

Possible Activities

  • Share with the children what happened when Saints from Colesville, New York, settled on Leman Copley’s land (see the section heading for Doctrine and Covenants 54; see also “Chapter 21: A Revelation to Settle in Missouri,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 81–82). How would it feel to be one of those Saints and find out that Leman broke his covenant to share his land? What does this story teach us about keeping our covenants? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 54:6 to learn about a blessing the Lord gives to those who keep their covenants.

  • Remind the children of the covenants they made when they were baptized (see Mosiah 18:8–10). Help them think of ways they are keeping these covenants, and help them see how this will prepare them to make additional covenants in the future.

Encourage Learning at Home

If the children seemed to enjoy one of the activities today, suggest that they repeat that activity at home with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Live what you teach. Your teaching will be more powerful if you can testify from personal experience about the blessings of living the gospel. As you select principles to teach the children, ponder how you can live those principles more fully. (See also Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 13–14.)

activity page: a covenant is a promise between me and God

May 24–30

Doctrine and Covenants 58–59

Independence Missouri street

Independence, Missouri, by Al Rounds

“Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

As you read Doctrine and Covenants 58–59, record the spiritual impressions you receive. These impressions can help you plan to teach the doctrine you learned to the children. You might also find ideas in this lesson outline, in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, or in Church magazines.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite a few children to share something they did during the week to learn from the scriptures.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28

Heavenly Father has given me power to choose.

Help the children know that Heavenly Father wants us to make good choices that bring happiness to our lives and to others.

Possible Activities

  • Read phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28 to help children understand that they can choose to do good. Put a happy face on one side of the room and a sad face on the other side. How do we feel when we choose to do good? Describe several situations along with a good or bad choice for each one. After describing each situation and choice, ask the children to stand by the happy face if the choice is good and by the sad face if it is bad.

  • Show the children a container of many different colors of crayons. Show them a second container with only one crayon. Ask the children which of these containers they would want to use. Why? Explain that being able to choose is a blessing from Heavenly Father. Testify that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and want us to make good choices.

  • Tell the children about a time when you made a good choice, and describe how you felt afterward. Invite the children to draw a picture of your story or a story of their own. Then let them share their pictures with the class and tell what they learned from the story.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:7

Heavenly Father wants me to be grateful.

How can you help the children understand the importance of thanking Heavenly Father for their blessings?

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children something that you are thankful for, and ask them to share things they are thankful for. Read Doctrine and Covenants 59:7, and help the children think of ways they can thank Heavenly Father for their blessings. What could they make to take home to remind them to thank Heavenly Father for their blessings?

  • Sing together a song about gratitude, such as “For Health and Strength” (Children’s Songbook, 21). Invite the children to replace words in the song with other things they are thankful for.

  • Let the children draw pictures of things they are thankful for.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–12

The Sabbath is the Lord’s day.

As you share the joy you have found by keeping the Sabbath day holy, you can help the children see the Sabbath as a day when we worship the Lord.

Possible Activities

  • Bring pictures or objects that depict good things we can do on Sunday to worship the Lord and find joy. Some ideas are found in Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–12 and “Sabbath Day Observance” (For the Strength of Youth, 30–31). For example, to represent the sacrament, you could show picture 108 in the Gospel Art Book or a sacrament cup and a piece of bread. How does each of these things help us be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath?

  • Complete this week’s activity page with the children to give them ideas to make the Sabbath a holy day.

    bread and sacrament cups

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28

Agency is the power to choose.

God has given us the power to choose, and with that power we can “bring to pass much righteousness” (verse 27). How can you help the children you teach see that even though there is wickedness in the world, “the power is in them” to “do good”? (verse 28).

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a piece of paper that has the word choice written on one side and the word consequence written on the other side. Explain that choices have consequences, or results that naturally follow actions. Invite a child to pick up the paper to show that when you pick up the paper, you get both the choice and the consequence of that choice. Ask a child to read Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28. What choices can we make that will “bring to pass much righteousness” or good consequences? (verse 27). When have we made good choices that had consequences that blessed others?

  • Write phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28 on strips of paper, and hand one to each child. Invite them to read the verses silently and ponder their phrase. Invite the children to sit in the order in which their phrases appear in verses 27–28 and share with each other what they learned. What is the Lord’s message to us in these verses?

  • Sing a song about choices, such as “Choose the Right” (Hymns, no. 239). Ask questions to help the children ponder the words of the song—for example, Who helps guide you to make the right choice? Who tries to get you to make the wrong choice? How does choosing the right make you feel?

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16

The Sabbath is the Lord’s day.

The Lord said that observing the Sabbath helps us “keep [ourselves] unspotted from the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9). How can you help the children you teach honor the Sabbath and make it a sign of their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16 in pairs, and ask each pair to write down something they learn about the Sabbath day from each verse. After several minutes, ask each pair to share with the class what they wrote. What will we do differently on the Sabbath because of what we learned?

  • Prepare a simple matching game in which the children match phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16 to the correct verse. Choose phrases that teach what the Lord wants us to do on the Sabbath. Discuss what these phrases teach us about the Lord’s day and how we can come closer to Him.

  • The Sabbath day is “the Lord’s day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:12)—a day to show that we remember the many works of the Lord as we worship Him (see Bible Dictionary, “Sabbath”). Help the children ponder these works by inviting them to read the following scripture passages and showing them related pictures: Genesis 2:1–3 (see Gospel Art Book, no. 3); John 20:1–19 (see Gospel Art Book, no. 59). What other mighty works of the Lord can we remember on the Sabbath? What else do we learn about the Sabbath from Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their family something they can do to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Improving Our Teaching

Build the children’s self-confidence. Some children may not feel capable of learning the gospel on their own. Promise the children that the Holy Ghost will help them learn.

activity page: the Sabbath is a delight

May 31–June 6

Doctrine and Covenants 60–62

Missouri River

Campfire on the Missouri, by Bryan Mark Taylor

“All Flesh Is in Mine Hand”

Remember that your best preparation to teach Doctrine and Covenants 60–62 will come through your personal and family study of these sections.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Give each child a chance to share something he or she learned from the scriptures during the past week or from last Sunday’s Primary class. After each child shares, ask another child in the class to summarize what he or she said.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 60:4; 61:1–2, 36; 62:1

The scriptures teach me about Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 60–62 contains many statements that can help the children you teach understand who Jesus Christ is and increase their love for Him.

Possible Activities

  • Display a picture of Jesus Christ, and ask the children to share why they love Jesus. Pick a few phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 60–62 that teach you about the Savior, and share them with the children (see, for example, Doctrine and Covenants 60:4; 61:1–2, 36; 62:1). Help the children repeat the phrases with you. Share how you feel about Jesus Christ.

  • Show a few pictures of Jesus from His earthly ministry (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 34–61). Let the children help you explain what Jesus is doing in the pictures. How is He showing His love for Heavenly Father’s children? Tell the children about one of your favorite scriptures that teaches about Jesus.

  • Sing with the children “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79; see also the sing-along video at ChurchofJesusChrist.org). As you sing about ways to be like Jesus, stop occasionally and ask the children to complete the sentence “I can be like Jesus by …”

    resurrected Savior

Doctrine and Covenants 62:3

Jesus Christ wants me to share His gospel.

Children love to share what they know with others. Help them understand that when they share what they know about the gospel, Heavenly Father is pleased with them.

Possible Activities

  • Explain that the Lord asked the Prophet Joseph Smith and other Church leaders to travel from Kirtland, Ohio, to Jackson County, Missouri. He asked them to preach the gospel along the way and as they returned home. Read Doctrine and Covenants 62:3, and ask the children to listen for what the missionaries did that pleased the Lord. Testify that the Lord is pleased with us when we share the gospel with others.

  • Help the children make badges that show they want to be missionaries of the Church. Let them wear their badges and practice sharing their testimonies with each other.

  • Sing together a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). Help the children think of what they could say if someone asked them what they love about Jesus Christ and His Church. Invite them to draw pictures of things they love about Christ’s gospel.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 60:7, 13; 62:3, 9

I can open my mouth to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A child’s testimony can be as powerful as an adult’s, because the power of testimony comes not from a person’s age or experience but from the Holy Ghost. Help the children gain confidence that they can open their mouths and share with others what they know is true.

Possible Activities

  • What blessings did the Lord promise in Doctrine and Covenants 60:7; 62:3, 9 to those who share His gospel? How does sharing the gospel bless others? Consider sharing an experience from your life when you shared the gospel—what blessings came from your efforts? Invite the children to share any experiences they have had. You could also sing a song about missionary work, such as “Go Forth with Faith” (Hymns, no. 263), and talk about the blessings mentioned in the song.

  • Help the children role-play situations in which they might share the gospel with their friends. For example, what would they say if someone asked them why they go to church? Or what if a friend saw them wearing a CTR ring or reading the Book of Mormon and asked questions? What would they say?

Doctrine and Covenants 60:7; 61:1–2, 36; 62:1

The Lord is willing to forgive me if I repent.

Joseph Smith and other leaders of the Church were not perfect. Sometimes they argued and were impatient (see “Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley,” Revelations in Context, 133). But the Lord was merciful to them and always offered forgiveness if they repented.

Possible Activities

  • Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 60:7; 61:2, and ask them to find words that these verses have in common. Remind the children that these revelations were given to Joseph Smith and other Church leaders. What did the Lord want them to know? What do we learn from these verses about how the Savior feels about us when we make mistakes?

  • Write What is Jesus Christ like? on the board. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 61:1–2, 36; 62:1, and make a list of answers to this question that the children find in the verses. How do the attributes on the board help us understand why the Savior is willing to forgive us? What are ways we can follow His example?

Doctrine and Covenants 60:5; 61:22; 62:5–8

The Lord wants me to use my agency and His Spirit to make good choices.

How can you use these verses to teach the children how the Lord helps them to make good choices?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to talk about a time when they had to make a decision. How did they decide what to do? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 62:5, 7–8 to learn about what the Lord said to the elders who were about to journey from Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio. What choices did they need to make about their journey? What has the Lord given us to help us make choices? Tell the children about how you have used the guidance of the Spirit and your own best judgment to make decisions.

  • Divide the class into three groups, and ask each group to read one of the following verses, in which the Lord instructed some missionaries about how to fulfill their missions: Doctrine and Covenants 60:5; 61:22; 62:5. What do we notice about the Lord’s instruction in these verses? Why is it sometimes good for us to use our own judgment instead of waiting for specific instruction from God on every matter?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to practice sharing the gospel with a family member. For example, they could share something they learned in Primary.

Improving Our Teaching

Bear testimony to your class. Bearing your testimony often will help the children you teach gain their own testimonies. A testimony can be as simple as “I know that Heavenly Father loves each of you” or “I feel good inside as I learn about Jesus Christ.”

activity page: I can share the gospel

June 7–13

Doctrine and Covenants 63

Missouri field

Springhill, Daviess County, Missouri, by Garth Robinson Oborn

“That Which Cometh from Above Is Sacred”

The truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 63 can help the children you teach build their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Because you have limited time with them, consider which truths will be most meaningful to them, based on their needs.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Think of simple, creative ways to give children opportunities to share what they are learning. For example, prepare different-sized strips of paper, and let each child select one at random. Invite the child with the longest paper to share first.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 63:23

Heavenly Father wants me to learn the gospel.

Children are constantly learning. Help them see that Heavenly Father will help them learn about Him if they obey His commandments.

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 63:23 to the children, and ask them to listen for what God will give us if we keep the commandments. Help them understand that “mysteries” are things that God can teach us more about, like how to become more like Jesus Christ.

  • Bring to class pictures that represent gospel topics the children can learn more about, such as baptism, the Savior, temples, and so on. Place the pictures face down on the floor, and let the children take turns turning one over. Ask them to share what they know and any questions they have about each topic.

Doctrine and Covenants 63:49

I will be resurrected.

Either now or in the future, the children you teach will be comforted to know that because of the Savior’s Atonement, all who have died will be resurrected one day.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of one of your loved ones who has died, and share a story about that person. Read Doctrine and Covenants 63:49 to the children, and testify that one day that person will “rise from the dead” and never die again. Ask the children if they know someone who has died. Testify that we will all be resurrected because of Jesus Christ.

  • Show pictures of the burial and Resurrection of the Savior (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 5859). Invite them to talk about what is happening in the pictures. Invite the children to lie down as you tell about Jesus’s burial and to stand up as you tell about His Resurrection. Read Doctrine and Covenants 63:49, and bear your testimony that we will all rise from the dead one day just like Jesus did.

    Jesus appearing to Mary

Doctrine and Covenants 63:64

I should treat sacred things with reverence.

We live in a day when sacred things are often disregarded or even mocked. You can help the children develop a sense of reverence for sacred things.

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 63:64: “That which cometh from above is sacred.” Ask them to think of an item that is special to them, such as a favorite toy or book. How do they take care of it and protect it? Help them think of things that are special—or sacred—to Heavenly Father. How should we speak of these things? How should we treat them?

  • Sing with the children a song about reverence, such as “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, 26). Help them think of ways they can show reverence for sacred things.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 63:9–10

Signs come by faith and the will of God.

Ezra Booth was converted to the Church after seeing Joseph Smith heal Elsa Johnson’s arm. But Ezra later lost his faith, and he became critical of the Prophet. Doctrine and Covenants 63 contains warnings against trying to build our faith on signs, such as miraculous healings, rather than on spiritual confirmation of truth.

Possible Activities

  • Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and tell the children that Joseph Smith used the priesthood to heal Elsa Johnson’s arm, which she hadn’t been able to fully use for two years. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 63:9–10, and ask them to share something the Lord says about faith and signs (or miracles).

  • Invite the children to draw a house sitting on top of a rectangle and another house sitting on the point of a triangle. Tell the children that the houses represent our faith and testimonies. Ask them to read Doctrine and Covenants 63:9–10 and Helaman 5:12. Then have them write in the rectangle what we should build our faith on and in the triangle what we should not build our faith on. Point out that the rectangle provides a solid place to build but the triangle is not safe and secure. Why is it important to build our faith on Jesus Christ rather than on other things?

Doctrine and Covenants 63:23

As I keep the commandments, God will teach me His truths.

The “mysteries of [God’s] kingdom” are available only to those who keep God’s commandments. This is why they are mysteries to many people. This principle will help the children as they seek truth.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board If I keep the commandments, then , and ask the children to write on the board different ways to finish the sentence. Ask them to read Doctrine and Covenants 63:23 and find something they can add to their list. Show the children a glass of water, and ask them how the truths of the gospel are like water to us.

  • Show the children a picture of a well, and ask them to draw a picture of one. After reading together Doctrine and Covenants 63:23, help them think of truths they know about the gospel, and invite them to write these truths around their wells. How are these truths like “living water”?

Doctrine and Covenants 63:58–64

I should not take the name of God in vain.

The children you teach may hear others using the name of God in irreverent and profane ways. How can you help them understand that the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ “must be spoken with care”? (Doctrine and Covenants 63:64).

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 63:58: “This is a day of warning.” Ask them to talk about warnings they hear from their parents, teachers, and Church leaders. Then help them find warnings from the Lord in verses 58–64. What are some appropriate ways to “use the name of the Lord”? (verse 62).

  • Review together “Language” in For the Strength of Youth (pages 20–21). Ask the children to make small posters reminding them of something they learned about how to use the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

  • Sing together a song about reverence, such as “Reverence Is Love” (Children’s Songbook, 31). How can we make sure that we are reverent when we speak about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

Encourage Learning at Home

If you didn’t have time to do this week’s activity page in class, consider giving each child a copy to take home to complete with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Build the children’s confidence. Some children may not feel capable of learning the gospel on their own. One way to help them build confidence is to praise them when they participate in class. Promise the children that the Holy Ghost will help them as they learn.

activity page: I should treat sacred things with reverence

June 14–20

Doctrine and Covenants 64–66

a field at sunrise

Daviess County, Missouri

“The Lord Requireth the Heart and a Willing Mind”

As you prepare to teach, consider how you could adapt your approach to fit the needs of the children. Remember that you can use any of the activities in this outline for younger or older children.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Give each child a chance to hold a picture of the Savior and share something they are learning about Him and His gospel.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 64:9–10

Jesus Christ asks me to forgive others.

What object lessons or activities can you think of that would help the children understand what it means to forgive? As you discuss forgiveness, remind the children that forgiving does not mean allowing others to hurt us.

Possible Activities

  • Read the phrase “ye ought to forgive one another” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:9), and ask the children what it means to forgive someone. To help them understand, share a few simple examples. Help them role-play these examples to practice forgiving.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 64:10 slowly to the children, and have them shake hands with another child when they hear the word “forgive.” Share your testimony of the peace and happiness that come when we forgive others.

  • Sing a song about forgiveness, such as “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). What does this song teach us about forgiving others?

Doctrine and Covenants 64:34

I can obey Jesus with my heart and mind.

The Lord taught the Saints that to build Zion, they needed to give Him their hearts and willing minds. Consider how you will help the children begin to think about what this means for them.

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 64:34: “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” Repeat this phrase a few times, pointing to your heart and head as you read those words, and invite the children to do the same. How can we give our hearts and minds to the Savior? (It might help to explain that our heart refers to our feelings and love and our mind refers to our thoughts.)

  • Sing a song about loving and following the Savior, such as “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75; especially verse 3). How do we show the Savior that we love Him? Share your feelings for Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 66

The Lord knows who I am and loves me.

William E. McLellin had five specific questions for the Lord. Joseph Smith received answers to them in a revelation even though he did not know what William’s questions were. This experience could help you teach the children that God is aware of them and can answer their questions.

Possible Activities

  • Tell about how the Lord answered William E. McLellin’s questions through a revelation from the Prophet Joseph Smith (see Doctrine and Covenants 66, section heading). Testify that Heavenly Father knows us and wants to help us. Ask the children to share how they know that God loves them.

  • Read to the children Doctrine and Covenants 66:4. Tell the children about a time when the Lord showed you what He wanted you to do. Read the verse again, this time inserting the name of one of the children. Repeat for each of the children.

    Jesus and children

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 64:7–10

The Lord wants me to forgive everyone.

As these verses show, even disciples of Jesus Christ sometimes have trouble forgiving one another. Consider how you will help the children understand the Lord’s command “to forgive all.” (Clarify that forgiving does not mean allowing people to hurt us; they should always tell a trusted adult if someone hurts them.)

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to imagine that they were asked to teach a younger sibling about forgiving others. How would they do it? Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 64:7–10 in pairs and to find phrases they would use in their teaching. They could also practice teaching one another.

  • Sing together “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). How does Heavenly Father help us forgive others?

  • Think of an analogy that might help the children understand how we are “afflicted” when we don’t forgive (verse 8). For example, show the children a bag of mud or dirt; ask them to imagine that someone threw mud on them. How might failing to forgive be like saving the mud and always carrying it with us? Why would it be better to throw the mud away? Help the children think of other analogies that teach why it is important to forgive.

Doctrine and Covenants 64:33–34

The Lord requires my “heart and a willing mind.”

Building Zion—or helping the Church grow—is “a great work.” To accomplish it, the Lord requires us to offer Him our hearts and willing minds. Those who live in Zion are “of one heart and one mind” (Moses 7:18).

Possible Activities

  • Show the children some things that are made up of many small parts, like a puzzle or a rug. Help them think of other examples. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 64:33. What does God want us to do to help Him accomplish His “great work”? What are the “small things” we can do that will help accomplish this work?

  • Ask the children to complete an action that requires two objects, but give them only one (for example, writing on the chalkboard without chalk or cutting a piece of paper with no scissors). Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 64:34 to find out what two things the Lord asks of us. Why do we need to give both our heart and mind to the Lord? How do we do this?

Doctrine and Covenants 65

I can help prepare the world to receive Jesus Christ.

The mission of the Church—God’s kingdom on earth—is to prepare the world for the return of the Savior. The children you teach are an important part of this mission. What can you do to help them participate?

Possible Activities

  • As a class or in pairs, read Doctrine and Covenants 65, and count how many times the word “prepare” is written. What is the Lord asking us to prepare for? What can we do to prepare ourselves and the earth?

