Personal Reflections: AARP

*Disclaimer: After a comment I realized this post might be misconstrued in me trying to be political. I am not in any way shape or form saying that we should support or not support the AARP. 
My apologies.
 

 

Saturday I went to do a session in the temple. It was great! I was sitting by a friend from the ward.
A couple that I've known since I was a child took me through to the Celestial Room.

 

I always pray before hand so I can understand things more clearly or so that I can learn what Heavenly Father would have me learn. Within 30 seconds of the temple session, I had learned something knew. Something I've heard tons of times, but for the first time it stuck out to me.

 

And in all honesty, it may be that I'm just a weirdo.

 

Does being "alert, attentive, and reverent please" ring a bell?
AARP

Alert

Attentive

Reverent Please

 

Doesn't this apply to life really? In our day to day activities we need to make sure that spiritually we are alert for opportunities to learn and grow, attentive to matters of service & sometimes.... just a little more reverent please.

 

1. Alert for opportunities to learn and grow- First of all, how tiring is life sometimes. Literally. I go to the temple and when they dim the lights, it's not that I'm not interested or ready to have a great experience, it's just that I become lethargic and ready for a nap. Quite the opposite, in D&C 127:11 it says, "I now close my letter for the present, for the want of more time; for the enemy is on the alert..."
The enemy is alert, am I?

Alert is defined as "quick to perceive and act".

 

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane He had asked His apostles to "watch". Some synonyms for alert include Argus-eyed (Percy Jackson shout out!), attentive, awake, observant, open-eyed, vigilant, wide-awake, on guard, on one's toes, on the ball. The opposite is "asleep". And what did the apostles do, they fell asleep. In no way am I judging them!! I just look at the experience and think how asleep I am when it comes to the gospel. Case in point. I've never been able to read through Jesus the Christ. I get to chapter 2 or 3 and I just can't handle anything anymore. However, 2013 is the year. I've actually gotten to chapter 5 and after pondering the meaning of being "alert" I had a great idea of how to make the words of the book become clearer... I read them with a British accent.

 

It may be just a dumb thought or it may be a loving Heavenly Father know how ADD I am and Him trying to help me. Either way I'm hoping to be more alert for opportunities to learn and grow.

 

2. Attentive to matters of service- I don't have a facebook account. I did. But I got tired of people's whining and cat stories. Plus it was a personal time waster. I get a lot more things done now. Although, pinterest is a whole different story. Why are you even reading this? I am so long winded!

Point. A definition for attentive is "heedful of the comfort of others".

Life is full of distractions.

If we think about it though, wouldn't it be awful if Heavenly Father wasn't attentive to us? In the scriptures, there are 3 verses that use the term "attentive" to beseech The Lord to be "attentive" to their prayers.

Heavenly Father is never distracted and He never leaves us comfortless.

John 14:18 " I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

We may think we're being ignored, but we're not. Are we ignoring opportunities to push ourselves further? To serve more? Obviously, I'm not saying go start a soup kitchen. But I know for me personally, there is at least 1 thing I can add to my day to be more heedful of the comfort of others.

 

3. Reverent Please- We just finished the Percy Jackson series. We loved loved loved the books. Rick better not die before House of Hades and I heart Leo. However, I just didn't feel right about some of the phrases in the book that used the term "god", even referring to mythological figures, so you know what. We just skipped right on over those phrases and didn't take a second look.

We play music too loud in our car.

Laman & Lemuel's party boat was severely chastened when they didn't show enough reverence.

Speaking with "exceeding rudeness" they were almost drowned in the depths of the sea.

I know it's OK to play my music loud.... sometimes. But even more important is to raise the type of children that speak kindly and lovingly to one another.

How do we foster an environment of kind language?

A. Use it ourselves and set the example

B. Remind! Remind! Remind each other to speak nicely!

C. Make sure anything that will sink the ship be tossed overboard! Don't let outside influences affect the family in a negative way.

 

AARP. 

Beloved Elderly or an Acronym for Success.

Either way both very valuable.

 

I know God lives. I know He loves us. Every day we can be better.

This I bear testimony of in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

February 2013 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps & Ideas

Earth image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by Beth Scupham July 2012

Monthly Theme: The Earth Was Created for Heavenly Father’s Children

Monthly Scripture: "We will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" Abraham 3:24–25

Week 1 Jesus Christ created the earth under the direction of Heavenly Father.

* Matt & Mandy are a favorite part of The Friend at our home. HERE is one of their cartoons that talks about the creation and how it is a miracle. It would be a nice attention activity to introduce the week's sharing time theme.

* HERE is a felt board of the creation. It's from The Friend and entitled, "The Creation, Each Day a Gift". You could have 6 boxes wrapped nicely with a felt piece in each one. Ask children to talk about how each part of the creation was a gift.

*After you go over the account of the creation, play a game of charades! A primary friend has to act out one of their favorite creations while the others raise their hand and then guess!

* This could be a good follow up after you've gone over the account of the creation for SENIOR PRIMARY. I based all questions off of Chapter 7 of Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual.

