The Love of God

By Virginia Pearce

[Have] the love of God always in your hearts (Alma 13:29).

Long ago, Lehi and his family were commanded by the Lord to leave Jerusalem. Lehi often thought about Heavenly Father and pondered the many blessings Heavenly Father had given his family. One day Lehi had a dream. It was not an ordinary dream like the ones we usually have. It was a vision—a message from Heavenly Father.

Lehi told his family that in the vision he saw a man dressed in a white robe. Lehi followed the man and found himself in a dark and dreary place. After traveling in the darkness for many hours, Lehi prayed for help.

As he finished praying, Lehi saw a large field, and a tree full of fruit whiter than anything he had ever seen before. Lehi could hardly wait to taste the fruit. When he did, it was sweet and delicious and filled his heart with joy. Lehi had a reverent feeling.

As soon as Lehi had tasted the fruit, he wanted his family to have some of it too. Looking up, he saw his wife, Sariah, and his sons Nephi and Sam. They looked as if they didn’t know where to go. Lehi beckoned them to come and eat the fruit. When they did, their hearts were also filled with joy and reverence for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Then Lehi looked for his other sons. Laman and Lemuel saw their father but would not come and eat the fruit. This made Lehi very sad.

Nephi wanted to know what his father’s vision meant. He prayed and had a vision that helped him understand his father’s vision. He was told that if we follow God’s commandments, we will receive a fullness of His love, which was represented in the vision by the delicious white fruit—which love is “the most desirable above all things” (1 Ne. 11:22).

Because Lehi, Sariah, Nephi, and Sam were willing to be obedient, they felt Heavenly Father’s great love for them. But Laman and Lemuel chose to be disobedient, and they were not able to have the peaceful, reverent feeling that comes from knowing God loves us and is pleased with us.

When you snuggle into your bed at night, think about all that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have given you. As you count your blessings, you will have a reverent feeling, and your heart will be filled with joy. You will realize how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you, and you will love and appreciate Them more.

Instructions

1. To make a mobile to remind you of some of the things Heavenly Father has given us to show that He loves us, remove the Sharing Time pages and mount them on lightweight cardboard.

2. Color the pieces, then cut them out. Punch holes in each piece where indicated.

Heavenly Father gave me a body.

Heavenly Father gave me a family.

Heavenly Father gave me the gospel.

Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.

Heavenly Father gave me leaders and teachers who love me.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love ________________.
Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki

3. Fill in the blank “Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love _______________” with your name.

4. Using string or heavy thread, tie the blessings that show what Heavenly Father has given us to show his love and to help us be obedient beneath the picture of Lehi’s vision as illustrated. Use another piece of string to hang the mobile.

Sharing Time Ideas

Read 3 Nephi 17:21–24 aloud. [3 Ne. 17:21–24] Point out how reverence is shown in these verses. Ask each child to draw a picture or talk about something he thinks Jesus Christ would want to bless him with. Memorize 3 Nephi 17:21 and use it as a choral reading.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:12. [D&C 25:12] In a bag, place titles of songs from the Children’s Songbook that are about things that Heavenly Father has given us. Have younger children draw a song title from the bag, then have everyone sing that song.
Teach children that singing is a way to show reverence. Divide the children into groups and give each group a reference to a scripture about singing. (Use the Topical Guide.) Have each group read its scripture, then explain it to the rest of the Primary.
Tell several stories about children who have had to make a choice. Stop each story just before the choice is made and ask the children to finish the story in a way that will show that the character loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, and mind.
Have the children draw pictures of the things they know about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Examples: They both have resurrected bodies, Jesus Christ came to earth to show us how to live, They created the earth, etc. Make the drawings into a booklet entitled “I Feel Reverent When I Learn About Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,” and share it with the entire Primary.
Let the children go through old magazines and cut out pictures of things Heavenly Father has given us because He loves us. Paste the pictures on a large sheet of paper to make a collage.