King Asa and King Jehoshaphat turn to the Lord when Judah is attacked
2 Chronicles Chapter 14 Asa reigns in Judah, rebuilds the cities, and defeats and plunders the Ethiopians, who attack Judah.
2 Chronicles Chapter 15 Azariah prophesies that Judah will prosper if the people keep the commandments—Asa does away with false worship in Judah—Many from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon migrate to Judah—The people covenant to serve the Lord and are blessed.
2 Chronicles Chapter 16 Asa employs Syria to defeat Israel—Hanani the seer reproves Asa for lack of faith—Asa suffers from disease and dies.
2 Chronicles Chapter 20 The Ammonites and others attack Judah—Jehoshaphat and all the people fast and pray—Jahaziel prophesies the deliverance of Judah—Judah’s attackers war among and destroy themselves.
To introduce the idea of trusting the Lord, you might show your children something you trust to keep you dry when it rains, like an umbrella or jacket. Let them talk about why we can trust these things. Then help them compare that to our trust in the Lord. Why do we trust Him to keep us safe spiritually?
You could help your children discover how King Asa and King Jehoshaphat responded to challenges by trusting in the Lord (see 2 Chronicles 14:11; 20:3–5, 12). Share with each other ways you can show the Lord that you trust Him.
Friend July 2018 “Allie’s New Class” Allie has to change kindergarten classes and she is worried, but she says a prayer, and she knows she can be brave because Heavenly Father will help her.
This week’s activity page can help your children understand the story of Jehoshaphat’s prayer and the Lord’s answer. You and your children could share times when God heard and answered your prayers. Consider including times when the answers came in ways or at times that you didn’t expect.
A song about prayer, such as “I Pray in Faith” (Children’s Songbook, 14), could help build your children’s faith.
King Uzziah
2 Chronicles Chapter 26 Uzziah reigns and prospers as long as he keeps the commandments—He transgresses, attempts to burn incense upon the altar, and is cursed with leprosy.
To learn about the dangers of pride, your children could build a tower with blocks or small cups. As they place each block or cup on the tower, help them identify one of Uzziah’s accomplishments from 2 Chronicles 26:3–15. After they finish the tower, discuss with your children how Uzziah could keep it tall and strong. What could make it fall? Then, as you read verse 16, you could talk about what it means to have our hearts “lifted up to [our] destruction.” Share with your children what happened to Uzziah in verses 16–23. Let them knock down their tower. Talk about what we can do to stay humble.
The Red Crystal See this site for these printable images to put on cups. Have children stack them as you tell or read the story, then knock it down after his heart became proud.
Definition of Pride: A inflated, high opinion of one’s own importance, merit, or superiority.
What is humility? A modest opinion of one’s own importance, rank, etc. Guide to the Scriptures: The condition of being meek and teachable. Humility includes recognizing our dependence upon God and desiring to submit to His will.
2 Chronicles Chapter 30 Hezekiah invites all Israel to a solemn Passover in Jerusalem—Some accept the call; others laugh him to scorn—The faithful Israelites worship the Lord in Jerusalem.
The picture above shows when Hezekiah invited Judah’s neighbors from the Kingdom of Israel to celebrate Passover with them. You could look at this image with your children and read 2 Chronicles 30:18–19, which explains that some of the guests had not washed themselves according to the law of Moses. What did Hezekiah do? How would this have made the guests feel? Help your children think of how they can be like Hezekiah in the way they treat others. You could also help you children discover ways President Dallin H. Oaks said we can be peacemakers in “Alive in Christ” (Liahona, May 2026, 86–87).
1 Samuel CHAPTER 17 Israel and the Philistines engage in war—Goliath of Gath, a giant, defies Israel and challenges any Israelite to personal combat—David goes against him in the name of the Lord—David slays Goliath with a sling and a stone—Israel defeats the Philistines.
Review the story of David and Goliath with the children (see “David and Goliath” in Old Testament Stories). Then you could let them retell the story using the pictures or line drawings in this outline. Ask them what they think the Lord wants them to learn from this story. (Or assign the children to draw pictures of different parts of the story in 1 Samuel 17:20–54. Display the pictures in order on the board, and invite the children to share the story by talking about each of the pictures they drew.)
