JUNIOR

Attention Activity

Tell the children that you are going to recite the words to “I Like My Birthdays.”, CS, 104. Explain that you will leave out one word. Ask the children to listen and see if they can tell what the missing word is.

They are to raise their hands when they know what word you left out.

I like my birthdays, ev’ry one; Each brings a greater joy to me. But I can’t wait until I’m eight, For then I’ll be ______, you see. (baptized)

Teaching the gospel principle and involve the children

Why are you baptized? (To follow Jesus Christ).

Jesus Christ was baptized when He was here on earth.

Last week Sister ______taught about how baptism was the first principle of the gospel. You learned that when you are baptized your sins are washed away and you become clean and new. Well, spring is also a time of new beginnings. All the trees grow new leaves and the ground sprouts new flowesr. So, I brought a something with me today. A special flower. (Fitting for Mother’s Day, too) But this flower needs some help. It has questions about Jesus’ baptism and it doesn’t know the answers. So, we’re going to read the scriptures to see if we can find those answers. Listen carefully because after we’re done reading we’ll see if the flower can find all her answers.

Scriptures

Read the scriptural account of Jesus Christ Being Baptized from the scriptures.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? (Jesus, why are you coming to me to be baptized? You are without sin and I should be asking you to be baptize me.)

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. (Let me be baptized, John. I need to obey all of Heavenly Father’s commandments. To baptize Jesus, John the Baptist took him down into the waters of the Jordan River. After saying the baptismal prayer, John placed him completely under the water. Then John brought him out of the water.)

Explain that to be baptized by being completely covered by water and coming back up out of the water is called baptism by immersion. Have the children repeat the words baptism by immersion. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (The Holy Ghost came upon Jesus in the sign of a dove. When John was younger, he was told he would know when he baptized the Lamb of God by the sign of the dove.) 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my bbeloved cSon, in whom I am well pleased. (Who was the voice from Heaven?)

Songs – Baptism (CS, 100)

Pass out pencils. Pass around a flower to the music. When the music stops, have a child come up and choose a word strip with an answer on it. What question does it answer?

 Who?  Where?  When?  Why?  How?

Bonus Questions:

What did Heavenly Father say after Jesus was baptized? How did the Holy Ghost show itself? In the sign of a dove

Apply to their lives

Take the sheet home and cut out the flower petals with your family for family home evening. Teach them about how Jesus Christ was baptized and so we all should be baptized so we can follow his example. Ask your mom/dad/grandma/grandpa about when they were baptized.

Share story of my baptism if there is time.

Testimony. SENIOR

Attention Activity

Invite the children who have clues to come up and read their clues. JOHN THE BAPTIST was the prophet who did all these things because he was foreordained to do them.

Explain that before sharing time started you chose the children who would help read the clues. Foreordination is like this. (Write Foreordination on the chalkboard.) Heavenly Father foreordained us in premortal life when he chose us to do a special work for him on earth. Being foreordained does not mean that we have to do the work; we still have our freedom or agency, but the opportunity is ours if we choose. John the Baptist was a choice spirit, chosen in the premortal life to prepare the way for Jesus Christ and perform a sacred mission. What did he do here on the earth that was so important?

Teaching the gospel principle and involve the children

HE BAPTIZED JESUS.

Scriptures

Use Breakout groups to highlight the details in the story of Christ’s baptism:  Valiant 9 class - Where? Matthew 3:13  Valiant 10 class - When? Luke 3:23  Valiant 11 class - Why? Matthew 3:15  Valiant 12 class - How? Matthew 3:16

Jesus Christ did not have any sins that he needed to wash away when by being baptized. Instead, He was baptized to obey Heavenly Father’s commandment. When the plan of salvation was established, Heavenly Father said that there were certain steps you had to follow to return to live with Him. Last week Sister Horrocks taught that baptism is the first ordinance of the gospel and it is one of those “steps” we need to take to return to Heavenly Father. If a person wants to be on that path, he/she must follow all the steps and no one is exempt from it. Not even Jesus Christ. Therefore, He was baptized, just as the rest of us should be. He showed us the path by His example. It is important that we understand that He was baptized when He was here on the earth.

Read the account found in 2 Nephi 31:4-8 from the scriptures, holding the scriptures

4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. 5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! 6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? 7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. 8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

Who was John the Baptist?

Son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, being of priestly descent through both parents. This lineage was essential so he could baptize Jesus. Jesus was born to Mary and John was born to Mary’s cousin, Elisabeth, so John and Jesus were second cousins. He was about 6 months older than Jesus. He grew up in the desert and ate wild locusts and honey and wore clothes made out of camel’s hair and leather. He was foreordained to prepare the way of the Lord.

Why was Jesus baptized?

“(1) As a token of humility before the Father; (2) As a covenant that he would keep the commandments; (3) As a prelude to receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost; (4) To gain entrance to and be saved in the kingdom of God, for no one, not even the Son of God, can so obtain without baptism; and (5) As a pattern and an example for all men, and so that he could say: “Follow thou me” – Bruce R. McConkie, 1984, New Era, A Man called John

How are we baptized like Jesus? D&C 20: 73-74

73 The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 74 Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water.

Explain immersion by an authorized priesthood holder is the commanded way to be baptized

“The Apostle Paul taught that being immersed in water and coming out again is symbolic of death and resurrection. Our sins are washed away when we are baptized. After baptism we start a new life.” Gospel Principles, 129

Apply to their lives

Have a child read the inside cover of the Faith in god book:

When I was baptized I made a covenant to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ and to serve Him and be obedient. Heavenly Father has given me the Holy Ghost. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven of my sins when I repent. If I keep my baptismal covenant, I can return to live with Him. When I take the sacrament, I renew my covenant to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and to obey His commandments. When I do this, I can feel the Holy Ghost guiding me.

Do you remember your baptism day? Tell about my baptism and invite them to share their feelings about their day. What do you remember about how you felt that day? Challenge to give a Family Home Evening on baptism for Learning and Living the Gospel section.

Closing Song – Baptism (CS, 100) CLUES

In Luke 7:28, Jesus said of him, “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet.”

[During Christ’s mortal ministry, he] was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom … on the earth, … holding the keys of power.” – Teachings of Joseph Smith

“He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man.” – Teachings of Joseph Smith

“He was entrusted with the important mission, and it was required at his hands, to baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that?” – Teachings of Joseph Smith

Valiant 9 class – Where was Christ baptized? Matthew 3:13

Valiant 10 class – When was Christ baptized? Luke 3:23

Valiant 11 class – Why was Christ baptized? Matthew 3:15

Valiant 12 class – How was Christ baptized? Matthew 3:16 BAPTISM FLOWER

Directions: Write the answer to the following questions in the flower petal in Primary. For family home evening, have an adult help you cut out the petals. As you glue each petal to the center circle, talk about Jesus’ baptism. Sing “Baptism,” CS 100.