October 2026 General Conference › Lessons › Bishop Sean Douglas › Children

30-minute lesson · Children · Ages 3–11: Primary or home

I Can Share the Good News of Jesus

From “The Hour of Your Mission Is Come,” by Bishop Sean Douglas · Saturday morning session, October 2026 General Conference

Watch the talkRead the full talk

The big idea

Jesus wants everyone to know about Him, and I can help by sharing His good news and being a good friend.

Objective

Children will say that they can share the good news of Jesus and will choose one way to do it this week.

Before you teach

  • Bring a flashlight and a small blanket or towel.
  • Bring a soft ball, plus paper and crayons for each child.
  • Be ready to tell the story of Elder Sanchez in your own simple words (see segment 3).
  • Practice the three hand actions: hands on heart (love), hands held out (share), a wave toward yourself (invite).

Lesson plan

Thirty minutes in 7 parts. Times are a guide; let the Spirit and the learners set the pace.

3 min0–3

Good news

  1. Sing I Hope They Call Me on a Mission, then have a child offer a prayer.
  2. Ask the question below and let several children answer.
  3. Say: The very best news is about Jesus. Today we will learn how we can share it. Teach the truth for today and say it together twice: I can share the good news of Jesus.
Ask
  • What is some good news you were excited to tell someone?
5 min3–8

The flashlight

  1. Dim the lights a little. Turn on the flashlight and cover it with the blanket. Ask: Can the light help anyone now?
  2. Let a child pull the blanket off. Ask what changed. Remind children never to shine the light in anyone's eyes.
  3. Explain that a leader named Bishop Douglas spoke at general conference to missionaries and to young people getting ready to be missionaries. He said missionaries radiate the Light of Christ. We do not hide that light. We share it.
  4. Pass the flashlight around the circle, pointing it at the ceiling. Each child who holds it says one thing they know about Jesus. Help anyone who is stuck: Jesus loves me. Jesus helps me.
  5. Say the truth together again: I can share the good news of Jesus.
5 min8–13

Act out the story of Elder Sanchez

  1. Have everyone stand. Tell the story in short parts, and have the children do each action with you.
  2. Say: A man named Merlin was baptized. (Hands on heart.) For a while he stopped coming to church. (Sit down.) A good friend helped him. (Reach out a hand and help a neighbor stand.) Merlin came back to church. (Walk in place.)
  3. Say: Then Merlin wanted very much to be a missionary. Bishop Douglas asked him why. Merlin said he only wanted to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him. (Hands on heart.)
  4. Say: Merlin became a missionary in a country called Peru and told many people about Jesus. (March in place.) Today he is a father and still helps many people come to Jesus. (Wave toward yourself, as if inviting.)
  5. Ask the questions below.
Ask
  • Who helped Merlin?
  • Why did Merlin want to be a missionary?
5 min13–18

Roll the ball

  1. Sit in a circle. Tell the children that in the Book of Mormon the sons of Mosiah wanted everyone to hear about Jesus. If a child can read, have them read Mosiah 28:3 aloud; otherwise tell it in a sentence.
  2. Roll the ball to a child. That child tells one way to be a good friend like the friend who helped Merlin, or one thing they could tell someone about Jesus. Then they roll it to someone new.
  3. Keep going until every child has had a turn. Praise each answer.
  4. End with everyone standing and saying the truth once more.
6 min18–24

Draw and put your name in

  1. Explain that long ago Jesus called a man named Thomas to share the gospel, and told him to be happy about it. Bishop Douglas invited those he was speaking to to put their own names where Thomas's name is.
  2. Give out paper and crayons. Help each child write their name at the top, followed by the Savior's words from the talk: “Lift up your heart and rejoice.”
  3. Ask children to draw themselves sharing the good news of Jesus or being a helping friend.
  4. Walk around and ask each child to tell you about their picture.
4 min24–28

Love, share, invite

  1. Read Elder Stevenson's words from this conference (aligned quote) or simply say his three words: love, share, and invite. Teach the three hand actions and do them together twice, a little faster each time.
  2. Practice in pairs. One child pretends to be a friend; the other practices saying something kind and inviting them to play, to Primary, or to hear a favorite story about Jesus. Then switch.
  3. Ask each child to pick one thing they will do this week: say something kind, share their picture with someone, or tell someone one thing they know about Jesus.
2 min28–30

Sing and witness

  1. Sing I Want to Be a Missionary Now.
  2. Tell the children in one or two sentences that you know Jesus loves them and that Bishop Douglas said, “We need you!” Say the truth together one last time.
  3. Tell them you will ask next week who they shared with. Close with prayer.

Key passages from the talk

“I only want to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him.”

Bishop Douglas’s talk, paragraph 9

“You are not only the messengers but also living examples of the message.”

Bishop Douglas’s talk, paragraph 3

“Lift up your heart and rejoice”

Bishop Douglas’s talk, paragraph 19

Scriptures

  • Mosiah 28:3 In segment 4, have an older child read it aloud, or tell it simply: the sons of Mosiah wanted everyone to hear about Jesus.
  • D&C 31:3 In segment 5, tell children that Jesus told Thomas to be happy about sharing the gospel. Children write their own name with the words Lift up your heart and rejoice.
  • Matthew 28:19–20 Optional for older children: read it together and ask what Jesus asked His disciples to do and what He promised them.

Other voices that agree

“I invite you to do something that is as simple as gospel fruit is delicious: love, share, and invite.”

Elder Stevenson · Fruit to Make One Happy, paragraph 20

Three things to remember

  • Jesus wants everyone to know about Him.
  • A good friend helps others come to Jesus.
  • I can share the good news of Jesus now.

Ways to act this week

  • Show your picture to someone and tell them what it means.
  • Say something kind to a child who is alone and invite them to play.
  • Tell someone one thing you know about Jesus.
  • Pray for the missionaries by name if you know one.

Suggestions written for this lesson, not the speaker’s words.

Music

  • I Hope They Call Me on a Mission
  • I Want to Be a Missionary Now

Adapting the lesson

  • Ages 3–7. Shorten the ball game and the drawing by a minute or two each and repeat the story actions a second time instead. Write each child's name and the words on the paper for them, let helpers take turns holding the flashlight and the ball, and say the truth for today after every activity.
  • Ages 8–11. Have a child read Mosiah 28:3 and another read Matthew 28:19–20, and let an older child lead the story actions. Ask a harder question: Merlin's friend helped before Merlin had decided to serve; why do you think that mattered? Invite them to write one sentence of what they know about Jesus under their drawing.

This lesson is an independent study aid written for this site. It is not an official lesson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quotations are word for word from the official talk; paragraph numbers count the paragraphs of the talk as published at churchofjesuschrist.org, not counting headings or picture captions. The activities, questions and ideas for acting are suggestions; follow the Spirit and adapt them to those you teach.