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 the members of his ward. He needs you to pray for him so that he can do his best.

Sharing Time Ideas

Play matching game. Enlarge pictures and place them front side down on one side of flannel board. On same-size squares, write duties of bishop that match pictures, and place them front side down on other side of flannel board. Have children take turns in turning over one square from each side until a match is made. Older children might replace unmatched squares front side down when turn is over. Remove each match made and discuss.
Write short thank-you letters to bishop, his counselors, or other Church leaders or teachers.
Cut out footprints and make a path around room. Children can follow footprints, then role-play interactions with bishop.
Look up 1 Timothy 3:1–7 [1 Tim. 3:1–7] and Titus 1:7–9, and list qualities of a good bishop. Discuss difficult words and concepts.
Sing “Our Bishop” (Sing with Me, B-61) or “Our Friendly Bishop” (Sing with Me, B-38).

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.

Prays for his family and for his ward family, whom he loves	Helps a family in need through the welfare program of the church	Interviews an eight-year-old and her parents so that she can be baptized	Interviews a Blazer so that he can be ordained a deacon
Calls a ward member to be a Primary teacher	Accepts your tithing and takes good care of that money for the Lord	Sometimes visits Primary and encourages you to obey Heavenly Father	Makes sure that you are taught the gospel in your meetings
	Greets you and shakes your hand at church	Meets with ward leaders to discuss what is happening in the ward