FHE Book of Mormon Stories: Alma 16 Victory by Following the Prophet

 Image courtesy Mormon Newsroom

This is a small story in the Book of Mormon, but it has a big lesson!

Introduction Activity:
Use your hands to handcuff your hyper "active" 6 year old son who is obsessed with handcuffs and all things cops.

What does it mean to be in physical bondage or captured?
How do you feel when you aren't free?

Today we are going to learn about some people in the Book of Mormon.

Zoram was a common name. There was Zoram, the servant of Laban who came to the promised land. There was Zoram the apostate who led people to worship idols and his people trampled Korihor. But today we are going to talk about ANOTHER lesser known Zoram. Was he a good guy or a weirdo? Let's find out!!



Who was captured in the story?
How were they set free?

What is the difference between spiritual bondage and physical bondage? (Hold up the handcuffs from earlier in the lesson) Can you name any examples of spiritual bondage?

What can we do to be like Zoram and his sons?
Are we in a battle like them?

Why do you think this story was mentioned in The Book of Mormon?

End with Testimonies

I know that if we follow the prophets, they will help us to find those who are captive and lost. I know that if we have a love of our brothers and sisters that is pure, we will have help from Heavenly Father to know what to do to make sure they feel of His love. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

2017 March LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Monthly Theme: Living Prophets Teach Me to Choose the Right
Monthly Scripture: “O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God” Alma 37:35

Week 1 God speaks through living prophets.

* Put a picture of Noah's ark on the board and a picture of President Monson. Why do you think President Monson wasn't commanded to build an ark? Do we need an ark in our day and age?

     President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency discussed the necessity for constant revelation:

“Much revelation received, in this time as well as anciently, has been doctrinal. Some of it has been operational and tactical. Much of it is not spectacular. President John Taylor reminds us: ‘Adam’s revelation did not instruct Noah to build his ark; nor did Noah’s revelation tell Lot to forsake Sodom; nor did either of these speak of the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. These all had revelations for themselves’ (Millennial Star, 1 Nov. 1847, 323)” (“Continuing Revelation,” Ensign, Aug. 1996).

       "These all had revelations for themselves."!!! Prophets of all ages are important, but for us to receive current revelations for our times, we need living prophets. God speaks through living prophets.
Divide into 5-6 groups. Give each group a picture of a living apostle and a highlighted talk from that apostle. Encourage the group to read the highlighted quotes and be able to share with the entire primary what that living prophet has commanded or encouraged us to do in our lives today. 

* Blind in the forest- 4 people are blindfolded. One person will guide them by telling them how far to walk, so that they can come together.
     From Gospel Topics on lds.org it says, "We can always trust the living prophets. Their teachings reflect the will of the Lord, who declared: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38).
      HERE is a story from The Friend about President Monson. It has some good visuals of things he has done to show us how to live our lives. Can we trust his example? Absolutely!! He will lead us to The Savior if we trust him. But don't take my word for it. Encourage the children to go home and pray to know for themselves. Any happy or peaceful feelings they get are the spirit saying, "Yes! This is right!"

* Match the voice! Have some audio clips of the apostles and first presidency speaking. Have their pictures up front. Can anyone match the voice with the picture? God speaks through living prophets.... do we know them? Have simple facts/stories about the apostles to share with the children when they make a match to help them get to know them better.

 

Week 2: The First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles are prophets.

* Fact or Fiction!! Come up with 3 facts and 1 fiction about the First Presidency and 12 apostles. Have a primary friend come up front and guess which statement is the fiction!! Make sure there are pictures so everyone can put a name to the face!
For example:
President Monson -
One time played with matches and lit a field on fire.
He served in the US Navy.
Used to have pigeons he raised.
Served as Mission President in Paris, France. (Fiction, it was the Canadian Mission headquartered in Toronto)
President Eyring -
Played tennis in highschool. (Fiction, it was basketball)
Loves to paint and sketch drawings.
Has a wife named Kathy and 6 children.
HERE and HERE are links to LDS.org for more information on each apostle

* I SPY!!! Print off the following for partners or small groups. Have children circle the first presidency and 12 apostles. Have one copy with all of them circled correctly. Have some quotes or fun stories to share with the children about our modern day prophets.

Week 3: God’s prophets and apostles speak to us in general conference.

* "In order for the messages of general conference to change our lives, we need to be willing to follow the counsel we hear. The Lord explained in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith “that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know … how to act upon the points of my law and commandment.” But knowing “how to act” isn’t enough. The Lord in the next verse said, “Ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me.” This willingness to take action on what we have learned opens the doors for marvelous blessings." (The Blessings of General Conference by Elder Paul V. Johnson October 2005)
      Have different quotes (short but meaningful) from the last General Conference throughout the room. Invite 2 children up front. "Bind" or tie one leg of each child to the other. (Like a 3 legged race, but NO RUNNING!) Invite them to work together to choose a quote and go get it. Read the quote and ask them a question pertaining to it.
    We need to be willing to do what Heavenly Father asks us during General Conference! We need to tie our leg with His and walk His path!!

* " Several years ago, as this Conference Center was being built and nearing completion, I entered this sacred building on the balcony level in a hard hat and safety glasses, ready to vacuum the carpet that my husband was helping to install. Where the rostrum now stands was a front-end loader moving dirt, and the dust in this building was thick. When it settled, it did so on the new carpet. My part was to vacuum. And so I vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. After three days my little vacuum burned up!

     The afternoon before the first general conference in this beautiful building, my husband called me. He was about to install the last piece of carpet—under this historic pulpit. He asked, “What scripture should I write on the back of this carpet?” And I said, “Mosiah 18:9: ‘Stand as [a witness] of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.’”

(We are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father by Sister Elaine Dalton April 2013)

     Bring in your vacuum. Yes. Your vibrant sunbeams will either be thrilled or terrified. Did you know that at General Conference, under the carpet is a scripture written? Pretty fun! Invite a primary friend to vacuum for 20 seconds, then answer a question or read a scripture about General Conference. Life can get pretty messy, but General Conference is like the vacuum, it helps us clean up our lives if we'll listen!!

Week 4: I am blessed when I choose to follow the prophet.

* Invite some special guests (3-4) in to share a short experience of a time they were blessed when they followed the prophet.

* “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chr. 20:20
     What does it mean to prosper? To make successful! Have children draw a picture of themselves in the future. What do they imagine their lives will be like? What are some things they must do to be successful? How can our lives be blessed when we follow the prophets? Invite children to share who their favorite prophet is with a partner and why. Switch partners as time permits, they can also share their artwork too!

