Friend November 2018 “Matt and Mandy” A regular meal turns into a Thanksgiving type meal when the family expresses things they are grateful for.
Friend November 2018 “Count Your Blessings” Jacy can’t sleep. Her father comes in when he hears her crying. He suggests that she sing a song and then count her blessings. Thinking about her blessings helps her relax and sleep.
Friend June 2024 “Count Your Blessings” Arkin and his dad happily sang “Count Your Blessings” as they sold smoked fish so they would have enough money to pay for a ride to church on Sunday, a two hour walk away. They happily sang more hymns as they walked two hours to the church to clean it on Saturday. Arkin’s family didn’t have much, but his heart felt joyful and thankful as he thought of all his blessings.
Friend November 2017 “The Blessing Fish” A family learns the story of the disciples that caught a net full of fish after Jesus told them where to cast their nets. The children realize that the fish are a blessing to Peter’s family. They talk about the blessings their family has been given.
Friend November 2017 “Sincerely, Maisy: A Muddy Thanksgiving” Maisy feels she has a lot to be grateful for after helping a family at Thanksgiving whose house was being flooded.
Gratitude Jar
Friend November 2020 “The Thankful Jar” At school, the kids got to say one thing they were thankful for and put it in a jar. Henry couldn’t think of just one, so he wanted to make a thankful jar at home and fill it up.
Gratitude Journal
Friend November 2020 “Matt and Mandy Matt and Mandy wonder how the people in the Book of Mormon kept getting wicked again and again after they were blessed so much. They decided to write a gratitude journal so they wouldn’t forget all their blessings.
Friend March 2017 “Raining!” Rain makes the earth clean and beautiful. Water helps us in many ways.
Friend March 2017Friend March 2017
Gratitude During Adversity (seeing blessings)
Friend November 2020 “120 Happy People” A family does a service project every year on the birthday of their baby who died because serving helps them feel thankful for what they have, and when they feel thankful, then happiness replaces the sad feelings. For this years project they decide to thank you notes to people every day and help 120 people feel happy.
Friend November 2020
Friend November 2019 “Matt and Mandy” Matt broke his arm and had to have surgery. He keeps his sense of humor through the whole ordeal. At Thanksgiving he shares all the things he is grateful for in regards to what happened to his arm; he’s grateful for doctors, priesthood blessings, learning to do hard things, that his injury wasn’t worse, etc.
Friend November 2019 “Searching for Sir Crunch-a-Lot” Mackenzie’s family shop at the bishop’s storehouse for their food because they don’t have much money after her dad lost his job. Mackenzie wishes she didn’t have to eat boring food like granola instead of her favorite cereal brand, and sandwiches instead of pizza at school. But then she finds out that a friend sitting next to her isn’t eating lunch because she is fasting for a family member. Mackenzie realizes how hard it must be to fast, and she is grateful for all the people who fast and give fast offerings so she and her family don’t go hungry. (Refreshment Idea: Friend November 2019 “Family Night Fun: Gratitude Granola” Have family members say something they’re grateful for as they add each ingredient!
Friend November 2019Friend November 2019
Friend November 2016 “Pie-crust Cabins” When Robbin’s great grandmother was young, her family didn’t have much at Thanksgiving, so they made pie crust cabins with what they had to remind them of their blessings. It became a family tradition.
Friend November 2016
Friend October 2017 “Bread and Gratitude” A man at a restaurant always find some fault in the meal no matter what the waiter provides. “As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to “thank the Lord [our] God in all things” (D&C 59:7). If we focus on the blessings we think we are missing, it can make us unhappy.“
Friend October 2017 “Bread and Gratitude” Fill in the blank story about a boy who has a terrible day, but after a dream he realizes he is grateful for all those things that had been difficult the day before.
Friend March 1987 “Fruit for Hernando” Hernando and his family has very little, but he realizes they are blessed.
Friend Nov. 1985 “Something of Value” After her father loses his job, Janie learns that there are more important things than possessions and that she has many blessings.
Friend Nov. 2015 “Sweeter then Pie” Tally gets sick before her school party, but she has good friends that remember her.
Friend May 2019 “The Gratitude Goal” Kate’s favorite scripture story was the story of the ten lepers. She couldn’t believe that out of the ten people Jesus healed, only one said thank you! She’d made it a goal ever since to always say thank you, even when she was stressed and worried about such things as making the soccer team.
Friend July 2018 “Thank You!” Action rhyme about remembering to say thank you when someone helps you.
Friend June 2023 “The Kindness Coin” Nina gave her neighbor free lemonade at her stand as a thank you for all the help he had given to her family. Her neighbor was so kind though that he put it on the porch for her to find. Nina and her neighbor went back and forth finding places to put the coin at each other’s houses. It was a fun game. But then the neighbor had the coin made into a necklace for Nina.
Friend June 2023 “The Kindness Coin” Nina gave her neighbor free lemonade at her stand as a thank you for all the help he had given to her family. Her neighbor was so kind though that he put it on the porch for her to find. Nina and her neighbor went back and forth finding places to put the coin at each other’s houses. It was a fun game. But then the neighbor had the coin made into a necklace for Nina.
Friend February 2018 “Grateful Gifts” A man in Alice’s ward gives her and her sister a flute as a thank you for playing the piano for Sacrament meetings. Alice loves the gift and learns a song to play for the man to show her appreciation.(Article includes photos of the people and of the special flute)
Friend September 2015 “Sister Pettigrew’s Lesson” – link includes thank you note to write to teacher
Blessing of Freedom
Friend July 1988 “Grandpa Max’s Flag” Scott’s grandfather puts up a US flag everyday because he immigrated from a country where the people didn’t have freedom; they were taxed and imprisoned unfairly or forced to join the military.
Friend July 1988Friend July 1988Friend July 1988Friend July 1988
Read Moses 3:2–3, and ask the children to listen for what God did on the seventh day. Bring pictures (or make simple drawings) of things we do on Sunday to make it a holy day and things we do on other days. Let the children sort the pictures into two piles, one for Sunday and one for other days. Testify of why it is important to keep the Sabbath day holy.
A few days before class, invite one of the children and his or her parents to come prepared to share things they do in their family to keep the Sabbath day holy. Invite the other children to share what their families do.
How does keeping the Sabbath day holy show our love and respect for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Help the children role-play scenarios in which they explain to a friend why they choose to do things on Sunday that honor Heavenly Father and Jesus. Suggest that they use Genesis 2:2–3 in their explanations.
Give the children a few minutes to write a list of as many things as they can think of that they can do to make the Sabbath a holy day. Invite the children to share their lists, and encourage them to add to their lists as others share suggestions they didn’t think of. Suggest that the children take the lists home with them and refer to them when they need ideas of good things to do on the Sabbath.
Bring pictures or objects that depict good things we can do on Sunday to worship the Lord and find joy. Some ideas are found in Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–12 and “Sabbath Day Observance” (For the Strength of Youth, 30–31). For example, to represent the sacrament, you could show picture 108 in the Gospel Art Book or a sacrament cup and a piece of bread. How does each of these things help us be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath?
Complete this week’s activity page with the children to give them ideas to make the Sabbath a holy day.
The Lord said that observing the Sabbath helps us “keep [ourselves] unspotted from the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9). How can you help the children you teach honor the Sabbath and make it a sign of their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16 in pairs, and ask each pair to write down something they learn about the Sabbath day from each verse. After several minutes, ask each pair to share with the class what they wrote. What will we do differently on the Sabbath because of what we learned?
Prepare a simple matching game in which the children match phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16 to the correct verse. Choose phrases that teach what the Lord wants us to do on the Sabbath. Discuss what these phrases teach us about the Lord’s day and how we can come closer to Him.
The Sabbath day is “the Lord’s day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:12)—a day to show that we remember the many works of the Lord as we worship Him (see Bible Dictionary, “Sabbath”). Help the children ponder these works by inviting them to read the following scripture passages and showing them related pictures: Genesis 2:1–3(see Gospel Art Book, no. 3); John 20:1–19 (see Gospel Art Book, no. 59). What other mighty works of the Lord can we remember on the Sabbath? What else do we learn about the Sabbath from Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–16?
Honoring the Sabbath is a Sign of My Love for the Lord.
Draw a heart on the board, and ask the children what this symbol can mean. Help them think of other things that can be a sign for love, like a hug or an act of service. Read to them Exodus 31:13. Help them understand that when we keep the Sabbath day holy, it is a sign to the Lord that we love Him.
Tell the children about some of the ways you try to show your love for the Lord on the Sabbath. Let them share how they and their families do this. Invite them to use this week’s activity page to share more ideas.
Ask the children a few questions to help them understand what a sign is—for example, “What signs let you know that spring is coming or that you’re getting a cold?” Invite them to read Exodus 31:13, 16–17 and find the word “sign.” What did the Lord say is a sign between us and Him? Why is this sign so important?
Sign definition: Something indicating the presence or existence of something else (Mirriam Webster Thesaurus)
Invite the children to take turns explaining why they choose to honor the Sabbath. Videos like “The Sabbath Is for You” or “Upon My Holy Day—Honoring the Sabbath” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) can help.