  • Show a picture of the Savior’s Second Coming (see Gospel Art Book, no. 66), and ask the children to describe what they see or what they know about this event. Give the children key words and phrases to find in Doctrine and Covenants 65 (such as “filled the whole earth” and “wonderful works”). What do these words and phrases teach us about the Second Coming and our role in preparing for it?

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children find a verse in Doctrine and Covenants 64–66 that they like and would want to share with a family member or friend.

Improving Our Teaching

Learn to recognize revelation. As you pray and ponder about the scriptures, you will find that ideas and impressions can come anytime and anywhere—“as you travel to work, do household chores, or interact with family and friends” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 12).

activity page: I can follow Jesus Christ with my mind and heart

June 21–27

Doctrine and Covenants 67–70

revelation manuscript book in display case

“Worth … the Riches of the Whole Earth”

Before you read the suggestions in this outline, study Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, and record the spiritual impressions you receive. These impressions will help you create an inspired teaching plan. Then supplement that plan with ideas from this outline, from Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, or from Church magazines.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to draw a picture of something they learned from their scripture study at home or in Primary. If they have trouble thinking of what to draw, you could remind them of some of the topics in Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, such as baptism, gaining a testimony of the scriptures, or parents teaching children the gospel.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 67

The Doctrine and Covenants contains revelations from God.

In November 1831, Church leaders decided to put Joseph Smith’s revelations in a book for everyone to read. Today those revelations are printed in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about how Joseph Smith’s revelations came to be printed in a book (see “Chapter 23: The Doctrine and Covenants,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 90–92, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Share your testimony that the Doctrine and Covenants contains revelations that can help us today. Share one of your favorite verses from the Doctrine and Covenants.

  • Show the children each of the standard works one at a time, and as you hold each one up share a little about how we got it (see each book’s entry in Guide to the Scriptures). When you hold up the Doctrine and Covenants, share with the children what makes this book of scripture unique (for example, it contains revelations given in our day).

Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28

I can be baptized when I am eight years old.

In Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28, the Lord told Joseph Smith that children should learn to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and be baptized when they are eight years old. He also said that they should learn to pray and keep God’s commandments.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to count to eight using their fingers. What is special about being eight years old? Help the children recognize that when they are eight years old, they can be baptized. Using words and phrases found in Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28, share with them some of the things the Lord wants them to learn about before they are eight (see also Articles of Faith 1:4). Help them understand concepts that might not be familiar to them.

  • Sing with the children a song about baptism, such as “Baptism” or “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 100–101, 103). Ask the children to share how they feel about being baptized and what they can do to prepare.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 67:4, 9

The revelations given through Joseph Smith are true.

Much of the instruction in Doctrine and Covenants 67–70 has to do with the Saints’ efforts to publish Joseph Smith’s revelations. This could be an opportunity to help the children recognize that in these revelations, now published in the Doctrine and Covenants, we can find the voice of the Lord.

As you prepare to teach, you might review Saints, 1:140–43 or “Chapter 23: The Doctrine and Covenants” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 90–92).

Possible Activities

  • Show the children the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Help the children make a list on the board of what makes each book of scripture different and what makes them similar. If they need help, share with them the descriptions of these books in Guide to the Scriptures. Ask the children how we can know that the scriptures are true. What do we learn from Doctrine and Covenants 67:4, 9 about the revelations the Lord gave to Joseph Smith?

  • Share a verse from the Doctrine and Covenants that strengthens your “testimony of the truth of these commandments” (verse 4). Give the children opportunities to share a favorite verse of their own. Explain to the children that the Church leaders at this time decided to publish their testimony of the revelations Joseph Smith had received. When they did, one of the leaders, Levi Hancock, wrote next to his name, “Never to be erased” (see “Testimony, circa 2 November 1831,” Revelation Book 1, 121, josephsmithpapers.org). Why might Levi Hancock have wanted his name “never to be erased” from the published testimony? Give the children an opportunity to write their testimonies of what they’ve learned so far in the Doctrine and Covenants.

    children reading

Doctrine and Covenants 68:3–4

When our Church leaders speak by inspiration, they speak “the word of the Lord.”

When the Lord’s servants speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, their words are the will, mind, word, and voice of the Lord (see verse 4). Knowing this truth can help the children want to listen to and follow their teachings.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 68:3–4 in small groups and share with each other what they learn from these verses. Invite the children to write something they learned on the board. Why is this an important truth to know?

  • After reading Doctrine and Covenants 68:3–4 together, give the children copies of several recent messages from general conference. Invite them to find in the messages truths that the Lord taught us through His servants.

Doctrine and Covenants 69:1–2

I can be “true and faithful.”

When Oliver Cowdery needed to travel to Missouri, the Lord called John Whitmer, someone who was “true and faithful” (verse 1), to go with him. How can the children be true and faithful like John Whitmer?

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children that when the Lord sent Oliver Cowdery to Missouri, He said that someone “true and faithful” (verse 1) should go with him, so He also sent John Whitmer. What does it mean to be true and faithful? How can we make sure we are true and faithful so that the Lord can use us to bless others?

  • Invite a few children to tell about someone they know who they think is “true and faithful.” How do they know that person is true and faithful? Help them see that the Lord trusted John Whitmer because he was, at this time, true and faithful (see Doctrine and Covenants 69:1–2). Sing together a song that encourages the children to be true and faithful like the Savior, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79).

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to explain to someone at home what the Doctrine and Covenants is, where it came from, and why it is important to them.

Improving Our Teaching

Modify activities for the age of the children you teach. Younger children may need more direction when invited to share. Older children have more experience and may be better at sharing their thoughts. Keep differences like this in mind as you plan activities.

activity page: I can be baptized

June 28–July 4

Doctrine and Covenants 71–75

Jesus with sheep

Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd, by Simon Dewey

“No Weapon That Is Formed against You Shall Prosper”

The children you teach can learn a lot in class, but they’ll learn even more if they develop a habit of studying the scriptures at home. Consider how you can encourage and support gospel learning in the home.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to sit on the floor in a circle, and roll a ball to one of them. Ask that child to share something he or she has learned recently about the gospel at home or in Primary. Then invite the child to roll the ball to someone else. Repeat until every child has had a chance to share something.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 72:2, 10

The Lord has called a bishop to help me.

Little children may not know a lot about what their bishop does to serve them and other ward members. You can help them appreciate their bishop’s service.

Possible Activities

  • Bring items to class that represent the responsibilities of a bishop, such as a tithing slip, the scriptures, or a picture of a bishop giving counsel (see the picture at the end of this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Read Doctrine and Covenants 72:2, and explain that the Lord has called a bishop to help us. Use the items you brought to help the children understand some of the things a bishop does to serve the ward.

  • Take the children on a walk to the bishop’s office (you may want to coordinate with other teachers). Describe for them some situations when they might meet with the bishop in his office (such as a baptismal interview or tithing settlement). Tell the children how you have been blessed by the bishop’s service.

  • Help the children make cards to give to the bishop, thanking him for what he does to help with the Lord’s work.

Doctrine and Covenants 75:3

I can give my best effort to the Lord.

Even at a young age, children can find joy in doing their best to keep the Lord’s commandments.

Possible Activities

  • Invite each child to take a turn acting out how they would do an act of service, such as cleaning a room in the church or washing dishes at home. Read Doctrine and Covenants 75:3, and ask the children to show how they would do it lazily when you say “neither be idle” and show how to work hard when you say “but labor with your might.” Why is it important that we do our best when serving the Lord?

  • Share with the children President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s stories about work from “Two Principles for Any Economy” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 55–58). How do we feel when we know we have done our best?

  • Sing a song about working together, such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198). Help the children make up actions to go with the words.

    barrels and sacks of food

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 71

I can defend the truth by sharing my testimony.

The Lord does not expect children to respond to critics of the Church as He called Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to do. But you can help the children understand that their simple testimony of the truth can have a powerful effect on others.

Possible Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 72:8

The Lord calls bishops to help Him do His work.

A bishop can have a strong positive influence in the life of a young person. What can you do to help the children see the bishop as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Explain that in 1831 the Lord called the bishop of the Church, Edward Partridge, to move from Kirtland, Ohio, to be the bishop in Independence, Missouri (see “Chapter 17: The First Bishops of the Church,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 64–66). Read Doctrine and Covenants 72:8 with the children, and ask them to listen for who the Lord called to serve as the new bishop in Kirtland. Why does the Lord call bishops? Share with the children an experience when you were blessed by the service of a bishop.

  • Invite the children to make a list of some of the things they have seen the bishop do to help people in the ward. Ask the children to draw pictures of the bishop doing something they mentioned. Bear your testimony that your bishop was called by the Lord to be His servant. Why are we grateful that the Lord has called a bishop in our ward?

Doctrine and Covenants 73:3

The Lord commanded Joseph Smith to restore precious truths that were lost from the Bible.

As part of his calling as the prophet, Joseph Smith was commanded by the Lord to make inspired revisions to the Bible. These revisions, which the Lord called a “translation” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:13), restored important truths that had been lost or removed from the Bible over the centuries.

Possible Activities

  • Explain that when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon returned from a short mission near Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord wanted them to resume work on an important project. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 73:3 to find out what that project was. To help the children understand what the Lord wanted Joseph and Sidney to translate, read with them parts of the Bible Dictionary entry “Joseph Smith Translation (JST).”

  • Pass around a copy of the Bible, and allow the children to open it and see how many pages are in it. Invite the children to imagine they were asked to translate the Bible into another language. What are the chances they might make some mistakes? Explain that when people translated or copied the Bible before Joseph Smith’s time, they made some mistakes, and sometimes they removed important truths. The Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to make inspired corrections. Why is Joseph Smith’s work valuable to us?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to choose something they will do because of what they learned today, such as thanking the bishop for his service or preparing to defend their beliefs by learning the Articles of Faith.

Improving Our Teaching

Involve the senses. “Most children (and adults) learn best when multiple senses are involved. Find ways to help the children use their senses of sight, hearing, and touch as they learn” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

activity page: the bishop serves ward members

July 5–11

Doctrine and Covenants 76

galaxy in space

Refuge, by Shaelynn Abel

“Great Shall Be Their Reward and Eternal Shall Be Their Glory”

As you study Doctrine and Covenants 76, ponder what Heavenly Father wants the children in your class to know about Him, the Savior, themselves, and their eternal destiny.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the children pictures or activity pages from this week’s outline or previous outlines. Let them tell you what they see in these pictures and what they remember learning from them.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 76:24

We are all children of God.

President Dallin H. Oaks said that if we teach “a young person the powerful idea that he or she is a child of God,” we can give him or her the “self-respect and motivation to move against the problems of life” (“Powerful Ideas,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 25).

Possible Activities

  • To help the children understand their potential to become like God, find ways to show them that baby animals grow to become like their parents—perhaps the children could match pictures of animals with pictures of the animals’ babies. Open the scriptures to Doctrine and Covenants 76:24, and tell the children that we are all “sons and daughters unto God.” Bear your testimony that God is our Father and that we can grow to be like our Heavenly Parents.

  • Sing together “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3), and invite the children to point to themselves when they sing “I.” Ask them to sing the song again, replacing “I am” with “you are” and pointing to someone else in the class.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:40–42

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

The word gospel means good news. The good news that the gospel brings is that Jesus Christ “came into the world … to cleanse it from all unrighteousness” (verse 41).

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about some good news you heard recently. Ask them to share good news they have heard. Then share with them the good news of the gospel by reading Doctrine and Covenants 76:41–42. Ask the children how this good news makes them feel. Share with them the joy this good news brings to you.

  • Show a picture of Jesus Christ. Ask the children if they know what Jesus Christ did for us. Show the children something dirty and something clean (like a white handkerchief or sheet of paper), and explain that sin is like dirt on our spirits, but Jesus Christ came to help us become clean again.

    Jesus with children

Doctrine and Covenants 76:62

Heavenly Father wants me to return to live with Him forever.

Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon’s vision of the celestial kingdom revealed the great blessings God has prepared for His children, as well as the things we must do to receive those blessings.

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about the three kingdoms of glory that Joseph and Sidney saw in their vision. (You might read to the children part or all of “Chapter 26: The Three Kingdoms of Heaven” [Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 97–103] or show the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Ask the children what they like about the vision. Focus in particular on describing the celestial kingdom, and testify that this is where Heavenly Father wants each of us to be.

  • Read to the children Doctrine and Covenants 76:62, and invite the children to draw pictures of themselves with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the celestial kingdom.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 76:5, 41–42, 69

Jesus Christ is my Savior.

Help the children understand that the glorious blessings God promises to the faithful in the next life are possible only because of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board What has Jesus Christ done for me? Ask each child to silently read verse 5, verses 41–42, or verse 69 in section 76, looking for possible answers to the question on the board. Let them share their answers (see also “He Sent His Son,” Children’s Songbook, 34–35). How can we show our gratitude for what the Savior has done for us?

  • Write the third article of faith on the board, leaving blanks in place of key words. Give the children these missing words on slips of paper, and invite them to put their words in the correct places on the board. What does this article of faith teach us about why we need Jesus Christ? (see also the video “Why We Need a Savior,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Doctrine and Covenants 76:12, 15–19, 114–16

Studying the scriptures can help me “understand the things of God.”

Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received Doctrine and Covenants 76 when they were pondering the scriptures. Help the children see how studying the scriptures can invite revelation through the Holy Ghost.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children if they know what Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were doing when they saw the vision in Doctrine and Covenants 76. Invite them to read verses 15–19 to find out. Share a time when you received inspiration while reading the scriptures, and ask the children to talk about the spiritual feelings they have when reading the scriptures.

  • Ask the children to close their eyes and try to perform a task, like coloring a picture or opening the scriptures to a specific verse. What are some things that are difficult to do when our eyes are closed spiritually? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 76:12, 15–19, 114–16 to find out what we need to do to have our eyes opened spiritually.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70

Heavenly Father has prepared a kingdom of celestial glory for me.

Knowing about the celestial glory God has prepared can inspire the children to “overcome by faith” (verse 53) the trials and temptations they face.

Possible Activities

  • If someone asked us, “Why should I follow Jesus Christ and keep His commandments?” what would we say? Invite the children to look for answers in Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70, which describes those who receive eternal life in the celestial kingdom. Let the children role-play answering the question. Bear your testimony of the great blessings Heavenly Father has prepared for us if we follow Jesus Christ.

  • Draw a large picture of the sun on a piece of paper, and cut it into several puzzle pieces. Give each child a piece, along with one of the following scripture passages to read: Doctrine and Covenants 76:51; 76:52; 76:53; 131:1–2. Ask the children to find in their verses something that we must do to receive eternal life in the celestial kingdom (some verses include more than one answer), and write it on their piece of the sun. As they work together to assemble the puzzle, express your confidence in them that with the Savior’s help, they can qualify for the celestial kingdom.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to use this week’s activity page to teach their families what they learned about the vision Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon had.

Improving Our Teaching

Use the scriptures. Even if the children you teach are not able to read yet, use the scriptures often as you teach them. Let them see that the truths you are sharing come from the scriptures.

activity page: I can live with Heavenly Father in the celestial kingdom

July 12–18

Doctrine and Covenants 77–80

sheep following Jesus

Going Home, by Yongsung Kim

“I Will Lead You Along”

As you study Doctrine and Covenants 77–80, look for phrases or verses that might help the children better understand gospel principles. Feel free to share verses you found, even if they are not featured in the activities below.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share things they are thankful for. What do they and their families do to show Heavenly Father they are thankful for His blessings?

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 77:2

God created every creature on earth.

Learning about the things God created can help the children feel His love for them.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children pictures of animals, including insects and birds. As you read the words “beasts,” “creeping things,” and “fowls of the air” from Doctrine and Covenants 77:2, invite the children to point to the related pictures. Testify that God created all of these things because He loves us and wants us to be happy (see also Doctrine and Covenants 59:16–20).

  • Sing with the children a song about God’s creations, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228–29). Ask the children how the things they are singing about help them feel God’s love.

    butterfly on flower

Doctrine and Covenants 78:6

I can share what I have with others.

Heavenly Father wants us to share our blessings freely with each other so that we can be “equal in earthly things” and in “heavenly things” (verse 6).

Possible Activities

  • To teach what it means to be “equal in earthly things” (verse 6), give children pictures of people in need (such as people who are hungry, injured, or cold). Then give other children objects that would help (such as food, a bandage, or a blanket). Invite these children to share what they have to help the people in the pictures. Let other children have a turn sharing. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father wants all of His children to have what they need, and to do this He often asks us to share what we have with others.

  • Read to the children the sentences under the first two pictures of “Chapter 28: The Prophet Joseph Goes to Missouri Again” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 108). Ask the children to pretend they are helping someone build a house, sharing food, or serving in another way. How do we feel when we are helping and sharing? Help the children think of things Jesus Christ shares with us.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:18

Jesus Christ will lead me along.

If we are willing to let the Lord “lead [us] along,” we can “be of good cheer,” even if there are things we “cannot bear … now” (verse 18).

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to share times when they have been a leader, such as being at the front of a line or leading music. What does a leader do? Show a picture of the Savior as you read the following phrase from Doctrine and Covenants 78:18: “Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.” Use this week’s activity page to help the children think of ways we can follow the Savior.

  • Invite the children to follow Jesus, and lead them around the room as you hold a picture of Him. As you do, sing a song together about following Jesus Christ, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79, 160–61). Let the children take turns holding the picture and leading the other children.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 77

I can receive answers to my questions about the scriptures.

Teaching the children about how Joseph Smith sought answers to his questions can help them know that Heavenly Father will answer them when they seek His guidance. Consider sharing experiences when you have received answers from Him.

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children the words under the first three pictures of “Chapter 27: The Prophet Continues His Work Despite Persecution” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 104). Ask the children if they, like Joseph, have ever felt that they didn’t understand something in the scriptures. Let them share their experiences. What did Joseph do to find answers? Tell the children about a time when Heavenly Father helped you understand something in the scriptures.

  • The children you teach might enjoy reading some of the verses in the book of Revelation that Joseph Smith had questions about. Then they could look in Doctrine and Covenants 77 for what the Lord wanted him to understand. Choose a few verses you feel would be meaningful.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:3–7

I can help “advance the cause” of Jesus Christ.

In section 78, the Lord gave specific instructions to several Church leaders that would help them “advance the cause” of the Lord (verse 4). Help the children consider what their roles might be in advancing the Lord’s cause.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:4. What is the “cause” we “espoused” (accepted or chose to support) when we were baptized? Encourage them to look in scripture passages like these for possible answers: Mosiah 18:8–10; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37; Moses 1:39.

  • Explain to the children that Newel K. Whitney owned a store and that the Lord asked him and other men to use some of their money to help pay for the Lord’s work (see Doctrine and Covenants 63:42–43). Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:3–7 and look for reasons these men were asked to do so. How would we have felt if we were asked to share like Newel did? Help them think of ways people contribute to the Lord’s work in our day, such as paying tithing and fast offerings, serving in callings, and so on.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

I should receive “all things with thankfulness.”

The Lord often blesses us more if we are grateful for what He has already given us. How can you help the children you teach be grateful for their blessings?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 and find what the Lord promises to those who are thankful. Help the children understand what “an hundred fold” means, perhaps by showing a small object and then 100 of that same object.

  • Sing a song about gratitude, such as “I Am Glad for Many Things” (Children’s Songbook, 151), or watch the video “Think to Thank” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Give the children time to make lists of things they are thankful for. Encourage them to list as many things as possible in the time you give them.

Encourage Learning at Home

Consider contacting the parents of the children you teach and suggesting a question they could ask their children about something they learned in class.

Improving Our Teaching

Testify of promised blessings. When you invite Primary children to live a certain principle, share promises God has made through prophets to those who live that principle. One example of a promise you could share is found in Doctrine and Covenants 78:19. (See also Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 35.)

activity page: Jesus Christ will lead me along

July 19–25

Doctrine and Covenants 81–83

Christ and the rich young ruler

Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, by Heinrich Hofmann

Where “Much Is Given Much Is Required”

How can the revelations in Doctrine and Covenants 81–83 help the children you teach to do good among their family and friends?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share something they did to help someone this week. How can serving others help us become like our Savior?