Creation Quiz by chulbakera

*Break out some play dough and let children share what their favorite part of the creation is.

* Invite a couple members to sing "For the Beauty of the Earth,” Hymns, no. 92. After they sing, have them share a photo of something The Lord has created that they are very grateful for.

* There is a TV commercial (that I would never show the primary, but I would discuss) that has a man in nature. He is breathing the fresh air and climbing a mountain with the city in the back. He smiles and asks, "What more could I need?" Then he thinks about a certain TV show, and another one, and another one... pretty soon he is running back to the city where the ending shot is him super happy on his couch with a remote control in hand.
Ask the primary children the following questions. First off, what do you think about this type of commercial? How does it make you feel? Why would it be more important to enjoy the creations of Heavenly Father rather than watching TV?

Since the world thinks TV is more important than nature, take a posterboard and draw an outline of a TV. Cut out the middle so a child's face can be seen behind it. Divide the children into groups and ask the children to come up with commercials to teach the world about the creation and why we should enjoy it!


Week 2 The Fall was part of God’s plan.

* What do you personally know about The Fall?? HERE is a good read for preparation this week! Also from Preach My Gospel is the suggestion:
"When first teaching this doctrine, do not teach everything you know about it. Explain very simply that God chose two of His children, Adam and Eve, to become the first parents on earth. After their transgression they were subject to both sin and death. By themselves they could not return to live with Heavenly Father. The Lord spoke to Adam and taught him the plan of salvation and redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. By following that plan, Adam and his family could have joy in this life and return to live with God (see Alma 18:36; 22:12–14)." (Lesson 2)

* Do you have a child that belongs to you in primary? Invite your own child to fall back and you catch them. What would happen if you weren't there to catch them? Heavenly Father knew that Adam would fall and He provided Jesus to be our Savior.

* HERE is a wonderful visual. It's an article by Sister Esplin and an account from President Hinkley. After sharing with the children, give them 10 strips of paper. Have them work in partners to come up with 10 facts about The Fall. If they need help, send them to the Bible Dictionary!!! Afterwards, they can glue stick the strips together to make a chain!

* Ask a primary friend how they got into the primary room. Did they walk through the doorway? Who else in the room did so? Could we get into the room without the door? (Someone is going to bring up the windows... they just are. Be prepared. Counter back with, who would want to break a window to God's house and get hurt!!) Just like it was necessary for us to walk through the door to get to primary, The Fall was a necessary and very important part of God's plan!!

* Bring in a basket of things that give you lots of joy!! Have questions, songs and scriptures having to do with the fall attached to the items. Invite a primary friend to come up and choose one of your favorite things. Explain that the only reason we are able to have these things that make us happy, is because of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior! Invite the children to draw a picture of one of their favorite things and copy the scripture below it!!
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).

Week 3 I have been sent to earth to gain a body and to be tested.

* Bring in some measuring tools. Does anyone know how long a piece of paper is? What about the length of a primary friend's nose? We need a ruler, right?!?! How do we measure flour for a recipe? Is it important to measure? A little bit of a deeper question is, how do we measure knowledge? We cant put knowledge in a glass cup? If you are taught all about foxes and read 20 books about them.... how would a teacher measure how much you learned? A test!!! Heavenly Father sent us to earth to gain our body and measure how much we would learn and be obedient! In the pre mortal world we listened and prepared, now is our time to measure up!!

*  Display a picture of a human heart: "Have you ever thought to be thankful for your heart? Look at the job it’s doing. It’s pumping enough fluid every day to fill a railroad tank car, about 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters). Inside the heart are four sets of valves that open and close 100,000 times a day, more than 36 million times a year, and they don’t break. No man-made material—paper, plastic, metal, or steel—can open and close that many times, with that frequency, without breaking. Every organ in the body is so well designed and so marvelous in its function" Elder Russell M. Nelson Focus on Values Liahona Feb.2013
    Have about 15 paper hearts. On the back put different "tests" we might face in life. Invite a child to come up and pick a heart. They will have to say one thing they are grateful for about their body and then act out what they would do in that "test". For example: You are at school. A bully is picking on another student. What would you do?
    Our bodies are a miracle. Let's make sure we use them the best we can so we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus.

* What is earth life all about? This is more for Senior Primary. Have a picture of the earth cut up in 7 different puzzle type pieces. Have the following scriptures from Preach My Gospel, one on each piece:

2 Nephi 2:21
2 Nephi 9:27
Mosiah 3:19
Alma 12:21–24
Alma 34:31–35
Alma 42:2–10
Abraham 3:25–26

Give a puzzle piece or two to each class. Once they have looked it up together, invite a primary friend to explain what their scripture talked about and put their piece on the board, trying to fit the puzzle together.

* Play a game of "My body can do that!" Of course, be sensitive to your primary needs!!! If you have a friend in a wheelchair or other special needs, DON'T PLAY THIS GAME. You don't want them to ever feel bad for something they don't have control over. Life is hard enough without common sense of teachers!!!
     With that said, the game is pretty simple.

----Can your body stand on one leg and put it's ring finger on the top of it's left ear?

