March

Jesus Christ Is Our Savior

“Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world” (D&C 43:34).

Supplement the ideas provided here with some of your own. Each week, plan ways to (1) identify the doctrine, (2) help the children understand it, and (3) help them apply it in their lives. Ask yourself, “What will the children do to learn, and how can I help them feel the Spirit?”

Song: “If the Savior Stood Beside Me”

(page 28 in this outline)

Week 1: Jesus Christ taught the gospel and set an example for us.

Identify the doctrine (singing a song): Sing together “Do As I’m Doing” (CS, 276) several times, inviting different children to choose the action to perform. Explain that when we follow the actions of someone else, we are following his or her example. Ask who set the perfect example for us to follow (Jesus Christ). Invite the children to say together, “Jesus Christ set an example for us.”

Encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Place pictures of the following events on the board: Christ being baptized, Christ with children, Christ praying, and Christ teaching. Read one of the following scriptures together, and ask the children to explain what Christ is teaching in that scripture: Mark 16:15; John 13:34–35; 3 Nephi 11:37; 3 Nephi 18:19. Slowly point to each picture and invite the children to stand when you point to the one that best shows Christ doing what He taught us to do in the scripture you read. Repeat with the remaining scriptures.

teacher pointing to pictures

Children are more likely to be reverent when they are involved in learning. In this activity, having the children stand and sit reverently will help keep their attention.

Encourage application (drawing a picture): Give each child a piece of paper, and invite them to draw a picture of themselves following Christ’s example. For example, a child could draw himself being baptized, teaching the gospel to a friend, or helping someone. Invite a few children to share their pictures with the other children, and encourage them to share their drawings with their families.

Encourage good behavior: Praising children’s good behavior will promote good behavior better than asking children to stop bad behavior.

Week 2: Because of Christ’s Atonement, I can repent and live with God again.

Identify the doctrine (filling in the blanks): Before Primary, write on the board, “Because of Christ’s _______, I can ______ and live with _____ again.” Write the words Atonement, repent, and God on separate wordstrips and tape them under three of the chairs in the room. Invite the children to find the wordstrips and place them on the board in their proper place. Read the sentence together.

Encourage understanding (reading scriptures and answering questions): Place pictures of Christ in Gethsemane and the Crucifixion on the board. Cover the pictures with several smaller pieces of paper. On each piece of paper write a question about the event in the pictures and a scripture reference from Matthew 26–27 or Luke 22–23 where the answer can be found. (For example: What is the name of the place where Jesus went to pray? Matthew 26:36.) Divide the children into groups, and ask each group to look up one of the scriptures and find the answer to the question. Have the groups share the answers to their questions and remove the corresponding pieces of paper to reveal the pictures.

children reading scriptures

To adapt scripture reading activities for younger children, ask them to listen as you read and then stand when they hear a specific word or phrase.

Encourage application (seeing an object lesson): Discuss with the children the meaning of the words Atonement and repentance, and explain how the Atonement can bless us (see True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 14–20, 132–35). Show the children a gift. Ask a child to try to give the gift to another child, and ask the second child to refuse to receive it. Explain that when we do not receive a gift that is given to us, we cannot enjoy the blessings of the gift. Have the children listen for what they must do to receive the gift of the Atonement as you read together Doctrine and Covenants 19:16.

Week 3: Because Jesus was resurrected, I will be too.

Identify the doctrine (hearing a story): Use the illustration from page 123 in the nursery manual (see instructions on page 121) to tell the story of the Resurrection (see John 19:41–42; 20:1, 11–18). Explain that when Jesus Christ was resurrected, His body and spirit were reunited; this made it possible for everyone to be resurrected. Have the children say, “Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, I will be too.”

Encourage understanding (discussing feelings): On the board list words that describe how the disciples might have felt the day Jesus died (such as grief, sorrow, sadness, and despair). Have the children suggest opposites of those words (such as happiness, joy, hope, and faith), and write them on the board. Explain that these feelings are what the disciples felt when Jesus was resurrected. Discuss some of the blessings that come from knowing we will be resurrected (see Isaiah 25:8; Alma 22:14).

Encourage application (sharing feelings): Write on the board, “I am thankful Jesus was resurrected because …” Invite a ward member who has had a loved one die to come to Primary and briefly share why he or she is thankful for the Resurrection. Ask the children if they know anyone who has died, and invite them to close their eyes and think of that person. Invite some of the children to stand and complete the sentence on the board and share what the Resurrection means to them.

teacher holding a stethoscope

Visuals: Children respond well to visuals. A variety of visual aids will keep the children interested.

Week 4: Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Identify the doctrine (discussing the word “Savior”): Show some objects or pictures representing people who might save our lives (such as a doctor, a policeman, or a lifeguard), and discuss how they might save us. Show a picture of Jesus, and explain that He is the only one who has the power to save us from the eternal consequences of death and sin. Write on the board, “Jesus Christ is our Savior,” and read it with the children, emphasizing the word “Savior.”

Encourage understanding and application (hearing scripture stories): Tell the children some scripture stories about people who were saved from sin by the Savior (for example, Alma the Younger [see Alma 36:6–24], Enos [see Enos 1:1–8], Zeezrom [see Alma 15:3-12], Lamoni’s father [see Alma 22:1–26], or the man brought to Jesus [see Luke 5:17–26]). Explain that through Jesus Christ’s Atonement, all of us can be saved from sin. Testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and invite a few children to bear their testimonies of Him.