Invite the children to write down all the things they can think of that they can do on Sunday to show the Lord that they love Him. Encourage them to share a few things from their lists. Invite them to take their lists home, share them with their families, and refer to them whenever they need ideas about what to do on the Sabbath day.
After reading these verses, perhaps your family could discuss President Russell M. Nelson’s question about our behavior on the Sabbath: “What sign will you give to the Lord to show your love for Him?” (“The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 130). Your family could make some signs to place around your home to remind you how you will show love for the Lord on the Sabbath. (See also the video collection “Sabbath Day—At Home” [ChurchofJesusChrist.org].)
Ask the children to repeat the phrase “Call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord” (Isaiah 58:13) several times. Explain that “delight” means something that brings us joy. Ask the children to share some things that bring them joy. Testify that the Lord gave us the Sabbath day because He wants us to have joy. Tell the children why the Sabbath is a delight to you.
Read to the children from Isaiah 58:14: “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.” Explain to the children that the Sabbath is a special day—a time when we can think about the things Heavenly Father and Jesus did to help us be happy. Help the children think of things they can do on the Sabbath to remember Heavenly Father and Jesus. Invite them to draw their ideas and share their pictures with one another and their families.
What is the difference between “finding [our] own pleasure” and finding “delight … in the Lord” on the Sabbath? How can we make the Sabbath “a delight”?
Read Matthew 12:10–13 out loud. Invite the children to stand up and sit down every time you say “Sabbath,” and repeat with them the phrase “It is [right] to do well on the sabbath days” (Matthew 12:12). What do they think that means?
Calendar Activity: Show a calendar to the children, and highlight the Sabbath day for them. What do we do on other days of the week? What can we do on the Sabbath to make it different from other days? (see Isaiah 58:13–14).
Print and cut out the images. Have the children take turns putting the things that fulfill the purposes of the Sabbath on the Sunday squares and put the other things on one of the weekday squares. Before deciding where a picture goes, ask the following question: “Does it bring me closer to Heavenly Father, increase my spiritual strength, or rest my body?” As you do the activity, pay attention to all the days on the calendar that the family has to do their work, sports, and recreation, and notice that there is only one day a week that we are to set aside as a holy day of worship.
Ask the children to draw good things they can do on the Sabbath day (see this week’s activity page).
Invite the children to come up with actions to help them remember ways we get ready for the Sabbath as they sing the song “Saturday” (Children’s Songbook, 196).
Draw eyes, ears, a mouth, and hands on the chalkboard. Ask the children to tell you what each of these parts of our bodies can do to keep the Sabbath day holy.
www.clipartengine.com
Friend July 2024 “The Scripture Theater” Jenna and Johnny were bored so they decided to get the Sunday Box out. They played the scripture hero matching game first and then they got some costumes out of the box and acted out one of our favorite scripture stories. They invited the other family members to see their play. They discovered Sunday is fun and is a special day.
Friend July 2024 “Sunday Activities” Toss a small item, like a bean or a coin, onto the page. Then do the activity it lands on. When you’re done, try it again! Keep going until you get four in a row.
The Sabbath is a day to do good things that bring me closer to God.
Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 In their zeal to keep the Sabbath day holy, the Pharisees had implemented strict rules and man-made traditions, which eventually clouded their understanding of the true purpose of the Sabbath.
“What did the Savior mean when He said that “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath”? [ Mark 2:27 ]. I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite [or relief] from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 129)
Watch the video “Share Your Sabbath” (0:53), which shares several ways to “do good” on the Sabbath day.
Invite a child to pretend to be the man whose hand was healed by the Savior (see Matthew 12:10–13). Another child could ask him or her questions about the experience.
Read together Matthew 12:12. What are some good things we can do on the Sabbath? Let the children draw their ideas on this week’s activity page, cut out the pieces, and take turns putting each other’s puzzles together.
What are some of your favorite ways to come closer to Jesus Christ on Sunday?
Hide several pictures of people doing things that show love for Heavenly Father on the Sabbath day. Ask the children to find the pictures and share how doing the things in the pictures shows our love for God.
Additional Resources:
Sabbath Music
Friend August 2017 “Family Night Fun” Music can affect our mood and our ability to feel the Spirit.
Ensign March 2017 “Helping Children Delight in the Sabbath” Lots of wonderful ideas of fun things to do with children on the Sabbath.
Friend August 2017 Have the children make a notebook of their favorite stories and activities from the Friend magazine.
Friend August 2017 “To make the Sabbath day special, we make scripture scenes from our toys. We made Moses standing on Mount Sinai while the Israelites worshipped a golden calf.” Nathan, Ryan, and Paul
Play a conference talk while other things are making noise such as appliances, tv, radio, etc. In order to hear the conference talk the first thing they will have to do is to turn off all the competing noises. That is why Heavenly Father has given us the Sabbath day—so we can turn off competing influences and listen to the Spirit.
Strengthen Family Relationships: Play “Spin the Family Bottle.” This requires a large, empty soda pop bottle. The family sits in a circle. Someone spins the bottle on the floor, then tells what he or she likes about the person to whom it points. Next, that person spins the bottle and the process is repeated.
Object Lesson: Use a pitcher of water, a bowl, and a cup to illustrate how we might become spiritually filled. Pour water from the pitcher into the cup, explaining that as we attend our Church meetings, worship, and keep the Sabbath day holy, we are filled with the spirit of the Lord. During the week we are involved in activities that may drain our spiritual reserves. Name several possibilities, such as school, chores, sports, friends, a disagreement with a family member, or making a wrong choice, as you pour water from the cup into the bowl. On the Sabbath day we can become spiritually filled and refreshed again. (Primary 6 Manual: Lesson 20)
Friend April 2017 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas for helping your little ones have a holy Sabbath Day.
Friend January 2018 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas for helping your little ones have a holy Sabbath Day.
Friend January 2016 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas for attending church with little ones.
Friend December 2023 “The First Christmas” Make your own Nativity scene! Cut out each picture. Then glue or tape the pictures inside a small box or on a piece of cardboard.
Friend December 1988 “Sharing Time: Two Witnesses of Jesus Birth” Read the skit as the silhouettes are pressed against a backlit piece of fabric or sheet. (Book of Mormon & Bible tell of Jesus’ birth.)
Friend December 2019 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy and her friend Jazzmine want their families to do a nativity pageant together. Jazzmine’s grandparents want to play Simeon and Anna who recognized Jesus at the temple the same way we can recognize him in our lives, through the Holy Ghost.
Friend December 2017 “Skyler’s Nativity” Skyler helps with the nativity play. Also, count how many stars are in the sky.
Friend December 2020 “Christmas Play” After Mark and his siblings hear the story of Jesus’s birth, they dress up and act it out. (Circle the things Mark and Sarah could use for their play!)
Item needed: A flannel board or carpet board, sticky-back hook Velcro, and scriptures for each child. Also print the Primary manual cutouts onto white cardstock.
Cut out the pictures and stick a small piece of hook Velcro onto the back of each cutout. The Velcro will make the cutouts stick to the flannel board or carpet board.
Place the cutouts face up on a table or tape them to the walls around the room.
Scripture Story
Read or tell the following story:
Jesus loved, served, and taught the Jewish people while he was on the earth, but there were some Jewish leaders who opposed him. They were upset that people were following Jesus instead of them, so they illegally had him tried and sentenced to death.
(Have the children read Luke 23:33 and then have a child pick the picture that matches the scripture and put it on the flannel board.) Explain that to crucify means to nail or tie a person’s hands and feet to a cross and leaving that person to die.
Jesus was placed on the cross sometime before noon on Friday. At noon the sun was hidden from view, and darkness spread over the land for three hours. Those who were watching in the darkness heard Jesus cry out, “It is finished.” His suffering had ended. He bowed his head and died.
After Jesus died on the cross what happened to his spirit? (Read Luke 23:46) When Jesus died, his spirit left his body and went to the spirit world (Read D&C 138: 11-12, 16, 18, 36)
How do you think his friends and disciples felt after Jesus was crucified? After he died, Jesus’ friends and disciples carefully removed his body from the cross. They wrapped his body in fine linen cloth and with spices, as was the custom in those days. (Take off crucifixion cutout and have a child find and put up matching picture- the wrapping of Jesus’ body)
The Savior’s friends placed his body in a tomb. A tomb is a small room, often carved out of a large rock, in which people can be buried. The newly hewn tomb Jesus’ body was placed in belonged to a rich man named Joseph of Arimathaea. He was a follower of Jesus. (Take off cutout of wrapping the body and have a child find and put up the picture of the tomb.)
Jesus was placed in the tomb on Friday evening because Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath and burying people on that day was not allowed. A large stone was rolled over the mouth of the tomb doorway. (Have a child find and put the large stone cutout on tomb opening)
After Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, the chief priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They remembered that Jesus had said that after three days he would rise again. They asked Pilate to have the sepulcher guarded against his disciples coming in the night and stealing the body away. They did not believe Jesus would be resurrected. They thought Jesus’ friends would hide his body and say he was alive again. The stone was sealed and guards were set to watch. (Have a child find the cutout of the guards and put it on the flannel board.)
