Have you ever wished a friend would do something a little differently? Like reach out to you more, not tease you so much, or support you in something? It’s important to have good friends. But first, it might help to be a good friend.
Time for some self-reflection: Are you the kind of friend you’d want to be friends with? Do you follow Jesus Christ’s example in your friendships?
Let’s take a look in the mirror. Ask yourself each of these questions, and then see how you can be a better friend.
May I share something I’ve learned about choosing friends? Watch what makes them laugh. What makes us laugh says a lot about us.
Find those who laugh with, who do not laugh at; who include others and draw the circle bigger, not smaller; who are kind and do not bully or make fun of others in person or online, especially those with physical or mental challenges or those who are new or from other countries or backgrounds.
Be lighthearted, not light-minded. Lighthearted means wholesome, good humor—lots of it. In contrast, light-minded can include making fun of sacred things, using bad language, or doing edgy things that appeal to the world.
As Doctrine and Covenants 88:40 teaches, like things attract each other. Be the friend you want others to be to you. Look for friends who help you become what you truly want to be.
Jonathan loves David—Saul sets David over his armies—David is honored by the people, and Saul becomes jealous—David marries Michal, a daughter of Saul.
Draw two figures on the board, one to represent David and the other to represent Jonathan. Read to the children a few phrases from 1 Samuel 18:1–4 that emphasize the love these two friends felt for each other. Give each child a paper heart, and ask them how they can show love to a friend. After each child shares an idea, invite the child to attach the paper heart to the board.
Friend August 2018 Find the words below that tell how we can share the Savior’s love with others.
Tell the children about a good friend who helps you live the gospel or build your faith in Jesus Christ, and invite the children to share who helps them. Invite the children to act out doing something nice for a friend.
Friend April 2017 “Be a Light” Color in the sun as you figure out someone to do certain things for as a true friend such as loving, forgiving, encouraging, etc.
Lesson 29: David and Jonathan,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 125–30 To help the children understand how to be a true friend.
Tell the children that one way to strengthen friendships is to get to know one another better. To help the class members know each other better, play the following game.Pass around a bowl of small pieces of candy or dried beans. As you pass the bowl around, have each child name something he or she likes to do, take a piece of candy or a bean, and pass the bowl to the next child. Keep passing the bowl until all the children have had at least one turn.Alternate game: Have the children sit in a circle. Play spin the bottle by placing a narrow bottle on its side on the floor. Tell one thing about yourself and spin the bottle. Whoever the mouth of the bottle points to when the bottle stops spinning will be next to tell one thing about himself or herself, plus one good thing that he or she knows about someone in the class (this could be something the children have learned during the game or something they already knew about the person). Have the child spin the bottle to determine who has the next turn.
How can you help the children know that the Savior loves us even more than a dear friend does?
Display a picture of the Savior as you read Doctrine and Covenants 84:77. Invite the children to point to the picture of the Savior every time they hear the word “friends.” Explain that when we try to keep the commandments, we show Jesus that we love Him. Share what it means to you to have Jesus as your friend.
Help the children list some things they can do to show their friends that they love them. What did Jesus do to show us that He is our friend? What can we do to show the Savior that we are His friends? Sing together a song about Jesus, such as “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, 58).
Friend March 2020 “What’s on Your Mind?” A child doesn’t know how to make friends. The Friend magazine explains that lots of other kids are looking for a friend too. So why not be the first to smile and say hello? The Friend also includes an activity where children can think about what they would say in certain situations.
Friend August 2017 “Friends Come and Go” Ways of dealing with friends moving away and making new friends.
(Idea: Before the lesson, cut the picture into parts. During the lesson discuss each part as you put the picture back together on the board)
Friend June 2017 “Question Corner” Ideas from children on how to make friends.
Friend May 2017 HELP for Shyness. It was hard for me to make friends. Then my cousin taught me to think of the word HELP. H is for “hobbies.” E is for “education.” L is for “what you like.” And P is for “plans.” I could talk to anyone about hobbies, school, what we liked to do, and what we were planning to do. That helped me so much that I grew up to be a journalist who interviews lots of people! Linda Davies, video producer
Friend April 2017 “Be a Light” Color in the sun as you figure out someone to do certain things for as a true friend such as loving, forgiving, encouraging, etc.
Friend February 2015 “Question Corner” Children give ideas on how to make friends in a new school.
Friend February 2015 “Happy Alone, Happy Together” Ideas on what to do when want to be alone or when we are lonely.
Friend April 2021 I was feeling lonely at recess, so I asked someone if they would play with me. We started playing with chalk, and more people came, and it was so much fun! If you feel lonely, you can ask someone to play with you! (includes photo)
Friend March 2022 “The Origami Activity” Toshi had just moved to the Philippines and didn’t know the language. He planned a party for his Primary class, and his father help translate. Everyone had a good time.
Working Through Disagreements
Friend May 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” Ideas on how to work through disagreements.
Friend September 2019 “3 Ways to Get Along With Others” Love them, forgive them, treat them the way you wanted to be treated. (Includes Golden Rule activity and coloring page.)
When Job was struggling, his friends said that God was punishing him because he had sinned. This story can help you teach the children a better way to respond when a friend has challenges (see Job 16:1–5).
Ask the children to review the many hard things that happened to Job (see Job 1:13–19; 2:7). Read together Job 19:14, 19, looking for how Job’s friends reacted to his trials (see also Job 22:1–5). Invite the children to imagine that they were Job’s friends—how would they try to help him? Encourage them to think of a friend who may be going through a difficult time and plan something they can do to show love and support to their friend.
Ask the children to list some qualities of a good friend and to name a friend who has these qualities. Show a picture of Jesus Christ. In what ways is Jesus a good friend to each of us? How can we follow His example?
Friend October 2018 “Kaity and Quincy” Kaity, who has Down syndrome, loves her friend Quincy. Quincy always helps her at church. When Quincy’s brother dies, Katie wants to help her friend. She is able to comfort her sad, crying friend with just the right words and hugs.
Friend April 2017 The kids on my bus are really inappropriate, and I used to dread getting on the bus. My older sister let me borrow her MP3 player full of Church songs, and now I don’t dread going on the bus, as long as I have the MP3 player and some Church magazines. I am really glad the Church can help me stay on the right path. Savannah N., age 11, Arizona, USA
Media Affects Us
Friend August 2016 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy learns it is hard to get rid of things in the brain that we see and hear.
