Opening song and prayer
2 minSing Did You Think to Pray (Children's Songbook 140), then invite a child to offer the opening prayer.
The Stained Heart
4 minGive each child a paper heart. Ask them to write or draw on it something they wish they could fix: a mean word, a broken promise, a time they chose wrong, or a worry they carry.
Crumple the heart in your hands and hold it up. Ask: can you still read what is on here? Yes. The marks are still there.
Dip the heart quickly in water and blot it. Explain that we cannot erase our own mistakes, but when we repent, Jesus Christ can make our hearts clean again. That is what David prayed for in Psalm 51.
- Could we fully erase the marks on the paper heart by ourselves?No. Once something is written or done, we need help to truly clean it.
- Did dipping the heart in water make it perfectly new?It helped show the idea. Real repentance through Jesus Christ actually cleans us inside.
- Why is it better to tell God the truth about our mistakes instead of hiding them?Because He already knows, and He wants to help us fix things. Hiding keeps us stuck.
David asked God for a clean heart
6 minKing David wrote Psalm 51 after he had made very serious mistakes. He did not make excuses. He poured out his heart to God and asked to be made clean.
David knew he could not fix himself. He needed God's help. That is repentance: turning back to God and letting Jesus Christ change us.
- What does it mean to have a soft heart?Being willing to listen to God, admit mistakes, and let Him change you. A hard heart refuses to change.
- David prayed, 'Create in me a clean heart.' Why did he need God to create it?Because he knew his heart was not clean on its own. Only God can truly purify us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
- Does repenting mean Heavenly Father stops loving you?No. Repentance is how we come back to His love. He wants us to return.
- What is one thing you can do today to soften your heart?Let children answer. Say sorry, pray honestly, read about Jesus, or ask a parent for help fixing a mistake.
We can tell God everything in prayer
6 minMany Psalms in this week's reading are prayers from people who felt overwhelmed, sad, or afraid. They did not hide their feelings from God.
Psalm 62 says to pour out your heart before Him. That means tell Him the truth: the good, the bad, the confusing, and the scary.
- What kinds of feelings can we bring to Heavenly Father in prayer?All of them. Happy, sad, angry, scared, confused, grateful. He can handle honesty.
- What does it mean to 'pour out your heart'?To tell God everything that is inside you, not just the parts that sound nice.
- When is a good time to pray besides bedtime?Let children answer. Before school, when upset, when grateful, when choosing, or anytime during the day.
- What is something you could tell Heavenly Father today that you have not said yet?Let children answer privately in their minds, or share if comfortable. A worry, a thank-you, or a sorry.
Repentance changes us from the inside (optional)
optionalDavid's prayer in Psalm 51 was not just about feeling bad. He wanted to be different.
When we truly repent, the Atonement of Jesus Christ does not just cover our mistakes. It can change our desires and help us want to choose better.
- What is the difference between being sorry and repenting?Being sorry is a feeling. Repenting includes changing: stopping the wrong, fixing what we can, and asking God for help to do better.
- What did the person in the video learn about change?Let children describe the story. Real change comes when we turn to Jesus Christ, not just when we feel guilty.
- What is one way you can show Heavenly Father you want a changed heart?Let children answer. Keep trying after a mistake, serve someone, or choose the right when nobody is watching.
In the scriptures
5 minRead these together and talk about them.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
- Who wrote this prayer?David, the king of Israel, after he had sinned and wanted to repent.
- Why did David ask God to 'create' a clean heart instead of cleaning it himself?Because spiritual cleansing comes through God's power and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, not by our own strength alone.
- What does 'renew a right spirit' mean?Help me want to do right again. Give me a fresh start inside.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
- What is a refuge?A safe place to go when you need shelter or protection. God is our safe place.
- Why would the psalm writer tell us to trust God 'at all times'?Not only when life is easy. Also when we are scared, sad, or do not know what to do.
- How can you pour out your heart to God this week?Let children answer. Pray out loud honestly, write feelings in a journal, or talk to a parent and then pray together.
Prayer hearts
optionalGive each child a fresh paper heart.
On one side, have them write or draw something they are grateful for. On the other side, have them write or draw something they want to tell Heavenly Father about.
Invite children to fold the hearts and take them home as a reminder to pour out their hearts in prayer this week.
Latter-day Kids lesson bundle and coloring pages for this week