April 2012 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

How does one bide their time if they cannot blog? 1 word. PBS. It was going fine, I was accepting my lot in life... AT&T was annoying and I was done with "dealing" with them. My folks don't have their internet working. It was a sign. Perhaps my days of blogging were done. I admit. I cried.

 But then my husband came home and told me he was going to hide in a garbage can and shoot someone with a water gun downtown because he's in the final 2 (out of 70ish people)  of a game called ASAssins at school. (Asian Student Alliance) He needed costume ideas and my 5 year old suggested he dress up with a long hair wig, a beard and a red and white robe like Jesus. So then I smiled.

But then I watched a NOVA special and a baby grey whale was killed by a pack of orcas. Really? Thank you Sea World for glamorizing the most cruel and demonic animals on earth. The grey whale mother had spent 3 months nursing and playing with her baby, however they needed to take a perilous journey up north because the mother didn't have enough food to survive. Yeah. Then the killer whales attack. 4 hours of relentless fighting. The mother did everything she could. They didn't even need dramatic music.

I called a local internet company right away and was barely emotionally competent to put together the kiddo's Easter baskets. Thank you NOVA. You drove me back into the throngs of technology.

I'm sorry I don't have more. Hopefully these can help someone. Thank you so much for those of you who sent me such nice messages. I was at a Sri Lankan party tonight with a gaggle of fun people and it was fabulous. I'd compare your messages to the party's awesomeness because words couldn't do your kindness or the Hall and Oates karaoke justice. God bless you for being such wonderful friends and taking the time to write me.

Week 4 I feel my Savior's love when I try to be like Jesus Christ.

* Take a medium sized box and make a hole for a primary friend to stick their hand inside. They won't be able to see the items inside, but they can feel it. Put items in the box that represent different things the Lord has blessed us with to show His love for us. (Like a stuffed animal for animals, an apple for food, scriptures, a flower for all the plants around us, etc.) Invite a primary friend to share a couple ways we can try to be like Jesus. Write it on the board so ideas won't be repeated! Then have the friend try to guess what one of the items in the box is that they feel. How does that item show Jesus' love for us? Have about 10-12 different items.

* Bring in some special blankets. Does anybody else in primary have a special blanket they love? How does it feel? Divide into groups and give each group a blanket. Have the lovely pianist play some music quietly. The children in each group can bundle themselves in the blanket and share a story of when they have tried to be like Jesus and how it felt, then pass the blanket to the next friend.
Review the story of the vision of the tree of life. There is nothing like a warm, special blanket that makes you feel safe and cozy! Just like there is nothing like the Savior's love!!!
1 Nephi 11:21-23"And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul."

* Do it! There is nothing like teaching a lesson by doing. Have the children draw pictures and then go to Relief Society to give them to the women. Have the children also give a compliment to the person they give their picture to. (Preferably someone who isn't their mom!And of course, pre-arrange with Relief Society to make sure it's OK) Practice and go over some nice compliments they can give. Perhaps they can give the women some little chocolates too! Come back to the primary room and ask the children how it felt to make the women smile. Did they do something the Savior might do? Have the primary children describe their feelings.
Moroni 7:47 " But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

Computer Woes.....

Well friends, I'm sorry to say... but I'm having some horrid computer problems!! I'm trying my best to figure out what to do for April and I had some interesting Conference FHE's... however I don't know when I'll be able to post!

Ahhhhh!!!!!

I'm also very sorry if I don't get back to your emails in a timely fashion! To quote Styx's Mr.Roboto, "Too much technology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

March 2012 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

(Image from The Friend Oct. 2002... It is a matching game for General Conference. Unfortunately, some apostles have since passed away. However, it is still fun to see what our dear prophets looked like as children!!)

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.

(Recylcing some old ideas, some new)

* 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"

* 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?

* Name that prophet!! Have a large picture of the First Presidency and Quorom of the Twelve. Write their names so children will know who is who. You could even send the children home with a picture of these good men and all the interesting facts so they could quiz their family!!

Interesting Facts (prophet the fact is about)

- This prophet visited the islands of the southeast and met a little boy. He visited with the boy's dad and one day glanced over to see the boy looking through his stamp collection. When the prophet returned to UT he sent the boy some stamps to add to his collection. He loved little children and took time to remember them even with his busy schedule!! (President Monson)
- This prophet would interview up to 70 missionaries a day, one at a time! In one month he had talked personally with over 1,000 misionaries!! (President Monson)
- Many times this prophet was traveling and on an airplane and the weather was horrible! The pilot would come on the loudspeaker and say they would have to re-route the plane and go somewhere else.... however, this prophet would say a humble prayer and often a miraculous break in the clouds would make it so the plane could land where it was supposed to! (President Monson)

HERE is where YOU, yes, beautiful you can find other interesting facts for the other prophets and apostles. Just click on their pictures and read away and be directed by the spirit. All the facts about President Monson are paraphrased from his biography by Heidi Swinton. I rarely will do everything because there is no room for growth in that. You are amazing, you can do it... put your back into it.

