Lesson 38: I Can Be Reverent

Primary 1: I Am a Child of God, (2000), 125–28


To encourage each child to show love for Heavenly Father and Jesus by being reverent.


  1. 1.

    Prayerfully study Exodus 3:1–10.

  2. 2.

    Materials needed:

    1. a.

      A Bible.

    2. b.

      Picture 1-19, Christ and the Children (Gospel Art Picture Kit 216; 62467); picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush (Gospel Art Picture Kit 107; 62239); picture 1-67, A Reverent Class.

  3. 3.


Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children to fold their arms and sit quietly while you sing or say the words to “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, p. 26) in a soft voice. If the children know the song, they may sing along.

Reverently, quietly, lovingly we think of thee;
Reverently, quietly, softly sing our melody.
Reverently, quietly, humbly now we pray,
Let thy Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts today.

When you finish, thank the children for sitting quietly.

We can be reverent in church

Show picture 1-67, A Reverent Class.

  • Where are these children?

  • What are they doing?

  • What do you think they are thinking about?

  • How do you act when you come to Primary?

Explain that when we come to church we should act in a certain way. This is called being reverent.

Have the children repeat the word reverent several times.

  • What do you think it means to be reverent?


  • Walking quietly and talking softly.

  • Sitting quietly and listening to prayers and lessons.

  • Raising our hands when we want to say something.

  • Folding our arms.

  • Keeping the meetinghouse clean.



With the children, sing or say the words to “I Want to Be Reverent” (Children’s Songbook, p. 28). Repeat if desired.

I want to be reverent,
To show my love for thee.
I will quietly listen,
For reverence begins with me.
  • Why should we be reverent in Primary?

Remind the children that when we are reverent, we can listen to our teachers and learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus. When we are reverent, we help others to be reverent also.

  • What building are we in now?

  • Whose house is this?

Explain that the meetinghouse belongs to Heavenly Father and Jesus. It is a place where we come to learn about them and what they want us to do.


Do the following finger play with the children. Improvise hand actions to show the parts of the meetinghouse.

The Meetinghouse

These are the walls of a house so fine;
This is the steeple so tall.
These are the windows that let in the light
And the doors that swing open to all.
This house was built by loving hands
As a place to sing and pray.
Let us fold our arms, bow our heads (fold arms and bow heads),
And give thanks for this house today.
  • What are some of the things you should do in the meetinghouse?

  • What are some of the things you should not do in the meetinghouse?

Help the children understand that there are places and times in the meetinghouse for running and playing games, but in most of the building and on Sundays we should be reverent. Point out that besides sitting quietly in Primary and in the chapel, we walk and talk quietly in the halls.


Tell a story about the children in your class coming to Primary. Include how excited they are as they run and skip on their way to the building, how they walk quietly as they come inside, and what they do during sacrament meeting and Primary and afterwards in the hall. Emphasize how reverent the children are when they come to church.


Sing or say the words to “Two Happy Feet” (Children’s Songbook, p. 270) as the children walk around the room quietly and carefully so their shoes do not make any noise.

I have two happy little feet
To take me where I go.
They hop me and they skip me,
And make a noise, I know.
But in my Heavenly Father’s house
So softly do they fall
That, though I walk, you cannot hear
My little feet at all.
  • What do you do with your feet in the halls at church? in the chapel? in class?

  • What do you do with your hands?

  • What do you do with your voice?

We can have reverent feelings

Show picture 1-19, Christ and the Children, and express how you feel when you think about Jesus Christ and how much he loves us. Explain that these are reverent feelings. Invite the children to express their feelings about Jesus.


Display picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush, and tell the story found in Exodus 3:1–10. Emphasize the reverent feelings Moses felt when the Lord spoke to him out of the burning bush and called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Read aloud from the Bible and explain part of verse 5: “Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

  • Why did Moses take off his shoes?

Explain that this was a way of being reverent. Be sure the children understand that we do not have to take our shoes off to be reverent. We have many other ways of being reverent.

  • How can you be reverent?

We can be reverent at home

Tell the children that the meetinghouse is not the only place where we should be reverent.

  • What do you do at home when someone is praying?

  • What do you do at home during family home evening?

Explain that when we listen quietly during prayers and lessons at home, we are also being reverent. This shows Heavenly Father and Jesus that we love them.


Express your love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and your gratitude that you can show this love by being reverent. Encourage the children to show their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus by being reverent in Primary, in sacrament meeting, and during prayers and family home evening at home.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

  1. 1.

    Take the children on a reverent walk through the halls of the meetinghouse. If possible, go to the chapel. When you return to the classroom, praise the children for their reverent behavior and discuss how their reverence helped other people in the building to be reverent in their classes.

  2. 2.

    Sing or say the words to “I Will Try to Be Reverent” (Children’s Songbook, p. 28), “Father, I Will Reverent Be” (Children’s Songbook, p. 29), or “Our Chapel Is a Sacred Place” (Children’s Songbook, p. 30).

  3. 3.

    Trace each child’s feet on a piece of paper that has the verse “Two Happy Feet” written on it (see page 126). Let each child color his or her tracing and take it home.

  4. 4.

    Have each child take a turn showing a way he or she can be reverent in class, such as sitting quietly, folding arms, or raising a hand to say something. Talk about why we should be reverent in Heavenly Father’s house.

  5. 5.

    Help the children say the words to one or both of the following verses. Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

    Open, Shut Them [Hands]

    Open, shut them;
    Open, shut them;
    Give a little clap.
    Open, shut them;
    Open, shut them;
    Lay them in your lap.

    I Shake My Hands

    I shake my hands.
    I roll my hands.
    I give my hands a clap.
    I raise my hands,
    Then bring them down
    And fold them in my lap.
    I hush my feet.
    I rest my feet.
    I sit straight in my chair.
    I bow my head.
    I close my eyes.
    I’m ready for the prayer.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

  1. 1.

    Sing or say the words to “The Chapel Doors” (Children’s Songbook, p. 156). Have the children put a finger to their lips each time the phrase “Sh, be still” is said.

  2. 2.

    Have the children close their eyes. Ask them to raise their hands if they can hear you drop a coin or button. Drop the coin or button on the floor or a table. Then wrap the button or coin in a handkerchief or small piece of cloth. Ask the children to keep their eyes closed, listen carefully, and raise their hands if they can hear the coin or button this time. Drop the wrapped button or coin on the floor or table. Help the children understand that there is a lot to hear if we listen carefully.