1989
Sharing Time: A Day with the Bishop
July 1989

“Sharing Time: A Day with the Bishop,” Friend, July 1989, 44

Sharing Time:

A Day with the Bishop

By Laurel Rohlfing

And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord (D&C 68:28).

Heavenly Father and Jesus have called many leaders and teachers to help you live the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of them is your friend the bishop. He loves Heavenly Father and Jesus and tries to be a good example for you. He wants you to keep the commandments. A bishop has many important things to do to help his ward family. He needs you to pray for him so that he can do his best.

Instructions

Here are pictures of things a bishop might do. Cut out the pictures and paste them in the correct squares. Then follow his footsteps to see many things that he does to help you and others live the gospel.

The Bishop
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do
Things the Bishop might do

Illustrated by Robyn S. Officer

Sharing Time Ideas

  1. Play matching game. Enlarge pictures and place facedown on one side of flannel board. On same-size squares, write duties of bishop that match pictures, and place them facedown on other side of flannel board. Have children take turns in turning over one square from each side until match is made. Older children might replace unmatched squares facedown when turn is over. Remove each match made and discuss.

  2. Write thank-you notes to bishop, his counselors, or other Church leaders or teachers.

  3. Cut out footprints and place in path around room. Children can follow footprints, then role-play interactions with bishop.

  4. Younger children could draw face of bishop or other leader on paper plate. Glue on flat stick for handle. Give children true and false statements about leader. False statements might include: “The bishop is the Relief Society president,” “Our bishop’s name is (wrong name),” “Our bishop has red hair,” etc. If statement is true, children hold up their pictures; if not true, they keep pictures down.

  5. Look up 1 Tim. 3:1–7 and Titus 1:7–9, and list qualities of a good bishop. Discuss difficult words and concepts.

  6. Divide into small groups, and make list of leaders and teachers a bishop calls—Primary teacher, Relief Society president, ward newspaper editor, librarian, organist, etc. Compare lists of each group, discarding any duplicates. Group with longest list wins. Discuss how these people help others live gospel. Children could draw pictures of different callings in ward and see if others can guess what they are.

  7. Sing “Our Bishop” (Sing with Me, B-61) or “Our Friendly Bishop” (Sing with Me, B-38).