• Items needed: removable double-sided tape, two cell phones (or two pretend phones), several sheets of paper, pencils, and an eight inch piece of ribbon and a small Ziploc baggie for each child. • Print and cut out the Scripture Story pdf Visual Aids or word. Also print and cut out the game items pdf or word; print one copy of the game questions and large phone and one copy per every two children of the small cell phone and game answers. Put a piece of removable double-sided tape on the screen area of each cell phone. Put a small phone and one set of answers in each Ziploc baggie.
Attention Activity
Ask for a volunteer. Hand the volunteer one of the cell phones. Tell them to answer the phone when it rings. Call them using your cell phone. Greet them by name and then say, “I have a problem with my sister. She uses my stuff and doesn’t return it. It makes me very upset. What should I do about it?” Hang up before they can answer, or say, “Oh, I got to go, bye.”
• Did it do any good to ask the person for help and advice? Why not? Because time was not taken to listen for an answer. Do we sometimes do that: ask Heavenly Father for help with a problem but then don’t listen for the answer?
In today’s lesson we are going to learn about someone who prayed fervently and then took the time to listen for answers.
Ask the children if they remember which prophet they learned about in last week’s lesson. Give hints if needed. After they have recalled Jacob’s name, tell them that the prophet Jacob had a son named Enos. Jacob grew old and saw he would soon die, so he passed the spiritual and historical records of the people to his son Enos.
Have the children turn to the “Book of Enos.” Tell the children that the “Book of Enos” is only one chapter long, but it teaches important lessons about prayer.
Using the scripture story visual aids, tell the following story. Direct the children to listen for three things that Enos prayed for.
Scripture Story One day as Enos was hunting in the forest, he recalled the words his father had spoken about the joy of eternal life. Enos wanted to be forgiven of his sins so he could be worthy to receive the blessings of eternal life, so he knelt down, prayed, and asked for forgiveness. He prayed all day, and he was still praying when it became night.
• How long did Enos pray? Ask the children what things they do in a normal day. Explain that Enos would have been praying during the time they normally spend going to school, attending classes, and eating lunch. He still would have been praying during the time they come home from school, eat dinner, and get ready for bed.
After praying all day and into the night, a voice came to Enos saying, “Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” Enos knew God could not lie, so his guilt was washed away. He asked the Lord how it was done. The Lord told him it was because of his faith in Christ.
• Why is faith in Jesus Christ necessary for forgiveness of sins? Jesus suffered and paid the price for our sins to make it possible for us to be forgiven. If we have faith in Christ and his atonement, we will believe we can be forgiven, and then we will do the things that are necessary to be forgiven, such as repent.
After Enos’s sins were forgiven, he was concerned for the welfare of the other Nephites, and he prayed for them. (Post picture of the Nephites.) The Lord told Enos they would be blessed if they kept the commandments, but if they disobeyed, their sins would bring sorrow upon them.
• Why did Enos pray for the Nephites? He was concerned about them and their eternal spiritual welfare. The Nephites constantly had to be reminded to keep the commandments. Enos preached the word of God to them throughout his whole life.
After Enos prayed for the Nephites, he began to pray diligently for the Lamanites. (Post picture of the Lamanites.) The Lamanites had become a wild, ferocious, bloodthirsty people full of idolatry and filthiness. They lived in tents and fed on wild beasts, and many ate nothing but raw meat. They wandered around the wilderness with their heads shaven, wearing nothing but a short girdle made out of skins. They would not listen when the Nephites tried to teach them the gospel.
The Lamanites were constantly seeking to destroy the Nephites, and they swore to destroy the Nephite records and traditions. Enos prayed that if the Nephites were someday destroyed, the Lord would preserve a record of the Nephites and at some future date bring forth the record so the Lamanites might perhaps be brought to salvation.
• Why do you think Enos prayed for the Lamanites when they were the Nephites’ enemies? He had a great love for all of Heavenly Father’s children. He was sad about the choices the Lamanites were making and the consequences they would suffer. He wanted to help them change their ways, if not now then someday.
• What could we pray for in behalf of someone who has not been kind to us?
The Lord told Enos he would grant his desire; a record would be preserved. The Lord also said that other ancestors of Enos had prayed for the same thing.
• What is the Nephite record called that was preserved and brought forth in the latter days to help bring the Lamanites to God? The Book of Mormon
Discussion • When Enos prayed, how do we know he took the time to listen for answers? He prayed all day and into the night asking the Lord to forgive him of his sins.
We don’t have to pray all day like Enos, but we should take the time in each prayer to ponder and think about our problems and to listen for help and counsel.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “The trouble with most prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the phone and ordering something. We place our order and then hang up.”
• What happens when we ask for guidance and help concerning a problem but then don’t take time to listen for the answer? We might miss out on the help and guidance Heavenly Father would like to share with us.
Ask the children to name some difficulties kids their age have to face. Possible answers might include problems with family, friends, schoolwork, health, etc. Explain that the Lord wants to help them with these challenges, but they need to ask for His help and then listen for His response.
• In what ways might answers come? Ideas and solutions might come into their mind as they think about the problem. Or if they have asked a specific yes or no question about their problem, they might have a peaceful or an uneasy feeling according to what the answer is.
• Enos said he cried in mighty prayer and supplication to the Lord. How can we make our prayers more sincere and deeply felt so we are not just repetitiously repeating the same words? One possible answer might be to think about our specific problems and blessings before saying our prayers.
Activity Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Instruct them to fold the piece of paper like a fan and then fold the fan in half. On the inside of the folds on the left side of the paper, have the children write specific things that Heavenly Father has blessed them with. On the inside folds on the right side of the paper, direct them to write specific things they might need help with. After they are done, instruct them fold it into a fan again. Have them tie a ribbon around the middle part of the fan. (If they desire to keep their lists private, they can fold the fan down into thirds until it is a small block of paper. They can use the ribbon that is in the middle of the fan to tie up the block.) Tell the children to put the fan on their pillow and open it when they say their prayers. Explain that it will help remind them of the things they need to thank Heavenly Father for, and it will also remind them of the problems and concerns they need help with.
Explain to the children that their blessings and needs will change as their life changes, but if they will always take a few moments to think of specific things that are going on in their life before they pray, their prayers will be more sincere and heartfelt.
Review Game
Pass out the baggies you have prepared (one per every two children). Explain that the class is going to play a review game. Show the children the large cell phone. Tell the children that you are going to place a question on the large cell phone screen. They can find the answer to the question in their baggie and then place the answer on their small cell phone screen. After everyone shows you their response, you will let them know how many phones have the correct answer on them. If they don’t all have the correct answer, they can look at each other’s phone and decide which ones are correct and then try again. When everyone has the correct answer, replace the question on the large cell phone with another question. Continue in this manner until all the questions have been answered.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: The Book of Enos
Preparation
• Print the scripture story visual aids. (The visual aids are from Book of Mormon Stories chapters nine and ten.)
• Items needed: one package of toothpicks, masking tape or stickers, fine tip markers, several pieces of string or ribbon cut into three inch lengths, and packages of stick gum (stick gum can be found at Dollar Tree). (The amounts needed for each item will be based on how many children are in the class.)
• Carefully remove the gum from the wrappers in one of the packages of gum. Replace the empty wrappers back into the package, making it appear as if the gum is still in the wrappers.
• Fold two inch pieces of masking tape or stickers in half over the end of the toothpicks. Each should look like a small flag when done. Cut off the other pointy end of the toothpick with scissors. Make five toothpick flags per child. Save the remaining flag free toothpicks for the object lesson.
Attention Activity
Tell the children you brought some gum to share with them, and show them the empty gum package. Offer it to the children. After they take a piece, ask them how they felt when the discovered the wrappers were empty. Explain to the children that during their life people will try to convince them to accept beliefs that are empty and have no value. In today’s lesson they will learn how to discern divine truth so as to help them avoid the disappointment and sorrow that comes from accepting empty, false beliefs. (Tell the children that at the end of class you will give each of them a piece of real gum to take home.)
Scripture Story Introduction
Tell the following scripture story and show the numbered visual aid pictures where indicated.
