Two lessons in one, since Christmas Sunday is usually just Sacrament meeting.
Invite Sharing
Read the following phrase from Malachi 1:2: “I have loved you, saith the Lord.” Invite each child to share one way they know that the Lord loves them. After each child shares, thank him or her, and share your testimony of the Lord’s love for that child.
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Heavenly Father will bless me when I pay tithing.
Even if the young children you teach don’t earn money yet, they can still learn about the blessings of paying tithing.
Possible Activities
Help the children count 10 small objects, such as the coins on this week’s activity page. Invite them to separate one of the objects from the rest, and explain that this is like the tithing we give to the Lord. We give Him one-tenth of what we receive. Share your testimony of how the Lord blesses us as we pay tithing. Sing with the children a song about tithing, such as “I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth” (Children’s Songbook, 150).
Here are some tithing slips so children can role play paying their tithing.
Draw a window on the board, and read Malachi 3:10 to the children. Invite them to point to the window when you read the phrase “windows of heaven.” Explain that this means that Heavenly Father gives us great blessings when we pay tithing. As the children color this week’s activity page, talk about some of the reasons why we pay tithing.
Share a story from the Friend magazine or from your own life about paying tithing. Invite the children to listen for blessings that can come from paying tithing.
This story is the cute. Just click on the image.
We are sealed as families in the temple.
Because of the priesthood keys of sealing that Elijah gave Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple, families can be united for eternity. As you teach this truth, be sensitive to the feelings of children whose families have not been sealed in the temple.
Possible Activities
I think it would be neat for the children to draw inside the chain paper dolls their family members. As you cut out or tape the people together talk about how we are sealed together in the temple.
Read Malachi 4:5 to the children. Then tell them that this promise was fulfilled when Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple (see “Chapter 40: Visions in the Kirtland Temple,” in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 157). Show a picture of this event (see Gospel Art Book, no. 95), and invite the children to point to Elijah and to Joseph Smith. Explain that because Elijah came, we can be sealed as families in the temple. Share your testimony of the importance of being sealed as families. (Click on this image)
Tell the children about your love for your family; show a picture, if possible. Invite a few children to share their feelings for their family. Sing together a song about families, such as “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Hymns, no. 300),
Click on the image to print this interactive song.
You can cut this out and put it inside the temple, or if your are a wiz with your printer, you can just print it double sided.
and testify that Heavenly Father wants families to be sealed together and that this is one reason we have temples. Help children understand that because of Jesus Christ, we can even be sealed to family members who were not able to go to the temple in this life. Invite the children to draw a picture of their family together in heaven.
Since this is the last lesson you will see your children till after Christmas. Here are some ideas for Christmas gifts and tags.
Christmas socks are found at Dollar Tree, but I'm sure you can buy them anywhere.
The stores and supplies of these gifts are shown on Etsy, as you flip through the pictures on the listing.
Next years reading chart.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Heavenly Father will bless me when I pay tithing.
Paying tithing is more about having faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ than it is about finances. What do the children you teach understand about tithing? How will you help them have the faith to pay tithing?
Possible Activities
Write on the board questions about tithing like the following: What is tithing? How do I pay tithing? What is tithing for? What are the blessings of paying tithing? Invite the children to search Malachi 3:8–12 and “Tithes, Tithing” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) and write down answers they find. Invite them to share their answers with each other. What kind of people do we become by paying tithing?
Show the video “Jesus Teaches about the Widow’s Mite” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or read together Mark 12:41–44. What does this story teach us about how the Lord feels about our offerings?
(Click on the image)
Draw a window on the board, and invite the children to write inside the window blessings that someone might receive for paying tithing (for ideas, see Malachi 3:10–12). Invite the children to share a personal example of how they or their families have been blessed by faithfully paying tithing. Or you could share an example from your own life of how paying tithing has increased your faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
This is more about Faith as a girl tries to provide food for her family. But I think it applies.
“I will send you Elijah the prophet.”
Malachi’s prophecy about Elijah the prophet was fulfilled when Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple and gave him the priesthood keys that allow families to be sealed together forever. You might consider inviting someone in the ward who has responsibility for temple and family history work (such as a member of the elders quorum presidency or Relief Society presidency) to help you teach this doctrine to the children. Remember to be sensitive to the feelings of children whose families have not been sealed.
Possible Activities
Write each phrase from Malachi 4:5–6 on a separate slip of paper. Give the slips of paper to the children, and ask them to put the phrases in the correct order. Read the verses together, and discuss questions like these:
Cut into strips
Who did the Lord promise to send? When did He say this person would come? What did the Lord say that this person would do? Why would this person need to come? Where was this prophecy fulfilled? (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16).
Write on the board a question like What does it mean for the hearts of the children to turn to their fathers? (see Malachi 4:6). Invite the children to ponder this question as they watch the video “Their Hearts Are Bound to You” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Then invite the children to share their thoughts about the question on the board. Discuss together experiences you or the children have had learning about family history. (Click on the image)
Show the picture of Elijah from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me–For Individuals and Families. Invite the children to share what they know about the event this picture depicts (see also Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16). Testify that the sealing power Elijah restored allows families to be united eternally—including families who didn’t have that opportunity in mortality. If you have participated in a sealing, either for yourself or for a deceased person, talk about what you felt during that ordinance. Ask the children to share their feelings about their families and about God’s plan to help families be together forever.
