Consider the Lilies

El Vendedor de Alcatraces By Diego Rivera
(Image courtesy creative commons license www.diego-rivera-foundation.org)

D&C 84: 81-84 "Therefore, take ye no thought for the morrow, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed. For, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these. For your Father, who is in heaven, knoweth that you have need of all these things. Therefore, let the morrow take thought for the things of itself."

I once was given a very special blessing that truly firmed my testimony in Divinity. I was studying this scripture and pondering it. The person giving me the blessing had no clue what I was reading in my personal scripture time, and yet Heavenly Father knew. The scripture was quoted and it's purpose expanded to me within the blessing.

I would like to pose 3 questions.
1. What can you do to increase your faith in Jesus Christ and our loving Father?
2. What can you do to make your attitude more Christ like?
3. Do you believe that we are indeed children of a loving Father?

This is a favorite piece of art that hangs in our home. Originally, Diego Rivera meant it as a more political piece symbolic of the burdens of the Mexican people. However, art is art. I appreciate it in a different sense. I see a woman with a tremendous load, yet it is a beautiful load. And she is not alone, she is never alone. Deity is behind her, helping her bear the load and lifting it. She has fallen to her knees and it is a good thing. I look at this picture everyday and am inspired. I hope you can be inspired by it also.

Often our callings can seem overwhelming. I didn't become a doctor for a reason, I don't do well with blood and guts. The same can be said about teaching yet here we are in an organization that asks us to do what we don't necessarily have confidence in. The burden however is beautiful and we need to recognize that. And we have support. If you feel overwhelmed about teaching Primary, take a step back. Did you have a lesson that just didn't go well? It's OK. Next week will be better! A person doesn't get to Carnegie Hall over night, it takes practice!

The time has come for preparing/writing Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentations. We are all entitled to revelation and help from above. Often I receive such nice and kind comments on how "my ideas" are wonderful. If only I could claim them as my own! The ideas are inspiration from above. Plain and simple. I find that if I pray sincerely, make sure my heart is in the right place and listen carefully... answers will come. The same can be true for you too! Don't get stressed out, you don't need to! Heavenly Father will help. Using the chocolate chip cookie analogy - A chocolate chip cookie is not a chocolate chip cookie with one chocolate chip. You need lots and lots and then another cup full. Pray often. The more the better.

If I had to boil down the message of this post into one thought, it'd be this: Have Hope!! Basically, if you were in the corner of the ring, I'm patting you on the back and chanting for you, you can do it! You can do it! You can do whatever you need to do in life because God is truly with us and mindful of our needs. Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Roseville, California 1st Ward... I Applaud You

I am always looking for ways to build a bridge between church and home. For Father's Day weekend we were visiting the greater Sacramento, California area and stayed at a hotel right by the temple.

It was a packed house! We had a lady in front of us who was a primary teacher welcome my children and was super friendly! Oh how I love people that don't ignore children! And a little girl held my daugther's hand so she could also sing to her daddy for Father's day. Thank you for being a ward full of awesome friendly people. We didn't stay for primary (which I was dying to do because I love learning and getting new ideas) however, there was a connection that I thought was brilliant.

On their Sacrament Meeting program, on the back, they put the primary monthly theme and scripture! Is that simple? Is that helpful? Is that wonderful? Is that a quick way to help parents reinforce the principles being taught on Sunday?

Kudos to you Roseville CA 1st Ward!!

September 2009 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Month Theme: Prophets teach me how to strengthen my family.
Month Scripture: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, . . . whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38)

Week 1 Bible prophets teach me how to strengthen my family (review biblical stories about righteous families such as Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, and Zacharias and Elisabeth).

* Make "book kits" for the children to put together as groups. Give them a few minutes to glue together, review and then come up and share that story. For example have 6 pages for a book with simple phrases/scriptures that review the story, let the children draw pictures to the story. Have a teacher help and supervise. Don’t forget to have the children say how that bible prophet teaches them how to strengthen their family!!

* I'm such a clutz! Put together scriptures, simple phrases and pictures to tell about the biblical families. Have them in small stacks. Accidentally trip and knock over all the papers, mixing them up! Have the children come up and pick up one paper/picture at a time and decide what story stack it goes to. (For an example of a simple phrase: They loved all the animals and took very good care of them. The plants and flowers were beautiful in the garden. - then ask - Where does this go? Kind of tricky. We know Noah loved animals... but did he live in a garden?) Don’t forget to have the children say how that bible prophet teaches them how to strengthen their family!!

* Have a large arrow with the words "AND THEN...." Bring in some pictures and prepare some questions to help the children tell the stories of these families. Invite 5 children to the front. Have the first start out the story and say whatever they can think of, then they pass the arrow to the next person and say "And then!!". Don’t forget to have the children say how that bible prophet teaches them how to strengthen their family!!

* Have adults come in dressed up as that prophet. Let the children ask them questions to figure out what prophet they are supposed to be! Have the adults prepare a short summary of who they are and read a scripture relating to that prophet. Don’t forget to have the children say how that bible prophet teaches them how to strengthen their family!!

* Have mini-crossword puzzles! On the black board have 3-5 words in crossword format, number properly, and have clues for the children. Clues can be pictures! Clues can be songs! Clues can be scriptures! With the mini-crossword format you can do a few bible families! For younger children who can't read and spell, say the letters out loud for them and then have them repeat with you. (It only takes a few seconds and helps with letter recognition, a key to reading!) For Senior Primary, assign them a scripture family and have them make up their own mini-crossword puzzle for the others to figure out!

* Have some really strong men from the ward come in and demonstrate their strength. They could do one handed push-ups. The could pick up their own child and toss them in the air. They could do a chin-up. It's important to be strong! Ask them to talk about their favorite prophet and why that prophet is their favorite. How has that prophet helped their spirit and their family be stronger?

* Sheila E. Wilson, pure genius, has this idea she shared in the October 2004 Friend "Sharing Time: Follow the Prophet”:

" Read aloud D&C 1:38. Prophets are servants of the Lord and speak for Him to guide and direct us. Share the story of the prophet Joshua from the Old Testament. The children of Israel had left their homes and wandered in the wilderness for more than 40 years. Through Joshua, the Lord promised the children of Israel that the city of Jericho would be theirs. He told Joshua what the people should do, and Joshua told the people.