Remind the children that in last week’s lesson they learned about Nephi and his family crossing the sea and arriving at the promised land. In the promised land, Lehi eventually grew old and died.
(1) After Lehi died, Laman and Lemuel once again became angry with Nephi for urging them to keep the commandments. (1) They complained, saying their younger brother wanted to rule over them. They became so angry they sought to kill him.
(2) The Lord warned Nephi that he should flee into the wilderness and take all those who would go with him. All those who believed in the warnings and revelations of God followed Nephi. They traveled into the wilderness for several days. They settled in a land and prospered there. They constructed buildings and a temple. They called themselves the people of Nephi.
(3) The people who followed Laman and Lemuel were called Lamanites. A curse was put upon the Lamanites; they were cut off from the Lord’s help and guidance because they chose to do wicked things. The Lord also caused their skins to darken so the Nephites would be reminded not to mix or intermarry with them and bring the curse upon themselves. The Lamanites became an idle people, full of mischief and trickery. They hated the Nephites and wanted to destroy them. The Lord told Nephi that the Lamanites would be a scourge to his people to help turn the Nephite’s hearts back to the Lord when they faltered.
Nephi led his people in righteousness and helped protect them against the Lamanites, but eventually he grew old. (4) He gave the historical and spiritual records to his younger brother Jacob. Jacob had been consecrated a priest and teacher by the hand of Nephi. (5) He was ordained of God to lead and teach the people.
(Direct the children to turn to the “Book of Jacob” in their Book of Mormons.) Some of Jacob’s words are recorded in the “Book of Jacob.” In the seventh chapter of the “Book of Jacob” Jacob tells about a man named Sherem who came among the Nephites preaching and trying to convince the people to accept his teachings.
Scripture Story
(6) The man named Sherem tried to convince the people to accept false things that were not true. One of the main things he tried to convince the people was that there would be no Christ. He taught that it was not necessary for an atonement to be made for the sins of mankind. He said that the people only had to follow the basic laws and rituals of the Law of Moses in order to gain salvation.
• Is it possible to gain salvation without Christ’s atonement? We cannot undo the sins we have committed, and no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God. Christ suffered and paid the price for our sins. Only through Christ’s Atonement can we become clean again.
• Why would Sherem try to convince the people there would be no Christ? Sherem was under Satan’s influence. Satan did not want people to believe in Christ and be saved.
(7) Sherem was a learned man, and he was very good at speaking to people and flattering them. Many people believed his words.
• Why did people find his words to be so appealing? Possibly because they wanted to follow the easier path of just performing the basic rituals and performances of the Law of Moses instead of following the more difficult path of sincere repentance and of living righteous lives in order to qualify for forgiveness of their sins when Jesus Christ performed the Atonement.
Sherem knew that Jacob had faith in Christ, so he sought to speak to Jacob. He hoped to shake Jacob’s faith.
• Why would Sherem want to shake Jacob’s faith? Perhaps he hoped to shake Jacob’s faith so that all the people who listened to Jacob would also falter, and then Sherem could try to influence them to believe his teachings and follow him. But Jacob’s faith could not be shaken. Jacob had received many revelations, he had seen angels, and he had heard the voice of the Lord. His faith was firm.
(8) Sherem eventually got the opportunity to speak to Jacob. He accused Jacob of leading the people into changing the right ways of worshiping God by preaching of a being named Christ. Sherem said that no man could know of such things or of what was to come in the future.
(9) The Lord blessed Jacob with the spirit, and he was able to confound and thwart everything Sherem said. Jacob asked Sherem if he believed in the scriptures. Sherem said he did believe in the scriptures. Jacob said he must not understand them because all the prophets in the scriptures had testified of Christ. Jacob also testified that he personally knew that Christ would come because it had been revealed to him by the power of the Holy Ghost.
(10) Sherem said he wanted to see a sign by that power. Jacob said he would not ask God for a sign to show Sherem something that he already knew was true. (Sherem must have had a belief in Christ, but his personal notions and desires became so powerful that he tried to ignore that knowledge.)
(11) Jacob said if it was the will of the Lord to smite Sherem, then that would be his sign that God has power and that Christ will come.
(12) The power of the Lord came upon Sherem, and he fell to the earth. He was so stricken and incapacitated that others had to feed him and take care of him for many days.
• Did Sherem ask for a sign so he could believe in Christ? No. He did not expect a sign to be produced, and if none was produced he could accuse Jacob of being false. Sherem had not planned on being struck down by God.
• If we want to gain a testimony of Christ, would seeking for signs be a good way to do it? Have the children look up and read D&C 63:9 & 11-12. Explain that signs and miracles come because of faith. Signs do not give a person faith. Faith in Christ comes through the witness of the Holy Ghost. Remind the children of Laman and Lemuel. They did not have faith even though they had seen an angel, heard the voice of the Lord, and had seen many mighty miracles. They did not have faith because they would not open their hearts to the Holy Ghost. If we seek for signs it will be to our condemnation.
(13) Sherem suffered for many days after being struck down by the power of God. He asked that the people be gathered. He knew he was dying, and he wanted to speak to them before he died. When the people were gathered, he denied the things he had taught them and confessed that Christ was true. He said he had been deceived by the devil and now feared for his soul. He knew he was about to die and face God. He was afraid of the eternal judgements he would face for his sins.
• How did Sherem feel when he realized he would have to suffer the consequences of preaching false doctrines? (Fear and sorrow) How would someone feel if they had accepted false doctrine and then realized they would have to suffer the consequences of that choice?
(14) After confessing, Sherem died. The power of God came upon the people. They felt the Spirit’s witness of the truth of the matter. They fell to the earth in awe. The people once again turned their hearts to God.
Discussion
There are many people in today’s world that are influenced by Satan. They try to lead people away from Christ. Some try to convince us that Jesus is not the Son of God, that He didn’t suffer and die for our sins. They say we do not have to believe in Christ and follow the commandments to receive salvation.
• How can we find out for ourselves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he atoned for our sins, and that only through Him can we be saved? Jacob had faith in Christ because the Holy Ghost had revealed the truth of it to him. We can receive that same witness of Christ if we will pray and seek for the Holy Ghost to reveal the truth to us. We also learn from Jacob that we can gain a testimony of Christ through reading the scriptures. The scriptures testify of Christ.
Object Lesson
Ask for a volunteer. Instruct the volunteer to break one of the toothpicks. Point out how easy it was. Tell the children that the broken toothpick represents someone who does not have a strong testimony. That person’s resolves to follow Christ is easily broken when temptation comes along.
Someone who has built up their testimony of Jesus Christ through study, prayer, and obedience to the commandments can gain spiritual strength like Jacob’s. Jacob’s testimony was strong and firm.
Add toothpicks to a pile as you mention (or as the children mention) things that will strengthen a testimony such as: studying the scriptures every day, praying every morning and night, listening to General Conference, listening carefully to teachers and speakers at church, listening and participating in Family Home Evening and family scripture study, reading stories from the Friend magazine, studying for and giving talks in Primary, and obeying the words of Christ.
After you have at least 10-12 toothpicks in the pile, have a volunteer try to break the pile. They must keep them bundled close together. If they do this, it should not be possible to break them. Explain that our testimony can start out weak and small, but it can be reinforced and built up until it is strong and firm.
Activity
Hand out five labeled toothpicks to each child. Direct the children to write on each side of the labels things they can do to strengthen their testimony. Tie each person’s toothpicks together in a bundle with string or ribbon. Instruct the children to put their bundle somewhere where they will see it daily to help remind them of the things they need to do to strengthen and build up their testimonies.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – 2 Nephi 5:1-25 and Jacob 7:1–23.
Write phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 58:27–28 on strips of paper, and hand one to each child. Invite them to read the verses silently and ponder their phrase. Invite the children to sit in the order in which their phrases appear in verses 27–28 and share with each other what they learned. What is the Lord’s message to us in these verses?
Perhaps family members could make a list of some of the things they are “anxiously engaged” in. Are all of them “good cause[s]”? Why does the Lord want us to do “many things of [our] own free will”? Ask each family member to think of what they can do this week to “bring to pass much righteousness.” Later they can report on what they did. (Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 58-59”)
Sing a song about choices, such as “Choose the Right” (Hymns, no. 239). Ask questions to help the children ponder the words of the song—for example, Who helps guide you to make the right choice? Who tries to get you to make the wrong choice? How does choosing the right make you feel?