Courage to Choose the Right Media
Friend August 2020 “Choosing the Channel” Camille’s best friend told her about a funny TV show, but it had some bad words in it so she turned it off. Camille was afraid to tell her friend that she didn’t watch it. They were best friends that did everything together and liked the same things. She was afraid they wouldn’t be friends anymore. But her friend was supportive of her choice and said they could find a show they both liked.
Friend August 2020Friend August 2020
Friend February 2024 “True Friends?” Henry’s friends did things that made him uncomfortable like watching bad videos. He was afraid to say anything because he didn’t want to be alone and friendless. His mom told him that true friends help you do what’s right. The next time they watched a bad video he said he didn’t want to watch it. His friends made fun of him and said mean things about him. “Is this what true friends would do?,” Henry thought. He left and felt peaceful. He realized he wasn’t alone. The Holy Ghost was with him.
Video Games
Friend October 2022 “Video Game Stoplight” Nathan is missing out on family time and he isn’t getting his work done because he gets caught up in video games. His mom and dad help him make a plan to balance things out better.
Friend September 2020 “Video Game Explosion” After losing to his brother in a video game car race, Jared felt frustrated and kicked the wall and made a hole in it. Then he was scared about what his mom and Dad would say. He prayed for help, and he and his parents tried to figure out what made him feel so frustrated and angry. They all decided maybe he should cut back on video games for awhile. He was glad to have a good feeling again.
Friend September 2020
Friend June 2018 “Bedtime For Felix” Anton can’t wait to get back to his game, but he has to put his baby brother to bed first. As he snuggled with his brother he realized he felt the happiest he had been all day.
Friend April 2017 “Game Changer” Caleb wants to play his online game with his friends, but some players are using bad words. Caleb feels like it is hard to have to make different choices than his friends, but the Holy Ghost comforts him and helps him see that the game was getting addicting.
Friend January 2017 “The Next Level” Max takes a week off from playing games and he learns new things, spends time with his family, serves, and feels the Spirit.
Friend August 2016 “The Hidden Video Game” Ava’s big brother doesn’t feel good about a video game they are playing so he wants to get rid of it.
Friend February 2019 “Monster Quest” A boy learns it’s more fun to go on a pretend monster quest than it is to play the video game Monster Quest.
Friend June 2015 Building a fort instead of playing video games.
Television
Friend September 2015 “Flipping Channels” Girl feels guilty watching a movie with bad ratings and tries to hide that she is watching it.
Friend November 2018 “Sister Date” Rachel and Brianna have a bad fight over which tv show to watch. The older sister, Brianna, decides they need to go on sister date and have some fun time together, and this quality time helps them become best friends again.
Friend November 2018Friend November 2018
Books
Friend October 2019 “Should I Keep Reading?” While Brooklyn is reading a book about a girl who started a blog, the girl took the Lord’s name in vain. Brooklyn didn’t feel very good when she read that, but she kept reading hoping it was just a one time thing, but it wasn’t. Brooklyn stopped reading and took the book back to the library. She felt glad that she had followed the “My Gospel Standards” about only reading and watching things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.
Friend June 2016 “Goodbye to Scary Stories” Reading scary books makes a girl feel anxious and scared so she gets rid of them.
Friend June 2023 “Margo and Paolo” When Paulo began to read his library book, he didn’t feel good because it had some bad parts in it, so he stopped reading it. The Holy Ghost was warning him of spiritual danger.
Phones
Friend November 2020 “Conference Notes”Sister Craig felt the Holy Ghost tell her to stop looking at her phone in line at the store. One day she noticed an elderly man in front of her in line. He said it was his birthday, but nobody else knew. She was glad she took the time to notice others. This teaches me:
Friend March 2019 “The No-Phone Zone” At a family reunion, Tyler’s grandmother has everyone put their phones in a basket before dinner. At dinner (and after dinner), Tyler listened to all the family stories. He learned more about his dad as a child. He didn’t think about his phone at all. He told his grandma it was the best dinner ever.
Scrolling
Friend March 2024 “Janeelyn Stops Scrolling” Janeelyn was watching videos on the phone. Most were good, but some had bad things in them. Janeelyn started to feel like she should stop watching them, but she really wanted to see the next video. And the next. And the next. She had a hard time stopping even though the Holy Ghost had prompted her. She said a prayer asking for help. Her mom helped her, and they decided she would only watch videos when she was watching with her mom and dad.
Pornography
Friend June 2023 “The Bad Website” While on the internet, Kevin clicked on a website link and found it had pictures of people without clothes. He was curious, so he looked and felt sick. The bad feeling didn’t go away. He realized the Holy Ghost had helped him know he shouldn’t look at the pictures and that he should talk to his mom about it. He and his mom came up with a computer safety plan together.
Friend October 2020 “Chat-Box Mess” Myra accepted someone she didn’t know as a friend on an online game she was playing. She quickly regretted her decision when he began asking personal questions. Then the person began sending her bad messages. She told her dad and he was able to block the him and report him. He reminded her that it was safer to only play with kids she knows.
Emails and Texts
Friend April 2019 “The Right Reply” Emily received a mean email from a friend. She wanted to send a not-so-nice reply, but her mom suggested she wait and little bit. While she waited, she saw a picture of Jesus. She remembered that people had been mean to him, but he was never mean back. She decided to follow Jesus and not send the mean reply.
Friend April 2023 “The Big, Bad, Rotten Text” Zach got mad at his older sister and sent a mean text to her on his mom’s phone, but he sent it to the wrong Rachel. The person who received it helped him realize that it was important to use his words to say kind things, not to hurt others.
Computers
Online Bullying
Friend September 2018 “Cyberbash” Kaela’s friend posted a picture online of herself being funny and goofy with her checks full of cereal like a chipmunk. Kaela was shocked when she saw mean comments about the picture. She lets her friend know that those comments were wrong, and she tells her mom about the bullying.
Friend September 2018
Pornography
Friend October 2015 “Standing Strong” Boy leaves when other boys are viewing pornography but is later teased.
Friend June 2018 “Filter Fail” While researching on the internet for a school paper a picture of a naked person pops up. Kylie is shocked and feels guilty because she can’t get the image out of her mind. She talks to her parents and they help her see that it wasn’t her fault, and they tell her that filling her mind with goood things will help push the bad things out.
Friend June 2018
Friend August 2017 “The Bad Picture” A boy shows Taran a bad picture from a magazine, but Taran lets him know that he doesn’t look at things like that. He also tells his mom about what happened. His family celebrates and talk about his good decision.
Friend August 2017
Limiting Time
Friend March 2021 “The Adventures Just Outside” After playing a math game on her tablet for a long time, Rylee’s mom explained that doing math is good for her brain, but too much screen time isn’t good for her brain, or for the rest of her body. They decide to go for a walk to the park, and Rylee finds lots of things to do that helps her brain grow stronger.
