Identify the doctrine (playing a guessing game): Tell the children that you are thinking of someone who loves us, knows each of us, helps us, and lives far away. Ask them to guess who you are thinking of (Heavenly Father). Discuss our relationship with Heavenly Father. Invite the children to repeat together “God is my Heavenly Father. He knows and loves me.”
Encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Divide the children into groups. Have each group read Enos 1:5, Moses 1:6, and Joseph Smith—History 1:17 and discuss how the Lord addresses each prophet. Ask the children, “If Heavenly Father visited you, what would He call you?” Bear testimony that God knows each of us by name.
Encourage application (singing songs): Have the children stand in a circle and pass around several items that represent God’s love for His children as they sing “I Am a Child of God” (CS, 2–3) or “I Know My Father Lives” (CS, 5). Items could include scriptures, a picture of the sacrament, a piece of fruit, or a picture of a family. Randomly stop the singing and have the children holding an item share one way they know God loves them. Repeat as time allows.
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I wanted for this lesson to think of a way to bring it to the children the immense love that our Heavenly Father has for us and I was thinking of something that would be in the children's own lives to compare it to and naturally my own boys came into my mind. My 4 year old has a bear, Mr. Pickles, he's taken everywhere, he talks to him, plays with him, shares his day's secrets with Mr. Pickles I have to wash him while he's at school because that's one place Mr. Pickles can't go.
There it was.
You'll need several examples of children's favorites whether pulling them out of memory boxes or asking friends or asking the children in your Primary to bring in their favorite (love this idea)- you'll find an printable invite below.
Have the favorites sitting up front, or if children have theirs have them in their laps. If you would like to have some children share about their favorite, be sure to ask beforehand to make sure they have theirs with them.
Here's some questions to ask the children, continue asking them about their favorites
- Does your favorite ____ have a name? Where do they go with you? Do they join you in your adventures?
- Where is it put when you can't take him/her with you? Do you put it on your bed safe and sound or do you throw them your room? Why do you take care of it? (hopefully someone will say because we love him)
Just as you love your favorites very very much and take care of them. Heavenly Father loves you even more. He knows your name just as you know your buddy's name. You may not be able to take your buddy with you everywhere, but Heavenly Father is with you always. Heavenly Father loves you and has given us people in our lives to keep us safe and teach us to be like Him.
Continue comparing the children's love (based on the questions you ask) to Heavenly Father's love....
OR PDF (you must add your own text boxes for the pdf)
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