December 19–25
Christmas
“We Have Waited for Him, and He Will Save Us”
. As you prepare to teach during the Christmas season, consider how you can help the children find joy in the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ.
Invite the children to share what they know about Jesus Christ’s birth. As they mention a person or object from the story, invite them to draw it on the board. Ask the children what they love about this story.
Teach the Doctrine: Younger ChildrenThe Old Testament teaches me about Jesus.Help the children focus on the Savior Jesus Christ as the reason we celebrate Christmas. You can do this using scriptures from the Old Testament that testify of Him. Possible Activities
Display a picture of the nativity (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 30, or one of the pictures in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Read Isaiah 9:6, giving each child a turn to point to the baby Jesus when they hear the phrase “a child is born.” Share your testimony that prophets in the Old Testament knew that Jesus would be born.
Hide these around the room, when the child/ren find them ask them if they have to do with the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Take the “Yes” pile and attach cut up toilet paper rolls to them and put them in the manger. Testify that Jesus is the best gift.
Invite each child to say his or her name, and point out that in addition to our names, we can be called other things, like sister or brother or friend. Invite the children to think of other examples. Read Isaiah 9:6 to the children, emphasizing the names that refer to Jesus Christ: “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Help the children understand what these names tell us about Jesus.
Print on sticker paper. Cut one out for each child. Write their name, plus their other names: (brother, sister, son, friend). Then label the other ones“Wonderful” Counsellor, The mighty God.... as you read/study the scripture together. Have the children stick those to the picture of Jesus.
(Print on sticker paper)
Give each child a paper star, and invite the children to hold their stars up when you read the following phrase from Numbers 24:17: “there shall come a Star out of Jacob.” Invite the children to share how Jesus is like a bright star that shines to all the world.
Sing together a song about the star that appeared when Jesus was born, such as “Stars Were Gleaming” (Children’s Songbook, 37) or “The First Noel” (Hymns, no. 213).
Jesus Christ is my Savior.Christmas is a time to celebrate not only Jesus’s birth but also His life and mission as Savior of the world. How can you help the children feel joy and gratitude for Jesus Christ’s Atonement? Possible Activities
Ask the children to think of something that they are looking forward to. Explain that faithful people in Old Testament times looked forward to Jesus Christ’s birth. Read Isaiah 25:9 to the children, and have them repeat the phrase “We have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Share with them why you are glad and rejoice that Christ was born. Invite the children to share their feelings about the Savior.
Sing together a song about Jesus’s birth, such as “Away in a Manger” (Children’s Songbook, 42–43) or “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (Hymns, no. 209). Help the children discover phrases in these songs that teach us about our Savior and the blessings we have because of Him.
Christmas socks are found at Dollar Tree, but I'm sure you can buy them anywhere.
The stores and supplies of these gifts are shown on Etsy, as you flip through the pictures on the listing.
Older Children
The Old Testament teaches me about Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.The Old Testament is more than just a collection of interesting stories and writings; its purpose, like all scripture, is to testify of Jesus Christ. Help the children learn how to find Him in the Old Testament. Possible Activities
Invite the children to make a list of all the names and titles of Jesus Christ they can find in Moses 7:53; Psalm 23:1; Job 19:25; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 12:2; Amos 4:13; and Zechariah 14:16. Let them work in pairs if they would like. Invite them to share their lists with each other. What do we learn about the Savior from each of these names and titles?
This is what they will build their puzzle on, one at a time after they discuss the scriptures.
When the puzzle is complete, bear your testimony about why you are grateful for Jesus Christ and encourage the children to do it too.
Show the children a few Christmas decorations (or pictures of some), such as a star, lights, or a gift. Ask the children how each of these things might remind us of the Savior. Explain that the scriptures often use symbols to teach us about Jesus Christ. Invite the children to look in one or more of the following verses for something that could symbolize Jesus Christ: Genesis 22:8; Exodus 17:6; Psalms 18:2; 27:1 (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families for additional examples). How is Jesus like a lamb, water, rock, a fortress, or light?
At the end of studying the Old Testament this year, invite the children to share their favorite stories or scriptures from the Old Testament. What do these stories or scriptures teach us about Jesus Christ? Why are we grateful to have the Old Testament?
Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer.As we celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth, we can also rejoice in His life and atoning sacrifice. How might you use scriptures from the Old Testament to help the children build their faith in their Savior and Redeemer? Possible Activities
Read together Isaiah 7:14; then invite the children to share what they know about Christ’s birth. Or show the video “The Nativity” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and
(Click on the image)
invite each child to choose a person from the video and share how that person may have felt. Share your testimony about the Savior, and invite the children to do the same. To help the children better understand Jesus Christ’s role as our Savior, invite them to read Isaiah 25:8–9; 53:3–5; and Hosea 13:14. What do these scriptures teach us about how the Lord saves us? How can we “rejoice in his salvation”? (Isaiah 25:9).
Sing a song together about Jesus Christ’s love for us, such as “Away in a Manger” (Children’s Songbook, 42–43) or “I Stand All Amazed” (Hymns, no. 193). Invite the children to share phrases that help them feel the Savior’s love.
This one is amazing!
My families Christmas Card, we wrap it around a root beer for our neighbors, so it's long. I have a son on a mission in Honduras.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic new year!