The Sabbath was a long, sad day for his followers. Early on the third day after his death, which was Sunday, an angel (the Joseph Smith translation says it was two angels) came down from heaven and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb. (Have a child find the cutout of the angel and put it on the flannel board and then move the stone to one side.) The guards were afraid and shook and fell as dead men. (Lay down the soldier cutout)
Some women had wanted to put special ointments on Jesus body to prepare it for burial, but they didn’t have time before the Sabbath, so they came back as soon as the Sabbath was over to finish preparing his body. (Have a child find and put up cutout of women with ointments, off to one side, and take off the soldier cutout.)
As the women walked to the sepulcher they wondered how they would move the heavy stone from the tomb. (Put the cutout of the women close to the tomb) But when they arrived at the tomb they saw that the stone had been rolled away. The tomb was empty. Jesus’ body was gone. The women saw the angels, who told them not to be afraid. (Read Matthew 28:5-6) When the angel said, “He is risen,” he was telling the women that Jesus Christ had been resurrected. (Hold up cutout of Jesus Resurrected)
Items needed: Two tan or light brown felt squares, a piece of heavy iron-on interfacing 6”x15” and a 8”X16” piece of a soft silky white fabric. Print the Puppet Patterns.
Instructions: Put the two pieces of felt together and pin the puppet pattern onto it. Cut out the puppet. Fold the white fabric in half and pin the puppet pattern to it and cut it out. Put the two puppet pieces of felt together and stitch around ¼ of an inch from the edge. Leave the bottom of the puppet open where the hand goes. Next put the two puppet pieces of white fabric together so that the wrong side of the fabric is facing out. Stitch ¼ inch around the edges (leaving the bottom open). Zig zag (or serge) around the edge if it needs extra reinforcing. Turn the white fabric puppet inside out so that the right side is facing out.
Place the boy patterns under the interfacing and trace the pictures onto the interfacing. (Note: Some printers can print the puppets directly onto the interfacing.) Color the interfacing figures with permanent markers and crayons. (Keep the robes white on the one boy figure) Cut out around the edges of the boy figures. Place the boy with robes onto the white fabric puppet and the other boy on the felt puppet so that the adhesive side of the interfacing is facing down against the fabric. Put paper over the puppets and interfacing and with a medium to hot iron, adhere the interfacing to the puppet.
Lesson
What does it mean to be resurrected? When Jesus was resurrected, his spirit came back into his body. He was alive again, but his body was changed. He still had a body of flesh and bones, but his body was perfected and would never die again. His body was immortal.
When Jesus was resurrected it was the first time anyone on earth had been resurrected. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, all people who have lived, or who ever will live on earth, will be resurrected. We will live again after we die, and our bodies will be immortal. He made this possible for us because he loves us.
Puppet Object Lesson:
(Put the white robbed puppet on your hand, or on the hand of one of the children.) When we lived with Heavenly Father before we were born we were called spirits. This white puppet represents the spirit, which lived in the pre-earth life with Heavenly Father. We could move (move the fingers) and think and learn.
When we came to live on earth and were born, we were given earthly bodies. (Put the felt puppet over the white fabric puppet) The spirit and the body were temporarily joined together, and the spirit gave the body life. (Move fingers)
When we die, the spirit and the body separate (take off the felt puppet, being careful not to take off the white puppet at the same time). The body can no longer move (indicate the empty felt puppet), but the spirit is still alive (move fingers) and goes to the spirit world to wait for the resurrection.
(Put the felt puppet back over the white fabric puppet) When we are resurrected, the spirit and body are reunited and the body becomes perfect. We become immortal which means that the spirit and body will never be separated again.
Take this quiz to think about how you can be honest with yourself and others.
Lying
Friend September 2019 “The Shaving Mistake” When Elder Allen D. Haynie was nine years old he thought he could grow a mustache if he shaved, so he used his father’s razor for several days. One day his father saw him shaving and warned him not to do that because he could get cut. He disobeyed and did it again. The razor slipped and cut above his lip. He lied to his father about what happened and felt terrible, so he told his father the truth. He learned to tell the truth from that experience. (Activity: Use the code to fill in the blanks with the right letters. It makes the message “I can be brave by telling the truth.”)
Friend September 2024 “Margo and Paolo” Margo and Paolo drop the lemonade and they blame it on their bird. But then they confess that it was their fault. They fix it by cleaning it up and making more.
Not Charged Enough
Deciding to Be Honest
Friend August 2020 “How Do You Spell Honesty” When Elder Timothy J. Dyches was in six grade he hadn’t missed a spelling word all year long. If he kept getting perfect scores, I would receive an award for spelling at the end of the year. Then he noticed that he had missed a word on a spelling test that was incorrectly graded. He was honest and told his teacher about it.
Friend July 2019 “Score One for Honesty” Eli needed to practice his throwing because he had a football game coming up, but it was raining outside. Even though it was against the rules, he decided to practice inside with his brother while his mom was at the store. But disaster strikes when one of his throws hits the shelf with his mother’s fancy dishes on it. He tries to fix the broken dishes but it doesn’t work. He thinks about hiding what happened, but he decides to be honest and tell the truth so he can honor his priesthood.
Friend July 2019
Friend July 2019
Friend April 2019 “Sweet Honesty” Trying to get a taste of sugar, Arlen accidentally knocks the sugar jar off a high shelf when she is left in charge of the house. She considers not telling her mom that she spilled all the sugar, but decides to be honest.
Friend March 2019 “Being Honest is Best” Verity’s name means truth. She feels good when she is honest and truthful. (Activity: Circle the letters used to spell TRUTH in the picture below. Then practice writing the word TRUTH.)
Friend September 2018 “Stickers Everywhere” Carey found a package of stickers in a bag on the counter and opened them and stuck them all over the house. When her mom finds what Carey did she is upset because the stickers were for Carey’s brother’s birthday party, but Carey is honest and tells her mom that she did it. Her mom tells her to ask next time, but she is proud of Carey for being honest.
Friend June 1988 “Treasures” Amy accidently breaks one of Sister Pedersons glass treasures. She buys a glass swan to replace the one that broke and then she tells Sister Pedersons what she did.
The Helpers – Cindy tells her mom the truth after breaking a pot, even though her mom thinks the baby did it. Friend March 1987
Winnie Wins – A girl is tempted to cheat in a geography test to beat a boy who teases her. Friend May 1984
The Raid – A boy shows it’s better to be honest and ask to pick the cherries than it is to take them. Friend July 1985
The Compliment Tree – Betsy gets a branch on the compliment tree for doing well on a test, but she discovers a mistake on the test. She doesn’t want to lose her branch, but she is honest and tells the teacher. Friend February 1986
The Last Coin – Laura wants to be honest in achieving the swimming lesson requirements even though her friend wants her to cut corners. Friend August 1986
Friend March 2016 “Honesty Geography” During a geography test, Julie tells the teacher about a map accidentally left on the board.
Friend January 1987 “Jason’s Courage” Jason accidentally breaks a church window. He learns it takes courage to be honest.
I Believe in Being Honest and True
Friend February 2023 “The Egg Mess” Sasha learned a part of the 13th Article of Faith; “I believe in being honest.” She remembers that part after she and her brother make a mess with eggs while playing a game with them. They tell their mother the truth, that they made the mess and will clean it up.
Finders Keepers?
Friend November 2018 “Finders Keepers?” Mike finds some money on the school grounds and takes it to the office even though his friends think they should keep it and spend it.
Friend September 2024 “Lost and Found Pencils” A girl finds some nice colored pencils on the floor at school and takes them home. Her mom reminds her that someone is probably sad because they lost them. So the next day she takes them and puts them in the lost and found.
Helping Others Be Honest
Friend March 2017 “Sliding from the Truth” Tori’s lab partner accidentally broke a slide and wants to lie about it to the teacher. Tori helps him tell the truth.
Friend April 2017 “Cheating is Poisonous” Annmarie has a hard time spelling poisonous and is tempted to cheat on a spelling test, but she realizes cheating would be poisonous to her spirit.
Friend March 2022 “Matt and Mandy” Matt studies hard for a test and won’t let a friend cheat off him because then he would be cheating too. He offers to help his friend study for the next test.
Friend October 2018 “Toy-Truck Trouble” When Nate was walking home from school he saw trucks in a sandbox. Everyday he put a different color truck in his pocket and took it home. He felt bad but wanted to collect the trucks. Then one day a woman found him taking a truck. She asked if he knew where the other trucks were. Nate went home and got them and brought them back. The boy asked if he’d like to play, and Nate had the best time.
Friend May 1987 “Ben & the Birthday Thief” Ben’s friend steals a watch to give to Ben as a birthday gift. What does Ben do?
Friend July 2022 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy’s friend steals some fruit and offers it to Mandy. Mandy said she can’t take it because she wouldn’t feel good about it. They decide to return the fruit.
We are Trusted when We are Honest
Friend September 2018 “Map Champ” During a map game at school, Linda doesn’t hear the teacher because the kids are being too loud. Her teacher trusts her because she doesn’t lie, and the teacher gives her another chance.
Friend September 2018Friend September 2018
Friend March 2022 “The Snack-Stand Superheroes” Some boys find a box of candy bars under the bleachers. They decide to do the right thing and take it to the snack stand owner to see if it belongs to him.
