The shepherds, the Wise Men, Simeon, and Anna were early witnesses of the Savior. As you learn about their experiences, you can develop a desire to seek and grow and rejoice in your own testimony of Jesus Christ.
Student preparation: Invite students to ponder these questions: How strongly do you feel you could testify of Jesus Christ? How can you strengthen your testimony of the Savior?
Possible Learning Activities
The Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus Christ
Consider starting class by singing the hymn “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (Hymns, no. 136). It may also be helpful to share a personal testimony of the Savior.
Think about the following questions:
What is a testimony?
If students struggle explaining what a testimony is, consider using the explanation from Gospel Topics in the “Commentary and Background Information” section.
What can you do to gain and strengthen a testimony?
Recognizing that sometimes others can help you grow a testimony, why can’t your parents, siblings, or friends give you a testimony?
A testimony comes when the Holy Ghost confirms truth to an earnest seeker. Do not be discouraged if gaining your own testimony takes time. As you continue to sincerely seek a testimony, the Lord will answer you in His own time and way.
Ponder the following questions, and consider writing your thoughts in your study journal:
Remind students that they were asked the following questions in preparation for this lesson. Give them a moment to think about their answers. Consider discussing the second question.
Why do you think this is the most important truth the Spirit will ever witness to you?
How can you strengthen your testimony of the Savior?
In this lesson, you will learn about witnesses of the Savior’s birth. As you study their accounts, look for how these witnesses came to know the Savior and what they did with the testimonies they received. Keep in mind this truth as you study: My own testimony of Jesus Christ comes through the witness of the Holy Ghost.
Consider writing this truth on the board and inviting students to record it in their study journals.
Simeon and Anna
Eight days after Jesus’s birth, Mary and Joseph presented the baby Jesus at the temple in accordance with Jewish law (see Exodus 13:2). Simeon and Anna, who were at the temple, recognized the infant Jesus as their Savior.
Read Luke 2:25–33, 36–38, looking for evidence of the Holy Ghost helping Simeon and Anna receive a witness of Jesus Christ. The phrase “waiting for the consolation of Israel” in verse 25 refers to waiting for the Messiah to come.
How did the Holy Ghost help Simeon gain a testimony of Christ?
What had Anna done that helped her receive a witness of the Lord?
What can you learn from Simeon and Anna that can help you seek, grow, and rejoice in your own witness of Jesus Christ?
Consider dividing students into small groups and assigning each group one of the following activities.
In addition to Simeon and Anna, it seems that the shepherds and the Wise Men also gained a testimony of Jesus Christ. We can learn from their examples how receiving a testimony of the Savior can influence us. If you want to learn more about sharing your testimony, study the shepherds in Activity A. If you want to improve your worship and consider gifts you could give to the Lord, study the Wise Men in Activity B.
Activity A: The Shepherds (Luke 2:15–20)—Sharing your testimony
On the night of the Savior’s birth in Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks in fields around the town. An angel appeared to them and announced the birth of Jesus Christ, bringing “good tidings of great joy” for “all people” (Luke 2:10).
Read Luke 2:15–20, looking for how the shepherds responded to the angel’s message. You may also watch the video “Shepherds Learn of the Birth of Christ” (2:50), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Why do you think the shepherds shared their testimony of the Lord with others?
What can you learn from this account about what happens when you receive your own testimony of Jesus Christ?
When have you desired to share your testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel with others? Share an experience you’ve had with sharing your testimony.
Activity B: The Wise Men (Matthew 2:1–12)—Improving your worship
The Wise Men looked for the Savior from the time of His birth until He was a young child (see Matthew 2:1–2).
Read Matthew 2:9–11, looking for what the Wise Men did when they found the Savior. You may also watch the video “The Wise Men Seek Jesus” from time code 2:58 to 4:37. This video is available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
What can you learn from the example of the Wise Men?
How does your testimony of Jesus Christ influence your desire to worship Him?
The Wise Men offered gifts to worship the young Jesus. What are some ways you can worship the Savior?
Your own testimony
Reflect on impressions and feelings you’ve received from the Holy Ghost during this lesson. As you continue to study the Savior’s life as recorded in the New Testament, pay attention to how the Holy Ghost bears witness of Jesus Christ to you.
There are many ways students can share their testimony of Jesus Christ. Students should not feel forced to share but should feel invited. The following are some ways students could share.
Share your witness of the Savior Jesus Christ or what you know about Him. You can share your testimony of the Lord in many ways. For example, you could post your testimony and a picture of the Savior on social media, share your testimony in a testimony meeting, or write your testimony in a copy of the Book of Mormon and give it to a friend or family member.
Commentary and Background Information
What is a testimony?
A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today. With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel.
How does a testimony of Jesus Christ influence us?
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency explained how the Holy Ghost testifies of Christ:
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President Henry B. Eyring
It is the Holy Ghost who testifies that Jesus Christ is the Beloved Son of a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to have eternal life with Him in families. With even the beginning of that testimony, we feel a desire to serve Him and to keep His commandments. When we persist in doing that, we receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost to give us power in our service. We come to see the hand of God more clearly, so clearly that in time we not only remember Him, but we come to love Him and, through the power of the Atonement, become more like Him.
The greatest gift you could give to the Lord is to keep yourself unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy house. His gift to you will be the peace and security of knowing that you are worthy to meet Him, whenever that time comes.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
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Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
We, like the Wise Men of old, should seek the Christ and lay before Him the most precious of gifts: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We should offer Him our love. We should give Him our willingness to take upon ourselves His name and walk in the path of discipleship. We should promise to remember Him always, to emulate His example, and to go about doing good (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79; Acts 10:38).We cannot offer Him the gift of perfection in all things because this is a gift beyond our capacity to give—at least for now. But He does require that we bring as gifts our best efforts to walk in the ways He has prepared and taught.
Why did Mary offer turtledoves or pigeons at the temple?
The law of Moses declared women to be ceremonially unclean after giving birth. To become clean, a new mother had to present a lamb at the temple for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering (see Leviticus 12:5–6). “And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles [turtledoves], or two young pigeons” (Leviticus 12:8). That Mary presented turtledoves or pigeons instead of a lamb is evidence Jesus Christ was born to a mother of little material means.
Supplemental Learning Activity
Like the Wise Men, we can offer gifts to the Savior
After discussing the Wise Men, invite students to think about gifts they could offer to the Savior. Consider sharing the statements by President Nelson and Elder Uchtdorf included in the “Commentary and Background Information” section of this lesson.