King Benjamin built a tower and taught his people that when we serve each other, we are really serving God (see Mosiah 2:17).
Build a tower. It can be a chair, an ottoman, a few boxes, etc.
Take turns getting up on your tower and thanking someone in the family for the service they have done recently.
Now take turns getting on the tower again and sharing with the family one way you’re going to provide service this week.
Discussion: Why is it important to serve others? How does it make you feel when someone serves you? How can we serve someone (and God) as a family this week?
Friend July 2019 “Family Night Fun” A Family Home Evening lesson idea about helping others, coming up with ideas on how to help them, and making goals to serve. (Also includes a refreshment idea.)
Why Serve
Many People in the World Need Help
Friend January 2021 “You Can Help Like Jesus” When Jesus was on the earth, he helped all he saw. Today many people in the world need our help. Each of us can do something to help, even children. About years ago, children helped build the Primary Children’s hospital by collecting pennies. (See more at link)
President Nelson told about some ways people need help in the world today, such as 1 out of 9 people don’t have enough food and many don’t have clean water to drink. The article discusses how the church helps and how we can help people in need. (The article includes photos of the ways people need help, a quote handout idea, and a coloring page.)
Heavenly Father knows the needs of each of His children, and He often uses other people—like the children you teach—to help meet those needs. How can you help the children recognize the needs of others and serve them?
Read Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 to the children, and help them understand phrases like “succor the weak” and “lift up the hands which hang down.” Let them act out ways we can do what the Lord asks in this verse. Use pictures or videos to tell simple stories of Jesus Christ serving others (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 41, 42, 46, 47, 55; biblevideos.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How can we follow the Savior’s example of helping others?
Friend August 2021 “Jesus Helped in Many Ways” When Jesus was younger, He helped His father with his carpentry work. One of His first miracles was helping His mother when the wine had run out at a wedding. When He saw someone who was blind, He healed him. He helped children feel loved and included.
Friend June 2017 “Jesus Healed People” Story of Jarius’s daughter being raised from the dead, and the story of the women with an issue of blood being healed when she touches the hem of Jesus’s robe.
Sing the fourth verse of “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, 74–75) or another song about service. Tell about a time when someone helped you feel the Savior’s love by serving you.
Invite the children to do actions that go along with the story in Acts 3:1–10, such as putting out their hands for money and leaping for joy. How did Heavenly Father bless the man who couldn’t walk?
Bring a bag containing pictures that represent ways that we can bless and serve others. Let the children take turns choosing pictures from the bag and sharing how they can bless others in that way.
Friend January 2026 “Food & Fun” “As we [follow the Savior’s] perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
Show a picture of a child being baptized (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 104). Ask the children what the child is doing. Explain that when we are baptized, we make covenants, or promises. Read Galatians 6:2 or Mosiah 18:8 to help the children learn one of the things we promise to do: bear one another’s burdens. Invite the children to draw pictures of ways they can help others who are carrying burdens. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Galatians” )
Friend May 2020 “Ali’s Head Start” Ali learns that when she is baptized she will be covenanting (promising) to bear one another’s burdens, (or in other words, she will be promising to help those who are going through a hard time). Ali decides to get a head start on her covenants when she sees children without hair as she walked through the hospital to go visit a friend. She decides to donate some of her long hair so those children can have wigs.
Read to the children this phrase from Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” To illustrate what this means, give one of the children something heavy to carry. Then ask for a volunteer to help the child carry the object. Explain to the children that many things can feel like a burden, such as being sick or feeling sad or lonely. What could we do to help a person with this kind of burden? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Galatians”)
Draw pictures of hands and knees on the board. Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 to learn what the Lord says about these body parts. Watch the video “Pass It On” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or share how you and the children have seen people serve each other. How can we be more aware of people in need around us? Invite the children to serve at least one person this week. For ideas about ways to serve others, sing a song about service, such as “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223).
Invite the children to take turns setting up dominoes (or similar objects) while naming ways they can serve others. Ask a child to knock over one domino and notice how it affects the others. How can our service have a similar effect on people around us? (See also the video “Dominoes,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Tell about how someone’s loving service encouraged you to serve someone else. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”)
Jesus taught that we should “lift up the hands which hang down” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). That means helping others and encouraging them when they are sad or tired.
Make a helping hand! Trace your hand on a piece of paper and cut it out. Write something on it that you will do to help others and then hang it up where you can see it. If you want, you could hang your family’s hands up together to make a helping hands tree!
For Doctrine and Covenants 81–83: Think of someone your family can serve. Give them a treat or card or help them with something. Help your little ones say, “I can help others!”
Serving others makes us feel good. Perhaps your children could talk about a time when they loved or served someone and how that experience made them feel. What are some reasons people might not want to serve others? What could we say to someone to invite them to help people in need? Look for ideas in Mosiah 4:16–26.
Friend February 2023 “Twelve Smiley Stickers” Antonio’s Primary teacher said that one way to become like Jesus is to serve others, and she gave them each a paper and some smiley stickers. Every time they served someone they got to put a smiley sticker on their paper. That week when Antonio was serving others he saw the happiness that it brought. Pretty soon he was serving not for stickers but because he liked it and it made him feel happy as well.
Friend November 2019 “Helping Our Brothers and Sisters” President Nelson told about some ways people need help in the world today, such as 1 out of 9 people don’t have enough food and many don’t have clean water to drink. The article discusses how the church helps and how we can help people in need. (The article includes photos of the ways people need help, a quote handout idea, and a coloring page.)
Friend February 2020 “Garage-Sale Service” TeAroha wanted to help some people in a village who had lost their homes. Her mother suggested they send money to the Church Humanitarian Aid Fund because they use money to help places like that. TeAroha sold some of her toys at a family garage sale and she did chores to earn money to donate.
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.
(See also the video “Widow of Nain” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Share a time when someone showed love for you in a time of need and how you felt. Invite the children to share their experiences.
Show the video “Gordon Hinckley: Lessons I Learned as a Boy” or “The Coat” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did the children in these videos follow Jesus’s example? Invite the children to share other situations when someone might be in need. What can we do to help them?
Sing a song about showing love and kindness to others, such as “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 145).
Friend December 2023 “Lighting the World Together” Dallin H. Oaks “As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be the friendliest of all people. We should serve those around us and those not of our faith. We should also notice the good done by others. Jesus Christ’s light guides all of us to help those in need.”
Show several pictures of the Savior (see Gospel Art Book,nos. 38, 39, 40, and 41), and help the children see things that He did with His hands. What can we do with our hands to help others?
Below song includes a story about a boy that didn’t have any friends and another boy learns in FHE and then befriends the lonely boy.
Sing a song about loving others, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” or “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, 61, 136), with the children. Show pictures of different people (such as a parent, sibling, teacher, or friend), and ask the children to share how they could serve that person. Invite the children to think of someone they could serve and then write a note or draw a picture to give that person. If they need other ideas about how to serve, show the video “Pass It On” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1 Corinthians 8–13” )
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “1 Corinthians 8-13” Paul’s definition of charity might make an inspiring motto for your family. You could assign each family member to study a phrase in verses 4–8 and teach the rest of the family what it means using definitions, examples, and personal experiences. How is the Savior an example of these attributes? You could also make posters together for each of these phrases and display them throughout your house. Be creative!
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
The Lord Wants Me to Share What I Have with Those In Need.
Section 104 is a revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet. The occasion was likely that of a council meeting of members of the United Firm, which discussed the pressing temporal needs of the Church.
Consider how you will help the children understand the Lord’s way of providing for His people when they are in need.
Give the children a few minutes to make a list of blessings God has given them. Encourage them to list as many as they can. Then read together Doctrine and Covenants 104:13–18, looking for answers to questions like these: Who is the true owner of all things? Why does He give them to us? What does He want us to do with these things? Help the children think of ways they can share their blessings with others.
