Acts CHAPTER 10 An angel ministers to Cornelius—Peter, in a vision, is commanded to take the gospel to the Gentiles—The gospel is taught by witnesses—The Holy Ghost falls upon the Gentiles.

Acts CHAPTER 11 God grants the gift of repentance to the Gentiles—The disciples are first called Christians at Antioch—The Church is guided by revelation.

Acts CHAPTER 12 The martyrdom of James is described—An angel frees Peter from prison—The Lord slays Herod by disease—The Church grows.

Acts CHAPTER 13 Saul and Barnabas are called to missionary service—Saul, now called Paul, curses a sorcerer—Christ is a descendant of David—Paul offers the gospel to Israel, then to the Gentiles.

Acts CHAPTER 14 Persecution attends the spread of the gospel—Paul heals a crippled man; Paul and Barnabas are hailed as gods—Paul is stoned and revived; he preaches—Elders are ordained.

Acts CHAPTER 15 Great dissension arises at Antioch concerning circumcision—The Apostles at Jerusalem decide the issue—Paul chooses Silas as his companion.

Heavenly Father loves all His children.

Acts 10:34–35

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” A fundamental truth that even young children can understand is that everyone is a child of God and that He loves all of His children.

• Friend June 2001 “Seek, Then Follow the Prophet’s Counsel” The story of Peter and Cornelius.

Show the picture Christ and Children from around the World (Gospel Art Book, no. 116) as you read Acts 10:34–35. Explain that in Peter’s time some people believed that the blessings of the gospel were not for everyone. But Peter learned that God loves all of His children and He wants all of them to learn the gospel.

• Friend May 2022 “Gathering Israel” Gathering Israel means helping bring God’s children back to Him. How can you help people come closer to God? Cut out the pieces, Glue to heavy paper or craft sticks, and put the puzzle together.

• Friend July 2023 “Missionary Matching”

Invite the children to draw a picture of themselves. As they share their pictures, talk about something you love about each child. Share your testimony that Heavenly Father loves each of them and all of His children, no matter what they look like or where they are from.

The Red Crystal

• Friend July 2023 “Come, Follow Me Activities for Little Ones” With your little ones, look at pictures of children with different skin colors, body types, and physical abilities. Explain that Heavenly Father loves all His children. Help your little ones make a heart with their hands and hold it next to the pictures.

• Friend April 2021 “Jesus Said Love Everyone”

Sing with the children a song about loving others—for example, “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140–41).

Invite the children to share ways that they can show love to everyone, just as Jesus did.

Friend March 2020

Point to each child one by one and say, “Heavenly Father loves [name].” Let the children take turns pointing to one another and saying this phrase.

Latter Day Kids “Heavenly Father Love All His Children” Lesson ideas

“God is no respecter of persons.”

Acts 10:34–35; 15:6–11

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” The children you teach need to understand that Heavenly Father loves all His children, no matter what they look like, where they are from, or what choices they make.

• Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” For generations, the Jews had believed that being of “the seed of Abraham,” or a literal descendant of Abraham, meant that a person was accepted and chosen by God (see Luke 3:8). They considered anyone else an “unclean” Gentile who was not accepted by God. In Acts 10, what did the Lord teach Peter about who “is accepted with him”? (Acts 10:35). What evidence do you find in this chapter that Cornelius’s life was acceptable to the Lord? Ponder what is meant by the statement “God is no respecter of persons” (verse 34; see also 1 Nephi 17:35). Why is it important to you to know this truth?

Ask the children if they can tell what someone is like just by looking at them or guessing where they are from. According to Acts 10:35, how does God determine if someone is “accepted with him”?

Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Read Acts 10:34–35; 15:6–11 with the children. Explain that in Peter’s time, Jews believed that God did not accept people who weren’t Jews (these people were called Gentiles). But God taught Peter that God loves all of His children, both Jews and Gentiles. Sing together “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3). Invite the children to substitute each other’s names for words like I or me.

Invite the children to share something unique about someone else in the class. Explain that the statement “God is no respecter of persons” means that Heavenly Father loves all His children, and because He loves them, He wants all of His children to hear the gospel.

• Friend November 2003 “Poster Article: Cornelius and Peter” Story and Missionary Mobile: Hang the mobile somewhere in your room to help remind you that the gospel is for everyone in the world.

• Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15”Like the Jews who looked down on those who were not of the seed of Abraham, do you ever catch yourself making unkind or uninformed assumptions about someone who is different from you? How can you overcome this tendency? It might be interesting to try a simple activity for the next few days: Whenever you interact with someone, try to think to yourself, “This person is a child of God.” As you do this, what changes do you notice in the way you think about and interact with others?

• Liahona July 2023 “God Loves All His Children” General Authorities come from different lands. About half come from the United States. Others come from Central and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, Mexico, and Canada.

• Can you name an Apostle who was born in Europe?
• Can you name an Apostle from South America?
• Can you name an Apostle whose parents came from Sweden and Finland?
• Can you name an Apostle whose family originally came from China?

• We may come from different places, but God loves us all.

• Discussion: In what ways might we be the same or different from other people? Does God love us based on what we look like or where we come from? Review the story of Peter and Cornelius found in Acts 10. What did they learn about judging others? What characteristics are important to the Lord?

Additional Teaching Ideas: “Lesson 40: Peter and Cornelius,” Primary 7: New Testament

I am a Christian because I believe in and follow Jesus Christ.

Acts 11:26

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” How will you help the children learn what it means to be a Christian?

Read Acts 11:26 to the children, and invite them to stand up when they hear you say the word Christian. Ask them what they think it means to be a Christian. Explain that someone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ is called a Christian, so we are Christians.

• Friend July 2019 “I’m Christian” Poem about the ways we are Christians.

Sing with the children a song about following Jesus Christ, such as “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77).

How can we show that we are followers of Jesus Christ and belong to His Church? Help the children think of things they can do to follow Jesus at home, at school, and in other places. (Print the below pictures and write their ideas on each place.)

A Christian is someone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ.

Acts 11:26

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” How can you help the children understand that their words and actions show that they are Christians?

Invite the children to read Acts 11:26; 3 Nephi 27:3–8; and Doctrine and Covenants 115:4. Write Christian on the board and underline the part that says “Christ.” Ask the children to share what they think it means to be a Christian.

Ask the children to share the names of different groups they belong to, such as their family or nation. Invite them to share reasons why they are grateful to be a Christian and belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How can we show others we are Christians?

• Friend July 2019 “I’m Christian” Poem about the ways we are Christians.

Display several objects or pictures that represent truths unique to the Church of Jesus Christ, such as a picture of the restoration of the priesthood (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 93–94). Ask a child to pick one of the objects or pictures and describe how it is a blessing in our Church. Explain that while Christians throughout the world belong to many different churches, we belong to the same Church that Jesus Christ established on the earth.

Blessings of the gospel Activity: Read the clues below (not the answer) and let the children pick which picture it is describing.

• Prophet: Because of this blessing of the gospel we have the privilege to hear Gods words and direction about current issues and challenges we face. This gift is God’s living spokesman.
• Book of Mormon: Because of this blessing of the gospel we know the purpose of life. We also know what we need to do to gain eternal salvation and how to live happy lives.  
• Temples: This blessing of the gospel allows us the opportunity to receive saving ordinances for ourselves and our dead. We can also be sealed to our family so that we can be with them forever.
• Priesthood: Because of this blessing of the gospel we can receive healing blessings for the sick, blessings of comfort and guidance, and have authority to act in Gods name and perform saving ordinances, such as baptism.
• Baptism Because this blessing of the gospel, when performed by proper priesthood authority, we can receive a remission of our sins and enter into the gate that leads to eternal life.
• Holy Ghost Because of this blessing of the gospel we can receive personal revelation and guidance throughout our lives. We can also receive comfort during difficult times.

The Great Apostasy “News with the Naylors” Lesson ideas

Show the video “True Christianity” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to write or draw things they can do to be true Christians.

Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.

Acts 12:1–17

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Acts 10-15” The account of the angel freeing Peter from prison teaches powerfully that Heavenly Father answers prayers.

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.

Friend September 2008 “Heavenly Father, Are You Really There?”

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.

When I pray in faith, Heavenly Father will answer.

Acts 12:1–17

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.)

Additional Resources

Primary 7 Manual: New Testament “Lesson 43: Paul Testifies of Jesus Christ”

The Red Crystal

Come Follow Me with Living Scriptures “Acts 10-15” Lesson ideas