Additional Sharing Time Ideas, March 2007

The following are additional ideas Primary leaders may use with the Sharing Time printed in the March 2007 Liahona. For the lesson, instructions, and activity that correspond with these ideas, see “Try, Try, Try” on pages F4 and F5 of the children’s section in this issue.

1. Bring a dictionary, some Bibles, and a hymnbook. Tell the children that they are going to use the books to study the scriptures. Explain that when we truly study the scriptures, we do more than just read them. Ask the children to look up James 1:5. Divide the Primary into groups, and give each group an assignment. Give one group a dictionary, and ask them to look up the difficult words such as liberally and upbraid. Have another group look up Joseph Smith—History 1:11 to find out why James 1:5 is so important. Have a group use the index in the hymnbook to find a hymn that relates to James 1:5. Have each group report on what the group learned, to more fully understand this important scripture. Joseph Smith read this scripture, and it prompted him to pray. Tell the children that Heavenly Father will answer our prayers too.

   If possible, tell about a time when you received an answer by praying and studying the scriptures. Bear testimony of the blessings that come through prayer and scripture study.

2. Display a calendar, and ask the children which day is the Sabbath day. Tell them that before Jesus’s Resurrection, the Sabbath day was the seventh day, as it says in Genesis 2:2–3. Explain that two of the older children are going to explain more about the Sabbath. The week before, ask one child to prepare a summary of “History of the Sabbath” and another to prepare a summary of “The Lord’s Day” from chapter 24 of the Gospel Principles Sunday School manual.

   Invite the children to help you make a list of ways to keep the Sabbath day holy. The numbered list in chapter 24 of Gospel Principles is an excellent resource. Focus on what we should do rather than on what we should not do.

   Sing a song or hymn about the Sabbath. Display a picture of Jesus Christ. Express your love for the Savior and your happiness that we have a special day each week to remember the Lord, study His gospel, take the sacrament, rest from our work, and so on. Testify of His divinity.

3. Song presentation: “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 78–79; Tambulilit, Apr. 1990, F6–F7). Show the picture that accompanies the song. (If possible, enlarge the picture so that all can see it easily.) Ask the children to imagine why the little girl might be crying. Ask what the boy is doing and who he might be. Suggest that the boy might be the girl’s older brother. Sing “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus.” Explain that Jesus comforts us, teaches us, and loves us, just like the older brother in the picture. Teach the verse by having the children finger clap (two fingers of one hand tap against the palm of the other hand) the rhythm of the first line while you sing it. Point out the similarity in the second line. Have them sing the opening lines several times with you. Sing the second part of the verse. Invite them to look up John 13:34 and compare the words of the scripture with the words of the chorus. Sing the chorus while the children look at the scripture. Explain that when we love one another, we are keeping an important commandment because “these are the things Jesus taught.” After singing the chorus several times, practice going right from the verse into the chorus. Encourage the children to be like the boy in the picture by loving their families, friends, and neighbors. When they love as Jesus loved, they will be following His example. Bear testimony of the importance of following the Savior.