Keeping My Promise

By Sydney Reynolds

“Ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you” (Mosiah 18:10).

What do you know about covenants? A covenant is a promise or a solemn agreement. When we covenant with another person, we make promises to each other. When we make a covenant with the Lord, we know that he will keep his promises. It is very important that we also keep our promises, or our part of the covenant, with the Lord.

There are many stories in the scriptures about people who made covenants with the Lord. Do you remember the story of Noah? In Noah’s day, the people were so wicked that the Lord sent a flood to destroy them. Noah was commanded to build an ark to save at least two of every kind of animal as well as his own righteous family. After the earth was washed clean by the great flood, the Lord made a covenant with Noah, promising that the earth would never again be destroyed by a flood. As a sign of that covenant, God sent a rainbow. Today when we see a rainbow, we should remember the promise God made. (See Gen. 9:9–17.)

The people of Ammon (the Anti-Nephi-Lehies) also made covenants with the Lord. They were Lamanites who were converted when Ammon and his brothers taught them the gospel. These people were so grateful to be forgiven of their wicked ways that they made a covenant to never kill anyone again. As a sign of their covenant, they buried their swords so that they would not be tempted to fight. They kept their promise even when their lives were in danger, and the Lord blessed them. (See Alma 23–24.)

We make a covenant with Heavenly Father when we are baptized. We promise to take upon us the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to always remember him and to keep his commandments. When we keep our part of the covenant, we are promised that we will have the Holy Ghost to be with us always—to guide us, to protect us, to comfort us. What wonderful blessings come to us when we keep our promise, our covenant, with God!

Sharing Time Ideas

Tell or read the story of Hannah, Eli, and Samuel (see 1 Sam. 1; 1 Sam. 3). Emphasize that the Lord can speak to young children, and they can hear and obey. Sing “Seek the Lord Early” (Children’s Songbook, 108; The Friend, March 1996, 13).
Tell the children about Joshua, the great prophet who led the children of Israel into the promised land (see Primary 6 manual, Lesson 23, 101–5). When Joshua was old, he called the people together and reminded them of all the wonderful things the Lord had done for them. He asked the people to choose whom they would serve (see Josh. 24). To emphasize Joshua 24:15 [Josh. 24:15], assemble the following wordstrip-picture signs: “Choose you / this day [include a picture of a large sun] / whom ye will serve; … / as for me and my house, [include a picture of a house and family] / we will serve the Lord [include a picture of the Savior].” Ask five children to hold the signs. Repeat the scripture. Stress the value of deciding “this day” to follow the Lord.
Draw a large rainbow, color it, and cut out each color band. In advance, place the pieces of the rainbow around the room. Tell the children to look for the pieces and bring them to you. Ask each child who finds a piece to tell something about the story of Noah, then place his or her piece on a flannel or poster board to make a rainbow. Sing “When I Am Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, 103; Tambulilit, June 1994, 12). Ask the children what they can do to be the best they can.

Signs of a Covenant

Instructions: Look up and read each scripture reference. Draw a line from the reference to the picture that relates to it; then color the pictures. We can make important covenants with the Lord, too. Circle the pictures that represent covenants you can make or that Heavenly Father has made with you.

Illustrated by Tadd R. Peterson