Use this week’s activity page to show how tall Goliath might have been compared to a young boy like David. Explain that the army of Israel was afraid of Goliath. Ask the children to pretend to be scared. Then show a picture of Jesus Christ, and tell the children that because David had faith in the Lord, he could be brave. Ask them to stand up tall, like they are brave.
Invite the children to march like they are David going to fight Goliath while singing a song about being courageous, such as “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162).
You and your children could also make a list of some difficult challenges they (or others) might face during their life. Then help them find things David said that can help with these challenges (see 1 Samuel 17:26, 32, 34–37, 45–47). Share how Jesus Christ has helped you during challenges.
Activity: Make a square on the ground with chalk or tape. Write the name “Goliath” inside. Stand back and toss pebbles into the square. Every time your pebble lands in the square, name a way Heavenly Father helps you overcome big challenges.
Come Follow Me Kid Includes an activity where you knock over Goliath with marshmallows. Could use it to have the children name a way Heavenly Father helps them overcome big challenges.
Friend May 2019 “Bright Idea” Poster or handout that says “I can conquer giant problems” next to a giant like David slew.
Lesson 28: David and Goliath,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 120–24 To encourage each child to seek Heavenly Father’s help in overcoming obstacles.
Show the children a string or rope that you have cut to the length of 9 feet 9 inches (3 meters). You may want to attach it to the wall or ceiling or have children hold the two ends and pull it out to its full length so they can see how tall Goliath was. To help them visualize how much Goliath’s armor weighed, invite the children to volunteer their weights and see what combined weight would be close to the 150 pounds (67.5 kilos) that his armor is estimated to have weighed. Let the children describe how they would feel if they had to fight such an opponent.
Ask the children to choose “Goliaths,” or challenges, in their lives they would like to overcome and write them on the giant. Then have them think of ways to overcome their challenges, write them on pieces of paper, and cut these papers to look like stones. Explain that all challenges can’t be overcome, but if we ask Heavenly Father for his help, he will give us strength to cope with them. Encourage each child to choose a challenge that he or she can work on and to include faith and prayer as part of the solution.
Give the children a piece of paper, and ask them to write a trial or challenge children face today, such as immodest clothing, inappropriate media, and so on. (Younger children can draw pictures.) As the children share the trial, have them wrap the paper around a small rock and place it in the backpack. Pass the backpack to some of the children. Discuss ways Heavenly Father helps them with their trials. With each suggestion, remove several rocks. Pass the backpack again. Sing a song or hymn about the Savior. Explain that Jesus will always help us and comfort us.
1 Samuel CHAPTER 18 Jonathan loves David—Saul sets David over his armies—David is honored by the people, and Saul becomes jealous—David marries Michal, a daughter of Saul.
Give each child two paper hearts. Your children could then write or draw on their paper hearts how they can show love to a friend.
Friend August 2018 Find the words below that tell how we can share the Savior’s love with others.
Tell the children about a good friend who helps you live the gospel or build your faith in Jesus Christ, and invite the children to share who helps them. Invite the children to act out doing something nice for a friend.
Friend April 2017 “Be a Light” Color in the sun as you figure out someone to do certain things for as a true friend such as loving, forgiving, encouraging, etc.
Activity: Jonathan was happy for David after he beat Goliath. You can learn to show love to others like Jonathan did! Cut out the cards on page 43 and play the matching game with your family. Be kind to the winner—say things like, “Good game” or “Great job!”
Lesson 29: David and Jonathan,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 125–30 To help the children understand how to be a true friend.
DAVID SPARES SAUL’S LIFE
1 Samuel Chapter 24 David finds Saul in a cave and spares his life—Saul confesses that David is more righteous than he—David swears that he will not cut off the seed of Saul.
1Samuel Chapter 25 Samuel dies—Nabal rebuffs David and refuses to give him food—Abigail intercedes, saves Nabal, and gives David a present—David is pacified, Nabal dies, and David marries Abigail.
1 Samuel Chapter 26 David again spares Saul’s life—He again refuses to stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed—Saul and David separate.
Forgiveness is the sure path to peace and healing.
In 1 Samuel 24–26, look for lessons about pride, forgiveness, and self-control. “Spiritual poise blesses us to stay calm and focused on what matters most, especially when we are under pressure.”(“Christlike Poise”) How did David, Abigail, and others demonstrate—or fail to demonstrate—Christlike poise in these chapters? What opportunities do you have to show Christlike poise?
