Jesus Christ will gather His people before He comes again.
We are gathered by the Savior when we accept and follow His teachings.
Watch the Video “Chicks and Hens”
After reading Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–, 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. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 29: “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People”)
Friend March 2024 “The Hen and the Baby Chicks” Clara helped her dad pick out a hen to care for some baby chicks they had bought. She watched as the hen lifted up her wing and the baby chicks disappeared under it. Her dad explained that that was the way the hen protects and keeps the baby chicks safe and warm. Her dad shared the scripture of Jesus gathering us and protecting us and caring for us just like a hen gathers her chickens under her wings.
What did the Lord say we must do to be gathered by Him?
Ensign October 2020 “Family Study Fun” Paper Name Gathering Game
We “gather Israel” when we help other people learn about the gospel. Jesus taught about this gathering in 3 Nephi 20–22.
- Give each person a piece of paper and ask them to write down any name that comes to mind.
- Everyone should close their eyes while one person hides the papers.
- Read 3 Nephi 20:18 and 39–40 out loud. How can you help other people learn about Jesus?
- While listening to a song about Jesus, invite everyone to help find the names and put them by a picture of the Savior.
Discussion: How does it make you feel to know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know each person by name?
Friend February 1986 Ways to be a missionary
- 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.
See Jesus: Second Coming and Resources by Topic: Second Coming for additional teaching ideas also see Missionary for ideas on how the children can help with the gathering.
I can prepare to meet the Savior.
Doctrine and Covenants 29:2–11
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.
Friend October 2019 “The Living Christ” Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Show the children pictures of things they can do to prepare to meet the Savior (such as the ones below) . Help the children find other ways to prepare for the Second Coming in Doctrine and Covenants 29:2–10.
Sing a song about the Second Coming, such as “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83).
Heavenly Father prepared a plan of salvation for me.
- 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 (see verses 36–37)
- Creation (see verses 31–33)
- The Fall of Adam and Eve (see verses 40–41)
- Mortal life (see verses 39, 42–45)
- The Atonement of Jesus Christ (see verses 1, 42–43, 46–50)
- The Resurrection (see verses 13, 26)
- The Final Judgment (see verses 12–13, 27–30)
- 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.
See also Resources by Topic: Plan of Salvation
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
- 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?Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 29: “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People”
- 2017 Sharing Time Outline Tell the children that you are thinking of a word, and give them clues to help them guess the word. Ask them to raise their hands when they know the answer. Clues could include the following: We had this before we came to earth. It is a gift from our Heavenly Father. It is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us. Satan wanted to take it from us. We use it when we make choices. It is a gift that lets us choose for ourselves. It starts with the letter A. After the children have guessed the answer, say together, “Agency is the gift to choose for ourselves.”
- 2017 Sharing Time Outline Show the children a container of many different colors of crayons. Show them a second container with only one color. Ask the children: “If you were going to color a picture, which of these containers of crayons would you want to use? Why?” Explain that having a variety of choices is a blessing. Testify that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and They want us to make correct choices.
- Show the children a long stick that has the word choice written on one end and the word consequences written on the other end. Explain that a consequence is what naturally happens because of a choice we make; for example, if we choose to practice playing a musical instrument, we will get better at it, and if we choose to touch fire, we will be burned. Pick up the stick and show the children that every time you pick up the stick, you get both the choice and the consequence of that choice.
Commandments
- 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?
- See also Commandments
The Atonement of Jesus Christ
- 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.Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 29: “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People”
- Show the children the shirt you brought, and lay it on top of a spread out plastic garbage bag. Explain to the children that sin is like dirt and stains. Apply staining items to the shirt as you mention wrong choices that stain our spirits, such as lying, using bad words, hitting a sibling, etc. (The garbage bag is to help prevent spills on the carpet.) Ask the children how they would feel if they had to wear the dirty shirt and how they would feel if they could never change the shirt or take a shower.
- • Would it be difficult going out among people in that state? Would we feel comfortable in heaven being among spiritually clean people if we have stains of sin upon us? Show the children the soap and explain that just like we have soap to clean our bodies and our clothes, Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to become clean from our sins. He provided a Savior for us who took upon himself our sins. How wonderful it is that we can be clean of sin because of what the Jesus Christ did for us
- See also Jesus Christ: Atonement and Resources by Topic: Atonement
What new insights did you gain? How would your life be different if you didn’t know about these truths?
Sing “I Will Follow God’s Plan” See here for resources on how to teach the song.
Additional Resources
Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources “Doctrine and Covenants 29”
This is an incredible site. So well done indeed . I get my lesson helps for my primary children from here. Thank you so much for putting together these incredible lessons and making them available for us to teach. May the Lord continue to bless you as you seek to serve Him in righteousness ❤.
We are living in the most incredible times! The gathering of the Lord’s people is happening as we speak! It is absolutely important for us and our children to know and understand what the gathering is all about so that we can be part of this great work. D&C 29 contains the information we need to take part in the gathering of the Lord’s elect.