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 81:3

I should pray always.

When the Lord called Frederick G. Williams to be a counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, He counseled Frederick to be “faithful … in prayer always.”

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children the Lord’s counsel to be “faithful … in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:3). Explain what it means to pray in our hearts, and share a personal example. Help the children think of times when they can pray “in public and in private.”

  • Teach the children how to pray. Emphasize that they can thank Heavenly Father for their blessings and ask Him for what they need. A song about prayer, such as “I Thank Thee, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 7), can help the children know what to say in their prayers. Give each child a turn to say a brief prayer.

  • Ask the children to think of things they might thank Heavenly Father for or ask Him for. Let them draw pictures of these things and share them with the class.

Doctrine and Covenants 81:5; 82:19

I can serve those around me.

Heavenly Father knows the needs of each of His children, and He often uses other people—like the children you teach—to help meet those needs. How can you help the children recognize the needs of others and serve them?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 to the children, and help them understand phrases like “succor the weak” and “lift up the hands which hang down.” Let them act out ways we can do what the Lord asks in this verse. Use pictures or videos to tell simple stories of Jesus Christ serving others (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 41, 42, 46, 4755; biblevideos.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How can we follow the Savior’s example of helping others?

  • Sing the fourth verse of “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75) or another song about service. Tell about a time when someone helped you feel the Savior’s love by serving you.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 82:19 to the children, emphasizing the phrase “seeking the interest of his neighbor.” Explain that this means doing things that help our neighbors—including our family. Help the children think of ways they can serve someone this week.

    boys digging

Doctrine and Covenants 82:10

God promises blessings when I obey Him.

As they grow, children may wonder why God gives us so many commandments. You can help the children understand that He gives us commandments to bless us.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of commandments that God has given us (see, for example, Exodus 20:4–17; Matthew 22:37–39; Doctrine and Covenants 89:5–17). Draw pictures on the board to help the children understand and remember these commandments. Give examples of how God’s commandments can bless and protect us.

  • Read to the children, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). Ask the children to repeat this phrase several times with you, and think of ways to help them remember it, such as inviting them to clap to the rhythm of the phrase. Testify that when we obey God’s commandments, He keeps His promises to us.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 81:3

I can pray “vocally and in [my] heart.”

How can you inspire the children to turn to the Lord “in prayer always” when they are in need?

Possible Activities

  • Invite someone to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:3, and ask the children what it means to pray “in [your] heart.” Share an experience when you prayed aloud or in your heart and the Lord helped you. Also ask the children to share their own experiences. How can prayer bring us closer to Heavenly Father?

  • Read or sing with the children a hymn about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” or “Secret Prayer” (Hymns, nos. 140, 144). Invite the children to share a phrase from the hymn that helps them understand something about prayer. Give them time to ponder what they can do to improve their prayers and then write their ideas.

Doctrine and Covenants 81:5

God wants me to serve and strengthen those in need.

Help the children understand that there are many ways they can serve their family, friends, and neighbors every day.

Possible Activities

  • Draw pictures of hands and knees on the board. Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 to learn what the Lord says about these body parts. Watch the video “Pass It On” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or share how you and the children have seen people serve each other. How can we be more aware of people in need around us? Invite the children to serve at least one person this week. For ideas about ways to serve others, sing a song about service, such as “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223).

  • Invite the children to take turns setting up dominoes (or similar objects) while naming ways they can serve others. Ask a child to knock over one domino and notice how it affects the others. How can our service have a similar effect on people around us? (See also the video “Dominoes,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Tell about how someone’s loving service encouraged you to serve someone else.

Doctrine and Covenants 82:8–10

God promises blessings when I obey Him.

As the children develop trust in God’s promises, their willingness to obey His commandments will grow.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to imagine they have a friend who thinks that God has given too many commandments. Ask them to search Doctrine and Covenants 82:8–10 for something that would help their friend understand why God gives commandments. Share how God’s commandments have blessed you, and invite the children to share their thoughts as well.

  • To help the children understand Heavenly Father’s promises to us, divide the class into three groups, and give each group one of the following scriptures to read: Doctrine and Covenants 1:37–38; 82:10; 130:20–21. Invite them to share what they learn about Heavenly Father’s promises. How does our obedience affect the blessings we can receive? Help the children think of examples from their lives or from the scriptures when obedience brought blessings from God.

  • Share a personal experience that testifies of the principles taught in Doctrine and Covenants 82:8–10. How have you come to trust in the Lord and His promises?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to think of how they would like to serve someone in their family this week. During next week’s lesson, let them share what they did.

Improving Our Teaching

Help children become better learners. Teaching means more than just imparting truth. It means helping others develop spiritual self-reliance. Instead of simply telling the children how they can serve others, for example, encourage them to think of their own ideas.

activity page: I can serve others

July 26–August 1

Doctrine and Covenants 84

Joseph Smith receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood

Restoration, by Liz Lemon Swindle

“The Power of Godliness”

As you read Doctrine and Covenants 84, what truths do you feel impressed to emphasize with the children you teach? Record the insights that come to you from the Holy Ghost.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share things they know about the priesthood. You could display a picture of someone being blessed by the power of the priesthood, such as Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–10, and ask the children how the priesthood blesses families.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–22, 26–27

The priesthood is the power of God.

Do the children you teach know the purposes of the priesthood? In Doctrine and Covenants 84, the Lord reveals one purpose: to help us return to Heavenly Father. (To learn more, see Gospel Topics, “Priesthood,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:20, and ask the children to stand when they hear the word “ordinances.” To help them understand what an ordinance is, display pictures of several priesthood ordinances, such as Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–8, and ask the children to describe what is happening in each picture (see also Guide to the Scriptures, “Ordinances,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Explain that Heavenly Father has given us these ordinances to help us return to live with Him.

  • Let the children color the activity page. As they do, explain the various priesthood ordinances shown on the page and why you are grateful for those ordinances.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:77

I am Jesus’s friend when I follow Him.

How can you help the children know that the Savior loves us even more than a dear friend does?

Possible Activities

  • Display a picture of the Savior as you read Doctrine and Covenants 84:77. Invite the children to point to the picture of the Savior every time they hear the word “friends.” Explain that when we try to keep the commandments, we show Jesus that we love Him. Share what it means to you to have Jesus as your friend.

  • Help the children list some things they can do to show their friends that they love them. What did Jesus do to show us that He is our friend? What can we do to show the Savior that we are His friends? Sing together a song about Jesus, such as “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, 58).

Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

Heavenly Father helps His missionaries.

The idea of being a missionary someday can be exciting but also intimidating for some children. Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 can teach them how Heavenly Father helps those He sends forth to preach His gospel.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of missionaries they know. Tell them that Heavenly Father has made a special promise to missionaries. Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88, and help the children think of actions that go with the promises in this verse. Tell about a time when you were serving the Lord and felt that He was with you, as described in verse 88.

  • Share the story of the four-year-old boy in Elder Takashi Wada’s message “Feasting upon the Words of Christ” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 38–40). Help each child think of something they could say to share their testimony with someone—such as sharing an article of faith. Ask each child to pretend to share the gospel with a friend. Testify that Heavenly Father helps us know what to say when we talk with others about the gospel.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 84:4–5, 18–28, 30

Priesthood ordinances help me prepare to live with Heavenly Father again.

As they get older, the children you teach will be able to participate in more priesthood ordinances, including baptisms and confirmations for the dead in the temple. How can you help them understand the purposes and power of priesthood ordinances?

Possible Activities

  • Write Aaronic Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood on the board. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 84:18, 26–28, 30, and help the children list truths they learn about the Aaronic Priesthood from these verses. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 84:18–25, and list truths about the Melchizedek Priesthood.

  • Invite the children to list the priesthood ordinances they have participated in or witnessed, such as baptism, confirmation, priesthood blessings, or the sacrament. Ask them to share their experiences with these ordinances. Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:20 together (help them understand unfamiliar words). Why does the Lord invite us to participate in ordinances? How does the priesthood help us return to Heavenly Father?

    children taking the sacrament
  • Create a puzzle out of a picture of a temple. Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 84:5, and ask them to listen for what the Lord commanded the Saints to build. Give each child a piece of the puzzle, and ask them to share something they can do to prepare to enter the temple.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:64–72, 81–88

The Lord protects and empowers missionaries.

These verses contain promises the Lord made to those He called to preach the gospel. These promises can also inspire the children as they share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Possible Activities

  • Group the children into pairs, and give each pair a few verses to read from Doctrine and Covenants 84:64–72, 81–88. Invite them to search for promises the Lord gives to those who share the gospel. Ask them to share what they learned with the class. Help the children think of people they know, or people in the scriptures, who received the Lord’s help when preaching the gospel (such as Samuel the Lamanite [see Helaman 13:2–4; 16:6–7] or Ammon [see Alma 17:32–38]). Share an experience when you felt the Lord’s support while you were serving Him.

  • Bring cups or other similar containers to class. Write on slips of paper ways the children can be missionaries now, and place each slip of paper in a cup. Group the cups close together, open end up, on the floor. Invite the children to take turns tossing a small object into one of the cups and then acting out what is on the paper in that cup. How can Heavenly Father help us when we share the gospel with others, even when it may be hard or we feel nervous?

  • Help the children see that we are all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because of missionary work—missionaries either taught the gospel to us, our parents, or our ancestors. Tell the children about how missionaries helped you or your ancestors receive the gospel. Let the children share similar experiences. Encourage them to ask their parents how the first Church members in their families learned about the gospel.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to do something this week to share the gospel with someone in their home or with a friend. Encourage them to ask for Heavenly Father’s help and to watch for what He does to help them.

Improving Our Teaching

Involve the senses. “Most children (and adults) learn best when multiple senses are involved. Find ways to help the children use their senses of sight, hearing, and touch as they learn” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

Jesus is my friend

August 2–8

Doctrine and Covenants 85–87

family walking to temple

“Stand Ye in Holy Places”

Because your time with the children is limited, seek spiritual guidance to know what principles from the scriptures you should emphasize. Trust the promptings you receive.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the children some pictures or activity pages you have used in recent lessons, and invite the children to share what they remember learning about them, either in class or at home.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 85:6

The Spirit speaks with a “still small voice.”

Elder Richard G. Scott said, “If you accomplish nothing else in your relationship with your students than to help them recognize and follow the promptings of the Spirit, you will bless their lives immeasurably and eternally” (“To Learn and to Teach More Effectively” [Brigham Young University Education Week devotional, Aug. 21, 2007], 5, speeches.byu.edu).

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children how Joseph Smith described the Spirit: “Yea, thus saith the still small voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:6). Ask the children to name some things that are small (show pictures if they need help). Invite them to crouch down on the ground to be as small and still as they can. Help them think about how a voice can be small, and let them practice listening to and speaking in a small voice. Tell about times when the Spirit spoke to you in a still, small voice.

  • Teach the children a song about the Spirit, such as “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, 105). Invite them to sing it with you in a whisper. What does this song teach about the Holy Ghost? Help the children recognize when they may have felt His influence (such as when praying, singing hymns, or helping others).

Doctrine and Covenants 86:11

I can be like a light to others.

Section 86 describes the important work the Lord wants His servants to do in the latter days. One way children can help with this work is by being a light to people around them.

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children the following phrase from Doctrine and Covenants 86:11: “Blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles [or people who don’t have the gospel].” How does light bless us? What is it like when we have no light? How can we be a light to other people who don’t know about the gospel? Help the children think of ways we can share Jesus’s goodness with others.

  • Ask the children to imagine that a friend is trying to walk in the dark (turn off the lights if it helps). Why is it hard to walk in the dark? What can we do to help our friend? Explain that when we follow the Savior, it’s like shining a light to show others the way to go.

  • The Liahona and Friend magazines often have stories about children who are good examples. Look for one to share with the children that will inspire them to be good examples too.

Doctrine and Covenants 87

Our homes can be “holy places.”

No home is perfect, but there are things we can all do to make our homes into holy places of peace.

Possible Activities

  • Explain to the children that Joseph Smith was worried about things that were happening in the world. Summarize the heading to section 87, or read “Chapter 30: A Revelation about War” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 117–18; see also the video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children to listen for things that might have made Joseph worried. To teach what the Lord said we should do about those problems, read Doctrine and Covenants 87:8.

  • Show a picture of a temple, and share why the temple is a holy place. Show a picture of a home, and help the children think of ways they can make their homes holy like the temple (see this week’s activity page). Why do we want to be in holy places?

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 85:6

The Spirit speaks with a “still small voice.”

The world has many distractions that can make it difficult to hear the Spirit. How will you help the children listen for the Spirit’s voice?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children what they would say if someone asked them how they know when the Holy Ghost speaks to them. Invite them to read about one way Joseph Smith described the Spirit’s voice in Doctrine and Covenants 85:6.

  • Play a hymn or children’s song quietly, and ask one of the children to guess what song it is while the others make distracting noises, such as clapping or stomping. Then ask the other children to stop, and discuss how this is like hearing the Holy Ghost when we remove distractions from our lives. Help the children think of distractions they can remove in order to feel the Spirit more often.

Doctrine and Covenants 86

I can help gather God’s people.

The parable of the wheat and the tares is about “the last days, even now” (Doctrine and Covenants 86:4). Use this parable to help the children feel inspired to take part in “the gathering of the wheat” (verse 7).

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children the parable of the wheat and the tares, or invite a child to tell it (see Matthew 13:24–30). Invite the children to draw a picture of something from the parable. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 86:1–7, and invite the children to write on their drawings what the thing they drew represents.

  • Prepare several small pictures or drawings of wheat, and hide them around the room. Invite each child to help gather the wheat and write on it the name of someone they can “gather” to Jesus Christ. What does it mean to gather people to Jesus Christ? What are some ways we can do this? What does it mean to “continue in [the Savior’s] goodness,” and how does that help us gather people to Him? (Doctrine and Covenants 86:11).

Doctrine and Covenants 87

I can “stand … in holy places.”

The children you teach will face spiritual and physical dangers throughout their lives. You can help them prepare to face those dangers by teaching them to find and stand in holy places.

woman and child outside temple

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 87:6 to learn about things the Lord said would happen in the latter days. Ask the children to talk about challenges that children their age sometimes face. Invite them to find in verse 8 what the Lord said we should do during hard times. Tell the children about holy places in your life.

  • Help the children make a list of holy places, holy thoughts, and holy actions that can help them face spiritual danger (for ideas, see the videos “Standing in Holy Places” and “Stand Ye in Holy Places—Bloom Where You’re Planted,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite them to keep their list with them to refer to when needed.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to pick one thing they will do to make their home or their life a “holy place.”

Improving Our Teaching

Use your creativity. Don’t limit yourself to the activity ideas suggested in this outline. Let these ideas spark your own creativity. Think about what the children in your class will enjoy and what will help them learn.

activity page: my home can be a holy place

August 9–15

Doctrine and Covenants 88

room with chairs and benches

“Establish … a House of God”

Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 counsels, “Teach one another words of wisdom.” What “words of wisdom” in Doctrine and Covenants 88 seem most relevant to the children you teach?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Tell the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to keep learning throughout our lives. Then ask them to share something they are learning about at home, at school, or at church.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 88:63

God wants me to be close to Him.

What can you do to help the children you teach feel God’s presence in their lives?

Possible Activities

  • As you read Doctrine and Covenants 88:63, invite the children to act out some of the words they hear. For example, they could pretend to look for something or knock.

  • Ask a child to hold a picture of Jesus at the front of the room as the other children stand at the back of the room. Invite the children to take a step forward each time you say something we can do to come closer to the Savior and take a step backward each time you say something that distances us from the Savior. Bear your testimony that when we try to get closer to the Lord, He comes closer to us.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:118

Heavenly Father wants me to learn.

“Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. … The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come” (For the Strength of Youth, 9).

Possible Activities

  • Display a picture of a school, or draw one on the board, and invite the children to explain what a school is and what happens there. Tell about the school Joseph Smith started (see “Chapter 31: The Word of Wisdom,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 119–22). Show the children pictures of a home, a church, and a temple, and ask them how these places are also like schools.

  • Sing a song about learning, such as “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109). Ask the children what they enjoy learning about.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:118, and emphasize the phrase “teach one another.” Share some wisdom that you have learned from each of the children in your class, and invite them to share wisdom they have learned.

    children studying the scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119

The temple is the house of God.

Consider how you will help the children feel love for the temple and a desire to worship the Lord there when they are ready.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children how to make a temple “spire” by raising their arms and touching their fingertips together. Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:119, and ask them to make a spire every time you say the word “house.” Explain that Heavenly Father wanted Joseph Smith and the Saints to build a temple, or a “house of God.” Display a picture of a nearby temple as you talk about the differences between a temple and a Church meetinghouse.

  • Share your testimony of the temple, and sing together a song about the temple, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). Invite the children to draw a picture of themselves going to the temple.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 88:68, 74

Jesus Christ can make me clean from sin.

To be sanctified means to be made clean and pure. How can you help the children you teach understand that they can be sanctified when they follow Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Invite one child to read Doctrine and Covenants 88:68 aloud and another to read verse 74. Ask the children to listen for a phrase that is in both of these verses. How do we “sanctify” ourselves? (If needed, help the children look up “Sanctification” in the Guide to the Scriptures.) Draw a picture of a heart, a hand, and a foot on the board. Help the children think of what it might mean to “purify” and “cleanse” our hearts, hands, and feet. How does the Savior help us do this? How can we use our hearts, hands, and feet to become more like Jesus?

  • Explain that the Lord wanted His people to be sanctified before they could go into the temple. Consider inviting a young man or young woman who has a temple recommend to visit the class. Invite him or her to show the children what a recommend looks like, discuss what they do to live worthy of it, and share why it’s important to have a temple recommend even if we don’t live close to a temple.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:77–80, 118

Heavenly Father wants me to learn.

You can help the children understand that learning about both spiritual and temporal matters can prepare them to serve the Lord.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board What, Why, and How. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 88:77–79 in pairs and make a list of what the Lord wants us to learn about. Then ask them to search verse 80 to find out why He wants us to learn. They can then search verse 118 to find out how we should learn. What do we learn from these verses about how the Lord views education and learning?

  • Display a map of the world, and read together Doctrine and Covenants 88:79. Why is it important for us to learn about other countries and cultures? If you or the children you teach have visited or lived in another country, show items that represent the culture, and share things you learned.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119–26

“Establish … a house of God.”

The Lord’s instructions regarding the “house of God” can be a helpful guide for us as we build our lives and our homes.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to choose seven words that describe their home or another home they’ve visited. Then ask them to read Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 and find the seven words the Lord uses to describe His house. Help the children think of ways they can make their homes a “house of God.”

  • Give each child a phrase from Doctrine and Covenants 88:119–26 to draw. When they show their pictures to each other, let the children search the verses to guess what phrase each picture represents.

  • Write on the board Do and Don’t. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 88:119–26 and list things the Lord wanted the Saints to do or not do to prepare to learn in the temple. They could look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Invite the children to choose something that they will start doing or something they will stop doing.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to write down or draw one thing they learned that they would like to share with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Help young children participate in gospel discussions. You may need to think of creative ways to have gospel discussions with younger children. For example, you might bring to class something the children can hold when it is their turn to speak.

activity page: the temple is the house of God

August 16–22

Doctrine and Covenants 89–92

man and woman making food

“A Principle with Promise”

As you study the truths in Doctrine and Covenants 89–92, ponder new and creative ways you can help the children understand them.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to draw and talk about good things they did this week to care for their bodies and spirits.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 89

I will be blessed as I obey the Word of Wisdom.

Teach the children that our bodies are gifts from Heavenly Father and He wants us to take good care of them.

boys running on a beach

Possible Activities

  • To help the children understand the Lord’s commandments in Doctrine and Covenants 89:10–17, draw or show pictures of good things we can eat or good things we can do to keep our bodies healthy (see also this week’s activity page). Also help the children understand that alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and other harmful drugs hurt our bodies and the Lord has warned us not to use them. Invite the children to choose something they can do this week to keep their bodies healthy.