Share an experience in which someone gave you something you needed, and ask the children to share similar experiences. Or show a video about serving others, such as “The Coat” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What do we learn from these experiences about serving others? Invite the children to be aware of those in need and find someone to serve this week, such as someone at school or especially someone in their family. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 102-105)
Friend July 2021 “Meet Eta from American Samoa” Eta’s mom owns a dessert bakery. Eta and her older sister, Talai, love to share the desserts with their teachers and leaders and with people who might be having a hard time. (includes photo)
Friend March 2020 “Harry Shares” Harry is playing with toys. He is having fun. Harry sees a girl who looks sad. Harry shares toys with her. Now they are both having fun!
Invite the children to search the Children’s Songbook or Hymns for songs that have to do with service or helping others (see the topical indexes). Sing one or two songs together, and talk about what these songs teach us.
Show the children several pictures of others serving or helping people in need, including pictures of the Savior (such as Gospel Art Book, nos. 42, 44, 46). Ask the children to tell you what is happening in each picture. Read to the children Proverbs 22:9. Explain that one way we can serve is by giving “bread to the poor,” but there are many other ways to help those in need. Invite the children to draw a picture of themselves helping someone.
Bring to class several objects that you can share with the children, such as pictures or crayons. As you give one to each child, say, “I will share with [child’s name].” Let the children take turns sharing the objects with each other. What are some other things we can share with others?
Sing together a song about service, such as “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream” (Children’s Songbook, 236). Or show the video “Gordon Hinckley: Lessons I Learned as a Boy” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children how they feel when they help others.
Every seven years, all debts are to be released—The people are admonished to care for the poor—Hebrew servants are to be released and given gifts during the seventh year—The firstling males of herds and flocks are the Lord’s.
Write who,why, and how on the board. Invite the children to read Deuteronomy 15:7–11 to find out who we should help, why we should help them, and how our hearts should feel about helping. Let them write on the board what they find. Sing a song that reinforces the message in these verses, such as “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223).
Friend January 2021 “You Can Help Like Jesus” When Jesus was on the earth, he helped all he saw. Today many people in the world need our help. Each of us can do something to help, even children. About years ago, children helped build the Primary Children’s hospital by collecting pennies. (See more at link)
President Nelson told about some ways people need help in the world today, such as 1 out of 9 people don’t have enough food and many don’t have clean water to drink. The article discusses how the church helps and how we can help people in need. (The article includes photos of the ways people need help, a quote handout idea, and a coloring page.)
food bank
Refugees
Ask the children to think of someone they could help—especially in their own family. Provide time for them to write down what they will do this week to help that person. If possible, make plans to reach out as a class to someone in need.
2 Corinthians CHAPTER 11 Maintain the simplicity that is in Christ—Satan sends forth false apostles—Paul glories in his sufferings for Christ.
2 Corinthians CHAPTER 12 Paul is caught up to the third heaven—The Lord gives men weaknesses that they may triumph over them—Paul manifests the signs of an Apostle.
2 Corinthians CHAPTER 13 Saints should test themselves as to righteousness—Be perfect and of one mind; live in peace.
Sing together a song about service, such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198), several times. The first time, ask the children to sing cheerfully; then ask them to sing the song with different emotions or attitudes, such as sad, tired, angry, or scared. Remind the children that Heavenly Father wants us to help others gladly. Then sing the song cheerfully again. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Help the children make pictures of smiling faces and frowning faces. Ask them to hold up their pictures of smiles when they hear the words smile or smiling as they sing “Smiles” (Children’s Songbook, 267). They could do the same thing with their pictures of frowns and the words frown and frowning. Help the children identify which face is cheerful and which one is not. Explain that one way to be cheerful and serve others is to smile and help others smile.(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “1 Corinthians 14–16” )
Plan a class activity to serve someone, such as a child who does not attend Primary or a ward member or neighbor in need. You might plan to visit this person’s home, write kind notes or draw pictures, or make a treat to share. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
Friend February 2017 “Friendship Brownies” Grace’s Primary class makes brownies and a huge card to take to a classmate who hasn’t been coming.
Write the words of 2 Corinthians 9:7 on the board, with key words left blank. Invite the children to guess what the missing words are. Then let them read the verse in the scriptures to fill in the blanks. What does it mean to give “grudgingly, or of necessity”? What does it mean to be “a cheerful giver”? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
To sow means to plant seeds. Who are the sowers in this comparison?
Consider how giving to others is like sowing seeds in a field. What happens if we only sow sparingly? What happens when we sow bountifully?
According to 2 Corinthians 9:7, how does the Lord expect us to sow, or give?
From 2 Corinthians 9:6–7 we learn the following truth: If we give to those in need with a cheerful heart, God will generously bless us.
Invite the children to help you find pictures of the Savior serving others (there are several in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Ask them what they see in these pictures that helps them know that Jesus served others with love. Set a goal as a class to say yes when family members or others ask us to serve in the coming week, such as by helping around the house or caring for others.(Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “2 Corinthians 8-13” )
The Red Crystal They can color in a heart when they have completed an act of service.
Activity: On slips of paper, write down the names of people who might need your help. Then write how you can help that person. Put the papers in a hat or basket and shake them up. Choose one and do what it says!
Heavenly Father wants us to share our blessings freely with each other so that we can be “equal in earthly things” and in “heavenly things” (verse 6).
To teach what it means to be “equal in earthly things” (verse 6), give children pictures of people in need (such as people who are hungry, injured, or cold. (Tip: Google search for images)). Then give other children objects that would help (such as food, a bandage, or a blanket). Invite these children to share what they have to help the people in the pictures. Let other children have a turn sharing. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father wants all of His children to have what they need, and to do this He often asks us to share what we have with others.
Ask the children to pretend they are helping someone build a house, sharing food, or serving in another way. How do we feel when we are helping and sharing? Help the children think of things Jesus Christ shares with us.
Friend December 2019 “Martin’s Favorite Toys” Martin was not happy about having to move, but eventually he got used to his new home. One Sunday, he noticed a lot of new people at church. He found out that they were refugees. He wanted to help them, but he didn’t want to give them any of his toys because he brought them from his old house. Then he realized that many of the children had to leave everything behind. He remembered how hard it was for him to move, but at least he got to bring his things with him. He then wanted to give them his favorite toys to help them be happier.
Ministering
Friend January 2019 “President Ballard Visits Texas” Ministering means serving and loving. Jesus Christ ministered to others, and so do His Apostles. How are the people below ministering? How can you help someone today?
Summarize the parable in Matthew 25:34–46. Help the children understand that when we are serving others, we are serving Jesus.
The “right hand”: In ancient times, being seated at the right hand of the king, or next to the king on his right side, was the most honorable position at a feast.
Hold up a picture of a child with a picture of Jesus hidden behind it. What can we do to serve this child? Remove the child’s picture and explain that when we serve each other, we are serving Jesus.
Invite the children to draw pictures of themselves serving others in the ways the Savior describes in Matthew 25:35–36. Ask the other children to guess what they are drawing.
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Match the pictures as the above scripture is read.
Read the following or similar situations to the children (use situations that are within the children’s experiences). Ask them what they think they should do if:
They see a younger child who is thirsty but can’t reach the water.
They know a child who hasn’t been to church for several weeks.
They know someone who doesn’t have enough to eat.
They see someone who doesn’t have a warm coat, and it is very cold.
They know someone who has been home for a long time with an illness or disability.
What would Jesus want you to do? Why do you think you should help others in situations such as these?
The Lord wants His Saints to care for the poor and needy. Help the children understand that when they are serving people in need, they are also serving the Savior.
If Jesus Christ were in our class today, what would we say to Him? How would we treat Him? Show a picture of the Savior, and explain Jesus’s teaching that when we show love to others, we are also showing love to Him. Help the children repeat verse 38 with you, a few words at a time.
You might show your children a Tithing and Other Offerings slip and talk about how to use it to give what we have to bless others (see also “Tithing and Donations Online”).
Friend February 2024 “Tommy’s Very Bad Day” Everything had gone wrong during Tommy’s day and he wanted to just sit so nothing else bad would happen, but that just made him feel worse. Then he saw his neighbor raking leaves and having a hard time putting them in the bag. Tommy decided to help, and pretty soon he was having so much fun he forgot about his bad day.