Read together and role-play (see TNGC,p. 178) the account in Josh. 6:6–16, 20. You will need children to portray Joshua, the seven priests (with rolled-up paper for ram’s horns), and the children of Israel. Rather than shout, sing a song or hymn while the children stand and represent the wall around Jericho. Have the children sit down to represent the wall falling down. Give a choral reading (see TNGC,p. 163). Have “Joshua” say, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). Have everyone respond with a choral reading of Josh. 24:24. Bear testimony that our homes will be blessed and our families will be strengthened as we choose to obey the prophets and serve the Lord."

Week 2 Book of Mormon prophets teach me how to strengthen my family.

* All the ideas from Week 1 can be adjusted to fit this weeks theme.

Week 3 The prophet today teaches me how to strengthen my family.

* Do you have any books by President Monson? Gather as many as you can find! Print out talks, articles from the Ensign and other church magazines. Let the Senior Primary go through the books and see if they can find quotes from the prophet on how to strengthen the family. Give them post it notes to hold pages and spots, then have them share!

* Here is a link to the Friend. It is a wonderful article from President Monson on how to build strong testimonies. Strong testimonies lead to strong families. You could easily help the children build a road by asking them questions from the article.

* Here is another wonderful link to the Friend. It could make a great flannel board activity of the teachings of President Monson. It's important to remember that the whole world is our family. We are all brothers and sisters.

* How much do our children know about the first presidency? Have their pictures displayed and a bunch of clues to match. See if the children can guess which member the clue is about! Here is a link with some simple facts about them. Add in a couple quotes that each member has said about strengthening families and have the children guess who it belongs to! At the end of the lesson have some primary friends share something new they've learned about the members of the first presidency!

* This is a great story that President Monson told. Make paper canaries and have questions, scriptures and songs posted on the back of the birds. Our families don't have to be driving the fanciest cars or have super big homes with lots of toys, our families should have peace and inner beauty like the canary with the best song.

* President Monson talks about 3 pieces of a treasure map in a friend article found here. Make up your own treasure map to find a hidden treasure within the primary room. For the children to move to the next spot on the treasure map, they must answer questions: What have I learned from my family in the past? How can I prepare for a family in the future? How do I help with my family now? These questions can correspond to a compass (So the child will pick N, S, E or W. You could spin them and have them point... be creative) You could also have a song assigned to a point on the compass. The treasure is a picture of the temple! Families can be together forever when I listen to the prophet today and help strengthen them!

Week 4 I will hear the words of the prophets when I listen to general conference.

* Print out a bunch of different clip art black and white images children can cut out and glue stick to make a coloring book. (Take a piece of construction paper, fold in half... fill with white paper and staple... this would be the book they can add images too) As they go to conference they can take their book and listen to hear if anyone talks about the different things they are coloring! Have pictures of the apostles themselves for them to glue in too! What apostle will they get to hear?! Older children of course can make this more of a journal to write what they are thinking.

* Show short video clips (2-3 minutes each) from a past general conference. Give the children paper ears glued on popsicle sticks and paper hearts glued on popsicle sticks. When the hear something that is interesting have them raise their ear and share what they've heard. When they have felt something, have them raise their heart and share what they've felt. They can also share in partners if a lot of friends want to participate!

* Linda Olsen, “Conference Reverence Tent,” Friend, Oct 2008, 36–38... classic! Thanks Sister Olsen!

Make a large sheet tent for the children to sit under as you have someone role play King Benjamin. Encourage the children to do this at home, with the help of their parents as they listen to next month's general conference!

Candyland The Spiritual Version?: Family Home Evening Idea

My little ladies LOVE to play candyland. So I decided to make a "special" version, one that is sweetness for the soul. I used one sheet of posterboard and markers. I also drew on a few of our candyland cards for the "special" cards and will use the color cards and people markers when we play. (I was going to attach our faces to the people markers if I can find small enough pictures, to make it more personal!)

I started out with the pre-mortal existence and a sign with an earth and baby on it that says "birth".

The "special" cards of the game include:

* CTR (which when chosen you SING Choose the Right) There is a special fruit and CTR shield tree with the scripture 3 Nephi 14:20 "Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them."

* Temptation Tower (Lose a turn! Yuck!) There is a tower with windows with things that tempt us. The scripture is 2 Nephi 4:27 "And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?"

* Baptism by Water (SING Baptism)
* Baptism by Fire
The scripture that goes along with these 2 are Mormon 7:10 "...If it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen."

* Heart (SING I love to see the Temple) There is a picture of a temple.

There is a "prophet's path" that if you land on a certain spot will skip you forward lots of spaces. (If landed on SING Follow the Prophet)

Before you can receive eternal life you have to choose a red card twice (because the last 2 spaces are red). This is to help us remember the atonement of Christ is the reason we can have eternal life.

Talk throughout the game! Ask questions! Let the children say whatever they are thinking about! Have fun!

The game isn't complete until the entire family has eternal life!!

Fear Not: Family Home Evening Idea

(Sorry the picture's a little blurry! Having too much fun to pose for the camera!)

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10, 13 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

Song: 2nd Verse of How Firm a Foundation

Activity: Role play the 3 Billy Goats Gruff. Video tape your performance!

What are things we are afraid of? Should we be afraid though?

Point: Just like the Big Billy Goat's brother saved his family, so will our elder brother Jesus Christ save us! We never have to be afraid because He is with us.

Additional Scriptures:

* Psalms 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

* Luke 12:32 "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

* Deut. 31:6 "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

* 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear..."

Aren't familiar with this story? Trip Trap Here and read the Norway version.

Stick to the Basics

(Am I saying going out and buy this to use for primary? ABSOLUTELY not. Read on Brothers and Sisters. Read on.)

Recently I received a comment (in response to June sharing time helps week 1):

Anonymous said...
"be careful bringing something commercial, the Fisher Price Noah's Ark set into Primary...we need to use materials provided and approved by the Church...just something to consider, not reprimanding, just stick with the basics"
June 13, 2009 11:47 AM

Exactly! We need to stick to the basics. I think sometimes we can get "too into" the presentation and set-up of a lesson instead of sticking to the basics. So what are those basics?

These are 3 questions I ask myself when thinking up "starting points" for other people to expand upon. I want you to know that I pray... a lot. I have a simple prayer and that is to be able to make a difference in children's lives and help whoever I can, myself included, be closer to our Father and Jesus Christ.