* 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).

* Do any of the teachers in the room have children? Do they love one more than another? If anyone is pyscho, don't ask them... Do you think Heavenly Father loves his children more from the time of Adam of Eve or His children from Joseph Smith's time? What about His children now?

Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:45, "...for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Heavenly Father always has a prophet on the earth until "people choose to disregard, disobey, or distort any gospel ordinance, whenever they reject the Lord's prophets.... and begin to live in spiritual darkness." An apostacy happens!! However, time passes and "God has shown His love for His children by calling another prophet and giving him priesthood authority to restore and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ." (Quotes from Preach My Gospel pg. 33)

Heavenly Father loves us all, as much now as in the time of ancient scripture! We have LIVING prophets who will speak to anyone who will listen! Just or unjust! Make little suns and raindrops (number 1-10) and hide around the room. Have a child find one and bring to front. Have questions or quotes or songs having to do with God speaks through living prophets.

As a handout for home:

I don't want to put a formal copyright on any work I do, so please just don't sell anything! Think Meatloaf's song if you do... Feel free to use with families and primary!

* President John Taylor said in regards to living prophets, “We require a living tree—a living fountain—living intelligence, proceeding from the living priesthood in heaven, through the living priesthood on earth..." (The Gospel Kingdom, [Deseret Book Co., 1944], p. 34)

Have a large paper tree with about 10-11 leaves. Have questions, scriptures and songs having to do with "living prophets" for the children to come up and choose one at a time.

* Here is a story about the first convert in the Phillipines that would be easy to for a child to act out while you read,

"When he was a boy he found in a garbage can an old tattered copy of the Reader’s Digest. It contained a condensation of a book giving the story of the Mormon people. It spoke of Joseph Smith and described him as a prophet. The word prophet did something to that boy. Could there actually be a prophet upon the earth? he wondered. The magazine was lost, but concern over the presence of a living prophet never left him during the long, dark years of war and oppression when the Philippines were occupied. Finally the forces of liberation came, and with them the reopening of Clark Air Base. David Lagman found employment there. His supervisor, he learned, was a Mormon, an Air Force officer. He wanted to ask him if he believed in a prophet, but was afraid to do so. Finally, after much inner turmoil, he mustered the courage to inquire.

“Are you a Mormon, sir?” the young man asked.

“Yes, I am,” was the forthright reply.

“Do you believe in a prophet? Do you have a prophet in your church?” came the anxious question.

“We do have a prophet, a living prophet, who presides in this church and who teaches the will of the Lord.”

David asked the officer to tell him more, and out of that teaching came his baptism. He was the first native elder ordained in the Philippines..... Could any people have a greater blessing than to have standing at their head one who receives and teaches the will of God concerning them?"
(Ensign Sept. 1991 "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” President Gordon B. Hinkley)

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

* Let the Senior Primary teach! The week before give individual kids an assignment (call so you make sure mom knows) to prepare a 1-2 minute presentaion on a certain member of The First Presidency or 12. Tell them they need to have a visual and a fun story about that prophet- perhaps a couple interesting facts. In Junior Primary, the CTR 6 and CTR 7 classes would be able to do this too. Be mindful who is shy though and don't try to force them. Choose your children wisely.

* This might take a lot of work, but it'd be fun to look at. Make a few "maps" of where the prophets have been recently.

Take a black and white image, then a certain color marker and dot and dash away!
For example Elder Nelson has recently been to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Russia, LDS Business College SLC, UT, BYU Hawaii.
Let the children choose a map, then show them a picture of the prophet that it matches! Read a quote that was said in one of the places visited, for example, Elder Nelson said, "This is a perfect time to set your priorities and make certain that you move in the right direction. You do not want to be like the man who climbed the ladder of success only to find that it was leaning against the wrong wall!” in SLC!
Talk about how many hours you think the prophets spend on airplanes!! Do they love the people of the world and Heavenly Father or what!

Now, where Sofia, might I find travel information? Click around HERE on Prophets and Apostles in the News. Still can't find anything? Pray. Pray a little more.... Click around some more. After that, I don't know the answer.

* Pass the Prophets. Have popsicle sticks with the pictures of The First Presidency and the Quorom of the 12. Sing We Thank Thee of God for a Prophet and pass the sticks around (sitting in a circle would work best)... randomly have the pianist stop the music. When the music stops have the children try to name that apostle they are holding and something prophets have taught us.

Week 3 God's prophets and apostles speak to us in General Conference.

*In general conference in October 1994, Elder David B. Haight said: “When we sustain the President of the Church by our uplifted hand, it not only signifies that we acknowledge before God that he is the rightful possessor of all the priesthood keys; it means that we covenant with God that we will abide by the direction and the counsel that comes through His prophet. It is a solemn covenant” (Ensign, Nov. 1994, 14–15). Make sure to emphasize the underlined parts!

When we sustain the prophet at General Conference it means we covenant to do what he says!

