In 1 Nephi it says: "...and thus we see that by small means great things are brought to pass." . It is SO easy to forget that it is the small and simple actions we take, day after day, moment after moment, that really shape the destiny of our lives. It is the small, atomic habits that define our character. It is SO important for our children to understand that the daily decisions they make MATTER. Children need to learn to stick with things that are hard. They need to be pushed past the point of comfort. They need to learn consistent effort over a long period of time does bring about amazing results. We live in a society full of conveniences and sometimes it seems we've lost this truth! We hope the lesson bundle this week will ignite a spark in your family or class to do the small, simple things over, and over, and over. The things that nobody sees. The things that will bring to pass seemingly miraculous blessings in their lives.
Download this week's Lesson Bundle HERE!
➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 O P E N I N G S O N G : "Faith"
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N
Ask children to line up on one side of the room. Now invite children to try to walk to the other side of the room with only one step! Let them have fun for a few minutes while they attempt this.
Next, invite them to try again but this time instruct them to use lots of regular sized steps (as many as they need) to get across the room.
Invite children to sit down again. Then discuss the following questions:
1) Which way worked the best? One big step, or lots of small steps? (Small steps)
2) Which way was the easiest? One big step, or lots of small steps? (Small steps)
3) Do you think Heavenly Father teaches us in one big lesson all at once? Or do you think he teaches us lots of little lessons every day? (Discuss)
4) Why do you think He teaches us with lots of little lessons every day? (Discuss)
🎥 V I D E O : "Line Upon Line: A Children's Song about Small and Simple Means"
Say: “We are going to watch a video about some animals and bugs! These animals and bugs don’t do things in one big step. They do things a little bit at a time! See if you can remember all of them, and what things they had to do a little at a time!”
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) What did the baby sea turtle have to do? (Crawl to the ocean.)
2) How did the baby sea turtle do it? (A little at a time.)
3) What did the ants have to do? (Dig a tunnel.)
4) How did the ants do it? (A little at a time.)
5) What did the bird have to do? (Build a nest.)
6) How did the bird do it? (A little at a time.)
7) What did the caterpillar have to do? (Build a nest.)
8) How did the caterpillar do it? (A little at a time.)
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the following scriptures together and discuss the questions that follow.
1) What did Lehi find outside his tent? (The liahona.)
2) What did the pointer do? (Showed them which way to go.)
1) How did the pointers work? (According to faith, diligence, and heed.)
2) What does it mean to have faith? (Taking action - faith without works is dead.)
3) What does diligence mean? (Doing something carefully over and over again for a long time).
4) What does heed mean? (To obey.)
5) How does the Lord make great things happen? (Small means.)
6) Did the Lord show Lehi’s family where to go in one big step? Or did the Lord show them with little steps every day? (Discuss)
7) What are some hard things that you have to do? (Clean my room, learn to read, learn to tie my shoes, etc.)
8) How can we do these things a little at a time? (Discuss)
9) Can you think of any commandments that help us grow a little at a time? (Reading scriptures every day, praying every day, taking the sacrament every week, etc.)
10) Do you think Heavenly Father wants us to learn and grow one big step? Or a little bit every day? (Discuss, share more examples.)
➤ A C T I V I T Y
Start at the bottom of the mountain and color in the circles carefully, one at a time, until you reach the top! Use this as an opportunity to discuss how diligence with small and simple things can bring to pass great things! Just like when Lehi and his family had to follow the directions on the liahona with faith and with diligence. Have fun coloring the large liahona!
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
'Come, Follow Me' is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.