I Will Remember Jesus Christ

Remove page 14 from the magazine, and mount it on heavier paper. Fold the sacrament booklet on the dotted lines. When you sing the sacrament hymn at church, listen for what the words say about Jesus Christ. When you get home each week, write one thing in your booklet that you learned about Jesus from the hymn.

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sacrament booklet

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sacrament booklet

Illustrations by Paul Mann

December Theme: My family is blessed when we remember Jesus Christ. (Note: All songs are from Children’s Songbook unless otherwise noted; TNGC = Teaching, No Greater Call; GAK = Gospel Art Picture Kit.) Gospel art can also be found at gospelart.lds.org.

1. Jesus was born into a family. Work with the music leader to prepare a sing-a-story to teach about Jesus’s birth into a family (see “Music with Narratives,” TNGC, 174–75). You might consider having children dress in simple costumes to represent the characters in the story, or use pictures from the GAK. Example: Christmas is the season when we celebrate the joyful birth of Jesus Christ. Sing “The Nativity Song” (pp. 52–53). Heavenly Father promised to send His Son to be the Savior of the World (see John 3:16). Sing “He Sent His Son” (pp. 34–35). Prophets such as Samuel the Lamanite foretold the birth and mission of Jesus Christ (see Helaman 14:1–6). Sing “Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus” (p. 36). An angel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus (see Luke 1:26–35). Joseph was Mary’s husband. Heavenly Father chose them to help take care of Jesus (see Matthew 1:20–24). Mary and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem to be counted in a census (see Luke 2:1–5). Sing “When Joseph Went to Bethlehem” (pp. 37–38). Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a stable because there was no room for His family at the inn (see Luke 2:6–7). Sing “Away in a Manger” (pp. 42–43). Angels and shepherds shared in the joy of the birth of Jesus (see Luke 2:8–16). Sing “Picture a Christmas” (pp. 50–51). Bear testimony of the divinity of Christ’s birth.

2. I remember Jesus when I partake of the sacrament. Show the children GAK 225 (The Last Supper). Tell the story of the Last Supper from Matthew 26:17–30. Read together Luke 22:19, and have the children repeat the words “This do in remembrance of me.” Sing the first verse of “The Sacrament” (p. 72). Explain that today we participate in the sacrament just as Jesus taught the Apostles to do. Partaking of the sacrament gives us an opportunity to remember the Savior and His Atonement. Show sacrament trays. Help the children understand that the bread reminds us of Jesus’s body and the water reminds us of His blood.

   Write the following question on the board: “What can you do to remember Jesus as you partake of the sacrament?” Ask the children to think of ideas (see “Brainstorming,” TNGC, 160–61). Give them one minute to think quietly, and then ask them to respond. Write responses on the board. (Examples: read a scripture about Jesus, listen to the sacrament prayers, think about Jesus’s Atonement, read the sacrament hymn, think about how to be more like Jesus.) Sing the second verse of “The Sacrament.” Encourage the children to try one of the suggestions from the board the next time they attend sacrament meeting. Bear testimony of the importance of remembering Jesus as we partake of the sacrament.

3. Remembering Jesus helps me choose the right. Put GAK 240 (Jesus the Christ) in a box, and wrap it to look like a Christmas gift. Show the wrapped box, and tell the children that inside is something that represents the greatest gift we have ever been given. Have the children ask yes-or-no questions to guess what it is. Let the child who guesses correctly unwrap the gift. Post the picture of Jesus on the board. Remind the children that Christmas is a special time to remember Jesus Christ.

   Beforehand, make the following wordstrips, and place them in random order around the room: “Jesus was baptized,” “Jesus served others,” “Jesus prayed to the Father,” “Jesus went about doing good,” “Jesus loves us,” “Jesus learned to work,” and “Jesus honored His mother.” Do a matching activity to help the children visualize how remembering Jesus can influence their choices. Divide the board into two columns. At the top of one column, write Remembering Jesus. At the top of the second, write helps me choose the right. Give each class a scripture reference or GAK picture that tells about part of Jesus’s life. Examples: Matthew 3:13–17—Jesus was baptized; John 13:4–15—Jesus served others; 3 Nephi 17:15—Jesus prayed to the Father; John 15:12—Jesus loved us; GAK 206 (Childhood of Jesus Christ)—Jesus learned to work; GAK 242 (Jesus and His Mother)—Jesus honored His mother. Ask the children to read the scripture or study the picture and find the wordstrip that describes it. When each class chooses correctly, place the wordstrip in the first column. Help the children think of a similar choice they can make, such as I will be baptized, I will serve others, I will pray to Heavenly Father, I will love others, I will learn to work, or I will honor my mother. Write it in the second column across from the matching wordstrip.

   Sing “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (pp. 78–79). Express your gratitude for the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ, and bear testimony of the power of His example in helping us choose the right.

4. Jesus will come again. Show GAK 238 (The Second Coming). Tell the children that when Jesus comes again, He will come in power and glory and everyone will know who He is. Sing “When He Comes Again” (pp. 82–83). Have the children repeat the phrase “I wonder, when he comes again, will I be ready there.” Teach that when Jesus comes again, it will be a great day for those who are prepared. Jesus taught the importance of preparing for His Second Coming in a parable about 10 women and their lamps. Help the children dramatize the story found in Matthew 25:1–13. Explain that the Savior compared the wedding to His Second Coming. Emphasize that because the five wise women were prepared, they were allowed into the wedding. Likewise, if we are prepared when Jesus comes, we will be able to live with Him and Heavenly Father again.

   Have the children use clay or salt dough (for recipe, see TNGC, 165) to mold a small bowl that fits inside a cupped hand. Explain that this would be similar in size and shape to the ancient lamps used by the 10 women. Emphasize that oil lamps cannot give light unless they have oil to burn. Give each class a copy of My Gospel Standards, and explain that living those standards is like adding oil to their lamps in preparation for Jesus’s Second Coming. Have the teachers read through the standards with their class, and then help each child choose a standard to work on in the coming week. Provide beans or small pebbles to represent drops of oil. Have the teachers put one in the children’s lamps when they make their choice. Encourage the children to tell their family the story of the 10 women and to share with them what their bean or pebble represents. Bear testimony that Jesus will come again.

5. Friend references: “Jesus the Christ,” Feb. 1996, inside front cover; “Jesus Grew Up in a Righteous Family,” Dec. 2004, 16–17; “Questions and Answers about the Sacrament,” Mar. 2008, 24–25; “Remembering Jesus Christ,” June 1999, 10–11; “Special Witness,” Aug. 2007, 22; “Choices and Gospel Guideposts,” Feb. 1989, 12–13; “The Ten Virgins,” Jan. 2003, 10–12; “The Second Coming,” Dec. 2002, 10–12.