Replica of the original Book of Mormon manuscript.

February 1–7

Doctrine and Covenants 10–11

“That You May Come Off Conqueror”

Prayerfully read Doctrine and Covenants 10–11, pondering how you can help the children understand truths in these sections. The ideas in this outline—both for younger children and for older children—can help.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Ask the children to share what they remember from a previous lesson about Martin Harris and the lost pages of the Book of Mormon translation. Share any details they don’t remember. You may want to refer to “Chapter 4: Martin Harris and the Lost Pages” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21).

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

When I pray always, Heavenly Father will bless me.

Sometimes children think they can pray only at specific times and places, and only if they are kneeling or closing their eyes. How can you help them learn how to “pray always”?

Possible Activities

• Show pictures of things we do often, such as eating, sleeping, or playing. How do these things help us? Display a picture of a child praying while you read to the children from Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 the words “pray always.” Ask the children to repeat these words several times. How will praying always help us?

• Use this week’s activity page to help the children think of the many places and times where we can pray.

• Invite the children to draw pictures of themselves or their families praying at different times and places, such as in church, before school, or at bedtime. Explain that praying always can mean praying often throughout the day. How can we pray even when we are around other people, such as at school or with our friends?

  

  The Lord will help us when we pray.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13

The Holy Ghost leads me to do good.

Even at a young age, children can begin to recognize when the Spirit is speaking to them.

Possible Activities

• Hide a lightbulb or flashlight and a picture of a happy face somewhere in the room. Ask the children to find these items. Read Doctrine and Covenants 11:13, and help the children identify words that relate to the items they found. What do these words teach about how the Holy Ghost helps us?

• Give the children several situations in which they would need to make a choice between right and wrong—such as the choice to tell the truth or to lie, or the choice to be kind or to be mean. How can we know which choice is the right one? Read together Doctrine and Covenants 11:12, and testify that the Holy Ghost will help us make the right choice if we listen to Him.

• Sing a song about the guidance of the Holy Ghost, such as “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, 107). Ask the children what the song teaches them about how the Holy Ghost helps us.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

When I pray always, I can overcome Satan’s temptations.

You can help the children understand that consistent prayer gives them the power to overcome temptation.

Possible Activities

• Write words or phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 on strips of paper, and ask the children to put them in the right order. Encourage them to look up the verse if they need help. According to this verse, what blessings come when we pray always? How can remembering to pray throughout our day help us, especially when we are tempted to do something wrong?

• Invite the children to make a list of some of the times when we can pray and the places where we can pray. For additional ideas, encourage them to look in Alma 34:17–27.

• Help the children create a small sign or picture that will remind them to pray always. Invite them to hang their signs in their homes where they will see them regularly.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13

The Holy Ghost leads me to do good.

Young people often wonder what the guidance of the Holy Ghost feels like. You can use Doctrine and Covenants 11 to teach the children how to recognize “that Spirit which leadeth to do good” (verse 12).

Possible Activities

• Help the children make a list of people they go to when they need help or have a question. Why do we trust that these people will help us? Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 11:12 and look for what Hyrum Smith was told to trust. What do we learn from this verse about why we should trust in the guidance of the Holy Ghost?

• Ask the children what they would say to a friend who asked them what it feels like when the Holy Ghost speaks to them. Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13 to find some possible answers.

• Share with the children some experiences you have had with the Holy Ghost guiding you to do good things. Invite the children to ponder when they might have had experiences like these and then share their experiences if they feel comfortable doing so. Testify that Heavenly Father wants to guide us through the Holy Ghost. Encourage the children to notice during the coming week when they have feelings like those described in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26

I need to know the gospel so I can help others find the truth.

The children you teach will have many opportunities to share the gospel. These verses can teach them how to prepare for these opportunities.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to role-play how they would talk about the gospel with someone who hasn’t heard it before. For example, how would they answer questions about the Book of Mormon? How would they explain who Jesus Christ is? Read with the children Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26. What did the Lord tell Hyrum Smith he needed to do so that he could teach the gospel? What does it mean to “obtain” God’s word, and how can we do this? How do we “treasure up” God’s word in our hearts?

• Invite the children to share a scripture that they like and explain why they like it. Let them talk about how the scriptures bless their lives and what they are doing to study God’s word at home. Encourage them to set goals to read God’s word more often.

• Sing together a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). What does this song teach about how we can be missionaries every day?

• Share something from “Hope of Israel” by President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson (worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018, ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to inspire the children to help gather God’s children by sharing the gospel.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to have a conversation with a family member about something they learned from Doctrine and Covenants 10 or 11 today. For example, they could share how they plan to pray always.

Improving Our Teaching

Seek revelation daily. As you prepare to teach, pray and ponder the scriptures throughout the week. You will find that the Spirit will “enlighten your mind” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:13). Ideas and impressions about how to teach can come to you anytime and anywhere—as you travel to work, do household chores, or talk with others.