1. Is the lesson Christ centered?

2. Will this lesson set up an atmosphere for the Holy Ghost to teach and testify?

3. Do these follow church rules and do I feel correct in posting them?

Again, I go to President Boyd K. Packer. "We all have the right to inspiration and revelation, and oh, how we need it in this world, especially in the great challenge of raising a family... I've always felt that the ultimate end of all of the activities and programs of the Church rests in a man and a woman and their family being happy at home." (Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting Building Up a Righteous Posterity 2/9/08 pages 4-9)

That is basic! And couldn't be more well put! But yet he continues so profoundly (emphasis added), "All of the activities of the Church are calculated to strengthen the family... Sometimes we may move a little away from our position of supporting families to having the families responsible to support the church."

Anonymous has a very good point about "being careful... using materials provided and approved by the church". Veggin' out to Veggie Tales during sharing time is not the best use of time. If there is any question about visual aids, GO TO YOUR PRIESTHOOD LEADER. That's what all the leadership manuals say.

At the same time the manuals also say use a VARIETY of teaching methods. A 3-D object that you have lying around the home or (know someone who does) is perfectly fine to use, in my opinion... as long as focus is kept on the weekly principle from the sharing time outline. In one manual (full link found here) it says, "What ordinary objects can you use to help class members better understand gospel principles?"

We will always have to work with people whose opinions differ. When we stick to the basic principle of what the organization of primary is for... to strengthen families (I heart Boyd) then these differences won't matter much. When we align our wills to that of the Father everything will turn out OK. He will inspire us. He will guide us. (Of course, we need to be doing all that He asks to be doing... REGULAR scriptures, prayer, temple attendance...) Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't nit pick... especially each other and the children. Love your God and love the children. That is sticking to the basics.

** Also, just as a personal philosophy in life. If you're going to say something (And I quote James Brown) "Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud." Speak your mind, say who you are and let the record stand. Can I get an amen? Happy Juneteenth a little early everyone! **

August 2009 Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

The Road to Eternity image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by dkzoffy March 2008

Month Theme: Temple blessings unite families.
Month Scripture: “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

Week 1 The temple is the house of God.

* There are flannel board cut outs you can order here or get from your library. There are different homes. Talk about the people that live in the different homes, where the homes are located, what people do in their homes, etc. Then of course have the Temple which is the house God.

*Panel Discussion. Invite a few Young Men and Young Women to come in and share an experience of when they've been to the temple to do baptisms. Let the children ask them questions. Ask the panel members to describe what the temple is like and how it made them feel to enter.

* Make a path on the chalkboard with the temple at the end. Have a paper child that can move a space on the path according to the roll of a large paper made dice (with numbers 1-6). Have another paper dice with sides like ?, song, scripture, compliment a primary friend, stretch!!... etc. It's like a big board game. They have to roll the dice and do what it says to move the child to the temple. Make up questions, songs and scriptures having to do with the weeks theme.

*Just as an added suggestion to what they have listed in the sharing time outline for this week I would have children draw pictures of what they think the inside of a temple might look like.

Week 2 I will prepare now to go to the temple.

* Have the Bishop come in if he has time and share with the children some of the questions he asks for people to get their temple recommend."Every member who wants to go to the temple, regardless of age, needs to prepare for this sacred experience." Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "See the End from the Beginning," Ensign, May 2006, 44

* Put your temple recommend in a package of sorts. Have the children try to guess what is inside. Hints could include: It's something money can't buy and more precious than anything money could buy. It's smaller than my shoe. I need it as much as I need water. I have to prepare diligently to receive it. Once they guess, read the following:
"I urge our people everywhere … to live worthy to hold a temple recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the house of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein” (Gordon B. Hinkley“Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 53).

* Have a bunch of paper stand up figures (teaching no great call page. 176). Make figures that you would take preparing for a camping trip and on the backside pictures of how to prepare for the temple. Just like we wouldn't go out into the wilderness unprepared we don't go into the temple unprepared! For example... On one paper stand up figure you could have a picture of the tent. Turn it around and have a picture of the church. The shelter of the church and security of the sacrament and attending our meetings helps us prepare for the temple. On another have a picture of a campfire or matches and on the other have the words HOLY GHOST. We need a campfire to stay warm and we need the Holy Ghost to burn inside us and strengthen our testimonies of the temple. Also, don't feel like you need to explain everything... have the children come up with analogies of why they think that picture would be on the back or why you'd need that for camping.

* President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:"The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple. They are beautiful. They are sacred. They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared. Curiosity is not a preparation. Deep interest itself is not a preparation. Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord” (“The Holy Temple,” Tambuli, June 1992, 17). **As a side note, I heart Boyd. He is my absolute favorite and if you haven't read The Holy Temple... go! Do!**

Have stepping stones with the words faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, dignity - leading to a picture of a temple. Make up case studies of children preparing for the temple and then invite a child to come and point to what stepping stone the case study focuses on.

* Invite a child to come up to the front. Give them a copy of the book War and Peace (Or some big book) Tell them you'd like them to give a 10 minute book report about this book. They can't do it? Neither could I! If we aren't prepared then things are NOT going to happen! We need to prepare for the temple so that it is the best experience of our lives!

*Good coloring handout to take home for this week found HERE. Scroll to the very bottom!

Week 3 My family can be together forever through the ordinances of the temple.

* Have a child come up to the front and invite them to take a picture of the primary. What? They don't have a camera? Take a fake picture then. Click. Next. Invite another child to come up and take a picture, this time using a real camera. Show the children how the camera has taken a picture (I assume everyone has digital these days...) The ordinances of the temple are like having a camera, it's real and makes it so our family can be forever. Everything else and other thoughts/rituals of men are fake and will produce nothing because they don't have the camera! They don't have the ordinances of the temple.

* Have family, together forever, ordinances and temple scrambled on the board. Have the pianist play Families Can Be Together Forever while they come up and unscramble the words. Little ones can do this with the help of older children! Divide the primary into groups and have the groups come up with other words that have to do with temples. Invite them to come up to the front and write their word scrambled for the other groups to figure out. Have plenty of pictures to display in case they go along with the word the group chose.

* This is an enrichment activity from the Primary 1 manual (Lesson 26: Families Can Be Together Forever,” 84)

"Help the children understand that forever is a long time. You might tell them that it is longer than the time they have to wait until their birthday or the next holiday; it is longer than the time the oldest person they know has been alive; it is longer than back to the time when Adam and Eve were alive. Explain that forever means that something will never end.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse as you say the words:
How Long Is Forever?
How long is forever (point to head, as if thinking)?

It’s longer than a year (put fist under chin, rest elbow on other hand).
It’s longer than the time it takes (put other fist under chin, rest elbow on hand)

For Christmas to be here.
How long is forever (point to head, as if thinking)?