A story illustrates why we should pay attention at General Conference:

"When I was a young wife and mother, my husband spent two years in the air force. We lived in military housing on Long Island, New York. While tending our young children, I often visited with neighbors who had come from all over the country. One day as a neighbor and I were talking about our beliefs, she became curious about what was different about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I told her briefly about the Restoration, and I explained that the restored Church of Jesus Christ has a living prophet today. This really seemed to pique her interest, and she wanted to know what the prophet had said. As I started to tell her about the Doctrine and Covenants and modern revelation, she said, “But what has he said lately?” I told her about general conference and that the Church had a monthly publication with a message from the prophet. Then she got really interested. I was so embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t read the current message. She concluded our conversation by saying, “You mean you have a living prophet and you don’t know what he said?” In that situation I hadn’t shown what it meant to sustain." (Ensign May 1996, Sister Janette Hales Beckham, Young Women's President)

* Have the children write down a list of questions they have and after General Conference ask if anyone is willing to share if they recieved an answer to their question. Remind the children that prayer will go a long way too!

* A nice family home evening could include different family members interviewing each other after conference and sharing what they found. When "reporting findings" we always like to jazz it up with a tinfoil microphone and VIP seat.

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

* “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chr. 20:20

Blessing Jar!! Have a picture of President Monson and an empty jar next to it. Invite children to write or draw pictures of different ways they have been blessed and "prospered" by following his words on index cards. Fill up the jar and then have children come and draw some out to share with the primary.

* If we throw an apple up in the air, what will happen? What about if we throw a pencil in the air?
Certains things will always happen. Gravity is one of them, what goes up- must come down!! So it is with the principle of obedience and blessings....
D&C 130:20-21 "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

* HERE is a great sharing time from The Friend with a neat tube craft to put together. Thanks Sister Matsumori!!

* HERE are some really nice prophet figures (from The Friend) that you can mount on popsicle sticks and have children come choose. They can also briefly tell the story of that prophet and how we are blessed if we follow their words. Thanks Sister Magleby!

* HERE is a sharing time from The Friend entitled "I can follow the prophet today!"

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

Stand for the Right (CS pg. 159) Primary Song Helps and Ideas

Standing Figures Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by ChrisM70

(Recycled from Feb.2011)
My favorite songs in the Children's Songbook happen to be the short ones. I just love that they are easy to remember and the message is solid!!

* Put a picture of President Monson on the chalkboard with a speech bubble. What are 2 words that the prophet might say to us?? Let the children brainstorm. How about Be True!!

* Have a stuffed animal bee or puppet. Invite a child to the front, when the bee is high the children sing bold, when the bee is low the children sing soft. Give paper Bees with the word true on it to each of the children to take home. They can hold it high and low and teach their family the song like we did in Primary.

* Have about 30 little toys. Have them all laying down on a table. Invite a child to the front to see if they can stand up all the toys before the Primary finishes the song.

* Have a leg dice. On each side of the dice is a leg with a different way to stand throughout the song. For example:
1. Stand on left leg    2. Stand on right leg   3. Stand with foot on left knee  4. Sit on ground and very slowly stand up by the end of song     5. Stand on tippy toes    6. Stand with legs apart, one hand on hip, other hand in air

* Check with your bishop and see if you can record the primary singing this song to send to a missionary serving from your ward. Grab a sheet of paper and have the primary write them a letter about what it means to be true and how proud they are of their missionary willing to stand for what's right!! (Yes, I'm a child of the 80's and still use cassette tapes. Don't laugh. Ok. You can laugh. If anyone has another idea that's more up to date, feel free to share)

*** PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sensitive if there are any children in your primary who can't stand. Who are in a wheelchair. Speak with parents on how you can effectively teach this song to their child.
HERE is a youtube Mormon Message about a differently abled man who cannot stand physically, but proves you don't always need physical legs to stand tall. Being a witness of Christ and doing the best you personally can is Standing for the Right ***

Choose The Right Song Helps and Ideas

I know what you are thinking:

1. These look a little like toilet seats.

2. That's some pretty awesome photography... not.

3. You should add a hot guy in the picture with the caption, "Hey girl... these plate rings make me want to choose the right."

In The Friend they have a feature with a hidden CTR ring. I decided to make rings for the song, with images to help us remember the words and then we can hide them and search for them while we sing... once the song is learned. And when I say we, I mean my kiddos... did you know I'm not in primary? I'm a Relief Society chorister, and I missed my first week and didn't remember to call a substitute.

Fun times slacker.

* Broken Record: You can't do this with a piano, or perhaps you can if you let the pianist take the lead. Basically, you sing and then on certain phrases you just repeat over and over and over and over again and then continue singing. It's really fun. So it'd go something like this

Choose the right, when a choice is placed before you,

In the right, In the right, In the right, In the right the Holy Spirit guides....

It's a great way to teach the melody through repetition.

* Stand up and turn to the right!!! facing that wall- while you sing. After singing each phrase of the song, turn to the right and face that side of the room. Some other possibilities could include turning on the word "right" or facing children different directions to make it more complicated.