Repenting of Being Dishonest
Fiend July 2021 “The Honesty Question” Christy was nominated for an outstanding citizen award, but she had to fill out some questions about the good things she does in the community. She ran out of ideas and decides to write what she plans on doing. She didn’t feel good inside after turning in her answers. She repents and goes to the office to make things right the next day.
The purpose of this page is to index the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints images that are available for use in members lessons at church or at home. A link is provided at the bottom of most of the images which will take you to where they are located. Many of the images are thumbnails of the original. Click on the image to see the full image. A copied and pasted image can be put into a word document in order to adjust the size.
Primary 4 Book of Mormon: Lesson 9 “Enos Prays”Tell the following riddle, and ask the children to raise their hands when they know the answer.
I am not a person, place, or object.
I can be so quiet that no one else can hear, or loud enough that everyone in the room can hear.
I can be used when you are alone or in a group.
I am used any time, any place, under any circumstance.
I am used for gratitude, guidance, comfort, forgiveness, protection, help, good health, or for any other blessing you need for yourself or for someone else.
You use me to talk with Heavenly Father.
What am I?
Write the children’s responses on the chalkboard. When they recognize that the correct answer is prayer, ask if they have any questions about prayer. Summarize their questions on the chalkboard, and ask the children to listen for answers as you share the story of Enos. At the end of the story, refer back to the questions and discuss them.
Place the picture of Adam and Eve next to the one of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Explain that when Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, they could walk and talk with Heavenly Father and Jesus. To help the children understand why the result of Adam and Eve’s choice is known as the Fall, take the picture of Adam and Eve and move it down below the picture of God the Father and Jesus Christ as you tell of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve “fell” or were removed from the presence of God. Explain that because Adam and Eve could no longer freely associate with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, this is referred to as the Fall. Adam and Eve’s separation from Heavenly Father and Jesus began mortal life on earth and was an important step in the great plan of happiness.
Read Moses 5:4 to the children. Help them understand that when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, they couldn’t be with Heavenly Father anymore, but they could pray to Him. Explain that we pray to Heavenly Father in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ (see Moses 5:8). What are some things we can say to Heavenly Father in our prayers?
Ask the children who they would go to if they were having a difficult problem, and why. Read with the children Isaiah 55:8–9, and ask them to listen for why we should seek the Lord’s guidance when we need help.
Draw on the board the sky and the ground, and label them Heavens and Earth. Then invite the children to read Isaiah 55:9 to find out what the Lord compared to the heavens and the earth, and ask them to add these other labels to the drawings. What does it mean that the Lord’s ways and thoughts are “higher” than ours? Why is it important to know this?
Heavenly Father sees and knows all things. He can help us get to a higher place so we can see as well.
Discuss with the children some of the Lord’s ways that are higher than our ways. For example, what is His way of treating sinners? (see Mark 2:15–17). What is His way of leading others? (see Matthew 20:25–28). How are His ways different from the ways of others? Tell the children how you have learned to trust the Lord’s higher ways and thoughts.
For Guidance and Help
Ensign May 2017 “Trust in the Lord and Lean Not” Read the scripture Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust the Lord…and lean not unto thy own understanding. Demonstrate what happens when we lean–we move away from our center (Jesus Christ) and we may fall.
Friend May 2018 “How You Can Know What’s True” What do you do when you feel an urgent need to know or understand something?
Explain to the children that when David needed help, he “inquired,” or prayed, for answers. 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. 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.
To help the children think about what they might say when they pray, you could ask them how they would finish sentences like these: “We thank Thee for …” and “We ask Thee for …” Let the children draw pictures of things they might give thanks for or ask for in a prayer.
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.
Summarize Luke 22:41–43 for the children. Share an experience in which you prayed for help and Heavenly Father strengthened you through the Holy Ghost or by sending someone to help you.
Friend May 2022 “A Prayer in the Storm” Alexis was scared of the thunder in the storm and didn’t feel safe. She found her dad and asked if they could say a prayer. After the prayer she felt peaceful and wasn’t afraid anymore.
Friend April 2018 “Lost and Found” Cael knows Heavenly Father answers prayers because when he found himself alone and scared on a mountain trail, he prayed. His father felt the Holy Ghost telling him to go look for his Cael.
On strips of paper, write some things we might say in a prayer, such as “Heavenly Father,” “I thank thee,” “I ask thee,” and “in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” Put the strips on the floor in random order, and help the children put them in the order in which we might say them in a prayer. What can we thank Heavenly Father for? What else can we say to Him? Testify that the children can pray to Heavenly Father anywhere and anytime.
Tell the children about the questions Joseph Smith had (see Joseph Smith—History 1:10). What can we do when we have questions about God? Show the children a copy of the Bible, and explain that when Joseph read the Bible, he learned that he could “ask of God” (James 1:5; see also Gospel Art Book, no. 89). Bear your testimony that we can ask God questions through prayer.
Invite a parent of one of the children to stand outside the classroom and answer questions from the children using methods such as sending a text message, making a phone call, writing a note, or sending a messenger. What are some of the ways Heavenly Father communicates with us? (see “Revelation,” Guide to the Scriptures, scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). According to Joseph Smith—History 1:16–19, how did Heavenly Father answer Joseph Smith’s prayer? How has He answered our prayers?
Show a picture of the First Vision (Gospel Art Book, no. 90), or show the video “Joseph Smith’s First Vision” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Explain how reading James 1:5 prompted Joseph Smith to ask Heavenly Father to help him with a question (see Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20). Share your testimony that God answers prayers, and testify that the children can pray to Him when they have questions. Let the children draw their own pictures of Joseph Smith reading James 1:5 and praying to Heavenly Father. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “James”)
Heavenly Father will help me learn truth if I seek His help.(Sr)
Ask the children to tell you the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision in their own words (see Joseph Smith—History 1:5–20; see also the video “Joseph Smith’s First Vision” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did reading James 1:5 help Joseph? Help the children think of other examples of people in the scriptures who received an answer to their prayers, such as Nephi (see 1 Nephi 11:1–6) and the brother of Jared (see Ether 2:18–3:9). What are some things we can ask Heavenly Father in prayer? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “James”)
Satan would prefer that we forget he exists—or that we at least fail to recognize his attempts to influence us (see 2 Nephi 28:22–23). But the Lord’s words in Doctrine and Covenants 10 reveal that Satan is in constant, active opposition to God’s work. As you read verses 1–33, identify how Satan sought to destroy God’s work in Joseph Smith’s time (see also verses 62–63). What similarities do you see with the ways Satan works today? You could ask the Lord to help you see how Satan may be tempting you. What do you learn from section 10 that can help you resist Satan’s efforts?
Heavenly Father wants me to pray often.
Daniel CHAPTER 6 Darius makes Daniel the first of his presidents—Daniel worships the Lord in defiance of a decree of Darius—He is cast into the den of lions—His faith saves him, and Darius decrees that all people are to revere the God of Daniel.
Tell the story in Daniel 6 (see “Daniel and the Lions’ Den” in Old Testament Stories), and invite the children to draw a picture of the story. Ask them to use their pictures to tell the story to each other. Why does Heavenly Father want us to pray to Him? Share why prayer is important to you.
Talk with the children about times when they can pray, such as when they are scared, when they make mistakes, or when they need help in school. Why is it good to pray in these situations? Teach the children that no matter where they are, they can always pray in their hearts.
New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) “Luke 11:1–13” Jesus compared a mortal father’s desire to give gifts to his children to Heavenly Father’s desire to give us gifts. Jesus taught that if an imperfect mortal father “know[s] how to give good gifts unto [his] children” ( Luke 11:13), “how much more shall your heavenly Father give good gifts, through the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 11:14 [in Luke 11:13 , footnote a]).
Use an object lesson to illustrate the Savior’s teachings in Luke 11:11–13. For example, you could place a stone inside a bread bag or put a picture of a scorpion inside an egg carton. Ask the children to guess what is inside, and then show them. Invite them to replace the stone or picture with a piece of bread or an egg. Read Luke 11:11–13, and share your testimony that Heavenly Father loves us, answers our prayers, and gives us many blessings through His Spirit.
Friend March 2018 “Heavenly Father Listens” Elder Clayton felt the love of God as a teen when he prayed about some worries. Heavenly Father loves us and is interested in our lives just like a parent would be. (Activity page included: Find the hearts in the room of the girl who is praying.)
Use this week’s activity page to help the children remember the different parts of prayer.
Friend February 2017 “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus taught his disciples to pray. This link includes an explanation for what the words in the Lord’s Prayer mean. It also includes an activity idea for making a mobile of the things that should be included in a prayer.
Friend June 2016 “Caleb’s Bedtime Prayer” Caleb learns what to pray for.
Friend March 1985 “Sharing Time: What Shall I Say When I Pray?” Cut out the words and picture. Glue each title on separate piece of colored paper. Decide where you think each picture belongs—is it something you are grateful for, or is it something you might ask a blessing for? Some pictures may go either place. Glue each picture under title you have chosen. Add your own drawings as you think of other things.
To help the children think about what they might say when they pray, you could ask them how they would finish sentences like these: “We thank Thee for …” and “We ask Thee for …” Let the children draw pictures of things they might give thanks for or ask for in a prayer.
