The Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus Christ and can
teach, guide, warn, protect, and comfort me

 

STORY (from the August 1991 Friend) - Five-year-old Sean snuggled up to his grandma as they read in the Book of Mormon about Jesus blessing and ministering to the people. Sean looked at his grandma and said, “My heart whispers to me.”
 

“What does it say, Sean?” Grandma asked.
 

“It says, ‘Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father live.’ ”
 

“What are you going to do because of what you know?” questioned Grandma.
 

“I’m going to do what is right!”
 

Seven-year-old Emily trudged home from school. Her friends had been unkind to her, and she was feeling sad. But that night as her mother came to tuck her into bed, her face glowed with excitement. “I said something different in my prayers tonight, Mom. After I thanked Heavenly Father for my blessings, I told Him that I loved Him. And I felt a happy feeling that told me that He loves me too.”
 

In a town in Brazil, the missionaries were teaching Helvécio Martins, now a member of the Seventy, and his wife that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was His church on the earth. Elder Martins said, “A marvelous feeling that we never before had experienced filled our hearts, certifying the truthfulness of the message.”   Soon afterward, they were baptized. In Doctrine and Covenants 8:2 [D&C 8:2], it says, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” The peaceful, reverent, joyous feeling that Sean, Emily, and Elder and Sister Martins experienced was the Holy Ghost testifying to them.
 

The whisperings in Sean’s heart helped him want to keep the commandments. Emily’s witness helped her to know that she was loved and important. Elder and Sister Martins knew that they must be baptized into the true Church. When the Holy Ghost testifies to you that Jesus and Heavenly Father live and that the gospel is true, you, too, will have a peaceful, reverent, joyous feeling and a greater desire to follow Jesus and keep His commandments.

Sing - "Listen, Listen"

Activity - Read each of the stories below about the Holy Ghost testifying to people, then look up the scriptures and fill in the blanks to tell what happened next.
 

King Benjamin and His People
 

King Benjamin called his people together and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. When he finished, he saw that the people had fallen to the earth to ask the Lord for forgiveness. The Spirit of the Lord came upon them. What happened next? (See Mosiah 4:3.) “They were filled with ______________, having received a ______________ of their sins, and having ______________ ___________ ____________.”
 

Peter on the Day of Pentecost
 

After Peter and the other Apostles received the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, Peter testified of Jesus’ resurrection and of the gift of the Holy Ghost. The people felt great joy in their hearts and wondered what they should do about it. What happened next? (See Acts 2:41.) “Then they that ____________ received his _______________ were ____________.”

The Baptism of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist. Joseph baptized Oliver, and then Oliver baptized Joseph. No sooner had they been baptized than the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they stood up and prophesied. What happened next? (See JS—H 1:74.) “Our minds being now __________, we began to have the __________ laid open to our ___________.”
 

Elizabeth and Mary
 

When Mary found out that she was to be the mother of the Son of God, she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was also expecting a baby, who would be known as John the Baptist. At the sound of Mary’s voice, Elizabeth’s baby leaped inside her and she was filled with the Holy Ghost. What happened next? (See Luke 1:42–43.) “And she spake out with a loud __________, and said, _________ art thou among _________, and blessed is the _________ of thy womb.  “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my ____________ should come to me?”

Discuss - Discuss other ways the Holy Ghost helps us, such as guiding us to choose the right, comforting us when we are sad, revealing to us what Heavenly Father wants us to do.

Handout - The Holy Ghost Can Help Me.  Cut out the invitation on the solid line. Fold it in half along the horizontal broken line, then along the vertical broken line so that page 1 is on the front. Place the invitation where you can look at it each day. It will remind you how to invite the Holy Ghost to be with you. (Taken from the July 1997 Friend)

Summary - The Holy Ghost is a special friend to you. To invite the Holy Ghost to be with you, you can sincerely pray and ask Heavenly Father to send Him. You can prepare for Him by remembering Jesus Christ, choosing the right, keeping the commandments. The Holy Ghost can bring feelings of warmth, love, peace, joy, and wanting to do good.  When you feel the Holy Ghost with you, thank Heavenly Father for this blessing. The Holy Ghost is one of the greatest gifts Father in Heaven can give you.
 

Other optional ideas -
 
- Have children read and discuss Moroni 10:3–5 [Moro. 10:3–5]. Write on paper hearts the things the scriptures say that one must do to gain a testimony—i.e., ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ. Encourage the children to memorize the scripture and recite it to each other.

- (Taken from the September 2003 Friend)

Ask, “Why is the Holy Ghost called a Comforter?”  To remind us of the security and peace the Holy Ghost can bring us, have the children create a paper-quilt reminder for the Primary room. Give each child a square piece of paper marked into four squares and provide crayons. Suggest that they use a different color to decorate each square.
 

Have them write their names in the upper right square and then decorate it. In the lower right square, have them draw pictures of something they can do to choose the right (pay tithing, read scriptures, obey the Word of Wisdom, and so on). In the lower left square, have them write “CTR” or “Choose the Right” and decorate the square with shields or geometric shapes.

Before the children decorate the upper left square, have them read scriptures to review ways the influence of the Holy Ghost can be felt (D&C 11:13 / “enlighten your mind”; D&C 88:3 / “abide in your hearts”; 1 Ne. 17:45 / speak “in a still small voice”). Then, in that final square, have the children show how they will try to be more aware of the influence of the Holy Ghost by drawing a picture of their head, a heart, or an ear.
 

Now have the children wad their papers into balls (to give the paper a fabric texture), then unwad and smooth them out. Gather the papers and tape them together to form a Primary patchwork paper quilt. Post it in the Primary room. Bear testimony that the Holy Ghost can help everyone who is worthy. As children listen to and obey His promptings, they can continue to receive His guidance.
 

Home  |  SugarDoodle Shoppe |  My Favorite Websites  |  View all Subjects  |   Contact Me