* HERE is another super sharing time from The Friend on how obedience to the prophets brings blessings. Thanks Sister Nichols!!

March 2016 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps & Ideas

Monthly Theme: Heavenly Father Speaks to Us Through His Prophets
Monthly 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

Weeks 1 & 2 Prophets speak for Heavenly Father.

* Print out pictures of the 12 apostles (or you could do a picture of the quorum and draw lines from each member on the chalkboard) and make matching paper strips with their names. Invite the children to try matching the name with the apostle after you (or a good primary reader) read a short quote from that apostle. When you hear the words of these apostles, do they make you feel good or happy or peaceful? Do these words testify of Christ or Christ-like things we should do?? Each child can get 2 tries to try to match the name with the right apostle!! Didn't quite get it, that's OK, this is hard!! Great guess!! Let's let another friend try!
I'm going to do this for Family Home Evening, so here are some quotes and fun facts about the new Quorom of the 12 Apostles. Remember when these men are sustained, they are sustained as prophets! (If you mouse over the top right hand corner to the square with the arrow, you can click on that and it will open it up to then let you print)


* "Prophets speak not only to the people of their time, but they also speak to people throughout all time. Their voices echo through the centuries as a testament of God’s will to His children. Today is not different from ages past. The Lord does not love the people of our day any less than in past times. One of the glorious messages of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ is that God continues to speak to His children! He is not hidden in the heavens but speaks today as He did in ancient days." (President Deiter F. Uchtdorf Why Do We Need Prophets? March 2012)
    Have a picture of Jesus. Play a game of hide and seek! Invite 1 primary friend to close their eyes and count slowly to 20. Invite another primary friend to hide the picture. After a while, invite another primary friend to give a couple hints about where the picture is. So it is with the prophets!! If we listen to them, we will find Christ!! In between rounds of the game, have a few pictures of prophets throughout the ages. Who are these men and what did they teach? At the end of your lesson, ask is Heavenly Father and The Savior hidden from us?? No!! Bear testimony that prophets speak for Heavenly Father!

* Again, from President Uchtdorf (same talk as the idea above) "Heavenly Father wants what is best for us. That is why His instructions are so crucial and sometimes so urgent. That is why He has not abandoned us today but continues to reveal His will to us through His prophets. Our fate and the fate of our world hinge on our hearing and heeding the revealed word of God to His children."
   What is a hinge? A

movable joint or mechanism on which a door, gate, or lid swings as it opens and closes, or that connects linked objects. In order for a door to not fall down, it needs a hinge!! The door depends on that hinge just like we must depend upon listening and following what the prophets say.

     Invite 5 primary friends up front. Have them whisper to you who their favorite prophet it and write it down on individual pieces of paper. Put it in a bowl. Invite a friend to come up and pick a paper. Have them guess out of the 5 friends who's favorite prophet that is! Once the person is guessed, have them share why they love that prophet. It might be fun to even do a teacher round!!!

     At the end of the lesson, challenge the children to go home and show their parents a hinge on the door and tell them what they learned in primary!

Week 3 We are led by a living prophet today.

* These Jeopardy games on President Monson are always a hit.
HERE and HERE 
* Bring in a dead plant and a living plant. Which one gives us air? The dead plant is still important because it will crumble and give nutrients to the soil! The living plant helps us breath though!!
     Just as important as the air we breath are the words of LIVING prophets. If the size of your primary permits and the weather, go outside! Beforehand, hide little Easter eggs with facts about President Monson in them. Hide the eggs by living plants!! Once they are found, come back inside and share what is in the inside of the eggs. If you have a larger primary, this would not be a good idea!! A larger primary could have an outline of a tree on the chalkboard. Have leaves with interesting facts about President Monson on them. Invite children to choose a leaf, read, and then put on the tree.
     President John Taylor said, “We require a living tree—a living fountain—living intelligence, proceeding from the living priesthood in heaven, through the living priesthood on earth. …" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, (2011), 153–61)

* HERE is an excellent talk with lots of insight for the week's topic.

* Here is a great poem from The Friend. Children can draw a picture of President Monson and share. (Again, mouse over the top right hand corner. Click on the square with the arrow and it will direct you to a page where you can print)
Also, I took the liberty of changing 1 word in the poem. Instead of President Hinckley, I changed it to President Monson. I hope the brilliant author, Sister Arthur doesn't mind!

Week 4 There is safety in following the prophet.

* Bring in a toddler car seat. Why do we have these in cars? To keep our little brothers or sisters safe, right?? The seatbelts help us if we are in an accident and keep us from getting severely hurt hopefully!
     Like seatbelts, there is safety in following the prophet. Have 10-12 questions and/or scriptures to read about the week's theme. Invite a child to come up and buckle in a stuffed animal. For older primary children, have them do it not facing the car seat or with one hand. Have them answer a question afterwards! You could even have your primary pianist buckle up the animal and time her. Can anyone beat her time??
     As a sidenote, if you take out your toddler seat and their is not a mass grave of crumbs and questionable dried food, I solemnly salute you as an amazing mother. If there is that mass grave as well as some sort of fungus growing on top, I solemnly salute you as an amazing mother. Because the truth of the matter is you were able to get the seat out in the first place. Congratulations.

* "In our own time, we have been warned with counsel of where to find safety from sin and from sorrow. One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated. For instance, more than once in these general conferences, you have heard our prophet say that he would quote a preceding prophet and would therefore be a second witness and sometimes even a third. … The Apostle Paul wrote that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” 2 Corinthians 13:1." President Henry B. Eyering The Way to Safety Liahona October 2015
     For SENIOR sharing time, have a few copies of different talks from General Conference. Break into groups and have the children find examples of prophets quoting other prophets... what is the message of safety being told to us?? End with the following quote, again from President Eyering,   
     "When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live in such a blessed time. …

Our Heavenly Father loves us. He sent His Only Begotten Son to be our Savior. He knew that in mortality we would be in grave danger, the worst of it from the temptations of a terrible adversary. That is one of the reasons why the Savior has provided priesthood keys so that those with ears to hear and faith to obey could go to places of safety."

 

* Bring in your chef hat, cutting board, and basket of food safety. Did you know that one doesn't simply cook. They have to know a few things about food safety so they don't get hurt or sick!

HERE is a link to lds.org about food safety. Have some visuals and demonstrate to the kids a few important tips about being safe while preparing food.