Listen to the Spirit
Friend September 2017 “For Older Kids” By McKay H., age 9, Utah, USA “One night as I was watching TV, a show came on that I had never seen before. I got a dark feeling inside. Then a very still, small voice told me to turn off the TV. After that I went to play a Primary song on the piano.”
Individual Stories
Friend August 2015 “Show & Tell” Two children make good choices about media.
Friend August 2016 “Show & Tell” A boy shuts off a game when he hears inappropriate language.
Friend July 2018 “Show and Tell” I was playing with a friend who showed me a video. At first it was funny, but then a character said a bad word. When I hear bad words, it feels bad in my body, so I asked him if we could do something else. He said OK. I felt happy inside! Javaan F., age 9, North Carolina, USA
Friend August 1988 “Allie’s Choice” Allie shows she is responsible while her mother is away by taking care of work instead of going to a horse show and she is than allowed the responsibilty of boarding a horse.
Making Work Fun
Friend January 2022 “Songs and Soap Bubbles” Alice has a lot of responsibility helping with her five younger siblings. One of her chores is to do the dishes. She decides to make doing the dishes fun by learning hymns as she does them. The hymns help her feel peace in her busy, noisy life.
Friend October 2016 “Matt and Mandy” Matt and Mandy have a big chore of raking leaves, but they add some fun and surprise their parents.
Friend August 2019 “Matt and Mandy” Matt and Mandy decide to surprise their mom by cleaning their rooms the night before. It goes fast because they work together and the surprise is fun. They want to surprise her by doing other chores too.
Friend July 2016 Picking thorny blackberries was not fun, but a boy learned about responsibility and the rewards of work.
Friend July 2016 “Ryan the Unstoppable Reader” Ryan has a reading disability and has to spend his summer working on his reading, but his hard work pays off and his reading level increases.
Friend April 1983– interview with Paul H Dunn. His father had him work for any spending money.
Friend May 1988 “Sweet Peas” Children grow vegetables in a garden to sell and make spending money.
Friend February 1987 “Blake’s Lucky Socks” Ethan studies hard to win a spelling bee. His friend, Ethan, doesn’t study but thinks he’ll win because he’s wearing his lucky socks.
Friend May 2016 “The Laundry Monster” It’s time to help put laundry in a basket, but Ana wants to keep playing. Her guilt grows.
Friend June 1987 “Lipstick and Hot Chocolate” Tanya finds that baby-sitting to earn dance lessons is more difficult than expected, but she is responsible and fixes her mistakes.
Careers
Friend August 2016 “When I Grow Up” Rosemary starts her own business designing temple dresses. It takes discipline, study, and prayer to make it work.
Friend March 2019 “Becoming Dr. Cannon” Mattie Hughes was excited when she heard Brigham Young encouraging women to become doctors. She worked hard and saved her money so she could go to medical school. Eventually she became a doctor and helped many people.
Cooperation
Friend January 2018 “Matt and Mandy” Mandy and her friend both have to practice piano. They work together and it makes it fun. Then they both try to do their own thing and it turns out terrible.
Pet Care
Friend June 2018 “Stacie’s Puppy” Stacie takes care of her puppy.
Friend March 2022 “Overcoming Your Challenges”President Dallin H. Oaks discusses the challenges he faced growing up, such as having his father die when he was seven, or being bullied and made fun of by other kids because he couldn’t spell or do math very well. Heavenly Father and Dallin’s family helped him and things got better. President Oaks wants the children to know that Heavenly Father will help them and to not give up. (Coloring page “I Can Overcome Challenges”)
Friend March 2017 “What if I feel Like I Don’t Measure Up” Elder Holland got discouraged during college and wondered if he should just give up, but his wife encouraged him not to to give up.
Friend February 2024 While Elder Holland was serving his mission in Great Britain, his parents were called on a mission to serve there too!
Friend April 2016 “Your Future Home” President Eyring remembers reading scriptures in school, and he remembers what his favorite scripture was and why.
Friend July 2018 “Taking Care of Each Other” When President Eyring’s great grandfather was crossing the plains, he got sick. Someone was sent to help him. He fell in love with one of the women and married her. Also, link includes “Getting to Know President Henry B. Eyring.”
Dieter F. Uchdorf
Friend July 2021 “A Dream for Dieter” When he was a boy, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf loved airplanes and wanted to be a pilot someday. But Dieter’s family were refugees and poor so sometimes he felt like his dream was impossible. He worked hard and had faith and was able to attain his dream of being a pilot.
Friend July 2017 “Don’t Stop Seeking” President Uchdorf tells about two missionaries who knocked on every door in an apartment building. Nobody was interested until the last door. The last door was the family of Pres. Uchdorf’s future wife. He says we should persevere and not stop seeking to get close to the Lord.
Friend April 2022 “Harriet Meets the Missionaries” Harriet’s father died and she missed him so much and wondered if she would ever see him again. Then the missionaries came and they told them about the plan of salvation and about being with our families again after death. Harriet and her family joined the church and Harriet grew up and married Dieter F. Uchdorf.
Friend March 2020 “Meet the Apostles” Some info about the life of Dieter F. Uchdorf.
Friend June 2017 “Why are Fathers so Important?” Elder Christopherson’s father set an example of honesty and service and Elder Christopherson wanted to be just,like his father.
Friend December 2017 “How Can Repenting Make Me Feel Happy?” When Elder Renlund was young, he lit a firecracker in a church building and felt terrible about it. His bishop helped him repent and feel happy again.
Friend April 1986 Try to figure out what the riddle is about (missionaries). Read the rebus clues. From the list choose the word that best describes the picture and draw a line from it to the picture.
Friend February 2020 “More Important than Basketball” Game: Play this game to practice sharing the gospel! Cut out the squares and crumple them into balls. Set a bowl at the end of a table or desk. Then take turns shooting the balls into the bowl. When a ball lands in the bowl, open the paper and read the question. Practice answering it as if you were talking to someone who wants to learn more about the Church.
Friend July 1986 Game: Children practice teaching and giving talks.
Sharing the Gospel Now
Friend July 2019 “Coloring Page: Jesus Wants Me to Share the Gospel”
Missionaries Share the Gospel All Around the World
Friend July 2021 “Draw the Town” Missionaries share the gospel all around the world. These missionaries are walking around town looking for people to teach. Pick a town below, then draw it in! Add some people for them to teach too.
