Lesson 15

Come, Follow Me

Purpose

To strengthen each child’s desire to follow Jesus Christ.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study Matthew 4:18–22, Luke 5:1–11, and John 14:15, 15:17.

2. Cut out three sets of large paper footprints. Write the following on the footprints:

   1. Come / Follow Me

   2. Keep / My Commandments

   3. Love / One Another

      

      Come

      Follow Me

3. Prepare to sing or say the words to the first verse of “Come, Follow Me” (Hymns, no. 116).

4. Materials needed:

   1. A Bible.

   2. CTR chart (see lesson 1).

   3. Two pieces of paper and a pencil for each child.

   4. Picture 2-23, Child Following in His Father’s Footsteps; picture 2-24, Calling of the Fishermen (Gospel Art Picture Kit 209; 62496).

5. Make the necessary preparations for any enrichment activities you want to use.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Follow up with the children if you encouraged them to do something during the week.

Jesus Christ Wants Us to Follow Him

Attention activity

Let the children play “Follow the Leader.” Have the children stand in a line at one side of the room. The first child in line runs, hops, skips, or does some other action to the other side of the room. The other children follow the first child, doing what he or she did. Then the first child goes to the end of the line and the second child becomes the leader. Continue until each child has had a turn to be the leader.

Tell the children that in today’s lesson they will learn about following Jesus Christ.

Story

Display picture 2-23, Child Following in His Father’s Footsteps, and tell the following story in your own words (if the children in your class are unfamiliar with snow, you may want to adapt the story to fit your own climate and environment):

Sam went out to help his father gather wood for the fire. It was winter and the snow was very deep. Sam and his father each took an armload of wood and started back toward their home. It was hard for Sam to walk in the deep snow with his heavy load. Sam’s father told Sam to walk in the footprints that he left in the snow. It was much easier for Sam to walk when he followed his father’s footsteps.

• Why did Sam follow his father’s footsteps?

• Why do you think it was easier for Sam to walk in the snow when he followed his father’s footsteps?

Scripture story

Display picture 2-24, Calling of the Fishermen. Tell the story found in Matthew 4:18–22 and Luke 5:1–11. Explain that when Jesus Christ was on the earth he called men to be his disciples, or helpers.

As you tell the story, read aloud Matthew 4:19 at an appropriate time. Explain that “I will make you fishers of men” meant that Jesus wanted these men to help him teach the people.

• Why did these fishermen follow Jesus?

• What would you do if Jesus asked you to follow him and be his disciple?

Discussion

Compare the story of Jesus Christ calling his disciples with the story about Sam and his father. Just as Sam’s father asked Sam to follow him, Jesus asks all of us to follow him. Sam’s father knew that it would be easier for Sam to walk if he followed his father’s footsteps. The Savior knows that our lives will be easier and we will be happier if we follow him.

• What does it mean to follow Jesus?

• Why is life easier for us when we follow Jesus?

Song

Sing or say the words to the first verse of “Come, Follow Me,” explaining any words that are unfamiliar to the children (such as tread).

“Come, follow me,” the Savior said.

Then let us in his footsteps tread,

For thus alone can we be one

With God’s own loved, begotten Son.

Explain that we can follow Jesus by trying to be like him and by obeying his commandments. When we learn his ways and do what he asks us to do, we are following his footsteps.

Footprint activity

Show the two footprints with “Come” and “Follow Me” printed on them. Read the words with the children. Have the children repeat the phrase a few times.

Display the CTR chart at the front of the room. Have a child place the footprints on the floor on the other side of the room. (As the lesson progresses and each set of footprints is placed on the floor, they should form a path on which a child can walk toward the picture of the Savior on the CTR chart.)

Jesus Wants Us to Keep the Commandments

Scripture discussion

Explain that following Jesus Christ means being willing to do what he has asked us to do. Ask the children to listen while you read about one of the things Jesus has asked us to do.

Read aloud John 14:15. Explain that these are Jesus’ words. Have the children repeat the scripture with you.

• What did Jesus say we must do?

• What does it mean to keep Jesus’ commandments?

Footprint activity

Show the footprints labeled “Keep” and “My Commandments” and have the children repeat the phrase. Ask a child to place these footprints a short distance in front of the first set of footprints. (The footprints should be close enough that a child can step from one to the next.)

Discussion

Describe for the children some situations in which they could follow Jesus. Have the children take turns explaining what they would do in each situation. Use the examples below or create some situations that are more appropriate for your class:

1. You are playing at school and find a purse with money in it.

   • How will you follow Jesus?

2. You are ready for bed and are so tired that you want to go to sleep right away.

   • How will you follow Jesus before climbing into bed?

3. Your mother has asked you to watch your little sister so she won’t run into the street. Some friends come by and invite you to go play with them.

   • How will you follow Jesus?

