Conversion on the Way to Damascus, by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

July 10–16

Acts 6–9

“What Wilt Thou Have Me to Do?”

Start by reading Acts 6–9. This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families can help you study these chapters. The activities for younger children in this outline may be adapted for older children, and vice versa.

Invite Sharing

Write on the board the names of some of the people from Acts 6–9, such as Saul, Stephen, and Tabitha. Invite the children to share anything they know about these people.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Acts 6–7

I can follow Jesus Christ by standing for the right.

What can the children learn from Stephen about being a follower of Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

• Help the children create actions to go with a song about choosing the right, such as “Stand for the Right” (Children’s Songbook, 159). Use Acts 7:51–60 to teach the children that Stephen taught about Jesus Christ, even though it made the Jewish leaders very angry (see also “Chapter 57: Wicked Men Kill Stephen,” in New Testament Stories, 150–51, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did Stephen stand for the right?

• Give the children several scenarios of children who have to make a choice between right and wrong. Ask the children what they would do to stand for the right.

Acts 8:26–39

The Holy Ghost inspires me to share the gospel with others.

Philip followed the promptings of the Spirit and helped an Ethiopian man who was struggling to understand the scriptures. What lessons does this story hold for the children you teach?

Philip Teaching the Ethiopian, by Robert T. Barrett

Possible Activities

• Pull two chairs together to create a chariot. Invite two children to sit in the chariot, one to represent Philip and the other the Ethiopian man. Then tell the story of how Philip taught the gospel to the man from Ethiopia.

• Share an experience in which you felt the Holy Ghost tell you to share the gospel with someone. Testify that the Holy Ghost can help us tell others about Jesus.

Acts 9:1–20

Heavenly Father invites me to repent and change.

When Jesus told Saul to stop persecuting the Lord’s Church, Saul immediately repented and changed. How can this account help the children you teach desire to quickly change when they make a mistake?

Possible Activities

• Summarize the story of Saul’s conversion, found in Acts 9:1–20 (see also “Chapter 59: Saul Learns about Jesus,” in New Testament Stories, 154–55, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

• Talk with the children about things that change, such as a tadpole, which changes into a frog, or a caterpillar, which changes into a butterfly. Show pictures, if possible. How did Saul change when Jesus Christ visited him?

• Draw a forked road on the board. Invite the children to name places they would like to visit, and write them at the top of one road. What would happen if we turned onto the wrong road? Compare repentance to getting back on the right road.

• Ask the children to repeat what Saul said to the Lord: “What wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). What does the Lord want us to do?

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Acts 6–7

I will be a witness of Jesus Christ.

How can you help the children you teach learn from Stephen’s example of standing as a witness of Jesus Christ?

Possible Activities

• Read Acts 6:5–15 and 7:51–60 with the children. What made Stephen such a powerful witness of Jesus Christ? Invite one or more children to pretend to be Stephen and share why they believe in Jesus Christ.

• Invite the children to read Acts 6:3–10, searching for qualities Stephen had that helped him grow.

• Ask the children to help you think of situations in which they can stand as witnesses of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Help them role-play some of these situations. Ask the children to read Mosiah 18:9. Point out that being a witness of Jesus Christ is included in the promises we make at baptism.

Acts 8:9–24

The priesthood is a priceless gift from God.

Satan promotes the message that material things bring us happiness. How can you use the story of Simon to help the children value spiritual things such as the priesthood and its blessings?

Possible Activities

• Summarize the story of Simon, found in Acts 8:9–24 (see also “Chapter 58: Simon and the Priesthood,” in New Testament Stories, 152–53, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Why can’t we receive the priesthood by buying it? How does someone really receive priesthood authority? (see Articles of Faith 1:5).

• Show pictures of the sacrament, a temple (representing temple blessings), a baptism, and other blessings we receive through the priesthood. Explain that these gifts from God cannot be bought with money. Why are they more valuable than anything we could buy? How do we receive these blessings?

Acts 9:1–20

Heavenly Father invites me to repent and change.

When Jesus told Saul to stop persecuting the Lord’s Church, Saul immediately repented and changed. How can this account help the children you teach desire to quickly change when they make a mistake?

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to fold a piece of paper in half. Ask them to write Before on one half and After on the other half. Read with the children Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2; and 9:17–22, and ask them to write down words or phrases that describe Saul before and after he saw the Lord.

• Invite a ward member to share his or her conversion story and how being a member of the Church has changed his or her life, as Saul’s life was changed.

• Draw a “road to Damascus” on the board. Invite the children to read Acts 9:6, 11, 18, 20–22, searching for what Saul did to repent and turn to Christ, and write these actions along the road. What do we learn from Saul about how we can become more like Christ?

• Invite the children to draw their favorite part of the account of Saul’s conversion and share their drawing with the class.

Encourage Learning at Home

Encourage the children to tell their family about their favorite activity from class today and what it taught them.

Improving Our Teaching

Help children learn from the scriptures. Young children may not be able to read much, but you can still engage them in learning from the scriptures. For example, you could read a passage and invite them to stand up or raise their hand when they hear a specific word or phrase that you want to focus on.