COME, FOLLOW ME Activities to Make Learning Fun!
Old Testament LESSON 49
Here are Instant COME FOLLOW ME Activities for DECEMBER (week #1) Theme: “His Ways Are Everlasting” Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
You’ll find our popular SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS to get them reading.
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OLD TESTAMENT Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
DECEMBER (week 1)
Lesson 49: November 28-December 4, 2022
“His Ways Are Everlasting”
Discussion Topics (activities below) ⇓
PRIMARY – HOME
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• God will always fulfill His promises.
• I can help fill the earth with knowledge of Jesus Christ.
• “Seek ye the Lord.”
• “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble.”
• I can have joy in Jesus Christ, even when things aren’t going well.
• Those who follow Jesus Christ will find peace and joy.
INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES
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• The Lord is both powerful and merciful (Nahum 1).
• I can trust the Lord’s will and His timing (Habakkuk).
• “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth” (Zephaniah).
TEENS
See our new SUNDAY SCHOOL interactive activities for this month RIGHT HERE
Lesson 49 Scripture Scholars
Week’s Scripture Scholars BOOKMARKS & scripture POP-UP Includes:
• BOOKMARKS with Come, Follow Me scriptures to read and discuss topics for Primary and Individuals and Families. Also, for Sunday School (teens).
• POP-UP to glue in scripture binding next to scripture you underline.
EXTRA ITEMS (not included) … THERE’S MORE:
• STAMP. Award readers with a STAMP for the week’s scripture reading. See below to find matching STAMPS.
• STAMP KEEPER. These can be placed on the STAMP KEEPER (see below) where you can collect 50 stamps for the year.
Lessons 49-52 Scripture Scholars
December’s BUNDLE of BOOKMARKS, POP-UPs, and STAMPS. Glue STAMPS onto the STAMP KEEPER (to download separately, below).
DECEMBER STAMPS $1.50
Stamps for weeks 1-4 Scripture Scholars Lessons 49-52 – Included in the BUNDLE
STAMP KEEPER (1-52 stamps) $3.00
This is included in the January BUNDLE (or, download it below)
CREATE A NOTE: Record Your Impressions
Reading the Old Testament often means reading prophecies about destruction. The Lord frequently called prophets to warn the wicked that His judgments were upon them. The ministries of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah are good examples. In dreadful detail, these prophets foretold the downfall of cities that, at the time, seemed strong and powerful—Nineveh, Babylon, and even Jerusalem. But that was thousands of years ago. Why is it valuable to read these prophecies today?
Even though those prideful, wicked cities were destroyed, pride and wickedness persist. In today’s world, we can sometimes feel surrounded by the evils that were condemned by the ancient prophets. We may even detect traces of them in our own hearts. These Old Testament prophecies reveal how the Lord feels about pride and wickedness, and they teach that we can turn away from these evils. Perhaps that’s one reason we still read these ancient prophecies today. Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and the others weren’t just prophets of doom—they were prophets of deliverance. The descriptions of destruction are tempered by invitations to come unto Christ and receive His mercy: “Seek ye the Lord … ; seek righteousness, seek meekness” (Zephaniah 2:3). This was the Lord’s way anciently, and it is His way today. “His ways are everlasting” (Habakkuk 3:6).
For overviews of these books, see “Nahum,” “Habakkuk,” and “Zephaniah” in the Bible Dictionary.
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. . . TRUSTING IN THE LORD . . .
God will always fulfill His promises.
The prophet Habakkuk was troubled by the wickedness he saw among the people of Judah (see Habakkuk 1:2–4). The Lord reassured him that His promises would be fulfilled in His time (see Habakkuk 2:3).
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Share some examples of things that are good but only after we wait—like fruit that needs to ripen or dough that needs to bake. What would happen if we tried to eat the fruit or the dough before it was ready? Tell about the prophet Habakkuk, who wanted to know when the Lord would stop the wickedness he saw around him. Read to the children the Lord’s answer, found in Habakkuk 2:3. Emphasize that Habakkuk needed to wait for the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled, just as we sometimes need to do. Share a time when you had to wait for a blessing.
