Opening question
Think of a time someone remembered your name or noticed you when you didn't expect it, maybe in a new ward, a new job, or a hard week. How did that feel? Take a moment, and then let's hear from two or three of you.
Relief Society · Elders Quorum · 25 minutes
A Child of GodRelief Society & Elders Quorum lesson
President Rosemary K. Chibota · Primary General President · Sunday Morning Session
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A 25-minute class
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Jesus Christ truly sees each person as a beloved child of God, and as we pray to see others the way He does, we notice the people who feel unseen and treat them with love.
Skip the section on worldly labels and the mission-leader comments, and keep the pool of Bethesda and good Samaritan references brief, so most of the time goes to discussing how to see others.
0–2Open2–5Hook5–20Discuss20–23Apply23–25Testify
Before Sunday
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Sunday: "A Child of God" by President Chibota
On Sunday we will discuss President Rosemary K. Chibota's conference talk "A Child of God." She shares the southern African greeting sawubona, which means "I see you," and asks us to pray to see others as the Savior sees them. Please read or listen to the talk before class if you can. As you do, think about this: who in your life might feel unseen right now?
Pick one opening
Opening question
Think of a time someone remembered your name or noticed you when you didn't expect it, maybe in a new ward, a new job, or a hard week. How did that feel? Take a moment, and then let's hear from two or three of you.
Story hook
President Chibota told about her daughter's last parent-teacher conference. A school janitor came up to her and her husband with tears in his eyes. He said their daughter greeted him, knew his name, and even helped him clean up after lunch. Then he told them, "Very few students know my name. Your daughter sees me." Today we'll talk about what it means to see people the way the Savior sees them.
Greeting question
President Chibota taught that the southern African greeting sawubona means "I see you." It tells someone, "I recognize you. I respect you. You matter." How is that different from the quick "hi, how are you" we usually give each other in the hallway?
Teach this first
Praying to see others as the Savior sees them
Jesus Christ saw the people others walked past, like the man who had waited 38 years at the pool of Bethesda, and He saw beloved sons and daughters of God where others saw labels. President Chibota teaches that we can learn to see this way too, because when we pray for help, Heavenly Father guides us to those who feel unseen. Seeing someone often starts with something as simple as learning their name.
President Chibota pleaded with us as disciples of Jesus Christ "to pray to see others as He sees them and to treat them accordingly."
Ask the class
- 1.The man at the pool of Bethesda had been passed by for years. What makes it easy for us to walk past people, even in our own ward or neighborhood?
- 2.President Chibota prayed to know how to help an isolated coworker, then acted on simple promptings to include him. What could it look like for you to pray this kind of prayer, and what kinds of promptings might come?
If time remains
Seeing ourselves as children of God
Our identity as a son or daughter of God is not something we earn; we inherit it, and it does not change when circumstances change or when we make mistakes. Jesus Christ sees who we are now and who we can become, and His grace can lift us above the labels that weigh on us.
Ask the class
- 1.President Chibota invited us to replace worldly labels with "Child of God. Child of the covenant. Disciple of Jesus Christ." How might remembering those truths change the way you treat yourself on a hard day?
Counsel together
Quorum / Relief Society business
- •Who in our ward or quorum might feel unseen right now, such as new move-ins, people who come alone, or those who have stopped attending, and how can we make sure each one is known by name?
- •What simple habits could we practice in the hallways and in our meetings so people feel welcome and noticed when they come?
Last 3–5 minutes
Close
This week, learn the name of someone who may feel unseen, and pray each day to see others as Heavenly Father sees them.
President Chibota taught that as we seek the Savior's perspective, He will often guide us to those who need to be seen, and that when we see one another through His eyes, hearts change, relationships deepen, and faith grows.
Your witness: Think of a time someone saw you when you felt overlooked, or a time the Lord led you to someone who needed to be noticed. Share it briefly, and then say in your own words what you know about how Jesus Christ sees each person in the room.