September 20–26

Doctrine and Covenants 106–108

“To Have the Heavens Opened”

Ponder what you know about the children you teach. What type of activities will bring them closer to the Savior? Remember that the activities for younger children in this outline can be adapted for older children and vice versa.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Show the children pictures of Church leaders, such as the prophet, the Apostles, the Primary General Presidency, and other General Authorities and Officers. Invite the children to talk about what these leaders do and why they are thankful for them.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Doctrine and Covenants 107:18–20, 42–56

I am blessed because of the priesthood.

All of Heavenly Father’s children can receive the blessings that come from the priesthood. Consider ways you can help the children you teach feel gratitude for those blessings.

Possible Activities

• Draw on the board a picture to represent “the heavens [being] opened unto [us]” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:19) because of the priesthood (such as light rays shining through a cloud). Give the children pictures representing blessings that come from the priesthood, such as baptism, the sacrament, and the temple. Invite them to share why they are thankful for the blessing in their picture, and let them put their picture in the light rays on the board. Bear testimony that we can have these blessings because Heavenly Father restored the priesthood.

• Make a path on the floor, and give the children pictures of priesthood ordinances they will need so they can follow the path back to Heavenly Father (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–8, 119–20). Help the children put the ordinances in order on the path.

• Show a picture of Adam and Eve with their family (see this week’s activity page or Gospel Art Book, no. 5). As children look at the picture, ask them how Adam and Eve seem to feel about their family. Use Doctrine and Covenants 107:53–56 to share with the children what Adam did to show he loved his family. Bear your testimony about how the priesthood has been a blessing to you and your family.

• Name the family members Adam ordained to the priesthood, according to Doctrine and Covenants 107:42–50, and ask the children to count how many people he ordained. Help them understand why Adam would want all his family members to have the priesthood. Invite the children to talk about times when they or their families have received blessings through the priesthood.

Doctrine and Covenants 108:7

I can strengthen others.

Even young children can follow the counsel to strengthen others “in all your conversation, in all your prayers, … and in all your doings.”

Possible Activities

• Draw a person on the board, and ask the children to name some things the person could do to become physically stronger. (You might draw bigger muscles on the person as the children name things.) Read Doctrine and Covenants 108:7, and ask the children to listen for ways we can “strengthen [our] brethren [and sisters].” Explain any words that might be difficult.

• Help the children think of people they know who may need strengthening. What could we say to them or do for them? Work together to make cards for these people, or encourage the children to remember them in their personal and family prayers.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20

The priesthood will help me return to Heavenly Father.

The Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods were restored to help bring God’s children back to Him. Help the children you teach understand what the different priesthood duties are and how they help us return to God.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to search Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20 for important words and phrases that teach them about the priesthood. What responsibilities do priesthood holders have? How does the priesthood help us return to God?

• Write questions that could be answered in Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–8, 13–14, 18–20, such as “What is another name for the Melchizedek Priesthood?” Give the children a few minutes to find answers in the verses to as many of the questions as they can. Share with the children the blessings you have received through the priesthood.

• Read with the children about Melchizedek in the Bible Dictionary or Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What do we learn from his life about what it means to exercise priesthood authority?

Doctrine and Covenants 107:21–26, 33–35, 65–66

The Lord’s chosen servants lead His Church.

What experiences have built your testimony of the leaders of the Church? How will you help the children build their own testimonies?

The prophet teaches us what God wants us to know.

Possible Activities

• Display on the board a picture of the General Authorities and Officers from a recent conference edition of the Ensign or Liahona. As the children read Doctrine and Covenants 107:21–26, 33–35, 65–66, invite them to write on the board what they learn about the responsibilities of some of these leaders. Why are we grateful for their guidance? Share with each other how you gained a testimony of prophets and apostles.

• Write the words confidence, faith, and prayer on the board. Ask the children how we can uphold the First Presidency of the Church with our confidence, faith, and prayer (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:22). Why is it important to sustain the Lord’s chosen servants?

Doctrine and Covenants 108:3

Carefully living my covenants brings blessings.

Ponder how you can help the children you teach “be more careful … in observing [their] vows,” or covenants. How will doing this bless them now and in the future?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to do something that requires careful attention to be successful, such as trying to fill a cup with water without spilling it over. What happens when we are not careful? Invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 108:3 and discover what Lyman Sherman was asked to do carefully. List with the children the promises they make with Heavenly Father when they are baptized and partake of the sacrament. Help them think of ways they can be careful about observing these promises.

• Sing a song with the children about keeping covenants, such as “I Will Be Valiant” (Children’s Songbook, 162). Help them make a sign with a phrase from the song that reminds them to keep their covenants, and encourage them to display their sign at home.

• Give the children portions of Sister Becky Craven’s talk “Careful versus Casual” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 9–11), and ask them to share something that inspires them to be more careful about living their covenants.

Encourage Learning at Home

Occasionally contact the parents of the children you teach to encourage them in their efforts to teach the gospel at home. You might tell them about something their children shared in Primary that they learned at home.

Improving Our Teaching

Adapt activities to meet needs. Don’t view these outlines as instructions you must follow. Rather, use them as a source of ideas to spark your own inspiration as you ponder the needs of the children you teach. In some cases, you might feel inspired to adapt an activity or topic for younger children to teach to older children, or vice versa.