Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
I can gain a testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Consider how you can use Peter’s testimony and Jesus’s response to teach the children what a testimony is and inspire them to seek their own.
Possible Activities
Ask the children to listen for what Peter said as you read Matthew 16:15–17. (See also “Chapter 32: Peter Testifies of Christ,” in New Testament Stories, 76–77, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Explain that Peter was bearing his testimony of Jesus Christ. Read the verses again. (Or show the video again.) This time ask the children to listen for who told Peter that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
My suggestion: Cut out the pieces and have the children put them over one word at a time as you read the scripture together. For example, read it through the first time together pointing to each word, then have a child put the picture over with words, “thou art the” then read it again. Then have a child put a picture over “Christ” and read it again, until the picture is completed and the scripture is memorized. Your children might not be able to read, but the rhythm and touching each written word is still really good for pre-readers. Let the children trade shapes and do it again as long as the children are still interested.
(Click on the image)
Bear your testimony of Jesus Christ, and explain how you received it. Invite the children to seek their own testimonies from Heavenly Father.
A balloon gift tag, click on the image.
Jesus Christ gives prophets and apostles priesthood keys to lead His Church.
The Savior compared revelation to a rock and priesthood authority to keys. How can you use these comparisons to help the children have faith in those who lead His Church?
Possible Activities
Show the children a rock as you read Matthew 16:18 with them. Repeat with them the phrase “upon this rock I will build my church,” adding actions to go along with the words. Explain that the Church is built upon the “rock” of revelation.
Here is a puzzle you can put together and discuss the ways we (in the church) receive revelation and the prophet, who receives revelation for the church.
Show the children some keys, and ask what we use keys for. Explain that Peter and the other Apostles received priesthood keys from Jesus. These keys “unlock” blessings for us and open the way to heaven. For example, priesthood keys allow us to be baptized and take the sacrament. Give the children paper keys, and have them write some blessings that priesthood keys “unlock.”
Show a picture of the President of the Church, and bear your testimony that he holds all of the priesthood keys today, just as Peter did.
Here is a gift tag for a a large or small sucker. Just click on the image.
My faith can work miracles.
When you read Jesus’s promise that faith like a grain of mustard seed can move a mountain, what impressions do you receive about the children you teach?
Possible Activities
Read Matthew 17:19–20 with the children. Invite them to take turns drawing big mountains and small seeds on the board. Explain that the mountains are like things that are hard for us to do. What are some things that can feel like mountains to us? Use this week’s activity page to help the children think about how faith can help them do things that God wants them to do.
Place a picture of a mountain on one side of the room. Ask the children to name some things they can do to gain more faith in Jesus Christ. Let each child who suggests something move the mountain closer to the other side of the room. Read Matthew 17:19–20, and testify of the power of faith in your life.
Sing together a song about faith, such as “Faith” (Children’s Songbook, 96–97).
Give each child a seed to take home. Invite them to plant the seed and put it somewhere where they can watch it grow to help them remember to have faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Here are instructions on how to plant a seed in a bag.
(Just click on the image)
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
A testimony of Jesus Christ comes through revelation.
How might Peter’s testimony in Matthew 16:13–17 help the children as they build their testimonies?
Possible Activities
Ask the children what they would say if someone asked them, “Who is Jesus?” Invite the children to read Matthew 16:13–17 to find out how Peter answered that question. How did he gain his testimony of Jesus? What can we do to strengthen our testimonies?
Help the children compare the way we know spiritual truths with the ways we know other truths. For example, how do we know how tall a person is or what the weather is like? How do we know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Tell the children how the Holy Ghost has testified to you of the Savior.
This is really good, for teaching children to understand revelation.
Bear your testimony of Jesus Christ, and challenge the children to gain or strengthen their own testimonies of Him.
The Church of Jesus Christ is led by those who hold priesthood keys.
Studying Matthew 16:15–19 can build the children’s faith that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the same Church that Jesus established while He lived on the earth.
Possible Activities
Write Matthew 16:19 on the board, leaving out a few words, including the word “keys.” Ask the children to find the missing words.
Show the video “Where Are the Keys?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or review “Keys of the Priesthood” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What are priesthood keys? How are priesthood keys like real keys?
Help the children list on the board some people who have priesthood keys. “Keys of the Priesthood” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) has a list that can help them. Invite someone in your ward who holds priesthood keys to briefly share with the class why these keys are important.
Here is a origami fortune teller, that has quotes taken from "The Keys of the Priesthood" from the churches website.
Here is a video that shoes you how to fold it and how to play it.
Hide several keys (or pictures of keys) around the room, and invite the children to find them. After each key is found, help the children think of blessings we enjoy because of priesthood keys (for example, eternal families, baptism, and the sacrament).
It would be the best to have real keys hiding around the room, but if you are worried about loosing them, here are some paper keys, I just gathered off the internet.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
These verses describe one of the few times in the scriptures when the voice of God the Father was heard testifying of His Beloved Son. Studying this account with the children can build their faith in Jesus Christ.
Possible Activities
Invite the children to draw pictures of the event described in Matthew 17:1–9. Ask them to explain their pictures to each other. (See “Chapter 33: Appearing in Glory: The Transfiguration,” in New Testament Stories, 78–79, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)
(CLICK on the image to be taken to the Churches website)
Give the children time to ponder what the account in Matthew 17:1–9 teaches them about Jesus Christ. Invite them to write their thoughts on the board. Invite the children to share how they know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.