2 Samuel CHAPTER 5 All Israel anoints David king—He takes Jerusalem and is blessed of the Lord—He conquers the Philistines.
2 Samuel CHAPTER 6 David takes the ark to the city of David—Uzzah is smitten for steadying the ark and dies—David dances before the Lord, causing a breach between him and Michal.
2 Samuel CHAPTER 7 David offers to build a house for the Lord—The Lord, through Nathan, says He has not asked David to do so—The Lord will establish David’s house and kingdom forever—David offers a prayer of thanksgiving.
In these chapters, David became the king of Israel. It might be fun for your children to pretend to be a king or queen. What laws would they make? Where would they go for help? Help your children discover that when David needed help, he “inquired,” or prayed, for answers. For example, as you read 2 Samuel 5:19, 23, invite the children to listen for the word “inquired” and to fold their arms when they hear it. Why would David need the Lord’s help in his new role?
Tell each other about times when you prayed for Heavenly Father’s help. What difference did it make to have Him help you? Testify that we can always pray to Heavenly Father when we need help.
Friend November 2017 “Prayers and Pumpkins” Rachel loses her family during a pumpkin walk in Nauvoo. She prays for help and is inspired to talk to a missionary couple. The couple she finds turns out to be Elder Perry and his wife, and they helped her find her family.
Tell the children about a time when you prayed for Heavenly Father’s help. How did He answer your prayer? What difference did it make to have Him help you? Invite the children to share their experiences.
Moses 1 God reveals Himself to Moses—Moses is transfigured—He is confronted by Satan—Moses sees many inhabited worlds—Worlds without number were created by the Son—God’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Abraham 3 Abraham learns about the sun, moon, and stars by means of the Urim and Thummim—The Lord reveals to him the eternal nature of spirits—He learns of pre-earth life, foreordination, the Creation, the choosing of a Redeemer, and the second estate of man.
I Lived with Heavenly Father Before I Was Born.
I lived as a spirit before I was born on earth.
The term intelligences can be used to describe the spirit children of God. It can also describe “the spirit element that existed before we were begotten as spirit children.” Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “Prophets have revealed that we first existed as intelligences and that we were given form, or spirit bodies, by God, thus becoming His spirit children—sons and daughters of heavenly parents.” Scripture Helps: Old Testament “Moses 1; Abraham 3”
Knowing about our premortal life can inspire your children to make choices based on eternal truths. To help them learn about it, you could give them some key words and phrases to find in Abraham 3:22–28, like “before the world was,” “spirits,” “make an earth,” and “prove.” What do these verses teach us about why Heavenly Father sent us to earth?
A song like “I Will Follow God’s Plan” (Children’s Songbook, 164–65) could reinforce what Abraham 3 teaches. Maybe you could invite your children to draw pictures that go with the words.
Help your children think of situations in which they have to choose whether or not to do what God has asked them to (see Abraham 3:25; see also For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices). Let them practice possible responses to these situations. How can the Savior help us when we make a wrong choice?
After you read together God’s message to Moses in Moses 1:4, consider letting your children look at their reflection in a mirror and giving themselves a similar message: “I am a child of God.” Then they could give the same message to each other: “You are a child of God.”
Share with each other why you are glad to know you are children of God. How does this knowledge change the way you treat yourselves and others?
Friend May 2021 “A Birthday Crown” Wyatt wonders if he is special because he gets to wear a birthday crown on his birthday. His father tells him he is special because he is a child of God and that everyone else is too. When a girl was afraid to go down the slide, Wyatt remembered that everyone is special to Heavenly Father and he encouraged her and praised her.
You and your children could compare God’s message to Moses in Moses 1:4 with Satan’s message in verse 12. How can you help your children distinguish between God’s messages to them and Satan’s?
Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3) with the children. Let them color this week’s activity page, and use it to review the truths this song teaches.
We lived in Heaven: (Click on the below picture. Print the picture, or show it on an electronic device.) Explain that before we were born on earth we lived in heaven with Heavenly Father.
We were spirits there. A spirit is what is inside of us that makes us alive. When we were spirits, we didn’t have flesh and bones like our bodies have now, but we looked the same.
(Use these puppets to demonstrate what it means to be a spirit. See here for assembly instructions.)