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Help the children think of things that God has promised—for example, that Jesus Christ will return to the earth or that we can live with God again. With each example, invite the children to repeat the phrase “Wait for it; because it will surely come.”
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. BLESSING, BLESSING, WHO’S GOT A BLESSING? GAME. Youth can guess temporal blessings given to us by Heavenly Father. These are blessings we can see, touch, hear taste, or smell, and are different from our spiritual blessings. Blessings come from keeping God’s commandments, e.g., Keeping the Sabbath day holy. READ MORE
. . . TELLING ABOUT JESUS . . .
I can help fill the earth with knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Habakkuk prophesied of the day when the whole world would know about Jesus Christ.
That prophecy is beginning to be fulfilled in our day. Consider how you can help the children be part of its fulfillment.
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Display an empty jar, and give each child a small object. Ask each child to share something that Jesus did or taught and then put their object in the jar. Read aloud Habakkuk 2:14, and explain that just as the children filled the jar with their knowledge of the Lord, we can also fill the world with knowledge of Him.
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Show the children a map of the world (see Church History Maps, no. 7, “Map of the World”). Help them find the place where they live and places where missionaries they know have served. Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father wants all people throughout the earth to know about Jesus Christ. How can we help teach other people about Jesus? Tell the children about things you have seen them do that teach you about Jesus Christ. Help them think of other things they can do.
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Sing together a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). What can we tell others about Jesus Christ? For some ideas, see the Articles of Faith.
DOWNLOAD I Want to Be a Missionary Now song visuals (HERE or below)
ACTIVITIES FOR:
I can fill the earth with knowledge of Jesus Christ.
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. DON’T BOTTLE-UP YOUR TESTIMONY Share it! spin-the-bottle. Youth can learn how to build a strong belief in the gospel and testify of truth. They can spin to find the topic and then share their beliefs on the topic. Also, great for: Discussion Starters; Scripture Chase; and Table Talk. READ MORE
POST-AND-PRESENT. STORIES OF JESUS Heart-to-Heart Match Game. As youth match hearts with hearts they can get to know the Savior and His purpose for coming to earth. The “2B” JESUS HEART tell how Jesus showed His love. Example: “Jesus showed His love by being baptized to show that everyone must be baptized.” This matches the “2A” SYMBOL HEART “John the Baptist asked Jesus, who had never sinned, why He wanted to be baptized.” READ MORE
AGES 1-5 I CAN “BEE” A FRIEND poster or coloring page. With this children can learn to be a friend, e.g. say please and thank you, to be kind at church and at home. Know that Jesus is their loving friend. The Home Activity prompts parents to help them: name their friends, help them be kind, share, and say please and thank you. READ MORE
AGES 4-7 I WILL “BEAR” MY TESTIMONY OF TRUTH slideshow doorknob hanger. Children can review testimony topics with this picture display, giving them the confidence to share their feelings about the gospel. This also reminds them of topics to learn and pray about to gain a testimony. READ MORE
AGES 8-11 I WILL BE VALIANT AND TESTIFY OF JESUS! balloon maze. Youth can unscramble the missing letters and place them in the word box to learn ways to share valiant testimonies: Faithful; Courageous; Trustworthy; Prayerful; Virtuous; Honest; Repentant; Obedient READ MORE
TEENS I CAN BE A MISSIONARY NOW! 10 ways stretch chart. This shows youth ways to stretch their talents as a missionary, e.g.: Learn the Articles of Faith; read scriptures and Church magazines; be a friend; share your testimony of Jesus; be a good example; invite friends to activities, and more. READ MORE
CHARACTER BE – A MOTIVATOR. BE A MISSIONARY – “Bee” like Christ trait. Youth can post the poster, and the doorknob hanger, or give a card or share these. THIS ONE READS: “There are lives to brighten. There are hearts to touch. There are souls to save.” – Thomas S. Monson READ MORE
SINGING FUN. “I WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY NOW” song visuals. Youth will want to let their friends and family know they have a testimony of their own. They can do this now, not wait until they are mission-age. As their testimony makes them happy they can share it, e.g., “the gospel was restored,” “the Book of Mormon came to be” and more. Write the words on the cue cards to place on the back of the visuals. READ MORE
. . . WAYS TO “SEEK THE
LORD” . . .
