March 11–17

Matthew 10–12; Mark 2; Luke 7; 11

“These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth”

As you read Matthew 10–12; Mark 2; and Luke 7; 11, you will receive promptings from the Holy Spirit that will help you prepare. These promptings, along with Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and this outline, can help in your preparation.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Encourage the children to share how they keep the Sabbath day holy.

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Matthew 10:1–10

Jesus called Twelve Apostles and gave them power to do His work.

Do the children you teach know that we have Twelve Apostles today? How can you use these verses to teach them about the importance of modern-day Apostles and what they are called to do?

Possible Activities

• Summarize Matthew 10:1–10 in simple terms. (See Christ Ordaining the Apostles, Gospel Art Book, no. 38.) Explain that Jesus calls Apostles to help Him build His Church.

• Let the children count the Apostles in the picture Christ Ordaining the Apostles (Gospel Art Book, no. 38) and in a picture of the current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (see LDS.org or a general conference issue of the Ensign or Liahona). Explain that we have twelve Apostles today, just as in Jesus’s time.

• Hide pictures of the modern-day Apostles around the room (for pictures, see a recent general conference issue of the Ensign or Liahona). Invite the children to find the pictures, and tell them a little about each Apostle (see “Meet Today’s Prophets and Apostles” on LDS.org).

• Invite a child to hold up a picture of the First Presidency and a picture of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the child to lead the other children around the room to a picture of Jesus. Testify that the prophets and apostles lead us to Jesus Christ.

• Share your testimony of the Lord’s Apostles.

The Twelve Apostles perform the Lord’s work today.

Matthew 11:28–30

Jesus will help me as I come unto Him.

Children can feel comfort knowing that Jesus will help them with their burdens when they come to Him.

Possible Activities

• Read Matthew 11:28–30 and show the picture of yoked oxen in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Point out that yoked oxen can pull more weight together than if they pull separately. Testify that when we feel sad, worried, or scared, we can seek Jesus and He will help us.

• Ask a child to lift a heavy object. When he or she struggles, offer to help. How does Jesus help us do hard things? Have the children ever felt His help?

Matthew 12:1–13

I can keep the Sabbath day holy.

What are some fun ways you can teach the children about the Sabbath day and why we keep it holy?

Possible Activities

• Read Matthew 12:10–13 out loud. Invite the children to stand up and sit down every time you say “Sabbath,” and repeat with them the phrase “It is [right] to do well on the sabbath days” (Matthew 12:12). What do they think that means?

• Show a calendar to the children and highlight the Sabbath day for them. What do we do on other days of the week? What can we do on the Sabbath to make it different from other days? (see Isaiah 58:13–14).

• Ask the children to draw good things they can do on the Sabbath day (see this week’s activity page).

• Invite the children to come up with actions to help them remember ways we get ready for the Sabbath as they sing the song “Saturday,” Children’s Songbook, 196.

• Draw eyes, ears, a mouth, and hands on the chalkboard. Ask the children to tell you what each of these parts of our bodies can do to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Matthew 10:1–10; Mark 3:13–19

The Twelve Apostles can teach me about Jesus.

How can learning about the Twelve Apostles in Christ’s day help the children better understand what the Twelve Apostles do today?

Possible Activities

• Show pictures of the Apostles in Jesus’s time and in our day (see Christ Ordaining the Apostles, Gospel Art Book, no. 38, and a recent conference issue of the Church magazines). Ask the children to read Matthew 10:1–10 and Mark 3:14–15 to find out what Apostles do.

• Invite a few children to come prepared to share a story told by one of the living Apostles. How are the living Apostles helping us become more like the Savior?

• Write the names of the modern-day Apostles on pieces of paper. Invite the children to match each Apostle’s name with his picture (LDS.org). This activity could be repeated several times.

• Share several examples of modern-day Apostles’ testimonies of Christ with the children (see recent general conference messages or “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2000, 2).

• Help the children memorize and understand Articles of Faith 1:6.

Matthew 11:28–30

Jesus will help me as I come unto Him.

How can you help the children understand that the Savior will give them rest from their challenges as they come unto Him?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to share a time when they were worried or anxious about something. Invite them to search Matthew 11:28–30 for counsel that can help them in similar circumstances.

• Invite the children to draw pictures of what they are doing to come unto Jesus and learn of Him. The fourth article of faith could give them ideas.

Matthew 12:1–14

The Sabbath is a day to do good things that bring me closer to God.

The children you teach will be strengthened as you emphasize the purposes and blessings of keeping the Sabbath day holy.

Possible Activities

• Invite a child to role-play the man whose hand was healed by the Savior (see Matthew 12:10–13). Another child could interview him or her about the experience.

• Read together Matthew 12:12. What are some good things we can do on the Sabbath? Let the children draw their ideas on this week’s activity page, cut out the pieces, and take turns putting each other’s puzzles together.

• Hide several pictures of people doing things that show love for Heavenly Father on the Sabbath day. Ask the children to find the pictures and share how doing the things in the pictures shows our love for God.

• Give each child a bag to fill with ideas of good things to do on the Sabbath. They can find some ideas in “Sabbath Day Observance” in For the Strength of Youth, 30–31.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their families ideas to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage reverence. Help the children understand that an important aspect of reverence is thinking about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You might remind the children to be reverent by quietly singing or humming a song or displaying a picture of Jesus.