I’ll Prepare Myself While I Am Young

By Linda Christensen

“Let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people” (D&C 124:40).

Temples are a blessing to you and to your family. There are more than 120 temples all over the world. Do you know the name of the temple closest to you? Is there a picture of a temple in your home? Has someone in your family been to the temple to make sacred covenants?

The Primary song “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95) teaches that a temple is “a house of God, a place of love and beauty.” It also teaches that a temple is “a holy place where we are sealed together.” The next time you sing this song, listen for the words “I’m going there someday.” This is a promise you are making to yourself and to Heavenly Father that you will be worthy to enter His holy house.

Activity

Remove page F4, and glue it to heavier paper. Cut out the temple on the solid lines, fold on the dotted lines, and glue the tabs to the inside of the walls to form a box. Cut out the My Gospel Standards cards (p. F4), and place them inside the temple box. Choose a gospel standard from the box, read it, and decide what you can do to live the standard. In family home evening, share how living this standard can prepare you to enter the temple someday.

Place the temple box and the My Gospel Standards cards in a special place to remind you to make good choices. As you read a gospel standard and decide how to live it, remember these words from “I Love to See the Temple”: “I’ll prepare myself while I am young; this is my sacred duty.”

Illustration by David W. Meikle

I will follow Heavenly Father’s plan for me.

I will choose the right. I know I can repent when I make a mistake.

I will use the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ reverently. I will not swear or use crude words.

I will honor my parents and do my part to strengthen my family.

I will remember my baptismal covenant and listen to the Holy Ghost.

I will be honest with Heavenly Father, others, and myself.

I will do those things on the Sabbath that will help me feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I will keep my mind and body sacred and pure, and I will not partake of things that are harmful to me.

I will only read and watch things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.

I will seek good friends and treat others kindly.

I will dress modestly to show respect for Heavenly Father and myself.

I will only listen to music that is pleasing to Heavenly Father.

I will live now to be worthy to go to the temple and do my part to have an eternal family.

Sharing Time Ideas

Draw a simple picture of a temple. Cut the picture into 12 rectangles to represent building blocks. Number the pieces from 1 to 12. Cut a piece of paper into 12 sections, and write one action word from 12 of My Gospel Standards on each piece of paper. (Action words: follow, remember, choose, be, use, do, honor, keep, dress, read and watch, listen, seek, live.) Fold the papers so the action word is hidden. Provide copies of the Faith in God guidebook. Play the temple-building game. Begin by reading D&C 124:40. Write the phrase “let this house be built” on the chalkboard. Invite a child to choose a paper and read the action word. Have the children look in My Gospel Standards for the word. When it is found, read the standard together. Invite the child or class to think of a way to live that standard. Then invite the child or class to find building block 1 and put it on the chalkboard. Continue until the temple is complete. Emphasize that all the gospel standards are things that children can do to have an eternal family.
Hold up a sack that has scriptures inside. Give several clues to help the children guess what is in the sack. When they have guessed, open the scriptures to Malachi 3:10, and read the phrase “bring ye all the tithes.” Ask the children to guess what commandment this scripture describes. Read the verse together, listening for the promise: “pour you out a blessing.” Invite the children to name some blessings Heavenly Father has given them, and make a list on the chalkboard. Give each child a sheet of paper. Ask them to draw or write one blessing on the paper. When the children are finished, ask them to quietly roll their paper into a ball. Place the balls in the sack. Ask a priesthood leader to hold out his hands to catch the balls. Pour the balls into his hands, and watch them overflow. Read the promise: “pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Help the children understand that when we obey the law of tithing, Heavenly Father blesses us with so many blessings that there is not room enough to receive them. Explain that tithing money helps build temples.