June 2008 Sharing Time

June 2008 Sharing Time
I will do family history work so my ancestors can receive temple blessings.
Malachi 4:5-6, D&C 138:47-48

(have a couple pictures of a primary child’s ancestor and a short story to tell about each picture)
Opening Activity: Ask a child to come to the front and have their backs to you. Tell the children not to shout out ANY answers to the question you will ask. Hold up the picture of the ancestor and ask them to tell you what you are holding. They can guess, but they probably won’t get the right answer. Ask the child to turn to you and show them the picture.

WHEN WE TURN AND LOOK, WE WILL FIND AND SEE!!!

Tell the story of the picture. Reiterate how they would have never known this unless they turned and looked!

Sharing Time: Have a giant heart puzzle. As the children answer questions about family history work, they can turn over a piece of the puzzle. One side of the heart should be red (or whatever color you choose) and the other side should be a picture of a child and his/her father or family. Be careful so that the picture is the right way as they turn. You don’t want a mixed up or backwards picture. Line each side carefully. Or the message is kind of defeated…:)

Questions:
1. What is an ancestor? (Your family generations gone before you)
2. The first ordinance of the gospel performed for both the living and the dead is what? (baptism)
3. How soon can temple work be done for a person after they have died? (1 year)
4. Please find and read D&C 138:47-48
5. Why can’t people be baptized in the spirit world or be sealed there? (It has to have been done on earth with a body)
6. The parents of your parent’s parents are your what? (Your great grandparents)
Find Malachi 4:5-6 and please read it.
7. Since you aren’t 12 yet, what can you do to help do family history work?
Ideas for answers to this question:

(In 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball told Church members: “All members should write a personal history.”,

Vickie Matsumori “When you do family history work or write in your journal, you are helping to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:6). As you learn stories about your grandparents and other progenitors (ancestors, forefathers), you see into their hearts and you develop an appreciation for them as real people—as members of your family. As you write about your own life in your journal, you will remember the Lord’s blessings to you, and you will provide an opportunity for your future children and grandchildren to see into your heart.

You can begin doing family history today by talking to, phoning, writing to, or sending e-mails to family members. You can find out about the things that are important to them. You can begin writing your personal history today by starting a journal. Write down the things that are important to you and that will help you and your posterity.

You can live the commandments and be worthy to go to the temple when you are twelve so that you can be baptized for the dead. You can choose the right each day so that when you are older, you can go to the temple to receive your own endowment. You can continue to live a righteous life and be worthy to return to the temple and do work to help your entire family, including your progenitors, receive the “crowning blessings the Church has to offer.”

Songs to intersperse throughout lesson:
I love to see the temple p.95
Family History- I am doing it p.94
The Hearts of the Children p.92

Once they have turned the puzzle and see the picture, emphasize again how important it is to turn to see! Since I am teaching on Father’s Day, I am also integrating something they can take home for their dads.

Making a small journal for the kids with Malachi 4:5-6 as the front cover. Have their first entry be about their dad. Teachers will need to help the little ones.

The first page will look like similar to this:

Draw a picture of you and your dad.
1.My dad’s favorite food and color are…
2.I like to go… with my dad.
3.My dad is really fun because he…
4.My dad looks like…
5.I love my dad because…

PLEASE BE AWARE that not all children have fathers that are so grand or that are even in the picture! This is a perfect time to talk about Heavenly Father as our father who will NEVER fail us!!! The kids can still fill out the questions, but in reference to Heavenly Father!! Reassure them that Heavenly Father loves to hear what His children are thinking and that He’d love to see what they put in their journal about Him! After all, isn’t that what all the prophets did?!?! They wrote about their Heavenly Father all throughout the scriptures!!

Closing Activity: Bring up a child, have them turn away from you. This time hold up a picture of Christ along with their journal. Have them guess. Have them turn around. Bear testimony of how doing our family history will bring us closer to Christ and help us have happiness.