Image courtesy euclidlibrary.org
Monthly Theme: Jesus Christ Is the Son of God, and He Is a God of Miracles
Monthly Scripture: “For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; … and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith” 2 Nephi 27:23
Many ideas are recycled from previous posts I've written! Sorry, it's summer and I've been having too much fun with my kiddos!! Also, I'll just be real.... I've developed a slight addiction to Bollywood movies.
Week 1 Jesus Christ is a God of miracles.
* HERE is the link to scripture figures on lds.org that can be cut out and mounted on popsicle sticks. Have 2 children to come up front behind a table with a tablecloth. They hide, then hold up the sticks as the story is told. Have questions about the stories for children to answer after. I find that having each story in a large Ziploc bag helps keep things organized. There are lots of examples of prophets and miracles, so just make sure to talk about how these miracles were only possible because of Jesus Christ and the power of the priesthood.
* Here is a brief story to share with the primary children. In the last General Conference, Bishop Gerald Causse said,
"My wife and I had the great joy of rearing our five children near the magnificent city of Paris. During those years we wanted to offer them rich opportunities to discover the marvelous things of this world. Each summer, our family took long trips to visit the most significant monuments, historic sites, and natural wonders of Europe. Finally, after spending 22 years in the Paris area, we were getting ready to move. I still remember the day when my children came to me and said, “Dad, it’s absolutely shameful! We’ve lived here all our lives, and we have never been to the Eiffel Tower!”
There are so many wonders in this world. However, sometimes when we have them constantly before our eyes, we take them for granted. We look, but we don’t really see; we hear, but we don’t really listen.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (Is it Still Wonderful to You? April 2015)
Do you have a miniature Eiffel tower statue? You could easily use a cone or water bottle with a picture taped to it! Have a ring toss game. (To make the rings you can glue two ends of a short rope, then duct tape around it.)Have questions or scriptures about Jesus and His many miracles. Invite child to answer the question then take a turn to try to toss the rings on the Eiffel Tower. Remind the children that just like the Eiffel Tower was close to his family, beautiful miracles are close by us and we need to take the time to see those miracles in our lives!!
* Have a small box of feathers with a picture of a quail on front. Briefly ask the children if they know why quails are miracles?
"The book of Exodus reports that quail were miraculously provided to feed the hungry people of ancient Israel (see Ex. 16:13; Num. 11:32; Ps. 105:40). The pioneers had an equivalent experience. After the last of them had been driven out of Nauvoo, many were sick and some had died. Their provisions were meager. On the river bottoms near Montrose, Iowa, on 9 October 1846, many quail miraculously flew into camp. The quail were cooked and fed to some 640 destitute people (see Stanley B. Kimball, "Nauvoo West: The Mormons of the Iowa Shore," BYU Studies, winter 1978, 142).", "The Exodus Repeated," Ensign, July 1999, 9
Have about 10-12 TOTAL questions, scriptures and songs having to do with Jesus Christ and His many miracles on little scraps of paper. Put these in the feathers and invite the children to come up and pick a paper. For children that have been extra helpful, let them choose a feather to take home!
"The book of Exodus reports that quail were miraculously provided to feed the hungry people of ancient Israel (see Ex. 16:13; Num. 11:32; Ps. 105:40). The pioneers had an equivalent experience. After the last of them had been driven out of Nauvoo, many were sick and some had died. Their provisions were meager. On the river bottoms near Montrose, Iowa, on 9 October 1846, many quail miraculously flew into camp. The quail were cooked and fed to some 640 destitute people (see Stanley B. Kimball, "Nauvoo West: The Mormons of the Iowa Shore," BYU Studies, winter 1978, 142).", "The Exodus Repeated," Ensign, July 1999, 9
Have about 10-12 TOTAL questions, scriptures and songs having to do with Jesus Christ and His many miracles on little scraps of paper. Put these in the feathers and invite the children to come up and pick a paper. For children that have been extra helpful, let them choose a feather to take home!
