Heavenly Father wants me to work.(Sr)
Invite the children to take turns reading verses from 2 Thessalonians 3:7–13 and look for the problem the Saints were facing. Why does Heavenly Father want us to work? What would happen if we never learned to work hard? Let the children take turns acting out simple chores while the other children guess what they are doing. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1 and 2 Thessalonians” )
Friend July 2016 Picking thorny blackberries was not fun, but a boy learned about responsibility and the rewards of work.
Invite the children to talk about a time when they worked hard on a task, a project, or a goal. How did they feel about themselves when they finished? What does it mean to “be not weary in well doing”? (2 Thessalonians 3:13). What helps us keep going when work feels hard? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1 and 2 Thessalonians” )
Draw attention to skills and talents each individual in the family has worked to develop in the past few months, or year. (Mention skills such as tying shoes, making the bed, reading, playing an instrument, or cooking.) Ask each person how he felt when he accomplished that skill or developed that talent. Discuss how these new skills improve the individual, the family, and the community.
Discuss as a family the good feeling that can come while working to accomplish a chore or a job and the satisfaction that comes when that job is completed. Point out that this satisfaction is part of the reward.
I Can Labor With All My Might and Not be Idle
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 71–75”
- Invite each child to take a turn acting out how they would do a chore, such as cleaning their room or washing dishes at home. Read Doctrine and Covenants 75:3, and ask the children to show how they would do it lazily when you say “neither be idle” and show how to work hard when you say “but labor with your might.” Why is it important that we do our best?
- Share with the children President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s stories about work from “Two Principles for Any Economy” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 55–58). How do we feel when we know we have done our best?
Friend July 2016 Picking thorny blackberries was not fun, but a boy learned about responsibility and the rewards of work.
Friend October 2023 “Go Forward and Harvest On!” Elder Hugo Montoya tells of harvesting grapes with his family as a child. Each time they took grapes to their father, he would say, “Go forward and harvest on.” When we work hard and follow what God asks us to do, we can find joy in life.
Friend October 2023 “It’s Harvest Time” When Elder Montoya was young, he helped his family harvest grapes. Circle what is different between the two pictures!
Working for Something Helps You Appreciate It More
Working Brings Personal Satisfaction
Friend October 2023 “Margo and Paolo” Paulo broke his easel. He works to earn money to buy a new one. He said,”It feels good to work hard for something important to me!”
Keeping House Clean
Friend September 2022 “For Older Kids” Practice keeping things clean
Friend June 2021 “Scripture Time Fun for Little Ones” Help your little ones say, “I can work hard!” Teach your children a household chore they can help with, like sweeping or putting away their toys.
Latter Day Kids “Labor with Your Might” Lesson ideas to go with the video
Friend March 2019 “For Older Kids” Feel rushed in the morning? Try laying out your clothes, shoes, and bag before you go to bed.
Friend July 2017 “Busy Like a Bee” Elder Ballard tells how bees work together to strengthen the hive.
Friend May 2024 “Helping at Home”
Friend August 2016 ” For Parents of Little Ones” Letting children help around the house makes the children feel capable and valued as contributing family members.
Friend April 2021 “Scripture Time Fun for Little Ones” Play a game or activity that involves taking turns, like stacking blocks to make a tower. Each time it’s your child’s turn, help them say, “We can work together.”
Friend May 2016 Ideas on how to help little ones be more willing to do chores.
Friend February 2016 “Happy Faces” Easton earns happy faces on a bedtime chart. Link includes chart. Parent Information
Future Career
Ensign April 2020 “Teaching Children the Value of Work” Include children in creating a family work plan. In a family council, discuss the work that needs to be done to maintain the home and yard. Talk about how these duties can be shared among family members. Children will be more motivated to help if they are part of this process. Be mindful of children’s ages and capabilities, but give them opportunities to try hard things.
Find a fun way to track progress and reward their work. Have everyone place a cotton ball (or some other item) in a jar when a task is finished. When the jar is full, go on a family adventure. Or make a pizza chart and have each child color a slice when their work is done. When the chart is full, have a pizza party.