    Divide into groups and have the children come up with a recipe for following the prophet.... what is the end result? A cake? A cookie? A salad?? No! Safety!!!

October 2015 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Christ's Entry into Jerusalem by Minerva Teichert

Monthly Theme: The Mission of the Church is to Invite All to Come unto Christ.
Monthly Scripture: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” Moroni 10:32

Week 1 Following the prophet will help us come unto Christ.

* HERE is a good video (from lds.org) for OLDER kids. I think it would be a little too scary for younger children. It's based off THIS talk, which is excellent!!!

* "Have you ever had the experience of driving around and around the streets of a city with the driver saying, “I know where it is; I’m sure I can find it”? Finally, in frustration, he stops and asks someone for directions. How much easier it is to find our way when we follow the directions of someone who knows how to locate our destination... Is there a voice that will always give us clear directions to find our way in today’s troubled world? The answer is yes. That voice is the voice of the living prophet and apostles." Follow the Prophet New Era Sept. 2001 Elder M. Russell Ballard
     Arrange 4 chairs (That's all you need, unless you want to add 2 more and make a van.) and make a pretend car! Have a few simple dress up items as primary friends go for their ride. Have a question that children will need to answer once they are in the car. Then have a simple set of directions for them to follow afterwards. For example, What have the prophets told us to do when it comes to scriptures? (Answers: Read them often, study them, read them as families, memorize them) Then the directions could be: Pat your head 5 times, wiggle your elbows like a chicken and make a fake sneeze. Great!! You are so good at following directions!!! When we follow the direction of the prophets it will help us be closer to Christ! I would make about 10-12 questions and sets of directions. You could even have some short quotes for the children to read while they are driving from latter day prophets.
     More examples of questions could include:
What do the prophets say about commandments? (Who are some prophets that gave us commandments from God?)
Where do prophets go and who is their message for?
What are some feelings you have had when you've listened to a prophet speak?
Why do you choose to follow the words of the prophets?
What have the prophets told us about the word of wisdom?
    Elder Ballard says, "I make you a promise. It’s a simple one, but it is true. If you will listen to the living prophet and the apostles and heed our counsel, you will not go astray."

* HERE is a good matching activity from The Friend about the blessings that come from following the words of the prophet. You could find larger pictures at the library and put the "teachings" on papers hidden throughout the room. A child finds a "teaching", reads it, then puts it next to the picture that it matched.

* This idea is from Oct. 2004 The Friend by Sister Sheila E. Wilson,
      " Post a picture of the prophet in the center of a large poster. Ask the children to name things the prophet has told us the Savior wants us to do; then write the answers on the poster (for example, pray, read scriptures, be kind). While you sing “We Listen to a Prophet’s Voice” (Hymns, no. 22), allow the children to come up and write their initials next to things they will do during the week. Let them trace their shoes on a piece of paper and write or draw what they will do this week to follow the prophet. Younger children could sing “Quickly I’ll Obey” (p. 197) and adapt the first words to “When the prophet tells me.”

* Here is a little mini-book based off what President Uchtdorf has said about following the prophet. HERE is the direct link to the message. Children can illustrate each page, cut, then staple on the left hand side. Pens are good for drawing, THEN children can color with crayons!! After children are done, share a few of their beautiful illustrations! For fast finishers (sunbeams) you can have 2 adults with Gospel Art Books. Have the adults go through pictures and see if the children can name the prophet and some things they taught us.

Week 2 Sharing the gospel helps others come unto Christ.

* Have 5 stations in the room. At each station invite a return missionary to share some pictures from their mission and spend 2 minutes telling the children the best part of their mission and why they loved it. They could show the children on a map where they served and say something in a different language if they learned another language!
     Have the children rotate in groups to all the stations. Bear your testimony at the end that sharing the gospel helps others come unto Christ.

* HERE is an excellent resource from The Friend! Great reminder of how Lehi wanted to share the fruit in his dream and how we can do the same!

* “Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him.” President Thomas S. Monson, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign Nov. 2013
     Bring in a large bunch of grapes. Invite your lovely piano player to come up front and sit in a chair. Have a vine drawn on the chalkboard with paper leaves attached to it. On the leaves have questions, scriptures or songs having to do with missionary work on it. Invite a primary friend to choose a leaf and answer the question. After they share their brilliant answer, have them toss 3 grapes and try to get it in the primary pianist mouth!

* I really liked this story and thought I'd share.
     "While in Argentina recently, I encouraged members to invite someone to church before this general conference. An eight-year-old by the name of Joshua listened and invited his best friend and his friend’s family to an open house at their ward in Buenos Aires. Let me read from a letter I just received that explained Joshua’s invitation and his faithful follow-up:

      “Every few minutes [Joshua] would run out to the gate to see if they were coming. He said that he knew they would [come].

      “The evening wore on and Joshua’s friend did not come, but Joshua did not give up. He faithfully checked the front gate every few minutes. It was time to start putting things away when Joshua started to jump up and down announcing, ‘They are here! They are here!’ I looked up to see an entire family approaching the church. Joshua ran out to greet them and hugged his friend. They all came in and seemed to enjoy the open house very much. They took some pamphlets and spent lots of time getting acquainted with some new friends. It was great to see the faith of this little boy and to know that Primary children can be missionaries too.”  

       It is my testimony that as we work together, seeking the one, inviting, and following up with trust and faith, the Lord will smile upon us and hundreds of thousands of God’s children will find purpose and peace in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Following Up by Elder M. Russell Ballard April 2014 General Conference)

* HERE is a great list of MANY things you can do to be a missionary. If you print them on a small strip of paper, each child can have a strip and go around the room and quietly share the way they can be a missionary.

* HERE is a great short video!!!

Week 3 We come unto Christ by repenting when we make a mistake.

* Repentance Reporters!!! Extra!! Extra!!! Read all about it!!!
    Today, our primary friends have become repentance reporters. All around the room have short quotes about repentance and pictures of examples from the scriptures who repented. Invite the reporters to walk quietly around the room for a couple minutes and then be ready to share some things they learned. We'll be working together to write our newspaper report.
     Have a large poster board up front and invite an older primary friend to write down what our reporters learned about repentance. Have it titled, "We come unto Christ by repenting when we make a mistake."

* Bring in some nice, soft salt dough for the children to play with and have.
"Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master. A broken heart and a contrite spirit are also preconditions to repentance." October 2007 A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit by Elder Bruce D. Porter
     Play a game of "15 seconds". You will be asking a question about repentance (or having someone read a quote or scripture), then primary friends will have 15 seconds to make a work of art out of their salt dough. Invite a few children up front to share their creation. Would it work if the dough was hard and brittle? Have about 10-12 questions and play that many rounds.