* Pin the Pointer on the Liahona: Have a poster board with a large liahona drawn on it. Have 15 black arrows for the children to "pin" on with tape. Have a blindfold and spin them. BUT BEFORE you do this, they have to tell a story from the scriptures or from their own life about how Jesus is a God of miracles. If the younger kids need help, have them choose an older child to come up front to help them tell a story. I would also have a variety of different Gospel Art Kit pictures posted all around to help jog their memory.
Alma 37:38-40 "And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness. And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day."
* As a visual- Have an apple. Ask the children if this apple will just up and change into a banana. Let's watch it for 10 seconds, just in case. Nope, not changing! Maybe if a primary friend holds it, it might change? Hmmm.... Kind of like Heavenly Father and Jesus, they don't just up and change out of the blue!!
Mormon 9:17-19 "Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
Mormon 9:17-19 "Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
On the chalkboard write THEN and NOW. Have the children come up with some miracles and decide/write whether they belong under THEN or NOW.
* For the chorister this week, here is a simple idea!! During Singing Time, have a child come to the front and wear and overly large t-shirt. Have their hands barely sticking out. As you sing a song, have the child move their arm out (lengthened) or in (shortened) and correspond with a way to sing. For example, if the arm is outstretched, sing boldly, if it's shortened sing softly. (Other opposite ways to sing- sitting/standing, boys/girls, teachers/children, sing on right foot/sing on left foot, oooooo/aaaaah) They will have to watch their primary friend carefully! Boy, talk about miracles, what beautiful singing!!! Repeat the following scripture often after you sing. See if you can memorize!!!
D&C 35:8 "For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name"
D&C 35:8 "For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name"
Week 2 Jesus Christ can heal the sick.
* Bring in some things you use when you are sick. Cough drops, Vicks vapor rub, thermometer, Kleenex, top ramen.... Why is sickness important? If we get sick does it mean we did something wrong? What are some things we do when we get sick? Jesus Christ can heal the sick! Please be sensitive and remind the children that the key word here is "can". Sometimes good people get sick and are NOT healed. Why do you think that is? We need to remember to do our best in life and have faith in Christ, no matter what happens He loves us and will never leave us comfortless.
Today we'll talk about some stories where Jesus helped to heal others. Invite a primary friend up to help you tell the story and answer a few questions. Then they will have 10 seconds to try to get as many Kleenex out of the box (one at a time) without ripping them. See who can get the most!!!
Some stories you could review are: Jesus healing the blind man (John 9), the woman with the blood issue who touched Jesus' robe and was healed (Luke 8), Jesus and Jairus' daughter (Luke 8), Jesus heals a man with evil spirits (Mark 5), Jesus heals the man who couldn't walk when his friends lowered him from the roof (Matthew 9), Jesus heals a deaf man (Mark 7:32-35), Jesus heals the man's ear when Peter cut it off (Luke 22:50-51).
* Have a poster board of an outline of a person. Time to break out the quarters and splurge for a box of band aids at the $1 store. Let the children come up and add band aids to the paper person as they answer questions, sing songs and read scriptures having to do with Jesus healing the sick
* Have different stations with special guests! Is there anyone in your ward with a medical background? Have any doctors or nurses come into primary and share with the children stories of Christ healing the sick. Perhaps they could even bring in something they use at work to help others feel better for the children to look at! Make sure each station has a picture to go with the story or a flannel board. Kindly remind guests to be enthusiastic and encourage primary friends to share any knowledge they have of the different stories! I would do probably 3 stations, rotate and then finish with the guests bearing testimony of Christ as our Divine Healer.
* For FHE you could play the board game "Operation" if you happen to have it! Put a gospel twist on it by reviewing stories of Christ healing and singing songs on faith to earn the opportunity to perform surgery! End with the fact that Jesus is the doctor of all doctors! He heals!
Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise."
Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise."
Week 3 Jesus Christ has power over death.
* Hold up a book. Am I holding up a book? Yes!!! Sometimes we can be certain of things because we actually have seen it with our eyes. (Does anyone remember what Joseph Smith said about his vision?)
