Matthew 1; Luke 1
"Be it unto Me according to Thy Word"
Opening Song: "I Will Follow God's Plan" (Children's Songbook, 164)
Opening Prayer: By Invitation
Scripture: Luke 1:37 "With God nothing shall be impossible."
Attention Activity:
Have the children draw a picture of something they really want. Talk to each child about why they want that thing. Ask the children if they think they will get it right away? Could it take longer? Will they have to work for it?
This week we will be reading about two cousins in the New Testament, Elisabeth and Mary. Heavenly Father had a plan for Elisabeth and for Mary and he has a plan for you.
Elisabeth was married to a man named, Zacharias. They were both righteous and kept the commandments, but Elisabeth was not able to have a baby, even though she wanted one badly. She prayed to have a baby, but she was very old. One day, an angel came to Zacharias and said, "Fear not, Zacharias; for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name, John."(Luke 1:13) It was a miracle for Elisabeth to have a baby because she was too old, but Heavenly Father had a plan for her and her son John, later known as John the Baptist.
Refer back to your discussion about the thing your child wanted. Elisabeth wanted a baby ever since she was young, but Heavenly Father had a different plan for her in mind. She had to wait until she was an old woman before she could have a son. "If you find yourself having to wait for a blessing, or if it seems that God isn't hearing your prayers, the story of Elisabeth and Zacharias can be a reminder that He hasn't forgotten you." (Come Follow Me... pg.7) Sometimes, the blessings we want do not come right away. We should always be patient and have faith in Heavenly Father and His plan for us. Elder Holland promised, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come." (Ensign, 1999).
If your children remember the story of Gabriel appearing to Mary, have them try to tell it in their own words. Or, you show the video "An Angel Foretells Christ's Birth to Mary." found on lds.org
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-002-an-angel-foretells-christs-birth-to-mary?category=nativity&lang=eng
Explain in your own words that is was impossible for Mary to have a baby since she had "known not a man," but that Heavenly Father had a plan for Mary. She was to give birth to the baby Jesus, who is the Savior of the world. Mary had not planned to have a baby before she married Joseph, but she accepted God's plan for her by saying, "Be it unto me according to Thy Word."
Tell this story in your own words:
When Katie was nine, all she wanted for Christmas was a Barbie Dream House. She had seen the commercials on television and had seen the box sitting on the shelf at the toy store. She wanted it so badly she wrote Santa and asked her parents to get it for her. When Christmas morning came, she ran downstairs, expecting to see her Barbie Dream House, but it wasn't there. Instead was a beautiful three-story dollhouse made of wood. It was so big, it was even taller than she was. At first, Katie was dissappointed because she hadn't gotten the toy she expected. Her dad explained that this dollhouse was special because he had had it made just for Katie. It wasn't the Barbie Dream House, it was even better. Katie felt grateful for her parents and for her new dollhouse that was made just for her. She loved it and played with it every day.
How did Katie feel when she saw the dollhouse on Christmas morning? What made that dollhouse special? How did Katie feel about the dollhouse after her dad talked to her?
Conclusion:
Just like with Katie, Mary, and Elisabeth, sometimes God's plans for us are different than our own. We need to be patient and have faith that Heavenly Father has blessings in store for us if we keep the commandments and accept His plan.
Closing Song: "Faith" (Children's Songbook, 96)
Closing Prayer: By Invitation
Refreshment:
Little Peanut Baby Cookies Click for recipe here
Tip: if your family has nut allergies, try substituting with a rice crispy treat.
These lessons are fantastic. My kids are loving them. All your hard work is truly appreciated.
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