Father, We Thank Thee

By Judy Edwards

Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things (D&C 59:7).

Heavenly Father has given us many temple blessings for which we should be grateful. Several primary children have made comments about the temple blessings that they feel especially thankful for:

“I am thankful for the temple because when a mommy and daddy get married in the temple, they’re still married after they die.” (Stephanie, age 6)

“I’m thankful we can go to the temple and learn more about Heavenly Father, like how we came to earth and got our bodies and how the earth became the earth. We can learn what is right and how to obey Heavenly Father better.” (Anson, age 11)

“You go to the temple to get power to do things that are right.” (Jean, age 9)

“I think it’s a blessing to go to a holy place. You are happy when you are in the temple.” (David, age 9)

“We go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. I am thankful for that because if some of our ancestors are not members of the Church, we can baptize them so that they can become members if they want to.” (Martha, age 11)

“I am thankful we can go to the temple and bless the people who died.” (Glendon, age 9)

“I’m thankful families can all be together—like grandmas and grandpas, moms and dads, and us.” (Susan, age 6)

What blessings of the temple are you especially thankful for?

Instructions: In each temple block, write or draw a picture about a temple blessing that is important to you.

Illustrated by Julie F. Young

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Discuss that children all over the world are thankful for the blessings of the temple. Sing “Children All Over the World” (Children’s Songbook, page 16). Using a chalkboard or word strips, reproduce the words for “thank you” and “temple” and put them and the languages in random order on the chalkboard (or use word strips). Have the children match the words to the languages.

Language	“Thank You”	“Temple”
Spanish	Gracias (grah-see-ahs)	Templo (tem-ploh)
Tongan	Malo (Mah-loh)	Temipale (tem-ee-pah-lay)
German	Wir danken dir (veer dahn-ken deer)	Tempel (tem-pul)
Danish	Tak (tahk)	Tempel (tem-pul)
French	Merci (mare-see)	Temple (tahm-pleh)
Japanese	Kansha shimasu (kahn-shah shee-mah-soo)	Shinden (sheen-den)

2. Give a scripture, song, or quotation to each class and have them identify the temple blessing(s) described. Note that the comment by Jean, age 9, is a description of the endowment. Scriptures—4 Nephi 1:11 [4 Ne. 1:11]; Doctrine and Covenants 95:8 [D&C 95:8]; 97:12–14 [D&C 97:12–14]; 105:12 [D&C 105:12]; 110:9 [D&C 110:9]; 124:40 [D&C 124:40]; 124:55 [D&C 124:55]; 128:13 [D&C 128:13]; 138:48 [D&C 138:48]. Songs (all from Children’s Songbook)—“Truth from Elijah” (page 90), “I Love to See the Temple” (page 95), “Families Can Be Together Forever” (page 188). Quotations—“In the peace of our temples, sometimes the serious problems of life find their solution” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation,” page 3); “The temple is a great school. It is a house of learning” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Temples,” page 7—Ensign special edition, 1988); “The endowment will be a protection to us all our lives—a protection which a man who does not go to the temple does not have” (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, “Temples,” page 14); “To accept one another in the marriage covenant is a great responsibility, one that carries with it blessings without measure” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Temples,” page 9); “Marriage is meant to be eternal” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, May 1981, page 15); “The most beautiful relationships of parents and children can be made permanent (in the temple)” (President Spencer W. Kimball, “Temples,” page 15).

3. Discuss the following list of temple blessings as stated by President Benson, then compare and contrast them with the children’s list of temple blessings: •“You will receive the spirit of Elijah, which will turn your hearts to your spouse, to your children, and to your forebears. You will love your family with a deeper love than you have loved before. •Your hearts will be turned to your fathers and theirs to you. •You will be endowed with power from on high as the Lord has promised. •You will receive the key of the knowledge of God. (See D&C 84:19.) •You will learn how you can be like Him. Even the power of godliness will be manifest to you. (See D&C 84:20.) •You will be doing a great service to those who have passed to the other side of the veil in order that they might be ‘judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.’ (D&C 138:34.)” (See Ensign, August 1985, page 10.)

4. Invite each class to sing its favorite Primary song about the temple. (See “Temples” in the index, Children’s Songbook.)

5. Have children create temple Christmas tree decorations by mounting pictures of temples (see Friend, January 1986, pages 46–47), coloring them, punching holes at the top, and using string or ribbon or yarn to hang them.