Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Jesus Christ helps me become clean.
John saw many people dressed in robes “made … white in the blood of the Lamb” (verse 14). Consider how this vision could help the children understand the importance of being made clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Possible Activities
Show the children some white clothes (or a picture of some) and a picture of Jesus. Read Revelation 7:9, 13–14 to the children, and ask them to point to the picture and clothes every time they hear the word white. Explain that white clothes represent cleanliness and remind us that Jesus Christ can make us clean from our mistakes.
Show the children a piece of white cloth or piece of paper, and let them get it dirty by marking it with a pen or putting dirt on it. Explain that when we disobey the commandments, it can feel like having dirt on our clothes. Show a picture of Jesus in Gethsemane (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 56), put the dirty cloth or paper away, and show them a clean one. Testify that Jesus Christ can help us become clean.
Cover the children (in the picture) with packing tape, or have the entire picture laminated. Teach the scripture, let the students mark the clothing with a dry erase marker. Then have everyone say “..made them white in the blood of the Lamb” and erase it. (Have wet wipes on hand, just incase) Give every student a turn while everyone says the scripture before they erase it. Bear testimony that it is through our Savior that we can repent and become clean again.
I only had washable markers, they work too, if it doesn't sit too long. But wet wipes will do the trick.
Sing a song about baptism, such as “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 103), and testify that Jesus helps us become clean when we are baptized.
Click on the image to be taken to Etsy.
I showed faith in Jesus Christ in the premortal life.
In the War in Heaven, God’s faithful children overcame Satan by “the word of their testimony” and by showing faith in Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11). They continue to do so today.
Possible Activities
To help the children understand what it means to follow someone’s example, choose one child to be a “leader,” and ask the others to follow him or her by doing whatever he or she does. Then let other children be the leader. Read Revelation 12:7–11 to the children and explain that before we were born, we chose to follow Jesus and not Satan.
This lesson has quite a bit about the war in Heaven, just click on the image to be taken to my September 2022 lesson.
Sing together a song about the premortal life, such as “I Lived in Heaven” or “I Will Follow God’s Plan” (Children’s Songbook, 4, 164–65). Ask questions like, “What happened in heaven before we were born?” and “What did we choose to do?” (See also “Introduction: Our Heavenly Father’s Plan” in New Testament Stories, 1–5, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)
The gospel was restored in our day.
John wrote about an angel who would bring “the everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6). Discussing Revelation 14:6–7 provides an opportunity for you to testify of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our day.
Possible Activities
Show the children a picture of Moroni talking to Joseph Smith as you read Revelation 14:6 (see Gospel Art Book, no. 91). Invite the children to point to the angel in the picture. Share with them the account of Moroni’s visit (see “Chapter 3: The Angel Moroni and the Gold Plates,” in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 13–17, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Click on the image to be taken to the churches website to watch this.
Invite the children to act out the story of Moroni visiting Joseph Smith (see Joseph Smith—History 1:29–35). Help them name some of the blessings that we enjoy because the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored. Share your testimony of the Restoration.
I recommend singing this song, and pointing out that the man burying the plates, Moroni, and the the angel Moroni is the same person.
There is so much! I'm just putting the Christmas gift tags together, you may need to look through my Etsy store to find the one you want. But you can click on the image to be taken to the mitten listing, you can go to my store from there.
Some of you are really ahead of the game, here is a Book of Mormon count down. THIS IS FREE! There is also a coloring page for counting every day. This is available in Spanish, Portugues, and English.
Also, a very smart Sister asked if I had a "Welcome to Sunbeams kit." I loved the idea and went to work. Click on the image to be taken to this listing.
I made some changes to this kit, message me in Etsy if you purchased the old and would like the new, and I will refund you.
This one I also changed, message me in Etsy, if you purchased the old and would like the new.
Mitzi from comefollowmekid.com published this book, you might recognize some of the art from me, but she was the brains and the work and the everything. I'm so proud of her. Great gift for anyone you know without a printer.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
The gospel can help me overcome temptation.
The smoke that darkened the air in Revelation 9:2 could be likened to temptations (see 1 Nephi 12:17).
Possible Activities
Draw pictures of a sun and a dark cloud, and cut them out. Invite the children to read Revelation 9:2 and 1 Nephi 12:17 and write on the dark cloud what the smoke or mists in these verses represent. Place the dark cloud on the board, and invite the children to make a list of temptations children their age face. Then place the sun on the board and ask them to make a list of tools Heavenly Father has given us to overcome the darkness in the world.
How can we help others who are in the dark spiritually?
OBJECT LESSON
-Give everyone a different colored marker.
-Blindfold the first volunteer, you can show them the paper before, they always think it will be easy to stay on the path, but it isn't once they are blind.
-All the students in the class are welcome to say anything to help them while they draw the line on the path, they just can't do it for them.
-After, they can take the blindfold off and see how they did. Asked them if they think they could have done it without the other students helping.
-After everyone has had a turn and has shared their experience, ask them how this applies to the scriptures you just learned.
-Bear your testimony on how we can help others who are in the dark spiritually.
Yes my road is interesting(:
I did this with my kids 4 years ago. I love this picture, when they were so little.
As you can see they got a little lost, but eventually got back on track with the help of their brothers and sisters.
To help the children think about this question, show part of the video “Choose the Light” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), especially the last half of the video. How can we be like the person who helped the biker in the tunnel?