February 2012 LDS Primary Sharing Time Ideas and Helps

I'm sorry if the previous picture posted offended anyone.

Monthly Theme: When We Choose the Right, We Are Blessed

Monthly Scripture: "If ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you"

Mosiah 2:22

Did you notice this quote for the month in the sharing time outline from Elder Boyd K. Packer: Children can learn through fun activities and movement and still maintain an attitude of reverence. "Reverence . . . does not equate with absolute silence" (Boyd K. Packer, "Reverence Invites Revelation," Ensign, Nov. 1991, 22).  Fabulous!

Week 1 Noah was blessed for choosing the right.

*Animal Charades!! In a brown paper sack have little pieces of paper with different animals for the children to come and act out. Also, you can have questions or scriptures having to do with the story of Noah on the pieces too. Call on someone who is raising their hand to guess what the animal is and answer that question or read that scripture.

* To introduce who you are talking about, lay on the ground and have the primary children guess what you are doing. You are "resting". Did they know that the name NOAH means rest?? Do you think that Noah actually got a lot of rest taking care of the animals and building the ark? Heavenly Father has a great sense of humor!!

* A random poem, by yours truly, feel free to use not sell- I'd give it as a handout with some cool rainbow cupcakes!

 Good or bad, we have the choice-

like Noah, long ago...

We can listen and obey,

quick to do, not slow!

Before the rain, his faith was strong-

He built the ship, like told.

He was blessed,

he chose the right!

We too can be so bold!

* 5 clues! Have a primary friend come up front and give "up to" 5 clues about their favorite animal. Once the animal is guessed, ask a question or read a scripture about the story of Noah. At the end of the lesson have these 5 clues:
1. It's something you do.
2. You can do this like Noah.
3. Heavenly Father knew we might not do this, so Jesus was sent to make an atonement.
4. If you do this you will be blessed.
5. It rhymes with moose da night.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT!

Week 2 Jesus's disciples were blessed by choosing the right.

*  “It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. . . . Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do.”  Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Way of the Disciple,” Ensign, May 2009, 76–77

Have a basket of different sports items: baseball, basketball, tennis racket, swimming goggles... etc. Have an example of disciples from the scriptures attached to the items. Let 1 member of each class, come up and choose a sports item. Let them discuss in their groups that story and then take turns up front saying how the disciples were blessed.
We also are Christ's disciples. We have the choice! End by singing a song about choices and on the chorus doing an action of their favorite sport!

* HERE is a link to the Friend with a Nephite Disciple quiz. It'd be great for Senior Primary. Make sure to scroll down!!

* "My advice to you is that we must create ways of living that help us with our spiritual housecleaning—ongoing and continual processes that draw us closer to the Lord our Savior so that we can be numbered among His disciples." Elder L. Tom Perry, The Friend Sept. 2003

Have a mop, gloves, an empty spray bottle and roll of paper towels. Let the children pass these like "hot potatoes" REVERENTLY to the person next to them while you sing songs about choices. When the piano stops, those friends holding cleaning items need to stand. Have about 6-8 names of different disciples of Christ. For each round, name a disciple and the friends standing can say something they know about that disciple... if they need help, they can call on another friend of course! Always ask how that disciple was blessed by choosing the right.
And another simple piece of advice... mean business too! If there are friends goofing off, give a warning and then if they still make a bad choice, they need to sit with another leader somewhere else in the room. We all have choices and our choices have consequences!! Go by the spirit!!

* HERE is a link to The Friend with a disciples crossword puzzle. Again, scroll down!

* Name that disciple!! Dress up (simply!) a few friends as different disciples of Christ. You could have little paragraphs for the disciples to read or you could just read. Once the primary has guessed who the disciple is, ask that disciple how they were blessed by choosing the right.

Week 3 Nephi was blessed for choosing the right.

* I forgot!! Have little brown bags with strips of paper with fill in the blank sentences. I am so forgetful I even forgot where I put the bags!!! Have the children look around the room and find the bags then fill in the blanks.....
1. Nephi was commanded to go and get the _______________ from Laban. (plates of brass)
2. Laban was a very _______________ man who didn't mind killing or stealing. (wicked, horrible, evil!!)
3. The first time Nephi and his brothers went to get the plates ____________________________ happened. (they cast lots, Laman went and asked and was almost killed by Laban)
4. The second time Nephi and his brothers went to get the plates ___________________________
happened. (they offered up all their possessions, Laban stole from them and then tried to kill them)
5. Even after Nephi's brothers ______________ him (beat), he returned and said _________________________ (I will go, I will do!!). He found Laban drunk on the ground and cut off his _____________, went to get the plates and chose the right!!

You come up with the rest!! I would do at least 4 different stories from the life of Nephi, with 5 things you forgot for each story. At the end of each story ask how Nephi was blessed because of his obedience.

* HERE is a link to a fun idea from The Friend. You take the cardboard cutouts, add some seashells and make a diorama of when Nephi builds the ship.

