• There are special messages There are special messages hidden around the room. hidden around the room.

• Take turns finding a Take turns finding a message and reading message and reading it aloud. it aloud.

• What could you do to develop What could you do to develop that talent?that talent?• This lesson will teach us about the This lesson will teach us about the

importance of developing talents.importance of developing talents.

““Lesson 26: Parable of the Talents,” Lesson 26: Parable of the Talents,” Primary 7: New Testament, Primary 7: New Testament, 8787

• In the parable, the In the parable, the talents refer to pieces of talents refer to pieces of money. money.

• For us talents For us talents mean abilities mean abilities we can develop we can develop to bless and to bless and help others.help others.

• A talent was a large amount A talent was a large amount of money.of money.

• Jesus told His Jesus told His disciples a story disciples a story about a man about a man who gave his who gave his servants some servants some talents. talents.

• The man gave one The man gave one servant five talents. servant five talents. • He gave another He gave another

servant two servant two talents. talents. • He gave a third He gave a third

servant one talent. servant one talent. • Then the man went on a journey.Then the man went on a journey.

• The servant with five The servant with five talents worked hard. talents worked hard.

• He earned five more He earned five more talents. He now had talents. He now had ten talents.ten talents.

• The servant with two The servant with two talents also worked talents also worked hard. hard.

• He earned two more He earned two more talents. He now had talents. He now had four talents.four talents.

• The servant with one The servant with one talent buried it in the talent buried it in the ground. He was afraid ground. He was afraid he would lose it. he would lose it.

• He did not work to He did not work to earn any more talents.earn any more talents.

• When the man came When the man came back, he asked the back, he asked the servants what they had servants what they had done with his talents.done with his talents.

• The first The first servant brought servant brought him ten talents. him ten talents. • The man was The man was

happy. happy.

• He made the servant a leader He made the servant a leader over many things and told him to over many things and told him to be joyful.be joyful.

• This also made the man happy. This also made the man happy. • He made the second servant a He made the second servant a

leader over many things and told leader over many things and told him to be joyful.him to be joyful.

• The second The second servant servant brought the brought the man four man four talents. talents.

• The third servant The third servant gave the man back gave the man back the talent he had the talent he had buried. buried.

• The man was not happy. He said The man was not happy. He said the servant was lazy. the servant was lazy. • He should have worked hard to He should have worked hard to

earn more talents.earn more talents.

• The man took the The man took the talent from the third talent from the third servant and gave it servant and gave it to the first servant. to the first servant.

• Then he sent the Then he sent the lazy servant away. lazy servant away.

• The man in the story is like Jesus. The man in the story is like Jesus. • We are like the servants. We are like the servants. • Jesus will judge how we each use Jesus will judge how we each use

the gifts we have been given.the gifts we have been given.

• Why did the master Why did the master give different amounts give different amounts of talents to each of talents to each servant?servant?

• Let’s read Let’s read Matthew 25:15

• How are your talents different How are your talents different from your friends’ talents? from your friends’ talents? your family members’ your family members’

talents? talents?

• Why does Heavenly Father give Why does Heavenly Father give different gifts to each of us?different gifts to each of us?

• Let’s read Let’s read D&C 46:12

• How can we show our How can we show our gratitude to Heavenly gratitude to Heavenly

Father for the particular Father for the particular gifts He has given to us?gifts He has given to us?

• Let’s read Let’s read D&C 46:11

• What did the servants who were What did the servants who were given given fivefive and and twotwo talents do with talents do with their money? their money?

• Let’s read Let’s read Matthew 25:16–17

• How do you think they were able to How do you think they were able to double their money? double their money? • How can hard work be a How can hard work be a

blessing to us?blessing to us?

• What did the What did the servant who servant who was given one was given one talent do with talent do with his money? his money?

• Let’s read Matthew Let’s read Matthew 25:1825:18

• Why do you think he did this? Why do you think he did this? • Let’s read Matthew Let’s read Matthew

25:24–2525:24–25

• Why do you think some people Why do you think some people don’t develop their talents? don’t develop their talents? • What happens to people’s What happens to people’s

talents if they do nothing with talents if they do nothing with them?them?

• When the master When the master returned and returned and asked the asked the servants to servants to report to him, report to him, what did he say what did he say to the servant to the servant who had been who had been given five given five talents? talents?

• Let’s read Let’s read Matthew 25:21Matthew 25:21

• What did he say What did he say to the servant to the servant who had been who had been given two given two talents? talents? • Let’s read Let’s read

Matthew 25:23Matthew 25:23• How does working hard to develop How does working hard to develop

talents bless us? talents bless us?

• How have you been blessed by the How have you been blessed by the talents or abilities of someone talents or abilities of someone else?else?

• Why did the master Why did the master give the same reward to give the same reward to

the servant who had the servant who had earned five talents and earned five talents and

the servant who had the servant who had earned two talents? earned two talents?

• Let’s read Matthew Let’s read Matthew 25:21, 2325:21, 23

• What did the master What did the master say to the servant say to the servant who had been given who had been given one talent? one talent? • Let’s read Let’s read

Matthew 25:26–Matthew 25:26–2727• Why was the master angry with Why was the master angry with

this servant? this servant?

• What punishment did What punishment did he give him for hiding he give him for hiding the talent? the talent? • Let’s read Let’s read

Matthew 25:28, Matthew 25:28, 3030• Why is Why is howhow we use our abilities we use our abilities

and talents more important than and talents more important than how many talents we have and how many talents we have and what those talents are?what those talents are?

• Why do you think Why do you think the master gave the master gave the one talent to the one talent to the servant who the servant who had ten?had ten?

Was this fair? Was this fair? Why? Why?

• The more we use our The more we use our talents, the more talents, the more talents we develop. talents we develop.

