Come, Follow Me for Littles · August 17

A small green tree with soft round leaves growing beside a gentle stream, tiny fruit on its branches, green grass and wildflowers, warm golden light, cheerful and peaceful.

Monday

A Little Tree by the Water

Today's idea When we love Heavenly Father’s words, we grow strong and happy inside.

Have you ever seen a little tree growing right beside a stream? Its roots reach down, down, down into the cool, wet ground.

That tree is never thirsty. Even when the sun is hot, its leaves stay green and soft, and sweet fruit grows on its branches.

A long time ago, someone wrote a song about that tree. The song is called a psalm, and it is right in our scriptures.

The song says that when we love Heavenly Father’s words — thinking about them in the morning and at night — we become like that happy little tree by the water.

Our roots go down deep. We grow taller. And good things grow on our branches, too: kind words, gentle hands, a warm heart.

You can be like that little tree today. Listen to a scripture story, and let it sink way down inside you.

A young child in modest ancient-Israel robes standing on a soft grassy hillside at night, looking up at a big sky full of stars with a gentle round moon, warm golden glow on the child’s face, calm and full of wonder.

Tuesday

When I Look Up at the Stars

Psalm 8

Today's idea Heavenly Father made the whole big sky — and He still knows little you.

Have you ever gone outside at night and looked way, way up?

There are so many stars. Too many to count! And the moon sits up there like a big round light, shining softly down.

Long ago, a shepherd boy named David looked up at that same sky, and he wrote a song about it.

David sang, “Heavenly Father, You made the moon. You made every one of those stars. The sky is so big — and I am so small. Why do You think about me?”

But Heavenly Father does think about David. And He thinks about you. You are His child. He knows your name, and He knows exactly what makes you laugh.

David’s song even says that the voices of little children singing praise are strong and beautiful to Heavenly Father. Your voice counts.

A bright cheerful sunrise over green rolling hills, golden light spilling across a meadow of flowers and a small stream, a few soft clouds, warm and joyful.

Wednesday

The Sky Is Telling

Psalm 19

Today's idea Everything Heavenly Father made tells us how good He is.

The sky cannot talk. It has no mouth at all! But this psalm says the sky is telling us something anyway.

Every morning the sun comes up bright and glad, like a runner who cannot wait to race across the sky. Every night the stars come out. And all of it says the same thing: “Heavenly Father made me. Isn’t He wonderful?”

The flowers say it. The tall trees say it. Even a tiny bug walking across a leaf says it.

The song says Heavenly Father’s words are wonderful too — sweeter than honey. Sweeter than honey dripping right out of the honeycomb!

At the very end, David asks something kind: “Heavenly Father, let the words of my mouth be good words, and the thoughts in my heart be good thoughts.”

That is a lovely thing to want. Kind words coming out. A happy heart inside.

A gentle young shepherd in modest ancient-Israel robes walking among soft woolly sheep beside a calm, quiet stream in tall green grass, holding a long wooden shepherd’s crook, warm golden afternoon light, safe and peaceful.

Thursday

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23

Today's idea Heavenly Father takes care of us the way a good shepherd takes care of his sheep.

A shepherd is someone who takes care of sheep. A good shepherd knows every single one of them. He even gives them names.

David was a shepherd when he was a boy, so he knew just what to say: “The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.”

A good shepherd finds the softest green grass for his sheep to lie down in. He finds quiet water for them — not splashy, rushing water, but still water that is easy to drink.

Sometimes the path goes through a shadowy place where it is hard to see. The sheep are not afraid, because the shepherd is walking right there beside them. He carries a long wooden crook to help them along and keep them close together.

And at the end of the day, dinner is already set out and waiting, and the shepherd fills each cup right up to the top — and a little bit over.

Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. That means He watches over you in just the same way, every single day.

A cheerful young child in modest ancient-Israel robes washing hands in a stone basin of clear water outside a beautiful bright stone building with tall open gates, flowers along the path, warm morning light.

Friday

Clean Hands and a Happy Heart

Psalm 24

Today's idea We get ready to be with Heavenly Father by being clean outside and kind inside.

This psalm starts with something very big: the whole earth belongs to Heavenly Father. Every mountain. Every ocean. Every ant.

Then it asks a question. Who gets to walk up the hill to Heavenly Father’s holy house?

Here is the answer: someone with clean hands and a happy, honest heart.

Clean hands are the easy part — we wash those before dinner! A clean heart means we tell the truth, and we share, and we say sorry when we need to.

The song says the big gates should open wide and lift up their heads, because Someone wonderful is coming in.

We have holy houses too. We call them temples. Keeping our hands clean and our hearts kind is how we get ready to go there one day.

A group of happy children in modest ancient-Israel robes singing together outdoors, one gently strumming a small wooden harp, green grass and flowers all around, warm golden light, joyful.

Saturday

Sing a Brand New Song

Psalm 33

Today's idea Singing is a happy way to tell Heavenly Father thank you.

Do you know what a psalm really is? It is a SONG. People sang these words out loud, with harps and strings, all together.

Psalm 33 says: “Sing a new song! Sing it well, and sing it loud and glad!”

Why? Because the earth is full of the goodness of Heavenly Father. Full! Like a basket so full that the apples roll right off the top.

The song says Heavenly Father spoke, and the sky was made. He said the word, and all the stars came out.

You do not have to be a grown-up to sing to Him. You do not even have to sing it perfectly. A little voice singing “I am a child of God” makes Heavenly Father glad.

And when we sing, sometimes a warm, quiet, happy feeling comes inside us. That feeling is the Holy Ghost, telling us the song is true.

A small child in modest ancient-Israel robes sitting peacefully on soft grass beside a calm river at golden hour, hands resting in their lap, gentle smile, birds and flowers nearby, serene and warm.

Sunday

Be Still

Psalm 46

Today's idea When everything feels loud, we can be still and remember Heavenly Father is close.

Today is Sunday — a good, slow, quiet day.

Psalm 46 says that Heavenly Father is our safe place. When we need help, He is not far away at all. He is right here.

The song tells about a river — a calm, happy river with little streams running out of it, making everything green and glad.

Then comes the most famous part of all. It is only a few small words: “Be still, and know.”

Being still means our feet stop wiggling. Our voices go soft. We take one slow breath. And in that quiet, we can remember: Heavenly Father is God, and He loves me.

Prophets teach us this same thing today. Quiet moments — at church, at home, or right before bed — are often when we feel Heavenly Father the closest.