* Divide into groups and give each group a small bag filled with items. Invite them to create a little skit to perform for the primary using the items in the bag. The message of their skit has to be about repentance!! Give the groups 1-2 minutes to figure out what they will do, then have them act it out for the rest of the primary.

Week 4 Temple work helps me and my family come unto Christ.

* “But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples … and going forth and receiving all the ordinances … in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead … ; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah” Teachings: Joseph Smith, 472–73
     Build a LONG primary chain. Have small strips of paper that you can tape to make links. Have questions about temple work and invite a child up front to answer the question by writing on a link (or you can write for them if needed). On one end of the chain you could have a picture of a family, on the end of the chain have a picture of Jesus. Not only does temple work bind families together, but it helps us to come closer to Christ.

* " I now invite the attention of the young women, young men, and children of the rising generation as I emphasize the importance of the Spirit of Elijah in your lives today. My message is intended for the entire Church in general—but for you in particular.

     Many of you may think family history work is to be performed primarily by older people. But I know of no age limit described in the scriptures or guidelines announced by Church leaders restricting this important service to mature adults. You are sons and daughters of God, children of the covenant, and builders of the kingdom. You need not wait until you reach an arbitrary age to fulfill your responsibility to assist in the work of salvation for the human family." The Hearts of the Children Elder Bednar Oct. 2011 General Conference

     Invite your ward family history specialist in. Have them talk to the children about what a family tree is and how to help with indexing! It does NOT need to be anything in depth, but could be an excellent way to get children excited about helping out with the work! (Elder Bednar also says in his address,"Parents and leaders, please help your children and youth to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. But do not overly program this endeavor or provide too much detailed information or training. Invite young people to explore, to experiment, and to learn for themselves.")

 

* Invite a few adults who serve in the temple and a couple youth (if possible) to have a panel discussion. The week before, see if you can have the children put a question they might have about the temple on an index card. (The reason for the time is that sometimes it's hard to think of good questions right on the spot!) Go through the questions or add some that you know would start a good conversation. Have a primary friend read a question and let the panel share their answers.

 

* HERE is a beautiful Mormon Message on temples.

March 2015 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Gospel Art Picture: Jonah

I love the story of Jonah. I'm grateful that he was human and made mistakes. I'm also grateful for the lesson in mercy and compassion taught by his story. So often we are quick to think that God punishes, but in reality He loves us. His patience outstretches ours!

 

Monthly Theme: God Speaks through Prophets.
Monthly Scripture: “He spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” Luke 1:70

Week 1 Prophets are called by God.

* Have 10-16 children come up front. Have a few pieces of paper. Tell the children you are going to give them a task. They need to divide into 2 teams with equal number of people, make 4 paper airplanes and then toss the airplanes across the room 1 time.
   It will probably be a little chaotic. Especially with junior primary! Give it a minute. It might get a little loud. See if anyone takes charge among the children. Go ahead and interrupt the children and ask the following questions. Does it help when there is someone there to lead, guide, and direct? What is it like when there is no one to turn to for instruction?
   Now assign one child to divide the groups. Have that child also decide who will make the paper airplanes and who will fly them.
   How would our church be if we didn't have a prophet to tell us the will of The Lord? Prophets are called of God! They are good men who were chosen before the world was to help guide us back to Heavenly Father.
     “And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born” Abr. 3:23
     Divide into groups or classes and give them a prophet. Let that group come up with 5 hints for the rest of primary to guess who their prophet was! Then have them come up and share their hints! Remember, we call on primary friends who are good listeners and raising their hands!

* "All leaders in the Lord’s Church are called by proper authority. No prophet or any other leader in this Church, for that matter, has ever called himself or herself. No prophet has ever been elected. The Lord made that clear when He said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.” (John 15:16) You and I do not “vote” on Church leaders at any level. We do, though, have the privilege of sustaining them."
(From General Conference October 2014 Sustaining the Prophets by Elder Russell M. Nelson)
     Another couple words for sustain is help or assist. Have we ever thought about what we could do to help or assist the prophets? Have a ballot box up front. Like Elder Russell M. Nelson said, we do NOT vote for or choose our prophet! God chooses them. However, we can make choices to help them! Can anyone think of some things the prophets have said we should do? Brainstorm a few ideas and write them on the chalk board. Have children take a piece of paper to make their choice! They can illustrate and write what they are going to do this week to sustain the prophet! Have them cast their choice in the ballot box. If there is time, share a few papers that were put in the box.

* Stay in the Boat and Hold On! By Elder M. Russell Ballard is a must read! The following is a picture of the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon.

He says, "At the beginning of the trip, one of the experienced river guides reviewed important safety instructions, emphasizing three rules that would ensure the group’s safe travel through the rapids. “Rule number one: stay in the boat! Rule number two: always wear a life jacket! Rule number three: always hold on with both hands!” He then said again, with even more emphasis, “Above all, remember rule number one: stay in the boat!”
   This adventure reminds me of our mortal journey. Most of us experience periods in our lives where the tranquil waters of life are appreciated. At other times, we encounter white-water rapids...."
   Who here would want to jump off the boat into the dangerous water? In life, the boat is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Ballard also says, "Along with rule number one as I’ve applied it, remember rules two and three: always wear a life jacket, and hold on with both hands. The words of the Lord are found in the scriptures and the teachings of the apostles and prophets. They provide us counsel and direction that, when followed, will act like a spiritual life jacket and will help us know how to hold on with both hands."
    Build a boat!!! (You can use 4-6 chairs, 2 oars, 2 life jackets... or you could go all out and bring in a little blow up raft, I bet the kids would love that!) Have children answer questions, scriptures and sing songs about prophets. Each time they do something add something to the boat up front! If there is still time, have a child come up front and sit in the boat. Have them tell our primary friends about their favorite prophet!

Recycled from previous posts:

* When a phone rings, what can you do? You can answer or ignore. Have someone (like the bishop) call you on your cell phone and have a child answer. What would have happened if you ignored the call? Heavenly Father doesn’t use cell phones to call His prophets, He uses His voice, the Holy Ghost and sometimes angels! The Lord called many prophets to leave what they were doing and then follow him.

    Have a presidency member outside the primary room door. Throughout primary, have them call your cell phone and let a child answer. They will give the child hints about a certain prophet. Have the child share the hints with the primary and then guess what prophet the call is about!