Trace each child’s hand on a piece of paper. Talk about what we should do with our hands and arms while we pray. On each tracing, write something we do to show reverence when we pray (for example, bowing our heads, closing our eyes, and so on).
Friend July 2018 “Arturo’s Family Prayer” Choose which picture shows respect and reverence for Heavenly Father during prayer.
Sing a song about prayer with the children, such as “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 25), and bear your testimony of the power of prayer. Invite the children to share their experiences with prayer.
Friend April 2024 “The Miracle of Prayer” Lesson ideas about prayer. Also an activity: When we pray, we talk to Heavenly Father. Draw what you pray about in the boxes below. Heavenly Father loves to hear from you!
Pray Every Day
Briefly summarize the story of Alma and the Zoramites, using verses from Alma 31:8–35 (see also “Chapter 28: The Zoramites and the Rameumptom,” Book of Mormon Stories, 78–80). Help your children identify things the Zoramites said in their prayer (see Alma 31:15–18) as they help you build a Rameumptom tower with blocks or rocks. Explain that this is not how we should pray. As you and your children talk about how we should pray, let them remove the blocks or rocks one at a time. Maybe they could keep one of the rocks by their bed as a reminder to pray every morning and night. They might enjoy decorating their rock. (Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Alma 30-31”)
The Zoramites Prayers were Repetitious: Said same thing every time. They also only prayed once a week.
What happens if we don’t pray daily and sincerely? We tend to lose the guidance of the Spirit, which is essential for managing the challenges and temptations of life. What was the result of the Zoramites not praying daily? They succumbed to Satan’s temptations.
Invite the children to read Matthew 6:9–13 out loud and then list things the Savior said in His prayer. How can we follow His example when we pray?
Friend February 2017 “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus taught his disciples to pray. This link includes an explanation for what the words in the Lord’s Prayer mean. It also includes an activity idea for making a mobile of the things that should be included in a prayer.
“Lesson 11: Jesus Christ Teaches about Prayer,” Primary 7: New Testament Write on separate pieces of paper several situations, similar to the ones in the following list, that the children might find themselves in (or you could tell them the situations). Ask the children to each come up and choose a piece of paper. Have them talk about how they would feel in the situation and what they would do.
You have fallen off a bike and hurt your leg. No one is around and you don’t know if you can walk home.
You have a fever and an upset stomach. Your parents have done everything they can to make you feel better, but you are still very sick.
You have an assignment due in school tomorrow. You’ve worked hard on it, but it’s not as good as you want it to be and you don’t know how to fix it.
You have been outside playing and when you come home no one is there. You are frightened because you don’t know where your family has gone.
Your grandparents gave you some money for your birthday, and now it isn’t where you thought you put it.
You are sitting outside after dark and you notice how beautiful the stars look.
You are helping your family grow a garden, and you notice that the plants are getting bigger and the vegetables and fruit are getting ripe.
Explain that we can pray to Heavenly Father for help with any problem that troubles us, to share our feelings with him, or to express our gratitude. Heavenly Father will always hear our sincere prayers.
Sing a song about prayer with the children, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140). Help the children search the lyrics to find reasons we pray and blessings that come from prayer.
Help the children memorize Matthew 7:7 by playing a game like the following: One child recites the first word or phrase from the verse and then tosses a ball to another child, who then recites the next word or phrase.
Act out Matthew 7:9–10 with the children using simple props. Ask the children to share what this teaches them about prayer.
Friend January 2017 “Will Heavenly Father Answer My Prayers” Heavenly Father will answer our prayers in the way that is best and we need to have faith and trust in Him.
Share an experience in which your prayers were answered.
Friend January 2021 “Jaechan’s First Day” Jaechan was excited to start school. But after his mom dropped him off at the gate, he got lost in the school halls and couldn’t find his classroom. He was scared and said a prayer asking for his mom to come find him. A few minutes later his mom came around the corner. She had a feeling she should check to make sure he made it to class okay.
“Lesson 11: Jesus Christ Teaches about Prayer,” Primary 7: New Testament Tell the children that thee, thou, thy, and thine are special words we use to refer to God in our prayers. These words show our respect and love for him. Have a child read Matthew 6:9–13 and have the other children raise their hands whenever they hear one of these prayer words. Do the same thing with the song, “I Thank Thee, Dear Father,” (Children’s Songbook,p. 7).
Matthew 6:7 What does it mean to use “vain repetitions” in prayer?
People often understand “vain repetitions” to mean repeating the same words over and over again. However, the word vain can describe something that has no value. Using “vain repetitions” in prayer can mean praying without sincere, heartfelt feeling (see Alma 31:12–23).
Friend September 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read 3 Nephi 13:9–13 together and help your little ones say, “Heavenly Father wants me to pray to Him.” Collect pictures of people doing different gospel activities, including praying, from Church magazines or at medialibrary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Turn all the pictures upside-down, then take turns flipping them over. Whenever you see someone praying, help everyone practice folding their arms, bowing their heads, and closing their eyes.
Friend July 2018 “Arturo’s Family Prayer” Choose which picture shows respect and reverence for Heavenly Father during prayer.
Friend February 2017 “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus taught his disciples to pray. This link includes an explanation for what the words in the Lord’s Prayer mean. It also includes an activity idea for making a mobile of the things that should be included in a prayer.
Friend March 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Enos 1:4–5 together and help your little ones say, “I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.” You could use five fingers to review the parts of prayer: 1) start with “Dear Heavenly Father,” 2) thank Him for blessings, 3) tell Him about your day, 4) ask Him for what you and others need, 5) end “in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” Or create actions for the rhyme, “I close my eyes. I bow my head. I listen while a prayer is said.”
Friend April 2022 “Jesus Prayed for Others” Jesus taught the Apostles how to pray to Heavenly Father. Jesus prayed for the Apostles to have faith. He told them to pray often too.
When Jesus had finished his prayer, he went to the disciples and he found them praying without ceasing. In 3 Nephi 19:24 it says: “they did not multiply many words for it was given unto them what they should pray.”
What does this scripture mean? Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains: “Perfect prayers are those which are inspired, in which the Spirit reveals the words which should be used.” The Holy Ghost can guide us to what we should pray for.
How can this help us resist temptation? The Holy Ghost can help us see areas in our life that need improving, areas where we are weak. He can help us know what to pray for, such as for help with changes we need to make and help to know how to strengthen our defenses.
When Jesus saw his disciples praying with the Spirit, “his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus.” (3 Nephi 19:25) The word countenance refers to a person’s behavior or to the way a person’s face expresses his or her character.
How can you help your children make their prayers more meaningful? Consider showing them a picture of Enos praying; let them describe what they see. They could then close their eyes and imagine they are talking to Heavenly Father face-to-face. What would they like to talk about? What might He want to say to them? [Invite the children to think about talking face-to-face with Heavenly Father each time they pray.]
As you read aloud Enos 1:1–5, younger children could pretend to be Enos by acting out hunting, kneeling to pray, and so on. Older children could listen for a word or phrase that describes Enos’s prayers. What do these words tell us about Enos’s prayers? Share an experience when your soul “hungered” and you “cried unto” the Lord (Enos 1:4).
Discuss some modern equivalents of each of these (forgiveness; family, ward members, and the bishop; bullies at school; understanding the scriptures; and so on.)
Kneel together and see if you can give a thoughtful, meaningful prayer for all that you identified.
Discussion: Why are our prayers more meaningful when we are more specific in our expressions? What else can you do to make your family and personal prayers more thoughtful?
Read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 23:6, beginning with “you must pray.” Help them identify the different ways and places the Lord said we should pray. Invite them to draw a picture of themselves praying in one of those ways or places.
Briefly summarize the story of Alma and the Zoramites, using verses from Alma 31:8–35 (see also “Chapter 28: The Zoramites and the Rameumptom,” Book of Mormon Stories, 78–80). Help your children identify things the Zoramites said in their prayer (see Alma 31:15–18) as they help you build a Rameumptom tower with blocks or rocks. Explain that this is not how we should pray. As you and your children talk about how we should pray, let them remove the blocks or rocks one at a time. Maybe they could keep one of the rocks by their bed as a reminder to pray every morning and night. They might enjoy decorating their rock. (Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Alma 30-31”)
The Zoramites Prayers were Repetitious: Said same thing every time. They also only prayed once a week.
What happens if we don’t pray daily and sincerely? We tend to lose the guidance of the Spirit, which is essential for managing the challenges and temptations of life. What was the result of the Zoramites not praying daily? They succumbed to Satan’s temptations.
I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, about anything.
Help your children find phrases that describe places we can pray (in Alma 33:4–11) and things we can pray about (in Alma 34:17–27). Perhaps they could draw pictures of themselves praying in these places. Share with each other experiences when Heavenly Father heard your prayers. You could also sing a song about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13).
Come Follow Me Kid Show pictures below and ask which place or places they think would be good spots to pray. Read Alma 33:3-8, and have them listen carefully to see if they can hear which of these places would be places we could pray from. Help them understand that we can pray anywhere and our prayers will be heard if we pray in faith. You could also have some fun with this and list additional places/times and ask, “Would it be okay to pray __” (in a car, at midnight, in the backyard, silently, etc.), and help them see that the answer to all of these is “Yes!”