Friend June 2019 “Find It” Maria and Daniel are from the Philippines. Their grandmother tells them about the missionary who baptized her. Find nine things below that Maria and Daniel might use on a mission someday.
Friend April 2020 “Learning about the Restoration “The missionaries are teaching this family about how the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored. Find the items below that represent parts of the Restoration.
Ensign January 2016 “The Kindness Challenge” When Jesus visited the people in the Americas, He taught them to love each other and to be kind. What can you do to follow Jesus and love others? Here are some ideas. Check off each challenge as you go.
Friend October 2015 Jesus showed love and kindness to everyone around Him. Take this quiz and think about how you can follow His example.
New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) After Jesus Christ learned that John the Baptist had been beheaded, He traveled with His Apostles to a solitary place. They were followed by a multitude. Even though He was suffering, the Savior had compassion on the crowd and taught and fed the people—5,000 men plus women and children. This lesson can help you be more compassionate and selfless like Jesus Christ.
Show the children a basket and some bread as you tell the story in Matthew 14:13–21. Explain that even though Jesus had tried to find a place to be alone, the people wanted to be near Him. Share the rest of the story with the children, and ask them to listen for what Jesus did to show kindness and love for the people.
Ask the children to share ways in which someone has been kind to them. Then help them think of things they can do this week to be kind to others. For every answer they give, draw a loaf of bread or a fish on the board. Tell the children that when they do these things, they are following the example Jesus set when He fed the five thousand people who were hungry.
We can follow the example of Jesus Christ by showing compassion and serving others even while we are experiencing our own difficulties.Note that a “desert place” ( verse 13) is a solitary place, and “victuals” ( verse 15) means “food.”
I should treat others the way I want to be treated.
Friend July 2023 “Magnolia’s Amazing Dad” Some kids in Primary weren’t kind to Magnolia. They told her that her family wasn’t a good family because her Dad wasn’t a member of the church, but he went to church with them, and he did scripture study and prayer with the family. It made her want to cry because her father was an amazing dad. Magnolia talked to her parents and said. “Jesus taught us to be kind to everyone. Saying mean things doesn’t seem like following Jesus.” “You’re right,” said Dad. “Maybe when you feel like saying something mean, you can remember how you felt when others were unkind to you. Then you can say something kind instead.”
Read Matthew 7:12, and paraphrase it in simple words that the children can understand. Help the children think of several ways to complete a sentence like the following: “I like it when others_______ for me.” After each sentence, invite them to repeat with you, “So I should______ for others.”
The below video isn’t produced by the church, but it has some examples of the golden rule. Watching it without the volume on and discussing each picture might be a good way to show some examples.
Sing with the children a song that you feel reinforces Matthew 7:12, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, 61). Make up simple actions to accompany the song. Ask the children what they learn about how we should treat others from the Savior’s example.
Invite the children to list kind things their parents or other family members do for them. Read Matthew 7:12, and invite the children to name kind things they can do for their families.
Friend June 2019 Story “Each of us has an imaginary bucket inside of us. People fill our buckets when they do nice things for us. And we fill others’ buckets when we’re nice to them. For example, when your mom gives you a hug, she is filling your bucket. When you say something nice to someone, you are filling their bucket.”
Have each child decorate some small bucket, and have class members or family members write kind things about each person to put in their buckets.
Friend November 2023 “More than a Good Practice Day” Ismael saw a woman weeding the whole time he and his dad were playing soccer. He felt strongly that he should go over and tell her she was doing a good job. She seemed unhappy and tired until Ismael told her thank you for taking care of the park, and then she got a big smile and thanked him.
Ensign August 2017 “A Disciples Life” Circle two or three things you could do this week to be kind to others.
Ensign July 2017 “Family Home Evening Ideas” Consider asking family members to come to family home evening prepared to share a time when someone showed kindness to them and how it made them feel. Share one of the stories about kindness. You could then read together the “Looking Inside” and “Looking Outside” lists included with the article, inviting family members to select one or two ideas to work on. Encourage them to share their experiences at a future family home evening. You might want to conclude by singing “A Special Gift Is Kindness” or “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 145).
Friend April 2015 “Family Fun Time” Post on wall all the acts of kindness others have done for you.
Friend September 2021 “Kindness Begins with Me” Color in a heart every time you help someone, say something kind, act as a peacemaker, include someone who may feel lonely, or do any other act of kindness.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 24–27” Abraham’s servant was impressed with the remarkable kindness that Rebekah showed to him by offering water not only to him but to his 10 camels as well. Her example can be a reminder for the children to always be kind to others.
Show the picture of Rebekah in this week’s activity page. Point out details in the picture as you summarize the story in Genesis 24:10–21, in which Rebekah showed kindness to the servant of Abraham. Point out that her words and act of kindness were the sign that Rebekah was the one that God wanted to marry Abraham’s son Isaac. Invite the children to pretend to be the servant arriving with his camels or Rebekah getting water for them. Give them phrases to recite from the scriptures, such as “Let me … drink a little water” (verse 17) and “I will draw water for thy camels also” (verse 19). Why is it important for us to be kind to others?
Tell a story about how the Savior showed kindness to someone. Invite some of the children to share their own experiences of showing kindness.
Friend November 2019 “Being an Example” Activity Included: Draw a line to match the pictures of Jesus with ways you can be kind too.
Suggest several scenarios in which a child can show kindness, such as playing with friends or meeting someone new at school. Ask the children what they could do to be kind in these scenarios.
Friend July 2019 “A New Friend at Lunch” Austin sat with his friends at lunch, and they told jokes and shared cookies. Everyone was happy, except for a boy sitting alone. He was crying and sad. Austin comes up with a plan to help him. He invites the boy to sit with him and his friends, and then everyone is happy.
Friend July 2019
Friend July 2019
Friend July 2019
Friend May 2019 “The Red Cupcake” Sam couldn’t wait to have one of Ryan’s birthday cupcakes. But when he finally got to the front of the line to get his cupcake, it was the last one, and Jenny was still behind him. She looked sad, so Sam told the teacher that Jenny could have his cupcake. Jenny suggested that they share it, and they were both happy. Friend May 2019 “Family Fun Night”Cupcake refreshment idea.
Sing with the children a song about kindness, such as “Kindness Begins with Me” or “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 145, 78–79). Invite the children to listen for the word “kindness” (or a similar word) and stand when they hear it. How can we show kindness to others? This week’s activity page could help with this discussion.
Elimelech and his family go to Moab because of famine—His sons marry—The father and sons die—Ruth, the Moabitess, her husband having died, remains constant to Naomi—They come to Bethlehem.
