Heavenly Father wants me to take care of my body.
DANIEL CHAPTER 1 Daniel and certain Hebrews are trained in the court of Nebuchadnezzar—They eat plain food and drink no wine—God gives them knowledge and wisdom beyond all others.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Daniel 1–6” Daniel and his friends refused the meat and wine the king offered them because they wanted to follow God’s commandments and avoid harming their bodies. Today the Word of Wisdom helps us avoid substances that would harm our bodies.
- Share with the children “Daniel and His Friends” (in Old Testament Stories), or summarize Daniel 1:1–17. Invite the children to act out the story. Help them understand how the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends for choosing to obey Him (see verse 17). What blessings do we receive from God when we choose the right?
Old Testament Scripture Readers “Daniel and His Friends”
Show the children pictures of things the Word of Wisdom teaches us to eat or use and things it tells us not to eat or use (see Doctrine and Covenants 89). Invite the children to pretend to eat the good things and say no to the bad things. Testify that the Lord blesses us when we care for our bodies. Sing together a song about caring for our bodies, such as “The Lord Gave Me a Temple” or “The Word of Wisdom” (Children’s Songbook, 153, 154–55). What does this song teach us?
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 89-92” Your family members might enjoy drawing or finding pictures of foods and other substances mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 89. Then you could play a game—family members could take turns selecting pictures at random, putting the things we shouldn’t use in the trash and the things we should use on a plate. How have the promises in verses 18–21 been fulfilled in our lives?
What does the Word of Wisdom say is good for our bodies? – Game
What does the Word of Wisdom say is bad for our bodies? – Game
- “Daniel Obeys the Lord” (June 1998 Friend)
A retelling of the story of Daniel and his friends refusing to eat the king’s food. Includes flannel board figures.
I made this Introduction to the Word of Wisdom video for a video production class I took.
Friend August 2021 “The Word of Wisdom”
For the Strength of Youth August 2021 “A Word to Always Live By”
Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources “Doctrine and Covenants 89-92”
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.
- 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.
The Lord Will Help You Keep the Word of Wisdom
Friend March 2024 “Drops of Faith” Jacob keeps falling asleep in school because he gets up so early to make it to school on time. The principle suggest drops of coffee in the morning to keep him awake. Jacob decides to use drops of faith instead. Every morning they said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help him not be sleepy at school.
Being an Example to Others of Making Healthy Choices
Friend March 2024 “A Good Example” When Elder Mathias Held Of the Seventy joined the church he was a businessman. His father worried because he wouldn’t be joining with others in drinking at business meetings. His co-workers were supportive, and pretty soon many of them stopped drinking as well.
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.
- 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?
Your family members might enjoy drawing or finding pictures of foods and other substances mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 89. Then you could play a game—family members could take turns selecting pictures at random, putting the things we shouldn’t use in the trash and the things we should use on a plate. How have the promises in verses 18–21 been fulfilled in our lives?
When the elders in the School of the Prophets first heard Joseph Smith read the Word of Wisdom, they immediately “tossed their pipes and plugs of chewing tobacco into the fire” (Saints, 1:168). At that time, the Word of Wisdom was considered more of a caution than a commandment, but they wanted to show their willingness to obey. Perhaps you have already “tossed” from your life the substances the Word of Wisdom warns against, but what else can you learn from this revelation?
Reading “Physical and Emotional Health” in For the Strength of Youth (25–27) could prompt discussion about other ways to care for our health and about the blessings that God promises.
Liahona August 2021 Run and Not Be Weary
In Doctrine and Covenants 89, the Lord gave a revelation called the Word of Wisdom.
- After reading section 89, have everyone stand in the middle of a room.
- Designate one side of the room to be the “good” side and the other side of the room to be the “not good” side.
- Have a family member read verses 5–17.
- The other family members will move to either the “good” or “not good” side of the room, depending on the description in that verse. Is the substance good for our bodies or not?
Discussion: What promises are included in Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21? How can taking care of our bodies improve our spiritual relationship with the Lord?
Doctrine and Covenants Coloring Book “Word of Wisdom”
Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants and Church History“ Lesson 24: The School of the Prophets and the Word of Wisdom,” See lesson for additional teaching ideas.
What harm can come from not obeying the Word of Wisdom? (Answers may include illness and disease, poverty, dishonesty, addictive habits, automobile accidents, inactivity in the Church, and sins resulting from loss of good judgment.) Explain that in Joseph Smith’s time people did not know all that we know now about the bad effects of smoking and alcohol use. But the Lord knew about these bad effects, and he warned the people (see D&C 89:4). The Lord also knew that people who disobey the Word of Wisdom lose the desire to obey the other commandments and to become like Jesus Christ. Physical desires become more important to them than spiritual desires.
What does the Word of Wisdom say is bad for our bodies? – Game
What does the Word of Wisdom say is good for our bodies? Game
Sing “In Our Lovely Deseret”, Hymn #307
Friend August 2021 “Scripture Time Fun for Little Ones”
Have family members draw pictures of ways to care for their body (like eating healthy foods or playing outside). Help your little ones say, “I can take care of my body.”
For additional teaching ideas see Word of Wisdom and Resources for Teaching Children: Word of Wisdom
Friend August 2021 “How to Say No” What do you do when someone offers you something that you know is against the Word of Wisdom? Write what you could say in the bubbles below.
Friend July 1986 “Body Building” For each good food mentioned in the scripture, the player takes an additional body part. He must put back a body part for each harmful substance mentioned in the scripture. Players take turns drawing reference strips. The player who first builds a complete body is the winner. (See additional instructions below in pink section.)
Friend May 2021 “Friends by Mail” (Includes photo)
We accepted the Helping Hands Team challenge (Feb. 2021) to eat foods that are different colors. We love helping our grammy plant, water, harvest, and eat the delicious vegetables and fruits in her garden!
Newland, Wynne, and Magnus T., ages 8, 5, and 2, Florida, USA
Friend March 2023 “A Tasty Goal” Sara wanted to follow the Word of Wisdom better (see Doctrine and Covenants 89). She made a goal for Children and Youth to eat more fruits and vegetables. Can you find two rows that have all of the same foods but in a different order?
What Foods Are Good to Eat?
Friend March 2024 “Fruit Chase” In the Word of Wisdom, Jesus told us what foods would be good to eat. Read Doctrine and Covenants 89:10–12, 14. Then draw some of your favorite meals on the plates below! Game: Fruit Chase
Additional Resources
Just for Fun
Friend May 2018 “Food and Fun” Some of the blessings of living the Word of Wisdom are wisdom and knowledge (see D&C 89:19). Can you solve these brain-teasers?
