Additional Resources for Teaching Children
Lesson 8: Sunday Is a Day to Remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ


“Lesson 8: Sunday Is a Day to Remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,” Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual (2008), 36–39

“Lesson 8,” Behold Your Little Ones, 36–39

8

Sunday Is a Day to Remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

Introduction for the Teacher

To prepare yourself spiritually to teach this lesson, please read and ponder the following:

Since Old Testament times, God’s people have set apart one day in seven as the Sabbath day—a day to rest from our labors and worship God (see Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:8–11). The Lord has repeated this commandment in our day, and He has promised that keeping the Sabbath day holy will help us remain “unspotted from the world” (see D&C 59:9–10).

Learning Activities

Begin with a gathering activity. For ideas, see page 3.

Prayer

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Picture

Show the picture of the family walking to church on page 38 and tell the children that this family is going to church on Sunday. Explain that Sunday is a special day and that we go to church on Sunday to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and learn about Them.

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family walking to church

Songs

Tell the children, “Let’s pretend we’re going to church.” Have them walk in a circle and sing or say the following words to “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, 253):

Going to church is fun to do,

Fun to do, to do, to do!

Going to church is fun to do,

To do, to do, to do!

Have the children sit down, and tell them that when we come to church we remember (point to your head) and think about (point to your head again) Heavenly Father and Jesus. Sing or say the first line of “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, 26):

Reverently, quietly, lovingly we think of thee.

Show the picture of the family at home on page 38. Point out the different family members and explain that after church, in our homes, we can remember Heavenly Father and Jesus with our families. We can read the scriptures together (have the children pretend to read the scriptures) and pray together (have the children fold their arms) and show love for each other (have the children put their hands on their heart). Sing or say the words to “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, 198). Invite the children to join you.

I love mother; she loves me.

We love daddy, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,

We are a happy family.

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family at home

Conclusion

Remind the children that Sunday is a day to remember Heavenly Father and Jesus at church and at home with our families. Invite the children to say, “Sunday.”

Prayer

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

Optional Activities

Preparation

  • For the bag game: Make a copy of page 39. Cut out the illustrations and color them, if desired. Put the illustrations in a bag or other container.

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    coloring page, Sunday book

    On Sunday I can go to church.

    On Sunday I can show special love to my family.

    On Sunday I can read the scriptures.

    Sunday is a day to remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

  • For the scripture activity: Bring a copy of the Bible. Mark Genesis 2:2 so that you can turn to it easily. Also mark page 34 in this manual.

  • For the book activity: Copy the illustration on page 39 for each child to color.

Bag Game

Invite a child to choose a picture from the bag. Read the caption and invite the children to do an action suggested by the picture (such as walking in place for “On Sunday I can go to church” or pointing to their heads for “Sunday is a day to remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ”). Invite the children to say key words from each caption, such as “Jesus,” “scriptures,” “family,” and “church.” Repeat with each picture or until each child who wants a turn has had one.

Scripture

Show the picture on page 34 and review the story of the Creation with the children (see Genesis 1 and lesson 7 in this manual). Explain that Jesus worked for six days to make the world.

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plants and animals

Tell the children that you are going to read a scripture that tells us what Jesus did on the seventh day. Open the Bible to Genesis 2:2 and read, “He rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Emphasize the word rested as you read.

Ask: “What did Jesus do on the seventh day?”

Answer: “He rested.”

Tell the children that on six days of the week we work. Invite them to act out different kinds of work, such as sweeping the floor, digging in the garden, and so on. Explain that on Sunday we rest. Invite the children to sit down, and tell them how thankful you are that Heavenly Father gave us a day to rest from our work.

Book

Let the children color a copy of page 39. While they are coloring, talk to them about the illustrations and remind them that these are things we do to remember and worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on Sunday. When they are finished coloring, fold along the dotted lines to make a book. Then read the book to the children.

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book diagram