The nearest relative declines, and Boaz takes Ruth to wife—Ruth bears Obed, through whom came David the king.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3” When Ruth’s husband died, she could have stayed in her home country, but she chose to go with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, and care for her. Consider how Ruth’s Christlike example could inspire the children you teach to be kind to those around them.
Invite the children to represent Naomi, Ruth, Boaz, or other characters as you tell their story from the book of Ruth (see also “Ruth and Naomi” in Old Testament Stories). Invite the children to raise their hands every time they hear an act of kindness in the story. How do we feel when people are kind to us? How do we feel when we are kind to others?
Sing together a song about being kind, such as “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 145). Help the children think of ways they can be kind to their family and friends. If they need help, show them pictures of people showing kindness. For every idea mentioned, let the children draw a heart on the board.
After Ruth became a widow, she chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of returning to her people, “for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16).
Ruth supported Naomi by staying with her. Try this activity to learn about supporting family:
Choose a family member and stand back-to-back. Place any object (a small ball or a book) between each other’s backs.
Working as a team, see how many steps you can take together without letting the object fall.
Take turns as a family until everyone has had a chance to work as a team to help each other.
Discussion: How did Ruth and Naomi help each other? Ruth believed in Heavenly Father and had faith, so she stayed with Naomi. How was she blessed? How can we support each other and trust the Lord when we have difficulties?
Story: Read about Ruth in the scripture story on page 8. She worked hard and gathered grain to take care of her husband’s mother. God blessed her for serving others.
Activity: Cut out pieces of paper in the shape of grain kernels. Use a stick or long piece of paper as a stem. Glue or tape your kernels to the stem to make a stalk of grain. Whenever you serve someone, pull off a kernel. Keep going until the stem is bare!
Lesson 26: Ruth and Naomi,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 114–16 To help the children have the desire to follow the example of righteous people and to be good examples themselves.
Friend July 2018 “Ruth was a Loyal Friend” Link includes story and goal card ideas to learn how to be a good friend like Ruth.
King Benjamin taught that when we come unto Christ and receive a remission of our sins, we are “filled with the love of God” (Mosiah 4:12). This leads us to be loving and kind toward others. You and your children could search Mosiah 4:13–16, 26 (or a song like “I’ll Walk with You,” Children’s Songbook, 140–41) and find phrases that describe how we can serve others. They could then act out these things or draw pictures of them and guess each other’s phrases.
Draw a small heart on the board. Invite the children to share ways they can be kind to others. Each time they share, erase the heart and draw a bigger one. Testify that our love for others grows as we are kind to them. Give the children paper hearts, and invite them to draw on the hearts ways they can show love and be kind.
Help the children come up with actions to do as they sing a song about loving others, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” or “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, 61, 136).
Friend April 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Mosiah 4:26 together and help your little ones say, “I can help those in need.” This would be a great time to do a family service project. For example, young children could decorate paper bags and help fill them with snacks or other items to comfort people who seem sad or lonely.
Friend April 2020 “My Family Night Fun” Kindness Challenge: Do a family kindness challenge! Set out a small jar. Throughout the week, put a small object in the jar every time you do something kind. Can you fill it to the top?
I Will Be Blessed as I Act in Faith and Show Kindness to Others.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 24–27” Abraham’s servant showed faith by trusting God’s guidance to find a wife for Isaac. Rebekah showed kindness in the way she treated Abraham’s servant. How can you help the children you teach follow the examples of Abraham’s servant and Rebekah?
Read Genesis 24:1–28 together, and help the children identify examples of faith and kindness (see, for example, verses 12–14 and 17–20). How were Abraham’s servant and Rebekah blessed by showing faith and kindness? Write on the board We can show faith by … and We can show kindness by … , and invite the children to suggest ways to complete these sentences.
On strips of paper, write things Abraham’s servant said or did and things Rebekah said or did in Genesis 24:1–28. Invite the children to each select a strip of paper and work together to guess who said or did these things (they can refer to the scriptures if they need help). What does this story teach us about kindness? What does it teach us about faith? Other examples of kindness and faith are found in Genesis 24:29–33, 58–61.
Invite the children to think of an act of kindness they have seen. Invite them to write it down and share it with the class or their families at home. How do we feel when someone is kind to us?
Story: Rebekah helped Abraham’s servant by bringing water for his 10 camels (see Genesis 24:10–20). Abraham’s servant was thankful for her kindness.
Song: “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79)
Activity: You can serve like Rebekah! Draw 10 camels (see page 12 to learn how). Hang them up where your family can see them. Each time you do something kind for someone else, color in a camel.
Friend February 2022 “Draw a Camel” Use this page to do the activity on page 7. One camel can drink 30 gallons (114 liters) of water in just a few minutes! How much water do you think Rebekah brought for the 10 camels to drink?
Show pictures of something sweet and something sour. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father asks us to use our tongues to say sweet (or kind) things and not sour (or unkind) things (see James 3:10). Help them think of examples of nice things we can say to others. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “James”)
Friend October 2019 “Words Matter” The words we say make a big difference. Trace your finger along the lines to see how the words you say can make others feel. Also, make some kind notes to give to others.
James 3 includes many images that could inspire memorable object lessons to help your family remember to speak kindly. For example, you could build a fire together and talk about how a small, unkind word can cause a big problem (see verses 5–6). Or you could serve something sour in something that is usually used for sweet food—such as lemon juice in a honey jar. This could lead to a discussion about using sweet and uplifting words (see verses 9–14).
Give each child a simple drawing of a person speaking. Invite the children to hold it up when you say something nice that we can do with our words (such as telling the truth, giving compliments, and offering to help someone) and put it down when you say something that we shouldn’t do with our tongues (such as telling lies, calling other people names, and refusing to obey a parent).(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “James”)
TOOTHPASTE WORDS: The words we speak have the power to hurt or bless others. Get a small tube of toothpaste. Let family members take turns squeezing some of it out onto a plate until it’s empty. Challenge them to get the toothpaste back into the tube. Help them see that once it’s been squeezed out, you can’t put it back in. Similarly, words are hard to take back. Once we speak hurtful words to or about someone, we can’t take them back. Are the words we’re saying words that would hurt or lift others? How can we be better at blessing others with our words?
Is there someone in the ward, perhaps one of the children you teach, who has worked with horses or knows something about boats? You could invite him or her to provide insights about James’s teachings in James 3:3–4 about using kind words. Or provide some of your own insights. What do we learn about controlling our tongues from these examples?(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “James”)
“Bugs and Brothers.” In this Friend story, Lacey learns that she doesn’t have to be angry at her brother Zach.