In the wilderness (Alma 33:4)
In a field (Alma 33:5)
In your house (Alma 33:6)
In your closet (Alma 33:7)
Help them think of things they can say to Heavenly Father when they pray, and invite them to draw pictures of these things. Testify that they can talk to Heavenly Father about anything they are thinking or feeling.
Sing a song that teaches the children about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” or “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13, 25). Help them notice what the song teaches about prayer.
I Should Pray Always. I Can Pray “Vocally and In [My] Heart.”
When the Lord called Frederick G. Williams to be a counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, He counseled Frederick to be “faithful … in prayer always.”
Read to the children the Lord’s counsel to be “faithful … in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:3). Explain what it means to pray in our hearts, and share a personal example. Help the children think of times when they can pray “in public and in private.”
Invite someone to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:3, and ask the children what it means to pray “in [your] heart.” Share an experience when you prayed aloud or in your heart and the Lord helped you. Also ask the children to share their own experiences. How can prayer bring us closer to Heavenly Father?
Read or sing with the children a hymn about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” or “Secret Prayer” (Hymns,nos. 140, 144). Invite the children to share a phrase from the hymn that helps them understand something about prayer. Give them time to ponder what they can do to improve their prayers and then write their ideas.
Invite the children to draw pictures of themselves or their families praying at different times and places, such as in church, before school, or at bedtime. Explain that praying always can mean praying often throughout the day. How can we pray even when we are around other people, such as at school or with our friends?
Ask the children to show you what they do when they pray. What do they do with their arms? their heads? their eyes? Explain that sometimes we want to talk to Heavenly Father, but we can’t kneel or close our eyes. What can we do? Read to the children from 3 Nephi 20:1: “[Jesus] commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts.” Tell the children how you pray in your heart.
Draw a mouth and a heart on the board. Ask the children to point to the mouth and tell you some things they say when they pray. Then ask them to point to the heart, and explain that we can say those same things in our hearts. Testify that Heavenly Father knows our feelings and thoughts.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33” After reading 2 Nephi 32:8–9, talk with your children about why Satan doesn’t want us to pray. Why does God want us to “pray always”? Your children could make a list or draw pictures of situations in which they could pray. Then you could sing a song that teaches about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140). You could replace some of the words in the song with the words from their lists. How does God bless us when we pray always?
Talk with the children about times when they can pray, such as when they are scared, when they make mistakes, or when they need help in school. Why is it good to pray in these situations? Teach the children that no matter where they are, they can always pray in their hearts.
Read to the children the Lord’s counsel to be “faithful … in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:3). Explain what it means to pray in our hearts, and share a personal example. Help the children think of times when they can pray “in public and in private.”
Invite someone to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:3, and ask the children what it means to pray “in [your] heart.” Share an experience when you prayed aloud or in your heart and the Lord helped you. Also ask the children to share their own experiences. How can prayer bring us closer to Heavenly Father?
Ask the children when they pray. Do they pray in the morning? at night? before meals? Help the children think of actions to show when we can pray, such as when we wake up, go to bed, and eat—or any other time. Read to them the first line or two from 2 Nephi 32:9, and emphasize the phrase “pray always.”
Ask the children how they pray. What do they do with their head, hands, and so on? What sorts of things do they say? Ask them to imagine that you don’t know how to pray, and let them teach you. Why does Heavenly Father want us to pray?
The adversary tempts us not to pray. Consider how you can help the children resist this temptation and “pray always” (2 Nephi 32:9).
Choose a phrase about prayer from 2 Nephi 32:8–9, write it on the board, and cover each word with a piece of paper. Invite the children to take turns removing one paper at a time until they can guess what the phrase is.
Read 2 Nephi 32:8–9 together, and ask the children to share what they learn about prayer from these verses. What does it mean to “pray always”? (verse 9). How can we do this?
What might make someone not want to pray? Share an experience when you prayed even though you didn’t feel like it. How did you feel afterward? Invite a child to read the second half of 2 Nephi 32:8, and give the children time to ponder it. Why doesn’t Satan want us to pray? How can we remind ourselves to pray even when we don’t feel like it?
Read phrases you have selected from Alma 33:4–11 that describe places we can pray, and help the children think of places they can pray. Then invite them to draw pictures of themselves praying in those places. Testify that they can pray anywhere, even if they are praying silently.
Select phrases from Alma 34:17–27 that describe things we can pray about, and read them to the children. Help them think of things they can say to Heavenly Father when they pray, and invite them to draw pictures of these things. Testify that they can talk to Heavenly Father about anything they are thinking or feeling. Share an experience in which Heavenly Father heard your prayers.
Sing a song that teaches the children about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” or “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13, 25). Help them notice what the song teaches about prayer.
Jesus taught, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him…for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”(3 Nephi18:18)
How can we pray always? To pray always means we can have a prayer in our hearts at any time or place. (3 Nephi 20:1)
What do you think the phrase “Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” means? Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained these words: “This is an… expression which was clear to the people in that day, more so than to people in our day. In essence… Jesus is saying… Satan wants you in his harvest. He wants to harvest your soul, and bring you into his granary.” He wants us to be under his control and influence.
Jesus said that if we are watchful (on guard or spiritually alert) and keep a prayer in our hearts, we can avoid getting drawn into the traps of Satan.
How can we be watchful? If we are familiar with the word of God that is found in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets, then we will know what is right and we will know what things to watch out for. We can also be spiritually alert in listening for the promptings of the Spirit. The Spirit can warn us through thoughts or feelings if something is not right and is something we should not do. The Spirit can also help bring to remembrance those things we have learned in the scriptures about what is right.
To help family members understand that we can “pray always,” you could make a list of circumstances in which we could pray (or draw pictures to represent them). Then your family could sing a song that teaches about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140), replacing some of the words in the song with the words from their lists. How does the Lord bless us when we pray always? (Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 )
Friend October 2018 “Family Night Fun” Heavenly Father loves all of His children and hears and answers their prayers. He knows how to help all of His children. We can pray to Him anytime, anywhere!
Take turns reading these scriptures about prayer. Fold your arms when you hear the words pray or prayer.
Have the children look up and read 3 Nephi 19:16-17 and ask them to look for what Jesus’s first instructions to the people were after he ministered to the disciples. (He commanded the people to kneel on the earth, and then he commanded the disciples to pray (picture #6).)
Why do you think it is it important to pray before receiving spiritual instruction? One reason is to seek to feel the Spirit during the meeting. When we are taught by the Spirit we may gain an increased understanding and testimony about particular gospel truths, or we may get inspiration concerning a problem we are having.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 1; Luke 1” Zacharias and Elisabeth had probably been praying for a child for many years. Eventually Heavenly Father answered their prayers by sending them a son, John the Baptist. How can you use this story to teach the children that Heavenly Father answers prayers?
In your own words, share the story from Luke 1:5–25, 57–63. You may want to repeat the story a few times. Assign children to play the parts of Zacharias, Elisabeth, and the angel and act out the story. Emphasize the angel’s words to Zacharias: “Thy prayer is heard” (Luke 1:13). Share an experience in which Heavenly Father answered your prayer.
Use “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 25) or another song to teach the children how to pray. Every time the children sing the words “pray” or “prayer,” invite them to bow their heads and fold their arms.
Ask each child to do actions that represent something he or she can pray for. Let the other children guess what the actions represent. They can find ideas on this week’s activity page.
Invite the children to act out the account of Peter being freed from prison in Acts 12:1–17 as you summarize the story. How did Heavenly Father answer the prayers of those who were praying for Peter?
The below video is not put out by the church, but it has some good examples of the story.
Sing a song about prayer—for example, “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 25)—and suggest actions to go with the words that can help the children learn how to pray.
Invite the children to share examples of things they can thank Heavenly Father for and ask Him for in prayer.
To help the children think about what they might say when they pray, you could ask them how they would finish sentences like these: “We thank Thee for …” and “We ask Thee for …” Let the children draw pictures of things they might give thanks for or ask for in a prayer.
Show pictures of people praying (see, for example, Gospel Art Book, nos. 111–12) as you share an experience when Heavenly Father answered your prayers.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” Ponder on the times when Heavenly Father has answered your prayers. How can you use these experiences to teach the children that Heavenly Father will hear and answer their prayers in His own way and time?
Invite the children to act out the story of the angel freeing Peter from prison while another child reads the story in Acts 12:1–17.
Ask the children what they think it means that “prayer was made without ceasing” (Acts 12:5). How were the people’s prayers answered? Invite the children to share experiences in which Heavenly Father answered a personal or family prayer. You could also share an experience in which He answered your prayer.
You might include experiences in which the answer came in an unexpected way. Testify that God loves us and will answer our prayers in the way and timing that is best for us.
Friend July 2020 “Prayers and Planes”Vern prayed every night for a model plane, but it never arrived. He decided to build one himself from an old wood box he found. He realized later that his prayer had been answered, just not the way he expected. Heavenly Father helped him figure out how to build his own. When he grew up, he fixed and flew planes for a living. (After reading the story, have everyone make paper airplanes and fly them outside.)
