Dear Mom and Dad,
We have learned about many wonderful things that Heavenly Father asked Jesus to create. Jesus also created fish (see Genesis 1:20–23). Fish are a part of Heavenly Father’s plan for the earth. There are many different kinds of fish. Some fish are little tiny and can live in a bowl and some are really big fish. We learned about a fish so big it could swallow a man! Many other animals live in the water with the fish like frogs, turtles, whales, crabs, seals, and oh so many other water animals. Some water animals live in the ocean, some in lakes and some in rivers. We had fun pretending to move like water animals. I walked, hopped and swam!
Heavenly Father had Jesus create fish and water animals for us to use for food and other purposes. My teacher told us three stories about fish from the scriptures.
First we heard about the story of Jonah. (Jonah 1-3) The Lord told Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh to repent or they would be destroyed. The people were so wicked that Jonah was afraid to go and ran away on a ship, instead. Jonah was thrown overboard at sea and was swallowed by a great whale. After three days he was vomited onto dry land, and the Lord again told Jonah to go to Nineveh. This time he did as he was commanded. He preached repentance to the people, and they repended and were saved from destruction.
Then we heard about Simon Peter (Like 5: 1-11). Simon Peter told Jesus Christ that he and other fishermen had worked all night without catching any fish. Jesus told him to take his ship out into the deepest part of the Sea of Galilee and let down a net. Simon Peter and Andrew followed His counsel. To their great surprise, they caught so many fish that their net began to break. They called out to their partners, James and John, to come with their ship and help. The men soon filled both ships with so many fish that the ships started to sink! The fishermen were amazed at the great number of fish they caught, and they were quick to heed the words of Jesus when He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (See Matt. 4:18–22; Luke 5:4–11.)
One of the miracles performed by Jesus was with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Many people had come to the desert to be healed and taught by him. When evening came, the disciples were worried about the lack of food for the people and suggested that he send the multitude back to their villages.
But Jesus told his disciples, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.”
“And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.”
“He said, Bring them hither to me.” And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. “And they did all eat, and were filled. …” “And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.” (See Matt. 14:13–21.)
I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love me because they created fish and other water animals. I am thankful for fish and water animals.
Thank you for bringing me to church today!
Love,
Your Sunbeam