It’s not too long to spend (shake finger back and forth)

With families that you love (hug self), For it will never, ever end!"

*Bring in 2 mirrors for children to hold. Line them up so the mirrors face each other. Does the reflection ever end? Neither does our family because of the ordinances of the temple. You might need to define ordinance! In the Primary 3 Manuel (“Lesson 35: Temples and Eternal Families,” Primary 3: Choose the Right B, (1994),171) an additional verse to “A Happy Family.” is given. Very fun! "I love Jesus, He loves me. He loves families, yes sirree. We build temples, so you see, We can be together eternally."

*Vicki F. Matsumori (Is she stellar, or is she stellar!), “Sharing Time: Together Forever,” Liahona, Feb 2002, 4–5 is a great link to check out.

Week 4 Family history and temple work bless all the generations of my family.

*Invite a child to come up to the front to give you a hug. Show a picture of someone who has died that you have done temple work for. Just as surely as the primary friend has given you a hug, so will your deceased ancestor give you a hug when you are reunited in heaven!

* Talk about what happens when you throw a rock into a pond. The water ripples on and on and on. Family History and temple work have the same effect of blessing our families. Have a large box of small rocks. Invite the children to come and get 5 each to keep. Have them talk in pairs or groups about family members they love and 5 ways to show love for them. Have questions and scriptures prepared for each group to talk about also.

* Vicki F. Matsumori (Seriously, I wonder if she would ever consider being my best friend.) “Sharing Time: ‘The Heart of the Children’,” Friend, Aug 2002, 36. This has the absolute best ideas ever! Especially #2!! How clever is that to do a pedigree of a scripture family.

* Whisper something into someones ear and then have them repeat it to the next person. See what the message is by the end of 12 primary children. If you had written the message down and passed it around would the message have been confused? Hold up a journal!

LDS Primary Bulletin Board Ideas 2009

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by erstwhile ungulate 2/9/07

I received a very nice email and thought I'd share.

" I love LOVE your blog. Thank you so much for all the help and ideas. I was wondering if maybe you could add a section for bulletin board ideas? I find myself in a slump and can't always come up with cute ideas for each monthly theme. Thanks so much for considering." -Sister Bessey, Primary Secretary, Sequim Washington

Wow! How blessed to have a bulletin board! My first thoughts in creating a bulletin board are these:

1. Will this bulletin board strengthen someones testimony in Christ?

2. Think about the children's needs. If you have a child that is ADD and the board is covered in neon patchwork with rotating pinwheels... you probably won't have them singing during singing time... And that's not their fault.

3. Will the bulletin board be an effective teaching tool?

Since the year is almost out, I'll just post a few ideas for July on out and anything extra that comes to mind. I love to see children's work and am not artistic hence most of the ideas rely upon the children. Post scriptures! Be creative! These are just starting points. Pray for help and guidance... it will come!

-July- I will strengthen my family.

* Call up the children and write down their answers to How can I strengthen my family? Type up their answers large enough to read. Post GAK pictures to go along with their answers.

* Have a large milk carton with the letter I on it. Next to it write "Do my family good!" Have milk glasses with responses from the children how they help strengthen their family. Scriptures and pictures of Christ can be put on additional glasses.

* Have different pictures of individuals from the scriptures that strengthened their family. Number them. Have the words Who can strengthen their family? posted. Have a pocket with slips of paper for the children to fill out who they think the individuals are. Also have an 8X10 piece of foil that will show their reflection (or simple hanging mirror)... because they too can strengthen their family!

-August- Temple blessings unite families.

* Have pictures of different parents who were sealed in the temple. (Be careful, you don't want to make any children feel bad!!) Or you could just do pictures of the different primary teachers and presidency members that were sealed there. Have each person pictured write a short testimony statement of how temple blessings have united their families.

* Have some of the older children do FOREVER poems. (Fills a Faith in God requirement) Give them a sheet of paper with the letters FOREVER and they have to start each line of the poem with that letter. (For example... F-Families can be sealed in temples. O-Our Heavenly Father is very happy when we make the choice to go to His temple. R- Reno, Nevada's temple is awesome and the best! Etc.) Post different pictures of different temples.

* Have different members of a family holding a paper chain. Post different scriptures on temples. Have a challenge sign up sheet for the children to sign. The challenge is for them to look up all the scriptures and memorize one!

-September- Prophets teach me how to strengthen my family.

* Have the children draw pictures of their favorite prophet and why!

* Have the children write letters to President Monson on why they love him and what a prophet is. Display the letters and a large picture of President Monson. Then send the letters to him! (For younger children, write what they say and let them sign/scribble their name!)

* Mystery Prophets. Do 2 a week! Cover their picture, read a short blurb/quote on something they have said about families and then reveal during opening/closing exercises.

* Make paper children and write your primary children's name on them. Put a little paper clip on the back. Have them all accessible for the children to interact with. Take a small pole with a paper prophet attached (Like a fishing pole) with a small magnet on back. Have a small path for the prophet to lead the child to a family and temple. While waiting to start primary, children who are being reverent can do this one at a time. Great way to encourage reverence! Of course have the theme and scripture posted too.

-October- “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” teaches me about families.

* Talk to the activity days leader. Have the activity days girls do a simple flower origami project. Display all their flowers and a proclamation. Post the words "Different flowers, Different families... One truth."

* Try to make the proclamation readable to little children! Post the words and pictures for words so the little ones can try! (For example in the May 2009 Friend there is a story on page 37 Jesus Christ teaches at the temple... it's a story but some pictures substitute the words) There is a technical term for this type of reading, but it's not coming to mind. Anyone? Anyone?

* Have a pumpkin family with the theme displayed. Have little pumpkins with quotes from the children about why they love their family.

-November- My family and I can serve others.

* Have a giant turkey. On the feathers write down the children's ideas on how their family can serve others.

* Don't forget the ward family! Have pictures from different auxiliary service projects!! Have a member from that auxiliary write a short blurb on what they did and send you something to put up!

* Make a giant illustration of King Benjamin and a few of his words on service and being children of Christ. Have children who are reverent come up and color the bulletin board while you are waiting to start.

* Have a large paper rake. Make paper leaves and put the children's ideas on different ways their family can serve. Have a paper family that can play in the leaves.

-December- My family is blessed when we remember Jesus Christ.

* Post a variety of pictures of Christ in a neat and orderly way. Post the theme. Simple.

* Have a picture of a child and a LARGE thought bubble. Children that are being reverent can come up and draw or write different ways to remember Jesus in the thought bubble.

