Come Follow Me Printable Activity Page and Teaching Ideas for March 20-26: Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13

  Hello!  Each week I gather some resources to complement the Come, Follow Me for that week.   The printable activity pages are also created by me with the artwork generally coming from the church website and the activities are *mostly* original.   See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

March 20-26, 2023
Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13

OBJECT LESSON (taken from this website):
You can use this object lesson at any time during your lesson, but it may be most effective after you explain Matthew 13:23: “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Instant snow powder, or the “stuffing” inside of a diaper (they are both made from similar materials)
• Soil
• A glass container
• Water

What to do:

Put some soil into the glass container. Explain the properties of good soil to the kids (it must be deep enough for seeds, moist, weed/thorn/rock free, etc.

Add the “seeds” to the soil (the instant snow powder). “Nurture” the seed by pouring water over it to make it grow. The instant snow will expand to thirty or more times its original size, just like a crop would.

Explain:

If the Word of God has been “sown” in us, how can we produce “fruit”? We can do that by sharing God’s Word with others. Think about: one person shares the gospel with one person. That person shares the gospel with five other people. Those five people each share it with ten others. That’s a lot of fruit from just one seed!

QUOTE ABOUT PARABLES:

"Jesus Christ was the greatest teacher who ever taught,” declared President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985). One of the Savior’s most striking teaching methods was His use of parables. Concerning the parables of Jesus, President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) said: “They are so simple a child can understand, yet profound enough for the sage and philosopher. …

“Each of the parables spoken by the Savior seems to teach a principle or give an admonition regarding the attributes necessary to qualify for exaltation....

...Your diligent study and application of the parables of Jesus will bring you closer to the central purpose of life: to come unto Christ and live His gospel. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) said: “Parables are a call to investigate the truth; to learn more; to inquire into the spiritual realities, which, through them, are but dimly viewed. Parables start truth seekers out in the direction of further light and knowledge and understanding; they invite men to ponder such truths as they are able to bear in the hope of learning more. Parables are a call to come unto Christ, to believe his doctrines, to live his laws, and to be saved in his kingdom.” 
{Parables of Jesus: The Priceless Parables, Frank Judd Jr, Ensign, January 2003}

SOME CHURCH VIDEOS ABOUT PARABLES: 

The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
The Parables of the Wheat and the Tares, Mustard Seed, and Leaven

SOME MORE RESOURCES: 
This is a great article from the Ensign that explains parables really well.
 
HOW TO USE THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITY PAGES:

These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

Come Follow Me Printable Activity Page and Teaching Ideas for March 13-19, 2023; Matthew 11-12; Luke 11

 Each week I gather some great resources and teaching ideas to go along  with  this week's Come, Follow Me reading.    See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

March 13-19, 2023
Matthew 11-12; Luke 11

TEACHING IDEA:
This video has a great object lesson you can use to teach about the concept of our burdens being lighter when we let Christ into our lives.
:



QUOTE ABOUT HOW THE SAVIOR EASES OUR BURDENS:
“Come unto me,” the Savior said, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). So you come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter. That’s what we mean by coming unto Christ, being yoked to Him."  {The Mission and Ministry of the Savior, Russell M Nelson, Ensign, June 2005}

A GREAT VISUAL TO TEACH ABOUT YOKES: 

There is more good information found at the original source where this visual came from.

MORE RESOURCES:
https://bookofmormoncentral.org/blog/how-does-taking-on-jesus-s-yoke-make-our-own-burdens-light
https://ldsblogs.com/34070/what-does-it-mean-to-carry-christs-yoke

HOW TO USE THE ACTIVITY PAGES:

These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

Come Follow Me Activity Sheet and Teaching Ideas for March 6-12, 2023; Matthew 9-10; Mark 5; Luke 9

Below you will find some  resources, teaching ideas, and a printable activity sheet I create/gather for each week's Come, Follow Me reading.   See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

March 6-12, 2023
Matthew 9-10; Mark 5; Luke 9

 TEACHING IDEA:
You've  probably seen this done a million times growing up, but it's a good one for teaching about how to put Christ first in our lives.   You'll  need 2 jars, enough rice to fill both jars, 2 objects that will fit into your jar easily {Example, you could use a small-medium size ball for a mason jar or a whole nut in a baby food jar}.  You'll definitely want to practice this one beforehand and make sure you get your proportions right.  Begin by placing one walnut/ball into one of the empty jars. Tell the kids that the walnut/ball represents God being put first in our lives. (add the rice) The rice represents all the other things in our life, important and not so important things. Notice when we place the walnut into the jar first, the rice fills in all around the walnut very nicely. (Take the second jar and pour the rice in first. Then try to put the walnut /ball into the rice.) However, if you try to put the rice in first and then the walnut, the walnut will not go entirely into the jar. In the same way, if we put all our time and energy into other things first, rather than placing God first, we will not have room for God.