“The Right Reply.” Emily wants to write a mean reply when her friend sends her a mean email, but then she thinks of what Jesus would do and responds kindly. (From the Friend.)
Make a list of kind, positive things you could say to those around you. Post this list where you can see it every day as a reminder.
Look for examples in the scriptures of how the Savior spoke to those around Him. How did His words teach, lift, and help others? Write in your journal the impressions you receive about how you can follow the Savior’s example.
Your thoughts affect your words. Do you have unkind thoughts about someone? Every time you have an unkind thought about someone, think of something positive about the person instead. You’ll be more likely to speak kindly, and you might even find a new friend!
How do you and your friends talk about others? Set an example of using kind words. For example, if your friends start gossiping about someone, find a kind way to stand up for that person or change the subject. You could even ask your friends to join you in your goal to speak kindly about others.
TOOTHPASTE WORDS: The words we speak have the power to hurt or bless others. Get a small tube of toothpaste. Let family members take turns squeezing some of it out onto a plate until it’s empty. Challenge them to get the toothpaste back into the tube. Help them see that once it’s been squeezed out, you can’t put it back in. Similarly, words are hard to take back. Once we speak hurtful words to or about someone, we can’t take them back. Are the words we’re saying words that would hurt or lift others? How can we be better at blessing others with our words?
Friend May 2019 “For Parents of Little Ones” Teaching little ones to use kind words.
Read Proverbs 15:1 to the children, and explain any words or phrases that might be unfamiliar to them. Share a few examples of situations in which a child might feel angry (such as an argument with a brother or sister). Help them think of “soft answers,” or kind words, they could use instead of angry words. Help them practice saying these things softly or in a calm voice.
Friend October 2019 “Words Matter” The words we say make a big difference. Trace your finger along the lines to see how the words you say can make others feel. Also, make some kind notes to give to others.
Friend January 2018 “Lucas and the Bully” Lucas stood up to a bully, but the words he used hurt the bullies feelings. Lucas apologizes and invites the bully to play and they become friends
Friend April 2023 “The Big, Bad, Rotten Text” Zach got mad at his older sister and sent a mean text to her on his mom’s phone, but he sent it to the wrong Rachel. The person who received it helped him realize that it was important to use his words to say kind things, not to hurt others.
Friend September 2022 “Jack Uses Kind Words” Throughout the day Jack uses kind words like please and thank you. (Read the story to the children, then read each of the kind words on the list and have them repeat them. Next read each sentence in the story again and have the children tell you which word was the kind word.)
Friend May 2019 “Choosing Kind Words” Selene called Adriana a mean name when she missed the ball. Adriana told Selene that it hurt her feelings and asked her not to say that. Selene apologized. (Also a lesson idea about kind words children can use and when to use them. Have children tell which ones Adriana and Selene used.)
Activity Time: Match the good words with the picture. How can you use good words?
Sing a song about kindness, such as “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 145). What does the song teach us about being kind?
To help the children understand what it means to be “slow to anger” (Proverbs 15:18), tell a personal story about when you (or someone you know) felt angry but chose to be kind. Let the children share their own experiences too. Help the children think of things they can do instead of becoming angry. For example, they could think about Jesus, ask Heavenly Father to help them, sing a Primary song to themselves, or, if possible, just walk away.
Friend May 2019 “Choose to Be Kind” A girl pushed her way to the front of the line at the bus stop and sat where Samuel and his friend, Mike, had planned on sitting. This started an argument, but Samuel chooses to be kind instead of right, and figures out a solution.
Friend September 2018 “Show and Tell” “One day I wanted to sit by a bully at school to be friends with her. She yelled at me to go away. I wanted to get her back with my words. But I held my tongue and said, “It’s OK. I’ll sit by someone else.” When I walked away, I felt good for what I did.” Elijah V., age 12, Arizona, USA
Practice: How do our words affect the spirit in our home? Perhaps family members could practice giving “a soft answer” to “grievous words” and try to use what they learn in their interactions with each other. Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families Old Testament 2022
Response: You can’t make anyone do anything. But when you speak kindly, others might follow your example. Words are powerful. Especially when you use your words for good. Mean words can be hurtful, but kind words can be helpful, healing, and inspiring.
Friend February 2023 “Soccer Riddle” Alessio invited his new neighbor, Sara, to play soccer with his friends! Use the clues to help Sara learn all their names.
Friend June 2021 “Be Kind” President Oaks tells us to be kind and not tease, reject, bully, and reject those who are different from them.
Ways to show kindness to someone new or from a different country.
Friend August 2017 “Happy to Help” A girl born in a refugee camp but now lives in Utah helps translate for new kids at Primary. Some ideas for helping new kids include: “If you don’t speak their language, find someone who can translate. Learn how to say hello in their language. In Kirundi, say “Amakuru.” In Swahili, say “Jambo!” Invite them to come play with you.”
Friend September 2020 “Friends By Mail” A family came up with some kindness tips: “If there’s a new kid at school, offer to show them around and introduce them to your other friends. Share things about yourself so they get to know you, and ask questions about them.”
Love, Kindness, and Looking for the Good
Friend September 2016 “Family Night Fun” Musical chairs but when someone gets out have everyone say one nice thing about them. Look for the good.
Draw a small heart on the board. Invite the children to share ways they can be kind to others. Each time they share, erase the heart and draw a bigger one. Testify that our love for others grows as we are kind to them. Give the children paper hearts, and invite them to draw on the hearts ways they can show love and be kind.
Help the children search Mosiah 4:13–16, 26 and identify phrases that describe how we can serve others. Invite them to act out these things or draw pictures of them, and let the other children guess the phrase. How can we show love and kindness at home, at school, or at church?
Friend April 2016 What does it mean to be kind? Write something for each letter of the alphabet on a poster. Set some family goals and hang up the poster.
Ensign August 2017 “The Burdens of Bullying” Lesson ideas about teaching children how to avoid becoming bullies themselves –including the below object lesson idea.
Cover several cans of food with paper and take turns writing on the cans ways that others hurt us, like ignoring, yelling, hitting, or saying, “I don’t like you.” Then blow up some balloons. Use a marker to write on the balloons ways that others make us happy, like sharing toys or saying, “I like playing with you.” Have two people each hold a basket or box while everyone else gives balloons to one person and cans to the other. Explain how positive behaviors and words make our loads easy to carry, but negative actions and comments can weigh us down. Talk about what you and your family can do to help lighten others’ burdens.
Friend October 2015 Jesus showed love and kindness to everyone around Him. Take this quiz and think about how you can follow His example.