* HERE is a link to The Friend where there are finger puppets of Nephi's family and a liahona dot to dot! You could even make the dot to dot as large as possible and say you have a mystery item that could help a person choose the right. To find out what it is, we'll earn points for questions you answer and scriptures you read about how Nephi chose the right. When the children do so, they can earn 5 or 10 points and then connect that many dots on the drawing.

* Put 40 pieces of masking tape on the ground from one wall to another. Space them because you can dress up a primary friend as Nephi, have questions about his life and how he chose the right, then move him along the path (each piece of masking tape being a space) to the promised land. Have a picture of North and South America as the promised land with a sign at the end of the path. Let other primary children roll a dice and move Nephi that many masking tapes/spaces as they answer questions correctly.

Week 4 Church members today are blessed for choosing the right. 

* Primary Friend Interviews! Let the children choose a friend and interview them. Have a white piece of paper where they can draw a picture of the person they are interviewing. Then they write down the person's answers to the following questions-

What is a time in your life you chose the right?

How were you blessed?

Younger children of course will need help!! Have teachers close by!! And enlist your primary pianist to help too!! She doesn't always have to sit behind the piano!At the end, have a couple friends share with the entire primary what they learned about another!

* Invite a couple guests from your ward to share special/interesting experiences where they made a good choice and were blessed!

* Have children self reflect and make an acrostic poem (use the letters in TODAY to name blessings- for example T for teachers who love me) like the one below and draw a picture of one of their blessings or doing something to choose the right in the box! Little ones of course will need help writing and you might want to have them think of names of people they love to try to match the TODAY letters.

* HERE is a great story from The Friend about a little boy who made a good choice and bought an ice cream for his teacher. He was blessed with happiness for his act of charity. After you briefly retell or read the story to the primary, have a large paper ice cream cone on the board with about 10 scoops. On each scoop come up with a different scenario for the children to come up front and choose.

For example- Timmy loves family home evening, but his little brother always squirms around and has a hard time listening. What could Timmy do to make a good choice and help his brother at FHE? How will Timmy be blessed?

When the Primary children answer put the scoop on the cone and build a super tall treat!

At the end, remind the children that Wade made a good choice and blessed Mr. Nolan's life, but his own life too! Challenge the children to make a choice this week where blessings will follow!

FHE: Name Written Always on Your Hearts

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by Le Petit Poulailler Jan. 2009

Mosiah 5:12 " I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you."

Activity: Should we have the name Gonzo written on our hearts always? What about Pete or Myrtle or Beth or Anna or Shakira?

Who's name should we always have written in our hearts?

What does it mean to "have name written in our hearts"??
What did Abinadi teach about the "commandments being written on your hearts" to the wicked priests in Mosiah 13??
Or how about 2 Corinthians 3:3 "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in table of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
Here is another scripture Hebrews 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people"

Have 10 plain hearts and let family members decorate them. Now comes the fun part. Have you ever wondered and thought to yourself all the different names for Christ? How many do you think there are??

Click HERE, the bible dictionary, it's a lot!! Explain to your children what the Bible Dictionary is used for and how helpful it can be in studying the scriptures. Let family members choose 1 scripture per heart to write on from "Christ, Names of" in the bible dictionary. Mix up the hearts and then look them up to see the different names chosen... try to guess who chose what.

Final question: Can "take upon us the name of Christ" and "name written on your hearts" be used together to describe what we need to do to show our love for The Savior??

End with this quote and the bearing of testimonies, " We see that we take upon us the name of Christ when we are baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and profess our belief in him, and when we do the work of his kingdom." Elder Dallin H. Oaks May 1985 Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ Highly recommend reading this talk for personal study!

New Year's Goals - LDS Family Home Evening Idea

I probably should have posted this before January, but this handsome little fellow happily distracts me from things that aren't quite as important, but are still important enough where I feel like I should kindly apologize. So... sorry mang, yes mang. Better late than never.

New Year Goals: A FHE

Opening Prayer

Opening Quote: "I have said often, you may write blessings for yourselves, and insert every good thing you can think of, and it will all come to pass on your heads, if you do right" (Heber C. Kimball, from an address given in the Old Tabernacle, August 1853)

Question: How do we get our FHE treat? Does it just magically appear out of thin air? Does it just fly through the door in a shower of sparkles and voila! we can eat?

Somewhere, steps were taken to get that treat!

Move to the stairs in your home. If you don't have stairs, adapt to your liking.

Activity: Have some goals and write them on a strip of paper. Have children put them at the top of the stairs. To get to the top, you have to take it step by step! On seperate strips of paper, write the steps it takes to get to the goal and have children place them on the stairs one at a time.

Yes, the hubby finally cut his dreadlocks....

For example: Goal- Run a Marathon

Steps- walk, stretch, eat right, run 1 mile, run 5 miles, run 10 miles

We did 3 goals which took about 10 minutes. And of course, be careful on the stairs!!