I showed faith in Jesus Christ in the premortal life.
The children you teach are on earth because they had faith in Jesus Christ in the premortal life and chose to follow Him.
Possible Activities
Read together Revelation 12:7–11, and write on the board the words dragon, War in Heaven, cast out, testimony, and Lamb. Ask the children to summarize these verses using the words on the board. What do we learn about Jesus Christ (the Lamb) from these verses? What do we learn about the choices we made in the premortal life?
On the board, create three columns and label them Before this life, During this life, and Both. Prepare strips of paper that state truths about the premortal life and about mortal life, such as We have bodies, We don’t have bodies, We live in God’s presence, We are at war with Satan, We exercise faith in Jesus Christ, and We follow God’s plan. Let the children take turns picking a paper strip and deciding which column it belongs in. Share your confidence that the children can continue to show faith in Christ.
Last chance, how did this come so fast? If you click on this image will take you to the mitten gift tag, you can find the other gift tags if you keep scrolling down.
I need to thank Sister RaeAnn Nouchi for this idea. Just click on the image.
December 18–24
Christmas
“Good Tidings of Great Joy”
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby.
Children love the story of Jesus Christ’s birth. What doctrinal truths do you see in this story that you feel the children should understand?
This idea is from Mitzi at comefollowmekid.com I would recommend this for families. The primary manual suggest the children drawing their own pictures of the events at Christ's birth, which is very hands on and creative. But primary teachers can print these and send them home with the students, encouraging them to do it for their FHE.
Possible Activities
Read Luke 2:1–14 to the children, or describe the events in these verses by referring to “Chapter 5:Jesus Christ Is Born” (in New Testament Stories, 13–15, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to draw pictures of these events and use the pictures to tell the story themselves. Why are we happy that Jesus was born?
Ask the children to tell you the story of the Wise Men following the star to find Jesus. If they need to be reminded of the story, see Matthew 2:1–12 or “Chapter 7: The Wise Men” (in New Testament Stories, 18, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Hide a picture of Jesus in the room. Draw or cut out a paper star and hold it in the air. Invite the children to pretend to be wise men carrying gifts, and lead them around the room to find Jesus. Help the children think of some gifts that we can give to Jesus.
If you don't want to use your ink, you can put yellow cardstock in your printer and select B&W printing.
You will need to tie the masks to the heads, so the shepheards can carry their gifts. You can do this by punching holes in the sides of the mask and tying the string to the sides, and in the back of the head.
Sing a few Christmas hymns or songs with the children (see Hymns, nos. 201–14; Children’s Songbook, 34–54). Ask them to share something each song teaches that they feel is important to know.
Jesus Christ made it possible for me to live with Heavenly Father again someday.
Do the children you teach understand why Jesus Christ came to earth? Take time to ponder what the Savior has done for you personally and how you can help the children understand what He has done for them.
Possible Activities
Bring a wrapped gift or box to class with a picture of Jesus Christ inside. Attach a tag with “John 3:16” written on it, and tell the children that this is a clue about what the gift is. Read John 3:16 with the children, and invite them to guess what the gift is and open it. Why did God send us His Son?
Help the children finish this sentence: “Jesus Christ came to earth to .” Then show pictures related to the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, death, and Resurrection (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 56–59), and briefly tell about these events. You could also sing a song about why Jesus came to earth, such as “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35). Bear your testimony of Jesus Christ and what He has done for you.
It would be a good time to incorprorate this part of Dec 11-17 lesson if you feel inspired. You can testify that making us clean is one of the many thing he has done for us.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby.
How can you help the children focus on Jesus Christ at Christmas?
Possible Activities
Invite one of the children to read about some of the events related to the Savior’s birth (see Matthew 1:18–25; 2:1–12; Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–20). Ask the other children to take turns drawing pictures on the board of what the scriptures are describing. What do these stories teach us about Jesus Christ?
Invite the children to write on several slips of paper things they could do to help them focus on the Savior during the Christmas season. (They could get ideas from the video “Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Invite them to share what they wrote. Encourage the children to take the slips home and do with their families the suggestions they wrote on the slips.
You can attach this to the jar or bag that you send your students home with (with the stripes of paper, mentioned above).
Sing Christmas songs about the Savior (see Children’s Songbook, 34–54; Hymns, nos. 201–14), and invite the children to share a favorite line or phrase from the songs.
Jesus Christ made it possible for me to live with Heavenly Father again someday.
How can you help the children review what they have learned this year and understand why they need Jesus Christ in their lives?
Possible Activities
Label one piece of paper Who is Jesus Christ? and another Why did He come to earth? and attach them to different walls of the classroom. Invite each child to read one of the following scriptures: Matthew 16:15–16; John 3:16; 1 Nephi 10:4; Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10–13; 3 Nephi 27:14–15. Ask the children to look for answers, in the scriptures they read, to the two questions on the walls. Invite them to write down their answers and attach them to the wall next to the appropriate question. How can we show our gratitude for what Jesus Christ has done for us?
Invite the children to list on the board all of the names or titles of Jesus that they can think of (see Bible Dictionary, “Christ, names of”). What do these names teach us about Jesus Christ and His mission? Why do we need Jesus Christ in our lives? To help answer this question, show the video “Why We Need a Savior—A Christmas Message about Our Savior Jesus Christ” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
I LOVE the welcome to sunbeams kit! Such a wonderful idea!
Thank you so much!