If the Savior Stood Beside Me

By Linda Christensen

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14).

Do you have a friend you like to play with? Do you have a friend you can talk to about things that are important to you? Do you have a friend who loves you and wants you to be happy?

Friends are an important part of your life. Friends help you learn new things and cheer you up when you feel sad. Friends can help you choose the right. Jesus Christ is a special friend. He is the Savior. He loves you and wants you to choose the right. He knows that when you make good choices, you will be at peace.

This year in Primary you are learning the song “If the Savior Stood Beside Me.” The words to the third verse remind you that He is near you, even though you can’t see Him. He is watching over you, and He loves you.

“He is always near me, though I do not see Him there,
And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care.
So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.”*

When you think about Jesus Christ, it will help you to make good choices so you can be the kind of person the Savior wants you to be.

Activity

Remove pages 12–13 and mount them on heavy paper. Cut out the diorama, each “I will” statement, and the figures of the boy and girl. Fold the diorama forward on the broken line, and glue tabs so it can stand up. Fold the tabs on the boy and girl figures so they can stand up, and glue them on the solid lines on the diorama. Glue the “I will” statements on the diorama. Put the diorama in a place where it can remind you to choose the right.

Illustrations by Thomas S. Child

I will follow His example.

I will share the gospel.

I will be kind.

I will be true.

I will speak more reverently.

I will think of His commandments.

Sharing Time Ideas

(Note: All songs are from Children’s Songbook unless otherwise noted; GAK = Gospel Art Picture Kit; TNGC = Teaching, No Greater Call.)

Ask the children to listen for the phrase that begins with “I believe” as they sing “The Church of Jesus Christ” (p. 77). When they have discovered the phrase “I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ,” write it on the chalkboard.

Share the parts of the following scriptures that mention the Savior: Isaiah 43:3; 1 John 4:14; 1 Nephi 13:40; D&C 43:34. Point out that these references are in different books of scripture, yet all of them mention the Savior Jesus Christ.

Show GAK 307 (King Benjamin Addresses His People) and tell the story of King Benjamin. Invite the children to open their scriptures to Mosiah 3:3, and read together what the angel said to King Benjamin. Read parts of Mosiah 3:4–10, and invite children to share what they know about the life of the Savior. Provide paper and crayons for the children to illustrate one or more events from the life of Jesus Christ.

Show “What Think Ye of Christ?” from the Family Home Evening Video Supplement 2 (item no. 53277000). Bear your testimony of the Savior.
Write this message on the chalkboard: A Special Message: I can be forgiven when I _ _ _ _ _ _ because of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of Jesus Christ. Read the message to the children and explain that during sharing time they will learn about two important words that will complete the message.

Tell the story of Alma the Younger. Discuss with the children the repentance process. Read Mosiah 27:24 and help the children memorize this portion of the scripture: “I have repented of my sins.” Use the following GAK pictures to teach about the Atonement: 227 (Jesus Praying in Gethsemane), 230 (The Crucifixion), 232 (Jesus’s Tomb), 234 (Jesus Shows His Wounds). Help the children understand that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we can repent and live with Heavenly Father again. Write the words repent and Atonement in the message on the chalkboard.

Provide a pencil and a copy of the message for each child. Invite the children to fill in the blanks in their message, then read the message together. Encourage them to share this important message with their families. Bear testimony that Jesus Christ loves us, and that because of His Atonement we can repent and live with Heavenly Father again. Sing “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (pp. 74–75).

For older children: Use simple objects and the scriptures to teach about the Atonement. See Primary 6, lesson 45, enrichment activity 6.
Show GAK 208 (John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus), and briefly share the account of Jesus’s baptism. Teach that Jesus Christ is our example and that He showed us how to do the will of Heavenly Father.

Prepare stations for the children (see “Stations,” TNGC, 179). At each station, invite a teacher to relate the story of a scripture hero who was obedient and did the will of Heavenly Father. (Examples: Nephi, Esther, Daniel, Ammon, etc.). Sing the chorus to “Nephi’s Courage” (pp. 120–21) to signal to the children when it is time to move to the next station.

Following the activity, remind the children that Heavenly Father wants all of His children to do His will. Show GAK 618 (My Gospel Standards), and invite children to come up and take turns reading the standards. If time permits, have the children explain ways they can live the gospel standards by making good choices. Help the children understand that when they make good choices, they are doing the will of Heavenly Father. Sing the chorus of “Nephi’s Courage” once more. Bear testimony of the blessings that come when we do Heavenly Father’s will.
Show GAK 403 (The First Vision) and briefly review the events of the First Vision. Share Joseph Smith’s testimony of Jesus Christ found in D&C 76:22–23. Tell the children that because of Joseph Smith, we know Jesus Christ lives today. Show GAK 236 (The Ascension of Jesus) and briefly share the account of the ascension of Jesus. Read Acts 1:10–11. Tell the children that Jesus Christ will come again.

Create a matching game about the events of the Second Coming by using Primary 7, lesson 46, enrichment activity 1. Choose eight statements from the activity. On one side of a sheet of paper, write the first half of a statement and the corresponding scripture. For example: “Only Heavenly Father knows,” JS—M 1:40. On the back of the paper, write one of the words in this sentence: “Jesus Christ lives today. He will come again.” Continue until you have eight clues, with one word of the sentence on the back of each clue.

Place GAK 239 (The Resurrected Jesus Christ) on one side of the chalkboard and the clues to the matching game on the other side with the statement and scripture facing out. Invite a child to choose a statement. Have the children find the scripture reference and read to find the answer. When the correct answer is found, turn over the clue to reveal the word. Place the word in any order under the picture of the Savior. Continue until all the words are under the picture.

Invite the children to unscramble the words to discover the statement. Read it together. Bear testimony that the Savior lives today, and that He will come again.

For younger children: Simplify the matching game by asking the children to listen for clues as you read parts of the scripture. For example: Read the statement, “Jesus will be dressed,” and then invite the children to listen for a color word as you read, “And the Lord shall be red in his apparel.” When the children recognize the color word, explain that when Jesus comes again He will be wearing red. Turn over the clue to reveal a word, and place it under the GAK picture in the proper order. Read the statement to the children.
Song presentation: “If the Savior Stood Beside Me.”* Refer to the diorama on page 12 to help you teach this song. Choose GAK pictures that correspond to the “I will” statements on the diorama. For example: GAK 208 (John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus), “I will follow His example”; GAK 612 (Missionaries Teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ), “I will share the gospel.” These pictures will also correspond to the lines in the song.

Draw a large question mark on the chalkboard and talk about what it is. Ask the children to listen for a question as you sing the first line of the song. Ask, “What would you do if the Savior stood beside you?” Show them the diorama and explain that the Savior is near them, even though they can’t see Him.

Display the GAK pictures on the chalkboard. Sing a phrase of the song and ask the children to find the matching picture. When the correct picture is chosen, ask a child to hold the picture as you sing the phrase several times so that the children become familiar with it. Then place the picture at the bottom of the chalkboard. Continue to teach the song by singing a phrase to the children, having them find the matching picture, singing the phrase several times, and then placing the picture in order. Define words that might be unfamiliar. Bear your testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, and how thinking about Him helps you make good choices.
Friend references: “A Friendly Experiment,” July 2006, 28–30; “Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Dec. 1999, 10–11; “Jesus Is My Savior,” Apr. 2006, 26; Fiction: “Parable of the Ketchup,” Apr. 1999, 32–34; “Friend to Friend,” Aug. 1996, 6–7.