Additional Sharing Time Ideas, April 2005

The following are additional ideas Primary leaders may use with the Sharing Time printed in the April 2005 Liahona. For the lesson, instructions, and activity that correspond with these ideas, see “My Family Can Be Forever” on pages F4 and F5 of the children’s section in this issue.

1. Invite a family consisting of a father, mother, and baby to Primary. Ask the father to be prepared to briefly teach the children about pre-earth life and Heavenly Father’s plan for us to come to a family. Ask the mother to explain what parents do for a baby and what the baby will need to learn to return to Heavenly Father. Play the following game to show that everyone in the family can teach the baby. Copy Primary packet picture 1-7 (or another picture of a family), and cut it into six puzzle pieces. Write on the back of each piece one of the following names: Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Mother, Brother, Sister. Pass the puzzle pieces from child to child as the pianist plays “music clues” as to what the baby must learn (play, for example, songs or hymns about baptism, following the prophet, obedience, and so on). When the music stops, have the children identify the song and the principle taught. Ask each child holding a puzzle piece to tell one thing that the family member on the puzzle piece can do to teach that principle to the baby or to the child’s own family. Have one child put his or her puzzle piece in place after each song, beginning with “Grandpa.” Continue until the puzzle is complete.

2. We can learn to live the gospel in our homes. Divide the room into four stations depicting four areas of a home—living room, kitchen, bedroom, and family room. The children will move from station to station for brief activities. In the “living room,” lead the children on a scripture chase (see who can reverently find each reference first) to identify gospel traditions in the home. Include the following scriptures: D&C 19:38 (praying), D&C 1:37 (reading scriptures), John 14:15 (keeping the commandments), Ex. 20:12 (honoring parents), D&C 119 (paying tithing), and D&C 59:9 (attending meetings). Point out that these are also part of the Faith in God requirements.

In the “kitchen,” have the children make a simple sack puppet (see Teaching, No Greater Call [1999], 176–77). Show pictures of various foods and substances. Have the children open the puppet’s mouth if the food or substance shown is good for them and close the puppet’s mouth if it is not. Encourage the children to share the puppet in family home evening.

In the “bedroom,” review with the children how to pray by discussing the Lord’s Prayer (see Matt. 6:9–13). Help the children make cutouts of the sun and moon to take home to remind them to pray morning and night.

In the “family room,” teach older children how to lead a hymn (see Faith in God guidebook, 10). Teach younger children a scripture story, song, or finger play that they can share in family home evening.

3. Teach the children about the Kirtland Temple using Gospel Art Picture Kit 500 (Kirtland Temple). Teach about the coming of Elijah to the Kirtland Temple and the restoration of sealing power using Gospel Art Picture Kit 417 (Elijah Restores the Power to Seal Families for Eternity) and the information on the back of the picture. What does it mean to be sealed? Where and how are we sealed today? Show a picture of a temple, and explain that when we are married in the temple and keep the promises we make there, we can live together as families in heaven after we die. Sing a song or hymn about temples. Show the My Gospel Standards poster, and ask the children why it includes a picture of the temple. Review My Gospel Standards, and teach that as we live them now, we will be worthy to attend the temple when we are older.

Give each child a piece of paper divided in half with a line. Have the children draw a picture of themselves living one of the gospel standards on one half of the paper and a picture of themselves at the temple on the other half. Make a collage of the pictures for the Primary room, or have each child take his or her picture to share and post at home. Bear your testimony of the blessing of eternal families.