* Have the words posted, "Heavenly Father's gift to us. Jesus Christ." then the theme. Have a LARGE picture of Christ. Make square gifts to put up along quotes from the children and children's family on how they remember Christ and blessings that have come from the gospel.

Extra Just for Fun:

* Post pictures and testimony statements from the children on things they've learned from Primary Activity Days.

* Have the children draw pictures to teach the song of the month!!

* Have some older primary children come up with an idea and make the bulletin board to fulfill a Faith in God service or talent requirement.

* Have the articles of faith posted and let the children (And primary workers) who can recite them sign their names by that article! Invite the Bishopric in to see if they can sign by any of the articles of faith.

* Have all the words to the song "I am like a star" posted. Then add stars with the children's pictures on them.

* HERE is a link to sugardoodle for 2009 bulletin board ideas.

July 2009 Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

This was a picture I took after visiting the Oakland CA visitors center. There was an art exhibit with pictures from the Gospel Art Kit. Out of 20 pictures, my 4 year old daughter could in detail tell me the stories of each picture. It was very humbling. My 2 year old could answer a variety of questions like Who did Jesus appear to after He was resurrected... she replied, "Mary Magdalene!" My children strengthen me. They strengthen our family.

Month Theme: I will strengthen my family.
Month Scripture: “And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably”
(Mosiah 4:13).

Week 1 Family prayer strengthens my family.

*Have paper bag puppets to represent different members of the family.

What do I pray for?
When is my favorite time to pray?
I love to pray with my family because...
How does family prayer strengthen my family?

Pose one question at a time and invite a child to come up and pick a puppet to answer the question as that member of the family. (E.g. Child chooses father puppet and comes up with the answer "I love to pray with my family because after a hard days work it helps me relax.")

Here is a great link to prayer puppets (scroll down just a little) from the Friend with a short activity.

*How many of the primary children have family members that serve in the military? Would we ever want those family members to have to fight without armor?

Alma 43:19-21 "And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing— Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites; But they were not armed with breastplates, nor shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites."

Our families are at battle against evil in the world. We need armor to protect our family! Special armor like family prayer.

* The bible dictionary says, "Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."
Make a felt board of this WONDERFUL friend story. (Alma J. Yates, “Grandma’s Garden,” Friend, Jun 1995, 27)

Bring in different garden tools. Attach questions, scriptures and songs about family prayer to them. A garden takes a lot of work, so does a family! But it's all worth it! Have flowers for the children to smell at the end.

* Just food for thought--- Would the brother of Jared have seen the Savior if not for his brother? Ether 1:33-40. Jared encourages his brother to pray. "Cry unto the Lord." Can we do this also in our families?

Week 2 Reading the scriptures strengthens my family.

* This is a very comprehensive link to describe the golden plates. It's extremely interesting! You can discuss and show some pictures and quotes with the children on the size of the golden plates. Was Joseph Smith and even Emma! stronger for being able to physically lift these? When we read our scriptures as a family, our spirits are given a work-out and are stronger for it!

* Have different pictures drawn to sequence the events of Nephi obtaining the brass plates from Laban. Invite the children to come up and put them in the right order. 1 Nephi 4: 13 "Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief." How important were the scriptures to the family of Nephi?

* Have a large clock drawn on the blackboard. Come up with 12 different things to write for each hour of things that you can do during the day. Read D&C 26 (the heading and everything). What did the Lord say we should spend our time doing? Have little paper clocks hidden throughout the room with questions, scriptures and songs written on them having to do with scripture study. When we use our time wisely and study the scriptures it's strengthens our family.

* This is an idea based off Henry B. Eyring, “Special Witness: How Can My Scripture Study Be More Meaningful?,” Friend, Feb 2008, 39

He gives 5 tips. Divide the primary into small groups with a teacher to supervise and lead discussion. Each group will get 1 tip and a question with each tip. After a few minutes rotate the tip.

The questions to go along with the tips are as follows: 1. When have you felt excited about reading the scriptures? 2. What can you do to make sure scriptures are read on a regular basis in your home? 3. Have you ever found an answer to a question you've had in the scriptures? Share. 4. What is your testimony of the Book of Mormon?5. What is your favorite scripture story and why?

Week 3 Family home evening strengthens my family.

*On a sheet of paper make an outline for a Family Home Evening. (For example have a spot for them to put who will say prayer, scripture story, song to sing... be creative!) Let the children fill out the outline and (especially for younger children) draw a picture/visual for the family home evening. This fulfills a Faith in God requirement under service (Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.)

Here is a really basic outline the church website offers.

* Here are the best quotes on Family Home Evening you'll ever need. My favorite being "Family home evenings should be scheduled once a week as a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength, and loyalty."(Salvation; A Family Affair, Ensign, July 1992, p. 4 — President Ezra Taft Benson) To which you could have the children build paper links and write different ideas on each link for family home evenings! (Younger children can cut and glue, teachers/older children can help write for them)

* Bring in 10 dishes. (Plastic preferably so we don't have any bloody accidents). Retell this story in your own words to the children. Invite the children to come up and choose a plate and tell something nice about another person in primary. Doing little things (activities) brings us closer together. The same is true in our families. When we do things together we are strengthened.

* Hallmarks of a Happy Home is an excellent article by President Monson. It would be appropriate for the senior primary to read in small groups/pairs. Divide the blackboard into 4 sections. A pattern of prayer. A library of learning. A legacy of love. A treasury of testimony.
What are things we can do during family home evenings to strengthen our families pertaining to each category? For example, who can we pray for at FHE? What books/materials can we use during FHE? What are things we can do to show love during FHE? How do we bear testimony at FHE? Have older children write ideas down on the board.

Week 4 Reverence and keeping the Sabbath day holy strengthen my family.

* Have a picture of a boat on the board. Ask the children to come up with names for the boat.

Share the following with them, "An acquaintance of mine had purchased a lovely boat and had just finished varnishing it and painting it. When I stopped by, he was admiring it. I surmised that he was getting it ready to take it, with his family, to the reservoir the next Sunday. He said 'It is complete and in readiness except for one thing.' Then he asked me, 'Could you suggest an appropriate name for the boat?' I knew him very well. I thought for a moment, and then said, 'Well, perhaps you should name it 'The Sabbath Breaker.' He looked at me, and he understood." (ElRay L. Christiansen, in Conference Report, April 1962, 33)

You could have a tub of water with little boats floating in it. Invite the children to come up and choose a boat and say something that is not the best to do on Sundays and something that is good to do on Sundays.

