January 2017 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps & Ideas

Image NASA Hubble Crab Nebula

"This supernova remnant contains a strong pulsar wind nebula that is not visible to the naked eye but it can be viewed by using binoculars on a clear night. The pulsar situated at the center of the nebula is the celestial object that remains after the supernova, spinning at a rate of around 30 times per second."

Monthly Theme: Agency is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves
Monthly Scripture: “Wherefore, men are free … to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men” 2 Nephi 2:27

Weeks 1 and 2 Agency is the gift to choose for ourselves.

* "Consider how we use our time in the choices we make." Elder Dallin H. Oaks Good, Better, Best Bring in a portable clock with an alarm. Invite a primary friend to leave the room while you set the alarm for two minutes and have someone hide it. The friend will then come in and try to answer a question about agency and find the clock before the alarm goes off!!

* HERE is a really great video to show the children. I could definitely see some younger children getting scared, so pray about it. You could even just bring in a picture of a scorpion and tell the story. Have a pair of shoes and a pair of flip flops up front. Have some different case scenarios. Invite a primary friend up front to hear the scenario and then stand by the pair of shoes depending on the choice made in the scenario- good at shoes, bad at flip flops.
   Some examples of case scenarios could be:
   John was watching TV. A show came on that was not appropriate and had swearing. He shut it off and decided to go write in his journal.
   Kate was skating outside. She was not supposed go past her neighbor's house. Since there wasn't anyone on the street she went to the end of the block. No one saw her.
    Mike broke his mom's lamp. He didn't want to get in trouble, so when she asked if he knew what happened, he shook his head.

* HERE is a Friend article that talks about a basketball player who made a good choice. "Decide right NOW!" says President Monson! We can make the choice beforehand to do what's right ALWAYS!! Have a basked and 3 balls. Mark 3 spots on the carpet each getting closer to the basket. N for the first spot. O for the second. W for the third. A child will come up front and answer a question or read a scripture about agency, then get 3 balls to throw at each spot. What if a child doesn't get the ball in? That's OK. It's a tricky game!! Just get up nice and close and toss 'em in!! Try to do this at home and see how your family does!!

* Have 7 small wrapped boxes with a letter in each box- F R E E D O M. Mix them up. Divide the primary into 7 groups and have talk about an experiences where they made a good choices. Have one person speak for the group and share a story about where good agency was used. Have that person unwrap a box. Once all the groups have shared and the letters up front, invite the primary to try to figure out the word. Agency is the gift to choose for ourselves!
     2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

* "Your choices are the mirror of your self-control. They will lead you to your eternal destination if they are made with divine direction and control."
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf On The Wings of Eagles Liahona July 2006
    Have everyone find a partner. Have one child do some simple actions and the primary friend sits across from them and tries to mirror what they do!! Have them imagine a mirror in between their hands and try to move as the other person does.
    Like President Uctdorf said, our choices are the mirror of our self control.... what our hearts are made of! Today we are going to talk about agency but during the lesson I'm going to repeat that quote and when I do, you have 10 seconds to find a partner and mirror each other!! If we do this quickly and reverently, we can play the game many times!!
   Have some quotes, scriptures, and questions prepared about agency. Can anyone recite the quote by memory at the end of sharing time and who said it??

Week 3 In the premortal life, I chose to follow God’s plan.

* HERE is an awesome video about a scientist who believes in the premortal existence! Excellent visuals and scriptures!!
    Have children design artwork about what they picture the premortal life to have been like. Ask some to share their work and details about what did happen during the premortal existence.

* Today we have some very special guests in primary. They have some very big questions and I told them I know the most brilliant children who can answer those questions. Introduce the children to 5 stuffed animals who have a question attached to them.
   We are going to divide into 5 groups and pass 1 stuffed animal to each group. Someone will read the question and then you can all take turns to answer the special guest's question. After a minute or so we will rotate the guests between the groups.
     The questions each stuffed animal has is:
Who is Heavenly Father?
Where did we come from?
What is the meaning/purpose of life?
What am I supposed to do with my life?
What is the plan of salvation? (This stuffed animal comes with a dry erase board and marker for anyone who would like to draw it out!)
     It may seem silly that stuffed animals would ask these questions, but in real life, many people don't know the answers. They ask these questions and it's up to us to help spread knowledge and truth!

* Arrange children as parts of the plan of salvation up front. Have large signs (with pictures if possible) to label the different parts and invite primary friends to figure out who represents what in the plan of salvation. Once one is figured out, hand that child his/her sign... what do we know about the premortal world? Earth life? Paradise and Prison? The final judgment... etc. You can line up 11 kids like this picture.

Week 4 Jesus Christ created the earth as a place where I can learn to choose the right.

* Have 10 different places from all over the world. Make 2 of each picture and turn it into a matching game. Invite a primary friend to come up and try to find a match. Jesus Christ organized/created the earth as a place where I can learn to choose the right. If they make a match they can share an example of a time when they chose the right or a story of another person who chose the right!

* Creation Charades
Adam & Eve, Tree of Life, Water, Land, Mountains, River, flowers, sun and moon, elephant, wolf
   Invite 1 child to pick a creation charade to act out and have the primary guess. Before they choose the charade though, they can tell the primary something that is a good choice to make or do. Some children might even want to do their own ideas for creation charades... just have them whisper it to you first to make sure it's appropriate.

* Bring in a large cardboard box with a top. Ask your primary pianist to come sit inside it and shut the top. Ask her if she thinks this would be a good place to learn to choose the right. Could she make a lot of choices in there? Probably not. Aren't we glad Jesus didn't create  boxes for us to live and dwell in!!! He created this beautiful earth as a place where we can learn to choose the right!! Have everyone offer a round of reverent applause for our stunning demonstration from our stunning primary pianist.
    Have 15 different questions/scriptures about the creation and agency written on the box. Invite a child to choose one question and answer it, or scripture and read it, then they can take a marker and make a checkmark by it! (Choose a different color for junior primary and senior primary)
     Boxes?? Boring!! Earth?? We are so blessed!! Let's make good choices always to show our appreciation for all The Lord has given us!