Sabbath Day: Lesson Item 7

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Story

“Sunday Morning Problem”

Friend March 1998 pg. 31

Written by Adrianne Pearson Coleman

Illustrated by Julie F. Young

Preparation

  • Download this PowerPoint presentation of the story. Read the story out loud, or listen to it being read by clicking on the audio icon on each slide.
  • Or print the story pages. Cut the pictures and the words apart at the dotted lines. Glue each page of words onto the back of its coinciding picture.
  • Items needed: Paper and a pen or marker

Presentation

  • Have you ever felt like Sunday mornings are chaotic and stressful instead of peaceful and holy?

As you listen to this story see if you can think of some ways to help make Sunday the holy day it should be. (Going in numerical order, show the pictures and read the back story captions to the family.)

After Story Discussion:

  •  Why was Kelly’s mom unhappy at the beginning of the story?
  •  Has anyone in the family ever felt the same way Kelly’s mom felt on Sunday mornings?
  • What do you think Heavenly Father and Jesus want our Sunday mornings to be like?
  • What did Kelly do to help Sundays be a happy, peaceful day?
  • How can you help make Sunday a happy, peaceful, holy day? (Make a list of things the family members mention. Post the list in a place where the family members will see it and be reminded to do the things on it.)

Sabbath Day: Lesson Item 6

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Story Match-Up

“Choosing to Keep the Sabbath Day Holy”

Preparation

  • Items needed: Two different colors of good quality construction paper – three pages of each color, a display board, and a glue stick.
  • Print the story activity pages. Cut each page in half at the dotted lines. Cut the construction papers in half. Glue each of the story pages to one color of construction paper and each of the picture pages to another color.
  • Before the lesson, post the pictures and stories face down on a display board using sticky tack or some other removable adhesive method.

Presentation

Explain that on the display board are stories of children choosing to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. Have a family member choose a story card and a picture card from the board. Explain that the object of the game is to find a story card and its matching picture. Have the family member read the story card out loud, or if the story has already been read, have them tell the story again in their own words. If the family member makes a match, then the cards are removed. If a match is not made, the cards are place back into their original position. Continue in this manner, with family members taking turns choosing cards and trying to find matches, until all the matches have been made,

(The stories are from the “Trying to Be Like Jesus” pages of the Friend Magazine.)


Sabbath Day: Stories

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Preparing for the Sabbath

Friend April 2017 “Ready for Church” Ian prepares for church by getting everything set out and ready on Saturday.

Get Enough Rest the Night Before

Friend May 2021 “Soccer and the Sabbath” Late night, Saturday soccer games on tv were making it hard for Samuel to stay awake in church. He decides to do other things, like take walks with his family, on Saturday instead.

New Era January 2020 “Snoozing Through the Sabbath” A boy stays up late playing video games and is so tired the next day at church that he sleeps in and rushes to get ready, and at church he can’t stay awake.

Helping on the Sabbath

Friend March 2017 “For Older Kids”

This Sunday I made pancakes. When my family came down, they said thank you. We are usually a little late for church, but we weren’t because I made pancakes. That made me feel good inside. Kyler M., age 10, Switzerland

Keeping Sabbath Holy

Friend November 2023 “The Tryouts” Jared was excited to try out for the regional basketball team. Only a few players get invited to try out for it. But when he found out it was on Sunday his excitement faded. But he knew God was more important than basketball. He said a prayer and afterwards felt a comforting feeling that everything would be okay. Two days later he got an email saying tryouts would be on Saturday instead. He prepared very hard for the tryout and did his best but wasn’t selected. Then, a comforting thought came to him. “Things won’t always work out how I want,” he said. “But Jesus Christ knows exactly how I feel. He’s on my side.”

Friend September 2023 “Singing on Sunday” Alejandra was doing well in a singing contest. Then she found out that the final round was going to be on a Sunday. She didn’t know what to do. She talked to her father and he explained about the Sabbath but told her it was her choice. The next Sunday she sang a song in Sacrament with the Primary. Then she thought, “What would she miss if she didn’t come to church on the contest day? She wouldn’t be able to sing her testimony in Primary with her friends. And she would miss the sacrament.” She decided not to do the contest.

Friend February 2023 “The Soccer Choice” Isaac loves soccer but couldn’t go to many of the games because they were on Sunday. One day his coach asked why he didn’t come to games on Sundays. He explained that he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that Sunday is a special day for him. He only does things that help him remember Jesus Christ and get closer to Him. A few minutes later the coach said the game would be changed to Saturday. After practice, a boy on his team came over and said thank you to him for sharing his beliefs because he goes to church on Sunday and was going to have to miss the game too

Friend May 2022 “The Footy Decision” Sam loved playing footy and when he found out the games were on Sunday he was sad. He prayed about what to do. He knew it was important to make Sunday special so he decided to go to practices on Thursdays but go to church on Sundays.

Friend September 2021 “The Winning Choice” Nathan earned the opportunity to go the Provincial Track Meet but he finds out it is on Sunday. He decides to put Christ first and keep the Sabbath Day holy.

Friend April 2021 “The Big Bowling Question” When Elder Hales was young he had a friend that wasn’t a member. One day that friend invited him to go bowling on Sunday. His mom said it was his decision, so he went. The whole time he knew it was not something he should be doing on the Sabbath. He learned an important lesson.

Friend January 2020 “The Pizza Problem”At church, Jake and his family learn about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. They decide to stop going out for pizza after church  and instead start a new tradition of cooking a frozen pizza on Sundays. Refreshment Idea: Pizza Roll-Ups

Friend January 2019 “An Olympic Decision” In 1924 Eric Liddell was chosen to run the 100 meter in the Olympics, but when he discovered that his race was on Sunday, he changed to a longer, more difficult race on a different day. People were mad at him saying he was betraying his country, but he kept firm to his beliefs. When he ran the race, he broke records and won the gold medal.

Friend April 2018 “Tara’s Sabbath Day” (For Little Ones) The things Tara does to keep the Sabbath day happy and holy.

Friend November 2017 “Primary with the Prophet” When Sam and Martha are too sick to go to church their mom has them do their own Primary at home.

Friend April 2017 “Competing on Sunday” McKay wants to compete in gymnastics at regionals but it is in Sunday. He fasts to decide what to do.

Friend December 2016 “Happy Sabbath: Sunday Stories” Stories of how some children kept the Sabbath Day holy.

Friend October 2016 “What I Learned from Alex” Alex sets a good example of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.

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Friend April1987

Friend July 1985 “Treasure Hunt” A family keeps the Sabbath Day holy while on vacation.

 Friend March 2015 “Saturday Sleep and Sunday Smiles” Getting enough sleep night before sunday

Friend October 2015 “A Winning Decision” – Girl decides not to play soccer on Sunday

Friend August 2015

When Friends Want to Play on Sabbath

Friend June 2019 “Sharing the Sabbath Day” Alex wants to ride bikes, but Thomas is reading scripture stories with his family. Thomas invites Alex to come listen to the stories with him. (Activity: Alex also helps Thomas draw pictures for his grandma. Find the things they need.)

 Friend September 2020 “Max and Mindy” Max and Mindy worry that their friends will think they don’t like them because they have turned down several invitations for parties and movies that were happening on Sunday. They decide to invite their friends to church activities so they know they like them

Friend September 2023 “Margo and Paolo” Margo and Paulo explain why they can’t go to a movie with their friend on Sunday. Then they invite her to come to a church activity with them since they can’t go to the movie with her.

Service on the Sabbath

Friend November 2019 “Kindness Kits” A family collects some items and makes some muffins on the Sabbath to take to some homeless.