“Seek ye the Lord.”
Zephaniah taught that we should seek the Lord during times of great wickedness, such as in these latter days.
Ponder how you will encourage the children to seek Him.
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Display a picture of Jesus, and read to the children Zephaniah 2:3. Invite them to cup their hands around their eyes like glasses and look at the picture every time you read the word “seek.” Explain that the prophet Zephaniah wanted the people to seek the Lord. How do we seek the Lord? Where can we find Him?
• DOWNLOAD Scripture Specs activity (HERE or below) -
Use this week’s activity page, or think of another game that encourages the children to seek the Lord. Play or sing together a song related to this topic, such as “Seek the Lord Early” (Children’s Songbook, 108). Discuss what the song teaches about how we can find Jesus Christ in our lives.
DOWNLOAD “Seek the Lord Early” song visuals (HERE or below)
ACTIVITIES FOR:
“Seek ye the Lord”
ALL AGES POST-AND-PRESENT. STEPS TO PRAYER puzzle brainstorm. Youth can become close to God the Father and God the Son Jesus Christ as they follow these steps by saying, “Our Heavenly Father.” Then, thank Him for their blessings and ask Him for blessings. Then, close the prayer by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” As they say “Thee,” “Thou,” “Thy,” and “Thine.” READ MORE
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. FEAST UPON THE WORDS OF CHRIST feast and 30-day reading bookmark. 2 Nephi 32:3 “Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” As youth put the puzzle together they will want to learn/eat more to FEAST upon the scriptures. DOWNLOAD the matching FEAST scripture poster/card set (HERE or below). READ MORE
AGES 1-5 SCRIPTURE SPECS Help Me See My Way to Heaven scripture reading glasses. Children can peer with one eye through the Bible window and the Book of Mormon with the other eye to read the scriptures. Tell them that Jesus was born in one world where the Bible was written, then after He died He visited another part of the world where the Book of Mormon was written. These scriptures help us see our way back to heaven. READ MORE
AGES 4-7 THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS ARE A GREAT TREASURE! bookmark. Children can go on a treasure hunt to find this bookmark that includes some yarn to weave through the punched holes. Bookmarks can be placed in their scriptures to remind them that every time they read the scriptures they are on a treasure hunt to find words of wisdom from Jesus or the prophets. READ MORE
AGES 8-11 B.E.A.R.S. Be Enthusiastic about Reading Scriptures chase game. Youth can with this BEAR spinner board get excited about reading as they move the arrow from each of the STANDARD WORKS: OLD & NEW TESTAMENT, BOOK OF MORMON, and DOCTRINE & COVENANTS. When the spinner points to the book, the leader names a subject, e.g., faith, or charity; then players rush to find a scripture for that book on that subject. First to start reading earns a point for their team. READ MORE
TEENS YOUTH LESSON ACTIVITY. “MY SOUL DELIGHTETH” (2 Nephi 4:15) Search and Ponder bookmark. Youth can use this to underline 2 Nephi 4:15 “For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them.” Then follow the steps suggested on the bookmark to make scripture reading meaningful. READ MORE
SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION. FEAST UPON THE WORDS OF CHRIST scripture poster/card set. Study 2 Nephi 32:3: “Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” This is a match/handout for the same titled Post-and-Present Activity (HERE) READ MORE
SINGING TIME. “SEEK THE LORD EARLY” song visuals. As youth sing, using the song visuals they will know they can find Jesus Christ in the scriptures and they can pray to Heavenly Father about them. The song encourages them to obey God’s living prophets and “keep his commandments; his love will abound.” “Seek the Lord early, and he will be found.” READ MORE
. . . JOY IN FOLLOWING JESUS . . .