* Have about 6 blank stone tablet made out of construction paper and 6 blank hearts. Big enough to write a few sentences on and be seen by the back of the room.

" It would appear that the reason the Sabbath day is so hard to live for so many people is that it is still written on tablets of stone rather than being written in their hearts..." (Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 217-18)

Have the children use their topical guide to find scriptures to look up about the Sabbath Day. Read then write the reference on the paper tablets. On the hearts write different ways how we can show reverence and keep the sabbath day holy. Have a picture of a family and invite a child to draw lines from the tablets and hearts to the family. All these things strengthen our family.

* Luke 13: 10-17 shows that Jesus himself kept the Sabbath day holy. Have a little donkey on a rope and a watering hole. Have the children answer questions, songs and read scriptures on reverence. As they do so, lead the donkey to the water little by little. Water gives our bodies strength, just as reverence and keeping the Sabbath day keep our families strong.

* God bless you Sheila Wilson!! Sheila E. Wilson, “Sharing Time: The Lord’s Day,” Friend, Nov 2004, 17 has wonderful ideas that could be easily used for this week's theme.

LDS Primary Father's Day Gift

Bunched Crayons courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by cavitt April 2009

I feel like sometimes I'm a little repetitive, but I can't say this enough. KNOW YOUR CHILDREN. BE SENSITIVE to their needs. If there is no father in the home, change the words to grandpa or uncle or brother!!

You will need:
2 large sheets of paper for the child to take home
1 copy of the poem/instructions
1 ziploc bag full of crayons
2 rubber bands
** Manilla Envelope to put everything in or stapled file folders.... you decide what's best so they don't loose anything!
**Another addition could be a couple of gummy fruit snack bags for them to munch on while they talk and draw.

Brief Explanation:
This is a gift designed for time with daddy. A special art activity that is simple and encourages more love in the home. When they get home they are to divvy up the color crayons between dad and child. For each crayon they pass out they have to tell one reason why they love the other person. After the crayons are divided, put a rubber band around the ones you've got and let the inner Van Gogh out! Trade crayons if you need different colors, just make sure to give more reasons why you love your dad!

Poem/Instructions (by Sofia Lykes May 2009):

One crayon can make a drawing,
simple, straight and nice...
But put a bunch together
and there's something to entice!!

My Father is real special,
a man of many gifts!
Capable and loving,
he inspires and uplifts.

I love my daddy dearest,
he's strong and full of fun...
His qualities are many
and he's second next to none!!

Instructions:
1. Go home and pass out one crayon at a time to each other. As you do so, say a reason why you love each other!
2. Put a rubber band around the group of crayons and let your inner Van Gogh go wild!
3. Display your art proudly! Express your love often!
4. Have a very Happy Father's Day!!

Learning at the Feet of Apostles

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a fireside here in Reno, NV which was quite unusual. The featured speakers were 2 apostles and member of the seventy; Elder Bednar, Elder Anderson and Elder Zwick.

It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. They opened it up for questions. I was thinking to myself, here are men that have talked with or seen Christ and they are inviting me to ask a question. After careful consideration, I knew my question. I pass the thought along to you, what would you ask given the chance?

They shared many powerful words with us and while I've always known that these men were called of God as apostles and prophets, the confirmation again of the spirit cannot adequately be described. Afterwards we got to go up and shake their hands. There must have been hundreds of people there, yet they stood patiently while we each shook hands with those that may have touched Divinity. Elder Zwick told my husband that he was one handsome man. *Love you Elder Zwick, my sentiments exactly. Although if there is anyone out there who knows how to get purple chemical stains out from dredlocks, please... email me.*And I told Elder Bednar since He had given us so much this night that I wanted to give him something. He looked at me cautiously, but being a large pregnant woman perhaps he wasn't too threatened. I gave him a bottle of hand sanitizer and told him to share. So I pass the thought along to you, am I nuts or am I nuts?

But really, I don't want these good men to get the swine flu.

I'll Seek the Lord Early p.108 CS Song Helps

GAK 215 Jairus sought the Lord and the Lord healed his daughter.

* Make toilet-paper roll binoculars for the children. Whenever they sing the word "seek" they can put their binoculars to their eyes.

* Have phrases of the song hidden throughout the room, have a child "seek" and find the phrases. When found, sing it!

* You can dress up one of the children as a hiker/seeker. Have the song divided into parts as signs along a trail. As they walk by the sign, sing. At the end of the trail have a picture of Christ. Once the song is learned, a good review technique would be to have the hiker choose to stand by different signs (that of course have pictures on them!) and you sing the part he's standing by.

* Look through a parenting magazine and find pictures of young children. Attach to popsicle sticks with different ways for the children to sing. (E.G. Bold Forte!, Softly, Clicking your tongue to the melody...) We seek the Lord when? Early! In our youth!

Dirty Bare Feet - Gross, Symbolic, or Both?

Dirty Feet Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by DazMSmith 1/2000

Milo Mills, “Barefoot Fun,” Friend, Jul 1974, 39

Walking barefoot!

Isn’t it fun

To feel with your feet

When you walk or run

The cool green fingers

Of tender grass

That bend to your feet

As you softly pass?

Isn’t it fun

To feel on your toes

A trickle of water

Straight from the hose

And to paddle in puddles

And stamp around

Till your toes go squish

In the muddy ground?

Isn’t it fun

To feel the air

Blow on your feet

That are wet and bare?

Isn’t it great

When a girl or boy

Can have the thrill

Of barefoot joy?

At church a leader was teaching, with their shoes off.

I completely understand there are cultural reasons one wouldn't wear shoes. Perhaps one even has a blister that just cannot be described and one must take off their shoe.

I searched. And searched. And searched some more. And cannot find any statements by the prophets that say specifically "Wear shoes at church. Especially in Primary." There are not even laws (from my meager google attempt) that prohibit walking barefoot in public - except OSHA regulations do state employees must wear shoes at place of employment. I digress.

But what I did notice was a lack of the spirit there. Can it be blamed on the random taking off of shoes? I think it shows an attitude of casualness and lack of care. And perhaps it's not even the shoes. Perhaps the shoes are symbolic of a casualness over teaching.

How do we prepare for lessons?

Do we follow the sharing time outline?

Do we blame children for irreverence when our lessons/singing times were poor and lacked activity or enthusiasm?

D&C 84:45-47 "For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father."