Service Doesn’t Have to Be Big
Friend April 2022 “Meet Tristan from Canada” You don’t need to do big things to help others.Tristan likes to help in lots of small ways. He gives his mom and dad hugs and kisses when they feel tired. He cleans his room and gathers items for recycling. He prays, and he tries to help everyone feel good. He also sang at his friend’s baptism.
How Can We Help
Friend June 2024 “Serving Those in Need” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is committed to serving those in need. It works with many people to do this. All children of God are inspired to serve one another the best they can.
A good example of service is a man named Mr. Gabriel. He saw that many children in East Africa needed help. He asked other teachers to help him make what they called “tree schools.” Children came to have lessons under the shade of a tree. Mr. Gabriel did not wait for others to do something. He did what he could to help thousands of children learn.
You can make a difference like Mr. Gabriel! Do as many of the activities below as you can. Can you do all 10?
Friend March 2019 “Service Survey” Questions to ask people to find out how you can help serve them.
Friend February 2019 “Helper Like You” Tell how you could help out in each situation.
Friend January 2018 “Family Night Fun” Hide slips of paper with difficulties someone may be enduring written on them. When someone finds a paper, have them say how they could help that person.
Friend August 2024 “Circle-Toss Game” Each player decorates four paper plates or paper circles so they can tell which is theirs during the game. Use rope or string to mark a big circle on the ground. Stand far away and take turns tossing your plates into the circle. With each turn, say one way you can serve someone. Whoever gets the most plates to land inside the circle wins!
I Can Help Others by Sharing What I Have Been Given.
The Lord encouraged the Saints in Ohio to help other Saints by sharing their land and their money.
Explain that the Lord commanded the Saints in New York and other areas to gather to Ohio, but many of them didn’t have enough money to build a house when they arrived. Help the children find in Doctrine and Covenants 48:2 what the Lord asked the Saints in Ohio to do to help. Ask the children what they would want to do to help if they were living in Ohio at this time. What have we been given today that we could use to help others?
Friend May 2021 “Pioneers in Every Land: Sam Beazley”Sam loved to build things. He was called to serve as a Labour Missionary building a church school for teenagers. His labor also helped build the Hamilton New Zealand Temple which he later was called to serve in.
After His Ascension, the Lord directed his Church through the Holy Ghost. Revelation helped leaders call a new Apostle, spread the gospel, and find those in need. This same practice is followed today.
Scatter pillows, couch cushions, and other soft objects throughout the room.
Assign someone in the family to be the “person in need” at the end of the obstacle course.
Place a blindfold on a member of the family and assign someone else to whisper directions into the person’s ear to guide them safely through the course to the person in need.
Discussion: When was a time you felt directed by the Holy Ghost to help someone else? How did you recognize those promptings? What recent changes have been announced by President Russell M. Nelson and others? How are these changes evidence of the Lord guiding His Church today?
Never too Young to Serve
Friend September 2025 “Five Loaves and Two Fish” A boy gave his five barley loaves, and two small fishes to the Savior. Because he gave all he had to the Savior, many people were fed who were hungry.
You can give too! Draw a picture of a way you can serve others.
Friend August 2016 “For Parents of Little Ones” Letting children help when they ask to help teaches them to serve others.
Friend March 2016 Ideas on what to talk about when visiting patients at hospitals or nursing homes.
“Cheer up a Friend” – Ideas of things to make and do for a friend who is sick. Friend February 1984
Friend January 2016 – Our Father lifts us and we can lift and help others.
Friend May 2016 Ideas on how to help family member who is grieving the loss of a loved one
Humanitarian Aid
Friend August 2019 “Elder Rasband Visits Cape Verde” Elder Rasband visited a school were many of the children don’t have parents to take care of them. The Church gives money to help the children’s school that Elder Rasband visited. (Activity: Four children donated money to the Church’s Humanitarian Aid Fund. Follow the shapes along the path to see what each child’s money was used for. (Also includes instructions on how to donate money to humanitarian aid.)
Community Service
Friend May 2022 “Sandy Service” This family is helping clean up the beach. Follow each path! Who picked up the most trash? Who saw the most starfish?
Friend January 2026 “Garden Service” This Primary in New Zealand used their helping hands to pick vegetables at a community garden to share with others. Find the hidden objects below.
Serving Homeless
Friend June 2022 “Jesus Fed the Hungry” A group of boys in Utah, USA, organized a sock drive to help local charities that serve people without homes. They delivered flyers. Then a few days later, they collected socks and money to buy more socks. They were able to donate 750 pairs of socks! (Photo at link)
Friend June 2023 “For Older Kids” Walking dogs is a fun act of service for people who can’t walk their dogs or for people who are out of town. It makes me happy to walk people’s dogs because it makes them so thankful. Alli G., age 11, Nevada, USA
Make a copy of the calendar for each child to color and take home as a gift for the family. This calendar could be used during the year as a reminder to follow Jesus Christ.
Read the ideas to the children and let them choose some they want to do.
Make a copy of the calendar and cut out each section. The children can choose those ideas they want to take home as reminders.
Using the calendar as a pattern, have the children make their own calendars.
Draw the calendar on a poster for display in the classroom.
Friend January 2021 “Show and Tell” “I went on a litter-picking walk with my dad and collected 322 pieces of litter! It felt good to make our neighbourhood cleaner and tidier for other people to enjoy.” Sam D., age 8, Suffolk, England
Friend February 2019 “Show and Tell” Our family decided to collect food in our neighborhood for the homeless shelter. My brother and I decorated notes to tell our neighbors about it. A few days later we collected the food. It made me feel happy to help lots of people. Asher W., age 6, Ontario, Canada
Friend July 2018 “Show and Tell” As friends, we wanted to honor the people in our neighborhood who serve our country in the military. We sang patriotic songs and shared cupcakes with them!
Addelyn S., Julianne W., Connor M., Eli S., Ansel S., and Easton M., ages 5, 11, 8, 7, 11, and 6, Missouri, USA
To celebrate Pioneer Day, Primary children of the Lebanon Pennsylvania Ward, USA, and their friends helped refugees close to home by making cards and putting together hygiene, school, and cleaning kits to help welcome them.
Friend June 2018 “Show and Tell” “I was excited to donate 12 inches (30.5 cm) of my hair to make wigs for children with cancer!” Lavona R., age 8, West Java, Indonesia
Friend April 2018 “Furry Fun” Camila and her brother Tomás found a fun and furry way to serve their neighbors! Every Saturday, they walk dogs for people who have a hard time getting around.
Friend February 2018 “Show and Tell” I like to serve the sisters in our ward by playing with their children. I love the happy feeling I get from serving! Masha K., age 11, Central Federal District, Russia
Friend January 2018 “Show and Tell” (Click on link to show pictures of the following children.)
We made a paper kindness garden and put a flower or bug sticker on it every time we served or were kind to others. At Christmas, we sent it as a gift to our grandparents who live very far away. Adding stickers reminded us how much we love them! Deltree and Calan A., ages 10 and 8, Victoria, Australia
I fasted for my brother-in-law so he could get a good job. A week later, he got a job! Caden J., age 8, Ohio, USA
At school, I help a friend understand the assignments. Serving my friend helps me feel the love of my Heavenly Father. Allison M., age 9, Santa Ana, El Salvador
I like to play soccer with younger kids and teach them new skills. It is one way I like to serve! Sasha K., age 11, Moscow, Russia
Tell the children they are going to be reviewing the song “I Will Follow God’s Plan”. Before doing the activity, review the words by showing the children the flip chart pictures from last week. See if they can remember the words that go with each picture.
Sing the song after they have reviewed the words, but explain that as they sing the song, a volunteer is going to try to put the Plan of Salvation pictures on the board in the correct order. Show the children the pictures and read the title of each one (you may need to explain what certain ones mean to the junior primary). Choose a volunteer.
After the children sing the song, check the order of the pictures. If they are not correct, commend the child on their effort, take off all the pictures, mix them up, and have another volunteer try and put them in the correct order while the children sing the song again. Once the pictures are in the correct order, tell the children that you are going to make the activity a little more difficult. Take the pictures off the board, and take one out of the pile. Conceal what picture it is.
