“July 12–18. Doctrine and Covenants 77–80: ‘I Will Lead You Along,’” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 (2020)
“July 12–18. Doctrine and Covenants 77–80,” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: 2021
Going Home, by Yongsung Kim
July 12–18
Doctrine and Covenants 77–80
“I Will Lead You Along”
As you study Doctrine and Covenants 77–80, look for phrases or verses that might help the children better understand gospel principles. Feel free to share verses you found, even if they are not featured in the activities below.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
Invite the children to share things they are thankful for. What do they and their families do to show Heavenly Father they are thankful for His blessings?
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
God created every creature on earth.
Learning about the things God created can help the children feel His love for them.
Possible Activities
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Show the children pictures of animals, including insects and birds. As you read the words “beasts,” “creeping things,” and “fowls of the air” from Doctrine and Covenants 77:2, invite the children to point to the related pictures. Testify that God created all of these things because He loves us and wants us to be happy (see also Doctrine and Covenants 59:16–20).
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Sing with the children a song about God’s creations, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228–29). Ask the children how the things they are singing about help them feel God’s love.
Imagebutterfly on flowerGod created the earth and everything on it.
I can share what I have with others.
Heavenly Father wants us to share our blessings freely with each other so that we can be “equal in earthly things” and in “heavenly things” (verse 6).
Possible Activities
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To teach what it means to be “equal in earthly things” (verse 6), give children pictures of people in need (such as people who are hungry, injured, or cold). Then give other children objects that would help (such as food, a bandage, or a blanket). Invite these children to share what they have to help the people in the pictures. Let other children have a turn sharing. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father wants all of His children to have what they need, and to do this He often asks us to share what we have with others.
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Read to the children the sentences under the first two pictures of “Chapter 28: The Prophet Joseph Goes to Missouri Again” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 108). Ask the children to pretend they are helping someone build a house, sharing food, or serving in another way. How do we feel when we are helping and sharing? Help the children think of things Jesus Christ shares with us.
Jesus Christ will lead me along.
If we are willing to let the Lord “lead [us] along,” we can “be of good cheer,” even if there are things we “cannot bear … now” (verse 18).
Possible Activities
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Invite the children to share times when they have been a leader, such as being at the front of a line or leading music. What does a leader do? Show a picture of the Savior as you read the following phrase from Doctrine and Covenants 78:18: “Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.” Use this week’s activity page to help the children think of ways we can follow the Savior.
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Invite the children to follow Jesus, and lead them around the room as you hold a picture of Him. As you do, sing a song together about following Jesus Christ, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79, 160–61). Let the children take turns holding the picture and leading the other children.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
I can receive answers to my questions about the scriptures.
Teaching the children about how Joseph Smith sought answers to his questions can help them know that Heavenly Father will answer them when they seek His guidance. Consider sharing experiences when you have received answers from Him.
Possible Activities
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Read to the children the words under the first three pictures of “Chapter 27: The Prophet Continues His Work Despite Persecution” (Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 104). Ask the children if they, like Joseph, have ever felt that they didn’t understand something in the scriptures. Let them share their experiences. What did Joseph do to find answers? Tell the children about a time when Heavenly Father helped you understand something in the scriptures.
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The children you teach might enjoy reading some of the verses in the book of Revelation that Joseph Smith had questions about. Then they could look in Doctrine and Covenants 77 for what the Lord wanted him to understand. Choose a few verses you feel would be meaningful.
I can help “advance the cause” of Jesus Christ.
In section 78, the Lord gave specific instructions to several Church leaders that would help them “advance the cause” of the Lord (verse 4). Help the children consider what their roles might be in advancing the Lord’s cause.
Possible Activities
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Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:4. What is the “cause” we “espoused” (accepted or chose to support) when we were baptized? Encourage them to look in scripture passages like these for possible answers: Mosiah 18:8–10; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37; Moses 1:39.
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Explain to the children that Newel K. Whitney owned a store and that the Lord asked him and other men to use some of their money to help pay for the Lord’s work (see Doctrine and Covenants 63:42–43). Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:3–7 and look for reasons these men were asked to do so. How would we have felt if we were asked to share like Newel did? Help them think of ways people contribute to the Lord’s work in our day, such as paying tithing and fast offerings, serving in callings, and so on.
I should receive “all things with thankfulness.”
The Lord often blesses us more if we are grateful for what He has already given us. How can you help the children you teach be grateful for their blessings?
Possible Activities
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Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 and find what the Lord promises to those who are thankful. Help the children understand what “an hundred fold” means, perhaps by showing a small object and then 100 of that same object.
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Sing a song about gratitude, such as “I Am Glad for Many Things” (Children’s Songbook, 151), or watch the video “Think to Thank” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Give the children time to make lists of things they are thankful for. Encourage them to list as many things as possible in the time you give them.
Encourage Learning at Home
Consider contacting the parents of the children you teach and suggesting a question they could ask their children about something they learned in class.
Improving Our Teaching
Testify of promised blessings. When you invite Primary children to live a certain principle, share promises God has made through prophets to those who live that principle. One example of a promise you could share is found in Doctrine and Covenants 78:19. (See also Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 35.)