  • Invite the children to take turns drawing a picture on the board that represents something taught in the Word of Wisdom. Let the rest of the children guess what each person is drawing. Talk about the Lord’s commandment in section 89 that relates to the drawing.

  • Use the following example, or others you think of, to show how we are blessed by obeying the Word of Wisdom (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21). Do a simple exercise together, such as walking or running in place, and then pretend to “be weary” or “faint” (verse 20). Testify of the Lord’s promises.

  • Show a picture of the temple, and ask the children to describe what they see. Use a song about physical health, such as “The Lord Gave Me a Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 153), to teach the children that our bodies are like temples for our spirits and God wants us to keep our bodies healthy. Help the children think of ways we can care for our bodies, and let the children act them out.

Doctrine and Covenants 90:5

God gives us prophets to guide and protect us.

Help the children understand how the Lord’s prophets can help us find safety from the storms of life.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children pictures of ancient prophets, and tell them how these prophets warned the people in their day. (For ideas, see “Follow the Prophet,” Children’s Songbook, 110–11.)

  • Why should we listen to God’s prophets? Show a picture of the current prophet, and share some things he has taught or warned us about recently. Help the children think of ways we can follow the prophet. Share your testimony of the truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 90:5. (Note that “oracles” means revelations or the prophets who receive them.)

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 89

The Word of Wisdom helps me be healthy in body and spirit.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson counseled young people to plan in advance what they will do when tempted with alcohol or drugs. Then he taught, “You will find that temptation has less control over you. You will have already made the decision of how you will react and what you will do. You won’t need to decide every time” (“Your Priesthood Playbook,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 48). Encourage the children you teach to decide now—for the rest of their lives—to live the Word of Wisdom.

Possible Activities

  • Divide the children into two groups, and ask one group to read Doctrine and Covenants 89:1–4 and the other group to read verses 18–21. Ask them to ponder questions like the following: Why did the Lord give us the Word of Wisdom? How can living the Word of Wisdom bless me physically and spiritually?

  • Create fill-in-the-blank statements using phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 89, such as “ is ordained for the use of man and of beasts” or “And shall and not faint” (verses 14, 20). Invite the children to work in pairs to find the answers in section 89. The children could sort the statements into the following categories: good things for our bodies, bad things for our bodies, and blessings.

  • Invite one child to read Doctrine and Covenants 89:4 and another to read the quotation from Elder Stevenson above. Why should we decide now to obey the Word of Wisdom rather than waiting until the moment of temptation? Help the children role-play how they might respond if someone, even a friend, offers them something that is against the Word of Wisdom. How does obeying the Word of Wisdom protect us?

Doctrine and Covenants 90:2, 5, 14–16

The First Presidency holds “the keys of the kingdom.”

The Lord’s instructions about the First Presidency in 1833 (Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams) can help the children strengthen their testimony of today’s First Presidency.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to search Doctrine and Covenants 90:14–16 and write down some of the things the Lord asked the First Presidency to do. Show the children a picture of the current First Presidency, and share something about them. (You can read their biographies under “Living Prophets and Church Leaders” at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Share your testimony of their divine callings and the blessings you have received from following their counsel.

  • Review with the children something that a member of the First Presidency has taught. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 90:5. Point out that “oracles” are revelations or the prophets who receive them. What does it mean to “receive the oracles … as a light thing”? How can we show that prophets and the things they teach are important to us?

Doctrine and Covenants 91

The Spirit can help me know what is true.

As you read what the Lord told Joseph Smith about the Apocrypha, think about how this counsel could help the children discern between the truth and error they will encounter throughout their lives.

Possible Activities

  • Read together the section heading for Doctrine and Covenants 91 to help the children understand what the Apocrypha is (see also Guide to the Scriptures, “Apocrypha,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Help the children think of other places, such as in the media, where we might find “many things … that are true” and “many things … that are not true” (verses 1–2). Then invite the children to search section 91 to learn what the Lord said we can do to discern between truth and error.

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 91:4–6, and ask the children what these verses teach about the Holy Ghost. Invite the children to share a personal experience when “the Spirit [manifested] truth” to them. Also share your own experiences. In what other ways can the Spirit help us?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their family what they learned today about caring for their body and spirit or their goals for obeying the Word of Wisdom.

Improving Our Teaching

Seek your own inspiration. These outlines are not instructions you must follow as you teach. Rather, they are meant to spark your own inspiration as you ponder the needs of the children you teach. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 7.)

activity page: the Word of Wisdom brings blessings

August 23–29

Doctrine and Covenants 93

Stephen sees God and Jesus Christ

I See the Son of Man Standing on the Right Hand of God, by Walter Rane

“Receive of His Fulness”

The children you teach are precious spirit sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents and lived with Them before coming to earth. After studying Doctrine and Covenants 93, what do you feel inspired to do to help these children grow “in light and truth”? (verse 40).

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show pictures of the Savior (such as those in the Gospel Art Book or Church magazines), and ask the children to share what they know about Him. Older children may be able to share a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 93 that helped them learn about Jesus Christ.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 93:2–21

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

It is important that the children you teach learn who Jesus Christ is and why they should follow Him. The truths about Jesus Christ found in section 93 can help.

glass window

Possible Activities

  • Choose several truths you learned about the Savior in section 93 that are inspiring to you. For each truth you choose, read to the children the verse where it is found, and give them a key word to listen for as you read. Share a brief testimony of the Savior, and allow the children to share their own. The following list of truths can give you ideas:

    Jesus Christ did the works of the Father (verse 5).

    Jesus Christ is the Light of the World (verse 9).

    Jesus Christ is the Creator of the world (verse 10).

    Jesus Christ received all power in heaven and on earth (verse 17).

    Jesus Christ was with God in the beginning (verse 21).

  • Ask the children to listen for something they learn about the Savior as you summarize in your own words some of the truths taught in section 93. (You could also use “Chapter 33: A Revelation about Jesus Christ” [Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 126–27].)

Doctrine and Covenants 93:23, 29

I lived with Heavenly Father before I came to earth.

Why might it be important to help the children you teach understand that they lived with Heavenly Father before they were born? How has a knowledge of this truth blessed you?

Possible Activities

  • Repeat together with the children the words “Ye were also in the beginning with the Father” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:23). Explain that before we were born on earth, we lived with Heavenly Father in heaven. Sing together “I Am a Child of God” or “I Lived in Heaven” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3, 4).

  • Invite the children to color the activity page and draw pictures of themselves with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the premortal life. Bear your testimony that God loves all of us and that we are all His children.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 93:2–21

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The more we understand about Jesus Christ, the more deeply and sincerely we want to worship Him and come unto the Father through Him (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:19).

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of the Savior, and ask the children why it is important that we know about Jesus Christ. Invite them to look for additional answers in Doctrine and Covenants 93:19. Invite them to think of one way they can learn more about Jesus during the coming week, and give them a chance to share their ideas.

  • Think of a creative way to encourage children to read about the Savior in section 93. You could write on strips of paper several references to verses from section 93 that teach truths about Jesus Christ (for example, see verses 5, 9–10, 17, 21). Place the strips of paper in a container, and ask the children to take turns selecting one and reading the scripture passage to the class. What do we learn about Jesus Christ from these passages?

Doctrine and Covenants 93:23, 29, 38

I lived with Heavenly Father before I came to earth.

The Savior emphasized three times in section 93 that we lived with God “in the beginning” (verses 23, 29, 38). Why might He want us to know this? How might knowing this truth bless the children you teach?

Possible Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 93:24

Truth is knowledge of things in the past, present, and future.

The world has many different views on what truth is and how to find it. How can you help the children you teach understand that truth is true no matter what others may say and that Heavenly Father knows all truth?

Possible Activities

  • Write the word truth on the board, and ask the children to write a definition next to it. Read together how the Lord defined truth in Doctrine and Covenants 93:24. Sing a hymn about truth, such as “Oh Say, What Is Truth?” (Hymns, no. 272), and invite the children to find in the hymn other ways to describe truth.

  • To help the children apply truths in Doctrine and Covenants 93, write a few scripture references from this section on pieces of paper. On other pieces of paper, write the truths that each of these verses teaches. Invite the children to work together to read the verses and match the truths to the verses they read. Why are we grateful to have a knowledge of the truth?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to write down or draw something they learned in class and to share it with their families when they get home.

Improving Our Teaching

Help the children recognize the Spirit. As you have spiritual experiences with the children (for example, while reading the scriptures with them, hearing their testimonies, or singing together), help them recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost.

activity page: Jesus Christ is the Light and Life of the world

August 30–September 5

Doctrine and Covenants 94–97

Kirtland Temple

Kirtland Temple, by Al Rounds

“For the Salvation of Zion”

Seek inspiration to know what principles from sections 94–97 to emphasize as you teach. You can adapt activity ideas for younger children as you teach older children, and vice versa.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the children a picture of a temple, and invite them to share what they know about temples. They could also talk about how they feel when they see a temple.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 95:8; 97:15–16

The temple is the house of the Lord.

Even the children in Kirtland helped, in small but meaningful ways, to build the Kirtland Temple. Help the children you teach strengthen their love for the Lord’s holy house.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of the Kirtland Temple (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Use phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 95:8 to teach the children about the Lord’s commandment to build this temple. Let the children take turns holding the picture and saying “The temple is the house of the Lord.”

    Kirtland Temple
  • Tell the children that on every temple is written “Holiness to the Lord. The House of the Lord.” If possible, show them a picture of these words on a temple. Why is the temple a special place? Read phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 97:15–16 that teach about the temple being the Lord’s house, and share your feelings about the temple.

  • Invite the children to pretend they are helping to build a temple (cutting wood, hammering nails, painting walls, and so on). Explain how important the temple is to the Lord, how hard the Saints worked to build the Kirtland Temple, and how much they sacrificed for it (see Saints, 1:210).

  • Sing together a song to help children feel reverence for the Lord’s house, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). Let the children share their feelings about the temple.

Doctrine and Covenants 97:8

I can be honest.

In Doctrine and Covenants 97:8, the Lord identified honesty as one attribute of those who are “accepted of me.”

Possible Activities

  • Explain to the children that God taught that when we are honest, He accepts us (see Doctrine and Covenants 97:8). Share with them a few brief stories that help them understand what it means to be honest. These stories could come from your own life, from the life of someone you know, or from the Friend or Liahona. Help the children retell the stories to you or share experiences with honesty from their lives.

  • Help the children learn the first phrase of the thirteenth article of faith: “We believe in being honest.” Help the children act out examples of being honest and dishonest. For example, the children could act out taking something from a sibling and telling their parents that they didn’t take it. Then help the children act out the same scenario in which they tell the truth to their parents. Explain that this is being honest.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 95:1–3, 8, 11–17; 97:10–17

The temple is the house of the Lord.

Ponder how you can use these verses to help the children understand how important the temple is to the Lord—and how important it should be to all of us.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to talk about times when they were supposed to do something but didn’t do it immediately. Help a child read Doctrine and Covenants 95:3, 8, and ask the children what commandment the Lord said the Saints hadn’t obeyed. Read together verse 11. What did the Saints need to do so they could build the temple? What can we learn from the Lord’s promise to them?

  • On cards, write principles about the temple found in Doctrine and Covenants 95 and 97, along with the corresponding scripture references, and place the cards in a bag. For example: Building temples requires sacrifice (Doctrine and Covenants 97:11–12) and We must be worthy to enter the temple (Doctrine and Covenants 97:15–17). Divide the children into pairs. Let each pair draw a card from the bag and then work together to read the scripture on the card and talk about what the principle means to them. Help the children understand what they are reading as needed.

  • Invite a young person from your ward or branch who has been to the temple to share his or her experience and tell the children what they can do to prepare for the temple.

  • Use the article “Your Path to the Temple” (in Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [special issue of the Ensign or Liahona, Oct. 2010], 72–75) to help the children understand what happens inside temples and how they can prepare. Consider giving each child a section of the article to read and letting them share what they learn.

  • Share the video “Two Apostles Lead a Virtual Tour of the Rome Italy Temple” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and invite the children to share how they feel about going to the temple someday.

  • Sing together a song about the temple, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). What phrases in this song teach us why the temple is sacred?

Doctrine and Covenants 97:1–2, 8–9, 21

Zion is “the pure in heart.”

Help the children understand that Zion is not just a place; it is also “the pure in heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21).

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 97:21, and ask them what the word “pure” means. To illustrate, show them a glass of clean water, and discuss why it is important to have clean water. Add something to the water that makes it impure (such as dirt or pepper). Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 97:21 again and put their finger on the word “pure.” What does it mean for our hearts to be pure? Help the children understand that being pure in heart doesn’t mean we never make mistakes. What can we do to become more pure in heart? How does the Savior help us?

  • Help the children search Doctrine and Covenants 97:1–2, 8–9, 21, looking for words or phrases that describe how to become pure in heart. Ask them to pick a word or phrase, write it on a slip of paper, and place it in a container. Draw out one slip at a time, and ask the children to suggest things they can do to use that idea in their lives. For example, what can we do to “find truth” (verse 1) or be more “honest” (verse 8)?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to use this week’s activity page to share with their families what they learned today about the temple.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage children to ask questions. “Strive to see [the children’s] questions as opportunities, not as distractions or impediments to your lesson. … Such questions give you valuable insights into what the children are thinking, what concerns they have, and how they are responding to the things they are learning. Help them see that the answers to their questions can be found in the scriptures and the words of living prophets” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26).

activity page: the temple is the house of the Lord

September 6–12

Doctrine and Covenants 98–101

Saints running from mob

C. C. A. Christensen (1831–1912), Saints Driven from Jackson County Missouri, c. 1878, tempera on muslin, 77 ¼ × 113 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of the grandchildren of C. C. A. Christensen, 1970

“Be Still and Know That I Am God”

What messages do the children in your class need to hear this week? How might the principles in Doctrine and Covenants 98–101 help them be better disciples of Jesus Christ?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Encourage the children to share something they have learned from the Doctrine and Covenants at home or in Primary. Ask them what they enjoy most about learning from the Doctrine and Covenants.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 98:39–40

I can forgive those who are unkind to me.

The Lord asked the Saints who were being persecuted in Jackson County, Missouri, to forgive those who had harmed them. As you teach the children the importance of forgiveness, make sure they also understand that if someone hurts them, they should always tell a trusted adult.

Possible Activities

  • To help the children understand the challenges the Saints in Zion were facing, share with them “Chapter 34: God Warns the People of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 128–31, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Read Doctrine and Covenants 98:39–40, and ask the children to listen for what the Lord told the Saints to do when their enemies asked for forgiveness. Why does Jesus want us to forgive people, even those who are not nice to us?

  • Place a picture of a happy face on one wall and a sad face on the opposite wall. Share with the children different situations in which someone is unkind (you might find some stories in the Friend or Liahona). Suggest ways we could respond to the unkind actions, and help the children decide if each response would make them happy or sad. Invite the children to point to the corresponding face on the wall.

Doctrine and Covenants 101:16

Jesus Christ can bring me peace.

When the Saints were facing persecution, the Lord comforted them by saying, “Be still and know that I am God.” Consider how this counsel might help the children you teach.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to wiggle in their chairs. Then ask them to stop moving when you hold up a picture of the Savior and say the phrase “Be still and know that I am God” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:16). Repeat this activity a few times. Explain that when life was hard for the Saints in Joseph Smith’s time, Jesus wanted them to be still and trust Him instead of worrying. How can Jesus help us when we are having a hard time?

  • Sing together a song about reverence, such as “Reverently, Quietly” or “To Think about Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 26, 71). Help the children recognize the peaceful feelings that come when we are being still and thinking about Jesus—for example, when we are praying or taking the sacrament.

  • Help the children work on this week’s activity page. While they color, tell them how thinking of Jesus Christ has helped you feel peace, even during difficult times.

    Jesus Christ

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 98:1–3, 11–14; 101:16

My trials can help me become more like Jesus Christ.

As children face challenges throughout their lives, they will need faith that the Savior can help them during their trials and that those trials can “work together for [their] good” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:3).

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to help you make a list on the board of some challenges that a child their age may face. Tell the children about some of the challenges of the Saints living in Jackson County, Missouri, in 1833 (see chapters 34 and 35 in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 128–34). What advice would they give to a child experiencing these challenges? Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 98:1–3, 11–14, looking for the guidance the Lord gave. How can they follow this counsel as they face challenges like the ones listed on the board?

  • Invite the children to be as still and quiet as possible for a few minutes while looking at a picture of the Savior or listening to a song about Him. Then invite them to share what they felt and experienced during the stillness. Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:16. How does being still and thinking of Jesus help us? Help the children understand the connection between reverent stillness and our ability to feel the Spirit and think about Jesus.

Doctrine and Covenants 98:23, 39–40

Jesus wants me to forgive those who are unkind to me.

We are commanded to love one another, to forgive others “seventy times seven,” and to turn the other cheek (see Matthew 5:39, 43–44; 18:21–22). How might you use these verses to teach the children these truths?

Possible Activities

  • Tell the children about the persecutions that occurred in Jackson County, Missouri, in 1833 (see chapters 34 and 35 in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 128–34). Ask the children how they would feel if they were members of the Church at that time. Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 98:23, 39–40 to find out what the Lord wanted the Saints to do. Why can it be hard to forgive those who hurt us? How are we blessed when we do?

  • Ask the children if they can think of a time when Jesus Christ or someone else in the scriptures did what Doctrine and Covenants 98:23 teaches. To give them one example, show a picture of the Crucifixion (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 57). Ask the children to share what they know about the Savior’s Crucifixion (see Luke 23). Invite them to read Luke 23:34. How can we follow the example of Jesus Christ?

Doctrine and Covenants 101:23–32, 36, 38

Through Jesus Christ I can find joy.

Life is not meant to be free from difficulty, but you can help the children discover that they can still find a fulness of joy through Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

  • Put water in a cup. Ask the children to name things the Savior has done for us so that we can have joy, and invite them to drop a pebble in the cup for each thing they name until the cup is full. Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 101:36, and ask them to look for how we can have a fulness of joy. What are some things we can do to “seek … the Lord” (verse 38) so we can have the joy that He wants to give us?

  • Explain that Doctrine and Covenants 101:23–32 teaches about what life will be like when Jesus Christ comes again. As you read these verses together, talk about things the children find that will bring us joy when He comes. Why is it helpful to know about these things when we are having a hard time?

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children pick a verse from Doctrine and Covenants 98–101 that they would like to share with their families. Help them plan how they will share what they like about that verse.

Improving Our Teaching

Improve as a Christlike teacher. Ponder ways you can become a more Christlike teacher. Consider using the personal evaluation questions on page 37 of Teaching in the Savior’s Way to help you improve.

activity page: Jesus brings me peace

September 13–19

Doctrine and Covenants 102–105

men with wagons

C. C. A. Christensen (1831–1912), Zion’s Camp, c. 1878, tempera on muslin, 78 × 114 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of the grandchildren of C. C. A. Christensen, 1970

“After Much Tribulation … Cometh the Blessing”

Your study of Doctrine and Covenants 102–5 is an important part of your preparation to teach. Listen for spiritual impressions about how to help the children better understand the scriptures.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Help the children pick a song to sing that reminds them of something they have been learning at home or at church.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 103:9

I can be “a light unto the world.”

How can you encourage the children you teach to share the light of the gospel with those around them?

Possible Activities

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 103:9 to the children, and invite them to hold pictures of a light bulb, candle, or other source of light. Ask them to show their picture to someone else in the class. Tell the children how they are like a light to others when they follow Jesus Christ.

  • Sing a song with the children about being an example, such as “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” or “I Am like a Star” (Children’s Songbook, 60–61, 163). Help them think of actions to go with the words. How can we be a light, or good example, to people around us?

    candle burning

Doctrine and Covenants 104:42

The Lord will bless me if I keep His commandments.

Several times in section 104, the Lord promises “a multiplicity of blessings” to those who faithfully obey His commandments. How will you help the children feel that He wants to bless us generously?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to do an action, like wiggling their fingers, each time they hear the word “blessings” as you read Doctrine and Covenants 104:42. Tell the children how Heavenly Father has blessed you for keeping His commandments. Ask the children to share how He has blessed them. Invite each child to share a commandment they can obey.

