July 15–21

Acts 10–15

“The Word of God Grew and Multiplied”

Begin your preparation to teach by reading Acts 10–15. Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families can help you understand these chapters, and this outline can give you teaching ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

To help the children share what they are learning and experiencing, you could ask them to share things they are doing to show that they believe in Jesus Christ.

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Acts 10:34–35

Heavenly Father loves all His children.

A fundamental doctrine that even young children can understand is that everyone is a child of God and that He loves all of His children.

Possible Activities

• Show the picture Christ and Children from around the World (Gospel Art Book, no. 116) as you read Acts 10:34–35. Explain that in Peter’s time some people believed that God loved only some groups of people, but Peter learned that God loves all of His children, and He wants all of them to learn the gospel.

• Invite the children to draw a picture of themselves. Share your testimony that Heavenly Father loves each of them and all of His children, no matter what they look like or where they are from.

• Sing a song about loving others with the children—for example, “I’ll Walk with You” (Children’s Songbook, 140–41). Invite them to share ways that they can show love to everyone—even to those who are different from them—just as Jesus did.

• Ask each child’s parents ahead of time to share a few admirable characteristics of their child. Share their answers in class, and testify that Heavenly Father loves each of the children.

• Point to each child one by one and say, “Heavenly Father loves [name].” Let the children take turns pointing to one another and saying this phrase.

Acts 11:26

I am a Christian because I believe in and follow Jesus Christ.

The children you teach may know that members of the Church are often called Mormons because we believe in the Book of Mormon, but do they know that we are also Christians because we believe in Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

• Read Acts 11:26 to the children. Explain that someone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ is called a Christian, so we are Christians.

• Sing “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77) with the children. How should we act at church, at school, and at home because we are followers of Jesus Christ and belong to His Church?

• Let the children color the badge on this week’s activity page and wear it home.

Acts 12:1–17

Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.

The account of the angel freeing Peter from prison teaches powerfully that Heavenly Father answers prayers.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to act out the account of Peter being freed from prison in Acts 12:1–17 as you summarize the story. How did Heavenly Father answer the prayers of those who were praying for Peter?

• Sing a song about prayer—for example, “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 25)—and create actions to help the children learn how to pray. Invite the children to share examples of things they can thank Heavenly Father for and ask Him for in prayer.

• Show pictures of people praying (see, for example, Gospel Art Book, nos. 111 and 112) as you share an experience when Heavenly Father answered your prayers.

  

  Heavenly Father loves us and will answer our prayers.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Acts 10:34–35; 15:6–11

“God is no respecter of persons.”

The children you teach need to understand that Heavenly Father loves all His children, no matter what they look like, where they are from, or what choices they make.

Possible Activities

• Ask the children if they can tell what someone is like just by looking at them or guessing where they are from. According to Acts 10:35, how does God determine if someone is “accepted with him”?

• Read Acts 10:34–35; 15:6–11 with the children. Explain that in Peter’s time, Jews believed that God did not accept people who weren’t Jews (these people were called Gentiles). But God taught Peter that God loves all of His children, both Jews and Gentiles. Sing together “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3). Invite the children to substitute each other’s names for words like I or me.

• Invite the children to share something unique about someone else in the class. Explain that the statement “God is no respecter of persons” means that Heavenly Father loves all His children, and because He loves them, He wants all of His children to hear the gospel.

Acts 11:26

A Christian is someone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ.

How can you help the children understand that their words and actions show that they are Christians?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to read Acts 11:26; 3 Nephi 27:3–8; and Doctrine and Covenants 115:4. Write Christian on the board and underline the part that says “Christ.” Ask the children to share what they think it means to be a Christian.

• Ask the children to name different groups they belong to, such as their families or Primary class. Invite them to share reasons why they are grateful to be a Christian and belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How can we show others we are Christians?

• Display several objects or pictures that represent truths unique to the Church of Jesus Christ, such as a picture of a priesthood blessing. Ask a child to pick one of the objects or pictures and describe how it is a blessing in our Church. Explain that while Christians throughout the world belong to many different churches, we belong to the same Church that Jesus Christ established on the earth.

• Show the video “True Christianity” (LDS.org). Invite the children to draw things they can do to be true Christians.

Acts 12:1–17

When I pray in faith, Heavenly Father will answer.

Ponder on the times when Heavenly Father has answered your prayers. How can you use these experiences to teach the children that Heavenly Father will hear and answer their prayers in His own way and time?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to act out the story of the angel freeing Peter from prison in Acts 12:1–17 while you recount the story in your own words.

• Ask the children what they think it means that “prayer was made without ceasing” (Acts 12:5). How were the people’s prayers answered? Invite the children to share experiences in which Heavenly Father answered a personal or family prayer. You could also share an experience in which He answered your prayer in a way that was different from what you expected or wanted. Testify that God loves us, and He will answer our prayers in the way and timing that is best for us.

Encourage Learning at Home

Give the children a picture or object to display in their homes as a reminder for family members to pray together.

Improving Our Teaching

Testify of promised blessings. When you invite Primary children to live a certain principle, share promises God has made to those who live that principle. For example, you can bear testimony of the promised blessings that you have received as you sought answers through prayer.