Activity: On a sheet of paper write some family goals for the New Years and talk about the steps you might have to take to reach them.

Scripture: Mosiah 4:27 "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."

Closing Prayer and Treat

** We have lots of songs we sing throughout FHE. If there is a principle we are talking about, then we sing a song to reinforce that principle and take it as it comes.**

Other resources from LDS.Org include
* Goal capsules from the Liahona
*Here is a lesson from Duties and Blessings of Priesthood manual with good stories and questions
* Fill in the Blank sentences to reach your goal from The Friend
* HERE is a great visual story about graham crackers as steps, and a grape as a goal for young children from The Friend

January 2012 Week 4 LDS Primary Sharing Time Reader's Theater: Jesus Christ created the earth as a place where I can learn to choose the right.

A World of Choice to Gladden the Heart

A Reader’s Theater by Sofia Lykes

Please feel free to use this in a home or church setting. Not intended for commercial use and if you do, to quote Blondie, "One way or another, I'm gonna find ya... I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha, one way or another..."

Speaking Parts:

Narrator 1, 2, 3     Angel #1,2, 3    Joseph Smith

  Non speaking parts:

Sign holder   Sun, Moon, Stars   2 helpers to make “waves”

A child to plant seeds and a child to be a plant and grow

Sidenotes:

* Click HERE to see tips on how to do a Reader's Theater... be confident, it will be fun! 

And seriously, choose your reader's wisely! Make sure the readers don't hold the papers up in front of their face, no one will be able to hear them or see their beautiful faces!

* When the sign holder holds up signs, the primary children in the audience can read what it says out loud together- you'll have to make the 6 signs for the sign holder to hold up.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Sign holder holds up sign WELCOME TO OUR READER’S THEATRE)

Narrator 1: God the Father once said, “For behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the eternal life of man.”

Narrator 2: That’s a lot of work!!

Narrator 1: It sure is! There are gazillions of people that have lived on the earth. I don’t know how He does it!

Narrator 3: It’s not that important for us to know how He does it, but WHY He does it… because He loves us!!

Narrator 2: Yes. Because Jesus loves us, He created the earth as a place where we can choose the right.

(Sign holder holds up sign PRE-MORTAL WORLD)

Angel #1: Hey man, did you just hear that!!

Angel #2: What?

Angel #1: Heavenly Father has a great plan. In fact, it’s not great… it’s awesomely perfect! He needs someone to help Him with His plan and has asked, “Whom will I send?”[1]

Angel #2: Oh yeah! And our elder brother Jesus said, “Here I am, send me.”[2]

Angel #3: I know who I’m choosing to follow! Lucifer also said he’d do  the job but his plan didn’t sound too great.

Angel #1: No it didn’t! No one should have to be forced to do anything! Agency is such a blessing.

Angel #3: What is agency?

Angel #2: Agency is the gift to choose!!

(Sign holder holds up sign Hip! Hip! Hooray!!)

Narrator 1: We all shouted for joy because we had choices and a plan where we could be saved.

Narrator 2: We were excited for new experiences and for everything to happen, we’d have to leave the pre-mortal world and get bodies.

Narrator 3: But where would everyone go??

(Sign holder holds up sign WELCOME TO EARTH!)[3]

Narrator 1: Under Heavenly Father’s direction, Jesus organized like crazy!

Narrator 2: I wish He’d come help me with my toy closet.

Narrator 3: Jesus divided light from darkness to create day and night. He formed the sun, moon, and stars.

(Sun, Moon and Star friends wave to audience)

Narrator 3: He divided the waters from the dry land to make seas, rivers, and lakes.

(2 primary children can hold a blue sheet and shake it like waves)

Narrator 2: He made the earth beautiful and productive. He made grass, trees, flowers, and other plants of all kinds. These plants contained seeds from which new plants could grow.

(A primary child pretends like they are planting seeds and another primary child pretends to be a plant and grows)

Narrator 1: Then He created the animals—fish, cattle, insects, and birds of all kinds. Hey primary friends! Raise your hand and I’ll call on you. You can share what your very favorite animal is!!

(Sign holder holds up sign ALMOST TO THE END)

Joseph Smith: When I was writing one day, the Lord gave me this revelation which I wrote down in D&C 59:18-19 “Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.”

Narrator 2: Wow Joseph! We know that Jesus has given us everything!! Not only His life, but this beautiful world to gladden our hearts.

Joseph Smith: “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom.”[4]

Narrator 3: I guess it means we better choose the right and use our agency wisely!!

(Sign holder holds up sign WE CAN CHOOSE THE RIGHT)

EVERYONE: WE CAN CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

(Sign holder holds up sign THE END)

---

[1] Abraham 3:27

[2] Abraham 3:27

[3]Most of  the following parts spoken by narrators come from the Gospel Principles Manual

[4] From Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 211, 213–14.

As A Child of God - LDS Primary Song Helps and Ideas

Image found under Children/Micellaneous via LDS Media Library 

As a note, these are ideas once you've learned the basic song. You'll need some sort of visual to teach the words to the children... these are in addition to that visual.