  • To help the children understand what “multiplicity” means, draw a circle on the board or a piece of paper. Ask the children to help you multiply the number of circles—drawing two, then four, then eight, then sixteen, and so on—until the entire board or paper is full of circles. Each time you add circles, help the children think of a blessing Heavenly Father has given them. Explain that “a multiplicity of blessings” means the Lord will fill our lives with blessings if we obey His commandments.

Doctrine and Covenants 105:38–40

I can be a peacemaker.

There are many lessons we can learn from the experiences of Zion’s Camp. One that might be important to the children is that contention and fighting bring difficulties, while unity and peace bring blessings.

Possible Activities

  • In your own words, tell the children the story of Zion’s Camp (see the introduction to this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families; Saints, 1:194–206; or “The Acceptable Offering of Zion’s Camp” [Revelations in Context, 213–18]). Pause periodically to point out lessons we can learn from Zion’s Camp—for example, that the Lord wants us to be peaceful and work together instead of arguing and fighting.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 105:38–40, and ask the children to stand up each time they hear the word “peace.” Explain that the Lord wanted the Saints to make peace with the people who were being unkind. Help the children think of things that they can do to be peacemakers, and invite them to role-play some situations.

  • Share a story about a child being a peacemaker from your own life or from the Friend or Liahona. Sing a song about loving others, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, 61), or complete this week’s activity page.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 104:13–18

The Lord wants me to share what I have with those in need.

Consider how you will help the children understand the Lord’s way of providing for His people when they are in need.

Possible Activities

  • Give the children a few minutes to make a list of blessings God has given them. Encourage them to list as many as they can. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 104:13–18, looking for answers to questions like these: Who is the true owner of all things? Why does He give them to us? What does He want us to do with these things? Help the children think of ways they can share their blessings with others.

  • Share an experience in which someone gave you something you needed, and ask the children to share similar experiences. Or show a video about serving others, such as “The Coat” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What do we learn from these experiences about serving others? Invite the children to be aware of those in need and find someone to serve this week, such as someone at school or especially someone in their family.

  • Invite the children to search the Children’s Songbook or Hymns for songs that have to do with service or helping others (see the topical indexes). Sing one or two songs together, and talk about what these songs teach us.

Doctrine and Covenants 105:9–19

I can obey the Lord’s commandments even when I don’t understand the reasons for them.

The experience of Zion’s Camp can be a powerful way to illustrate the blessings that come from seeking to follow the Lord’s will.

Possible Activities

  • Display the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and invite the children to share what they know about Zion’s Camp. If they need help, use the introduction to this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families; Saints, 1:194–206; or “The Acceptable Offering of Zion’s Camp” (Revelations in Context, 213–18). Invite the children to pretend that they were members of Zion’s Camp, telling their children about their experiences. What would they want their children to learn from those experiences?

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 105:13–14, and explain that when Zion’s Camp reached Missouri, the Lord told them to not try to take back the Saints’ land. Some members of the camp were upset and wondered why they’d been commanded to go there. What should we do when we don’t understand the reasons for a commandment? Share some accounts from “Voices of the Restoration: Zion’s Camp” (in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families) to help the children see that blessings come when we obey the commandments God gives us through His prophets, even if we don’t understand all the reasons.

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to share the experiences of Zion’s Camp with someone at home, along with one lesson they learned from those experiences. Or invite them to think of something God has blessed them with that they can share with someone in need.

Improving Our Teaching

Address disruptions with love. “Sometimes a child acts in ways that disrupt the learning of others in the class. When this happens, be patient, loving, and understanding about the challenges the child may be facing. … If the child causing disruptions has special needs, talk to the ward or stake disability specialist or visit [disabilities.ChurchofJesusChrist.org] to find out how you can better meet those needs” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 26).

activity page: I can be a peacemaker

September 20–26

Doctrine and Covenants 106–108

sun shining through clouds

“To Have the Heavens Opened”

Ponder what you know about the children you teach. What type of activities will bring them closer to the Savior? Remember that the activities for younger children in this outline can be adapted for older children and vice versa.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the children pictures of Church leaders, such as the prophet, the Apostles, the Primary General Presidency, and other General Authorities and Officers. Invite the children to talk about what these leaders do and why they are thankful for them.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 107:18–20, 42–56

I am blessed because of the priesthood.

All of Heavenly Father’s children can receive the blessings that come from the priesthood. Consider ways you can help the children you teach feel gratitude for those blessings.

Possible Activities

  • Draw on the board a picture to represent “the heavens [being] opened unto [us]” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:19) because of the priesthood (such as light rays shining through a cloud). Give the children pictures representing blessings that come from the priesthood, such as baptism, the sacrament, and the temple. Invite them to share why they are thankful for the blessing in their picture, and let them put their picture in the light rays on the board. Bear testimony that we can have these blessings because Heavenly Father restored the priesthood.

  • Make a path on the floor, and give the children pictures of priesthood ordinances they will need so they can follow the path back to Heavenly Father (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–8, 119–20). Help the children put the ordinances in order on the path.

  • Show a picture of Adam and Eve with their family (see this week’s activity page or Gospel Art Book, no. 5). As children look at the picture, ask them how Adam and Eve seem to feel about their family. Use Doctrine and Covenants 107:53–56 to share with the children what Adam did to show he loved his family. Bear your testimony about how the priesthood has been a blessing to you and your family.

  • Name the family members Adam ordained to the priesthood, according to Doctrine and Covenants 107:42–50, and ask the children to count how many people he ordained. Help them understand why Adam would want all his family members to have the priesthood. Invite the children to talk about times when they or their families have received blessings through the priesthood.

Doctrine and Covenants 108:7

I can strengthen others.

Even young children can follow the counsel to strengthen others “in all your conversation, in all your prayers, … and in all your doings.”

Possible Activities

  • Draw a person on the board, and ask the children to name some things the person could do to become physically stronger. (You might draw bigger muscles on the person as the children name things.) Read Doctrine and Covenants 108:7, and ask the children to listen for ways we can “strengthen [our] brethren [and sisters].” Explain any words that might be difficult.

  • Help the children think of people they know who may need strengthening. What could we say to them or do for them? Work together to make cards for these people, or encourage the children to remember them in their personal and family prayers.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20

The priesthood will help me return to Heavenly Father.

The Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods were restored to help bring God’s children back to Him. Help the children you teach understand what the different priesthood duties are and how they help us return to God.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to search Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20 for important words and phrases that teach them about the priesthood. What responsibilities do priesthood holders have? How does the priesthood help us return to God?

  • Write questions that could be answered in Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20, such as “What is another name for the Melchizedek Priesthood?” Give the children a few minutes to find answers in the verses to as many of the questions as they can. Share with the children the blessings you have received through the priesthood.

  • Read with the children about Melchizedek in the Bible Dictionary or Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What do we learn from his life about what it means to exercise priesthood authority?

Doctrine and Covenants 107:21–26, 33–35, 65–66

The Lord’s chosen servants lead His Church.

What experiences have built your testimony of the leaders of the Church? How will you help the children build their own testimonies?

President and Sister Nelson with a child

Possible Activities

  • Display on the board a picture of the General Authorities and Officers from a recent conference edition of the Ensign or Liahona. As the children read Doctrine and Covenants 107:21–26, 33–35, 65–66, invite them to write on the board what they learn about the responsibilities of some of these leaders. Why are we grateful for their guidance? Share with each other how you gained a testimony of prophets and apostles.

  • Write the words confidence, faith, and prayer on the board. Ask the children how we can uphold the First Presidency of the Church with our confidence, faith, and prayer (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:22). Why is it important to sustain the Lord’s chosen servants?

Doctrine and Covenants 108:3

Carefully living my covenants brings blessings.

Ponder how you can help the children you teach “be more careful … in observing [their] vows,” or covenants. How will doing this bless them now and in the future?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to do something that requires careful attention to be successful, such as trying to fill a cup with water without spilling it over. What happens when we are not careful? Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 108:3 and discover what Lyman Sherman was asked to do carefully. List with the children the promises they make with Heavenly Father when they are baptized and partake of the sacrament. Help them think of ways they can be careful about observing these promises.

  • Sing a song with the children about keeping covenants, such as “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162). Help them make a sign with a phrase from the song that reminds them to keep their covenants, and encourage them to display their sign at home.

  • Give the children portions of Sister Becky Craven’s talk “Careful versus Casual” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 9–11), and ask them to share something that inspires them to be more careful about living their covenants.

Encourage Learning at Home

Occasionally contact the parents of the children you teach to encourage them in their efforts to teach the gospel at home. You might tell them about something their children shared in Primary that they learned at home.

Improving Our Teaching

Adapt activities to meet needs. Don’t view these outlines as instructions you must follow. Rather, use them as a source of ideas to spark your own inspiration as you ponder the needs of the children you teach. In some cases, you might feel inspired to adapt an activity or topic for younger children to teach to older children, or vice versa.

activity page: the priesthood blesses my life

September 27–October 3

Doctrine and Covenants 109–110

Kirtland Temple

Kirtland Temple, by Jon McNaughton

“It Is Thy House, a Place of Thy Holiness”

To have spiritual experiences studying Doctrine and Covenants 109–10 with the children in your class, first seek to have spiritual experiences studying these scriptures on your own.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show pictures that can help the children remember and share something they have learned about the principles or events in Doctrine and Covenants 109–10. For example, you could show a picture from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 109:12–13; 110:1–7

The temple is the house of the Lord.

Ponder how you will help the children feel reverence for the Lord’s house and look forward to the day when they can enter the “place of [His] holiness” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:13).

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to tell you something they love about their homes. Show the children a picture of the Kirtland Temple, and use Doctrine and Covenants 109:12–13; 110:1–7 to tell them about the day the temple was dedicated and became the Lord’s house (see also “Chapter 39: The Kirtland Temple Is Dedicated,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 154). To show that the temple is the Lord’s house, read the following from the dedicatory prayer that Joseph Smith gave: “It is thy house, a place of thy holiness” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:13). Ask the children to share something they love about the temple.

  • Give each child a picture of a temple, or invite them to draw one. Sing together a song about temples, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). Invite the children to hold up their pictures each time they sing the word “temple.” Point out to them other words in the song that teach us something important about the temple. Tell the children how you feel about the temple and how you know it is the house of the Lord.

Doctrine and Covenants 110

The priesthood keys needed to accomplish God’s work are in the Church today.

The Kirtland Temple is important in Church history. Jesus Christ appeared there, along with ancient prophets. These prophets committed priesthood keys to Joseph Smith that are needed to do God’s latter-day work.

Possible Activities

  • Use this week’s activity page or “Chapter 40: Visions in the Kirtland Temple” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 155–57) to tell the children about the heavenly beings who visited the temple. Share phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 110 that help you and the children to understand the sacredness of these events.

  • Show the children some keys, and talk about what keys do. Let the children take turns holding the keys and pretending to open a locked door. As they do, explain that Joseph Smith received priesthood keys in the Kirtland Temple. These keys unlock power and blessings so we can do God’s work in His Church, such as sharing the gospel and doing temple work.

  • To help the children understand the keys that Elijah committed to Joseph Smith, sing together a song about Elijah or family history, such as “Truth from Elijah” (Children’s Songbook, 90–91). Tell about an experience that helped turn your heart to your ancestors. Ask the children to share something they know about a grandparent or other ancestor.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 109; 110:1–10

The temple is the house of the Lord.

How will you share with the children your love for the Lord’s house? Consider how you will inspire them to accept Elder Quentin L. Cook’s challenge “for each of us, wherever we live, to see ourselves in the temple” (“See Yourself in the Temple,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 98).

Possible Activities

  • Choose verses from section 109 or 110 that you feel highlight the blessings of the temple (some are suggested in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). List these blessings on the board, and invite the children to search the verses you chose to find those blessings. How might we explain to someone why the temple is important to us?

  • Ask the children to silently read Doctrine and Covenants 110:1–10, and invite them to share something they learn about Jesus Christ or the temple from these verses. Invite the children to draw a picture of themselves and the Savior in the temple.

  • Ask the children to imagine that a friend is trying to find their house. How can we help our friend know which house is ours? How do we know that the temple is the Lord’s house? Read Doctrine and Covenants 109:12–13 with the children, and tell them how you know that the temple is the house of the Lord. Show pictures of temples, and let the children share their feelings about the Lord’s house.

  • Sing with the children “The Spirit of God” (Hymns, no. 2), and tell them it was sung at the Kirtland Temple dedication—and in temple dedications today. Why was this a good song for the Kirtland Temple dedication?

    Kirtland Temple interior

Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16

The priesthood keys needed to accomplish God’s work are in the Church today.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson said, “All of Heavenly Father’s children [had] been locked out from the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ—until a divine restoration was effected by [Moses, Elias, and Elijah]” (“Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 30).

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to search Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16 to find the names of three ancient prophets who appeared in the Kirtland Temple. Then help them find words in these verses that describe what each prophet “committed,” or gave, to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. You can find a helpful description in “Chapter 40: Visions in the Kirtland Temple” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 156–57).

  • Share this description of priesthood keys by President Russell M. Nelson: “In your pocket there might be a key to your home or car. Priesthood keys, on the other hand, are intangible and invisible. They ‘switch on’ the authority of the priesthood” (“Personal Priesthood Responsibility,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 45–46). To illustrate the importance of priesthood keys, discuss with the children the problems of losing a house key or car key. How is this similar to the problems of priesthood keys being lost? Help the children understand who holds priesthood keys today and how these keys are used to unlock blessings for all of God’s children (see “Priesthood Keys,” True to the Faith, 126–27).

  • To further explain the keys restored in the Kirtland Temple, show the video “By the Hand of Elijah the Prophet” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Discuss what we can do to participate in the work that Elijah’s keys made possible. Or show the video “Gatherers in the Kingdom” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) and talk about how we can help gather Heavenly Father’s children back to Him.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to use this week’s activity page or a picture they drew during class to teach their family something they learned today about temples or priesthood keys.

Improving Our Teaching

Create a loving, reverent atmosphere. “Your example has a powerful influence on the attitudes of the [children]. … With your words and your actions, show them that you love the gospel and that you care about their spiritual growth” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 15).

activity page: priesthood keys were restored in the Kirtland Temple

October 4–10

Doctrine and Covenants 111–114

Joseph Smith preaching

“I Will Order All Things for Your Good”

Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, former counselor in the Primary General Presidency, taught that we should “[help] our children get the doctrine into their hearts in a way that it … is reflected in their attitudes and behavior throughout their lives” (“Teaching Our Children to Understand,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 10).

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

To encourage the children to share, bring several objects that are related to something from a previous lesson. Let them talk about what each object reminds them of.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 111:2, 10–11

The things of God can be a treasure to me.

When children think of the word treasure, they may picture things that are different from the treasures implied in Doctrine and Covenants 111:2, 10. How can you help them learn to treasure the things of the Lord?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to draw what comes to mind when they hear the word treasure. Contrast the things the world sees as treasure with the things the Lord treasures (see Doctrine and Covenants 111:2, 10–11), such as His people, wisdom and righteousness, and making good choices.

  • Help the children complete this week’s activity page. What do we learn about Jesus from the things He treasures? How can we be more like Him?

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

The Lord will lead me by the hand and answer my prayers.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 can help the children you teach build faith that Jesus Christ will lead and guide them throughout their lives.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children to think of situations when it is important to hold the hand of a family member, like when crossing the street or giving comfort. They might enjoy acting out some of the examples they share. Read Doctrine and Covenants 112:10. Why do we want the Lord to “lead [us] by the hand”?

  • Put a blindfold on one of the children, and ask him or her to walk across the room with another child leading him or her by the hand. Tell about an experience when you felt the Lord leading you by the hand.

    Jesus with a boy and his mother

Doctrine and Covenants 112:11

Jesus wants me to love everyone.

Help the children know that the Savior wants us to love everyone, even those who may not treat us kindly.

Possible Activities

  • As you share “Chapter 41: Trouble in Kirtland” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 158–60), ask the children to form a heart shape with their hands when they hear about someone doing something right. Help them understand that the Lord wants us to love everyone, even those who might make wrong choices.

  • Draw a sad face on the board, and ask the children how we can show love for others who are unhappy (see Doctrine and Covenants 112:11). As the children share ideas, redraw the sad face to become a happy face. Share your testimony of the power that comes from loving others. Sing together a song about love, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, 61).

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

I can be humble and seek God’s guidance.

Heavenly Father wants us to be humble so He can guide us. Help the children understand how they can show humility before God by doing things such as praying to Him and accepting His counsel.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children what it means to be humble. (They could read “Humility” in True to the Faith [pages 86–87] if needed.) Help them think of words or phrases related to “humble,” and invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 112:10, substituting one of these words or phrases for “humble” in the verse. Why does Heavenly Father want us to be humble? To learn more, the children could read additional scriptures listed under “Humble, Humility” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Write the words of Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 on the board, and ask the children to read them aloud. Invite a child to underline blessings for those who are humble mentioned in this verse. Encourage the children to share times when they humbly sought the Lord’s help and were led by Him, such as when their prayers were answered.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:11

Jesus wants me to love everyone.

Jesus Christ was the perfect example of loving everyone, even those who mistreated Him. Joseph Smith also had to endure persecution by those who had been his friends. Help the children learn that we can love others just like the Savior and Joseph Smith did.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to take turns reading from “Chapter 41: Trouble in Kirtland” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 158–60). Who in the story made the problems in Kirtland worse? Who was trying to make them better? Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 112:11 and talk about why it is important to love everyone.

  • Why is it important to love people who are different from us? Why might Heavenly Father have given us differences? How can we “let [our] love abound unto all,” even those who are different from us? Sing with the children a song about loving others, such as “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140–41).

  • Help the children think of examples of when the Savior loved those who mistreated Him (for example, see Luke 23:34).

Doctrine and Covenants 112:12–15, 26

Those who are truly converted come to know Jesus Christ.

Becoming converted to Jesus Christ is a lifelong process, and it involves more than just “[professing] to know [His] name” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:26). Help the children better understand what it means to truly know the Savior.

Possible Activities

  • Share with the children that in 1837, some of the Apostles had turned against the Prophet Joseph Smith. Why is it important to follow the prophet? (see verse 15). Help the children make a list of the things the Lord told Thomas B. Marsh, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to do (see Doctrine and Covenants 112:12–15). Use the list to discuss how we can become more converted to Jesus Christ.

  • Ask the children what they think it means to profess to know Jesus Christ but to not really know Him (see Doctrine and Covenants 112:26). What does verse 14 teach us we can do to know Him better? Help the children understand what it means to “take up [our] cross” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 16:25–26 [in the Bible appendix]) or to “feed [His] sheep.”

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to summarize what they learned in class today. Help them make a note or draw a picture that will remind them of what they learned so they can share it with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Children are curious and learn in many ways. Children enjoy learning through new and varied experiences. Use activities that help them move about, use all their senses, explore, and try new things. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26.)

activity page: I can treasure things of the Lord

October 11–17

Doctrine and Covenants 115–120

Far West

Far West, by Al Rounds

“His Sacrifice Shall Be More Sacred unto Me Than His Increase”

Let the Spirit guide you to the principles that the children need the most. You may find helpful ideas in the activities for younger children or for older children.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

On occasion, it might be good to talk to the parents of one of the children in advance and suggest that the child come to class prepared to share something he or she has learned at home. The child may enjoy leading in class an activity he or she has done with family members.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 115:4–5

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How can you help the children recognize the blessings of being part of the Church of Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children if any of them can say the full name of the Church. Show them the Church logo (on a Church publication or missionary name tag), write the name on the board, or read it to them from Doctrine and Covenants 115:4. Ask the children to say the name with you as you point to each word. Point out significant words in the name, and help the children understand why these words are important (see “Chapter 43: Jesus Christ Names His Church,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 164).

  • Sing together “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77), and share with the children how you feel about being a member of Jesus Christ’s Church. Let them share how they feel about the Church.

  • Invite the children to stand when you read the word “arise” in Doctrine and Covenants 115:5. Invite them to stretch out their fingers like rays of sunlight when you read “shine forth.” Sing together a song about being a light to others, such as “I Am like a Star” (Children’s Songbook, 163). Remind the children that our light comes from Jesus Christ, and help them think of ways they can “shine forth.”