4. A new boy has started attending your school, and some of the children make fun of him.

   • How will you follow Jesus?

5. Some friends have invited you to go with them to visit relatives, but they won’t be back in time for you to go to church.

   • How will you follow Jesus?

Invite the children to describe other situations in which they could choose to follow Jesus. Point out that when we follow Jesus by doing what he wants us to do, we are choosing the right.

Jesus Wants Us to Love One Another

Scripture

To help the children discover another way they can follow the footsteps of Jesus, read aloud John 15:17. Explain that these are Jesus’ words. Have the children repeat the scripture with you.

• Whom does Jesus want us to love?

Footprint activity

Show the footprints labeled “Love” and “One Another.” Read these words with the children and have them repeat the phrase. Ask a child to place the footprints in the same manner as before.

Story

Tell or read the following story about how a young boy named Heber followed Jesus Christ:

Heber shivered in the cold and wrapped his thin coat around him. It would soon be his birthday, and all he wanted was a warm coat. But he knew his mother would be sad if he asked for one, because she could not afford to buy him one. Heber’s father had died when Heber was a baby, and Heber’s mother worked very hard to earn the money they needed. She would often sew until late at night, making clothes for other people.

On the day of Heber’s birthday, his mother wished him a happy birthday and handed him a beautiful coat she had sewn for him. Heber could hardly wait to wear it outside and feel how warm it would keep him.

A few weeks later while on an errand, Heber saw a boy who was wearing only a sweater. Heber knew how cold he must feel. Almost without thinking, Heber took his coat off and gave it to the boy.

When Heber’s mother saw him wearing his old coat, she asked him what had happened to his new coat.

Heber explained, “I saw a boy and he needed it lots worse than I did so I just gave it to him.”

His mother asked, “Couldn’t you have given him your old one?”

Heber looked up at his mother, hoping she would understand, and saw her eyes fill up with tears. She hugged him tightly as she said, “Of course you couldn’t, Heber.” (See Lucile C. Reading, “The Coat,” Children’s Friend, Nov. 1966, p. 5.)

• How did Heber follow Jesus Christ?

Tell the children that the boy in this story was Heber J. Grant, who grew up to become the seventh President of the Church.

Discussion

Have the children think of ways they can show love for others. You may want to use questions such as the following to help them think of ideas:

• If you saw someone fall and get hurt, what could you do to show love?

• If someone at school didn’t have a lunch, what could you do to show love?

Explain that loving others is more than feelings or words. We show our love by what we do. Invite the children to tell about how they have shown love for other people during the past week.

We Will Choose the Right and Follow Jesus Christ

Footprint activity

Give each child the opportunity to step from footprint to footprint and then stand by the picture of Jesus on the CTR chart. Have each child tell one thing he or she will do this week to follow Jesus.

Remind the children that we follow Jesus Christ when we choose the right. Point to the CTR chart and have the children repeat “I will choose the right.”

Summary

Activity

Give each child two pieces of paper and a pencil. Let the children make sets of footprints by tracing their own shoes. Write or have them write I will follow Jesus Christ at the top of their papers. Let the children take their footprints home to help them remember their commitment to follow Jesus.

Testimony

Tell the children how following Jesus Christ has made you happy. Testify that if we follow him, Jesus will lead us back to live with our Heavenly Father again.

Encourage the children to always try to follow the footsteps of Jesus. Suggest that they discuss their paper footprints with their parents.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer. Suggest that the child ask Heavenly Father to help the children follow Jesus Christ and choose the right.

Enrichment Activities

Choose from the following activities those that will work best for the children in your class. You can use them in the lesson itself or as a review or summary. For additional guidance, see “Class Time” in “Helps for the Teacher.”

1. Explain to the children that you are going to do an action (such as clapping, nodding, or marching). Ask them to repeat your action. Do this once; then add another action and have the children repeat both actions. Continue adding new actions, one at a time. See how many the children can remember and repeat in the right order.

   Liken this to following the Savior. We must try to follow his example not just in one thing but in everything we do.

2. Prepare a chain of paper dolls for each class member. (Older children may enjoy making their own chains.) Fold a piece of paper accordion-style. Draw a doll onto the folded paper (see illustration below) and cut out the doll. Make a chain for each child, and write Love One Another across the bottom of each chain. Explain that loving each other is one of the most important things Jesus has asked us to do.

   

   Love One Another

3. Sing or say the words to the first verse of “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 78), “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, p. 136), or “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, p. 146). The words to “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” and “Love One Another” are included at the back of the manual. The words to “Keep the Commandments” are on the next page.

   Keep the Commandments

   Keep the commandments;

   Keep the commandments!

   In this there is safety;

   In this there is peace.

   He will send blessings;

   He will send blessings.

   Words of a prophet:

   Keep the commandments.

   In this there is safety and peace.