How can you help your children understand that Heavenly Father will hear and answer their prayers? Consider inviting them to list some things they typically pray for. Then you could help them find what Enos prayed for in Enos 1:2, 9, 13–14, and 16 (see also “Chapter 11: Enos,” Book of Mormon Stories, 30–31). [Discuss how the children can follow Enos’s example in their prayers; for instance, you could talk about why Enos was willing to pray for the Lamanites—who were his enemies—and invite the children to pray this week for someone who has been unkind to them. Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Enos-Words of Mormon”]
Friend March 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Enos 1:4–5 together and help your little ones say, “I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.” You could use five fingers to review the parts of prayer: 1) start with “Dear Heavenly Father,” 2) thank Him for blessings, 3) tell Him about your day, 4) ask Him for what you and others need, 5) end “in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” Or create actions for the rhyme, “I close my eyes. I bow my head. I listen while a prayer is said.”
Ask the children what they would say to someone who had prayed for a blessing but had not received it yet. Invite them to think about this question as they read together Luke 1:5–25, 57–66. (See also “Chapter 1: Elisabeth and Zacharias” and “Chapter 3: John the Baptist Is Born,” in New Testament Stories, 6–7, 10–11, or the corresponding videos on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) What might Zacharias and Elisabeth tell someone who felt their prayer wasn’t being answered?
Friend March 2019 “Faith and Raindrops” A girl has faith that her prayer for rain will be answered, but she learns that we also need to have faith in God’s timing.
Friend October 2016 “The Loose Tooth Test” Tessa says a prayer that her loose tooth that is bothering her will fall out. Tessa learns that sometimes the answer is to wait.
Friend October 2016
For whatever reasons, God’s timing meant that the blessing Elisabeth and Zacharias desired, to have a child, came much later than they expected. If you find yourself having to wait for a blessing, or if it seems that God isn’t hearing your prayers, the story of Elisabeth and Zacharias can be a reminder that He hasn’t forgotten you. He has a plan for you, and He always keeps His promises to His righteous Saints. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland promised, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 38). Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 1; Luke 1”
Invite several children ahead of time to share experiences when Heavenly Father answered their prayers. Share a time in which you felt your prayers were answered in an unexpected way.
Invite the children to draw a picture of a time when Heavenly Father answered a prayer—especially one of their own. Let them share their drawings with the class.
PSALM 86 David implores God for mercy and is saved from the lowest hell—The Lord is good and generous in mercy—All nations will worship before Him.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 Many of the psalms are like prayers to God for help, guidance, or protection. Consider how you can help the children build their faith that Heavenly Father hears and answers them when they pray.
Ask the children how they talk with people who live far away. Show them things we can use to communicate, such as a phone or a letter. Read to them Psalm 86:7. How do we “call upon” Heavenly Father? How does He answer us?
Invite the children to act out things they do every day, such as waking up, eating breakfast, leaving for school, or going to bed. Help them find times during the day when they can pray to Heavenly Father. Testify that we can pray to Him anytime, and He will always hear us.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3” When Hannah was sad because she could not have children, she turned to the Lord in faith and He answered her prayer. Help the children see that they can always pray to Heavenly Father, especially when they are sad.
In your own words, tell the children why Hannah was sad (see 1 Samuel 1:2–8; see also “Hannah” in Old Testament Stories). What can we do when we are sad? Read to the children 1 Samuel 1:10, and invite the children to listen for what Hannah did. Ask the children how they feel when they pray. Read from verse 18 to explain that after her prayer, Hannah “was no more sad.”
Use this week’s activity page to teach the children that they can pray to Heavenly Father and He will help them. While the children are coloring, sing or play a recording of a song that teaches about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13).
To help the children learn about Hannah from 1 Samuel 1, give each child a few verses to read from the chapter (or show the video “Hannah’s Faith,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Afterward, toss a ball or small object to one child and invite him or her to tell part of the story before passing the ball to the next child to tell another part of the story. When the story is complete, ask the children to share something they learned from Hannah’s example.
Read together 1 Samuel 1:15, and discuss what it means to pour out our souls before the Lord. With the children, make a list of things that we can talk about with God when we pray. Sing together a song about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13). Testify of God’s love for His children and His desire to hear and answer their prayers.
Maybe you could pour something out of a container to help family members visualize what Hannah meant when she said, “I … have poured out my soul before the Lord.” Why is this a good way to describe what our prayers should be like? How can we improve our personal and family prayers? Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 “Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3”
Ask the children to list (individually or in groups) examples of people in the scriptures who prayed to Heavenly Father. (If they need help, you could point them to Luke 22:41–43; Enos 1:2–6; Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17.) Ask them to share what they learn from these stories.
Younger children might enjoy a game, inspired by 3 Nephi 14:8–9, in which they ask for something and receive something entirely different. What did the Savior want us to know about our Father in Heaven when He shared this example?
Friend January 2017 “Will Heavenly Father Answer My Prayers” Heavenly Father will answer our prayers in the way that is best and we need to have faith and trust in Him. Also story about when Elder Oaks was seven his father died even though they had sincerely prayed. .
Heavenly Father always answers prayers, but not always in ways we expect. (Jr)
Show the children a plant with thorns (or a picture of one). Help them imagine what it would feel like to have a thorn stuck in their skin for a long time. Summarize 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 for the children, explaining that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was a trial, something difficult in his life. Even though Paul asked God to remove the trial, God did not. Instead, God taught Paul that challenges can help us learn to be humble and trust Him. Then God can make us strong. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Testify that Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, and He will give us what we need, even if it is different from what we think we need. You might also share an experience when your prayers were answered in a way or at a time that was different from what you expected. A story like “The Diabetes Dilemma” (Friend, Sept. 2019, 4–5) or “Please Bless Ace” (Friend, Nov. 2019, 32–33) can also help. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Friend September 2019 “The Diabetes Dilemma” Joe prayed that his sister didn’t have diabetes. When they found out she did have diabetes, he was devastated. He didn’t understand why Heavenly Father didn’t answer his prayer. His mom explained that answers to prayers don’t always happen the way we want. Sometimes, instead of taking something hard away, He answers by giving us peace and helping us be strong. Joe then realizes that Heavenly Father was blessing his sister and family with peace.
Friend September 2019
Friend September 2019
Friend September 2019
Friend November 2019 “Please Bless Ace” Zach’s dog, Ace, has to have surgery and Zach is worried about him. Zach prays that Ace will live. After his pray, Zach felt the worried feeling leave. He remembered that peace throughout the day. When he got home, he found out that his dog was okay. The family gave Ace extra care that week. Then Ace got sick again and he died. Zach had wanted Ace to live, but he was glad he had been given extra time to spend with him and show Ace how much he loved him.
Friend November 2019Friend November 2019
Sing with the children a song about Heavenly Father’s love, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13). Ask the children what they would say to someone who wonders whether Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. Sing the song again, and point out lines that describe how Heavenly Father feels about us.(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Heavenly Father always answers prayers, but He doesn’t always give me everything I ask for. (Sr)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles commented that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was “some unnamed physical infirmity, apparently a grievous one from which the Apostle suffered either continuously or recurringly” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols.
New Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students
The Cozy Red Cottage 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 “Explain that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was a trial, such as a physical weakness. Even though Paul asked God to remove the trial, God did not. Instead, God taught Paul that challenges can help us learn to be humble and trust Him. Then God can make us strong.” (primary Manual)
Use the “blessing and thorn” page to discuss some of the trials people may experience. Write their ideas by the thorns. Then discuss some of the blessing that come from trials and write their ideas on the petals. (Ideas for trials might include: friendship difficulties, school difficulties, health issues, family difficulties, etc.) (Ideas for blessings might include: adversity can help us become more like Jesus Christ; It can help us to develop empathy, patience, kindness, humility, faith and trust in God, reliance on God, etc.)
Read with the children “The Diabetes Dilemma” (Friend, Sept. 2019, 4–5). Ask the children to share experiences when they prayed for something and did not receive it. Ask them to share what they learned from their experiences. You might have your own experiences to share as well. Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father always answers our prayers in the way and at the time that will bless us the most.(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Friend September 2019 “The Diabetes Dilemma” Joe prayed that his sister didn’t have diabetes. When they found out she did have diabetes, he was devastated. He didn’t understand why Heavenly Father didn’t answer his prayer. His mom explained that answers to prayers don’t always happen the way we want. Sometimes, instead of taking something hard away, He answers by giving us peace and helping us be strong. Joe then realizes that Heavenly Father was blessing his sister and family with peace.
Friend September 2019
Friend September 2019
Friend September 2019
Friend November 2019 “Please Bless Ace” Zach’s dog, Ace, has to have surgery and Zach is worried about him. Zach prays that Ace will live. After his pray, Zach felt the worried feeling leave. He remembered that peace throughout the day. When he got home, he found out that his dog was okay. The family gave Ace extra care that week. Then Ace got sick again and he died. Zach had wanted Ace to live, but he was glad he had been given extra time to spend with him and show Ace how much he loved him.
Friend November 2019Friend November 2019
Paul asked God to remove his weakness, but God knew that Paul’s weakness would humble him and God could make him strong.