Show the first picture again and explain that Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, and we are his spirit children
Sing: I Am a Child of God.Tell the children they are going to sing the song “I Am a Child of God.” Explain that God is another name for Heavenly Father. (I like the Red Headed Hostess visual aids for the first verse of this song, but it does cost money. Jolly Jen has a flip chart that would work too, or you could use the below visual s from the Nursery Manual. Also see churchofjesuschrist.org/study for the music)
Who is a child of God? Toss a beanbag or soft object to a child as you say the words “I know a child of God named_____ .” Have the child say his or her own name and give the beanbag back to you. Repeat the activity until everyone has had a turn.
Print and cut out this activity. Show the pictures one at a time and ask the following:
Is a policeman a child of God?
Is a grandmother or grandfather
Is a bishop
Is a soldier
Is a mailman or missionaries
Is a mom or dad
Is someone who doesn’t go to our church
Is someone who lives in a different country or culture
Have the children take turns posting each picture under the title “Child of God.” The title can be written on the board or in a file folder or display board. You can also bring up people they know such as a neighbor.
Help the children understand that everyone is a child of God even though we may be different in age, hair color, what we do, where we live, skin color, or the church we attend, we are all children of God.
We can be like Heavenly Father
(Print and cut out these images pdf.) Use the following questions with the images. They could also be made into a matching game.
What is a baby dog called?
What will that puppy grow up to be?
What is a baby chicken called?
What will that chick grow up to be?
Explain that just as animals grow up to be like their parents, we will grow up to be like our parents.
Friend January 2017 “Kylie’s Parents” Kylie is like her earthly parents, and she is also like her Heavenly Parents. PDF version
Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, so we can grow to be like him. Heavenly Father is loving, good, and kind. When we are loving, good, and kind, we are being like Heavenly Father. We should try to become more like Heavenly Father every day.
Have children tell or act out ways they can be loving, good, or kind.
(The images for the activity “Who is a Child of God?” are from the Friend magazine. Soldier 6/16, Bishop 1/16, etc.The images for the animals are from Pixabay: Free Images)
Show the children pictures of some of Heavenly Father’s many creations. Read Moses 1:30, and explain that Moses asked God about the purpose of these creations. Help the children search in verse 39 to find God’s answer. Teach them that Heavenly Father’s work is to help us gain eternal life, which means becoming like Him and living with Him again.
Invite a parent to come to class and talk about how he or she feels when a child returns home after being away (for example, at school or on a mission), or share feelings you’ve had during these experiences. Use this example to teach the children how much Heavenly Father wants us to return to Him.
Summarize Moses’s experience in Moses 1:12–26 in your own words, or ask one of the children to do so (see also the video “I Am a Son of God” [ChurchofJesusChrist.org]). Invite the children to search these verses (verses 13, 15, 18, 20–22, 26) to learn how Moses was able to overcome Satan. (Remember you are a son or daughter of God, listen to the Spirit, think of Jesus, and pray for strength.)
It might be fun for them to act out things they can do to resist temptation (such as praying, walking away, or asking for help). Or bring a box of tools (or pictures of tools), and help them label each tool with a way we can resist temptation (such as praying, singing a hymn, reading the scriptures, or serving others). Let each child pick a tool and talk about a situation when the action written on that tool’s label could help us resist temptation. Read together verses 25–26, and testify that God will help us when we face temptation.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.
As you read Moses 1:6 with your children, you might talk to them about the “work” God had for Moses. Consider using the Gospel Art Book, nos. 13–16, or Old Testament Stories, pages 64–84, to help your children see what Moses accomplished with Heavenly Father’s help. What is the work God has for us to do? (see, for example, Doctrine and Covenants 11:20).
“Foreordination does not guarantee that individuals will receive certain callings or responsibilities. Such opportunities come in this life as a result of the righteous exercise of agency, just as foreordination came as a result of righteousness in the premortal existence. …
“The doctrine of foreordination applies to all members of the Church, not just to the Savior and His prophets. Before the creation of the earth, faithful women were given certain responsibilities and faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood duties. As people prove themselves worthy, they will be given opportunities to fulfill the assignments they then receive.”
Read and discuss Abraham 3:23 with the children. What kinds of things might we have been chosen to do on earth? Explain that we are free to choose what we will do in this life, but each of us has been foreordained to do an important work on the earth.