----Can your body click it's heels 3 times, knees 3 times, elbows 3 times and nod 5 times?

----Can you roll your hands then quickly put them behind your back touching your pointer fingers?

    Why are we here on earth? Call on a primary friend who is REVERENTLY (it's OK to giggle, but it's not OK to be falling to the ground like a laughing hyena!) playing the game to look through the room for hidden papers about our life on earth. Once they read the paper, and answer a simple question about it, have them come up with something for My body can do that! Topics for the pieces of paper can be found from Preach My Gospel:
" - Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace, joy, and happiness as families and to prepare to return to live with God.
- We came to the earth to be tested (see Abraham 3:24–25).
- We gain a body of flesh and bones, but we are subject to physical death.
- God gives commandments. If we obey, we are blessed. If we disobey, we sin and receive the consequences.
- All sin must be paid for, either by ourselves or by Christ (see D&C 19:15–20).
- We make choices, and we all commit sin (see Romans 3:23).
- We have experiences that bring us happiness and also sorrow.
- We cannot overcome either physical or spiritual death without Christ."
Ask simple questions after they read the paper. (If they can't read, you say it and they repeat it!)
For example, Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace... what does that mean? What is something we can do to prepare to return to live with God?

* "Wow! That's amazing!! Game" Give everyone in primary a fascinating fact about the body. Give them about 3 minutes to reverently walk around the room and share their fact with others. If a primary friend can't read, walk up to someone who can!!! Invite friends to return to their seat and share a few amazing facts!!

Did you know the brain doesn't feel pain? Sneezes are faster than 100 MPH?!?!

Click HERE for more facts.

Wow! That's amazing!!!!! It's also amazing that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us so much. Invite primary friends to share times in their life when they've been "tested" and have succeeded with the help of Heavenly Father. To get thoughts started... has anyone ever had a rough day at school or had a time at home when they were tempted to do something and chose the right? Wow! That's amazing!! As children share, repeat some of the things they've said. Make sure everyone is listening while another child speaks!

Week 4 If I keep the commandments, I can live with Heavenly Father again.

*    From Gospel Principles Chapter 35, " When Jesus was on the earth, a lawyer asked Him a question:      “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40).From these scriptures we learn how important it is for us to love the Lord and our neighbors. But how do we show our love for the Lord? Jesus answered this question when He said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father” (John 14:21)." 

     Divide the primary into small groups. Give each group a heart. Have them come up with a way to show love for Heavenly Father and write down on the heart what commandment they are keeping. Have them come up with a way to act it out and have the primary then guess what commandment is on the heart. For example: A group of children kneel down in a circle together. On their heart they put family prayer!

* Similar to the Sharing Time Outline: What are some rules you have at home? School? What about traffic rules... is it good to drive through red lights? Did you know Joseph Smith had a rule?

    The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 160) 

    Have a couple paper bag puppets of examples from the scriptures who kept the commandments and some who didn't. Have children choose a puppet, put it on and briefly tell how that person did or didn't keep the commandments. What was their rule- The Lord commanded and I did it or I choose the wrong? Have paper bags for the children to make into themselves. Does anyone have a story they can share with their own puppet of a time they kept the commandments? Have them share. Bear testimony that if we follow the wise counsel of Joseph Smith's rule.... does anyone remember? That's right... when the Lord commands, do it! Then we will be able to live with Heavenly Father again.

* Have little envelopes with bows or if you want to be fancy, wrapped boxes. You'll need 11 total. In each box you will need to put one letter of the words ETERNAL LIFE. Invite children to come up and talk about different commandments The Lord has given us. Let them unwrap and put the letter on the blackboard. Invite the children to figure out the right order of the letters to find out what we can have if we keep the commandments!!

The Lord counsels us, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7)

* Invite 2 children up front. Tie one of their feet together, like a 3 legged race. Have them work together and walk across the room. When you tied their legs together did the other person HAVE to move their foot when the other person moved their foot?

D&C 82: 10 "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

When we keep the commandments we're bound to get to heaven!!!

* HERE is a coloring page for younger children. It's always a great idea to review stories from the scriptures. Primary friends could easily act out the different ways Nephi kept the commandments!

Roll a Dice: Snowman Music Idea for LDS Primary

Here is a SIMPLE music idea!! 

What you'll need:

A die

Chalk & Eraser

Printed Out Game Sheet below

You can sing songs having to do with the week's theme. Invite a primary friend who was doing a great job singing to come up front and roll a die. On the first roll, that primary friend will draw a body corresponding to the number they roll on the chalk board. Sing another song! Invite another friend to roll the die and they will draw the corresponding face to the number they roll since they are second. 

It doesn't have to stop at one snowman! Build as many as you like.

This could also make for a simple Family Home Evening. Prepare some questions on any gospel topic you want. After a family member answers the question they roll the die and draw.

Roll a Snowman by chulbakera

January 2013 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps & Ideas

Christina, a child of God. One of the most beautiful He ever created!

Of course, I am pretty partial!