• Let’s read Let’s read Matthew 25:29 Matthew 25:29 & D&C 60:2–3& D&C 60:2–3

• If we do nothing with If we do nothing with our talents, we will our talents, we will

lose them. lose them.

• Those people who seem to have Those people who seem to have fewer talents will receive every fewer talents will receive every blessing if they use their talents to blessing if they use their talents to the fullest.the fullest.

• What do you think What do you think Jesus was trying to Jesus was trying to teach us by telling teach us by telling the parable of the the parable of the talents? talents?

• The Lord has given The Lord has given us talents, us talents, abilities, and abilities, and opportunities opportunities (such as belonging (such as belonging to His church). to His church).

• He expects us to He expects us to use all these use all these things to make things to make our lives better our lives better and to serve and to serve others. others.

• He also wants us He also wants us to show our to show our gratitude by gratitude by developing our developing our talents.talents.

Name as many Name as many talents as you can talents as you can think of and I’ll list think of and I’ll list them on the them on the chalkboard. chalkboard.

Enr. Act. 1

• Make a list of your own talents. Make a list of your own talents. Do not let others in the class see Do not let others in the class see the list. the list. • Name a talent for every other Name a talent for every other

child in the class.child in the class.

Enr. Act. 2

• Add to your list any Add to your list any talents identified by the talents identified by the other children that are other children that are not already on your list. not already on your list.

• If class members named something If class members named something about you that is not on your paper, about you that is not on your paper, how can you develop that talent?how can you develop that talent?

• If class members didn’t name If class members didn’t name something that you wrote down, something that you wrote down, how can you develop that talent?how can you develop that talent?

• Choose one of your talents and Choose one of your talents and decide how to further develop it or decide how to further develop it or use it during the coming week.use it during the coming week.

Enr. Act. 2

• What additional What additional expectations expectations does the Lord does the Lord have for us have for us because we are because we are members of His members of His church? church? • Let’s read Let’s read

D&C 82:3D&C 82:3

• President Heber J. Grant said:President Heber J. Grant said:• ““When I joined a baseball club, the When I joined a baseball club, the

boys of my own age and a little boys of my own age and a little older played in the first nine [the older played in the first nine [the best group of players]; best group of players]; those those younger than I played in the second, younger than I played in the second, and those still younger in the third, and those still younger in the third, and I played with them. and I played with them.

Enr. Act. 3

• ““One of the reasons for this was One of the reasons for this was that that I could not throw the ball I could not throw the ball from one base to the other. from one base to the other. • ““Another reason was that I lacked Another reason was that I lacked

physical strength to run or bat physical strength to run or bat well. well. When I picked up a ball, the When I picked up a ball, the boys would generally shout: boys would generally shout: ‘Throw it here sissy!’‘Throw it here sissy!’

Enr. Act. 3

• ““So much fun was engendered on So much fun was engendered on my account by my youthful my account by my youthful companions that companions that I solemnly I solemnly vowed that I would play baseball vowed that I would play baseball in the nine that would win the in the nine that would win the championship of the Territory of championship of the Territory of Utah.Utah.

Enr. Act. 3

• “… “… I saved a dollar which I I saved a dollar which I invested in a baseball. invested in a baseball. I spent I spent hours and hours throwing the ball hours and hours throwing the ball at Bishop Edwin D. Woolley’s at Bishop Edwin D. Woolley’s barn. barn.

• ““Often my arm would ache so Often my arm would ache so that I could scarcely go to sleep at that I could scarcely go to sleep at night. night.

Enr. Act. 3

• ““But I kept on practicing and But I kept on practicing and finally succeeded in getting into finally succeeded in getting into the second nine of our club. the second nine of our club.

• ““Subsequently I joined a better Subsequently I joined a better club, and eventually played in the club, and eventually played in the nine that won the championship nine that won the championship of the territory” of the territory” ((Gospel Standards,Gospel Standards, pp. 342–43). pp. 342–43).

Enr. Act. 3

• The following quotation was one of The following quotation was one of President Heber J. Grant’s favorite President Heber J. Grant’s favorite sayings: sayings:

• ““That which we persist in doing That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is changed, but that our power to do is increased” increased” ((Gospel Standards,Gospel Standards, p. 355). p. 355).

• Do you understand what Do you understand what this means?this means?

Enr. Act. 4

• Think of some of the Think of some of the responsibilities people are given responsibilities people are given in the Church. in the Church. • On these slips of paper and On these slips of paper and

pencils write down a pencils write down a responsibility or assignment. responsibility or assignment. • Put the slips of paper in this Put the slips of paper in this

container. container. Enr. Act. 5

• Take turns drawing a slip of paper Take turns drawing a slip of paper out of the container. out of the container. • What talents could be developed What talents could be developed

by performing this assignment or by performing this assignment or responsibility? responsibility? • I’ll list the talents that are I’ll list the talents that are

mentioned on the chalkboard to mentioned on the chalkboard to see how many different talents see how many different talents can be identified.can be identified.

Enr. Act. 5

• I bear testimony of I bear testimony of the joy that comes the joy that comes when we use the when we use the talents God has given talents God has given us to benefit us to benefit ourselves and others. ourselves and others.

• I hope to feel the joy I hope to feel the joy of returning to of returning to Heavenly Father as Heavenly Father as one who has used the one who has used the talents given me well.talents given me well.

• The hymn, lesson and scripture story are from lds.org.The hymn, lesson and scripture story are from lds.org.• Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office, Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office,

and other websites indicating the images were in the and other websites indicating the images were in the public domain or permitted for church and home use. public domain or permitted for church and home use.

• Please do not use this presentation for commercial Please do not use this presentation for commercial use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in church or home to suit personal preference.church or home to suit personal preference.

• This presentation is intended to supplement, not This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.