“August 15–21. Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86: ‘I Will Declare What He Hath Done for My Soul,’” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 (2021)
“August 15–21. Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86,” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: 2022
Saving That Which Was Lost, by Michael T. Malm
August 15–21
Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
“I Will Declare What He Hath Done for My Soul”
Your example as a gospel learner can have a powerful influence on the children. Share with them your spiritual experiences learning the gospel.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
Share with the children a verse from a psalm, a hymn, or a children’s song that helps you feel the Savior’s love. Give each child a chance to do the same.
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
When I make a wrong choice, Jesus Christ can help me change.
Help the children understand that mistakes are part of mortal life and that we can receive help from Jesus Christ to overcome them.
Possible Activities
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Share a simple story, from your life or from the Friend or Liahona, about a child who made a wrong choice but received help from the Savior to be better (for example, see the video “The Shiny Bicycle” at ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Read Psalm 51:10, and share the joy you feel when the Savior helps you have “a clean heart” and “a right spirit.”
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Show the children this week’s activity page. Point to each picture, and ask the children to describe what they see. Read the captions to help the children learn about repentance and forgiveness.
I can tell others about Jesus Christ.
The faith-filled words of a child have unique power to touch hearts. Give the children confidence that their testimony of Jesus Christ can help others.
We can talk with others about what Jesus has done for us.
Possible Activities
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Read to the children Psalm 71:8, and draw a large mouth on the board. Ask them to help you “fill” the mouth with things we can tell others about Jesus Christ.
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Pass around a picture of Jesus Christ. Ask the children to take turns holding the picture and saying one thing they know about Him. What has He done for us? (Pictures in the Gospel Art Book could provide some ideas.)
Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.
Many of the psalms are like prayers to God for help, guidance, or protection. Consider how you can help the children build their faith that Heavenly Father hears and answers them when they pray.
Possible Activities
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Ask the children how they talk with people who live far away. Show them things we can use to communicate, such as a phone or a letter. Read to them Psalm 86:7. How do we “call upon” Heavenly Father? How does He answer us?
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Invite the children to act out things they do every day, such as waking up, eating breakfast, leaving for school, or going to bed. Help them find times during the day when they can pray to Heavenly Father. Testify that we can pray to Him anytime, and He will always hear us.
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Sing together a song about prayer, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13). Tell about a time when God answered your prayers.
“I will remember the works of the Lord.”
The scriptures can build our faith in Jesus Christ by helping us remember His “wonders of old.”
Possible Activities
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Read to the children Psalm 77:11, and tell them how you try to “remember the works of the Lord,” including His works in your life. Invite the children to draw pictures to help them remember the great things He has done.
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Show pictures from this book or from Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families to remind the children of stories they have learned in the Old Testament about great things the Lord has done for His people. Ask them which of these stories they like the most and why.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Repentance is a change of heart.
Psalm 51 contains several truths about repentance. How will you help the children discover these truths?
Possible Activities
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Assign each child to read one of the scripture references on this week’s activity page. Ask them to find words that teach them something about repentance. Let them write the words on the board. After everyone has shared, ask the children how they would answer a friend who asks, “What does it mean to repent?”
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Draw a heart on the board. Ask the children to name some sins that Satan tempts us to commit. Write those sins inside the heart. Ask the children to find the word heart in Psalm 51:10, 17. What do these verses teach us about repentance? (see also verse 6). Help the children understand that even if we stop committing sin, our hearts need to change in order for us to repent. Ask the children to erase the sins in the heart on the board and to write new words that describe the change in our hearts when we repent. Share your testimony that God can “create in [us] a clean heart” when we repent (verse 10).
“I will remember the works of the Lord.”
The Israelites taught their children about the miracles God had done for them so that the children “might set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:7).
Possible Activities
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Ask the children to share with you some of their favorite stories from the scriptures (pictures from the Gospel Art Book might help them think of stories). Why do they like these stories? What do these stories teach us about the Lord? Read together Psalms 77:11; 78:7. Why is it important to “remember the works of the Lord”?
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Ask the children to read Psalm 66:16 and think about or write down answers to the question “What has the Lord done for my soul?” Then let them share their answers, if they’d like. What can we do to “always remember” (Moroni 4:3; 5:2) what the Lord has done for us?
The Lord wants to forgive.
When we sin, Satan wants us to think that the Lord will never forgive us. Help the children build their faith that the Lord is “ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 86:5).
Possible Activities
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Show a picture of the Savior (such as one in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families), and ask the children what words they would use to describe Him. Invite them to find words that describe Him in Psalm 86:5, 13, 15. If needed, help them define these words. What could we say to a friend who feels that God is angry at them when they sin?
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Sing with the children a song that you feel will help them understand the Savior’s forgiving nature, such as “I Stand All Amazed” (Hymns, no. 193). Share your testimony that Jesus Christ wants to forgive us.
Encourage Learning at Home
Invite each child to name one reason they love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Encourage them to share that reason with someone at home. Testify that their words will bless that person.
Improving Our Teaching
Express confidence. “If the [children] sense that you trust them, their confidence in their divine potential will grow. … Lovingly communicate that you know they can be responsible for their own learning” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 28).