May 2017 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps & Ideas

The Baptism by AC Williams

 

Monthly Theme: I Choose the Right When I Am Baptized and Confirmed a Member of the Church
Monthly Scripture: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” Acts 2:38

Week 1 As I repent, I can be forgiven.

* HERE is an interesting story of an apostle who did something naughty. It was actually pretty serious and before the lesson I'd do a brief review on why it is SO IMPORTANT not to play with fire or flammables!! Share the story with the children. Was he blessed that there was no serious damage?
     On the chalk board draw an image similar to this:

     There will be about 10 "sparks" (The yellow things on the fuse). The children will erase a spark before it's too late!!! To do so, they will need to answer a question or read a scripture about repentance.
     There are a few points Elder Renlund makes that we often don't talk about with repentance, but are important, that could easily be incorporated with your questions:
1. Do not blame others for our actions. Can you think of how Elder Renlund could have blamed the other boy? Why do you think he didn't?
2. Don't minimize a mistake- for example, "It's not that big." "No one was hurt."  Why is being "truly" sorry important?
3. Do not separate Heavenly Father from His commandments. It's not just something He's asked of us, certain things are sacred. When we do things that are not right, who can get hurt? Us, others, Heavenly Father and Jesus! They are hurt because They love us and want what's best for us.
      I really enjoy this quote from his talk, "Even as we feel godly sorrow for our actions,²¹ when we choose to repent, we immediately invite the Savior into our lives. As Amulek taught, “Come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.”²² We can feel godly sorrow for our actions and, at the same time, feel the joy of having the Savior’s help."
    Well, did we make it? Never play with fire!!! Steer clear of things that are wrong and choose the right!! If we do make mistakes though, we can repent and be forgiven!!!

* In the Primary Sharing Time Outline they have an excellent object lesson of rocks in shoes! Just to continue on, after for the lesson you could take 4 shoes and place them on a table up front. Have a primary friend come up to guess which shoe you put the rock in. (They might have to turn around while you put it in, or you can have a blanket to cover the shoes while you put the rock in) If they guess right on the first try, they get to keep the rock! In order to guess they need to answer a question or read a scripture having to do with repentance.

* HERE and HERE are good, simple reviews of what we need to do to repent and forgive.

* Have the a few children act out the story of the parable of the prodigal son. Why did Christ share this story? What does it mean for us? We can repent and be forgiven!! You can print out the following if you'd like to do a short reader's theater. Bring in some simple costumes!! (Mouse over the top right hand corner, a box with an arrow should appear. Click, then it will take you to a link where you can print)

Week 2 When I am baptized and confirmed, I am following Jesus’s example.

* HERE is a fun little activity from The Friend to do in small groups. Make sure they look up each scripture and read them!!

* HERE is the bible video from lds.org of Jesus getting baptized. HERE is a good article from The Friend with review questions already prepared.

* 7 times!!! Go over the story of Naaman with the children. HERE is a wonderful article to refresh your memory.

(Image from lds.org)

     Have little slips of paper in a hat with things for the entire primary to do 7 times. Blow a kiss, hop on one foot, push ups, high five a neighbor, say thank you to the primary pianist, click tongue, pat head and rub belly, move to the left 7 chairs, move to the right 7 chairs.... etc.
     Before a reverent primary friend is chosen to pick a paper for our game 7 times, have them answer a question on baptism. Here are some questions relating to the story of Naaman & baptism:
Naaman was considered unclean as a leper. How are people older than 8 unclean before baptism?
Naaman was angry that he had to go wash. He was not very humble. What is humility and why is it important for baptism?
Naaman finally washed in the river. What is obedience? How was Christ obedient?
Baptism by immersion is a symbol... of what?
How do you think Naaman felt after he was healed? How do you think people feel after they are baptized?
Can you tell us a little about the story of Jesus being baptized?
Have you been to a baptism before? Can you share your experience there briefly?
Why is baptism so important?
Can you have baptism without confirmation? Why not? ( “Baptism in water … must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete” (see Bible Dictionary, “Baptism,” 618).
If you could meet Naaman what would you say to him or ask him?

Week 3 The Holy Ghost can help me.

