February 27–March 5

Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7

“Thy Faith Hath Saved Thee”

As you read Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; and Luke 7 this week, think about the children you teach. Pray that the Holy Ghost will inspire you with ideas that will help them discover the truths in these chapters.

Invite Sharing

Ask the children to share a story of Jesus performing a miracle (see the list of miracles in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). You could also show related pictures (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 40).

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Matthew 8; Mark 2–3; Luke 7

Jesus has power to perform miracles.

As you read about the Savior’s miracles of healing, ponder which miracles to share. How can you help the children you teach understand the role of faith in the miracles Jesus performed?

Possible Activities

• Share the account of the man with palsy from Mark 2:1–12. For help, see “Chapter 23: The Man Who Could Not Walk” (in New Testament Stories, 57–58, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Explain that the man with palsy could not walk. Help them recognize that this man was healed by the Savior.

• Invite the children to talk about a time when they were sick. Tell one of the accounts of Jesus healing the sick, such as Matthew 8:1–4, 5–13, 14–15; Mark 3:1–5; Luke 7:11–16. Invite the children to retell the story in their own words. Testify that Jesus’s power can heal, bless, and comfort us.

Matthew 8; Mark 2–3; Luke 7

I can show love for others as Jesus did.

Jesus showed great love by healing the sick and afflicted. Ponder how you can teach the children to show kindness to people in need.

Possible Activities

• Choose one or more accounts of Jesus showing love to someone in need, such as those in Matthew 8:1–4, 5–13, 14–15; Mark 2:1–12; 3:1–5; Luke 7:11–16. (See also the video “Widow of Nain” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Share a time when someone showed love for you in a time of need and how you felt. Invite the children to share their experiences.

• Show the video “Gordon Hinckley: Lessons I Learned as a Boy” or “The Coat” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did the children in these videos follow Jesus’s example? Invite the children to share other situations when someone might be in need. What can we do to help them?

• Sing a song about showing love and kindness to others, such as “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 145).

From Fear to Faith, by Howard Lyon

Mark 4:35–41

When I am afraid or in danger, Jesus can help me feel peace.

The account of Jesus calming a storm can help children know that He can give them peace when they feel afraid.

Possible Activities

• Help the children imagine that they are on the ship as you read Mark 4:35–41. (See also “Chapter 21: Jesus Commands the Winds and the Waves,” in New Testament Stories, 53, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Ask the children to describe how they might have felt if they had been there. When have the children been scared? How did they find comfort?

• Invite the children to make the sounds of a storm and stop when someone says “Peace, be still.” Testify that just as Jesus can bring us peace when there is a storm outside, He can bring us peace in our hearts when we feel bad on the inside.

• Teach the children actions to accompany the third verse of “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 57), and sing the verse together while doing the actions.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Matthew 8; Mark 2–3; Luke 7

Jesus can perform miracles in my life as I have faith in Him.

Jesus performed many miracles during His mortal ministry. How can you help the children be aware that miracles happen today?

Possible Activities

• Ask the children to pick one of the following miracles to read about and draw: Matthew 8:1–4, 5–13, 14–15; Mark 2:1–12; 3:1–5; Luke 7:11–16. Invite the children to explain their drawings to the class. What do we learn about Jesus from these stories?

• Ask the children to act out how they feel when they are sick, sad, afraid, or worried. How can Jesus help us when we have these feelings? Testify that Jesus can help the children in all of these situations.

• Invite the children to share experiences when they or someone they know received a priesthood blessing. How was that person healed or blessed?

Mark 2:15–17; Luke 7:36–50

Jesus loves us even when we sin and wants to help us repent.

The accounts in Mark 2:15–17 and Luke 7:36–50 can help the children understand that Jesus Christ loves us even when we sin. He wants to help us repent and draw close to Him.

Possible Activities

• Write How does Jesus feel about sin? and How does Jesus feel about us when we sin? on the board. Ask the children to think about these questions as they read together Mark 2:15–17 and then share their answers. (You may want to read together “Publican” in Guide to the Scriptures [scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org].) Why is it important to know that Jesus loves us, even though we aren’t perfect? How can knowing this help us when we need to repent?

• A few days before class, invite one of the children and a family member to come to class prepared to share the account in Luke 7:36–50. They could draw pictures depicting parts of the story to show the class. Discuss with the children what the Lord might want us to learn from this story.

Mark 4:35–41

When I am afraid or in danger, Jesus can help me feel peace.

Children need to know that the Savior can give them peace when they face the storms of life—now and in the future.

Possible Activities

• Ask one of the children to use Mark 4:35–41 and the picture Jesus Calms the Storm (Gospel Art Book, no. 40) to tell the story of Jesus calming the storm. Ask the children to describe how they might have felt if they had been there.

• Invite the children to share experiences when they felt peace after praying for help. Remind them that this peace comes from the Savior.

• Give each child a paper rain cloud, and ask them to write on it a trial that someone might have. Put all of the clouds on the board, covering a picture of the Savior. Invite a child to remove one of the clouds and suggest ways we could help someone with that trial to find peace. When all the clouds are removed, testify of the Savior’s power to calm the storms in our lives.

Encourage Learning at Home

Help the children write down an act of service they will perform for someone this week.

Improving Our Teaching

Children are active. At times you may feel that the children’s energy is a distraction from learning. But you can build on their active natures by inviting them to act out a story or perform actions that correspond with events in a song or scripture. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25.)