Even though we have faith in Jesus Christ, who we have not seen... there were people who did see Him resurrected with their own eyes!! Have paper eyes throughout the room for a primary friend to come choose. On the paper eyes have the following scripture references of witnesses who saw Jesus resurrected: Mary Magdalene/Mark 16:9, Women of Faith/Luke 24:10, Peter/Luke 24:34, Disciples/Luke 24:13–32, 500 Brethren/1 Cor. 15:6, Many people in Ancient America by the temple in Bountiful/3 Ne. 11:14-17.
Jesus Christ lives. He has power over death. Hold up the book one more time and bear testimony that as sure as we see this book right now, one day our eyes will see Him. In the mean time, we don't have to see to know! If we are faithful, we will be blessed.
* “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”Richard Bach (American Author Illusions)
Go over, briefly, the life cycle of a butterfly. Indeed, the caterpillar does not end at the cocoon!
Go over the final days of Jesus. Have pictures of the last supper, Jesus washing the feet of His apostles, the Garden of Gethsemane, the crucifixion, Jesus appearing to Mary, and Jesus appearing in Ancient America resurrected. Have the children briefly share what each picture is about.
Have the children end by drawing pictures of butterflies. Invite them to go home and share with their family what they learned today. Jesus Christ has power over death. He lives and we can live again too! HERE is a beautiful Friend article you can print as a handout for children to read at home with their family too!!
* Have 7 small numbered boxes. In each box, have one word (make sure they are in the right order 1-He 2-Is 3-Not, etc.) He is not here, but is risen. Invite 7 primary friends to find a box and stand in the right order. Have them open their box and take out their word. Then have them read it. Have them hold up their boxes. What is the same about all the boxes? They are EMPTY!!
Prepare some questions, scriptures, or songs having to do with Jesus has power over death. Play a simple game where you have 5 people up front with their hands behind their back. Put an empty box in someone's hand. Have a primary friend answer one of your prepared questions, then try to guess who has the empty box!!
He is not here, but is risen!!! Bear testimony that Christ has power over death. Through the divine plan of Heavenly Father and their sacrifice, Jesus was resurrected. Death is not the end!!
Week 4 Miracles come to those who have faith.
Just wanted to again mention what was so nicely put in the sharing time outline, "Also explain that even though we have faith, we will still experience sorrow, pain, and suffering, but God is aware of our needs and will care for us." Children are not exempt from having hard things happen in life and primary is a place where they should feel safe. They should always be reminded that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them.
* HERE is a great read!! Never thought about miracles as signs, "being visible tokens of an invisible power". Also it gives specific examples of many miracles.
* HERE is a story about a miracle in President Monson's life. He had lost some very important money and was able to find it! Bring in 6 pairs of jeans. In the one pocket have a story about a miracle and in the other pocket, questions to help understand the story. Divide into groups and give each one a pair of jeans. Have them search the pockets for the story and questions about it. If there is enough time, have a member of each group share what they learned.
* HERE is a beautiful/fun story for the children to act out. One primary friend could play the part of the dead turkey who leaps back up and flies over the mountain.
Over and over in the above linked article (Do You Need a Miracle? Feb. 2003 New Era) it mentions, "Expect a miracle." We need to be faithful, repentant, and wait on The Lord for His timetable.
Bring in some paper for children to draw pictures about miracles in their lives. Have them share with the entire primary if there is enough time.
* HERE is a story of a missionary who experienced a miracle at a stoplight. Share the brief story. Play a game of red light, green light. MAKE YOUR EXPECTATIONS CLEAR... NO RUNNING!!! Have a red piece of paper and a green piece of paper. When you hold up red, the primary friends stop. When you hold up green they can walk quickly towards a picture of Jesus. Only have 3 people per round. After each round ask a few questions about miracles or have some one read a scripture about them. Remember, we can learn and have fun, but we still need a reverent peace in our primary room for the Holy Ghost to testify of truth!
This is my Maria. My beautiful and lovely Maria. She is my 2nd child out of 4. I love this picture. We had just had an "artground". It was our backyard as a playground but with tons of fun art to be messy with. And boy! Did my kiddos get messy... but I suppose that's why God inspired someone to make hoses.