Doctrine and Covenants 117:6

Jesus Christ made the earth and everything that is in it.

To encourage William Marks and Newel K. Whitney to sacrifice their property and move to Missouri, the Lord reminded them that He created all things on earth. How might the children be blessed by knowing this truth?

Possible Activities

  • Bring or draw pictures of the creations in Doctrine and Covenants 117:6 that the Lord said He made (or invite the children to draw their own pictures). Invite the children to hold up or point to the pictures as you read the verse. Tell the children why it is important to you to know that Jesus Christ created these things.

  • Sing together a song about the Lord’s creations, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228–29). Let the children talk about some of the things God has created that help them feel His love.

Doctrine and Covenants 119–20

Tithing helps the Church do God’s work.

Many of the children you teach are probably too young to earn money and pay tithing, but it’s good for them to understand how tithing contributes to the great work the Church does throughout the world.

Possible Activities

  • Explain how we pay tithing and what it is used for (see “Chapter 44: Tithing,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 165–66, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Draw 10 coins on the board, and ask the children to help you count them. Determine how many to give the Lord for tithing.

  • Sing together a song about tithing, such as “I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth” (Children’s Songbook, 150), and tell the children why you choose to pay tithing. If possible, share a personal story.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 115:4–6

My example can help others come to Christ and find safety.

The children you teach likely know people who are being affected by the storms of life and need the “refuge” (verse 6) provided in the Church. Consider how you will inspire the children to “arise and shine forth” (verse 5) and share their light with these people.

Possible Activities

  • Pass around a flashlight, a picture of the sun, or something else to represent the light of the Savior’s gospel. When it’s their turn to hold the light, invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 115:4–5 and name something they can do to “shine forth” like a light for others (see 3 Nephi 18:24).

  • Invite the children to draw a picture depicting Doctrine and Covenants 115:6. For example, they could draw a storm, with people taking refuge in a Church building. What are some things the storm might represent? How does the Church provide refuge from these things?

Doctrine and Covenants 117

My sacrifices are sacred to the Lord.

In section 117, the Lord counseled William Marks and Newel K. Whitney to sacrifice their possessions in Kirtland for greater blessings in Missouri. He also honored Oliver Granger for the sacrifices he made. What do you feel the children can learn from their examples?

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to imagine that they were a successful store owner in Kirtland, like Newel K. Whitney. How would they feel if the Lord asked them to leave their store and move someplace new? Read to the children Doctrine and Covenants 117:1–11, and ask the children to stop you when they hear something that would help them have the faith to make sacrifices and obey the Lord. What do we sacrifice today to obey the Lord?

  • Briefly tell the children why the Saints had to leave Kirtland, or let one of the children do so (see “Chapter 41: Trouble in Kirtland,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 158–60). Explain that the Lord asked Oliver Granger to stay in Kirtland and pay the Church’s debts. Why would that be a difficult job? What did the Lord say in Doctrine and Covenants 117:13 that could help Oliver—or any of us—make sacrifices to obey the Lord?

Doctrine and Covenants 119–20

Tithing helps the Church do God’s work.

Ponder how you will help the children understand how tithing—even the small amounts they might pay—contributes to the building up of the Lord’s kingdom (see True to the Faith, 180–82).

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to imagine that a friend sees a Church building and asks, “How does your Church pay for that building?” How would we explain tithing to this friend? Suggest that the children refer to Doctrine and Covenants 119:4; 120:1 as they consider this question.

  • Help the children think of things the Church is able to do because of tithing. How do these things bless our lives? Share your feelings about the law of tithing and how it has blessed you.

    boy paying tithing

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to notice what they felt in their hearts or thoughts that came to their minds during Primary today. Encourage them to share those feelings and thoughts with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Support parents. Find ways to share with parents what their children are learning in Primary, and ask them how you can support their efforts as parents (see Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

activity page: tithing helps the Church do God’s work

October 18–24

Doctrine and Covenants 121–123

Liberty Jail

Liberty Jail Spring, by Al Rounds

“O God, Where Art Thou?”

As you study Doctrine and Covenants 121–23, consider what the children in your class know already. Pray to know how to build on what they know.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

If you encouraged the children to share something that they learned in class last week with their families, give them time to share their experiences.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8; 122:7

Hard times can be for our good.

The Lord’s words to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail provide an opportunity to help the children recognize that sometimes life is hard, but Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can help us.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to listen for the word “peace” as you share with them “Chapter 46: Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 172–74) or Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8. Help the children think of ways we can trust the Lord as Joseph did so that we can feel peace. Explain that even though Joseph experienced hard things, the Lord was with him.

  • To help the children recognize that our trials “shall be for [our] good” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7), talk to them about how our muscles grow when we carry something heavy. Let them pretend to lift a heavy object or do hard work. Explain that going through hard times can help our spirits grow—if we turn to the Lord for help. Share some examples that the children you teach would relate to. Invite them to repeat with you the phrase “All these things shall … be for [our] good.”

Doctrine and Covenants 122:8

Jesus Christ knows how I feel.

In Liberty Jail, Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith that He had descended below all things (see Doctrine and Covenants 122:8). This means that He knows what we are going through and we can turn to Him.

Possible Activities

  • To help the children learn to turn to Christ when they experience hard things, ask them to show you what their faces look like when they are sad or hurt or scared. Who can help us when we feel this way? Read Doctrine and Covenants 122:8, and explain that this means that Jesus Christ knows how we feel, and He can help us.

  • Sing together “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, 55), and testify that Jesus Christ can help us because He knows how we feel.

    Jesus on the ground in Gethsemane

Doctrine and Covenants 123:17

God wants me to cheerfully do what I can.

Even though Joseph Smith was in jail and the Saints had been driven from their homes, he encouraged the Saints to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power.”

Possible Activities

  • Read to the children Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, and invite them to stand and cheer when they hear the word “cheerfully.” Invite them to pretend to do different acts of service in a cheerful way.

  • Sing together a song about cheerful service such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198). Help the children think of ways they can cheerfully serve their family and friends.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–9; 122:7–9

My trials can be for my good.

One way the Savior comforted Joseph Smith while he suffered in Liberty Jail was by teaching him that “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7). This truth can bless the children when they face their own trials.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to share what they know about Joseph Smith’s experience in prison and the Saints being forced from Missouri (see chapters 45–47 of Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 167–75). Ask the children how they would feel if they were Joseph Smith or one of the Saints at this time. Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–9; 122:7–9, and invite them to find something the Lord said that would have brought them peace. How can our hard experiences “be for [our] good”?

  • Ask two children to hold the ends of a string that is long enough to stretch across the room. Ask another child to pinch a point on the string. Read Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8, and explain that the string represents the years of eternity and that the small point being pinched is like our years on earth. What does it mean that our trials on earth are for “a small moment”?

  • Help the children imagine what it would be like to spend four months in a place like Liberty Jail. What would we miss most? How would we spend our time? What did Joseph Smith learn in Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–9; 122:7–9 that helped him endure this experience? Encourage the children to write a letter to someone who is having a difficult time, and suggest they use something from Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–9; 122:7–9 in their letter.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–46

We must be righteous to have the “powers of heaven.”

Help the children you teach recognize that we can have God’s power in our lives only if we are righteous.

Possible Activities

  • Draw a line with the words high power at one end and low power at the other. Draw an arrow pointing at the middle of the line. Choose several words or phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–46 that teach how we decrease or increase heavenly power in our lives (such as “cover our sins,” “pride,” “gentleness,” and “love”). Invite the children to take turns picking a word, deciding if the word leads to a decrease or increase in power, and moving the arrow accordingly. Talk with the children about people they know who have been a good influence on others because they follow the Lord’s counsel in these verses.

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–42, 45, and ask the children to list qualities in these verses that the Lord wants us to have. Help them define any words they don’t understand. Assign each child one quality, and help them think of a way that they can show it. Once they have all shared, ask them to read verses 45–46 and list the blessings they will receive if they develop those qualities.

  • Read together the first line of Doctrine and Covenants 121:46. How can the Holy Ghost be our “constant companion”? Sing together “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, 105) or another song about the gift of the Holy Ghost. What does the song teach us about why we want the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to think of someone who is going through a hard time. Help them identify something Joseph Smith learned in Liberty Jail that they can share with that person.

Improving Our Teaching

Support learning at home. “Parents are the most important gospel teachers for their children—they have both the main responsibility and the greatest power to influence their children (see Deuteronomy 6:6–7). As you teach children at church, prayerfully seek ways to support their parents in their essential role” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).

activity page: Jesus Christ knows what I am going through

October 25–31

Doctrine and Covenants 124

Nauvoo

Nauvoo the Beautiful, by Larry Winborg

“A House unto My Name”

What lessons from Doctrine and Covenants 124 do the children need to learn? Ponder this question as you study this week.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Display a picture of the temple nearest to you. Ask the children what they know about temples. Let them share their feelings about going to the temple someday.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 124:15, 20

Jesus is happy when I try to do good.

In the revelation recorded in section 124, the Lord expressed His approval for Hyrum Smith and George Miller because they were striving to follow Him. How will you help the children recognize that the Lord is pleased when they try to do good?

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of things they can do that are good. Show pictures to give them ideas (you can find some in the Gospel Art Book or Church magazines). Ask the children to point to these good things. Read Doctrine and Covenants 124:15 to the children, and ask them to listen for how the Lord felt when Hyrum Smith chose to do good. How does Jesus feel when we try to do good things?

  • Give the children paper hearts, and ask them to draw pictures of themselves doing good things. Invite them to share what they drew with the class. How do we feel when we do something good? Testify that Jesus is happy when we try to do the right thing.

  • Sing a song about doing things that Jesus wants us to do, such as “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, 60–61).

Doctrine and Covenants 124:28–29, 39

Jesus commands His people to build temples.

Temples have always been part of Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. Understanding this will help the children you teach feel greater reverence for the temple.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children understand that when the Saints found a new home in Nauvoo, the Lord told them to build a temple (see “Chapter 50: The Saints in NauvooDoctrine and Covenants Stories, 183–84, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to pretend they are building a temple.

  • Read with the children this phrase: “My holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:39). Let the children hold a picture of an ancient temple (see Gospel Art Book, no. 52 or this week’s activity page) and a picture of a temple in your area. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have always commanded Their people to build temples—in ancient times and in our day. Share words and phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 124:28–29 to help the children understand why the Lord wants us to build temples.

  • Invite the children to complete this week’s activity page to help them understand that we are God’s people and that God’s people have always been commanded to build temples.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 124:12–21

The Lord is pleased when I am faithful.

In section 124, the Lord commended several Saints for their faithfulness. His words can help the children identify qualities they should develop.

Possible Activities

  • Choose some good qualities mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 124:12–21, and write them on the board around a picture of the Savior. Ask the children to search verses 12–21, looking for these words. Help them understand words that they might not be familiar with. According to these verses, how does the Lord feel about people who develop these qualities?

  • Write the word integrity on the board. Invite the children to learn what the Lord said about integrity in Doctrine and Covenants 124:15, 20. To help the children understand what integrity is, read this statement: “Integrity means thinking and doing what is right at all times, no matter what the consequences” (For the Strength of Youth, 19). You could also share examples of a child demonstrating integrity from your own experience or from the Friend or Liahona magazines. Challenge the children to set a goal to act with more integrity this week.

Doctrine and Covenants 124:28–30, 38–41

Jesus commands His people to build temples.

The children you teach will soon be old enough to go to the temple and participate in temple ordinances. What can you do to help them prepare?

Possible Activities

  • Cover a picture or drawing of the temple. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 124:38–41 for clues about what is in the picture. Let the children uncover the picture and discuss what these verses teach about why the Lord wants us to build temples.

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 124:28–30 to look for reasons the Lord gave Joseph Smith for building the Nauvoo Temple. Share your feelings about the temple and any experiences you may have had doing baptisms for the dead. Help the children determine how long it will be before they are old enough to do baptisms for the dead in the temple.

  • If you have a temple recommend, show it to the children, or invite a youth in the ward to show the children his or her recommend. Tell the children why a temple recommend is important and what we need to do to obtain one. Encourage them to begin preparing now to obtain their own recommend.

    Joseph Smith with men building the Nauvoo Temple

Doctrine and Covenants 124:91–92

A patriarchal blessing can give me inspired guidance.

If you have received a patriarchal blessing, review it before teaching the children about these blessings. Why are you thankful for your patriarchal blessing? How will you inspire the children to prepare to receive theirs?

Possible Activities

  • Invite one of the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 124:91–92, and invite the class to listen for what the Lord called Hyrum Smith to do. What do the children know about patriarchal blessings? If you have received a patriarchal blessing, show the children what it looks like. (Remember that the specific content of your patriarchal blessing is sacred.) Explain that patriarchal blessings are special blessings we get from patriarchs. These blessings can help us learn more about ourselves and what Heavenly Father wants us to do.

  • Consider inviting a parent or sibling of one of the children you teach to share with the class why they are grateful for their patriarchal blessing. Ask them to share how they decided they wanted to get their blessing. Bear your testimony of patriarchal blessings.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite children to share with a family member one thing they learned about temples and why they want to go to the temple someday.

Improving Our Teaching

Children can recognize the influence of the Spirit. Teach the children that the feelings of peace, love, and warmth they have when they talk or sing of Jesus Christ and His gospel come from the Holy Ghost. These feelings can build their testimonies.

activity page: Jesus commands His people to build temples

November 1–7

Doctrine and Covenants 125–128

family with ancestors in the spirit world

Us with Them and Them with Us, by Caitlin Connolly

“A Voice of Gladness for the Living and the Dead”

If you teach younger children and need additional help, see “Meeting the Needs of Younger Children” at the beginning of this resource.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Help the children think of something they learned this week at home or in Primary. Give them a few minutes to draw a picture of what they thought of and share it with the class.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 126:3

I love my family.

After Brigham Young returned home from preaching the gospel, the Lord told him to focus on caring for his family.

Possible Activities

  • Share with the children the information about Brigham Young in “Chapter 50: The Saints in Nauvoo” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 184), or summarize Doctrine and Covenants 126 in your own words. Then read Doctrine and Covenants 126:3 to the children, emphasizing the phrase “take especial care of your family.” What does it mean to take care of our families? Help the children think of ways they can show love to their family members.

  • Before class, invite the children to bring a picture of their family (or ask them to draw pictures). Then ask them to share something they love about their family. Share a picture of your family, and do the same. Explain why Heavenly Father wants us to care for our family members. Sing a song that teaches this truth, such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198).

Doctrine and Covenants 128:5, 12

All of God’s children need the chance to be baptized.

In addition to helping the children prepare to make their own baptismal covenants, teach them that we can help those who have died without baptism receive the same blessings.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of Jesus Christ being baptized (see Gospel Art Book, no. 35), or show the video “The Baptism of Jesus” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children if they have ever seen someone get baptized. What do they remember about it? Use the picture or video to show the children that when we are baptized, we go all the way under the water and then back up, just like Jesus did. Open to Doctrine and Covenants 128:12, and explain that Joseph Smith taught that being baptized reminds us of the Resurrection.

  • Tell the children about someone you know (such as an ancestor) who died without being baptized. Read Doctrine and Covenants 128:5, and let them take turns holding a picture of a temple baptismal font (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Testify that Heavenly Father allows us to be baptized on earth for people who are dead. This way all of God’s children can be baptized and make covenants with Him.

Doctrine and Covenants 128:18

Heavenly Father wants me to learn about my family history.

There are simple ways in which young children can participate in family history work. Help them feel love for the people in their family tree.

Possible Activities

  • Create a paper chain with names of people in your family (see this week’s activity page), and bring it to show the class. Tell a few things about the people on your chain. Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 128:18, and explain that Joseph Smith taught that “there is a welding link … between the fathers and the children.” Help the children make their own family chains, and invite them to take the chains home and have their parents help them add names of ancestors.

  • Ask the children to share something about one of their grandparents. Tell one of your favorite stories about your parents or grandparents. Show pictures if possible. Encourage the children to learn more about their grandparents and other ancestors.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 126

I can help care for my family.

How can you help the children you teach serve their family members in meaningful ways?

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 126:3. Why might Heavenly Father have asked Brigham Young to “take especial care of [his] family”? How can we do the same for our families? Make a list of the things we can do now to serve our families. How will doing these things help us become more like Heavenly Father?

  • Share with the children Sister Carole M. Stephens’s story about her grandson Porter (see “We Have Great Reason to Rejoice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 115). What did Porter do to take care of his family? How can we follow his example?

Doctrine and Covenants 128:1, 15–18

Baptism for the dead creates “a welding link” between me and my ancestors.

Joseph Smith taught that baptism for the dead binds us to our ancestors like links in a chain. How can you help the children feel the joy that comes from learning about our ancestors and making sure that temple work is done for them?

Possible Activities

  • Divide the class in two groups, and ask the first group to read Doctrine and Covenants 128:1 to find out what subject occupied Joseph Smith’s mind. Ask the other group to read verse 17 and find out what subject he considered “the most glorious.” Let them share what they find, and talk about why this subject is so glorious. If possible, invite a youth who has done baptisms for the dead to share his or her experience and explain why we do this work.

  • Consider using an object lesson to show that we need to help our ancestors who were not baptized. For example, display a gift or a treat, but place it out of reach of one of the children. Tell that child that he or she can have the object but can’t move from his or her seat. Ask the other children what they can do to help the child receive it. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 128:15, and talk about how it relates to the object lesson.

  • Invite the children to make a paper chain with names of their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on (see the activity page for this lesson). If the children don’t know their ancestors’ names, encourage them to find out the names and write them on the chain at home. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 128:18 to find out what the “welding link” is that makes our family history “whole and complete.” Tell a story about an ancestor that helps you feel connected to him or her. Or show the video “Courage: I Think I Get It from Him” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

  • Show the children a temple recommend, and tell them how you obtain one. Help them look forward to getting their own temple recommends so they can go to the temple and be baptized for their own ancestors.

    young man with family name cards

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to ask someone at home to help them learn more about their family history. They could ask to hear stories about an ancestor or use FamilySearch.org to find names of ancestors who have not been baptized.

Improving Our Teaching

Help children express their creativity. When children build, draw, or color something related to the story or principle they are learning, they often remember it better. They can also use what they create to teach others. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25.)

activity page: Heavenly Father wants me to learn about my family history

November 8–14

Doctrine and Covenants 129–132

Joseph Smith teaching in Nauvoo

Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, 1840, by Theodore Gorka

“When We Obtain Any Blessing from God, It Is by Obedience”

Elder David A. Bednar explained: “Talking and telling alone are not teaching. Preaching the gospel the Lord’s way includes observing and listening and discerning” (“Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary,” New Era, Oct. 2013, 6). What does the Spirit teach you as you observe and listen to the children you teach?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Select a topic from sections 129–32, and let the children tell you what they have already learned about that topic. For example, what do they know about Heavenly Father or the Godhead? about eternal marriage? about the celestial kingdom?

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21; 132:5

Blessings come from obedience to God.

Joseph Smith taught that every blessing from God is based on our obedience to His laws. How can you teach this principle in a way the children will understand?

Possible Activities

  • Share a simple comparison with the children that shows how important it is to follow instructions; for example, talk with them about the steps we must follow to prepare food or play a game or build something. What happens when we don’t follow the instructions? (Maybe you have a personal experience you can share.) Read Doctrine and Covenants 130:21, and compare these instructions to the commandments we must follow to receive blessings from Heavenly Father.

  • Ask the children if they can think of a time when they obeyed one of God’s commandments. How did they feel? Sing together a song about obedience, such as “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47), and identify blessings of obedience mentioned in the song. Discuss some of the things God has commanded us to do. How does God bless us when we keep those commandments?

Doctrine and Covenants 130:22

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have immortal physical bodies.

When we understand that God the Father and Jesus Christ have bodies like ours, we feel closer to Them, and our relationship with Them is strengthened.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a picture of Jesus Christ, and invite them to point to His eyes, mouth, and other parts of His body. Then invite them to stand and point to those same parts of their own bodies. Read from Doctrine and Covenants 130:22: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones … ; the Son also.” Testify that our bodies are like Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’s bodies.

