One way to help baptized children in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become more like Jesus Christ is through invitations to serve in His Church, the Primary general presidency has explained. Children’s devotionals are one way to do this.
“As children are invited to participate in these meetings, they can grow in their testimony of the Savior and help point others to Him,” explained a post on the Primary Worldwide social media accounts. “These inspired meetings focus on the Savior and invite all to come unto Him.”
The October 2026 update to the General Handbook added the option for wards and stakes to hold children’s devotionals. Section 12.2.1.3 says, “Children’s devotionals may be held on a ward or stake level to give children opportunities to lead, teach and participate.”
The Primary general presidency explained in their social media post that under the direction of priesthood and Primary leaders, Valiant age children, meaning ages 8-11, can help plan and conduct the meeting, lead the music, play instruments, sing, give talks, lead prayers, share testimonies and more.
Pam Niska, a stake Primary president in Spokane, Washington, talked about her stake’s first-ever Primary devotional in a video posted on the Primary Worldwide social media accounts.
She said one Valiant-aged boy and girl from each ward were invited to meet together one Sunday afternoon in the stake high council room to plan.
“After giving them a few ideas to get them started, we were very impressed with the inspired outline they created,” Niska said. “We counseled and organized assignments for the talks, prayers, music, invitations and, of course, the refreshments.”
The devotional took place on a Sunday afternoon, and all Primary families were invited. Four children each gave a talk, sharing their testimonies on a specific Primary song, followed by a ward Primary singing that song.
The children conducted the meeting, led the music, played the piano and offered prayers.
“It was short and sweet at only 40 minutes long, but it was filled with the Spirit,” Niska said. “This experience strengthened my testimony that Primary children are capable and willing to receive inspiration and revelation, and that as we support them and trust them and allow them to lead, they can grow in faith and confidence and be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
The Lehi Utah Cedar Hollow Stake also held a Primary children’s devotional. The stake Primary presidency invited baptized and confirmed children from each ward to help plan and carry out the meeting where all the children in the stake were invited to come and participate.
In a video on the Primary Worldwide social media accounts, two Valiant-age boys in the stake talked about their experiences. The first said: “It’s so fun to do it since you get to plan out the things. The thing that brought me closer to Christ was probably my talk because I was doing His will, and I knew His will would bring other people closer to Christ. And that grew my faith in Christ and my testimony in Christ.”
The second boy said: “I really felt the Spirit and how He helped me through it and how He helped guide me. And I also really felt the Holy Ghost.”
Children are some of the youngest converts in the Church, said the post accompanying the video.
Each new member needs friendship, opportunities to serve and spiritual nourishment, the post stated, adding that leaders “invite them to serve in ways that will help them grow personally and bless others” (see General Handbook 23.2 and 30.1.2).