Paul wrote of “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) to describe challenges and personal weaknesses. These challenges can weigh us down. With the Savior’s grace, however, we can find strength.
Gather some heavy objects (personal challenges).
Give each family member one or more heavy objects to carry.
Make these “challenges” even more challenging by completing tasks while holding them (for example, making a sandwich, folding clothes, dancing).
Try the same activity again, but this time ask someone to help you with the heavy objects.
Discussion: What was difficult about carrying the objects alone? How does Christ lighten our burden? What are some trials or challenges that we’ve experienced as a family? When have we been strengthened by the Savior’s grace? (see Ether 12:27).
Ask the children what they would say to someone who had prayed for a blessing but had not received it yet. Invite them to think about this question as they read together Luke 1:5–25, 57–66. (See also “Chapter 1: Elisabeth and Zacharias” and “Chapter 3: John the Baptist Is Born,” in New Testament Stories, 6–7, 10–11, or the corresponding videos on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) What might Zacharias and Elisabeth tell someone who felt their prayer wasn’t being answered?
Friend March 2019 “Faith and Raindrops” A girl has faith that her prayer for rain will be answered, but she learns that we also need to have faith in God’s timing.
Friend October 2016 “The Loose Tooth Test” Tessa says a prayer that her loose tooth that is bothering her will fall out. Tessa learns that sometimes the answer is to wait.
Friend October 2016
For whatever reasons, God’s timing meant that the blessing Elisabeth and Zacharias desired, to have a child, came much later than they expected. If you find yourself having to wait for a blessing, or if it seems that God isn’t hearing your prayers, the story of Elisabeth and Zacharias can be a reminder that He hasn’t forgotten you. He has a plan for you, and He always keeps His promises to His righteous Saints. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland promised, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 38). Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 1; Luke 1”
Invite several children ahead of time to share experiences when Heavenly Father answered their prayers. Share a time in which you felt your prayers were answered in an unexpected way.
Invite the children to draw a picture of a time when Heavenly Father answered a prayer—especially one of their own. Let them share their drawings with the class.
Genesis and Exodus contain many promises from the Lord, along with stories of people patiently waiting upon those promises. Jacob waits to see the blessing of becoming a great nation. Joseph waits for the Lord to help him out of prison. The children of Israel wait to be freed from the rule of Egypt.
Choose one person to be the leader and have everyone else stand across the room.
When the leader raises a hand, everyone takes steps toward him or her. When the leader puts the hand down, everyone stops. If someone is caught stepping when the leader’s hand is down, that person must go to the back of the room to start again.
The first person to reach the leader gets to be the leader for the next game.
Discussion: Read together Mormon 8:22. As you read Genesis and the following books of the Old Testament this year, take special notice of all the promises of the Lord and when they are fulfilled. Why is it important to recognize promises of the Lord in our own lives and to trust in the Lord while we wait upon those promises?
The Lord explained to Moses that He had seen the afflictions of the children of Israel, heard their prayers, and knew their sorrows (see Exodus 3:7).
Assign each person an emotion based on the color they’re wearing most of:
Yellow = happy
Blue = sad
Red = angry
Green = calm
Orange = scared
Other = confused or surprised
Each person will share a specific experience when they’ve felt that emotion.
Can we tell how people are feeling just by their appearance or what they’re wearing?
Who sees all our emotions, including our afflictions and sorrows, even when others might not be able to?
Find scriptures that show how Jesus Christ knows and understands us.
Discussion: What are some trials we’ve been through? How can we know that the Lord was aware of us through those times?
Gratitude for Blessings
Friend March 2018 Emphasize gratitude in your family prayers. Before praying, ask for ideas about what everyone is grateful for. You could even make that question a regular part of family prayer time!
Family Prayer
Friend July 2017 “For Parents of Little Ones” The importance of family prayer and ideas on how to make family prayers more meaningful. Friend June 2016 Helping children have positive experiences with family prayer.
Friend March 2019 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ways to help little ones learn to pray,
Blessings of Praying
Friend September 2016 “Heavenly Father Hears Your Prayers” Heavenly Father has many blessings he wants to give us. Prayers unlock the treasure chest of blessings.
Friend August 2018 “I Can Always Pray” Worksheet. Check all the answers that you agree with. Add answers of your own. Then share what you know about prayer
Note: Children can use the Gospel Library app to listen to the Friend being read to them while they follow along. They will hear many stories of children choosing the right that will set a good example for them.
A Light to the World
Friend February 2018 “Matt and Mandy” For FHE the family makes stars and then writes on them the things they have done to be a light to the world—such as acts of kindness.
Friend June 2017 “Praying with Zara” When a friend comes to play and have lunch with them, two sisters set an example of prayer and share how it makes them feel.
Righteous Examples in the Scriptures
Friend August 2017 “Being Like Nephi” Mason learns about Nephi and tries to follow his example and make righteous choices,
“A Real Hero” (July 2007 Friend) Ji-Woong likes to play super heroes. At family home evening he learns about a real hero, Nephi. Nephi had power from the Lord to pray and stop a storm, build a ship, shock his brothers, be led by the Spirit through the streets of Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates. Ji-Woong asked, “How did Nephi get his power?” “The Lord gave him power because Nephi was a righteous man who prayed in faith,” Appa explained. “You too can pray and then follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father will help you know when people need help.”
Example of Kindness
Friend April 2018 “A High-Five Example”Students in a special needs class we’re trying to give Lily’s classmates high fives as they walked by, but nobody did it until Lily gave them all high fives then everyone behind her did it.
Friend August 2024 “A Hug for José” José was new to the school. At first, no one talked to him. Then some of the other kids started to tease him. They always called him names and laughed at him. Adam felt like he should help José, but he never knew what to say. One day after a math test, Jose got a 100% and the kids started calling him a cheater. Jose started to cry. Adam walked over to him and gave him a hug. Pretty soon everyone was coming over and apologizing and trying to cheer him up.
Examples of Courage
Friend July 2017 “Charlie’s Big Weekend” Dasch was excited to get Charlie, the class teddy bear, for the weekend, but was afraid the kids would laugh when he told them about his weekend. His sister was going on mission. He thought about what she would do and he bravely shared. The kids clapped.
Friend February 2015 “Who is Your Hero?” Ellie is afraid to say in her school class that her hero is Jesus Christ, but another boy says it and his example helps her not to be afraid anymore to stand as a witness for Christ.
Friend February 2015
Setting an Example of Service
Friend December 2016 “Cookies, Cans, and Christmas” A mother got out of her car in the rain to help a homeless man pick up spilled cans in the road. It makes an impression on her kids.
Righteous Influences Change Lives
Friend February 2015 “How Can I be Good Example” Richard G. Scott’s’s parents didn’t go to church, but because of the influence of his grandmother, Richard was active in church. Later, his future wife influenced him to go on a mission.
Example of Living the Gospel
Friend July 2021 “Vaha’i Tonga”Vahai’ was determined to remain faithful, so he said his prayers every night at boarding school. At first the other kids made fun of him, then they started to join him. He invited them to a district conference and 77 of them came. Seven of them wanted to be baptized after the conference.
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.
Friend August 2020 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy shares with her friend a time when she prayed about the Book of Mormon and felt it was true. She also shared that she is still praying and reading to help her faith grow stronger.
Friend March 2018 “Shine Your Light” Aaron lives the gospel by serving others at church, preparing for a mission, and being an example of prayer to family members. (Article includes photos.)
Friend October 2016 “What I Learned from Alex” Alex sets a good example of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.
Friend September 2016 “Pretty Much Brothers” Xander likes having Sevak from Armenia staying with his family. It’s like having an older brother, but Sevak doesn’t know the things Xander knows about Jesus and Heavenly Father so Xander helps him.
Example of Choosing the Right
Friend July 2022 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy’s friend steals some fruit and offers it to Mandy. Mandy said she can’t take it because she wouldn’t feel good about it. They decide to return the fruit.
Friend July 2018 “Show and Tell” After an indoor recess, everyone stuffed their games on the shelf. I try to be a good example, so I started to clean up the mess on the shelf. Soon everyone began doing the same.Winnie W., age 10, British Columbia, Canada
Friend Sept 2015 “A Courageous Choice” – Girl able to have courage to do what was right after remembering a story in the Friend magazine about a child choosing the right in the same type of situation.
Friend September 1986 “Apples and Things” A sister encourages her brother to be honest and repent of taking some apples.
Friend May 2016 Matt’s friend accidently damages his father’s car. Matt encourages his friend to choose the right and being honest.
Friend May 2016
Friend May 2016 “Birthday Surprise” A boy loves the attention on his birthday, but a gift of a framed picture of the temple changes his focus.
Example of a Good Attitude
Friend August 2016 “Brian Leads the Way” Brian has a “can do” attitude when his father needs help in the yard. He sets a good example for his older brothers.
Setting an Example of Praying
Friend January 2023 “Say a Prayer, Helamán” Helaman wants to say a prayer at lunch. His friends ask him what a prayer is and then ask him to say a prayer for all of them. All week they ask him to say a prayer at lunch, and then one of the other kids says he wants to say the prayer. The boy had also asked his parents if they could say prayers at meal times. He had learned how to say prayers by listening to Helaman. The other kids wanted to do it too.
