Table of Contents
Little Ones Can Set Goals Too
Friend February 2021″Hi Friends” Saying my prayers and learning the alphabet are two of my goals.Eden, age 4, Veneto, Italy
Friend March 2023 “What Are Your Goals and Dreams?” Eight children tell what their goals and dreams are.
Setting Goals
Friend January 2024 “What’s on Your Mind?”
Friend August 2021 “For Older Kids” Talk to a parent or Primary leader about your goals. They can share ideas and help cheer you on! You could even work on a goal together.
Friend August 2021 “For Older Kids” I wanted to learn to sew a blanket for my baby brothers who are coming. So I set a goal. My mom showed me how to use the sewing machine, and now I can do it by myself! I’m excited for my baby brothers to see the blanket. And I’m glad I learned how to sew! Jayci H., age 9, Utah, USA
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can help me know how to improve.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022
Psalm 139 teaches that God knows everything about us, including our strengths and weaknesses. If we turn to Him, He can teach us what we need to do to become more like Him.
- Write the words of Psalm 139:23–24 on the board, and invite the children to underline words that describe things God can do for us. Why would we want God to do these things? How can we invite Him to “lead [us] in the way everlasting”?
- Encourage the children to “search” their own lives for ways they can improve in the four areas of focus in the Children and Youth program—spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual. Remind them that the Lord knows how they can improve in each of these areas, and encourage them to seek His guidance.
- Sing a song about how Heavenly Father can help us improve, such as the second verse of “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). Share how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have helped you improve.
Breaking a Bad Habit
Friend October 2023 “What’s On Your Mind?” Stopping a bad habit is tough. But it’s definitely worth it to keep trying, no matter how many times you mess up. Trying, failing, and trying again is part of everyone’s journey. So be patient with yourself. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “Our destiny is not determined by the number of times we stumble but by the number of times we rise up, dust ourselves off, and move forward.”1
Find a Goal Buddy
Friend February 2021 “For Older Kids” Find a goal buddy! Share your goals with each other. Then you can ask how things are going and cheer each other on.
How to Reach Your Goal
Friend July 2023 “Good-Things Box” May made a good things box. Every day she take slips of paper and write the good things I did that day. It makes me feel good and helps me try to be better! Make your own good things box below.
Friend March 1985 “Reaching Your Goal”
For the Strength of Youth “February 2023 “When Working on Goals Gets Tough” Have you ever set a goal to start out the new year and felt super motivated to do it . . . for like one day? Here are some tips to help you stick to your goals!
Goals for the Future
Friend April 2016 “Your Future Home” Desires for the future can become reality. Story and lesson ideas.
Don’t Give Up
Friend June 2021 “Don’t Give Up” Resilience means not giving up, even when something is hard. It means trying again after you mess up or moving forward when bad things happen.
Track Your Progress
Friend October 2021 “For Older Kids”
Personal Development: Children’s Guidebook
Friend January 2020 “Growing Like Jesus”
Friend August 2023 “Growing Like Jesus with the Children and Youth Program”
Ensign January 2020 “Motivation the Rising Generation” Here are four ways to help your children set and achieve meaningful goals to grow as the Savior did.
Friend June 2021 ” For Older Kids” If you feel discouraged about reaching your goals, ask yourself these questions:
- Who can I ask for help?
- How can I take a small step toward my goal?
- What have I learned so far?
Friend June 2021 “Children and Youth Challenge” Do some activities from this board for the Children and Youth program! Can you cross off five in a row?
Friend January 2022 “What’s on Your Mind?” Setting a goal can help you learn and become more like Jesus. You could start by praying. Then write down any thoughts that come to mind. When you pick a goal, ask a parent or leader to help you make a plan.
Friend September 2023 “Taking Care of You”
Friend November 2022 “For Older Kids” (See photo at link)
I love making recipes from the Friend! One of my goals for the Children and Youth program is to learn how to cook. It’s very fun to follow the recipes and also very yummy. I am learning new cooking techniques. David A., age 9, Utah, USA
Friend February 2023 “The Most Important Things” What matters most in your life? In the boxes, draw pictures of things that are important to you and that help you grow to be more like Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Goals
Friend December 2022 “For Older Kids” Spiritual: “Write down three things you are thankful for. Try to write three new things each day” (Children’s Guidebook, 47).
Friend June 2022 “For Older Kids” Spiritual: “Sing with a family member. Notice how listening to good music makes you feel” (Children’s Guidebook, 49).
Physical Goals
Friend August 2022 “For Older Kids”
Friend December 2021 “For Older Kids” When you reach a goal, think about how you have improved. Write down what you have learned in your Children’s Guidebook or journal. How did your goal help you to be more like Jesus?
Social Goals
Friend October 2022 “The Friendship Party” Maya decides to help some kids, who recently moved in, feel welcome by having party and introducing them to other kids.
Friend October 2022 “Liv and Melanie’s Family Magazine” Liv made a goal to do family history. She and her sister decided to make their family history into a magazine. They interviewed family members whose birthdays were in July. In the August issue the theme was Father’s Day, so they interviewed all the fathers in their family. Creating a family history magazine has helped them get to know extended family members better. (See photos at link.)
For the Strength of Youth January 2023 Goal: Get to know the young women in her class better
“I may have known every young woman’s name in my ward, but I did not know who they were or what they liked. So I started one by one with each young woman, and for an introvert like me, I enjoyed how I found so many things we have in common. The more time I took to get to know them, the more I saw these beautiful young women the way Heavenly Father sees them.”
Blessings of Accomplishing Goals
Friend January 2023 “Finding My Talents” Fruean accomplished his goals and gained many new talents.
Friend May 2023 “Becoming Like Jesus”
Write below how you are becoming like Jesus Christ.
I am getting stronger by ________________________________________________.
I am getting smarter by ________________________________________________.
I am growing kinder by _________________________________________________.
I am growing my testimony by _________________________________________.
Someday I want to ____________________________________________________.
Friend February 2024 “My New Buddy” Sam makes a goal to make new friends so he joined a group called Peer Buddies. In Peer Buddies, fifth graders work with younger kids who have learning disabilities or delays. On the first day he had so much fun playing with one of the children. He was glad the Children and Youth goal helped him make a new friend.
Family Goals
Friend January 2023 “Come, Follow Me Activities: The True Light”
Story: Jesus Christ is sometimes called the “true Light” (John 1:9). The scriptures teach that we should keep His commandments and follow Him. Then we will have “power to become the sons [and daughters] of God” (John 1:12).
Song: “Jesus Is My True Light” (page 23)
Activity: Draw a picture of a goal you have. Have someone hide your picture somewhere in the room and turn off the lights. Now get a small light and shine it around the room. Can you find your picture now? Talk about how Jesus Christ can help you reach your goals.
Friend January 2023 “Find It” This family is doing the activity above for home evening. Can you find four pictures the family drew of their goals? Then find the other hidden objects.
