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"I Know My Savior Lives"

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The talk I gave today to introduce the Primary program. I didn't even have an outline for this one! I pondered over the topic yesterday and felt inspired as I spoke aloud to myself. I relied on the Spirit today to help me remember what I needed to say. I couldn't remember it all as I wrote this though, but this is it for the most part.

The purposes of Primary are to:
  • teach children who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are
  • teach children to love Them and to feel Their love
  • help children develop feelings of self-worth and understand they are children of God
  • give children positive church experiences
  • teach children the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to follow His example
  • help children become familiar with the scriptures
  • prepare the boys for priesthood responsibilities and the girls for Young Women
Each year we're given a theme, along with monthly themes and weekly lessons that build upon the yearly theme. This year, the theme was "I Know My Savior Lives," and the scripture was, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth" (Job 19:25).

When I was thinking about what I wanted to say today, I asked myself, why is it important that the children know their Savior lives? The first thing that came to mind was the words to the song I chose for us to sing this morning, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives":

1. I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.

2. He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.

3. He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath.
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare.
He lives to bring me safely there.

4. He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

 Text: Samuel Medley, 1738-1799. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.
Music: Lewis D. Edwards, 1858-1921

When the children know their Savior lives and loves them, it will help them trust and have faith in Him. This knowledge will help them to become like Him as they keep the commandments. It will give them a foundation for their testimonies upon which they can build.

We need to remember to see them as Jesus does. Jesus loves children. We have two accounts from the scriptures, one from the Bible and one from the Book of Mormon, that share when Jesus gathered the little children around Him, held them, and blessed them. He also told us to become like them (Matthew 18:1-4).

These children are so precious. I hope you are able to feel their sweet spirits and the Holy Ghost as you watch and listen to the program.
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Comments

DAD said…
brilliant talented people can do things at the drop of a hat
November 15, 2015 at 4:46 AM
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