As the children sing the song again, have a volunteer put the pictures on the board in the correct order and then tell you what part of the plan is missing. (This last part was inspired by the activity in the Friend this month for the song. Thanks Friend magazine!) If this is too easy for the older children, take out more than one picture each time you do the activity. Continue in this manner until you feel like they have the song (and the plan of salvation) completely memorized. Be sure to review any words they might be having difficulty with each time they sing the song.
Preparation
• Items needed: a large rectangular pan, a large container filled with water, a paper boat made from the instructions found in Lesson 6, a small paper bag, and a Book of Mormon for each child.
• Print the visual aids. Cut out the scripture references. Tape or paste each scripture reference to the back of its matching numbered scripture story picture. (There will be some pictures with the same number on them. Keep the sets together when handing them out to the children.) Cut out the game pieces. Put the sun and lightning pieces in the paper bag. (Note: I printed the game board onto blue paper and cut out the game path, waves, and fish and pasted them onto yellow cardstock. I also colored the fish and star yellow with a colored pencil.)
Attention Activity
Ask the class if they think crossing the sea in a ship is easy.
Pour the container of water into the rectangular pan. Have a volunteer try to blow the paper boat from one long side of the pan to the other. Have two other volunteers try to make the task difficult by blowing the boat in the opposite direction and by blowing on the water to make waves. (Have the volunteers stay about a foot away from the boat as they do their individual tasks.) When the boat reaches the other side of the pan, or when it sinks, point out the difficulties that occurred during the activity: the boat tumbling over, the boat filling with water, the boat going in the wrong direction, etc.
Remind the children of the ship that Nephi built. Nephi was blessed with Heavenly Father’s guidance in building the ship, so it was a well built ship, but crossing a sea in any ship can be dangerous. Storms can occur, causing heavy winds that could blow the ship off course. Large waves can form that could flood or capsize a ship. Navigating a ship can also be a problem. In the vast, wide open, empty sea it is difficult to know where you are and what direction you are going. People could starve to death or die of thirst if they can not find their way to land.
Nephi and his family needed the help of the Lord to carry out the difficult and perilous journey of crossing the sea.
Scripture Story
Give each child one of the scripture story pictures. Children can share pictures, or they can be given more than one picture if needed. Make sure each child has a Book of Mormon. Give the children a few minutes to look up and read the scripture reference found on the back of their individual pictures. Going in order, have the children stand up one at a time and describe what is happening in their picture according to the scripture reference they read. Add any details they leave out. Ask any questions that go with that part of the story.
#1) 1 Nephi 18:5-6 The voice of the Lord came to Lehi. Lehi was told that it was time for his family to begin their journey across the sea. They loaded provisions onto the ship such as fruit, meat, honey, and all other items they would need according to what the Lord had commanded.
#2) 1 Nephi 18:8 After Nephi, his family, and all their provisions were on board, they put out to sea. Strong winds blew the ship toward the promised land.
#3) 1 Nephi 18:9 After many days of traveling on the sea, Nephi’s brothers, the sons of Ishmael and their wives began to make themselves merry. They began to dance and sing. Then they began to speak rudely to others. They forgot about the Lord and his commandments, and they forgot that it was by His power they had come to enjoy safety, guidance, and assistance on their journey.
#4) 1 Nephi 18:10-11 Nephi began to fear that the Lord would be angry with them and smite them because of their iniquity. He understood the precarious and dangerous situation they were in. They were dependent upon the Lord’s mercy and assistance to help them safely cross the sea.
Nephi talked to his brothers and the others about what they were doing, but they became angry with him. They were prideful and did not want anyone, especially their younger brother, telling them what they should do. Laman and Lemuel took Nephi and tied him up with cords. They treated him cruelly and harshly. The Lord allowed it so He could teach them a lesson and demonstrate to them His great power.
• Is it wrong to be happy and celebrate? The Lord approves of proper dancing, singing, and celebrating, but some music and dancing can encourage inappropriate behavior and a loss of self-control. The dancing and singing on the ship led them to abandon their self-restraint which led them to speaking with much rudeness. To be rude means to be unkind or vulgar. Rude behavior makes the spirit withdraw, and it is only natural to expect the protective blessings of heaven to withdraw also.
#5) 1 Nephi 18:12-13 After Laman and Lemuel tied up Nephi, the Liahona stopped working. They didn’t know what direction they should steer the ship. Then a great storm arose. Terrible and fierce winds drove them backwards for three days. Laman and Lemuel began to be frightened they would drown in the sea, but they still did not free Nephi from his bonds.
• In what ways did the Lord demonstrate his great power?
#6 ) 1 Nephi 18:17-19 Lehi tried to talk to Laman and Lemuel about what they were doing, but they would not listen. They threatened anyone who spoke for Nephi. Lehi and Sariah were old, and the grief they suffered because of their children caused them to become ill and lay sick in bed. They became so ill they came close to dying. Jacob and Joseph, who were their young sons that had been born in the wilderness, needed care and nourishment from their parents. These young sons also suffered and were full of sorrow. Not even Nephi’s wife and his children’s tears and prayers softened Laman and Lemuel’s hearts.
#7) 1 Nephi 18:14-16 On the fourth day the winds and storm became even more severe. They were about to be swallowed up by the huge waves. Laman and Lemuel realized that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they would not survive if they didn’t repent, so they loosened the bands from Nephi. Nephi’s ankles and wrists were terribly swollen and sore from being constrained for so long, but Nephi never murmured or complained. Instead he praised the Lord.
• Why do you think Nephi was grateful and praised the Lord instead of complaining after suffering so much?
• Was Laman and Lemuel’s repentance sincere? They did not feel sorrow for what they had done. They had only released Nephi because of personal, selfish concern for their own lives. Not even the suffering and near death of their parents, or the suffering of their younger brothers, turned their hearts.
#8) 1 Nephi 18:21–22 After Laman and Lemuel let Nephi loose, Nephi picked up the Liahona and it began to work again. Then Nephi prayed, and the winds and the storm ceased. There was a great calm. Nephi guided the ship, and they once again sailed towards the promised land.
• Why did the Liahona work for Nephi but not for Laman and Lemuel? The Liahona only worked according to faith and diligence. Laman and Lemuel were not faithful and diligent in obeying the Lord or his commandments.
#9) 1 Nephi 18:23-25 After many days of traveling on the sea, Nephi and his family arrived at the promised land. The land was fertile, and their seeds grew abundantly. They also found many kinds of animals there such as cows, ox, horses, goats, and all kinds of wild animals in the forests. They also found all kinds of ores such as gold, silver, and copper.
Discussion
• How did Laman and Lemuel’s disobedience affect their parents and the rest of the family? It made their parents sick, and it caused everyone to suffer fear and distress.
• How does our disobedience affect our parents and family members? Sin causes a lot of pain, sorrow, and suffering for everyone. The person sinning suffers the consequences of their sins, and the people that are near to them are hurt and affected by the wicked things the sinner does.
Game
Show the game board and explain to the children that the object of the game is to get the ship from the start to the promised land.
• Ask the children if they remember what the promised land is a representation of. (Eternal Life) Explain that as we travel through our mortal lives, we need to strive to do the things necessary to attain eternal life. There are things that help us move toward that goal, and there are things that impede our progress. In this game we talk about both.
Have the children take turns drawing papers out of the bag and moving the ship on the game board. If they draw the sun, they move the ship forward two spaces. They must then tell of something that helps keep the guidance of the Lord in their lives. They must also explain how doing that thing helps them in life. Answers might include: prayer, scripture reading, keeping the commandments, being honest, being kind to others, etc.
If they draw the lightning they move the ship back one space. They then tell of something that drives the Spirit away and causes suffering in people’s lives. They must also explain how it causes suffering. Answers might include: swearing, lying, cheating, complaining, arguing, stealing, using drugs or alcohol, etc. Note: If they draw a lightning piece at the start, they stay at the start position.
Continue in this manner, with the children taking turns drawing papers from the bag and moving the ship, until they have reached the space marked “Promised Land.”