 

* “Calling On…” This is a game of finishing the story. Children will pass around a cell phone. You start off the story of a prophet by saying (for example) "Nephi was a prophet called of God.... then pass the cell phone to another child and have them add whatever they know about that prophet. They pass it on to another friend who can add and so on. No one should have the phone for more than 30 seconds, thus giving lots of children the chance to participate. Ask the children what prophets they would like to talk about! Have a GAK close by!

 

* Learn the 5^th Article of Faith song SPARKLE style. This is for SENIOR PRIMARY. To play sparkle each person will have to say one word in the article of faith, if they don’t know the word, then they are out. Then the last person says, SPARKLE (they get to still stay in)! You keep on going until everyone is out except for 2 people, then they are the article of faith sparkle stars!!

     Have the article of faith posted on the board and let them practice a couple of times with the words up. Go to each child up and down each row. Then take it down!! Have the children stand, if they can’t think of a word they sit and are out. So first child says, We… second child says believe… 3^rd child says that… 4^th child says a… 5^th child says Bubba Gump, he/she got it wrong so they sit and the 6^th child says man… If other children shout out, they have to sit. Always encourage good listening and good manners.

 

Week 2 Prophets testify of Jesus Christ.

* "My dear brothers and sisters, if the Restoration did anything, it shattered the age-old myth that God had stopped talking to His children. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prophet has stood at the head of God’s Church in all dispensations, from Adam to the present day. Prophets testify of Jesus Christ—of His divinity and of His earthly mission and ministry."
(From General Conference October 2014 Sustaining the Prophets by Elder Russell M. Nelson)
     You'll need 2 trays of THIS recipe. I've never tried it. So I don't know if it works or how it tastes. And, as I always must, I do not advocate the sugaring up of children. However, I just don't see how bringing in real glass and shattering that would be safe. If anyone has any other ideas, please share! I really do love this visual idea!
     Show the children the smooth sheet of candy. What does it mean to shatter? Break apart! Many people say that God does not speak to men. Prophets are not real. They build a smooth lie.... but we know the truth! Prophets testify of Jesus Christ. God lives! He speaks to men!Have a few children come up front to shatter the candy.
     When Jesus and Heavenly Father spoke to Joseph Smith it showed us the truth in the scripture, "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?" Mormon 9:9. Prophets testify of Jesus Christ. God lives! He speaks to us today!

* HERE is a wonderful article from The Friend (Special Witnesses April 1994) Choose 15 good readers!! Have primary friends divide into pairs or small groups and station them at each of the readers. Have primary friends count how many times Jesus, or other names having to do with Him, are said when the quote is read. Have the groups rotate 4 times. The children will only hear 4 quotes... the point is, Prophets testify of Jesus Christ!
    HERE is a more recent gathering of quotes, but I do feel like some of the words would be hard for a Sunbeam to understand. Pray! Pick and choose!
Now have about 6-8 pictures of the different prophets and their names written largely on strips of paper. Have speaking bubbles (like the ones in cartoons) with the prophet’s quote about Christ. Have the children match the names and responses of the prophets up front on the chalkboard.

* HERE is a Reader's Theater I wrote a while back. For Senior Primary!

Week 3 There is safety in following the prophet.

* See above in Week 1 about the boat idea!!!

* Prophet Safety Jeopardy
Personal opinion: I never (yes…never) had competitions in Primary. I never did teams or boys vs. girls. I always had the primary work as a family of friends, getting as many points as we could all together. The world has too many divisions. I’m for being unified and working together. But to each his own, just food for thought.

 

Categories and questions:

Warning!!! Danger up ahead!!!
100 This prophet warned the people and they didn’t listen. He and his family were kept safe in an ark while the earth was completely flooded.
200 Read Mosiah 17:9-10 Abinadi warned this evil King, but was stilled burned by fire. He sealed his testimony with his own blood.
300 How does following the word of wisdom, revelation given to Joseph Smith, keep us from danger?
400 Jacob warned the Nephites of “… every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them.” (Jacob 3:12) Name 3 sins and the results that can happen from making those bad choices.

Hear my Words, Learn of Christ

100 Sing Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (CS p.36)
200 Show GAK The Prophet Isaiah Foretells Christ’s Birth. Who is this prophet?
300 Spencer W. Kimball said this quote. Fill in the blank “ The ……… prophets, from Adam to Malachi are testifying of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ was the God of the ………, and it was He who conversed with Abraham and Moses.” (Ensign, May 1977, p.76) (Answer: Old Testament)
400 What does the prophet Nephi teach you about Christ? (Encourage Senior Primary to find actual scriptures!)

Stay on the Path

100 This prophet saw a strait and narrow path leading to the tree of life. Who is the prophet or prophets and what can you do to stay on the path?
200 Sing We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet (Hymns p.19)
300 Read Mosiah 2:36-37 What can we do to have the Holy Ghost with us to guide us in wisdom’s paths?
400 DOUBLE JEOPARDY! DOUBLE POINTS!!! Name your favorite prophet and something that prophet has taught you to keep you safe.

Buckle Up with Modern Day Apostles
100 President Eyring has said, “Now, here is my counsel to children. The Lord gave you a commandment with a promise: “Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” It is the only one of the Ten Commandments with a promise.”(Ensign Nov. 2009 p.72) How can you show honor to your parents or adults in your life?
200 Show a picture of the first presidency. Name these 3 men.
300 Where do we read the words of modern day apostles?
400 Sing last verse of Follow the Prophet. (CS p. 111)

Final Jeopardy Category: Safety in Following the Prophets

Final Jeopardy Question: What is something you learned today and/or can bear testimony of?

 

* Bring in an umbrella stroller with a seat belt. Have a demonstration where a stuffed animal is placed inside without the safety belt and pushed. Try again with the safety belt on. Prophets keep us safe by securing us in the knowledge that Christ lives and strapping us in the strength of His revelations. Make a very small and simple obstacle course for a child to push the stroller through.
    Have a few questions, scriptures, and songs prepared on how there is safety in following the prophet. Have a child come up front to answer a question or read a scripture. Then let them buckle the bear and push them through the obstacle course.

Week 4 God speaks through prophets.

* Bring in 4 pictures, 2 copies of each picture. Have the children match the pictures. Are the matches the same? Read D&C 1:38, “What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, IT IS THE SAME.” Now have a sign “voice of the Lord” and “voice of my servants”… according to the scripture are these 2 a match and the same?
   You could easily make this into a memory/matching game with pictures of the prophets. When they make a match the primary friend could share something about that prophet and what they have taught us to bring us closer to Heavenly Father.

