Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
I can praise God by singing.
The Saints John described in Revelation 15:2–4 sang praises to God for His goodness. What songs of praise can help the children express their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
When I served in Nurshery I would tell the students to guess what song I was drawing. I would draw a circle on the board and they would usually yell out "circle" (:, then I would draw 2 more circles, add a hat , made a snow man and we would sing "Once there was a Snowman." Then I would erase that and draw another circle, they all thought it was a snowman again, but this time I added lines coming out of it for a sun (and a smiling face), we all sang "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam."
I think this is a great way to introduce this topic. Here are some ideas of simple pictures you can draw and songs they can sing.
Possible Activities
As you read aloud parts of Revelation 15:2–4, ask the children to do actions like pretending to play a harp or direct a choir. How do we feel when we sing about Jesus?
I think it would be super fun to for the students to have instruments to play, to some primary songs. Here are some ideas.
You can play these songs and have the students find the beat.
Ask the children to share some of their favorite songs about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Sing a few of the songs together, and help the children understand what the songs teach us about Heavenly Father and the Savior.
Here are some cards of the song, I am a Child of God, that you can mix up and have the students put in the correct order. Testify that this song teaches about Heavenly Father and Jesus.
Here is another primary song. The students can color this and you can fold it and sing the song together, with them holding their pictures.
I went to Dollar tree and found these, they are pretty good musical instruments, they usually have a guitar which would be perefect for the "harp" in th scripture. It would be good to give those little horns out, but DON'T give them to the students till they are leaving the church building. Prep them to not blow them (or play them) in the halls(:
If you want to send your instruments home with your kids. Click on the image to be taken to Etsy.
I can prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ by choosing the right.
How can you help the children understand that the Second Coming will be a joyful event for us if we follow Jesus’s commandments?
Possible Activities
Ask the children if they have ever been to a wedding. What was it like? Why are people happy at a wedding? Display the picture of the Savior’s Second Coming in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and read Revelation 19:7. Explain that the “marriage of the Lamb” represents the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Why will we rejoice when the Savior comes again? Help the children compare the joy of a wedding to the joy of the Savior’s return.
Share with the children why you are looking forward to Jesus’s Second Coming. You could also sing together a song about the Second Coming, such as “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82–83).
This is my October lesson that was all about preparing for the second coming. Click on the image to be taken to that page.
Invite the children to share what they do to get ready for church on Sunday. Why do we do these things before we come to church? Why should we prepare for Christ’s Second Coming? On this week’s activity page, let the children draw what they can do to prepare for the Second Coming.
Heavenly Father wants me to live with Him in the celestial kingdom.
In the last two chapters of Revelation, John used beautiful language to describe the celestial glory that the faithful will enjoy.
Possible Activities
Sometimes the students need help understanding. I think it would be a good idea to have the students open one of these little hearts, peek inside and tell the other students what they saw, then give another friend a turn. They will have a better idea of what they want to draw on their fruit.
Assemble this before you see the students.
Help the children draw the tree described in Revelation 22:2 on the board. Explain that this tree is the tree of life, and its fruit represents the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:21–22). Give the children pieces of paper shaped like fruit, and invite them to draw on the paper something that helps them feel Heavenly Father’s love. Explain that those who love and obey Heavenly Father will live with Him in the celestial kingdom.
Share with the children some images or details that John used to describe celestial glory (see Revelation 21:1, 3–4, 22–27; 22:1–2), and invite the children to draw pictures of these things.
Sing together a song that teaches how we can prepare to return to God’s presence, such as “I Will Follow God’s Plan” (Children’s Songbook, 164–65). Invite the children to identify what they can do to live with Heavenly Father again.
For next week:
You could hand these out this week:
Sometimes wards will have a a "meet the teacher" activity before the students meet their teachers that Sunday. Here is a fun "getting to know you" activity you can use.
Here are two bag toppers for the price of one, if you are on the ball you can use them both with different sets of students(:
Click on the image.
I have a couple of Birthday gift tags, you can look through the Etsy store as you plan for next year. Click on the image to be taken there.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
I can prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ by choosing the right.
How can you help the children you teach understand that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a joyous event for the righteous?
Possible Activities
Read together Revelation 19:7–8, and help the children understand the symbolism in these verses—the marriage is the Savior’s Second Coming, the Lamb is the Savior, and His wife is the Church (or all of us). What things might we do to prepare for the Savior to come again?
These are just in color, you can put your printer on a B&W setting.
Review and memorize Articles of Faith 1:10 with the children. Explain that this article of faith describes exciting, glorious events that will happen when Jesus comes again.
Display the picture of Jesus’s Second Coming in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and invite the children to draw what they think Jesus’s Second Coming will be like.
I will be judged by God.
All of us will one day stand before God to be judged. You can help the children understand that His judgment will be just, fair, and merciful.
Possible Activities
Write on the board What will Judgment Day be like? Invite the children to look for answers to the question in Revelation 20:12–13 and in “Judgment, the Last” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What has the Savior done so that Judgment Day can be a joyful day? (see Articles of Faith 1:3–4). What can we do so that it is a joyful day for us?
Bring to class a notebook representing the “book of life” (Revelation 20:12), in which you have written some of the Christlike attributes and good works of the children in your class. Read to the children the things you wrote, and invite them to talk about Christlike qualities they have seen in each other. Share your testimony that Jesus Christ helps us become more like Him and provides a way for us to repent and overcome sin.
Here is a paper you can put on the front of the notebook. Optional to print on sticker paper.
For smaller notebooks.
Heavenly Father wants me to live with Him in the celestial kingdom.
As you read John’s description of celestial glory in Revelation 21–22, what stands out to you? What do you feel inspired to share with the children you teach?
Possible Activities
Invite the children to search the following verses for words or phrases that John used to describe celestial glory: Revelation 21:1, 3–4, 22–27; 22:1–2. Let them choose something in these verses that they would like to draw. Then they can talk about their drawings with the class. Encourage them to show their drawings to their families at home.
Read together Revelation 22:17, and explain that the bride who says “Come” is the Church. Who do we, as Church members, want to invite others to “come” to? (see Moroni 10:30–33). What might those around us be “thirsty” for? What are some good ways to invite people to “come”?
Encourage Learning at Home
Help the children prepare to read the Book of Mormon next year by inviting them to ask a family member or friend to share a favorite verse or story from the Book of Mormon.