* Power to Choose Stick- Make a little wooden stick the primary's power to choose stick. While singing the song a primary friend can hold the stick up front as long as they like, within reason, and then they can point it to another primary friend- they have the power to choose! That friend then comes to the front and you keep on pointing, choosing and singing. Remember, the person up front has to sing too!

* Children of God, finger puppets!! (HERE is a link for simple ones you can print off on heavy paper) You'll actually need puppets they can use their fingers as legs. The smaller movement helps them concentrate especially hard! Tell the primary children you have a bunch of little friends, children of God, that need help learning a new song! While you sing the song, children put the puppets on their fingers and listen closely for directions. For the first verse the puppets can step touch side to side while you sing. For the 2nd verse the puppets can kick. Ask the children if they can think of any movements for their puppets to do! The song is in a 3/4 time signature, which is what is used for waltzes, so the puppets could even waltz in a triangle.

* The chorus of the song talks about "special light". Bring in some "special lights"! Close the lights and turn on your "special lights" while you sing. Some "special lights" could include a Christmas star, lava lamp, flashlight, glow in the dark stars, light saber, fun night light, a chain of Christmas lights. Are those pretty cool? Wrap it up by singing the last time with the ultimate and most "special light"- a picture of Jesus Christ.

* Mystery Children of God- Get some video of friends in the ward singing this song. Each Sunday the children will hear a different person on the video singing and try to guess who that Child of God is. For example, you could get the missionaries, the bishop, the young women... etc. I have a digital camera and would just record on that, let the primary children hear and then after the guess, play it again and let them see who was singing and sing along too! They are hearing the song and learning the melody as they listen over and over.

Another simpler version of the one above is to have a child come to the front and turn with their backs facing the children. You tap 5-6 children on the shoulder who stand up and sing the song. Then they sit down. The person up front turns around and tries to guess what Child of God was singing!

* All over the world, children of God can choose the right! HERE is a wonderful link from The Friend with different CTR shields in different languages. There are 15 so you could invite 5 children up at a time per verse of this song and have them hold up the shield while you sing. After the verse you can have them guess what language it is. You could reuse these easily for the song Choose the Right.

January 2012 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by PetitPlat Aug. 2011

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).

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

* God bless whoever invented ice cream! Who has ever enjoyed going into an ice cream shop and having a bunch of flavors to choose from? What are some favorites? Personally, it's Rocky Road or bust for me! Have an ice cream cone and different colored ice cream scoops made out of paper. Write scriptures, questions and songs having to do with agency on the back of the scoops. Invite a child to choose a scoop, then do what it says on back and build a tall cone on the black board! There are a lot of choices out there and it's God's gift of agency to us, to let us choose!!!

* Choices! Choices! Choices!! Have 20 envelopes in sets of 2. In each envelope have names of different scriptural characters and some sort of simple instruction like hop 5 times on one foot. Invite a primary friend to come up front and choose a set of envelopes, then choose another primary friend to choose one of the 2 envelopes! Have them talk about the scriptural character and choices they made. Then have the primary do the simple instruction.
Some examples could be:
Nephi - tug on left ear 3 times
King Noah- rub your elbows together while
It's always nice to get bodies moving!! It is possible to move and maintain reverence so don't be scared to try. Children (& most people) learn best when actively involved!

* Try to have the children learn the scripture "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 by you saying it and randomly leaving out words and having them fill in what word you left out. At the beginning of primary you could challenge the children and see if anyone can learn the scripture to recite by themselves by the end of primary. Have an outline of a house on a piece of paper for each child. Invite children to draw in their home or write about good choices we can make. Have them share with the whole primary or in groups. Our choices and the choices of our family decide whether we'll have a happy or not so happy home!

* Have 2 gift wrapped boxes up front. Invite a child to come up and choose a gift. In one gift have a bunch of demands like sweep the floor, do 50 push ups, eat 6 spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, walk 10 minutes to the store and buy milk only, sip 4 times a cup of that milk, wash your hair for 2 minutes in cold water, lie on the floor for 45 minutes to take a nap, read the dictionary for 6 pages and then freeze. Woah! Does that sound pleasant being told and forced to do certain things? In the other box have the simple phrase, "Choose for yourself". Which gift is better and why? Agency is God's gift to us, and what we do with that agency is our gift to God! Have the children write down a couple choices they can make this week that would make Heavenly Father and Jesus happy. Then give them a brown paper bag with a bow on it, have them put their choices in it and share with their family what they'll do this week with their agency!

* Bring in a checkers board. You, as the teacher, can be black and the children can be red. Invite 1 primary friend at a time to come up and answer a simple case scenario, then they can make a choice on the checkers board.
For example, a case scenario could be:
Maria is walking home from school and sees garbage on the ground. How could she use her gift of agency wisely?
Teddy is mad at his brother. How could he use his gift of agency wisely?
Nice and short! Try to get as many children involved, up and thinking as possible! At the end you can conclude with our life is like a game of checkers. Some choices are very important and can mean all the difference in winning our eternal exaltation!
(And as a fun fact, did you know President Monson loved to play checkers?? He even read a book on different checker strategies and memorized moves and game plans so he'd never lose!)

