Sunbeam Lesson #6  ” Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me”

***Note: Please read the post called “10 Primary Lesson Helps” found under “Primary Lessons Listing” before reviewing any of my Sunbeam lesson plan ideas.

“As you prepare yourself spiritually and acknowledge the Lord in your teaching, you will become an instrument in His hands. The Holy Ghost will magnify your words with power.” Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 41.

Materials to bring: Get chalk and eraser from library (or bring a dry erase marker and white board). Bring playdough, hand mirror, pictures.

Summarize the First Vision story. Show picture of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove.  Jesus looks like our Father in Heaven. We look like Him too, because He is our Father.

Who is Jesus’ father?  (Heavenly Father). Be sure all children say His name together. Practice a few times if necessary.  He is our Father in Heaven too. They both love us.

Put a mirror up to a child’s face.  I see_______(child’s name). Jesus and Heavenly Father love __________. You look like them. Repeat with each child. If they prefer, have the child say his/her own name. Hold it up to your face. I see_______(your name). Jesus and Heavenly Father love me. I look like them. Testify how Father in Heaven loves you. Share your feelings or experiences of how you feel His love. Do any of you have a happy feeling when you come to church? (get personal responses).That is because you feel His love here.

Show picture of Jesus and children. He loved children. When He lived on earth, He showed them He loved them by:

playing with them

giving them hugs and holding them on his lap

giving them food when they were hungry

praying with them

helping them to get better when they were sick

teaching them to do what is right

Let’s walk quietly down the halls in our church and look at the pictures hanging on the walls. We will stop and see if any of the paintings has children it them. If they do, let’s see what Jesus is doing to show love to the children. (Review expectations for leaving the classroom and walking in the hallways).

Back in the classroom: Did we see Jesus doing any of the thing we talked about? (Review items from list above). I will say one way Jesus shows His love, and let’s act it out.

Ask a child to come up to stand by you and give them a hug. I love you very much. Jesus loved children too. They loved to be near him. Sit on my lap while I sing you a song about him. Sing a portion of the song from the Primary Songbook hymn p. 59.

Jesus loved the little children

Little ones like me

He would bless and help them

And take them on his knee.

(repeat with a different child on your knee each time)  Encourage all children to point to self when they say the word “me” and point to their knee when they say the word “knee.”

Jesus made this world for us to live in. What things did Jesus create in this world that makes us happy? Show pictures of things in nature and have children name them (trees, flowers, animals, waterfalls, etc.). Draw a picture of something Christ created on the board. Include objects from the song below. Let them guess what it is. Let the children come up and each draw something for us to guess. Whisper ideas to them if they need help.

I’m going to sing a song that has words to describe things that are in our world that Jesus made: bird, sky, rain, wind, rose and a tree. Ask each child to do a certain motion (below) in the song, standing in order. Demonstrate it and have them practice. When you point to them, they do that action in the song.

“My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 228).

Whenever I hear the song of a bird (hand cupped to ear)

Or look at the blue, blue sky, (hand raised above eyes)

Whenever I feel the rain on my face (fingers tapping on face)

Or the wind as it rushes by (motion hands across in front of body)

Whenever I touch a velvet rose (finger touch)

Or walk by a lilac tree,(walk in place)

I’m glad that I live in this beautiful world (arms in a big circle)

Heavenly Father created for me. (hug self)

Repeat the song a few times and then ask them to do all the actions while they sing it.

Testify that their Father in Heaven loves them and He sent His Son on earth to show how much He loves little children. Tell them how much you love each one. Express a thought of appreciation you have for each child. Share your feelings about specific beautiful things in this world that remind you of God’s love for us.

Bring out playdough.  Each child creates something that Heavenly Father and Jesus has given us. Show pictures to get ideas.