We can have the light! If teaching seems "too hard" then that is the moment we need to get to our knees the most. Our Father loves us and will help us. If there is a child that every week seems harder and harder, that is the moment we fall to our knees again. It'd be so easy to just take off our shoes, kick them up and lay back. But the answer is leaving on our shoes, lacing them tight and digging in our heals ready to work. We go to church to be closer to Christ and our Heavenly Father. Most importantly, Primary needs to be a place where the Spirit is felt. Do whatever you need to do to ensure that. Time is too precious.

LDS Primary Sharing Time June 2009 Helps and Ideas

Pipe Cleaner Body Builder image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by bob.fornal January 2007

Monthly Theme: Faith, prayer, repentance, and forgiveness strengthen me and my family.

Monthly Scripture: “Successful . . . families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, [and] forgiveness” (“Proclamation,”paragraph 7).

Week 1 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ strengthens me and my family.

* Have a shoe box and tape a picture of a mountain on it. Put about 12 pieces of tape evenly spaced on the floor. Ether 12:30 " For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith." Have a list of 12 questions, scriptures and songs based on faith in Jesus Christ for the children to answer. As they do so correctly they can move the mountain one tape space at a time. Would moving a mountain make you pretty strong? So it is with faith in Jesus Christ, our families and selves become stronger and stronger.

* Do you know a family with toddlers? Fisher Price makes a toy called Little People Noah's Ark that would be a great visual. Or you can use a picture of an ark and different animals. Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house." Divide the primary into groups. Have children come up and choose an animal from the ark that has different stories attached to it about faith in Christ. After they discuss with their group, have them come to the front and share with the whole primary.

* Have a bare tree. (It could be made out of paper or drawn on the chalkboard) Who has ever heard of a family tree? Pass out paper leaves and fruit for the children to write or draw on. What are things we can do to make our family stronger? Put all the leaves and fruit on the tree. Alma 32:41-42 "But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst."

* Place a child 3 feet away from the piano, tell them not to move but to play the piano. Impossible. Have a hair dryer, unplugged and tell a child to blow dry their hair. Impossible. James 2:17-18, 20 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" We can have faith in Jesus Christ and it is by doing the things He commands that makes us and our families stronger. (Put the child closer to the piano to play. Plug in the dryer. When you combine the two things it becomes possible) ** As a side note this idea is really similar to the one published in the friend. I promise I'm not trying to copy the idea off as my own. I really have better things to do with my time than plagiarize. Plus, I just don't like to mess around with Heavenly Father. (Thank-you Lev. 26:27-29) It just happened I wrote this and then the friend came out and it was similar. **

Week 2 Prayer strengthens me and my family.

* "It is precisely to address the struggle Paul identified that I return to a subject that I believe would do MORE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE THING TO STRENGTHEN US for the inevitable challenges ahead. It is a time-honored and time-tested but increasingly neglected principle: the practice of prayer... Are we forgetting the Almighty, who in times of last resort is our greatest strength?" President Gordon B. Hinckley Standing for Something pg. 135 Find a bunch of other quotes/scriptures and pictures of the people quoted. Make a simple memory matching game for the children.

* Who are some people we listen to and do what they say? Would we listen to Jesus and do what He says? After He was resurrected and visited the Nephites He said in 3 Nephi 18:21 "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." Divide the black board into 3 sections. Have teachers there for younger children to write their ideas. One section can be How do we pray? What can we pray for? Prayer strengthens me and my family by... Brainstorm all the ideas you can. Also see if they can come up with families in the scriptures that were blessed by prayer or personal examples from their own home life (for the last section). For the Senior Primary you can make copies of Lessons from the Lord's Prayers by Elder Russell M. Nelson from the last General Conference and have them use that talk to fill in the sections.

* This idea IS NOT FOR CHURCH, more for a family home evening. Bring in a XXL pair of sweatpants and a bag of blown up balloons. Have questions, scriptures and songs on prayers prepared. As the children answer the questions and participate they earn a balloon to put in the sweatpants and make the person "buff". Prayer strengthens me and my family! Show off those muscles!

* Make some simple "privilege coupons". Privileges could include 5 minutes with the Bishop, a hug, a pat on the back, a muffin in the morning.... Sing some songs. Explain that as you sing you are going to watch for reverence and great singing effort and in turn pass out a privilege. Another word for privilege is an honor. Elder David Bednar said, "Prayer is a privilege and the soul's sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and 'checklist' prayers and engage in meaningful prayer..." Ask in Faith," Ensign, May 2008, 97 Prayer is a privilege and is something special. Have a long checklist on the board of standard things we say during prayer and invite the children to erase it as they come up with ideas to make prayer more special. If prayer strengthens us, then we should strengthen our prayers and make them meaningful.

Week 3 Repentance helps me return to Heavenly Father.

* Take a white piece of cloth. Have a child help by gently squeezing ketchup, mustard or whatever else on the cloth. Ask the children if they would ever wear something this dirty to the temple? So it is with Heavenly Father, sin makes us dirty and we need to repent to return to him clean.

* Have a dark black painted piece of wood. Invite a child to come up and paint over it white. One coat of paint isn't going to work to turn it white. We make mistakes often and need to repent often to return to Heavenly Father.

* Do you have a tarnished piece of silver? Bring it in with some silver cleaner and basin of water. Repentance makes us clean to return to our Heavenly Father.

* Karen Ashton brilliantly writes “Sharing Time: Repentance—Turning from Wrong to Right,” Friend, Apr 1997, 36

"Discuss with the older children what the word poison means. Tell them that it is like sin. Just as poison destroys the body, sin destroys the spirit. Explain that if you were to take poison, you might immediately realize what you had done, be sorry, tell someone, and not take any more. But that would not save you from the effects of the poison already in your body. Help the children understand that when you have sinned, or taken spiritual poison, Jesus has commanded you to repent. You must feel sorry for the sin, confess it to Heavenly Father, try to pay for what you have done, and try to not do it again. Jesus Christ suffered and paid for all our sins so that we can repent. This is called the Atonement. Just as taking an antidote (medicine that works against poison) can eliminate the bad effects of poison in our system, repentance and the Atonement together can eliminate sin from our lives.

Have the children look up the scriptures, then verbally fill in the blanks in the following sentences with repent, repentance, atone, or atonement. Discuss each scripture as you fill in the blank. Give each child a copy of the activity; suggest that he/she share it with his/her family. Sentences: And he commandeth all men that they must ________________ (2 Ne. 9:23). For the ____________ satisfieth the demands of … justice (2 Ne. 9:26). For according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an ____________ made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish (Alma 34:9). We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, ____________ (A of F 1:4). Now this is the commandment: ____________, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name (3 Ne. 27:20). For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would ____________ (D&C 19:16). For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might ____________ and come unto him (D&C 18:11)."