* Have 3 cups and plenty of chocolate kisses! Invite a primary friend to the front and have them turn around while you hide one chocolate under one upside down cup. Mix up the cups. Preface at the beginning you are going to play a game. You might win a chocolate, you might not. But don't worry at the end everyone will get a chocolate!! Have Gospel Art Pictures of different scripture stories. Invite the primary friend to tell a little about the story and how they used their gift of agency. Then let the friend choose a cup and see if they got a chocolate!! Have about 10-12 different scriptural pictures. Sing Choose the Right Way (CS pg. 160) and look for super singers. Invite a couple of those super singers up to try choosing a cup! Whenever we make a good choice in life, we'll get something better than a chocolate kiss... a blessing from above! We might not see it right away, but it will always be there.

* Life is full of good choices and sometimes we can even make those good choices better! Have a couple friends act out the story of Mary and Martha as you read Luke 10:38-42. Mary sits and listens while Martha cleans dishes, serves food and hustles and bustles about.... What did the Savior teach us about the gift of agency?
List a bunch of good choices on the board, and then have the primary children share ideas on how to make even better choices!! For example:
Pray at breakfast ( A better choice could be to pray always!)
Read Scriptures ( A better choice could be to ponder and study the scriptures!)
Go to Church (Participate and ask questions and share at church!)
etc.

* Have the children act out the parable of the talents (Matthew 25). Focus on each of the choices the servants made.

“Every one of us will have to give an account for the deeds we do in the flesh, and that every man will be rewarded according to his works, whether they be good or evil.” Joseph F. Smith (Principles of Government  in the Church, Improvement Era, Nov. 1917, 10-11)

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

* “No principle in time or eternity is so cherished as the right of agency. A war was waged in heaven over our agency- a war that was transferred to earth. Satan is determined to blind, bind and lead captive through ignorance and sin everyone he can. Understanding our agency is imperative for our spiritual survival and fulfillment in Christ.” Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual Rel 430 &431, pg.30

Have a backpack and name it our agency survival kit. In it have items with questions or scriptures attached. I’d have about 10 items inside. For example:

  Flashlight – Who helps us see through the darkness and make good choices?
(Jesus, the Holy Ghost, Parents, Teachers, Good friends)

Suncreen- How do good choices help us from being hurt?

Cell Phone- What can we choose to pray for?

Canned Food- Name some soul food, or scripture stories that teach us about good choices.

Water-  John 4:14 “ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” What did the woman at the well choose? Show gospel art kit picture and briefly go over story.

* “Someone once said, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” But it doesn’t work that way. The Savior said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” President Faust, Ensign 1995, Serving the Lord and Resisting the Devil

Draw on the board what a fork in the road is. Show one path leading to a picture of the Savior and the other a frowny face. We made the wonderful choice in the premortal world to follow the Savior. Now that we’re here on earth, let’s name some good and bad choices we make and the paths that follow. Bring in a toy car and let children come up to the board and name examples and drive their car on each path to show everyone.

* "Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 90

Bring in a long coat, hat and magnifying glass. Super Secret Agent time! Have each primary child write down a choice they have made in their life that was a good one and their name! Put all the choices into a box and invite a primary friend to dress up as a super secret agent and as you read a choice from the box, they can guess who made it!

Re-read the words of President Bednar, “As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond….” In the premortal life we chose Christ, so let's make sure our choices here support all we did before!

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

* Click HERE for a Reader's Theater. Happy acting!

If you need a last minute stocking stuffer idea....

My daughters gave this activity a 2 thumbs up. I adore The Friend and I adore my mini-laminator from Costco. Just cut out from HERE, laminate and use cheap magnets from mailings and hot glue.

And yes, I have the apostles up on our refrigerator too. It's a good reminder that we must feed both our bodies and spirits.

Christmas Jingo!!!

Hello! And Merry Christmas!! Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful time of year. I was super excited because we just got Microsoft Powerpoint!! Woot Woot!!! What does it boil down too?

JINGO!!!

 

Jingo is like bingo, but better because there are "clues" for the spaces.  J-I-N-G-O follows the same basic rules as bingo, except instead of playing with numbers you play with clue cards and pictures. A player chooses a clue card and reads the question. If the answer is pictured on your player card, cover it with a marker and choose a new clue card, and so on until someone completes 4 in a row. It's fabulous and we love it!

I made a Christmas Jingo (Christ Centered of course!) that we're going to be doing for FHE.You'll have to cut the call cards out and have a sack to draw them out of.

All pictures are from free clip art sites or lds.org.

***Also, if you are OCD, you'll notice it's not perfect. Sorry. The black lines aren't exact... just hum George Michael's Careless Whisper to yourself and everything will be alright. I promise.*** Christmas Jingo