Those who follow Jesus Christ will find peace and joy.
Zephaniah 3:14–20 describes the joyful day when Jesus Christ, “the king of Israel,” will reign among His people and “joy over [us] with singing” (verses 15, 17).
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Read together Zephaniah 3:14. Then invite each child to choose one of the verses in Zephaniah 3:15–20 and study it, looking for something that can help us “be glad and rejoice.” Ask them to share what they find.
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Help the children find hymns or children’s songs that help them “be glad and rejoice with all the heart” (Zephaniah 3:14). Sing a few songs together, and encourage the children to talk about the joy they find in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
ACTIVITIES FOR:
Those who follow Jesus Christ will find peace and joy.
joyful day when Jesus Christ, “the king of Israel,” will reign among His people
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. After the Second Coming “LAMB AND THE LION” Millennium Match Game. Youth can look forward to 1,000 years of peace when Jesus comes again. He will return to the temple and bring in the millennium a time when Satan will have no power. This Game will help them learn what will happen in those years when Christ will reign upon the earth. READ MORE
the joy they find in the gospel of Jesus Christ
POST-AND-PRESENT ACTIVITY. COLOR MY LIFE WITH THE GOSPEL Happy Crayons Game. Youth can know that the gospel principles lived will bring happiness. This way we can show our “true” colors as we live the commandments, e.g., tithing repentance, prayer, gratitude, and Sabbath (each matching the Ten Commandments). READ MORE
AGES 1-5. JESUS LOVES ME – Count the Ways spotlight book. This Mini-book Reads: JESUS LOVE ME – Jesus came to earth to show the way. – Jesus showed me how to be baptized. – Jesus taught me how to pray. – Jesus showed me how to care for others. – Jesus showed me how to love. – Jesus died for me. – Jesus was resurrected so I can live again. READ MORE
AGES 4-7 I AM PREPARING FOR THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS medallion. Children can proudly announce “I’m preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus” (on one side). On the flip side, they read, “I Will Keep Heaven in Sight as I Choose the Right.” READ MORE
AGES 8-11. PREPARE FOR THE SECOND COMING strong heart mobile. Youth can glue these mobile pieces back to back to turn and tell “My heart will not fail me. I will be prepared for Jesus’ coming!” Ways: Repent, Be baptized, Stand in holy places, Receive truth, Follow the Spirit, and Do not be deceived. READ MORE
YOUTH GOAL ACTIVITY. SECOND COMING What I can do to prepare? tent-card. Youth can memorize D&C 87:8 “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.” The quote on the flip side tells them they are of “a royal generation” with things to do. There they can write how they will prepare. READ MORE
SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION. “HAPPINESS IN FAMILY” Proclamation. Youth can learn this rebus scripture message: The Family: A Proclamation to the World Paragraph 7: “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.” READ MORE
SINGING ACTIVITY. “CHOOSE THE RIGHT WAY” song visuals. Learning this song will help youth know “There’s a right way to live and be happy; It is choosing the right ev’ry day.” As they learn the teachings of Jesus they will help them and show them the way. Through prayer, faith, repentance, and obedience they can “truly be happy each day.” Write the words on the cue cards to place on the back. READ MORE
SUMMARY OF SUBJECTS FOR:
OLD TESTAMENT
Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
DECEMBER (week 1)
Lesson 49: November 28 – December 4, 2022
“His Ways Are Everlasting”
#ComeFollowMe #OldTestament #Primary #FamilyHomeEvening #SundaySchool #ChurchofJesusChrist #GospelGrabBag #LessonActivities #SongVisuals #HisWaysAreEverlasting #Nahum #Habakkuk #Zephaniah #GodsPromises #MissionaryWork #SeekYeTheLord #TheLordIsGood #DayofTrouble #StrongHold #JoyInJesus #Adversity #FollowJesus #Peace #Joy
