São Paulo Brazil Temple

May 2–8

Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19

“Holiness to the Lord”

As you prayerfully study the scriptures this week, think about the children you teach. The Holy Ghost can help you know what truths they need to learn and how you can teach those truths to them.

Record Your Impressions

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Invite Sharing

Place each child’s name in a container. Ask a child to pick one of the names, and invite the child whose name was drawn to share something he or she has recently learned from the Old Testament. Talk with the children about how the things they are learning help them come closer to Jesus Christ. Continue until everyone has had the opportunity to share.

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Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Exodus 36:1

I can help with the Lord’s work.

Young children have gifts that they can use to contribute to the Lord’s work on earth. How can you help the children feel a desire to share what the Lord has given to them?

Possible Activities

• Read Exodus 36:1 to the children, and ask them to listen for what the Lord gave to Bezaleel and Aholiab to help them build the “sanctuary” (tabernacle). Tell each child about a gift he or she has (it might help to ask their parents). Testify that God has “put” gifts into each of His children.

• Tell the children why you want to help with the Lord’s work. Help them think of ways they can participate too (such as learning about an ancestor, telling someone about Jesus, or serving a family member). Write their ideas on slips of paper, put them in a container, and invite each child to choose one and act out the action on the slip of paper.

Exodus 40:17–34

I can feel God’s presence in holy places.

The Lord commanded the children of Israel to build the tabernacle so He could “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). You can help the children learn about the holy places God has given us today to help us feel His presence.

Possible Activities

• Display a picture of the ancient tabernacle (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Ask the children to find different parts of the tabernacle in the picture, such as the candlestick or the altars, and explain that these things were meant to help the Israelites think about the Lord (for more information about the tabernacle, see Exodus 40:17–34). What holy places do we have today that help us think about the Lord?

• Show a picture of a temple, and read Exodus 25:8 to the children. Explain that in our day, God has given us holy places where we can be close to Him. Help the children list some of these places. Ask the children how they feel when they think about these holy places. Share with them that we can also feel close to God when we pray, no matter where we are.

• Complete the activity page with the children. As you do, sing a song with them about the temple, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95).

  Rome Italy Temple

  Like the ancient tabernacle, the temple points us to the Savior.

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Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Exodus 35:20–29; 36:1

God has given me gifts to help with His work.

Every one of Heavenly Father’s children has something to contribute to His work. The children you teach may need your help to recognize how they can use their gifts to help in God’s work.

Possible Activities

• Display a picture of the tabernacle (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Ask the children what materials might have been needed in order to build the tabernacle. Read with the children Exodus 35:20–29, and ask them to look for how the needed materials were provided. Testify that each of the children has something to contribute to the work of the Lord.

• Ask the children to read Exodus 36:1 to find out what the Lord gave to those who were called to help build the tabernacle. Invite the children to share what they feel the Lord has given them to help build His kingdom (offer suggestions if needed). How can we use these things to bless others?

Exodus 40:17–33

I can become more like Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

The tabernacle not only allowed the children of Israel to have the presence of God with them, but it also taught them things they could do to become more like God.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to use Exodus 40:17–33 to identify things that were part of the tabernacle and find some of them in a picture of the ancient tabernacle (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Invite the children to draw their own pictures of the tabernacle. Talk about how each part of the tabernacle could teach about the Savior or Heavenly Father. For example, the ark of testimony could remind us of God’s commandments, the altar could remind us of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, the candlestick could remind us that the Savior is the Light of the World, and so on.

• Ask the children to read Exodus 25:8 to find out why the Lord wanted the children of Israel to build a “sanctuary” (or tabernacle). Help the children list places and situations where we can feel the presence of the Lord. How do these places help us become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

Leviticus 1:1–4

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven.

The animal sacrifices performed in the Old Testament were meant to teach the children of Israel about the forgiveness made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Possible Activities

• Show pictures of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane and on the cross (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 56, 57). Explain that the Lord commanded the children of Israel to make sacrifices to teach them that they could be forgiven of their sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Read with the children Leviticus 1:1–4, and invite them to look for words or phrases that remind them of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

• Show a picture of Jesus Christ visiting the people in the Americas (such as Gospel Art Book, no. 82). Explain that after Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected, He taught the people in America why they no longer needed to sacrifice animals. Read together 3 Nephi 9:19–20, and ask the children what we are commanded to sacrifice instead. What does it mean to offer a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit? Suggest that they search “Broken Heart” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) for help answering this question. Invite them to ponder how they can offer a broken heart and contrite spirit to the Lord.

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Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to ask Heavenly Father this week how He would like them to contribute to His work in their family.

Improving Our Teaching

Point the children to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Your main objective should be to help the children you teach strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. What can you do to help them understand how living the truths of the gospel will help them become more like the Father and the Son?

activity page: I can feel God’s presence in holy places