This was the most successful lesson I've had to date. The kids responded so well to it.
To begin with, I printed the handout from the manual onto card stock paper, colored each picture and cut them out along the dotted lines. I read through the scriptures that are written beneath each picture and marked parts of it to read to the kids.
I decided to splurge this week and buy each of my kids their very own Books of Mormon. At the beginning of my lesson I told the kids I had a very special gift for them. I told them it was so special and they needed to take really good care of their gift and treasure it. That really got their attention and they all crowded around me. I gave them each a book and asked them if they knew what it was. Most of them knew they were "scriptures". I asked them if they knew what they read about in this book. None of them could really tell me.
The first story I read was to accompany the first picture. I had one of the kids hold the picture of Jesus' birth that I colored from the handout and I asked them if they knew who was in the picture. They all knew that it was Jesus as a baby. I told them to follow along with me (flip through their scriptures) as I read the story about Jesus being born. I marked only a few sentences from the scripture the handout gives - Alma 7:10-12
"And behold, he shall be born of Mary....and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God."
I summarized explaining that that was saying that Jesus was born to Mary, and that Heavenly Father was Jesus' dad, then kept reading:
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind."
I explained that that was telling us that Jesus would grow up but that he would have a lot of hard things he would have to go through.
"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people."
I explained that that meant he would die, but that his death would make it so that we would all, respectively, be together after we died.
I had another child hold up the next picture and asked if they knew who was in it. They're all so smart and know Jesus' picture immediately when they see it. I explained that it was indeed a picture of Jesus and that he was healing a boy who was sick.
The scripture to go along with this picture was 3 Nephi 17:7-10 and I read the following:
"Have ye any that are sick among you? ...Bring them hither and I will heal them."
I explained that it was saying that Jesus asked if anyone was sick and if they were to bring them to him and he would heal them.
"And it came to pass that when he had this spoken, all the multitude ... did go forth with their sick and afflicted...and he did heal them every one."
I told them that that was saying that the people brought all of their family and friends who were sick to Jesus and Jesus did as he said he would and healed them, "every one".
Again, I had another child hold up my last picture and they told me it was of Jesus with little kids. The scripture is 3 Nephi 17:21-24.
"...and [Jesus] took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them."
That one's pretty self explanatory, but I explained it again to them in my words, pointing to the picture of Jesus with the kids.
I told them that scriptures are a wonderful gift. That inside there are so many neat stories about Jesus just like the ones I just read to them. I told them to take their books home to their moms and dads and ask their parents to read them more stories about Jesus. I told them that the stories inside the Book of Mormon are all true stories. I bore my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ as they all clung to their books with pride and listened to me intently. I know the spirit was there and I watched as each of the kids felt it. They felt it! That is what it's all about! The spirit bore witness to them and they felt it's truthfulness. It was the greatest experience being able to witness and take part in such a special thing.
The kids colored the handout from the manual.
And at the end of class I had each kid put their hand print inside the front page of their Book of Mormon, along with their name and the date. When the parents came to get them, the kids were beyond thrilled showing their parents their very own Book of Mormon and their awesome hand print inside. It was such a hit! The lesson couldn't have gone any better and I credit that to the Holy Ghost. I love it when He's present!
Such a special experience for you and them.
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