* "Taking “the Holy Spirit for [our] guide” (D&C 45:57) is possible and is essential for our spiritual growth and survival in an increasingly wicked world. Sometimes as Latter-day Saints we talk and act as though recognizing the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives is the rare or exceptional event. We should remember, however, that the covenant promise is that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. This supernal blessing applies to every single member of the Church who has been baptized, confirmed, and instructed to “receive the Holy Ghost.”
Elder Bednar That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be With Us April 2006
    Grab a backpack, hat, and a good walking stick. We are going on a guided hike today in primary!! Would you want to climb a really big mountain by yourself? Why or why not would it be a good idea? Is it helpful to have someone who knows the way? In the mountain of life, the Holy Ghost is our guide and he can help me!!
     Throughout the primary room have 10 pictures of things that might be dangerous on a hike with the following questions or scriptures:
     poison ivy - Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" How does the Holy Ghost help us tell the difference between good and evil?
     bear- When is a time you had a big challenge and the Holy Ghost helped you?
     falling rocks- We are "buried" in the water of what to enter the kingdom of heaven? (baptism) But it is not complete unless we do something else having to do with the Holy Ghost... what is that? (get confirmed, receive the Holy Ghost)
    stream crossing- JST John 1:31-33 " And John bare record, saying; When he was baptized of me, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him; for he who sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me; Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."
     bees- In the book of Alma, a group of Lamanites starts to kill their brethren the anit-nephi-lehies and the scriptures say they were, "stung (in their hearts) for the murders which they had committed". We will never end up killing people, but the Holy Ghost can warn us! Is a warning helpful? How does the Holy Ghost warn us? What does He warn us about?
     hot sun- How do we feel on a sunny day? There are many different ways people feel the spirit!! "It is clear that each of us may hear and feel the communication of the Holy Ghost in a variety of ways. We should move beyond simply teaching children that they will have a warm feeling because they might not experience that feeling; they may receive inspiration in a different way....I was teaching a Sunday School lesson to relatively new converts, and I asked the question, “How do you feel the Spirit?” Their answers were very enlightening. One said, “I feel clarity in my thoughts.” Another said, “I have a warm feeling inside,” while another shared, “I feel a deep sense of peace.” A woman who had been a member for a few months said, “I feel prickles all over!” And several stated that they occasionally would “hear” a voice speaking to them or that new ideas would come to them."
Dec. 2013 Ensign Helping Children Recognize the Holy Ghost by Merrilee Browne Boyack
     log in the way- "Your testimony of Christ, born of the Holy Ghost, can help you look past the disappointing endings in mortality and see the bright future that the Redeemer of the world has prepared." President Uchtdorf Grateful in Any Circumstances April 2014 The Holy Ghost can help us by giving us this- something felt in our heart that makes us look forward to something better? (Hope!)
    storm clouds- Have the primary pianist play Master, the Tempest Is Raging (Hymns 105) and read or sing the words to the 1st verse and chorus. What feeling can the Holy Ghost give us when there are storms in life??
The following aren't dangers, but are needed on our hike!
     snack break - How do we feed our spirit and invite the Holy Ghost into our lives?
     water break- What does refresh mean?? Here is a story from lds.org, and when you hear the word refresh, touch your nose:
" I recall a testimony given by a young cadet attending the United States Air Force Academy.

He was experiencing great difficulty in passing his courses and was very discouraged. At this point, he met a Mormon cadet, and from him he learned that there were a number of Mormon boys attending the academy and that they met together at five o’clock each weekday morning in a religious study class. The cadet was invited to attend one of these classes. He did so and was deeply impressed by the wonderful spirit. He continued attending, met the missionaries, was given the discussions, and, through study, prayer, and attending church, received a testimony and was baptized. He bore witness that upon receiving the Holy Ghost he felt its influence quicken his mind and understanding and refresh his memory, and that thereafter he had no trouble in getting satisfactory grades. His feelings of discouragement left him, and a spirit of peace and comfort came over him. This was a most inspiring and impressive testimony of the great value of the Holy Ghost."

The Continuing Power of the Holy Ghost July 1973

Great job on the hike everyone!!! Bear testimony that no matter what we face on our path, the Holy Ghost can help us!!

 

Week 4 When I take the sacrament I renew my baptismal covenants.

* Makeover!! Transformation time!!  President David O. McKay said, “I feel impressed to emphasize what the Lord has designated as the most important meeting in the Church, and that is the sacrament meeting.” If we properly prepare for the sacrament, we can transform our lives."
     Prepare 10-12 questions on the sacrament and renewing our baptismal covenants. Enlist the help of your most wonderful primary pianist, or another willing teacher. Bring in some make up and hair styling products. Place them nicely on the table with maybe a couple necklaces or a shawl. Invite a primary child up front to answer a question and then TRANSFORM our primary pianist!!
     After the sharing time, WOW!!! What an amazing transformation or change!! Remember, like President McKay said, "If we properly prepare for the sacrament, we can transform our lives." We can change them for the better. Challenge the children to come up with 1 thing they can do next week to prepare for the sacrament and do it!!

* HERE is an awesome story about the sacrament!! After sharing it with the primary children, break out some paper and teach them how to make an easy origami project!! Have them bring it to sacrament next week to look at and remember to think of Jesus!