  

Monthly Theme: I Am a Child of God, and He Has a Plan for Me
Monthly Scripture:  "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" Romans 8:16

Week 1 God is my Heavenly Father. He knows and loves me.

* Have a child pick up a stick at one end and lift it in the air. Did the other end lift up too? It sure did! Flip it and lift up the other end.

“We are the children of God. That doctrine is not hidden away in an obscure verse. It is taught over and over again in scripture. These clear examples are from the Bible:

“‘All of you are children of the most High’ (Psalm 82:6).
“And: ‘We are the offspring of God’ (Acts 17:29).

Doctrinal truths are interrelated. There is an old saying that if you pick up one end of a stick, you pick up the other end as well. If you concede that we are His children, you must allow that God is our Father” (President Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Oct. 1984, 82; or Ensign, Nov. 1984, 66–67).

* Have a volunteer come up front and start counting the number of hairs they have on their head.
Ok. If they can't count how many they have, at least tell us how many they have. They don't know?
Yet Heavenly Father knows!

D&C 29:25 "And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand."
Matthew 10: 30 "30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

He knows us better than we know ourselves!!! Isn't that love... He wont even let a single hair of ours be lost!! Have a basket of things we use to do our hair- brush, comb, blow dryer, mousse, hair spray, bows, pins, gel.... Invite children to come up and choose an item. On it have questions, scriptures & songs about Heavenly Father for them to answer.

* Have some pictures of space. Ask the children if they have ever been star gazing. Invite a few to share their experiences. How did they feel? What was it like? Where did they go?

President Uchtdorf wrote a fabulous talk found HERE.
This quote especially applies:
"My dear brothers and sisters, it may be true that man is nothing in comparison to the greatness of the universe. At times we may even feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember—you matter to Him! Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.

God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him. "

Invite children to draw pictures of themselves with Heavenly Father. Invite older children to write down things they would like to do with Heavenly Father or things they would like to talk with Him face to face. Remind the children that while we might not see Him face to face in this life, He will surely answer our questions we bring to Him in prayer!

* Write the following numbers on the board:

7,056,966,724

311,591,917

91,195

Does anyone have any clue why I'd write these on the board? What do you think these LARGE numbers might mean?
Well, according to google, the first number is how many people live on earth right now.
The second number is how many people live in America.
The third number is how many people live in Sparks, NV. (You can easily replace this number with how many people live in your city)

Is that a lot of people? If everyone in the world had a bottle of root beer and we sang that song backwards- 7,056,966,724 bottles of root beer on the wall... how long would it take for us to sing until we hit 1 bottle of root beer on the wall?? Probably a gazillion years!!!!! It's a huge amount of people on earth!!! And yet Heavenly Father knows EVERY SINGLE one of His children. Not to mention all those that have passed away before us!!!

Alma 26:37 "Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

Week 2 & 3 Heavenly Father’s plan is a plan of happiness.

* What is the purpose of life? You can adapt THIS IDEA by taking a life cereal box, filling it with certain colored pom-poms and then having the children choose one from the box and talk about that part of the plan of salvation.
Blue- Pre Mortal World
Red- Earth Life & Repeat John 17:3
Orange- Spirit World
Green- Judgement & Kingdoms of Glory

* Here is a great video. It is pretty fast paced, but the visuals are really fun and neat!

* HERE is a lesson from The Friend with visuals. I like the way it talks about maps. I would have a treasure map up front marked with hidden clues to the plan of salvation. I would cut up the pictures provided there for the clues. When they use the map and find the picture, we’d read the scripture and decide what part of the plan it is. Put all the pictures in order on the chalk board up front. What is the treasure? Our knowledge of the truth of the plan of happiness!

* HERE is another lesson from The Friend. It has a plan of happiness booklet the children can put together. Also a great idea of having stations to demonstrate the plan of salvation.

* HERE is a very simple diagram of the plan of salvation from The Friend. I really think children are capable though of understand a little bit more about the plan. For senior primary, a more in depth version of the plan can be found at scripturecompanion.com.
I really like it because it’s thorough, especially the scriptures on the bottom!! I feel like it’s important to teach children exactly what happens when they die. One thing to note is that the spirit world is actually located on the same world as mortality.
(President Brigham Young said: “Where is the spirit world? It is right here” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 376). And another tid-bit I added a box for the words partial judgement before spirit world. (Alma taught that when we die our spirits are assigned to a state of happiness or of misery (see Alma 40:11–15).)

I created a quiz version for children to fill out based on the scripturecompanion.com:

 Some recycled ideas from previous posts:

* HERE is an Ensign Article on how the Apostles suggest we teach our children about the plan of salvation. Definitely suggest you read it and pray over what they suggest to do!
 