* Ask for a volunteer. Whisper something into the child’s ear and then have them tell it to the primary. Invite another child to come up and do the same. Just as you spoke through your primary friends, God speaks through prophets.
    Read Jeremiah 1:5-7, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak."
* HERE is a great sharing time from The Friend. There is an activity where the children can match a scripture to the prophet. You could have a strip of paper with one of the picture from the article on it. Make the strip into a headband. Have 10 children put on the headbands.
     Give 10 groups 1 of the scriptures. Have them look it up and decide who the scripture is talking about.
      For Senior Primary you could make it harder by putting the headbands on the children without them seeing. Then they have to ask questions to figure out what prophet is on their headband. After they figure it out, have a child read the corresponding scripture.

* "The Lord’s house is a house of order, and we need never be deceived about where to look for answers to our questions or uncertain about which voice to follow." (Oct. 2014 General Conference Live According to the Words of the Prophets Sister Carol McConkie Great read for preparation this week!)
     We know that we can trust the voice of the prophet! God speaks through prophets! We're going to play a game. Name that voice! Have a table and a table cloth so you can hide 2 or 3 children behind it. Have questions about prophets or statements for 1 child to read behind the table. Have the primary guess who's voice it was! Then have another child answer the question.
    To make it even harder for senior primary, have a child leave the room. Then they won't know who was called up front!

May 2014 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

This picture is from The Friend October 2012 by the talented Oakley.

HERE is the talk by Elder Scott, it's one of my all time favorites.

Monthly Theme: Families are Blessed When They Follow The Prophet
Monthly Scripture: "Be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets."
2 Peter 3:2

 

Week 1 God speaks to us through prophets.

*Grab an erasable white board and marker, a Gospel Art Book, and get ready for a game! A reverent child will be called on to come up front. They can choose any ancient or modern day prophet they can think of! They will whisper the name to you and you will write down the name of the prophet on the white board and then the primary children have to guess who the prophet is by asking YES or NO questions. They can't guess the prophet's name until AT LEAST 4 questions ABOUT the prophet have been asked!! After the prophet is guessed, see if anyone can tell us what that prophet taught!

* HERE is a link from the Liahonna (by Sandra Tanner and Cristina Franco). It has pictures of prophets and scriptures to match. You could print this off for small groups to match!!

* Beat the Teachers!! Using the chalkboard, draw 6 short lines to a picture of Jesus and then 6 lines on the other side of the picture. The primary children will get a question about the week's theme and if they get it right they can make an X on the line. Then the teacher's turn and on the other side if they get it right, they can make an X on the line. Basically it's a race to the middle, The Savior!! And of course the children can get help from other children, teachers from other teachers.
       Some questions for the kiddos could include:
Name 5 prophets from the Book of Mormon.
Name 2 things that were taught, in detail, at General Conference.
If a prophet speaks as a prophet, is it the same as The Lord saying it?
Who is your favorite prophet and why?
How do you feel knowing that God still speaks to us today? Can you name 3 ancient prophets that haven't been mentioned and 3 modern day apostles/prophets?
What does it mean to sustain the prophet?
      Some questions for the teachers could include (remember to make them a little harder!!):
What is the scripture reference for this scripture: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)
Can you say the 5th Article of Faith out loud from memory? What does that AOF have to do with Prophets?
What President of the Church said, "I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so he will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty.” (Wilford Woodruff)
Can you name all the current apostles/prophets?
What is one of your favorite teachings from the prophets?
What is something Hababkkuk taught?

A couple Recycled ideas from previous posts:

* We have a little girl in our primary who wants to become a movie director. Bring in a church film. Has anyone seen this movie? What are the credits at the end? Does anyone know the difference between a movie producer and a movie director? Basically, a movie producer is in charge of and directs EVERYTHING but will always need help dealing with the actors/people. That's where the director comes in. A movie director guides the actors under the producers supervision.
How does this compare to Jesus Christ and prophets? Make a paper action sign and have the children act out charades of different things or stories that were taught during our last conference!

* Have a list of cleaning chores around the home. Dusting, washing dishes, vacuuming, laundry, etc. Can mom do these all by herself? Sure! Would it be better if she had helpers? Heavenly Father could clean the world all by Himself, but He has prophets as His special helpers.

Have a bucket full of cleaning supplies. Invite children to come up and choose items. On the cleaning items have questions, scriptures and songs having to do with Prophets speak for Heavenly Father.
D&C 88:74 "...Yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean"

* Debate time! Have 2 children come up front and explain what a debate is. They have 30 seconds each to tell their side... what is the best flavor of ice cream and why? Who in the primary agrees and why? What about when it comes to Gospel topics? Is there a debate over those?

Sister Elaine A. Cannon, who has devoted much of her life to guiding and teaching young people, bore this witness of the living prophet: “Now, as he speaks to us … it is as if the Lord Jesus Christ himself were addressing us. … Christ made this very clear when he said to others of his children a time ago, ‘Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these … whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you’ (3 Nephi 12:1). … Your course should become clear, your priorities ought to be known to you. … Personal opinions vary. Eternal principles never do. When the prophet speaks … the debate is over” (“If We Want to Go Up, We Have to Go On,” New Era, Jan.–Feb. 1979, pp. 40–41).

Week 2 The prophets in the scriptures are examples to my family.

* Have some "special guests" come to primary! Invite a few adults to dress up as certain prophets in the scriptures and share their story. Ask the children how these prophets are examples to each of us and our families?

* President Harold B. Lee taught, “The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 134). Draw a large home on the chalkboard. Get about 10 different color paint sample cards from Wal-Mart. Ooooo, pretty! Have different scripture references of different prophets on the back of each of the cards. Divide into groups and hand out the paint cards. Give the groups a few questions about the prophet too. Let them discuss 3-4 minutes.  An extra attentive primary child can have the reverent stick (a free paint stick/stirrer) and call on children to come share what they discussed in groups. Just like paint makes our walls at home beautiful, the prophets in the scriptures make our families and homes a more lovely place because of their examples and teachings.

* James 5:10 "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience."
     Families are NEVER perfect!!! We all make mistakes, and fortunately because of Jesus, we can repent!!
     Dioramas are mentioned in Teaching, No Greater Call HERE. However, I don't think I've ever seen them utilized. This would be a great week to make 3-4 dioramas. I would choose Job, Lehi, and Jacob/Israel and his 12 sons to really hit home the mentioned scripture. Family life requires patience and the life of the prophets in the scriptures are wonderful examples for us!!

