October 2008 Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

This photo is symbolic of the love and service that went into my Christina's 4th Birthday. My middle name is not Wiltons. But I gave it my all... And really, isn't that all that matters!

Week 1

I will serve God by doing things on the Sabbath that will help me feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

** Play a game of Sabbath Day Charades. The children can come up and choose paper with activities to act out. The children will have to decide if that activity keeps the sabbath day holy or not. Activities to act out can include (these were taken from a primary manual):
"Write letters to missionaries, Make cards of appreciation for family members, Write in your journal, Play or listen to sacred music, Study the scriptures, Read or tell a scripture story to a younger brother or sister, Visit relatives, Give a family home evening lesson, Work on your Gospel in Action award, Visit someone who is ill or lonely, Play quiet games with your brothers and sisters, read from your baby journal or family history, Look at family photographs"

going swimming, playing basketball games, doing chores, watching lots and lots of TV, shopping at the grocery store, taking a 4 hour nap, etc.

** Bring in an ice pack and a hot pack. Have the kids feel the difference. The things we choose to do on the sabbath can either make us feel warm and close to Heavenly Father or cold and distant from Him. Hide a bunch of word paper strips around the room. As the child gets close to an activity say "warmer, warmer", as they are further away say "colder, colder". The paper strips can include activities that are appropriate for Sunday or Sabbath scriptures!

** Make a long hand held scroll. Invite a child to come up. Like you are reading from the scroll, tell them to untie/ unbuckle their shoe with one hand. If they can't do it, they have broken the sabbath. Ask another to come up, tell them another primary child has a cut on their hand "accidentally" drop a band aid on the floor. Once they put the band aid on, tell them they have broken the sabbath. Is that really breaking the Sabbath? NO! Yet some people believed this a long time ago. What is the real law? Read Matthew 12:12, Exodus 20:8–11, D&C 59:10-13 Toss the scroll into the garbage!

Week 2

I can serve Heavenly Father by serving others.

** Have a box with miscellaneous objects inside (scriptures, garden shovel, fork, toy, sweater, book, drinking straw, envelope, shoe, etc.). Have children come up and choose an item then decide how they could use that item to serve someone. See how many different ideas you can get with each item. Have a scripture or song attached to some of the items to do after they have thought about a way to serve.

** Have the children make up a short poem to read to the Relief Society or Elders Quorum on service. Then have them sing a song like "I'm trying to Be Like Jesus" for them. No better way to learn about service than doing it!

** Have the children draw pictures and write letters to some widows or sick people in the ward. Have them come up with some scriptures on service to add to the envelope.

** Bring in a toy train- the type where you can add a car and build on the train to make it longer. As the children answer questions on service, read scriptures and sing- link a car. Watch it grow. When all the cars are on, have a child drive it to a picture of Christ. Service links us together and brings us closer to Jesus and Heavenly Father. Have paper with the words, "We choo-choo-choose to serve others! Challenge them to take the paper home and fill it up as a family with activities they will do to help others.

Week 3

The prophets and apostles teach me how to serve.

** Bring in a pocketbook or daily organizer.(Or you could just have a large paper that says "Schedule" with all the daytime and evening hours on it) Have a picture of the First Presidency. Have the children fill in what they think the prophets and apostles do in a day. Most of all, they are special witnesses of Christ. See here for some great quotes. What a true and priceless service to all of us they give as they bear such strong testimony of Our Savior.

** "The Lord revealed why “he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets.” It is “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Eph. 4:11–13).
The ministry of the Apostles—the Presidency and the Twelve—therefore is to bring us to a unity of the faith. "Boyd K. Packer, “Special Witness: The Shield of Faith,” Friend, Jul 2003, 39

Have about 8 questions and 3-4 songs on service. As children answer the questions and sing nicely, invite one child up to the front. Then invite another to come up and hold that persons hand... and so on, forming a unified chain. Reemphasize that the prophets serve by "Perfecting, work and edifying" and in so doing, help unify us and make us stronger in the faith!!

** Linda Sherwood, “What Would the Prophets Want Me to Do?,” Friend, Sep 1999, 36 wrote a FANTASTIC WONDERFUL AND AMAZING article that could easily be tied into this weeks theme. Make little pictures to post on the board that go along with each question and story. Post a picture of the prophets mentioned. Have the kids try to match the question to the prophet who answered it. Also ask in each case how the prophet taught us service.

Week 4

Because others serve me, I too want to serve.

** Drop Everything and Come Running. Tell this story. Bring in a runners headband, armband and book bag. Make up some case studies (about 8) and put them on index cards. Also have some songs on service on different index cards and put everything into the backpack. Let a child come up, put on the headband, etc. and choose an index card. They will have to answer how they would serve the person, drop the backpack and walk-quickly (This is church, during a FHE would be different and they could run) across the room. Time how long it takes to walk across the room. Do this with all 8 children and see if as a primary you can drop everything and come help in under two minutes total.

** Mosiah 2:17, 19 "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!"

Write thank you notes to someone special who has helped you. Then add something you would like to do for them on it and do it!!

(Little ones can draw pictures, have teachers help add words like who has helped them, how, and what they want to do for the person)

** Rom. 12: 1, " I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Have large pieces of butcher paper. Have the children lie down and trace each other on the paper. Have them label different parts of the body with ways they can serve. (For example, hands can tie shoes for a little brother, eyes can watch out for children at school who are lonely, ears can be good listeners to mom and dad, etc.)

** Check Yo' Attitude. Have different role play situations for the children to act out. The children will have to come up with the wrong attitude and right attitude towards service scenario.

For example: Your best friend needs to do chores before she can come play. What can you do to not help or help?

Your friend's dad is very sick and is in the hospital. What can you do to not help or help?

Have some come up and share with the whole primary.

Alma 30: 8-9, "For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve. Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him..."