* Have a small box of Lincoln logs. Invite a child to come up and build a house. Ask them questions like, why don’t you put the green roof sticks on the bottom? Why do you put long logs on the bottom and shorter ones on the side? How will you make room for windows? How long will it take you to finish? Thank the child and ask if anyone has ever built a real home or knows what goes into building a real home? Show a picture of a real house. Do they just stop by home depot with $100 and window shop for things that look good or do you think they make a list of supplies they need? When you build a real home do you need a plan? What is a plan? What is Heavenly Father’s plan for me?At the end of the lesson, come back to the idea that you are grateful Heavenly Father took the time to carefully think out each piece of our lives (hold up Lincoln logs). He didn’t throw us together and hope for the best, but He perfectly designed (hold up a picture of the real home) a plan that would bring us happiness.
There are actually a bunch more, all you have to do is click on plan of salvation on the left under labels.

Week 4 I have agency, and I am responsible for my choices.

 
* "There is a story told of an old Cherokee teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One is evil: he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good: he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person too.”

Illustration by Allen Garns

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”By Elder Shayne M. Bowen (From the Sept. 2012 New Era)
 
Have 2 baskets. Put a picture of the wolf on each one, but label one “BAD” and the other “GOOD”. Have about 30 strips of paper cut individually. On them write things that would be either feeding the “bad” or the “good”. Pass out the strips of paper and let the children come up, one at a time, and share where they think it should go. A couple examples could include: “Dressing immodestly.” Or “Going to the temple often”

End with the question the grandson asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” and bear testimony we need to make choices that will always feed the good and help us return to Heavenly Father!!

*HERE is a crossword puzzle for the 2^nd article of faith. You could easily break into groups to do.

 

*HERE is a Sharing Time from The Friend on choices and accountability. I like the idea for younger children where they draw a picture of a smiley and frowny face. You then give them situations and they have to hold up what feeling you’d get in consequence to the choice.

*Take a piece of masking tape and make a road from the door to the front. At the front of the room, make a fork in the road with one piece of tape leading to one side and another piece leading to the trash can.

2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”

Using examples from the scriptures, let children walk the path and determine whether that example from the scriptures chose the path of liberty & eternal life, or the path of captivity and death. Examples could include:

Nephi gets the brass plates

Laman & Lemuel tie up Nephi on the ship to America
Enos prays for forgiveness and to know how to help his people
King Noah refuses to listen to Abinadi
The Nephites shoot arrows at Samuel the Lamanite

Invite the children to share an example from the scriptures you haven’t mentioned and then walk the path! What about in our own lives? Make up some scenarios and let the children follow the path. This could include:
I refuse to help out with family home evening

extra chores to help out my mother
I cheat on tests at school to get the best grade
I read my scriptures and pray daily

*Have a candle that is NOT lit. Ask a child to come up front. IF the candle was lit and they put their finger by the flame, what would happen? They would get burned!! Our choices always have consequences!! And we don’t want our choices to hurt us, we want them to help us!

LDS Goal Setting/ New Year's Resolutions Family Home Evening

Paper Football Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by sniggitysnags 2011

Opening Prayer

 

Opening Scripture:

"It is necessary to prepare and to plan so that we don’t fritter away our lives. Without a goal, there can be no real success.... Someone has said the trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never cross the goal line." President Monson (Treasure of Eternal Value Ensign April 2008)

 

Volunteer Activity:

Ask for 2 volunteers.

The first volunteer will need to run in a circle 10 times, do 15 jumping jacks, 2 push ups, stand on a kitchen chair and then flap their arms like wings for 30 seconds, then run to the front door.

Now, the second volunteer will need to just run to the front door.

Which was easier? Who got to the door faster?

 

Read the quote from President Monson one more time. Without goals we can really waste a lot of time!! Good goals are the BEST way to be successful, they help us see and do clearly and accomplish things without "frittering" away!

 

What does frittering mean? Would the first volunteer like to show us again? It's wasting time little by little!

 

Have small strips of paper, about 3 per family member. Invite family members to come up with good goals for the upcoming year and write a goal on each paper. Take turns sharing goals and folding them up in a triangle shape. Have one family member hold up fingers like a goal post and play paper football! This year we are going to reach our goals and score! Gather up all the family goals and afterwards type them on a piece of paper to put somewhere where everyone can see often!

 

What is our ultimate goal?

Closing Scripture:

"Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?’ asked the Master, and he answered, ‘Verily I say unto you, even as I am." 3 Ne. 27:27

 

Closing Prayer

 

Treats

If you're an overachiever Apple Fritter Cake

If you are a mellow yellow, quite right slick... buy some Apple Fritters at your local Donut Bistro

Other Great Resources On Goals:
Absolute MUST READ Chapter 3 Setting Goals of The Gospel & The Productive Life Student Manual
The Best Is Yet To Be- President Holland
Pursuit of Excellence Goal Setting

"I am a great believer that what you and I think about will ultimately come to pass....I believe if we think about what it takes to be successful long enough and if we are willing to discipline ourselves to the principle of success, we will experience success. Yes, I am a great believer that “as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7)." Elder Ballard (Go For It!!! New Era March 2004)

"As we reflect on the value of resolving to do better, let us determine to discipline ourselves to carefully select the resolutions we make, to consider the purpose for making them, and finally to make commitments for keeping them and not letting any obstacle stop us." Elder Tanner (Today I will... New Era March 2003)

I Am A Child of God Song Helps & Ideas LDS Hymns 301

Free I Am A Child of God Printable by NatSprat click HERE for her website link

* Who Am I?
Have about 5 interesting facts per child. After you sing a verse of the song tell your primary friends that you have a mystery child of God. Tell the 5 facts. See if they can guess who it is! Invite that friend and whoever guesses correctly to come up front and help you lead.

