To encourage the children to worship Heavenly Father diligently.

1. Prayerfully study:

   • 1 Kings 18:17–18—Elijah tells Ahab that his wickedness has brought trouble to Israel.

   • 1 Kings 18:19–29—Elijah challenges the false prophets to have Baal send fire down from heaven. The false prophets fail.

   • 1 Kings 18:30–38—Elijah prays and the Lord sends fire to consume the sacrifice and the altar.

   • 1 Kings 18:39—All the people recognize the true God.

   • 1 Kings 19:11–13—The Lord speaks to Elijah through the still, small voice.

2. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.

3. Materials needed:

   1. A Bible for each child.

   2. A rock or some other inanimate object.

   3. Pictures 6-40, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470), and 6-41, Elijah and the Prophets of Baal.

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. After teaching the account of Elijah and the priests of Baal, you may want to have one or two of the children role-play or pantomime the story.

2. Divide the class into groups with two or three children in each group. Give each group a piece of paper and a pencil, and have them take two or three minutes to write down as many things as they can to answer the following question: “What are some things we do to worship Heavenly Father?” Let a child from each group read their answers. The lists might include the following ideas:

   • Pray daily and express our gratitude to Heavenly Father

   • Attend Primary and sacrament meetings

   • Be reverent and listen in our meetings

   • Sing hymns of praise

   • Participate in family home evenings, prayer, and scripture study

   • Treat others with love

   • Make right choices

   • Read the scriptures by ourselves

   Discuss the importance of worshiping Heavenly Father every day and making him an important part of our lives. You may want to have the children write down some of these ideas on a piece of paper to take home and share with their families.

3. Have the class repeat the first article of faith. Review with the children the role of each member of the Godhead, reminding them that they are three separate personages but that they work together as one to help us. Include the following in your discussion:

   Heavenly Father is the Father of our spirits. Before we were born on earth, Heavenly Father presented to us the plan of salvation so we could live on earth and become like him. He directed the creation of the earth. We pray to Heavenly Father.

   Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of Heavenly Father. He created the earth under the direction of Heavenly Father. He directs the work of Heavenly Father on the earth through living prophets. Jesus is the head of our Church. In the Old Testament, Jesus is known as Jehovah or the Lord. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected and have the opportunity to repent and return to Heavenly Father. We pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

   The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. He does not have a physical body. When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to have his constant help and comfort in our lives. If we are worthy, Heavenly Father answers our prayers and speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks in a still, small voice to our hearts and minds.

   USE THE ACTIVITY ABOVE (shown right) to illustrate the following.

4. To review the roles and titles of the three members of the Godhead, prepare the following wordstrips. Make three columns on the chalkboard with the title of a member of the Godhead at the top of each one. Have each child choose a wordstrip and place it under the appropriate heading. Continue until all the wordstrips have been placed and discussed.

   Heavenly Father

   Father of our spirits

   Presented the plan of salvation

   Directed the creation of the earth

   God to whom we pray

   Jesus Christ

   Savior

   Jehovah

   Created the earth

   Atoned for our sins

   Head of the Church

   Perfect example

   Holy Ghost

   Still, small voice

   Comforter

   Testifier

   Spirit of truth

5. Write on pieces of paper worldly things we sometimes worship, such as money; power; popularity; celebrities; recreation; sports; physical appearance; clothing; and so on. Display the object used in the attention activity. Have the children take turns choosing one of the papers and attaching it to the object. Have the children discuss how some people place too much value on such things and ask the children what we can do to avoid worshiping worldly things or making them too important in our lives. Help the children realize the importance of putting Heavenly Father and what he wants us to do first in our lives.

   Have the children memorize part of 1 Kings 18:21: “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him.” Stress the importance of deciding now to always worship Heavenly Father and to not allow other things to pull us away from him.

6. Tell the children that the first three of the Ten Commandments given by the Lord to Moses tell us how we should worship the only true God (see Exodus 20:3–7). Read the following commandments with the children. Ask them how following each commandment can help them worship Heavenly Father.

   “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

   “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).

   “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

   Explain that during his life on earth Jesus Christ summarized the Ten Commandments into two great commandments, to love God and to love others. Read and discuss the first great commandment:

   “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37–38).

   Ask the children what all these commandments tell us about the importance of worshiping Heavenly Father.

7. Sing or read the words to “I Know My Father Lives” (Children’s Songbook, p. 5), “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2; or Hymns, no. 301), or “I Lived in Heaven” (Children’s Songbook, p. 4).