Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas for January 2009

Diagram from Lesson 1: The Temple Teaches about the Great Plan of Salvation,” Endowed from on High: Temple Preparation Seminar Teacher’s Manual, 1

I am a spirit child of Heavenly Father.
“All of you are children of the most High” (Psalm 82:6).

Week 1 Heavenly Father loves me and has a plan for me.

* Have a small box of Lincoln logs. Invite a child to come up and build a house. Ask them questions like, why don’t you put the green roof sticks on the bottom? Why do you put long logs on the bottom and shorter ones on the side? How will you make room for windows? How long will it take you to finish? Thank the child and ask if anyone has ever built a real home or knows what goes into building a real home? Show a picture of a real house. Do they just stop by home depot with $100 and window shop for things that look good or do you think they make a list of supplies they need? When you build a real home do you need a plan? What is a plan? What is Heavenly Father’s plan for me?At the end of the lesson, come back to the idea that you are grateful Heavenly Father took the time to carefully think out each piece of our lives (hold up Lincoln logs). He didn’t throw us together and hope for the best, but He perfectly designed (hold up a picture of the real home) a plan that would bring us happiness.

* Invite a child to come up that can read. Have 6 strips of paper of things they need to do. For example brush teeth, do homework, help neighbor mow lawn, play a board game with my sister, put away dishes/finish chores, spend time with Fish the family dog. Ask them how they would plan their day and to put the paper in the order they would feel is best for the day. Why wouldn’t they help their neighbor mow the lawn at the end of the day when it’s dark? Why would they do homework before playing? Is it good to have a plan for your day, why? What about having a plan for life? What might that include? Hold up a diagram of the plan of salvation and ask, who’s plan do you think this could be?
At the end of the lesson, come back to the idea that we can make plans to help our day go smoother. Heavenly Father has created the ultimate plan that gives happiness to each day and we should follow it with all our hearts.

*Bring in a 3-D book and pair of 3-D glasses. Ask a child to come up and look at the book and tell them what they see. Now put on the glasses. Is that pretty cool?
President Eyring has said:
“You can think of the plan of salvation as a set of eyes (hold up the 3-D glasses) that allow you to see what the natural eye does not see” (Mission Presidents’ Seminar, June 2000, 2). Is it pretty exciting to know where we have come from, where we are going and what our purpose here on earth is? The plan of salvation helps us see life as the happy and wonderful thing it is!
On the same note, with a little variation: Bring in a pair of glasses. Have a child come up and put them on for 5 seconds. Can they see? Is it blurry? Is it clear?“Some of us at one time or another let the pressures of life or the false teachings of men cloud our vision, but when we see with clarity, the difference between the plan of God and that of Satan is unmistakable” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1981, 11)

*Margaret Lifferth in the January 2005 Friend had a wonderful sharing time idea. There is a visual with key words about Heavenly Fathers plan. You can cut these out and put on the black board. Write the scriptures on the board also. Start by looking up Moses 1:39. Then look up the scriptures and match them to the key words of the different parts of Heavenly Father’s plan.

“We lived in heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before we were born.

(See Abr. 3:22–26)

An earth was created.

(See Moses 2:1–3:3)

Adam and Eve and the Fall were a part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

(See Moses 4:6–5:12)

Jesus Christ came to earth. He is our Savior; He overcame the Fall. Because of Him, we can live again.

(See Abr. 3:27–28)

Coming to a family is part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

(See paragraphs 1–4 of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102.)

I would just put up the whole proclamation, they should have these in the library.

We will all die, and because of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected.

(See Alma 11:42–45)

When we follow the example of Jesus Christ, we can inherit the celestial kingdom.

(See D&C 76:50–70)”

* Thomas S. Monson, “Which Road Will You Travel?,” Ensign, Mar 1991, 2

Have copies of this talk for the SENIOR sharing time. Divide them into groups. Highlight different parts of the talk for them to read and discuss. Then have 1 child come up to summarize what they read or read a quote that the group enjoyed.

* From the D&C and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 19: The Plan of Salvation, Purpose, 105

" Display the small pieces of the picture that you have brought to class, but do not display the picture.Tell class members that these small pieces are part of a bigger picture. Invite them to briefly guess what is in the picture. Then display the picture, putting the small pieces in place.
Point out that although the small pieces are important, they would have little meaning if they were not part of the big picture. Explain that experiences we have, decisions we make, and truths we learn are like small pieces of a big picture. They have less meaning if they are not put in the context of a bigger picture: the plan of salvation. A knowledge of the plan of salvation can help us make righteous decisions, find joy in mortality, and prepare for eternal life. This lesson discusses the plan of salvation.

The plan of salvation is “one of heaven’s best gifts to mankind.”
Write on the chalkboard Heavenly Father’s Plan of ___________________.

Ask class members to complete the phrase. Encourage them to think of as many answers from the scriptures as they can. Write their responses on the chalkboard. After a minute or two, share any of the following answers that they have not mentioned:
Salvation (Alma 24:14; Alma 42:5; Moses 6:62)
Restoration (Alma 41:2)
Happiness (Alma 42:8, Alma 42:16)
Mercy (Alma 42:15, Alma 42:31)
Redemption (Jacob 6:8; Alma 12:25–33)

• What do these words teach about Heavenly Father’s plan?
• The prophet Alma referred to Heavenly Father’s plan as “the great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8). How can the plan of salvation bring us happiness?