* Grab your sunglasses and feather boa. Put them on dramatically and introduce yourself as the latest and greatest movie star/rock star/athlete. Crumple a piece of paper and throw it in the garbage can... to demonstrate your great athletic ability. You are super famous and everyone in the world knows your name. Because so many people know who you are.... you must be a good example right? You are a super star!!!!! Nothing you do could be wrong!!! Wait and see what the children say. There are a lot of nice people in the world who are famous for different talents they have, but it doesn't mean they are good examples. Remember, we are not "worldly" people.
      1 John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
    Have a picture of a magazine, a TV, a movie screen, a book, a basketball, a football... etc, things to represent where the world might look for an example. Have large red X's to cover those pictures. Have scripture stories of the prophets for each picture. Have a child choose a picture (let's say it's the magazine one, and of course they can feel free to wear your boa or sunglasses) and briefly explain how that prophet set a good example for our families. Have them X out the magazine picture and put a picture of the prophet above it. And of course, people in church magazines we can look to for a good example... but not really the magazines we see by the grocery check out!
     And of course, make sure to say that THERE ARE A LOT of good famous people out there!! A person doesn't have to be a member of The Church to be a good example!! Look at Abraham Lincoln or Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King Jr. We just need to be careful who we look to for examples. Ultimately, our greatest example is Our Savior!!

* Family Home Run Evening!!! Tell the children that what you do today in sharing time, they can easily do at home!!! Grab a roll of wrapping paper and a balloon, or some sort of soft ball. You, the pitcher, are going to have some questions about prophets and the examples they set for families. A child is at bat at the front of the room and can throw the balloon themselves and try to hit it, then they reverently walk to a corner of the room. If they give a really good answer they can go to 2nd base. Super good answer, 3rd base. WOW!!! Can't believe you know that... home reverent walk/run! Anyone in the primary can steal the base if they catch the balloon.... SITTING DOWN. If they are standing at all or jump up, it's not a steal. Stealing the base means switching corners with the child that is there. See how many home runs/ reverent walks you can get as a primary!!!
    Clarification: So if a child answers a question they go to first base, next child comes up and answers a question and the first child moves to second base, second child moves to first base. Basically, just move the kiddos along!!

Week 3 My family will be blessed as we follow the prophet.

* Multiple Choice Quiz Time!! The week before, choose 4 families from the ward that the children know well. Ask them for some examples in their life (about 3-4 short stories each) how following the prophet has blessed them. For sharing time, write A B C D on the board and under each letter the name of one of the families you got stories from. Tell the children you are going to have a multiple choice quiz!! Invite 3 children  up at a time, read them a story and have them stand under the letter/family they think the story is about. Have your primary pianist announce the correct answer!!

* Have a picture of a prophet. Have a picture of a family. Let a child pick a spot, any spot to put the picture of the prophet. See if the children can remember some of the stories from General Conference. Share some brief stories from Conference then ask the children what the message is of that story and how your family can be blessed by that principle. Whoever answers can take the picture of the family and put it by the prophet. Then another child comes up and moves the picture of the prophet. Share a conference story, move family.... continue on!! :)

* HERE is a great example of how President Hinckley's family was blessed by following the prophet. After reading it and going over the questions with the children. Have a few highlighted conference talks for the children to read in groups... the highlighted parts. Have them brainstorm ideas for a Family Home Evening based off following the teachings of that prophet/apostle, then share with the primary.

Week 4 The prophet speaks to us at General Conference.

* HERE is a must read to prepare for this week's topic. In October 2014, Elder Robert D. Hales spoke extensively on the topic of General Conference.

* HERE is a conference center tour found off LDS.org. If you are able to download, it's a short video about the conference center and what happens behind the scenes at conference! It's really wonderful and interesting!! It is about 2 1/2 minutes in length. HERE is the written message if you can't get the video... but the video is really awesome.

* HERE are some conference hidden pictures. My children LOVE these types of things. Why not turn it into a sharing time or Family Home Evening? Have strips of paper with scriptures, songs, and questions having to do with General Conference folded in a paper bag. A child comes up front and picks from the bag. Once the answer or read the scripture or lead the song, they get to see if they can color/find something from the look and find. Just have the look and find on the blackboard. If they need help, have them call on another primary friend to come up. Make copies for the primary children to take home after the lesson.

* LDS.org makes life so much easier!!! HERE are conference squares. Print off a sheet for each child or for small groups. Have 10-20 short quotes from Conference. Have them play conference squares as you or another good reader reads the quote.

* Sometimes we might think that Conference is a little long or that it's just for adults... but it's not!! The prophet speaks to US at General Conference. HERE is a story of a little girl who could testify to that truth!! Read the story, then have the children write their name on a post it and put it on the chalkboard, all seperate. Have them think of something they like to hear about during conference... whether it's faith or stories from the Book of Mormon or talks about the temple or even the singing!! Invite a child up front, blindfold them or have them close their eyes and choose a post it or 2  from the chalkboard. Whoever has their name chosen can say what they like to hear about at General Conference or one of their favorite messages from the last conference... Heavenly Father knows us each by name. He knows us better than we know ourselves and at Conference time, He speaks to us through His holy prophet!!

December 2013 LDS Primary Sharing Time Ideas & Helps

La Vierge Au Lys by Bouguerau

Monthly Theme: I know that Jesus Christ will come again.
Monthly Scripture: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Job 19:25

Week 1 The Prophets foretold that Jesus Christ would come to earth.

* HERE is a Primary 6 lesson with lots of scripture references for this weekly theme. There is also a nice coloring page to go along!

* HERE is a link with lots of resources for teaching children about the prophecies of Christ. The Christmas in the America (under stories) link would be a great/easy felt board story!

* Have a child come up front and guess what is in a paper bag with a bow. We can guess all we like. We could even guess what would happen tomorrow. But it's different with prophets. When it's the will of Heavenly Father, He speaks through prophets to "foretell" what will happen. What is the difference between guessing and a prophet "foretelling"?
Have the child open the bag to show a picture of baby Jesus. Prophets foretold that Jesus Christ would come to earth.

* Do you have a toy bow and arrow set? They sell them at the Dollar store. Invite a child to come up and share the story of Samuel the Lamanite. Samuel prophesied and foretold that Jesus Christ would come to earth. Have 10-12 different questions, songs, and scriptures about the birth of Christ on strips of paper for children to choose. Once they answer the question correctly, they can shoot the arrow at a paper circle on the blackboard. We'd never shoot at Samuel, but our answers to questions are always right on the mark!