Friend May 2020 “What’s on Your Mind?” Someone wants to know how to stand up for someone who is being bullied. The Friendngives some tips and suggest acting them out.
Friend April 2020 “Come Follow Me for Little Ones” Read Mosiah 4:26 together and help your little ones say, “I can help those in need.” This would be a great time to do a family service project. For example, young children could decorate paper bags and help fill them with snacks or other items to comfort people who seem sad or lonely.
Friend April 2020 “My Family Night Fun” Kindness Challenge: Do a family kindness challenge! Set out a small jar. Throughout the week, put a small object in the jar every time you do something kind. Can you fill it to the top?
Even young children can follow the counsel to strengthen others “in all your conversation, in all your prayers, … and in all your doings.”
Draw a person on the board, and ask the children to name some things the person could do to become physically stronger. (You might draw bigger muscles on the person as the children name things.) Read Doctrine and Covenants 108:7, and ask the children to listen for ways we can “strengthen [our] brethren [and sisters].” Explain any words that might be difficult.
Help the children think of people they know who may need strengthening. What could we say to them or do for them? Work together to make cards for these people, or encourage the children to remember them in their personal and family prayers.
How can we strengthen each other in our conversations? in our prayers? in our exhortations, or encouragement? in all our doings? You might choose one of these to work on as a family.
In My Conversation
Friend October 2019 “Words Matter” The words we say make a big difference. Trace your finger along the lines to see how the words you say can make others feel. Also, make some kind notes to give to others.
In Prayers
Friend March 2020 “Praying for Uncle Dan” At bedtime Isabelle’s family prayed together. They always started by talking about people who might need extra blessings. This time dad asked them to pray for Uncle Dan who had lost his job. Every day they prayed for him, and eventually he started making progress in finding a new job.
Friend March 2020
Friend March 2020
Friend March 2020
Friend March 2020
Friend September 2019 “Praying Like Alma” Joplin got hit by a tornado and Isaac wants to go help, but he’s too young. While learning about Alma’s prayer for his son, Isaac got the idea to pray for the people of Joplin. He said prayers for them everyday.
In My Exhortations
Friend July 2020 “Kind Enough to Speak Up” Charlie’s friend was mean to people and called them names. Charlie talked to his friend about it and he agreed to stop being mean.
Friend February 2018 “Standing up for Church” Easton is surprised when kids in his international school class laugh when a boy says he goes to church. He decides to do his family identity presentation on church so that others would see why it’s important and not silly.
In My Doings
For the Strength of Youth June 2024 “Just Be Kind” Raegan and Rylyn make “Be Kind” signs to help people remember to be kind to others who are different from them, like their down syndrome siblings. They sell the signs and see them in people’s yards. The money they make, they donate to charities. They have made over 5,400 Be Kind signs and raised over $50,000 for charity. They also set a goal to lift kids at school who don’t fit in. (See more images and story at the link.)
Answer: Everything you watch or listen to affects how you think, feel, and act. And that affects the person you become. To become your best self, watch and listen to the best things. We are taught to seek after things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” (Articles of Faith 1:13). And we can know something is good if it makes us want to do good and “to believe in Christ” (Moroni 7:16). What you watch or listen to matters so much because you matter so much.
If you’re not sure how to talk to your children about online safety, consider asking them questions like these (adapted from “Scams and Safety,” Federal Bureau of Investigation, fbi.gov):
I have heard about adults pressuring kids online to send pictures of their bodies to the adult. Have you ever heard about something like that?
Has someone at school ever had a picture taken of them that was sent around to a lot of people? What could happen to that person if the picture was embarrassing?
Has anyone you don’t know ever tried to contact you or talk to you online?
Why do you think an adult would want to talk to a kid online?
Ensign August 2017 “Eight Stratagies to Help Children Reject Pornography”
Family Rules:
Keep computers and tablets in common areas.
Ask children and teens to turn in their phones and mobile devices at night.
Establish an open-book policy; parents can view texts and social media accounts at any time.
Pornography
Ensign October 2019 “Four Ways to Protect Your Family from Pornography” Even young children can learn to recognize it in a simple way: “You might accidentally see a picture or video of someone with their clothes off. That’s called pornography. When you see it, you might feel an ‘uh-oh’ feeling inside. That’s the Holy Ghost telling you, ‘That’s pornography. Stay away.’”
Friend October 2019 “What’s on Your Mind” A child sees a picture of someone without clothes on and asks the Friend what to do. The Friend explains that it is probably pornography and gives some ideas on what to do. They also include a TAG to keep by the computer that says Turn away, tell an Adult, and do something Good.
Friend November 2017 “Question Corner” Children give responses about what to do when friends look at bad pictures or show them on their phones.
Ensign October 2019 “Addressing Pornography” Joy D. Jones tells a story of a boy trusting a rattlesnake and picking it up and carrying it. When the snake bites him and the boy is shocked, the snake says,“You knew what I was when you picked me up.” Sister Jones says, “I see many parents handing their child a snake. I am speaking of smartphones.” She says that until the reasoning and decision-making abilities are fully developed and children are sufficiently taught, “we cannot put cell phones with internet access into the hands of young children.” Sister Jones also shares some ways others have protected their children from the dangers of the internet.
Why is the source of the water you drink important?
Seeking truth can be like drinking water: the source matters. Think of sources you turn to when you have questions or concerns. [such as the Internet] How confident are you that these sources provide true answers? Heavenly Father desires to answer your sincere questions and has provided trustworthy sources to guide you. [The prophet, from the scriptures, from the Holy Ghost. Don’t drown in the depths of filthy water. Go to the source of living water.]
Friend April 2018 “The Priesthood and Me” Journal entries from a girl who wonders why only boys receive the priesthood. She learns that both boys and girls use priesthood power for their callings and responsibilities.
Receiving the Priesthood
Friend May 2017 “Awesome! Robert receives the Aaronic Priesthood and learns about the line of authority.
Friend June 2016 “Was I Ready” A boy prays to know if he is ready to receive the priesthood.
Worthiness Friend October 2017 “Worthiness Worries” Matthew can’t get the image of an immodestly dressed woman out of his head that he saw on an advertisement. He worries that he isn’t worthy to receive the priesthood. His mother helps him remember that the Savior took on himself all our difficulties and he can help us.
Duties of the Priesthood
Friend November 2015 “Priesthood Power” Bobby learns that the priesthood is about serving people.
Friend January 2016 President Monson fulfilled his deacon duties by taking the sacrament to a home bound man and by being a good secretary.