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “The great plan of salvation…be regarded as one of heaven’s best gifts to mankind” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 68). What can we do to give the plan of salvation “our strict attention”?"

Song Helps for "I lived in Heaven" (CS pg.4)

Image courtesy creative commons license on flickr.com by Moriza May 2006

**Bring in an egg and a picture of a chicken. Ask the children, what came first the chicken or the egg? There are a lot of confusing questions in life. While we don’t have the answers to all of life’s questions that make you go huh? We do have some ideas thanks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The earth has billions of people on it, do you think those billions of people ever wonder where they came from or what their purpose is? Well we know. We lived with Heavenly Father before we came to earth and this song helps us remember the important things that happened there.

** Ask if anyone has ever lived in more than one place. Can you have more than one home? We had a home before we came to earth. What do you think it was like? How was that home different from the one you have now? Let’s learn a little more about that very special home through this song.

Verse 1
I lived in heaven a long time ago it is true
Lived there and loved there with people I know so did you
Then Heavenly Father created a beautiful plan
All about earth and eternal salvation for man.

Verse 2
Father said He needed someone who had enough love
To give His life so we all could return there above
There was another who sought for the honor divine
Jesus said Father send me and the glory be thine.

Verse 3
Jesus was chosen and as the Messiah He came
Conquering evil and death through His glorious name
Giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be
Home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me.

Using 3 pieces of poster board (1 for each verse) draw an outline of a house on each piece.On verse one within the house you can have pictures to represent the lines for example a watch, a family photo of a deceased ancestor, blueprint, earth with 2 happy people holding hands. Same for verses 2 and 3. You can add GAK pictures also because of the size of poster board.

**Have a large packing box that is flat. Is moving a lot of work? What do you have to do when you move from one home to another? Explain that we’re going to learn a song about a different home that we had and lived at. A place we can’t really remember to well! As the children learn the words to the song they can come up and fold the box, add tape, packing materials, etc. Have a large heart to represent the love that was present in the pre-existence our first home. You can add other things to help remember lines. As they learn the song you can seal the box, if they need help re-open.

**A clever idea from: Vicki F. Matsumori, “Sharing Time: I Know God’s Plan,” Friend, Jun 2003, 33

" Song presentation: Use questions to help teach “I Lived in Heaven” (p. 4). Make a number of cards with one of the following words written on them: Who, What, When, and Where. Have the children pass the cards down the rows while the pianist plays the first line of the song. When the pianist stops playing, have the children who are holding the cards keep them. Ask them to listen while you sing, and to think of a question starting with the word they are holding that can be answered by the first line of the song.

Sing the first line, have the children with the cards ask their questions, and have the entire Primary sing the answer. E.g., “Who lived in heaven?” (“I lived in heaven.”) “What did I do?” (“I lived in heaven.”) “When did I live in heaven?” (“I lived in heaven a long time ago.”) “Where did I live?” (“I lived in heaven.”)

Repeat the process for each line, but have the children holding the cards with questions that are being answered stand and sing the answer. If a card question was not asked (line 2 probably would not have a When question, for instance), those holding that card would not stand.For the second and third verses, remove the When cards and substitute Why cards. The children with them might ask, “Why did Jesus give His life?” (“so we all could return there above”). Or, “Why was Jesus chosen?” (to conquer “evil and death through his glorious name”)."

More December 2008 Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

WEEK 4 Because I know that I am a child of God and that Jesus Christ is my Savior, I will . . .

* Bring up a couple chairs to the front. Have a picture of a family and put out a little rug. Make it a cozy setting. Explain to the children that we are having a pretend family home evening. You have 2 friends from school who wanted to come to FHE. They aren't members. The lesson you are going to be giving is " Because I know that I am a child of God and that Jesus Christ is my Savior, I will . . ." Have them split into small groups and come up with a 2 minute thought and scripture that they can present in front of the primary.

* For the Senior Sharing Time ONLY. In Preach my gospel, page 126 there is an attribute activity. Start off by reading Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-28, "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." Explain that we are all children of God,

* Have 2 cans in the front labeled WILL and WON'T. Also have a bag. Give the children some strips of paper. Have them write things they will do and things they won't do because they know they are children of Heavenly Father and that Jesus is our Savior. (Teachers or older children can help younger children by writing for them) Have them put all their strips of paper in the bag. Have a child come up and choose a strip of paper when everyone is done. Read the strip EXCEPT for the word will or won't. Have the primary then decide if it's something we will do or won't do and put into the correct can accordingly.

* Bring a back pack and introduce it as your new year's back pack. Have 2009 taped to it. All year you've been learning in primary that we are children of God and that Jesus is our Savior. You've packed a bag for the new year with lots of things you could do. Now you need the primary children's help to decide what is the most important things to take and actually DO in the new year. (You can have things inside like a video game, scriptures, a picture of someone praying, tickets to a basketball game on a Sunday, a dustpan to help clean the church, a pass along card, a picture of the temple, a picture of a couch potato, a modest dress... etc.) Ask the children what are other things they can do?