“I Can Do All Things through Christ Which Strengtheneth Me”
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Church leaders love me and pray for me.
Paul often began his epistles by expressing love for Church members and telling them that he prayed for them. Consider how you can help the children understand that their Church leaders love them.
Possible Activities
Read Philippians 1:3–4 and Colossians 1:3, 9 aloud, and ask the children to fold their arms and bow their heads every time they hear the words pray, praying, and prayer. Explain that the Apostle Paul prayed for Church members, just as our Church leaders pray for us today.
Show a picture of Jesus Christ, and read some scripture verses that describe Him praying for someone (for example, Luke 22:32; 3 Nephi 19:21, 23). What did Jesus ask for when He prayed for others?
The students can place the pieces after you have read the scriptures and explained them. We would often sit on the floor for an activity like this.
Help the children name some of their Church leaders, such as the Primary president, the bishop, and the President of the Church. Explain that these leaders ask Heavenly Father to bless the children and help them live righteously. Consider telling the children what you say when you pray for them.
If you have LDS tools, it would be a good idea to open that and show the students pictures of these people.
I'm feeling bad for the sunbeams(: Here is something that can help with movement.
Put the stepping stones on the ground and say the words as the students step on each one. Then move them farther apart so they have to hop to each stone while saying the same words.
Dollar tree sale a 6 pack of mini pretzels. Just click on the image to be taken to Etsy.
I can rejoice in the Lord.
Paul encouraged the Saints to rejoice—even though they faced difficult trials and Paul himself was in prison. How will you help the children see that following Jesus Christ brings joy?
Possible Activities
This is recycled from another lesson, but if you missed it, you can still use it in this lesson.
Ask the children to listen for a repeated word as you read Philippians 4:4. Ask the children to show you what they do when they rejoice. Tell the children why you “rejoice in the Lord”—why you feel happy because of Jesus Christ. Let the children share how they feel about Jesus.
Discussing feelings is very important for development. If you have a student who struggles with this, the church always has a resource. Here is one I really like:
This is fixed(:
Show objects or pictures that represent things that help you “rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 4:4), such as His creations, a temple, His Resurrection, or a family. Let the children take turns selecting a picture or object, and then tell them why it makes you happy. Invite them to share things that help them rejoice in the Lord.
A coloring/ activity book that you can read together as a class or just send home with the children.
Read Philippians 4:8 together, and help the children think of things that fit the descriptions in the verse (see also Articles of Faith 1:13). Invite the children to draw pictures of these things.
Click on the image to be taken to this page and print the 13th article of Faith.
Click on the image to be taken to Etsy.
My faith should be “rooted” in Jesus Christ.
If the children build their lives and their faith on the Savior, they will be able to withstand the storms of life.
Possible Activities
Show the picture of a tree from this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families while you read key phrases from Colossians 1:23; 2:6–7 (or show the video “Spiritual Whirlwinds” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What would happen to this tree if a storm came and the tree did not have strong roots? Let the children stand and pretend to be a tree that has weak roots in a storm and then a tree with strong roots. Testify that faith in the Savior helps us be like a tree with strong roots. Then we can withstand spiritual “storms,” like temptations and hard times.
Invite a child to draw a tree on the board. Ask the children to name some things they can do to be “rooted” in Jesus Christ. Each time a child names something, invite him or her to add a root to the drawing.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
If I have faith in Jesus Christ, I can be happy even during hard times.
Paul suffered many trials, but he was happy because he had faith in Jesus Christ.
Possible Activities
Ask the children to imagine that they are in prison, as the Apostle Paul was when he wrote the Epistle to the Philippians. Read Philippians 4:4–13 with the children, and ask them to look for the words “rejoice,” “peace,” and “content.” Why was Paul able to rejoice and feel peace even in prison? Then ask the children to find the words “Lord,” “God,” and “Christ” in the verses. Help them understand that Paul’s faith in Jesus Christ made it possible for him to rejoice.
Invite the children to help you complete sentences like the following: “I can be in the dark and still see things if I have a . I can be outside on a hot day and still feel cool if I have a . I can have hard times and still find joy if I .” What does Philippians 4:4–13 suggest we can do to find joy? Invite the children to share some hymns or scriptures about Jesus that can help them feel joy during hard times.
I thought this origami would be fun for Senior Primary.
You can print this and have the students figure out how to fold it. It's pretty simple.
Click on the image to be taken to Etsy.
I can “think on” things that are true, honest, and pure.
Children are often exposed to things that are evil and impure. You can help them seek after uplifting and virtuous things.
Possible Activities
Ask one child to read Philippians 4:8 aloud while the others look for words in Articles of Faith 1:13 that are the same or similar. Invite someone to write these words on the board. Ask the children what the words mean, and help them define them as needed. Why should we “think on” these things? How can we “seek after” them?
Hide these around the classroom before class. If you have enough kids you can split the class into two. Have them race to see who can collect the most word strips. Then have them look up the scriptures Philippians 4:4–13 and whatever words are not in the scriptures have them sort them out. Why would it be good to think on the words in the scriptures? Why would it not be good to think on the other words not in the scriptures? Excited...was just a word to throw them, you don't have to add it(:
My faith should be “rooted” in Jesus Christ.
Satan tries to weaken our faith through temptations and false doctrines. How can you inspire the children to strengthen their faith in the Savior so that they are “not moved away from the hope of the gospel”? (Colossians 1:23).
Possible Activities
Invite the children to draw pictures that represent the truths they find in Colossians 1:23; 2:6–7. Let them share their pictures with the class and explain the truths their pictures represent.
Show the video “Spiritual Whirlwinds.” What are some temptations and false doctrines in the world today that can weaken our faith? Encourage the children to write down one thing they can do to strengthen their faith so that they are “rooted” (Colossians 2:7) in Jesus Christ. Ask them to display this somewhere they will see it each day.
Here is this weeks youth lesson, you might something that works for your students. Just click on the image.
Thank you so much!! I always find something on your site I can use with the Sunbeams. We have a couple of kids with special needs, so it can be a challenging class to meet everyone’s needs within the same period of time. I appreciate all your hard work in putting these teaching materials together!
I greatly enjoy your site and find your ideas valuable and fun. However, I can no longer print pages like I could before. I am using a desktop.
Your site is amazing and so incredibly helpful. Thank you for all that you put into it.
I was trying to print out the feelings first aid kit but both print links are the second page.
I love so much your hard work here, it's amazing. When I click to print, it doesn't work, probably because I am living in the UK. Thank you very much for all your doings here, your ideas are brilliant!:)