* Have a picture of children from all over the world. Make it into a puzzle and turn the pieces so the picture can't be seen. As you learn the words to the song, primary children can earn a chance to turn around a puzzle piece. We are all so different! Yet we are all brothers and sisters. We are all children of Heavenly Father who loves us dearly.

* Psalms 82:6 says "All of you are children of the most High." Write it on the chalk board. Have a picture of Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith. As far as I know, that is the only gospel picture of Heavenly Father... except for smaller illustrations in the scripture story books. Put that picture as high as possible on the chalk board. Have paper signs that you can write class names on like Sunbeams, CTR 4, etc. Look for classes that have everyone singing in them! Invite a child to come put their class post it as high as possible on the chalk board... you might have to have them stand on a chair or lift them! And of course, make it positive... this isn't a competition! All classes should be able to move their post it to the top!! For example, "Wow. Sunbeams!! That was amazing. Come move your post it Annie for your class. Every single one of you were singing! Let's try verse two and see who else we can move!! I'm so proud of you children of the most High!!"

* Videos almost always catch children's attention. HERE is a Mormon message video to I am A Child of God that you could share with your primary. I really like it. It's peppy and fun. But my favorite part is that around 1 min. 32 seconds there is a guy and he's holding something that looks like a black snake with it's mouth open.

* A while back, I had an interesting discussion with a friend who wasn't a member of our church. Actually, it wasn't that interesting. It was frustrating. What one of his hang ups with the gospel was the fact that we know we have the possibility to become like God. I tried to make it as simple as possible, and thinking back it'd actually be a good introduction to learning this song.

Show a picture of a baby sheep. Does this little lamb have a cow for a father? Show a picture of a baby horse? Does this foal have an elephant for a mother? What about an apple? Does an apple come from an orange tree? We are children of Heavenly Father. We were created in His image. He has a body and we have a body. He loves us more than we can know. The universe didn't just explode and humans were created. We are children of God and we need to try our best to return to Him and be like Him!!

* GOOD TO KNOW: " When “I Am a Child of God” was first written in English one of the lines read: “Teach me all that I must know to live with Him someday.” However, Sister Randall changed the words because of a suggestion made by President Kimball.

 

Several years ago, before Spencer W. Kimball became president of the Church, he was visiting a conference in California where Primary children sang this song. Later, he said to a visiting Primary general board member, “I love the children’s song, but there is one word that bothers me. Would Sister Randall mind if the word know were changed to the word do?”

 

The change was made, for President Kimball had pointed out a very important truth—that while it is important to know what is right, it is more important to do what is right. Only in this way can we be sure of returning someday to our heavenly home to live always with our Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and our loved ones. Great joy comes to us when we understand the full meaning of the words “I Am a Child of God!

I Am a Child of God By Elder Robert D. Hales of the First Quorum of the Seventy Nov. 1978 Liahona

 

 

Christmas Singing Time Journey

Meet Eli the Elf. He's a sweetheart. He knows all about Santa, presents, trees, goodies... but he wants to learn more about the REAL meaning of Christmas.

We're going to take him on a Christmas Singing Time Journey.

I attach Eli's picture with tape to a little string along bus we have, that way the children can pull him where he needs to go.

If you haven't "elfed" yourself this Christmas, I highly recommend you do so!! You just need a picture of your head and lots of paper, scissors and glue!

 

 

These pictures will be all over the room. Children pull Eli the Elf along and choose one picture. We then sing a Christmas song, according to the picture. Have the child "briefly" tell what the picture has to do with Christmas.

 

Pictures include:

 

Shepherd

 follow the leader (child chooses an action to do while singing and we follow along)

 

Wreath

Heavenly Father & Jesus have no beginning and no end, the are the same always!

Sing while making arm circles to the side or if you have a smaller primary, sing in a circle holding hands

 

Star

Sing with a couple children holding flashlights & lights off

 

3 Wisemen

Hide Baby Jesus and invite 3 children to search for it while you sing

 

Samuel The Lamanite

Lead with a bow & arrow

My daughter got this for her birthday and I'm going to let 2 primary children take a couple shots trying to hit me on a chair (It's a Z Curve Bow & foam arrow set... I think my husband and I have just as much fun as her playing with it!

 

Farm Animals

Sing with a "Baaaaa Baaaa"
I'm going to use this only on "funner" songs like Christmas Bells or Once There Was A Snowmen

 

 

Angels

Add an "oooo oooo" on the off beat

For example,  Silent Night "ooo ooo" Holy Night "ooo ooo" All is calm "ooo" All is bright "ooo"

 

Manger

Whisper sing!

 

No Room at the Inn Sign

Have a primary class come up front and squeeze together while we sing

LDS Picture A Christmas Song Help/Idea

While singing Picture a Christmas I let a primary friend come up to the front and watch for a couple other friends who are singing SUPER!!!