Passing the Sacrament
Friend February 2025 “Peace during the Sacrament”Te Rakiwas nervous to pass the sacrament for the first time. His friend taught him what to do. He felt happy after he passed the sacrament because the sacrament allows everyone to renew their covenants, and it feels amazing to help others.
Friend November 2020 “Help Passing the Sacrament” Brayden was almost old enough to pass the sacrament, but he didn’t know how he was going to do it because he used a walker to help him walk. But then the other deacons volunteered to take turns pushing him in his transport chair so he could carry a tray. He was glad to be part of such a great deacons quorum!
Friend January 2023 “Representing Jesus” The older boys were going to show David and the other 11-year-old boys how to pass the sacrament. David was nervous because his autism sometimes made it hard for him to learn new things, but he practiced and had lots of help.
Father’s Blessings
Friend November 2019 “The Primary Talk” Dennis was afraid to give a talk in Primary. He prayed, prepared, and practiced but he was still nervous, so he asked his father to give him a blessing. After the blessing he was able to give the talk with only a few stutters, and he knew Heavenly Father had helped him.
Friend June 2019 “A New Chapter” Sarah’s dad died in an accident and she and her mom had to move to a new place. Sarah is sad a lot and she is also worried about not knowing anyone in church or school. She would like a blessing, but her dad isn’t there to give her one. Her mom suggests her uncle give the blessing. After the blessing, Sarah quickly makes friends at church and school.
Friend September 2017 “Moresby the Brave” Moresby is worried about starting school, so his father gives him a blessing. Moresby’s day goes well, and he is even brave enough to help someone else who is having a hard time on their first day.
Friend February 2016 “You are Special” In Emma’s blessing from her father, Emma gets a message from Heavenly Father.
Friend June 2018 “Twin Jitters” Kaylee is nervous about getting baptized. She worries about being dropped or not being able to breath. Her twin brother is also nervous. Her grandmother suggests they get a blessing from their father. Afterwards they feel much better.
Healing Blessings
Friend August 2024 “Margo and Paolo” Margo and Paulo and receive a blessing but don’t feel better afterwards. Their mother tells them to be patient, that sometimes blessings from the Lord take time, but she is sure He heard their prayers. A few days later they are healthy and strong again.
Friend October 2023 “Timeon’s Priesthood Blessing” Timeon fell and hurt his arm when playing monkeys with his friends at an empty tree hut. He was in a lot of pain, but there were no doctors close enough to visit in the dark. The elders gave him a priesthood blessing. Soon Timeon’s arm didn’t hurt so much. He felt calm and peaceful. He was even able to fall asleep. They were able to go see a doctor in the morning. Timeon was grateful for priesthood power.
Friend August 2021 “Peace through Priesthood Power” When Elder Steven R. Bangerter was a child, he had gamma globulin anemia which made it hard for his body to fight off germs, so he got sick a lot. One night he had an earache so bad that he thought his head would explode. He father gave him a blessing and he was able to sleep through the night and feel better the next day. The next few year his father continued to give him priesthood blessings. He taught him that those blessings were opportunities for Heavenly Father to speak to him.
Friend August 2021 “The Power of a Priesthood Blessing” Russell M. Nelson gave a very sick doctor a priesthood blessing when they were in Mexico and not near any medical facilities. The next morning he was feeling better.
Friend March 2020 “Hayfields and Priesthood Blessings” When Elder Gerard was a boy, he lived on a farm. The dust from the hay sometimes made him sick because of his allergies. One windy summer day there was a lot of dust in the air and he was having a hard time breathing. His mother brought him in and had two farmers who were members of church give him a priesthood blessing. As they blessed him, he felt warm, peaceful, and calm.
Friend October 2019 “Matt and Mandy” Matt hurt his arm and needs surgery. He asks to get a blessing before the surgery.
Friend February 2017 “Danger at the Ice Pond” Alice tries to help push the blocks of ice in the pond, but the ice she is standing on cracks and breaks. Her father rushes her home and gives her a priesthood blessing and she has no ill effects.
Friend July 1988 “Power of Prayer” A pioneer father is inspired that something was wrong at home. When he arrives he finds that his daughter has fallen into the fireplace. He gives her a blessing and every promise is fulfilled.
Friend May 2016 “Bad Day in the Badlands” Topher and his classmates get sick on a school trip. Topher gets a priesthood blessing.
Friend May 2016
Friend April 2018 “I got sick when my dad was on a business trip. My mom called Brother Hillstrom and Brother Judkins, and they gave me a blessing. They told me that the priesthood was real and Heavenly Father could help me get better. I knew that I might not get better right away, but I would get well soon. I love the priesthood.”
Sienna P., age 8, Utah, USA
Baby Blessings
Friend June 2019 “Baby’s Blessing Day” Kate learns that a baby blessing is special when her baby sister gets blessed.
In early 1831, almost a year after the Church was organized, many people were joining the Church and gathering in Ohio, as the Lord had commanded. As the Church grew, Joseph Smith needed additional leaders to help with the work of the Church. The Church was facing many financial (money-related) challenges. Many of the Saints who gathered to Kirtland were poor. They had no land or money and little food, clothing, or other things that were necessary for them to live. The Church also needed money to build a temple and to publish written materials such as revelations and missionary pamphlets. The Prophet himself did not have a home or a way to provide for his family, and other Church leaders who were serving in the Church full-time also needed help in supporting their families.
The Prophet asked the Lord what should be done to provide for all of these needs. In February 1831 the Prophet received a revelation calling Edward Partridge, who had only been a member of the Church for two months, to serve as the first bishop of the Church. The bishop’s first responsibility was to help the Prophet provide for the physical and financial needs of the members of the Church. Joseph Smith received other revelations in the next few months that helped Bishop Partridge know what else he was to do as bishop.
Bishop Partridge was asked to help provide the needy members of the Church with food, clothing, and shelter (see D&C 42:30–31, 34). Members who had extra food or other supplies were asked to share with those who did not have enough. Bishop Partridge received and distributed these donations, keeping them in a storehouse where members in need could come.
Another duty given to Bishop Partridge was to purchase and distribute land for individual homes and Church buildings (see D&C 42:35).
Ensign April 2021 “How can we be like Edward Partridge?” Edward Partridge was the first bishop of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. With his firm testimony, he was willing to sacrifice everything he had and endure hardship after hardship, for he knew the Church to be true.
Friend March 2017 “My Dad the Bishop” Syrena was surprised when her dad was called as bishop because she thought bishops were solemn and had perfect families, but she learns that they are men with strong testimonies.
