Song: I Am a Child of God

Teach the second, third, and fourth verses of the song I Am a Child of God, using the front of each page, which depicts literal representations of the lyrics.  Then turn the pictures over, one at a time, teaching the real meaning of the lyrics you've learned.  

Ask the children whether you've turned all of the pictures over.  Explain that three of the pictures don't have anything on the back, because they mean exactly what the words say.  Tell the children how we are literally children of our Heavenly Father.  We are made up of both a body and a spirit.  Our body has parents, our mother and father, but the parents of our spirit are literally our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.   

Front of page 1:  I Am a Child of God

Front of Page 2:  "And so my needs are great"  

(the things your need are great- as in awesome, super, good)

Back of page 2:  "And so my needs are great"

(as a child of God, there are MANY things which you need and a loving Heavenly Father has provided them for you)

Front of page 3:  "Help me to understand His words"

(sometimes the words in the scriptures are difficult to understand)

Back of page 3:  "Help me to understand His words"

(Heavenly Father wants us to understand the meaning of the stories in the scriptures so that we can apply those lessons in our own lives)

Front of page 4:  "Before it grows too late"

(Before it's too late in the day)

Back of page 4:  "Before it grows too late"

(This picture shows an older couple who are unhappy because they haven't spent their lives serving Christ.  Explain to the children that even though our grandparents and other people their age can still repent, the picture is meant to represent the fact that, at some point, we have to make a choice about who we will serve.  And if we have wasted our lives, we may not have a chance to learn and do the things we should have.)

Front of page 5:  "I am a child of God"

Front of page 6:  "Rich blessings are in store"

Back of page 6:  "Rich blessings are in store"

(Explain that "rich" can also mean something of high quality, pure, impressive.  When we talk about rich blessings, we mean that Heavenly Father has wonderful blessings ready for us, including the ability to live with our families for eternity.)

Front of page 7:  "If I but learn to do His will"

Back of page 7:  "If I but learn to do His will"

(Heavenly Father's "will"is that we follow his commandments so that we can live with Him again)

Front of page 8:  "I'll live with Him once more"

(Jesus has his moving boxes, and he's moving in to my house)

Back of page 8:  "I'll live with him once more"

(We will be able to return to heaven to live with Him there for eternity.)

Front of Page 9:  "I am a child of God"

Front of Page 10:  "His promises are sure"

 Back of page 10:  "His promises are sure."
(Many of the promises we receive from Heavenly Father are covenants, like the covenants we make at baptism, or blessings that we are promised when we keep His commandments.)

Front of page 11:  "Celestial glory shall be mine."
(This picture represents the glory of the world)

Back of page 11:  "Celestial glory shall be mine"

(There are three kingdoms, or degrees of glory in Heavenly Father's plan.  The first is represented by the star.  The second is represented by the moon.  And the third, most glorious, or the Celestial Kingdom is where we can live with Heavenly Father again.)

Front of Page 12:  "If I can but endure"
(Enduring means that you keep going to the end.  You can't win a race if you don't finish it, so you MUST keep going)

Back of page 12 : "If I can but endure"
(Heavenly Father has asked us to 'endure to the end,' meaning that we must continue to follow the commandments until the end of our lives and beyond.  This is the same couple from verse 2.  Now they look happy.  This shows how they may feel if, instead of making bad decisions, they decide to follow Heavenly Father until the end!)