25

I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Introduction for the Teacher

To prepare yourself spiritually to teach this lesson, please read and ponder the following:

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He established His Church. After Christ’s Crucifixion and the deaths of the Apostles, the fulness of the gospel was lost, and the true Church was taken from the earth. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the fulness of the gospel has been restored, and the true Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again. (See D&C 1:15–30; Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72.)

Preparation

• Bring a copy of the scriptures. Mark D&C 115:4 so that you can turn to it easily.

• Bring a picture of the current President of the Church, if available.

Learning Activities

Begin with a gathering activity. For ideas, see page 3.

Prayer

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Picture

Display the picture on page 106. Tell the children that this is a picture of Jesus Christ and we belong to His Church. Point to the picture and ask, “Who is this?”

Answer: “Jesus Christ.”

Scripture

Tell the children that Jesus told us the name of the Church in the scriptures. Open the scriptures and read D&C 115:4: “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Invite the children to repeat the name of the Church with you, a few words at a time.

Hold up your copy of the scriptures. Tell the children that Jesus tells us what He wants us to know in the scriptures and that in the Church of Jesus Christ we have scriptures. Have the children hold their hands open as if reading the scriptures. Invite them to say “the Church of Jesus Christ.”

Explain that Jesus speaks to His prophets and that in the Church of Jesus Christ we have prophets. Invite the children to say “the Church of Jesus Christ.” Show a picture of the current President of the Church. Explain that he is our prophet today. Invite the children to say his name with you.

Song

Invite the children to march with you around the room while you sing or say the following words to “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77):

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I know who I am.

I know God’s plan.

I’ll follow him in faith.

Conclusion

Briefly share your testimony that we belong to the true Church of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

Teaching Tips

Pictures: To teach with pictures, first tell the children what or who is in the picture. Point out details in the picture to engage the children’s attention. Then invite them to repeat one or two words with you. As the children hear and say these words while looking at the picture, they begin to learn the vocabulary of the gospel.

Movement: Nursery-age children are very active. Use activities that include clapping, marching, and walking to help the children stay engaged.

Optional Activities

Preparation

• For the coloring activity and the matching game: Copy the illustration on page 107 for each child to color. Bring small bits of paper or something similar for the children to use as markers for the matching game; bring enough for each child to have three markers.

  

  I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

  The Church of Jesus Christ has prophets.

  The Church of Jesus Christ has scriptures.

Coloring

Let the children color a copy of page 107. While they are coloring, review the principles taught in the lesson. Point out details in the pictures and explain to the children what they are coloring. Read the words on the illustration to them.

Matching Game

Give each child three bits of paper. Display the illustration on page 107. Point to the drawing of Jesus and say, “This is a picture of Jesus Christ. We belong to His Church.” Invite the children to put a bit of paper on the picture of Jesus on their copies.

Then point to the picture of the prophet and read the caption. Have the children say “prophet” and put a bit of paper on their drawing. Repeat for the drawing of the scriptures. Then have the children say with you, “I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” a few words at a time.

Review

Choose an activity from lesson 23 and one from lesson 24 to help the children review what they have learned about the scriptures and prophets. After doing these activities, remind the children that in the Church of Jesus Christ we have scriptures and prophets.

Teaching Tips

Coloring: Not all children enjoy coloring. Some may make only a mark or two on the page. The purpose of the coloring activities in these lessons is to give the children a visual representation of the lesson that they can hold and take home. It is not important that they color the illustration skillfully.

Review: Children learn from repetition. Repeat stories or other activities they seem to enjoy. You can do this at any time during the nursery class, such as during snack time or while the children are waiting for their parents.