  • Sing together a song about our bodies, such as “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (Children’s Songbook, 275), and invite the children to do actions that go along with the words. Ask the children to tell you some things they can do with their bodies. Express your gratitude for the body God has given you. How can we show we are thankful for this special gift?

  • Invite the children to draw pictures of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and themselves. Help them see how our bodies are like Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’s.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:19

Heavenly Father made it possible for families to be together forever.

Through the Lord’s sealing power and the ordinances of the temple, our family relationships can last eternally if we keep our covenants.

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of examples of things that do not last forever—food that spoils, flowers that wither, and so on. Show a picture of your family, and share how you feel about them. Testify that the Lord has made it possible, through the ordinances of the temple, for families to last forever.

  • Open the Doctrine and Covenants to section 132, and tell the children that this is a revelation to Joseph Smith about marriage and families. Show them verse 19, and point to the words “through all eternity” as you read them. Invite the children to read these words with you.

  • Help the children make paper dolls representing members of their family (see this week’s activity page). Cut them out, and put them in an envelope or attach them together with a paper clip to represent the sealing power that can make our families eternal.

    woman and young girl on temple grounds

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 130:18–19

Heavenly Father wants me to gain knowledge and intelligence.

Many things we obtain in this life will not go with us into the next life. But our “knowledge and intelligence” will (Doctrine and Covenants 130:19).

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to share with you something they are learning about in school or from their parents. Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 130:18–19 to find out what will happen to our knowledge and intelligence in the next life.

  • What does verse 19 teach about how we gain knowledge and intelligence? How can we be diligent and obedient as we seek to learn? (For more on this topic, see “Education” in For the Strength of Youth [pages 9–10].)

Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21; 132:5, 21–23

Blessings come from obedience to God.

Ponder how the Lord blesses you when you obey His laws. What experiences could you share with the children to inspire them?

Possible Activities

  • Sing a song about obedience, such as “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47), and invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21 and 132:5. Help them find words and ideas in the verses that are similar to those in the song. How do we receive blessings from God? Ask the children to share how they have been blessed for obeying God’s laws.

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 132:21–23, and invite the children to draw pictures to represent what they learn from these verses. Encourage them to be creative, and suggest that they include in their drawings the laws or commandments that help us stay on the narrow way to eternal life.

Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4; 132:15, 19

Heavenly Father made it possible for families to be together forever.

Regardless of our current family situation, we can make choices now that will prepare us to receive the blessings of an eternal family in the future.

Possible Activities

  • Ask some of the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4 and others to read 132:15. Help them discover what these verses teach about marriage. Select key phrases from 132:19 (such as “if a man marry a wife,” “everlasting covenant,” “sealed,” “abide in my covenant,” “through all eternity,” and “forever and ever”), and ask the children to find these phrases in the verse. What do these phrases teach us about marriage?

  • Sing “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 188), or review “Chapter 55: A Revelation about Marriage” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 198). Ask the children to listen for and be prepared to share what we must do so that our families can be eternal. Testify that no matter our current family situation, we can prepare ourselves to be part of an eternal family.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to tell their families how much they love them and want to be united as a family eternally.

Improving Our Teaching

Be sensitive to family situations. “Children today find themselves in many different and complex family configurations. … [We] need to reach out to [those] who feel alone, left behind, or outside the fence” (Neil L. Andersen, “Whoso Receiveth Them, Receiveth Me,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 49, 52).

activity page: families can be together forever

November 15–21

Doctrine and Covenants 133–134

five wise virgins

The Bridegroom Cometh, by Elizabeth Gibbons

“Prepare Ye for the Coming of the Bridegroom”

Consider the needs of the children you teach—both those who are studying and learning at home and those who may not be. How can you help them teach each other about the things they are learning?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show a picture you have used in a recent Primary lesson, and invite the children to share what they remember from the lesson.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 133:19–21, 25

Jesus Christ will come again.

In section 133, the Lord describes His Second Coming and invites His people to prepare for this glorious event. How can you help the children look forward to the Savior’s return?

Possible Activities

  • Hide a picture of the Savior’s Second Coming behind a cloth, as if the cloth were a curtain (you could use the image in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families or Gospel Art Book, no. 66). Invite the children to take turns moving the “curtain” aside and pretending they are looking out a window. Ask them to share how they would feel if they looked out the window and saw Jesus coming down from heaven. Read the phrase “go ye out to meet him” (verse 19), and help the children repeat the phrase.

  • Under each child’s chair, hide a picture depicting something we can do to prepare for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming (such as read the scriptures, share the gospel, or serve our families). Let the children find the pictures, and talk about how doing these things helps us get ready to meet the Savior when He returns.

  • Sing together a song about the Second Coming, such as “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83). Share your love for the Savior and your feelings about His return to the earth. Invite the children to share their feelings too.

Doctrine and Covenants 133:52–53

Jesus Christ is loving and kind.

These verses describe some of the many ways the Lord has shown His “loving kindness” to His people. What can you do to help the children feel the Savior’s love for them?

Possible Activities

  • Display a picture that shows that Jesus is loving and kind (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 4247). Ask the children to share other things that Jesus has done to show His love and kindness. Read the phrase “they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord” (verse 52), and help the children think of ways they can tell others about the Savior’s love.

  • Sing a song about the Savior’s love, such as “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, 58). Share your testimony of how the Savior has shown His love for you.

Doctrine and Covenants 134:5

The Lord wants me to obey the law.

Young children often have rules to follow at home, at school, and elsewhere. You can help them understand that the Lord expects us to follow the rules and laws in our community and nation.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to play a simple game without following any rules, and then have them play it with rules. How do rules help us? Express your gratitude for the laws of the land.

  • Help the children repeat the twelfth article of faith. Emphasize key words, like “obeying, honoring, and sustaining,” and talk with the children about what those words mean. Share with them why it is important to obey the law.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 133:4–5, 14–15

The Lord wants me to be clean.

Doctrine and Covenants 133 can help the children understand how to keep themselves clean from the worldly influences around them.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read “Babel, Babylon” in the Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to find out what Babylon is and what it represents. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 133:4–5, 14–15. What does it mean to “go ye out from Babylon”? (verse 5). What are some places and situations the Lord wants us to stay away from? What can we do to avoid them?

  • Place a sign on one side of the room that says “Zion,” and place another sign on the other side that says “Babylon.” Write on strips of paper words from Doctrine and Covenants 133:4–5, 14–15 that describe either Zion or Babylon (such as “wicked,” “clean,” or “destruction”), and invite the children to place each paper under the appropriate sign.

Doctrine and Covenants 133:19–25, 46–52

Jesus will reign on the earth.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “It is supremely important to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ” (“Preparing for the Lord’s Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 81). How will you help the children understand how they can participate in this critical work?

Possible Activities

  • Display the picture from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and invite the children to make a list of things they know about Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Then, using Doctrine and Covenants 133:19–25, 46–52, invite them to add things to their list. Share your testimony that the Second Coming will be a joyful day for the righteous.

  • To help the children understand verse 19, talk to them about how a bride might prepare for her wedding (perhaps someone who was recently married could help with this conversation). How are we like a bride preparing “for the coming of the Bridegroom,” Jesus Christ? If you think it would be helpful, review with the children the parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13). Why is it important to prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming? What can we do now to prepare?

Doctrine and Covenants 134:1–2

The Lord wants me to obey the law.

Although there are different forms of government around the world, the Lord wants us to “sustain and uphold the … governments in which [we] reside” (Doctrine and Covenants 134:5).

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to list rules or laws they obey. What would life be like if no one obeyed these laws? Read Doctrine and Covenants 134:1–2 with the children, helping them understand any words or phrases they might not understand. Why does the Lord want us to have government and laws?

  • Write each word or phrase from the eleventh and twelfth articles of faith on a separate slip of paper. Mix the papers up, and ask the children to work together to put them in the right order. How do we show that we believe what these articles of faith teach?

Encourage Learning at Home

Give each child a question to ask a family member at home. For instance, if you learned about the Savior’s Second Coming, a child could ask, “What can we do to prepare for Jesus to come again?”

Improving Our Teaching

Seek to understand the children you teach. You know the children you teach. The ideas in this outline may need to be modified to best address their needs. To help you, refer to all the activities listed in this outline, not just the ones addressed to the age of children you teach. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 7.)

activity page: the Lord wants me to obey the law

November 22–28

Doctrine and Covenants 135–136

exterior of Carthage Jail

Carthage Jail

He “Has Sealed His Mission and His Works with His Own Blood”

As you prepare to teach Doctrine and Covenants 135–36, look for principles that have influenced your life. Consider how the ideas in this outline might help the children learn and apply these principles.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share something they remember learning this year about Joseph Smith and what he accomplished. Show pictures from this year’s Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families or from previous activity pages to help them.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 135:1–2

Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith gave their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The account of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith can help the children feel gratitude for the testimonies and sacrifices of these great men.

Possible Activities

  • Use “Chapter 57: The Prophet Is Killed” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 201–5) to tell the children about how the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith died. Or let one of the children tell the story. Bear your testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that he gave his life for the Lord and His gospel.

  • Share with the children a few phrases from the Book of Mormon verse that Hyrum Smith read before he went to Carthage Jail, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 135:5. Talk about how this verse might have comforted Hyrum. Share scriptures that bring you comfort when you are worried or sad.

Doctrine and Covenants 135:3

Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God.

Throughout the year, the children have learned what the Lord revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. You can help them remember and appreciate how Joseph’s work blesses their life.

Possible Activities

  • Display objects that represent the work of the Prophet Joseph Smith, such as the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, or a picture of missionaries or a temple. Using phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 135:3, share with the children some things that the Lord did through Joseph Smith for our salvation. Invite the children to choose one of these things and share why they are grateful for it.

  • As the children color this week’s activity page, sing or play songs about Joseph Smith, such as “Praise to the Man” (Hymns, no. 27). Share your feelings about the Prophet.

    Joseph Smith

Doctrine and Covenants 136

God gives us commandments to help us.

The Saints faced many trials in the years after the death of Joseph Smith. How can the counsel the Lord gave to the Saints help the children you teach?

Possible Activities

  • Share with the children some of the challenges the Saints faced as they left Nauvoo and gathered in Winter Quarters (see chapters 60 and 62 in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 211–16, 222–24). Place a picture of the Nauvoo Temple on one side of the room, and create a simple shelter on the other side—perhaps with a blanket and some chairs or a table. Invite the children to gather near the picture, and tell them that a year and a half after Joseph Smith died, the Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo. Invite the children to walk away from the temple and gather in the shelter to represent the journey to Winter Quarters.

  • Explain that the Lord gave a revelation to Brigham Young, found in Doctrine and Covenants 136, to help the Saints as they journeyed to the Salt Lake Valley. Read a few phrases from section 136 containing counsel that young children can understand, and invite them to act out or draw what the Lord asked the Saints to do as they traveled. For instance, the children could draw themselves returning something they borrowed from a friend, or they could sing a Primary song as they dance around a pretend campfire (see verses 25, 28).

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 135

Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith gave their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hearing about the sacrifices of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith can strengthen the children’s faith and their desire to be true to their testimonies.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to share what they know about how Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. If they need help, refer them to Doctrine and Covenants 135:1 or “Chapter 57: The Prophet Is Killed” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 201–5). Invite the children to imagine they were living in Nauvoo when the Prophet died. Ask them to share how they might have felt. Bear your testimony of Joseph Smith, and invite the children to do the same.

  • Display pictures of prophets (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 14, 1867). What are some things God asks prophets to do? Explain that the Lord promises to bless His prophets for the sacrifices they make in His service (see Matthew 10:39).

Doctrine and Covenants 135:3

Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God.

Like all prophets, Joseph Smith testified of Jesus Christ and taught us how to come to Him. Help the children see how Joseph Smith accomplished his mission.

Possible Activities

  • Read together Doctrine and Covenants 135:3, and ask the children to identify what Joseph Smith accomplished. Write on the board what they find. Invite the children to choose one of these things and share why they are grateful for it.

  • Encourage the children to each think of a friend or loved one who doesn’t know very much about Joseph Smith. What would they say if that person asked, “Why is Joseph Smith so important to you?” Invite the children to practice what they would say to this person.

Doctrine and Covenants 136:4, 10–11, 18–30

The Lord can bless me when I am struggling.

After Joseph Smith was killed, the Saints were driven from Nauvoo. Brigham Young led them to Winter Quarters, where they prepared for an even longer trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

Possible Activities

  • Summarize the experiences of the Saints after the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed (see chapters 5860, and 62 in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, pages 206–8, 211–16, 222–24). Invite the children to imagine how they would feel if they had to leave their homes and find a new place to live in the wilderness. Explain that in Doctrine and Covenants 136, the Lord gave counsel to help the Saints on their journey. Assign each child a few verses from this revelation, such as verses 4, 10–11, 18–30, and ask the children to each find something that could help them with their worries or fears.

  • Help the children think of trials people face today. Invite them to find something in section 136 that they might share to encourage someone who is going through such a trial. Children could also find encouraging messages in “Come, Come, Ye Saints” (Hymns, no. 30), a hymn the Saints sang on their journey.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their family or a friend why they are grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Improving Our Teaching

Children are active. At times you may feel that the children’s energy is a distraction from learning. But you can build on their active natures by inviting them to draw, sing about, or act out a gospel principle (see Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26).

activity page: Joseph Smith is a prophet of God

November 29–December 5

Doctrine and Covenants 137–138

people in the spirit world

Joseph sees his father, mother, and brother in the celestial kingdom (Joseph Smith’s Vision of the Celestial Kingdom, by Robert T. Barrett).

“The Vision of the Redemption of the Dead”

Look for principles in these revelations that seem important for the children you teach. How can you help them understand these principles?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show a picture of Jesus Christ in the spirit world, such as the one found in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Invite the children to share something they know about the spirit world.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 137:1–5

God has given me a way to be with my family forever.

In a vision, Joseph Smith saw members of his family together in the celestial kingdom. How can you use his vision to teach the children that families can be together forever?

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of someone in your family, and talk about how much you want to be with him or her in the celestial kingdom. Explain that Joseph Smith’s brother Alvin died as a young man and Joseph missed him very much. Read Doctrine and Covenants 137:1, 5, and ask the children who Joseph Smith saw in his vision of the celestial kingdom (see also Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 152–53). Invite the children to stretch their arms out wide to show how much they love their families, and ask them to share why they want to be with their families in the celestial kingdom.

  • Use Doctrine and Covenants 137:1–5 and this week’s activity page to help the children discover details about Joseph Smith’s vision of the celestial kingdom. Invite them to draw a picture of themselves and their family on the activity page while you play or sing a song about families, such as “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 188).

Doctrine and Covenants 138:6–11

The Holy Ghost can help me understand the scriptures.

The scriptures can sometimes be difficult to understand, especially for children. Doctrine and Covenants 138:11 teaches that the Holy Ghost can open “the eyes of [our] understanding.”

boy reading scriptures

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of President Joseph F. Smith (see Gospel Art Book, no. 127). Explain that he was the sixth President of the Church, and one day he was reading the scriptures and pondering them (thinking about what they meant). As you read Doctrine and Covenants 138:6, 11, invite the children to pretend they are President Smith and do actions that go along with the words.

  • Tell the children about a time when you pondered something in the scriptures and the Holy Ghost helped you understand it. Sing together a song about scripture study, such as “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109). What does this song say we should do to understand the scriptures?

Doctrine and Covenants 138:18–35

All of Heavenly Father’s children will have the chance to hear the gospel.

After Jesus Christ was crucified, He visited His faithful Saints in the spirit world. He instructed them to teach the gospel to those who had not received it.

Possible Activities

  • Show a picture of a tomb (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 58, 59 or Bible Photographs, no. 14), or draw a picture of a tomb on the board. Show a picture of the Savior in the spirit world while His body was in the tomb (such as the one in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). As you do, ask questions to help the children notice key details in Doctrine and Covenants 138:18–19, 23–24, 27–30, such as who Jesus visited, how they felt, and what He asked them to do.

  • Show a picture of missionaries (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 109, 110), and ask the children to share what missionaries do. You may also invite them to act out some of the things that missionaries do. Read Doctrine and Covenants 138:31–34 to the children. Explain that just as there are missionaries here on earth, there are also missionaries in the spirit world who teach the people there.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 137:1–5

God has given me a way to be with my family forever.

Joseph Smith had a vision of the celestial kingdom and saw his parents and his brother Alvin there. This vision teaches us that if we are righteous, our family relationships can continue in the next life.

Possible Activities

  • Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 137:1–5 and draw a picture of what they read (see also this week’s activity page). How might Joseph Smith have felt when he saw members of his family in the celestial kingdom?

  • Show the video “Families Can Be Together Forever” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or sing a song about families, such as “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 188). What does the video or the song teach us about what we can do to make our families eternal?

Doctrine and Covenants 138:1–11

When I ponder the scriptures, the Holy Ghost can help me understand them.

What can the children learn from President Joseph F. Smith’s example that might improve the way they study the scriptures?

Possible Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 138:12–35

All of Heavenly Father’s children will have the chance to hear the gospel.

President Joseph F. Smith learned that the work of preaching the gospel continues in the spirit world. This work ensures that everyone will have a chance to accept the gospel.

Possible Activities

  • On the board, list some verses from section 138. Then list, in a different order, statements that summarize each set of verses. Invite the children to match the statements with the correct verses. Verses could include 12–16 (righteous spirits gather to wait for Jesus to appear), 18–19 (the Savior appears to the righteous spirits), 29–30 (Jesus appoints messengers to preach the gospel), 31–35 (the righteous spirits preach the gospel), and so on. After the children make a match, ask them to share what they learn from the verses.

  • Ask some of the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 138:33 to find out what principles of the gospel were taught to the spirits of the dead. Ask other children to read the principles taught in Articles of Faith 1:4. What is similar in these verses, and what is different? What does this teach us about Heavenly Father and His plan?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to plan a time this week when they will ponder the scriptures they are reading.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage reverence. Help the children understand that an important part of reverence is thinking about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You might remind the children to be reverent by quietly singing or humming a Primary song or displaying a picture of Jesus.

activity page: God has given us a way to be with our families forever

December 6–12

The Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2

quilt showing hands of many skin colors

To All Worthy Male Members, by Emma Allebes

“We Believe”

As you study this week and make a plan to teach, consider how you can help the children in your class strengthen their belief in basic gospel truths.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Toss a ball to a child, and ask the child to share something he or she believes about Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father. Repeat until each child has had an opportunity to share.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

The Articles of Faith

I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You can use the Articles of Faith to review with the children some of the basic beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ. Why is it important that the children you teach believe in these simple truths?

Possible Activities

  • Choose a few articles of faith that you feel are especially important for the children you teach. For each article of faith, share a picture (see this week’s activity page) or a story (from the scriptures or your life) that illustrates or clarifies a truth taught in that article. Tell the children why that truth is important to you, and let them share why it is important to them.

  • Find hymns or children’s songs that can help the children understand one or more of the articles of faith. Perhaps the children can help you choose. Sing the songs together, and help the children see how the songs relate to the articles of faith.

Articles of Faith 1:9; Official Declarations 1 and 2

The Lord guides His Church through His prophet.

As members of the Church are confronted with a variety of challenges, we can find peace in knowing that Heavenly Father is willing to provide revelation to guide us. Help the children you teach strengthen their faith that God guides the Church through a living prophet.

boy watching general conference

Possible Activities

  • Show a set of scriptures and a picture of the living prophet (or a recent conference issue of the Ensign or Liahona). Help the children determine which item relates to the phrase “all that God has revealed” and which item relates to the phrase “all that He does now reveal” (Articles of Faith 1:9).

  • Turn off the lights, and place a picture of Jesus Christ on the board. Shine a flashlight on the image to illustrate how the prophet, like the flashlight, helps us see the Savior more clearly.

  • Find simple directions to make something, such as food or a toy. Follow the instructions with the children, and explain that through the prophet, Heavenly Father gives us instructions to help us return to live with Him. What are some things the prophet has taught us so that we can return to God?

