Friend January 2021 “Goals and Growing Up” Thinking about some things learned in the past, what want to learn in the future, how to accomplish it, and then visualizing accomplishing the goal.
Friend April 2021 “Growing Tall and Strong” You are like a tree, growing taller and stronger every day! On the roots, draw or write the names of people, places, and things that help you feel loved. On the branches and trunk, draw pictures or write words that describe the kind of person you want to become.
Friend October 2020 “Funstuff: Find It” Antonio set a goal using his Children’s Guidebook to learn how to paint. His Primary class wants to learn with him! Find 12 jars of orange paint and 19 pumpkins.
Friend January 2020 “Food and Fun: Inspiration Board” Cut out pictures and words related to goals you would like to set or have set in your Children’s Guidebook. Glue the pictures and words to a poster board or large paper and hang it up to remind you of your goals.
Friend March 2020 “Funstuff” Juana set a goal to learn to play soccer. Now learn to draw yourself playing soccer! Change the hair style and clothing to look like you.
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?
Friend February 2022 “Goals for Baptism” After hearing about the Children and Youth program, Zoe set a goal to read the Book of Mormon before her baptism. As she read, she wanted to do more good things, so she joined the world wide fast about Covid, and she prayed and fasted for a testimony.
Friend July 2021 “A Dream for Dieter” When he was a boy, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf loved airplanes and wanted to be a pilot someday. But Dieter’s family were refugees and poor so sometimes he felt like his dream was impossible. He worked hard and had faith and was able to attain his dream of being a pilot.
Friend June 2021 “Baking Bread for My Mission” Taylor set a goal to bake bread to sell and earn money for his mission. It was hard work. He had to get up at six to make the dough, he had to clean the cooking equipment, then he had to bag the bread and deliver it to people he didn’t know. He learned skills for his mission such as learning to work hard and talk to people.
Friend April 2021 “I Played a Hymn!” Raihau set a goal to play the piano in sacrament meeting. He worked hard to learn a song, then Covid hit. His family had sacrament meeting at home and he played the piano, so he accomplished his goal.
Friend March 2021 “A Piano for Prophet” A boy named prophet set two goals: first, learn how to play the piano, and second, teach others how to play. Several people became interested in learning more about the church as they learned how to play using the Primary songs. (Link includes a Video of the story.)
Friend February 2021 “The Play” James set a goal to put on a scripture story play each week with his brother. Their little brother wanted be in it too. James was kind and gave him the part of playing a lion.
Friend August 2020 “Growing with Good Goals” Four short stories about children who set goals. One to learn to read better, one to feed the hungry, one to teach other kids how to play the piano, and one to share the gospel using the Friend magazine. Each story has a photo of the child.
Friend June 2020 “My Cooking Goal” Fernanda wanted to get better at cooking so she set a goal in her Children’s Guidebook to cook with her dad. Now she loves cooking. She knows Heavenly Father helped her with her goal because He wants her to grow her talents. (photos included in this true story)
Friend January 2020 “A Little Better Every Day” When Sister Joy D. Jones (Primary general president) was young she played the violin. She wanted it to sound pretty, but it squeaked. If she practiced, it sounded better. She made goals to practice a little each day. She encourages children to set goals (such as in the Personal Development: Children’s Guidebook) to learn a little more each day. She says, “Don’t give up. Jesus will help you.”
Friend August 2022 “Ready to Ride” Quade doesn’t know how to ride a bike, but he wants to learn so he can ride with his friends. The only problem is that the wobbly bike is very scary. He says a prayer asking for help. After several more attempts, he is riding without help. He keeps practicing and soon he is able to ride with his friends.
Friend October 2024 “Better Every Day” Heber sets goals to prepare to go to the temple, read scriptures, help friends, practice karate and soccer, and learn English.
Friend November 2024 “My Temple Sketchbook” Brayden made a goal to draw all the temples. It has helped his brothers love the temple more. It has also helped him find his interests. He discovered he loves to design and wants to be an architect some day. It has also help him feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus. Whenever he draws a temple, he feels the Spirit.
Goals Help Us Gain Skills
Friend April 2024 “Breakfast is Ready” For a goal in the Children’s Guidebook, David asked his father to help teach him to cook. After much practice with his father he was able to make breakfast for the family of cut up fruit, pancakes, and bacon.
Family Goals
Friend January 2021 “Our Book of Mormon Goal” At Christmas, Mattea’s family all wrote down things that we were going to give Christ for the next year. Mattea’s grandma said she was going to read the Book of Mormon in four months. She had not gone to church since she was nine. All of Mattea’s aunts, uncles, and most of her cousins decided to read the Book of Mormon with her.
It’s Important to Try Your Best
Even if Fail
Friend January 2020 “Try Pie” Eliza tried out for volleyball team. She had practiced and prepared, but she didn’t make it. She wanted to hide in her bedroom, but her mom made her favorite, Key Lime Pie. Eliza asked why they were having dessert, and her father told her, “Part of learning new things means not always succeeding. That can be scary. But the important thing is you still tried.” Her parents were proud of her for trying something hard, and they thought that was worth celebrating with pie!
Friend January 2024 “The Reading Goal” Anders had dyslexia, and it made it difficult for him follow along or read during family scripture study because his brain mixed up words and letters. He decided to set a goal to read one scripture verse out loud each day. At first he did it in his room so no one could hear him. He didn’t think he was getting any better, but his teacher at school noticed how much he was improving. He realized the words were easier to understand. That night he read a verse out loud during family scripture study. Everyone was so happy for him, and he was proud of himself.
Friend October 2023 “Tashi’s Test” Tashi was having problems learning a language at school. His mom suggested that he set a goal to work on it and pulled out Tashi’s Children’s Guidebook. Every day he worked on it, and even he got extra help from teachers. Tashi felt proud of himself for working hard, and he also felt really good when he took his exams.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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).
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?
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.)
“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.”
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.
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.