Conclusion
Remind the children that sin and disobedience will always cause misery and suffering for themselves and others. Alma 41:10 says, “Wickedness never was happiness.” Encourage the children to do the things that will help them have the divine guidance of the Spirit in their lives so they can be guided toward eternal life and happiness.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – 1 Nephi 18:5-25
Print the signs, game board, and Liahona onto cardstock. (Print the Liahona onto gold cardstock, or color it with a crayon.) Cut out the signs.
Cut out the Liahona and the Liahona strips. Glue the Liahona to a heavy piece of paper. With an exacto/utility knife, cut along the two dotted lines on the Liahona. Tape the two Liahona strips together at a tab to make one long strip. Make sure the strip is in numerical order. Coming from the back, insert one end of the combined strip through the top cut out line on the Liahona. Then push it through the bottom cut out line, going toward the back. Pull the strip through until only the first block of words is showing in the front of the Liahona. Tape together the ends of the strip in the back so they form a loop.
Laminate the game board, or put it into a page protector and tape the top closed. Cut apart the square game pieces. Cover each star square on the game board with a blank square. (Leave the start square uncovered.) Put the Lose a Turn squares face down on all the squares that don’t have stars. Use rolled pieces of tape to hold the cutout game piece squares in place.
Draw a large version of the map found at the end of the lesson onto the chalkboard.
Attention Activity
Tape the sign “Eternal Life” on a wall. On an opposite wall put the sign “Mortal Birth.” Ask for a volunteer. Blindfold that person, and tell them they need to get from the sign that says “Mortal Birth” to the sign that says “Eternal Life.” Tell them there will be obstacles in the way but you will provide someone to help them get safely around the obstacles.
Quickly set up some obstacles between the two signs such as chairs, books, people, etc. Ask for another volunteer. Have that person give verbal directions to the blindfolded person on how to get safely from one end of the room to the other. Stay next to the blindfolded person in case they need additional assistance.
What might have happened if the blindfolded person hadn’t listened to the person giving directions? The blindfolded person might have gotten hurt because he or she couldn’t see the obstacles in the way. The person also might have gone the wrong way and not accomplished the goal of getting to the sign that says “Eternal Life”.
Ask the children if they think it would be nice to have someone guiding them in life so they always know the right way to go and the right things to do. Tell them we do have that guidance. In this lesson we learn where that guidance comes from and what happens when we don’t follow that guidance.
Scripture Story
Using the scripture story pictures and the large drawing of the map, tell the following story. As you tell the story, tape the pictures on the map according to where they took place.
Nephi and his brothers were again instructed to return to Jerusalem. This time they were sent to get Ishmael and his family. Nephi and his brothers would need wives in the Promised Land, and Ishmael had many daughters. Ishmael agreed to go with them. Nephi and his brothers married the daughters of Ishmael when they returned to their father’s tent in the Valley of Lemuel. Lehi was then instructed by the Lord that it was time to take their journey to the Promised Land.
On the morning their journey was to begin, Lehi found a brass ball of curious workmanship outside his tent door. Inside the ball were two spindles; one spindle pointed the way they should go in the wilderness. They gathered their provisions and departed. They followed the directions on the ball which led them through the more fertile parts of the wilderness, which was near the borders of the Red Sea. They hunted for food as they went. After traveling for many days, Nephi’s steel bow broke and his brother’s wood bows lost their spring.
Because of the loss of their bows, the sons of Lehi weren’t able to provide food for their family. Many of them began to murmur against the Lord, including Lehi. Instead of complaining, Nephi worked to resolve the problem. He went and made a new bow out of wood. After Nephi made the bow, he went and asked his father where he should go to obtain food.
Why did Nephi approach his father for help? Lehi was the head of the family, and he was a prophet of the Lord.
Because of Nephi’s actions, Lehi was reminded of his duty and he repented. Lehi was chastened by the Lord for his murmuring, and then he was instructed to look at the brass ball. He saw there was writing inside the ball. Nephi went up to the top of the mountain according to the directions given in the ball, and he obtained food for the family.
During their travels in the wilderness, Ishmael died at a place called Nahom. The daughters of Ishmael mourned for their father and murmured because of their afflictions in the wilderness. They, along with Laman and Lemuel, wanted to return to Jerusalem. Laman and Lemuel plotted to kill their father and Nephi. The love in their hearts had waxed cold because of their wickedness. The voice of the Lord spoke to the two brothers, and they repented for a time.
The family traveled in the wilderness for eight years. Many children were born as they were traveling. The Lord strengthened them, and they were able to bear all hardships. They eventually arrived at a place they called Bountiful.
Chalk Board Discussion
After asking each question below, write a shortened version of the answers on the board. (See example diagram for layout of answers.)
• What was the ball of brass called that Lehi found outside his tent? (See Alma 37:38) The Liahona – meaning director or compass
• The Liahona was prepared by the Lord to show Lehi and his family the way they should go in the wilderness. How did it direct Lehi and his family? Through spindles that pointed the way, and through words that taught them the ways of the Lord.
• What is the Liahona a spiritual representation of? (See Alma 37:45) The words of Christ
• Where are the words of Christ found? In the scriptures, in the words of the prophet, in revelation through the Holy Ghost.
• Where was the Lord leading Lehi and his family with the Liahona? To the promised land
• Where do the words of Christ lead people to? Eternal Life
• What things caused the Liahona to cease working? (See Alma 37: 40-41 and 1 Nephi 16:28) It ceased to work when their faith in God wavered, when they murmured and complained, or when they were slothful and lazy and didn’t give diligent heed to the directing compass provided by the Lord.
• What things interfere with the words of Christ leading people to eternal life? People’s lack of faith in God. People’s lack of heed and diligence in studying, seeking for, and obeying the words of Christ.
• What difficulties did Lehi and his family suffer when the Liahona ceased to work? (See Alma 37:42) They did not prosper or progress in their journey; they were afflicted with hunger and thirst, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course.
• What difficulties can people suffer if they don’t give heed to the words of Christ? Answers might include the following: Without guidance, temptations become harder to resist, and sin causes suffering. If we linger in the “wilderness” we may not reach our goal of eternal life.
Game
Put the game board and the Liahona on a display board for everyone to see. Choose a volunteer. Tell the volunteer that the object of the game is to get from the starting square to a square that says “The Promised Land.” There are two ways they can do this: they can try and guess which way to go, or they can check the Liahona for directions. Tell them it will take a little diligence and effort to get directions from the Liahona. They will have to look up a scripture and find the directions in the scripture. But if they try to guess which way to go, and it is the wrong guess, they will lose their next turn.
The volunteer then decides whether to guess which way to go or to check the Liahona for directions. If they decide to guess, they can choose any square that is touching the starting square including the ones going diagonally. If they choose to check the Liahona, it will give a scripture reference. The class will need to look up that scripture. They will look for the following words in the scripture: up, down, right or left. Display the sign that has those words written on it to help remind the children of what they are looking for. In the scripture there may be combinations of two of those words to indicate which way to go diagonally. The class can look for the words, but the person whose turn it is makes the final decision on which way to go.
When the volunteer decides where to go, he or she takes off one of the square coverings. If there is no star under the covering, they have chosen the wrong way to go and must take the covering which says “Lose a Turn”. They turn that square in on their next turn, but they can’t play again until the following turn. The next person whose turn it is has the same choice of whether to guess or consult the Liahona. They would move from the last star square the person before them was on.
Continue playing in this manner, with the children taking turns choosing what to do, until they reach the square marked “The Promised Land.” The Liahona word strip will need to be rotated down at each turn. To do this, reach under the page and pull down on the strip.
Conclusion
Explain to the children that the words of Christ will always lead them in the right direction. They help us know which way to go when we have choices to make. But if we don’t exercise faith and diligence, and we rely on our own judgment instead of seeking for and obeying the words of Christ, we may go the wrong ways and not progress in our journey towards Eternal Life.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – 1 Nephi 16:1-39 and Alma 37:38-46.
Resources: Scripture story pictures – “Book of Mormon Stories” chapter five.
Print and cut out the Tree of Life Vision Pictures. Cut off the vertical edge of one side of the river. Glue the edges of the two river pieces together. Cut out and glue a “Temptation” to the back of each “Mist of Darkness.”
Also print and cut out the story figures of Lehi and his family found in the Friend, February 2008, For Little Friends, “Lehi and Nephi Obey God”.