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

The Articles of Faith

The Articles of Faith teach simple truths of the gospel.

Sometimes the gospel can seem big and complicated, especially to children. The Articles of Faith can help the children understand, in a simple way, some of the basic truths we believe as Latter-day Saints.

Possible Activities

  • Invite each child to choose a key word or phrase from one of the articles of faith and share it with the class. Then let the other children guess (or find) which article of faith that word or phrase comes from. Ask the children to share why the word or phrase they picked is important.

  • A few days in advance, ask a few of the children to prepare to share in class a short message about their favorite article of faith. Their message could include a picture, a song, a story or experience, or other scriptures. Invite these children to share why they like the article of faith they chose.

  • Write on the board some questions people might have about our beliefs that could be answered with one of the articles of faith. Ask the children to pick a question and find an article of faith that answers it. Let them practice answering the question using the article of faith.

Official Declarations 1 and 2

Prophets help us know the will of Heavenly Father.

Official Declarations 1 and 2 are excellent examples of how prophets receive and act on revelation from God. How can you help the children increase their faith that God directs His Church by revelation?

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to find an article of faith that teaches about prophets or revelation. Invite them to share why they are grateful we have a living prophet. Share some examples of how God has guided the Church through revelation, including the examples described in Official Declarations 1 and 2, and let the children share examples they are familiar with (such as any recent changes in Church programs or policies).

  • Give the children the following scripture references: 2 Nephi 26:33; Jacob 2:27. Invite them to determine which scripture relates to Official Declaration 1 (which led to the end of plural marriage) and which relates to Official Declaration 2 (which made the blessings of the priesthood and the temple available to people of all races). Bear your testimony that the Lord reveals His will to ancient and modern prophets.

  • Write the following from Official Declaration 1 on the board: “You have to judge for yourselves.” What does it mean to judge for ourselves when the prophet receives revelation? To help them answer this question, you could share this statement from President Russell M. Nelson: “You may know for yourself what is true and what is not by learning to discern the whisperings of the Spirit” (“The Love and Laws of God” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], 4, speeches.byu.edu).

  • Draw or display a picture of the earth on the board. Invite one of the children to read the last two paragraphs of the First Presidency letter dated June 8, 1978 that is quoted in Official Declaration 2 (starting with “He has heard our prayers …”). Ask the children to count how many times the words “blessing” and “blessings” appear. What blessings come from the gospel? Invite the children to list them on the board around the drawing or picture of the earth. Bear your testimony that God loves all of His children throughout the world and wants to bless them with His gospel.

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children select an article of faith they would like to memorize, and help them make a plan to do so.

Improving Our Teaching

Children like to share what they are learning. Although they are young, children can strengthen the faith of their family members. Encourage them to share with their family something they learned in Primary. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 30.)

activity page: the Articles of Faith

December 13–19

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

a family

“The Family Is Central to the Creator’s Plan”

What principles do you find in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” that you feel inspired to share with the children? As you prepare to teach, record the promptings you receive from the Spirit.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to bring or draw a picture of their family to share with the class. Ask the children to share something that they love about their family or that they learned about families this week.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Families are important in Heavenly Father’s plan.

How can you use the family proclamation to help the children understand how important families are in God’s plan?

Possible Activities

  • Help the children think of things that are so important that they would want to tell everyone about them. Show the children a copy of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” and explain that prophets and apostles wrote it to tell everyone how important families are to Heavenly Father. Ask the children why they think families are so important to Heavenly Father. Share something from the proclamation that you feel everyone needs to know about.

  • Show the children a picture of a temple and a picture of a family. Let the children hold the pictures while you read the last sentence of the third paragraph of the family proclamation. Ask them to point to the correct pictures when you read the words “temples” and “families.” Testify that because of the ordinances of the temple, our families can be united forever. Sing together a song about eternal families, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95), and help the children listen for words like “temple” and “family.”

  • Ask the children what we can do to make various things strong—such as our teeth, our bodies, or a building. What can we do to make our families strong? Help the children understand the principles that lead to happiness in family life, found in paragraph seven of the family proclamation (see also this week’s activity page). Help the children plan ways they will strengthen their families.

    a family cooking

I am a “beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.”

The family proclamation teaches that we are all children of Heavenly Parents and we are here on earth to become more like Them.

Possible Activities

  • Sing together “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3). Then toss a ball or soft object to a child as you say, “I know a child of God named [child’s name].” Ask the child to toss the object to another child, saying the same words and inserting that child’s name. Repeat the activity until everyone has had a turn. Testify that each child is a “beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.”

  • Consider ways you could illustrate that because we are children of Heavenly Parents, we can become like Them. For example, show pictures of animals and their babies, or of yourself and your parents or children, and help the children see similarities. Testify that just as babies grow up to be like their parents, we can someday become like our Heavenly Parents.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Families are central to Heavenly Father’s plan.

The family proclamation was issued to reaffirm eternal truths about the family. Consider how you will help the children deepen their testimonies of these truths.

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children if they know who wrote the family proclamation. (In his message “The Plan and the Proclamation” [Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 28–31], President Dallin H. Oaks described how it was written.) Help the children understand what the words “solemnly proclaim” in the opening paragraph mean. Ask them to share their thoughts about why the prophets and apostles want to “solemnly proclaim” truths about the family in our day.

  • Share a few statements from the family proclamation that are especially meaningful to you. Invite the children to share their feelings about those truths. How would our lives be different if we did not know these things? Sing together a song that relates to truths found in the proclamation, such as “I Will Follow God’s Plan” or “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, 164–65, 188).

  • Show the children pictures (or invite them to draw some) portraying truths found in the family proclamation. These could be pictures of a temple, a family praying or playing together, or a couple getting married. Invite the children to find sentences in the family proclamation that relate to the pictures. What do these sentences teach us?

  • Prepare some questions that can be answered in the family proclamation, such as “How does God feel about marriage?” and “What makes a happy family?” Let each child pick a question, and help them find answers in the proclamation.

  • Invite a mother and father of one of the children to share with the class how they “help one another as equal partners” in their “sacred responsibilities” in their family. Invite the children to discuss what they can do now to prepare to be righteous wives and husbands, mothers and fathers.

Families are happiest when they follow Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father loves each of His children, and He wants them to be happy. How can you help the children you teach understand that true happiness comes from following the teachings and example of our Savior Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

  • Draw a large outline of a heart on the board, and invite the children to read paragraph seven of the proclamation. Ask them to look for things they can do to help their families be happy, and write their answers inside the heart. Invite the children to pick something that they can work on to make their homes happier.

  • Invite the children to share experiences when they felt loved by a family member. Help the children identify principles from paragraph seven of the proclamation that can help family members feel loved. How should our knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ affect the way we treat our families?

  • Ask the children what they would say if a friend asked them why getting married or having children is important. How could we help this friend understand how important families are to Heavenly Father? Help the children find statements in the family proclamation that could help; see also the video “What Is the Purpose of Family?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to make a plan to do something to strengthen their families. Encourage them to share their plan with family members at home.

Improving Our Teaching

Be sensitive. As you teach the truths taught in the family proclamation, please be aware that many children are being raised in families that do not match the ideals described in the proclamation. Be careful not to say anything that might make them feel discouraged or inferior.

activity page: families are important in Heavenly Father’s plan

December 20–26

Christmas

art of Mary and infant Jesus

Nativity in Copper and Umber, by J. Kirk Richards

The Matchless Gift of God’s Divine Son

Christmas is an exciting time for many children. Consider how you will help them connect the joy at Christmastime with the joy of the Savior’s gospel.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Invite the children to share what they did this past week to celebrate the Savior’s birth.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

I can “offer [my] testimony” to celebrate Jesus’s birth.

In “The Living Christ” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave their testimony of Jesus Christ to “commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.” Consider how you will encourage the children to share their testimonies with others.

Possible Activities

  • Show the children a copy of “The Living Christ” (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Point to the word Christ in the title, and let the children point to the word too. Also point out the signatures at the bottom of the page, and tell the children that in 2000, the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles wrote their testimony of Jesus Christ, signed their names to it, and shared it with the world.

  • Show a picture of Jesus Christ, and invite each child to stand and share something he or she knows about Him. If they need help, suggest truths from “The Living Christ.” Remind the children that when they tell others about Jesus, they are sharing their testimonies.

  • Tell the children how you gained your testimony of Jesus Christ and what you are doing to keep your testimony strong. Help them think of ways they could strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ, and invite them to choose one thing they will do.

Heavenly Father sent His Son as a gift to us.

Giving and receiving gifts is a traditional part of Christmas for many people. This tradition should help us remember God’s “matchless gift of His divine Son” (“The Living Christ”).

Possible Activities

  • Ask the children to tell about gifts they have given or received. Read to them the last sentence of “The Living Christ,” and invite them to listen for the gift God has given us. (If needed, help them understand that “matchless” means “better than any other.”) Why is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the best gift?

  • Sing together a song about Jesus Christ, such as “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35). Help the children pick a phrase from the song that they would like to draw (such as “newborn babe” or “walk with men”). As they draw, ask the children to tell you how they feel about what Jesus has done for them. Share your feelings as well.

Jesus Christ invites me to follow His example.

Part of the Savior’s “profound … influence” on the world has been His perfect example. How will you inspire the children to follow Him?

Possible Activities

  • From the second paragraph of “The Living Christ,” read to the children some of the things Jesus did. Show pictures from His life (see this week’s activity page), and invite the children to talk about what the Savior is doing in the pictures. Help them think of ways they can follow His example.

  • Choose a “Light the World” video (ComeuntoChrist.org) to show the children, or tell about a time when you were blessed by someone’s Christlike service. Invite a child to act out a simple act of service, and ask the other children to guess what he or she is doing. Let each child have a turn. Help the children think of something they can do to serve someone in their family.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

“We offer our testimony.”

The example of the prophets and apostles who wrote “The Living Christ” can inspire the children to share their testimonies of Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

  • Write on the board I know that Jesus Christ … and invite the children to share ways they would complete the sentence. Suggest that they look in “The Living Christ” for ideas. What can we do to strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ? How are others blessed when we share our testimonies?

  • Point out that “The Living Christ” was signed by the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 107:23. What makes Apostles different “from other officers in the church”? Choose one of the “Special Witnesses of Christ” videos to share with the children (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Why are we grateful to have special witnesses of Christ in our day?

“None other has had so profound an influence.”

In “The Living Christ,” the prophets and apostles declared that no one has had greater influence on God’s children than Jesus Christ. Ponder how you will help the children learn about the Savior’s profound influence on all of us.

Possible Activities

  • Give each child a phrase or sentence from “The Living Christ,” and ask them to draw a picture of that phrase or sentence. As each child shows the class his or her picture, ask the other children to guess what the picture is illustrating and find the corresponding sentence in “The Living Christ.” How are we blessed because of Jesus Christ’s life and mission?

  • Help the children find different names or titles of Jesus Christ in “The Living Christ” and underline them, if possible (some examples include Messiah, Firstborn, the first and the last, advocate, and chief corner stone). Talk about what each of these titles teaches us about Him. (Some of these titles are defined in the Guide to the Scriptures or Bible Dictionary.)

“He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world.”

Christmas is such a joyful season because of the hope that Jesus Christ brought to the world through His teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice.

Jesus Christ

Possible Activities

  • Invite each child to draw a Christmas tree, or draw one on the board. Invite the children to decorate the tree with words or phrases from “The Living Christ” that describe a gift the Savior has given us (such as “light,” “life,” and “hope”). Let them talk about why they chose those words or phrases.

  • Help the children find Christmas hymns that tell of the light, life, and hope that the Savior’s birth brought to the world—for example, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” or “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (Hymns, nos. 208–9). Sing the hymns together, and let the children share how Jesus has brought light, life, and hope into their lives.

  • Ask some of the children to read about the shepherds in Luke 2:8–20. Ask others to read about Simeon in Luke 2:25–33. Invite them to share with each other how the shepherds and Simeon felt about finding out that Jesus was born. Why did they feel this way? Why does His birth bring us “great joy”?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to think of someone in their family with whom they can share their testimony of Jesus Christ. Help them consider what they might say to strengthen that person’s faith in Him.

Improving Our Teaching

Prepare by studying the scriptures. “Prayerfully studying the word of God puts us in tune with the Holy Ghost. He can then inspire us to draw upon what we have studied as we teach and lift others” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 12).

activity page: Jesus Christ invites me to follow His example

Instructions for Singing Time and the Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation

children singing

Dear Primary Presidencies and Music Leaders,

Primary songs are a powerful tool to help children learn about Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness and the foundational truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As children sing about gospel principles, the Holy Ghost will testify of their truthfulness. The words and music will stay in the children’s minds and hearts throughout their lives.

Seek the help of the Spirit as you prepare to teach the gospel through music. Share your testimony of the truths you sing about. Help the children see how the music relates to what they are learning and experiencing at home and in Primary classes. The children and their families will be blessed by your devoted efforts.

We love you and extend our gratitude for the dedicated service you are giving to fortify and protect our precious children.

The Primary General Presidency

Guidelines for the Sacrament Meeting Presentation

Under the direction of the bishop, the children’s sacrament meeting presentation is normally held during the fourth quarter of the year. As the Primary presidency and music leader, arrange to meet early in the year with the counselor in the bishopric who oversees Primary to begin discussing plans for the presentation. When you have completed the plans, obtain his approval for them.

The presentation should allow the children to present what they and their families have learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ from the Doctrine and Covenants at home and in Primary, including the Primary songs they have sung during the year. Prayerfully consider which gospel principles and songs support what they have learned. Throughout the year, keep notes of children’s talks and personal experiences for possible use in the presentation. Invite children to share scriptures, stories, and their testimonies of the Savior and His gospel in the presentation. As you plan the presentation, think of ways it can help the congregation focus on the Savior and the truths He restored in the latter days.

Units with small numbers of children may consider ways in which family members can participate with their children. A member of the bishopric may conclude the meeting with brief remarks.

As you prepare the presentation, remember the following guidelines:

  • Practices should not take unnecessary time away from Primary classes or families.

  • Visuals, costumes, and media presentations are not appropriate for sacrament meeting.

See Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 11.5.3, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Instructions for Singing Time

5 minutes (Primary presidency): Opening prayer, scripture or article of faith, and one talk

20 minutes (music leader): Singing time

The purpose of singing time is to help children deepen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through music. The Primary presidency and music leader select songs for each month with this purpose in mind. The songs should reinforce principles the children are learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ in their classes and at home. A list of songs that reinforce these principles is included in this guide. These songs are also suggested in the outlines in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

As you teach songs to the children, invite them to share what they have already learned about the stories and doctrinal principles the songs teach. You may want to review the Come, Follow Me—For Primary outlines that the children are studying in their classes. This will help you become aware of the stories and principles they are learning so you can consider how to support their learning with music.

During singing time, you can also review songs the children have previously learned and songs they enjoy singing. As you review, invite the children to share their thoughts and feelings about the truths found in the songs.

The Children’s Songbook is the basic resource for music in Primary. Hymns from the hymnbook and songs from the Friend and Liahona are also appropriate. Occasionally children may sing patriotic or holiday songs that are suitable for Sunday and for the children’s ages. The use of any other music in Primary must be approved by the bishopric (see Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 11.2.4).

children singing in sacrament meeting

Overview of Primary

Each week, Primary includes:

Singing time:

25 minutes

Transition:

5 minutes

Classes:

20 minutes

Leaders of larger Primaries may divide children into two groups and have one group in Primary classes while the other group is in singing time. Then the two groups would switch places. In such cases, Primary leaders may need to adjust the times shown above to suit their circumstances.

Music for Singing Time

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Using Music to Teach Doctrine

Remember that the purpose of singing time isn’t just to teach the children how to sing, but to use music to help deepen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The following ideas can inspire you as you plan ways to do this.

Learn of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Invite the children to share what they learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ from the songs you sing. Invite them to share their favorite words from the song that describe God and the Savior.

Read related scriptures. For many of the songs in the Children’s Songbook and the hymnbook, references to related scriptures are listed. Help the children read a scripture passage, and talk about how it relates to the song you’re singing. You could also list a few scripture references on the board and invite the children to match each reference to a song or a verse from a song.

Fill in the blank. Write a verse of the song on the board with several key words missing. Then ask the children to sing the song, listening for the words that fill in the blanks. As they fill in each blank, discuss what gospel principles you learn from the missing words.

children singing in sacrament meeting

Quotations from Church leaders. Invite the children to listen to a quotation from a Church leader that teaches the same gospel principle as the Primary song. Ask them to raise their hand when they hear something that helps them understand the truth they are singing about. Ask them to share what they heard.

Testify. Bear brief testimony to the children of gospel truths found in the Primary song. Help the children understand that singing is one way they can bear testimony and feel the Spirit.

Stand as a witness. Invite children to take turns standing and sharing what they learn from the song they are singing or how they feel about the truths taught in the song. Ask them how they feel as they sing the song, and help them identify the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Use pictures. Ask the children to help you find or create pictures that go with important words or phrases in the song. Invite them to share how the pictures relate to the song and what the song teaches. For example, if you are teaching the song “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83), you could place pictures throughout the room that depict important words from the song (such as angels, snow, and star). Ask the children to gather the pictures and hold them up in the correct order as you sing the song together.

Share an object lesson. You could use an object to inspire discussion about a song. For example, the song “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 103) mentions rain. You could show the children a picture of rain or a glass of water and talk about how baptism and the Holy Ghost cleanse our spirits like rainwater cleanses the earth; this could lead to a discussion about the blessings of being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Invite sharing of personal experiences. Help the children connect the principles taught in the song with experiences they have had with those principles. For example, before singing “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95), you could ask the children to raise their hands if they have seen a temple. Invite them to think as they sing about how they feel when they see a temple.

Ask questions. There are many questions you can ask as you sing songs. For example, you can ask the children what they learn from each verse in the song. You can also ask them to think of questions that the song answers. This can lead to a discussion about the truths taught in the song.

Listen for answers. Ask the children to listen for answers to questions. For example, the song “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35) contains several questions and answers. You could ask the children the questions and then have them listen for answers as they sing.

Helping Children Learn and Remember Primary Songs

Children learn a song by hearing and singing it over and over again. Always sing the words of a new song to the children—don’t just read or recite them. This helps the children connect the melody to the words. After a song is taught, review it in a variety of fun ways throughout the year. Below are some ideas to help children learn and review songs.

Demonstrate the pitch. To help children learn the melody of a song, hold your hand in a horizontal position, and as you sing the words, move your hand up to indicate higher pitches and down to indicate lower pitches.

Echo. Invite the children to be your echo by repeating what you sing. Sing to the children a short phrase or a line, and then have them sing it back to you.

Use variation. Sing songs in a variety of ways, such as whispering, humming, clapping the beat, varying the tempo, or singing while sitting or standing. You could also make a cube out of paper and, on each side of the cube, write a different way to sing. Invite a child to roll the cube to decide how the children will sing the song.

Sing in groups. Give each class or individual one phrase to sing while standing, and then have them exchange phrases until each class or individual has had a turn singing each phrase.

Use actions. Invite the children to think of simple actions to help them remember the words and messages of a song. For example, when you sing “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, 26), you could invite the children to fold their arms, bow their heads, and touch their hearts when they sing the relevant lines in the song.

Girls sing, boys sing. Draw a picture of a boy and a picture of a girl. While reviewing a song, hold up one of the pictures to indicate who should sing that part of the song.

Basket toss. Place numbered baskets or other containers at the front of the room—as many containers as there are verses of a particular song. Invite one of the children to toss a beanbag or crumpled piece of paper into or near a numbered container. Have the children sing the verse with the same number as the container.

Match a picture to a phrase. Write each line of a song on a different piece of paper, and find a picture that represents each line. Place the pictures on one side of the room and the papers on the other side. Sing the song, and ask the children to match the pictures to the words.

Create posters. Display posters with the words from each verse or pictures that represent the words. As the children sing, cover up some of the words or pictures until they can sing the entire verse without the poster. You can also invite the children to help you create the posters.