Love is the Greatest Gift of All

1. • There are special messages
hidden around the room.
• Take turns finding a
message and reading
it aloud.
• What could you do to develop
that talent?
• This lesson will teach us about the
importance of developing talents.

2. “Lesson 26: Parable of the Talents,” Primary 7: New Testament, 87

3. • In the parable, the
talents refer to pieces of
money.
• For us talents
mean abilities
we can develop
to bless and
help others.

4. • A talent was a large amount
of money.
• Jesus told His
disciples a story
about a man
who gave his
servants some
talents.

5. • The man gave one
servant five talents.
• He gave another
servant two
talents.
• He gave a third
servant one talent.
• Then the man went on a journey.

6. • The servant with five
talents worked hard.
• He earned five more
talents. He now had
ten talents.
• The servant with two
talents also worked
hard.
• He earned two more
talents. He now had
four talents.

7. • The servant with one
talent buried it in the
ground. He was afraid
he would lose it.
• He did not work to
earn any more talents.
• When the man came
back, he asked the
servants what they had
done with his talents.

8. • The first
servant brought
him ten talents.
• The man was
happy.
• He made the servant a leader
over many things and told him to
be joyful.

9. • This also made the man happy.
• He made the second servant a
leader over many things and told
him to be joyful.
• The second
servant
brought the
man four
talents.

10. • The third servant
gave the man back
the talent he had
buried.
• The man was not happy. He said
the servant was lazy.
• He should have worked hard to
earn more talents.

11. • The man took the
talent from the third
servant and gave it
to the first servant.
• Then he sent the
lazy servant away.
• The man in the story is like Jesus.
• We are like the servants.
• Jesus will judge how we each use
the gifts we have been given.

13. • Why did the master
give different amounts
of talents to each
servant?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:15
• How are your talents different
from your friends’ talents?
 your family members’ talents?

14. • Why does Heavenly Father give
different gifts to each of us?
• Let’s read D&C 46:12
• How can we show our
gratitude to Heavenly
Father for the particular
gifts He has given to us?
• Let’s read D&C 46:11

15. • What did the servants who were
given five and two talents do with
their money?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:16–17
• How do you think they were able
to double their money?
• How can hard work be a
blessing to us?

16. • What did the
servant who
was given one
talent do with
his money?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:18
• Why do you think he did this?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:24–25

17. • Why do you think some people
don’t develop their talents?
• What happens to people’s
talents if they do nothing with
them?

18. • When the master
returned and
asked the
servants to
report to him,
what did he say
to the servant
who had been
given five
talents?
• Let’s read
Matthew 25:21

19. • What did he say
to the servant
who had been
given two
talents?
• Let’s read
Matthew 25:23
• How does working hard to develop
talents bless us?

20. • How have you been blessed by the
talents or abilities of someone
else?
• Why did the master give
the same reward to the
servant who had earned
five talents and the
servant who had earned
two talents?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:21, 23

21. • What did the master
say to the servant
who had been given
one talent?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:26–27
• Why was the master angry with
this servant?

22. • What punishment
did he give him for
hiding the talent?
• Let’s read Matthew 25:28, 30
• Why is how we use our abilities
and talents more important than
how many talents we have and
what those talents are?

23. • Why do you think
the master gave
the one talent to
the servant who
had ten?
 Was this fair?
 Why?

24. • The more we use our
talents, the more
talents we develop.
• Let’s read Matthew 25:29 &
D&C 60:2–3
• If we do nothing with
our talents, we will
lose them.

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

26. • What do you think
Jesus was trying to
teach us by telling
the parable of the
talents?
• The Lord has given
us talents,
abilities, and
opportunities
(such as belonging
to His church).

27. • He expects us to
use all these
things to make
our lives better
and to serve
others.
• He also wants us
to show our
gratitude by
developing our
talents.

28. Name as many
talents as you can
think of and I’ll list
them on the
chalkboard.
Enr. Act. 1

29. • Make a list of your own talents.
Do not let others in the class see
the list.
• Name a talent for every other
child in the class.
Enr. Act. 2
• Add to your list any
talents identified by the
other children that are
not already on your list.

30. • If class members named something
about you that is not on your paper,
how can you develop that talent?
• If class members didn’t name
something that you wrote down,
how can you develop that talent?
• Choose one of your talents and
decide how to further develop it or
use it during the coming week.
Enr. Act. 2

31. • What additional
expectations
does the Lord
have for us
because we are
members of His
church?
• Let’s read D&C 82:3

32. • President Heber J. Grant said:
• “When I joined a baseball club, the
boys of my own age and a little
older played in the first nine [the
best group of players]; those
younger than I played in the second,
and those still younger in the third,
and I played with them.
Enr. Act. 3

33. • “One of the reasons for this was
that I could not throw the ball
from one base to the other.
• “Another reason was that I lacked
physical strength to run or bat
well. When I picked up a ball, the
boys would generally shout:
‘Throw it here sissy!’
Enr. Act. 3

34. • “So much fun was engendered on
my account by my youthful
companions that I solemnly
vowed that I would play baseball
in the nine that would win the
championship of the Territory of
Utah.
Enr. Act. 3

35. • “… I saved a dollar which I
invested in a baseball. I spent
hours and hours throwing the ball
at Bishop Edwin D. Woolley’s
barn.
• “Often my arm would ache so
that I could scarcely go to sleep at
night.
Enr. Act. 3

36. • “But I kept on practicing and
finally succeeded in getting into
the second nine of our club.
• “Subsequently I joined a better
club, and eventually played in the
nine that won the championship
of the territory” (Gospel Standards, pp. 342–43).
Enr. Act. 3

37. • The following quotation was one of
President Heber J. Grant’s favorite
sayings:
• “That which we persist in doing
becomes easier for us to do; not that
the nature of the thing itself is
changed, but that our power to do is
increased” (Gospel Standards, p. 355).
• Do you understand what this means?
Enr. Act. 4

38. • Think of some of the
responsibilities people are given
in the Church.
• On these slips of paper and
pencils write down a
responsibility or assignment.
• Put the slips of paper in this
container.
Enr. Act. 5

39. • Take turns drawing a slip of paper
out of the container.
• What talents could be developed
by performing this assignment or
responsibility?
• I’ll list the talents that are
mentioned on the chalkboard to
see how many different talents
can be identified.
Enr. Act. 5

40. • I bear testimony of
the joy that comes
when we use the
talents God has
given us to benefit
ourselves and others.
• I hope to feel the joy
of returning to
Heavenly Father as
one who has used
the talents given me
well.

41. • The hymn, lesson and scripture story are from lds.org.
• Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office,
and other websites indicating the images were in the
public domain or permitted for church and home use.
• Please do not use this presentation for commercial
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• This presentation is intended to supplement, not
replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers
should refer to the manual, scriptures and other
resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.