* Great-Wonderful-Fantastic-Superb repentance sharing time ideas from the friend magazine HERE

Week 4 As I forgive, I will be forgiven.

* Have a small child and a large sack of really heavy rocks. Have them try to get across the room pulling the rocks. Now have them let go of the rocks and see if they can get across the room. Sometimes we need to just let things go. As you forgive, God will forgive you.

* Have a bunch of scrambled names of people from the scriptures who were examples of forgiveness. Have GAK pictures and briefly discuss the stories with the children of these people. For younger children, they obviously won't be able to spell or figure out the proper letter order of the word. So I would ask them questions and as they answer correctly give them some letters from the word until it's correct then say, you spelled it right! Let's say the letters together! Now let's sound it out together!

* Make a list of different situations. Ask the children to give you a thumbs up or down on whether the person should be forgiven. For example: A boy stole an apple from you and then lied, should you forgive him? A little girl hit you really hard in the arm and said sorry, should you forgive her? At the end of all the situations ask everyone to hold up a thumbs up. This should have been our answer to EVERY single situation because D&C 64:10 says, "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."

* To fulfill a requirement under the "developing talents" section of the Faith in God program, have the children write a poem about forgiveness. For different type of poem formats the children can use click HERE. (scroll down a tiny bit) I would of course write a couple of poems myself as examples for them. Have them share!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Image courtesy creative-commons license flickr.com by Pierro Sierra April 2007

Some odd years ago, my mother was told she had polycystic ovaries. She struggled with the idea of never having a child of her own. 4 years later, after loads of medication, heartbreak and countless prayers, my parents were given one child and one child only. Me. I always grew up knowing motherhood was not a sacrifice but a privilege and honor.

But having just one child of her own didn't stop my mother from being a mother to others. She adopted countless angels that she would give everything she had to. She is a teacher, a feeder of missionaries, a listener for the discouraged girl in the single's ward, a constant care and support to the abandoned, a home to the homeless, a seeker to those lost... the list goes on and on.

There are so many good women out there. Mothers. Grandmothers. Women married who can't have children. Women not married wishing for the blessings of companionship and motherhood. Women who have lost children. Aunts. Sisters. And most important women who are mothers by adoption.

There are so many good children out there too. Children without mothers. Who need someone in their life to show the kindness and love of a mother. I feel like adoption could possibly save the world. When I read this blog http://www.therhouse.blogspot.com/ I was truly inspired to do something more, so I started this blog. Perhaps adoption is for you. Perhaps this site can help you. Perhaps adoption of a child into your home isn't part of what you're meant to do in life. But we can all adopt children in our hearts and do everything in our power to show them a Christ-like example.

Everyone can be a mother. There are children who need women to stand up to the plate and be there for them. Whatever our circumstances in life, I pray that children in the world can be blessed to feel the love of God through our good works. I bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ. Our Heavenly Father knows us and watches over us. Happy Mother's Day to all!

Jr. Primary Adaptation: Baptism Reader's Theatre

It’s as Clear as Water, I know Jesus Christ was Baptized.
By Sofia Lykes

Jr. Primary Adaptation
Think simple! Simple costumes!! Simple everything... you don't want to distract them from the meaning of this reader's theatre which is CHRIST. Know your readers! MOST SUNBEAMS CAN'T READ so DON'T give them Narrator 1. Encourage and direct, let them be creative! Have fun and still be able to feel the spirit strongly!!!

Speaking Parts:
Narrator 1 (Adult or Super Excellent Reader)
Narrator 2 (Good Reader)
Nephi
Joseph Smith
Nicodemus
John the Baptist

Non- Speaking Parts:
2 Trees
Dove
2 Jewish Followers (Come up with Nicodemus)
Special Helpers 1,2,3,4

Special Helper #1 holds up picture of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.

Narrator 1: Reading from the Bible Matthew 3:13-17 “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying,

John the Baptist: “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

Narrator 1: “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (2 trees stand by, have dove flap their wings and come very close to the picture), and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Narrator 2: If Jesus was standing right outside that door, that one right there, wouldn’t we want to open it and walk through!

Narrator 1: To see Him, to feel the prints of the nails in His hands! To hug Him! To ask Him our questions and thank Him for all He has given us?

Narrator 2: Could Jesus really be outside that door? gestures to door

Narrator 1: He could. Anything is possible with God. Nephi said there is another door, or rather a gate, that if we enter we will surely find Him.

Nephi: (Reading His scriptures) “Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Nephi 31:17)

Narrator 1: Nephi was a witness and actually saw Jesus Christ baptized. I wonder what other prophets received visions and revelations about the immersion of Christ by John the Baptist.

Narrator 2: Woah. What is immersion? I thought we were talking about Baptism.

Narrator 1: Our prophet Joseph Smith can help us out with that one!

Joseph Smith: “The word baptize is derived...

Narrator 1: Which means comes from.

Joseph Smith: "from the Greek verb ‘baptiso’, and means to immerse or overwhelm.”[1]

Narrator 2: Let’s see what Baptism by immersion would look like.

Special Helper #1 and #2 hold up a blue sheet. Special Helper #3 goes completely down behind the blue sheet, stands up and rings out hair. Special Helper #4 (A boy) stands behind the blue sheet and pats the back of Special Helper #3 after he/she stands up.

Narrator 1: I know a great story found in the Book of John, chapter 3. There once was a man named Nicodemus who was a ruler of the Jews. It was night time and Nicodemus came to Jesus and said….

Nicodemus: (Standing by a picture of Christ, Special Helper #2 can hold, 2 Jewish followers come up also) “Rabbi”

Narrator 1: Which meant Master or Teacher.

Nicodemus: “We know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2)

Narrator 1: Jesus answered and said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Nicodemus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:4)

Narrator 2: Silly Nicodemus! He was supposed to be a teacher and ruler to the Jews and yet He had no clue what Jesus was talking about! (2 Jewish followers can giggle)

Narrator 1: One of my favorite scriptures is what Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:5-7)

Narrator 2: So when we follow the example of Jesus and are baptized it’s like we are starting a new life. A life where we try our hardest to keep the commandments, repent and endure to the end!

John the Baptist: ”The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36)

All: We know that Jesus Christ was baptized. We will follow His example always!!

Narrator 1: In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[1] (Smith, Teachings, 262)