December 31–January 6

We Are Responsible for Our Own Learning

As you read the scriptures in this outline, record any spiritual impressions you receive. You will notice that each outline in this manual has activities for younger children and older children, but you can adapt any activity for your class.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

At the beginning of each class, give the children opportunities to share what they are learning about the gospel. For example, this week you could invite them to share their favorite stories about Jesus Christ.

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Jesus Christ wants me to follow Him.

You and the children will read many stories from the life of Jesus Christ this year. Help the children understand that the reason we are learning these stories is so that we can better follow Jesus Christ’s perfect example.

Possible Activities

• Read the Savior’s invitation, “Come, follow me,” found in Luke 18:22. Play a game where one child does an action and then tells the other children, “Come, follow me.” Invite the other children to repeat the action.

• Show pictures of people following the Savior in different ways, during His mortal ministry and in our day. You can find pictures in the Gospel Art Book or Church magazines. You can also show the video “Light the World” (LDS.org). Let the children identify how the people are following the Savior.

• Help the children think of things they are doing to follow the Savior. Singing “Seek the Lord Early,” Children’s Songbook, 108, could give them some ideas. Let them draw pictures of themselves doing these things.

The scriptures are true.

Children can gain a testimony that the scriptures are true even before they are able to read them. As you study the scriptures with the children this year, you can help them know for themselves that the scriptures are true.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to tell about favorite gifts they have received for birthdays or other occasions. Bring a gift-wrapped copy of the scriptures, let a child open it, and testify that the scriptures are a gift to us from Heavenly Father.

• Show the children some books containing fictional stories, and ask them about their favorite stories. Show them the scriptures, and testify that the scriptures contain the word of God for us and tell of people who really lived and events that really happened.

• Share the messages found in 2 Timothy 3:15 and Moroni 10:3–5, helping the children to repeat a few phrases. Help them understand that they can know the scriptures are true for themselves.

• Hide a picture of the Savior, and give the children clues to help them find it. Help the children understand how searching the scriptures can help us know Jesus Christ. Let the children take turns hiding the picture and giving clues to other children.

• Sing together “Seek the Lord Early” and “Search, Ponder, and Pray,” Children’s Songbook, 108–9, and help the children make up actions to go with the words. Share with the children one or two of your favorite scriptures, and tell them how you came to know the scriptures are true. If the children have favorite scriptures or scripture stories, invite them to share.

Children can gain their own testimonies of scriptural truths.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Jesus Christ wants me to learn about Him and follow Him.

Think about how you have come to know Jesus Christ. What can you do to help the children learn about and follow Him?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to talk about a close friend they know and describe how this person became a friend. Read and discuss John 5:39 and John 14:15 to find ways we can feel close to Jesus. Ask the children to share times when they felt close to Him.

• Take your class on a walk around the meetinghouse. Invite the children to raise their hands when they see something on the walk that reminds them of a way they can follow the Savior (such as the baptismal font or a picture).

• Sing with the children “Come, Follow Me,” Hymns, no. 116. Invite the children to share times when they have followed the Savior’s example.

I can study the scriptures for myself.

As you read the scriptures with the children and ask them questions, you can build their confidence that they can learn from the scriptures and find valuable treasures of knowledge.

Possible Activities

• Read aloud John 5:39 and Acts 17:10–11, and ask the children what they learn about how to study the scriptures.

• Select a few simple, powerful scriptures from the New Testament, write each on a piece of paper, and hide the papers. Create clues that will lead the children on a “treasure hunt” within the classroom or church building to find these scriptures. After they find each scripture, discuss what the scripture means and why it is such a treasure.

• Share a few scriptures you treasure and explain why they are meaningful to you. As a class, keep a list of treasured scriptures the children find in the New Testament this year—at home or during Primary.

• Have a discussion with the children about why it is sometimes hard to read the scriptures. Ask the children to share advice with each other about studying the scriptures. Ask them also to share any positive experiences they have had with the scriptures.

• Help the children make simple calendars that they can use to mark how often they read the scriptures. These calendars could remind them to read the scriptures every day.

I need my own testimony.

The children you teach will need their own testimonies if they are to keep their faith strong when adversity comes. What can you do to inspire them to learn the truth for themselves?

Possible Activities

• Share the story of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13; see also “Chapter 47: The Ten Virgins,” New Testament Stories, 118–20, or the corresponding video on LDS.org). Ask the children: How are our testimonies like the lamps? Why is it important to have our own testimonies?

• Discuss what we can do to strengthen our testimonies. For ideas, invite the children to search John 7:17 and Moroni 10:3–5. Invite them to share things they know are true.

• Ask the children to help you label building blocks with phrases that describe things we do to build our testimonies, such as praying. Let the children build a structure representing a testimony using the blocks.

Encourage Learning at Home

How can you encourage children and their parents to learn from the New Testament at home? For example, you could encourage the children to memorize one of the scriptures you discussed in class (it might help to break the scripture into short phrases) and share the verse with their families.

Improving Our Teaching

Modify activities for the age of the children you teach. Younger children need detailed explanations and learn from a variety of teaching methods. As children mature they can contribute more and may be better at sharing their thoughts. Give them opportunities to share, testify, and participate, and provide help as needed. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25–26.)