Sharing Time:

My Family and Teachers Help My Testimony Grow

By Daryl V. Hoole

Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).

A mother and father were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. They named her Karen. The mother and father loved Karen very much. They believed that the most important thing they could do to teach Karen to be happy was help her gain a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Every morning and evening Karen’s mother and father helped her pray, and after a few years Karen was able to pray all by herself.

They taught her about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and Their love for her. Her parents told her scripture stories, and even though Karen couldn’t understand everything they said, she felt warm and happy inside as she listened. They taught her to love and be kind to others, to be honest, to take care of her body, and to live the law of tithing.

Her parents also took Karen to church. She liked Primary and listened closely to her teachers as they, too, taught her about the gospel and about how important it was to obey the commandments. All these things helped her testimony grow.

When Karen turned eight years old, she was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She received the gift of the Holy Ghost—a sweet, comforting spirit that also testified that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ lived and that the Church was true. The Holy Ghost also helped her to know what was right.

Karen loved family home evening. Her family often bore their testimonies to each other and told one another how much they loved each other and the gospel. As her parents listened to Karen, they were happy to know that her testimony was growing. And Karen was grateful for all the people who had helped her gain her testimony.

“I Can Gain a Testimony” Game

Play this game during family home evening. You might end by singing “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook,page 77).

Instructions

Mount the game board and cards on lightweight cardboard. Cut the cards apart. You will need a die, and different colors of buttons for markers.

Rules

1. Mix up the cards and place them facedown in a pile.

2. Each player puts a button on the start space. On each player’s turn, he draws a card and tells a story from the scriptures that illustrates the principle listed. Players may help one another think of stories. Use the Topical Guide in the LDS edition of the Bible, if needed.

3. After telling the story, the player rolls the die and moves his marker that many spaces. If he lands on a space with directions, he proceeds as indicated.

4. A player may enter the testimony circle only by rolling the exact number needed. The game is over only when all players have reached the testimony circle.

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Have the children cross out one item at a time from the list below by asking them which they would be most willing to give up. Have them explain each choice. Guide them to see that a testimony of the gospel is more important than any of the other choices; testify to them of this truth.

Car	House	Ability to see
Furniture	Pet	Refrigerator
TV	School	Testimony of the gospel
Friends	Books	Ability to walk

2. Have the children list things they can do to gain a testimony. Discuss each one. Then have children sing an appropriate song to illustrate each point. For example, if a child suggests prayer, the children could sing “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, page 12).

3. Select several children to tell their favorite scripture stories. Have each child explain why he believes the story is true.

4. Have children unscramble words, such as the following: pyhpa, yeparr, hcruhc, and lgsoep. To make this more challenging for the older children, add an extra letter several times in each word. Children can then identify the letter that doesn’t belong, erase it each time it appears, then unscramble the words. For example: epyeehepeea, xxyexpaxrxr, hocrouohoco, and dlgdsoedpd (happy, prayer, church, gospel).

Illustrated by Beth M. Whittaker