Week 2 December: Learning from Malachi About God’s Love, Tithing, and Family

 

Week 2 December: Learning from Malachi About God’s Love, Tithing, and Family

Malachi 1:2

The Lord loves me.
Ask your children: How would you answer Malachi 1:2—“Wherein hast [the Lord] loved us?” Share reasons you know Heavenly Father loves you. Children could draw pictures that remind them of His love.

Activity Ideas:

  • Pass around a ball; when a child holds the ball, they share one reason they know Jesus loves them.

  • Look out a window and name blessings or ways the Lord shows His love in your home or neighborhood.

Visual:

  • Parents and a young boy looking out a window

Discussion:

  • Talk about ways God shows His love in daily life.

  • Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2) and discuss how it teaches God’s love.

Malachi 3:8–12

The Lord will bless me as I pay tithing.
To help children understand tithing, ask them to count 10 small objects (like coins). Then separate one object—this represents what we give to the Lord as tithing. Discuss why the Lord wants us to pay tithing (Malachi 3:8–12).

Video/Reading:

  • 0:58 – Malachi the Prophet

  • 1:18 – First Things First!

Hands-On Activity:

  • Read Malachi 3:10 and have children stand by a window when you say “windows of heaven.”

  • Pour water into a cup until it overflows to illustrate “there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

  • Children could draw pictures of blessings from paying tithing and display them near a window.

Discussion:

  • Share personal experiences of blessings from paying tithing.

  • Discuss how tithing helps the Church and blesses families.

Malachi 4:5–6

Elijah came to turn our hearts to our families.
Ask your children questions to explore Malachi’s prophecy:

  • Who did the Lord promise to send?

  • When did this person come?

  • What would this person do?

  • Why was it necessary for them to come?

  • Where was this prophecy fulfilled? (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16)

Video/Reading:

  • “Joseph and Oliver Receive Priesthood Keys” in Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 26–30

Activity Ideas:

  • Sing “The Hearts of the Children” (Children’s Songbook, 92) and discuss why turning hearts to ancestors is important.

  • Use FamilySearch.org/discovery, the FamilySearch Tree app, or the My Family booklet to explore family history activities.

Visual:

  • A woman waving a white handkerchief (Mourning’s Hosanna, by Rose Datoc Dall)

Discussion:

  • Talk about how Elijah’s visit blesses families today.

  • Share examples of ways you can turn your hearts to your ancestors.

Family Thought & Reflection:

  • How do we see the Lord’s love in our lives?

  • Why is paying tithing important, and what blessings come from it?

  • How can we turn our hearts to our families, both living and deceased?

Preschool Add-On:

  • Letter of the Week: L for Love / Lord

  • Number: 10 (small objects, tithing example)

  • Shape: Heart

  • Color: White (purity, blessing)

  • Sight Words: I, can, Lord, love

Tracing Sentences:

  • The Lord loves me.

  • I can pay tithing and be blessed.

Craft Idea:

  • Make a “Blessing Window”: children draw blessings they see in their lives and hang them near a window to remind them of God’s promises.

Early Elementary Add-On:

  • Reading & Writing Extension: Write a paragraph: “Ways I Can Show Love to God and My Family.”

  • Math Extension: Count tithing objects or blessings; create a chart of how blessings increase as we obey God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome!

  Welcome to Tiny Testimonies, Big Adventures! Hi friends! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Janille — a homeschooling mom, former Title 1 paraprofessional, and a firm believer that even the tiniest hearts can feel the Spirit and build a testimony of Jesus Christ. When my oldest children were little, I wanted and still want my little ones to have our  Come, Follow Me  lessons to be more than coloring pages and scripture storybooks. I want them to  move, build, sing, explore, count, and create  while learning the gospel. I want our mornings to feel like an adventure with Heavenly Father guiding every discovery. That’s how  Tiny Testimonies, Big Adventures  began. Each week, I’ll share  simple, original, play-based gospel activities  inspired by the  Come, Follow Me  lessons for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These activities help preschoolers: Strengthen their  faith and testimony Build early  reading and math ...
Read more

Week 3 December: Learning About Jesus Through the Old Testament and Christmas Traditions

  Week 3 December: Learning About Jesus Through the Old Testament and Christmas Traditions The Old Testament teaches me about Jesus. You and your children can use Christmas decorations to start a conversation about Jesus Christ. Talk about how a Christmas star, lights, or a gift can remind us of the Savior. Then explore scriptures that symbolize Him: Genesis 22:8 – Jesus as a lamb Numbers 24:17 – Jesus as a star Psalms 23:1 – Jesus as a shepherd Psalms 27:1 – Jesus as light Activity Ideas: Children hold up a picture or decoration that matches each scripture as you read it together. Discuss: How is Jesus like a lamb, star, shepherd, or light? Sing a Christmas song together, such as “Stars Were Gleaming” (Children’s Songbook, 37). Visual: Picture of baby Jesus (for Isaiah 9:6) Ask children to point to the baby Jesus when they hear the phrase “a child is born.” Share your testimony that prophets in the Old Testament knew Jesus would be born....
Read more

Week 5: God Helps Me Do Hard Things

Week 5: God Helps Me Do Hard Things This week focuses on Enoch and other examples from the scriptures showing that Heavenly Father helps us face challenges. Children can learn that they are never alone when they try to do what is right. Teaching Idea: Acting Out Challenges Read Moses 6:26–34 together, then invite your children to act out times when they felt nervous about doing something hard—like learning a new skill, sharing a testimony, or helping someone. Talk about how God helped Enoch and how He can help them too. Reading Activity: Have children dictate a short story about a time they did something hard with God’s help. You can write it down and let them “read” it back to you, practicing storytelling and comprehension. Colors & Art: Ask children to draw a “path of help,” showing themselves at the start and Jesus or Heavenly Father helping them along the way. They can use different colors for steps they took and help they received. Math Connection: Create a simple matchi...
Read more