 

I let them use my camera and show them the zoom and button to take the picture.

 

Since it's a digital camera, right after they take the picture and after we sing I can show the primary who they took a picture of that was singing so AWESOME!

 

I delete and we sing again & have another primary friend take a couple more pictures!!

 

I like to end by choosing the best singers in the whole primary & taking a picture of them. I take a picture of ALL the children and show them!!

December 2012 LDS Primary Sharing Time Helps and Ideas

Free coloring page from honkingdonkey.com. If you print it out on watercolor paper, it makes for a beautiful art project at home with children!

Monthly Theme: Jesus Christ Is the Son of God

Monthly Scripture: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world" D&C 11:28

 

I loved all the sharing time ideas from the Primary Outline for the month! They are the best!!

Week 1 Heavenly Father sent His Son to earth.

* Have your lovely Primary Pianist play He Sent His Son. Have a bean bag and let the children pass it around. When the music stops, have the children tell something about the birth of The Savior. Have plenty of pictures to put on the board to go along with what they say.

* Have a bunch of gospel art pictures lined up on the chalk board in order of what happened for Christ's birth. Heavenly Father "sent"  His Son to earth and we're going to "send" someone out of the room. Have a primary child choose a picture to take off the board. When the primary friend who was "sent" out comes back in they have to guess what picture is missing. Then, after they guess, they can tell what they know about that picture. Of course it's important to know that Heavenly Father sent His son to earth, but then what? We need to receive Christ!! Have the children discuss what the following scripture means and ways we can receive Him who was sent to us!!

Matthew 10:40 "He that receiveth you recieveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."

  

* Isaiah 19:20 "...And he shall send them a Saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them."

How many primary friends have recieved Christmas letters in the mail? Do you ever SEND Christmas cards? Can you tell us about a favorite Christmas card you've recieved?

       Have some beautiful Christmas cards and on each one on the inside 1 scriptures, quotes, questions or song having to do with the week's theme. Let primary children come up front to choose a card and do what it says.

        If there is time left over:  Just as Heavenly Father sent His son to earth to DELIVER us, we'll make some Christmas cards all about the birth of Christ to send to others!
 

* If there is a doctor in your ward have them come in briefly to answer a question. If not, bring in a simple dress up doctor outfit for a child to wear. Ask this question to the doctor: If someone was sick, would you try to save and help the person or just let them be sick and say sorry man, I condemn you! You're guilty of being sick and will be sick forever!! I wouldn't help you if you paid me a bazillion gazillion dollars!!

       Why do we think Heavenly Father sent Jesus to earth? Have the primary children share their answers and then let's double check our scriptures. Whenever we have a question we should turn to them!! John 3:17 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Have items hid throughout the room that you would find in a first aid kit. Sing He Sent His Son and let a primary friend look and find something. When they do, have them share something they love about Christmas and something they love about the Savior.

Week 2 Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

* Isaiah 53:2 "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground."
How does a plant grow? Have a primary children pretend they are seeds and then demonstrate. We know how plants grow, so who is this scripture talking about?
       Just like most plants don't grow overnight, Jesus had a childhood! He had years to learn and develop. He used His time wisely! Have 4 different plants with labels- Jesus grew in wisdom. Jesus grew in stature. Jesus grew in favor with God. Jesus grew in favor with men.
       Invite a primary friend to come up front and ask them a question or make a statement. They will then have to stand by the plant they think that question or statement has to do with. If it has to do with more than one, they can invite another friend up and tell them where to stand.
For example: Jesus, at 12 years old, taught in the temple. Many of the wise men and women there marveled at His knowledge and teaching.
(A primary friend could stand at wisdom and invite 2 more friends for favor with God and favor with man)
Jesus listened to and obeyed His mother when she asked him to help out at a friend's wedding. What did Jesus do?
(He turned water into wine- they could stand on favor with man)
Remember a lot of answers will overlap, don't be rigid if a child chooses an answer you weren't looking for. Like in the above example, if they choose to stand by the plant with grew in wisdom, then run with it and make it work!

*Is there any primary friends that take piano? Invite a beginner piano student to come up front. Have a complicated piece of music and ask them to play it. Why can't they do it? Have a really large book.
     Is there a primary friend who loves to read? Can they read this book within 1 day? Most of the time, talents don't happen overnight! We have to practice and grow and get better and better!
Jesus was always perfect, yet he still was able to grow and learn little by little!
       Sometimes we might want everything right now. We want answers, we want to be able to do, we want to be able to see... but the scriptures say, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours."
D&C 78:17-18
       Have a bunch of pictures from the life of Christ. Invite a child to come up front and talk about what is happening in that picture and lead the primary along in knowledge! We're not going to be perfect in this lifetime, however, we're told to be of good cheer! Isn't it wonderful to know Christ will lead us along!! He'll help us grow little by little!!