QUOTE ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST:

"The Lord’s second far-reaching objective in mortality was to serve as an example for us. His exemplary life constituted His mortal ministry. It included His teachings, parables, and sermons. It encompassed His miracles, loving-kindness, and long-suffering toward the children of men . It embraced His compassionate use of priesthood authority. It included His righteous indignation when He condemned sin  and when He overthrew the tables of the money changers . It also included His heartaches. He was mocked, scourged, and disowned by His own people —even betrayed by one disciple and denied by another.

Wonderful as His ministerial acts were, they were not and are still not unique to Him. There is no limit to the number of people who may follow the example of Jesus. Similar acts have been done by His prophets and apostles and others among His authorized servants. Many have endured persecution for His sake . In our own time, you know brothers and sisters who have earnestly striven—even at a terrible price—to emulate the Lord’s example.

That is as it should be. That is His hope for us. The Lord asked us to follow His example. His appeals are crystal clear:

• “What manner of men ought ye to be? … Even as I am”.

• “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

• “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done"  
  
  {The Mission and Ministry of Jesus Christ, Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2013}
  

 
"TELL ME THE STORIES OF JESUS" VIDEO:


HOW TO USE THESE PAGES:

These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

Come, Follow Me Activity Page and Teaching Ideas for 2/27 - 3/5/2023 {Matthew 8 ; Mark 2-4 ; Luke 7}

See below for some great resources, ideas, and activity sheets  for teaching about this week's Come, Follow Me reading.    See the index of  other weeks at this link.   

February 27 - March 5, 2023
Matthew 8; Mark 2-4; Luke 7

 

 TEACHING IDEA:
This video shows a simple object lesson that would make for a great launching point for a discussion about the miracles of Jesus.   Make sure to talk about faith and how Christ can make the impossible possible.    

QUOTES ABOUT MIRACLES:

"Miracles can come as answers to prayer. They are not always what we ask for or what we expect, but when we trust in the Lord, He will be there, and He will be right. He will suit the miracle to the moment we need it.

The Lord performs miracles to remind us of His power, His love for us, His reach from the heavens to our mortal experience, and His desire to teach of that which is of most worth. “He that hath faith in me to be healed,” He said to the Saints in 1831, and the promise continues today, “and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.” There are laws decreed in the heavens, and we are always subject to them.

There are times we hope for a miracle to heal a loved one, to reverse an unjust act, or to soften the heart of a bitter or disillusioned soul. Looking at things through mortal eyes, we want the Lord to intervene, to fix what is broken. Through faith, the miracle will come, though not necessarily on our timetable or with the resolution we desired. Does that mean we are less than faithful or do not merit His intervention? No. We are beloved of the Lord. He gave His life for us, and His Atonement continues to release us from burdens anbeautid sin as we repent and draw close to Him.

The Lord has reminded us, “Neither are your ways my ways.” He offers, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”—rest from worry, disappointment, fear, disobedience, concern for loved ones, for lost or broken dreams. Peace amidst confusion or sorrow is a miracle. Remember the Lord’s words: “Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” The miracle is that Jesus Christ, the Great Jehovah, the Son of the Highest, is responding with peace." {Behold, I am a God of Miracles, Ronald Rasband, General Conference, April 2021}

"Moving your mountains may require a miracle. Learn about miracles. Miracles come according to your faith in the Lord. Central to that faith is trusting His will and timetable—how and when He will bless you with the miraculous help you desire. Only your unbelief will keep God from blessing you with miracles to move the mountains in your life.

The more you learn about the Savior, the easier it will be to trust in His mercy, His infinite love, and His strengthening, healing, and redeeming power. The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith." {Christ is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains, Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2021}

A BEAUTIFUL SONG ABOUT MIRACLES: 

CHURCH VIDEOS ABOUT MIRACLES: 
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/collection/bible-videos-miracles?lang=eng

HOW TO USE THESE PAGES:
These activity pages are perfect:
1. to use at home, during sacrament meeting, or in a classroom
2. as a review for the CFM reading for the week
3.  as a discussion starter for CFM topics

LET ME KNOW: 
I'd love to hear how you use them in your classrooms or families. 