* Have a sleeping bag and pillow. Invite a child to put on a Nephi's slippers and cozy robe and fall asleep. In 1 Nephi 11 we learn all about Nephi's vision of when Jesus would come to earth. Have little paper thought/dream bubbles (about 6-8) with pictures about the life of Christ from his vision. Read scripture excerpts and then invite a child to come choose which dream bubble it's talking about. Then invite another Nephi to fall asleep... etc. You'll have a lot of children coming up this way.

* Bring in a copy of the week's weather report for where you live. Ask the children if they have ever seen the weather man predict snow and then there was no snow? Is it pretty hard to guess what the weather will be like?? Heavenly Father did not want people to be confused when it came to Jesus coming to earth. He spoke to prophets and prophets foretold the coming of The Savior. It wasn't like the weather... what the prophets spoke happened!!

Have a small umbrella with strips of paper inside. On the papers have questions, scriptures, and songs having to do with the weeks theme. Let a child come up front and spin the umbrella to mix up the papers and then choose one. Weather changes, but the prophecies of Christ do not!!

Week 2 Jesus Christ will come to the earth again.

* Ask the primary children to raise their hand if they enjoy reading a good book. Go ahead and raise their hands again if they ever get to the end and wish there was more! Sometimes books continue and have sequels!! If we were thinking about the life of Christ like a book, what would be His sequel??? What would come after His chapter when He was resurrected? It's a pretty tricky question!! Was He resurrected and that was just it?? Jesus Christ will come to the earth again!!

Go over a couple scriptures of what the 2nd coming will be like. Focus on the positive!! Need help finding scriptures... click HERE for great information from Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Manual.

Have a piece of paper with a clip art open book on it for each child. Invite children to draw an image of Jesus' life on the left hand side. On the other side they can draw His sequel!!! The next chapter/book is the glorious 2nd coming.

 



* Is this idea possible? I really don't know. Hang about 6-7 envelopes from a string from the ceiling. When the children walk in they will all be looking up. When it's time to start tell the children you noticed a bunch of them looking up. Why would they be looking up, that's kind of weird? Is there something... oh, there is something up there!! Just as we were looking up, a long time ago so were the apostles!! Show a picture of the Ascension.
      “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” Acts 1:11   
       What does this scripture tell us? What goes up must come down!! Have children choose an envelope and answer questions, scriptures, and sing songs about Jesus Christ's 2nd coming.

* HERE is a lesson from the Primary 7 manual. It has a good matching handout for older children

* Have children draw a picture of what it will be like in the Millennium! All the animals will be peaceful, Christ will be our King, Satan will be bound! It's an exciting time to look forward too!

Week 3 I will prepare to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.

* HERE is an awesome sharing time from The Friend having to do with the parable of the 10 Virgins.

* Invite a doctor into primary. Yes, a real doctor if you have one. Or a nurse. Ask them if they were able to just start healing people when they decided they wanted to become a doctor. What did they have to do to become a doctor? It takes a lot of hard work and preparation! And they don't just stop preparing, they are constantly learning and striving to do better to help others. It's the same with Eternal Life. We can prepare to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.
     After the doctor leaves, have a medical bag with things like a band aid, Neosporin, stethoscope, tongue depressor... etc. Invite children to come choose things from the doctor's bag and name ways we can prepare to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again. Just like a person prepares to be a doctor, we must prepare for Eternal Life and help others along the way!

* Have an attention activity of guess the letter. Just like hangman, but we don't draw a man hanging we just get 4 X's. You'll need 7 blanks for the word prepare.
Have someone read D&C 1:12 "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh"
    Break into groups and have the children guess letters again within their group. You'll need teachers to help. Give them each papers with blanks for the following phrases-
Study Scriptures Often
Pray Daily
Get Baptized
Go to the temple
Make good choices
Serve others faithfully
     After a few minutes, invite a child from each group to share a way in which we can prepare to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again! If there is still time, have a primary friend share another way to you and put blanks on the chalkboard for others to guess!

* Bring in some items from your food storage supply. Ask the children if they have food storage at home. Invite a primary friend to share what food storage is and why the prophets have asked us to have some extra food at home.
    Is it good to be prepared? Have some questions, scriptures, and songs attached to different food storage items for the children to choose and do.
     End with a brief recap of the story of the brother of Jared. Show a picture. The Lord told him that they would cross many deep waters. The Brother of Jared was worried because they wouldn't have light. The Lord said, "And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?" (Ether 2:25) We know that the Brother of Jared then got some stones and The Lord touched them and they were able to cross the sea with light.
     The Lord will help prepare His children! And we need to prepare ourselves, with His help, to return to Him!! He'll never leave us in the dark if we turn to Him.

* Alma 34:32-33 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."
    According to that scripture, when are we supposed to prepare to meet God? When we're 50? Only on the years that end in a 3? Every other day? Why is preparing to meet Heavenly Father and Jesus something we must do always?
     I will choose one primary friend to sit on the end of a row. They will think of something we must do so we can prepare to meet Heavenly Father and Jesus. They will then whisper it to the friend next to them, who will whisper it to the next friend until we reach the end of the row. Let's see how much time it will take! Continue for the next row, and the next. Record each time. Wow! Time flies when we are thinking and doing the things that will bring us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus!
     "Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life." Elder Uchtdorf The Way of the Disciple Apr. 2009

Week 4 I have a testimony that I am a child of God.

* Have children write down their testimonies or draw a picture of something they know is true about the gospel.

* Have a primary friend come up front and volunteer to do as many push ups as they can. Wow! That's amazing. Would our arms be weaker or stronger in the long run if we practiced doing push ups?
    How about a testimony? Would our testimony be strong if we shared it once or many times?
Have strips of paper with different questions, scriptures, and songs about testimony on them. Invite a child to come up front and do a push up with a piece of tape on their nose to pick up the paper.
     If you have girls volunteering, make sure their skirts are not facing anyone!!

* Have large paper hearts. Invite children to fill in the heart with ways they know that Heavenly Father loves them. What has He given you that you can know how much He loves you? Have children share their different answers.

* Invite a few different ward members in to share a time when they gained a testimony that they were a child of God. Ask the children to remember that they can pray sincerely and know the truth of all things. Joseph Smith's first prayer was answered!! Our prayers will be answered too!!