Items needed: a Book of Mormon for each child, a bag of white Lifesaver mints (don’t remove the mints from their clear individual wrappers), chalk, and tape.
Scripture Story Tell the following story using the Tree of Life Vision pictures and the pictures from “Lehi and Nephi Obey God.” Tape the pictures to the chalk board as you tell the story.
As Lehi and his family prepared for their journey to the promised land, Lehi had a vision. In the vision he was in a dark and dreary wasteland. He prayed to the Lord for mercy. He then saw a large and spacious field and a tree whose fruit was white to exceed all whiteness. The fruit was very desirable to make one happy. He partook of the fruit, and it was sweet above all others ever tasted. It filled him with joy, and he was desirous that his family partake of it also. As he looked around for his family he saw a river near the tree. At the head of the river he saw his wife Sariah and his sons Nephi and Sam. They looked as if they didn’t know where to go, so Lehi called and beckoned to them and they came and partook of the fruit. Lehi also wanted Laman and Lemuel to partake of the fruit. He looked and saw them at the head of the river. He beckoned to them, but they would not come.
As Lehi looked around some more he saw a rod of iron that led to the tree. The rod of iron extended along the bank of the river. There was also a strait and narrow path which went along side the rod of iron. He saw many people, and some were trying to get to the path. When they came and started on the path, a mist of darkness arose and they lost their way and wandered off. Others came forward and caught hold of the rod of iron, and they pressed forward until they partook of the fruit of the tree. Then Lehi saw on the other side of the river a great and spacious building, and it seemed to be floating in the air. The building was filled with a multitude of people whose clothes were very fine. They were mocking those who had partaken of the tree. Some who had partaken of the tree were ashamed because of the scoffing, and they fell away onto other paths and were lost. But there were some who did not heed the scorning of those in the building.
Discussion • What did Lehi see in the large and spacious field? A tree with fruit on it. • How did Lehi describe the fruit? (See 1 Nephi 8:10-12) Write on the display board the following descriptions:
It was white to exceed all whiteness. It was most sweet above all others. It was desirable to make one happy. It filled him with joy.
The Lord frequently uses symbolism to teach important lessons. Sometimes it is difficult to understand what the symbolism means. After Nephi listened to his father tell about the dream, he wanted to know what the interpretation was, so he prayed to know its meaning. Because of his faith he was shown the same vision, and he was shown its meaning. Nephi learned that the fruit was the greatest of all the gifts of God.
• What is the greatest of all the gifts of God? (See D&C 14:7) What is eternal life? It is the highest degree in the celestial kingdom, and it is the kind of life Heavenly Father has. (Put the “Eternal Life” label next to the fruit.)
The purpose of Lehi’s vision is to teach us how to gain eternal life. Without the atonement of Jesus Christ we could not attain eternal life, regardless of how good we are on earth, because all men sin and no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus paid the price for our sins. The tree represents the love of God demonstrated in the sacrifice and the atonement of his son Jesus Christ. (Put up the “Love of God, Atonement of Jesus Christ” label next to the tree.)
• What did the strait and narrow path represent? The strait and narrow path represents following Christ’s way of life such as praying, being honest, giving service, etc. (Put the “Christ’s Way of Life” label next to the path.)
We have been given aids to help us stay on the strait and narrow path. Lehi saw an iron rod that people could hold on to to help them stay on the path.
• What did the rod of iron represent? (See 1 Nephi 15:23–24) (Put the “Word of God” label next to the rod of iron.)
• Where can we find the word of God? In the scriptures, in the teachings of latter-day prophets, and in the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
• In Lehi’s vision some people started on the path but then became lost in mists of darkness. What did the mists of darkness represent? (See 1 Nephi 12:17) (Put the “Temptations of the Devil” label next to the mists of darkness.)
• What are some temptations of the devil? (Place a mist of darkness over the path for each answer given.)
The temptations of the devil blind us. We can’t see the right way to go and we can become lost.
• In the vision, some people made it through the mists of darkness. What did those people use to help guide them? The iron rod which is the word of God. The word of God can help us know the right way to go.
Game
Inform the children they are going to play a game that shows how the word of God helps them know the right way to go.
Tape a mint to each piece of fruit on the tree of life. Cover the rod of iron and the path with the remaining mists of darkness. Direct a volunteer to choose a mist of darkness and read the situation that is on the back. Instruct the children to look in the bible topical guide for the temptation’s subject and find a scripture that would help them avoid and resist that temptation. Have the volunteer read the scripture the children chose. The volunteer can then take a fruit (mint) off the tree. Have another child pick a mist of darkness and do the same process again. Continue until each child has had a turn. After the game is finished, remind the children that if we use the word of God to guide us, it will lead us to eternal life.
• How do we hold onto the word of God? By making it part of our life. We do this by studying and abiding by the teachings found in the scriptures and the words of the latter day prophets, and by seeking for and listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Heeding and obeying the word of God will help us avoid the deceptions and temptations of Satan so that we can avoid going astray.
• In the vision, Lehi’s mind was so occupied with other things that he did not notice that the water in the river was filthy. What did the river or fountain of filthy water represent? (See 1 Nephi 12:16 & 15:26–29) (Put the “Depths of Hell” label next to the river.) How do people end up engulfed in the depths of hell? They get lost in Satan’s temptations, go astray, and fall into the depths of hell.
In Lehi’s vision there were some people who held onto the rod until they reached the tree and partook of the fruit, and then they became ashamed and fell away because the world mocked them. These people represent those who accept the gospel and the ordinances necessary for eternal life, such as baptism and temple ordinances, but then they yield to the tauntings and temptations to be like the people of the world.
• The people of the world who were mocking those who partook of the fruit were in a great and spacious building that appeared to be floating in the air. What did the great and spacious building represent? (See 1 Nephi 11:36) (Put the “Pride of the World” label next to the building.)
Pride and feelings of superiority because of possessions, physical abilities, or accomplishments are empty and have nothing to hold them up because everything we have comes from God. Like the building floating in the air, people lifted up in pride eventually will fall. They do not realize that the things the world values such as wealth, honors, physical beauty, and physical ability have no value after death. The only thing of value will be the relationships and the righteous characteristics we develop while on the earth. If we spend our time seeking after worldly things, we may miss the opportunity to develop the things that will be important in the eternities.
In the vision there were those who fell away, but there were also people who partook of the fruit and then remained faithful. The people who remained faithful are those who endured by continuing to seek for and obey the word of God. Because of their study and prayers they have a clear understanding of what has lasting value, and they ignore the world’s empty offerings. They know that eternal life is better than anything that the world has to offer because it is the greatest of all God’s gifts.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week – 1 Nephi 8:1-38, 1 Nephi 11:1-36 and 1 Nephi 15:1-36.
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 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.
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.)
Friend February 2026 “Weekly Family Scripture Fun” God hears your prayers. Make a prayer banner. On small pieces of paper, write or draw things you want to pray for or talk to Heavenly Father about. Then poke holes and hang them on a string. Use this banner to give you ideas of what to pray for.
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.
Friend January 2025 “The Gift of Prayer” Primary General President Susan H. Porter tells some things we can pray for: Pray to know that he is listening. Pray to grow and learn new things. Pray for Heavenly Father to show you what you should do.
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.
Friend August 2025 “Kimber’s Quiet Prayer” Kimber’s speech delay made it hard for her to speak out loud. She used sign language with Mom at home, but things were getting harder at school and at church because most people didn’t know sign language. She often felt like she needed help. But how could she pray to Heavenly Father without talking out loud? Her mom explained that she could pray in her heart and mind and that Heavenly Father would hear her. That night she said a prayer in her mind. She told Him what she was grateful for. She told Him how hard it was to talk. And she asked for His help. Soon she felt a feeling of peace from her head to her toes. She knew Heavenly Father had heard her.
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.
Friend February 2026 “Weekly Family Scripture Fun” God hears your prayers. Make a prayer banner. On small pieces of paper, write or draw things you want to pray for or talk to Heavenly Father about. Then poke holes and hang them on a string. Use this banner to give you ideas of what to pray for. Ask
When I pray in faith, Heavenly Father will answer.
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