Self Care Relief Society Activity

 I now have the calling of being the Relief Society Activity Leader, which gives me the responsibility of planning and executing meaningful gatherings for the women in our ward on a regular basis.   Party planning is NOT something I enjoy whatsoever, so it was with a good deal of trepidation that I embarked on this calling.  In about the 6 months since I was called, it's proven to be a calling that challenges me and has brought me to tears more than once, but it's also been one that has proven rewarding to me as we've gathered, learned, and connected together.

 I know that this blog has turned into a hodgepodge of content--all  church related, but pretty varied besides that--but I thought it might be fun to share some of my successful activities here. 

 When I plan activities, I have a few "rules" I like to keep in mind to help me plan a well-rounded activity. 

Rule #1:   SPIRITUAL ASPECT.   I want every activity to have at least a 5 minute spiritual message at the beginning to invite the spirit and to tie whatever we do that night to Christ.

Rule #2:   CONNECTION.  I want every activity to foster connection among the sisters in some shape or form.  As a newbie to the ward, this is ultra important for me, because there really is NO other forum for connection built in to our church lives anymore.  Our ward only has activities once or twice a year, our ward is not naturally all that social or friendly,  and Sundays these days offer little time for anything other than gospel instruction.  In the three activities we've done so far, we've had one activity that was all about getting to know each other, another one where we had time during a dinner to chat with our table-mates, and one where we had an extra 15-20 minutes built onto the end for people to sit and chat with each other. 

Rule #3:  VARIETY.  I want to offer a variety of types of activities, so as to create the widest appeal possible for the sisters.  I know that there is no way to please everyone and I also know that different types of activities will appeal to different people, so I want to make sure that we are covering our bases and offering enough variety that  most people will be drawn to attend at least one activity during the year. 

Rule #4:  MARKETING.  I feel like marketing the activities is a HUGE part of my job, because I never want to hear that someone  wanted to come to an activity but didn't know about it.  Marketing in our ward includes handing fliers out at church, making sure it's included in the ward bulletin each week, making sure it gets announced in sacrament meeting and other meetings,  sending out an email from the RS, and since we live in Utah now, also putting up signs in the neighborhood and dropping fliers off at everyone's doors.   If someone didn't get the memo after all that, then I can rest easy knowing that I did my best to let everyone know at least! 

So, here's a glimpse of our activity earlier this month: 

Here's the digital flier I created on Canva to include in the RS email and the ward bulletin (which is digital in our ward). 

I also printed them (just on my home printer) and handed them out before sacrament meeting a few weeks before the activity.  That way, people got it on their calendar.

 Here's a summary of what we did: 

1.  We set up 3 rooms near each other in the church.   A MUNCH and MINGLE room with chairs set up in a semi-circle and a table full of healthy snacks.   We also had a MEDITATION room with a few soft chairs set up around the edge and a bunch of blankets for people to sit on the floor.   The third room was the MOVEMENT room, which was the RS room with everything moved out of the way

2.  We started the night in the  MUNCH and MINGLE room.  Someone shared a beautiful spiritual message based on these two articles (this one and this one).   The main idea being that we need to figuratively put our own masks on first, so that we can be our best selves for the people around us.  That means taking care of our spirits, our bodies, and our minds. 

3.  When the spiritual message was done, we split the room in two and sent half of the group off to the MEDITATION room and half to the MOVEMENT room.   Each class was about 15 minutes long. 

4.  The MEDITATION room was quiet, dimly lit and had blankets spread out on the floor.  A woman from the ward led us in mindful meditation.   It was very relaxing and perfect for the end of a long day. 

The MOVEMENT room was also dimly lit and everyone received glowstick bracelets upon entering (purchased from The Dollar Tree).  A woman who is an exercise instructor talked a little about how important it is to move our bodies, then led us in super fun, laid back dancing.   Being someone who is clumsy and has zero sense of rhythm, it was a fun way to dance without feeling like anyone was actually watching me! 

5.  After the first class ended, everyone switched places to give the other class a try.   When both classes were done, we all headed back to the MUNCH and MINGLE room to eat healthy snacks and to socialize. 

It seemed like everyone loved the laid-back opportunity to munch and mingle and it made me smile to see so many people just enjoying being together. 

In the end there were over 30 people who came and it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves.  The best compliment I got about it was from someone who has zero idea that I have anything to do with planning the activities and she told me that not only did she have fun, but that  it was a valuable reminder to her to "put her own mask on first".   

All in all, a great night!