* Ask anyone if they've ever been up really really early in the morning. Was it dark outside? What happened after it was dark? Did the sun pop out into the middle of the sky and BAM! It was noonday bright as bright sun?
     Show a picture of a sunrise. It's something that is gradual. It gets brighter a little bit at a time until we stretch and rise and wake up and kneel by our windowsill to say our morning prayer.
      Jesus grew a little bit at a time just like we do! Day after day. Sunrise after sunrise. We can follow His perfect example and do as He did to grow. He is our light.
D&C 50:24 "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."
     Have a big paper sun. Attatch strips of paper as rays of sunlight. On the rays have children come up with ideas on how Jesus grew and what we can to do grow in His light. This would be a good tie in to the next week!

Week 3 Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world.

* Have the children write down their testimonies of Christ and His gospel. Just as Christ is a light to us, let us share the light we have with others. Invite them to give their testimony to a friend in a Christmas card.

* Have a box of 10-15 glowsticks. Have a child peek in the box and ask if they are pretty bright. Do they light up the box? What is the brightest type of light? A lamp, a star, a sun or what? Those are all great answers!! The brightest and most wonderful light of all is Jesus Christ. He is the light and life of the world. Have questions, songs and scriptures having to do with this week's theme attached to the glowsticks. Let on primary friend come up at a time to choose and do what it says.

* HERE is a wonderful talk for you to prepare for this week's theme. Highly recommend!! I especially like Elder Oaks quote, "Jesus Christ is also the light of the world because his example and his teachings illuminate the path we should walk to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven."

You could have a bunch of tea lights, battery opperated. Invite children to share examples from Jesus' life where we could follow His example. Let them make a path of the tea lights to a picture of Him.

 

Week 4 Joseph Smith saw and testified of Jesus Christ.

 

* Act out the story of the first vision! Of course, you can't have children role play the part of Heavenly Father and Jesus, but you can have them hold up a picture!

 

* HERE is a link to the lds.org where you can find different artistic depictions of The First Vision. (Make sure to scroll down) They are beautiful!  Have the children draw their own artwork of that glorious event and share!

 

* HERE is a link for cutouts that children can color to retell for Family Home Evening about Joseph Smith's First Vision.

Thanksgiving Gift of Gratitude- Possible Family Home Evening Idea

Thanksgiving

This month I wanted to do something special for my children.

Take a small gift and wrap it. Add an index card with a reason why you are grateful for them. Wrap another layer. Add another index car with another reason why you are grateful for that person. Repeat as many days as you want that person to unwrap!!

This could make for a fun Family Home Evening if you drew names of family members and did it in secret! On the last wrapping paper layer and index card you could reveal who was writing all the kind messages of gratitude!

The free clip art turkey image was courtesy Lita Lita 2012 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lita-Lita

I wrote the small poem in the middle. Please do not use this idea for comercial purposes.

Thanksgiving Family Home Evening Idea

Share the following message from General Conference Oct. 2012:

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Of Regrets and Resolutions

Each family member can read one of the paragraphs spotlighted below.

"We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. “This is the day which the Lord hath made … ,” the Psalmist wrote. “Rejoice and be glad in it.”

Brothers and sisters, no matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.

Perhaps we should be looking less with our eyes and more with our hearts. I love the quote: “One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.”

We are commanded “to give thanks in all things.” So isn’t it better to see with our eyes and hearts even the small things we can be thankful for, rather than magnifying the negative in our current condition?

The Lord has promised, “He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold.”

Brothers and sisters, with the bountiful blessings of our Heavenly Father, His generous plan of salvation, the supernal truths of the restored gospel, and the many beauties of this mortal journey, “have we not reason to rejoice?” Let us resolve to be happy, regardless of our circumstances."

Activity: Play a game of I SPY with heart sunglasses! A person in the room puts on the sunglasses, chooses something in the room or home to "spy" and the rest of the family tries to guess what they are thinking of. Family members can ask questions that have a yes or no answer. (For example: Is the item red? Yes. Do we wear it to church? No. Etc.) Once the item is guessed, everyone has to name a reason how that item blesses them or why they are grateful for it.

For example: I spy…. a light! I am grateful for the light because without it, it’d be super dark at night! I spy… a carpet! Carpet blesses me because it’s soft on my feet, comfortable and cleaner than dirt!!

 

This could also be easily adapted for Primary Singing time!

LDS Christmas Plays for Children

I'm so excited for the upcoming holiday season. While the Christmas decorations before Halloween at Michael's drive me nuts, I really shouldn't say anything because here I am posting Christmas plays before Thanksgiving. However, if children want to prepare and memorize, they do need plenty of time!

The first play is one I wrote. I'm sorry, there are a couple things that I meant to italicize that didn't get italicized. Adapt as you feel the need... just don't sell it as your own por favor. Also, if you do perform it, I'd love to hear how it went!! It is based off A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

The second play is from The Friend, Dec. 1984 by Pat Graham and Alicia Morrey Bailey. I retyped it for a little easier read. This is a fantastic little play!!!

The 3rd play is a lesson learned from the teachings of Samuel the Lamanite. Again, please no selling as your own. :)

A Christmas Carol Play
Sharing Time a Nativity Presentation A Christmas Lesson