Song – I Will Follow God’s Plan

Preparation:

• Print the song words and the song pictures.  Cut each page in half vertically.  Cut out the bow and glue it to the body figure.  Stack the pictures in order with the first picture face up on the bottom, and the second face up on top of it, and so forth. Do the same with the word cards, but make two piles.  Start with the first line. The beginning half of the first line should be one pile, and the ending half of the line should be the other pile.  Put a blank half sheet of paper on the top of each of the three piles.  Hole punch the top corners of the papers in each pile. Using hinged rings or thin ribbon, connect the papers together at the holes so you have three flipcharts.
• Make a stand for the flipcharts by folding a poster board into three 9 ¼ inch sections. Tape the two ends together. It should form a triangular stand to put the flipchart on. When presenting the song in Primary, put the stand on a table (or if you need it to be higher for all the children to see, put a wide plastic  box upside down on the table and put the flipchart stand on top of the box. Put each flipchart on the stand. The first page of the song on each flipchart should be the only pages in the front.  Turn the pages of the flipcharts as you discuss the words of the song. After all the pages have been turned, the blank page should be the last page on the back. It will hold the flipchart on the stand.

Song Presentation

The song starts off by explaining some important things about life. The first thing it explains is that your life is a gift from God. He made it possible for you to receive a body and come to earth.

• My life is a gift
• Flipchart: #1 picture – body cutout with bow on it, #2 words – My life, #3 words – is a gift

The next thing the song explains is that your life and receiving a body is part of a plan.

• My life has a plan
• Flipchart: #1 picture – Plan of Salvation, #2 words – My Life, #3 words – has a plan

Then the song explains that as part of the plan, there is a purpose for your life–something we are aiming for. What is it? To gain eternal salvation.

• My life has a purpose
• Flipchart: #1 picture – target, #2 words – My life, #3 words – has a purpose

The next part of the song talks about the beginning of the plan of salvation. Where did the plan begin?

• In heaven it began
• Flipchart: #1 picture – pre-existence, #2 words – In heaven, #3 words – it began

Explain that we lived in heaven as spirits. There was a council in heaven and the plan of salvation was presented to us. There were some who wanted to change the plan and take agency out of it, and they chose to fight against the plan. What did you choose to do?  You chose to follow the plan, and we know this because you took the next step in the plan which was to come to earth.

• My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth.
• Flipchart: #1 picture – children looking at the beauty of the earth, #2 words – My choice was to come to, #3 Words – this lovely home on earth

We are on the earth to receive a body and to be tested to see what choices we will make. But how do we know which are the right choices? Our Heavenly Father gives us direction and guidance on the earth, but to receive that guidance we have to put some effort into getting it. We have to seek for it.

• And seek for God’s light (guidance)
• Flipchart: #1 Picture – child praying and reading scriptures, #2 words – And seek for, #3 words – God’s light

Do we have to wait until we are older before we can seek for God’s guidance and direction?  No, the song says we are to seek for God’s light to direct us from birth.

• To direct me from birth.
• Flipchart: #1 picture – baby, #2 words – To direct me, #3 words – from birth

 Where do we find God’s guidance and direction?  (In the scriptures, in the words of the prophets, and in the prompting of the Holy Ghost) Remind the children that the focus in Primary this year is the scriptures. Point out that the scriptures are like a plan or a map that Heavenly Father gives us to show us how to gain eternal salvation and return back to him.  We need to commit to following his plan so that we can achieve our goals.

• I will follow God’s plan for me
• Flipchart: #1 picture – scriptures on a map, #2 words – I will follow, #3 words – God’s plan for me

 We have to read and study the plan (the scriptures) throughout our life, never letting go of that goal. We also need to remember that Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to succeed.

• Holding fast to his word and his love
• Flipchart: #1 picture – person clutching scriptures, #2 words – Holding fast to, #3 words – his word and his love

In the next few lines of the song, we commit to doing the things necessary to accomplish our goal. We need to remember that we have to do more than just read the scriptures; we have to work and do the things in the scriptures that Heavenly Father has told us to do.

• I will work
• Flipchart: #1 picture – child helping sick man, #2 words – I will,# 3 words – work

We also need to remember that we can get help through prayer.

• And I will pray
• Flipchart: #1 picture – girl praying for help with a situation, #2 Words – I will, #3 words – pray

The last thing we need to remember is that if we will do the things the Savior did, we will always be going in the right direction. He is our example.

• I will always walk in His way.
• Flipchart: #1 picture – child walking like Jesus, #2 words – I will always, #3 words – walk in his way

Did you know the plan of salvation is also called the plan of happiness?  So what happens when we follow Heavenly Father’s plan?

• Then I will be happy on earth
• Flipchart: #1 picture – happy child with father, #2 words – Then I will be happy, #3 words – on earth

If we follow the plan on earth then we will return to our Heavenly Father, and we will also be happy in our home above because we will have attained eternal salvation.

• And in my home above
• Flipchart: #1 picture – people happy in heaven, #2 words – and in my, #3 words – home above

After going through the words of the song with the children, sing the song. You will need two volunteers to help you turn the pages of two of the flipcharts. You will be turning the pages of one flipchart as the children sing. Tell the helpers to turn the page every time you do. (You will probably want to sing only a few lines at a time with the junior primary.)

 To help the children memorize the song, use the flipchart to quiz them on the words. Start at the beginning and show them the picture, and then show them half of the words that go with that picture. See if they can remember what the other half of the words are.  Go through all the pictures and words in that manner. (Use a half sheet of cardstock to cover the words that don’t go with the pictures so they aren’t a distraction.) Afterwards go through the flipcharts again, but this time only show them the pictures. See if they can remember all the words that go with each picture. If they are struggling with a part, show them half the words again. After going through the flipcharts the second time, have them then try to sing the song using only the pictures as aids.

Note: If your primary children already know the words to the song, do the following activity to help them better understand what the words mean. Print the word explanations from the above lesson, fold them, and put them into a container.

Activity: First have the children put the pictures in order on the board. Then have a child draw one of the explanations from the container, read it, and then find its matching picture.

Thank you to Valena Kisner who sent me this idea.

Since it was Valentines this week I thought it might be fun to add to the idea; put each of the explanations and a magnet on a wooden heart and then put the hearts in a jar. They can attach the heart to the picture when they find the match.  Remind the children that the plan was introduced because Heavenly Father loves them.