Additional Sharing Time Ideas, April 2008

The following are additional ideas Primary leaders may use with the Sharing Time printed in the April 2008 Liahona. For the lesson, instructions, and activity that correspond with these ideas, see “Heed the Prophets—Follow What They Say” on pages F4 and F5 of the children’s section in this issue.

1. Show Gospel Art Picture Kit 102 (Building the Ark) and 520 (Gordon B. Hinckley). Compare and contrast the prophet Noah and President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008). Help the children recognize that although only Noah’s family listened to his words, many Church members listened to President Hinckley’s counsel to read the Book of Mormon. With approval from the bishop or branch president, invite a family to share their experience of following the prophet by reading the Book of Mormon.

   Help the children look up 2 Nephi 32:9. Memorize the phrase “I say unto you that ye must pray always.” Learn a song or hymn about prayer. Bear testimony of the Book of Mormon and the power of prayer.

2. Create a “Follow the Prophet” maze by using Primary 3, lesson 8. Enlarge each picture on the maze onto a separate piece of paper. Place the figure of the child at the top left of the chalkboard and the picture representing the Savior at the bottom right of the chalkboard. Place the other pictures around the room. On separate pieces of paper, write the phrases that go with each picture. These will be used as clues.

   Sing verse 9 of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11), and ask the children to listen for what we can get if we follow the prophet. Teach them that our prophet gives us direction all along our way. If we follow him, we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

   Invite a child to choose a clue. Ask his or her class and teacher to act out the clue for the other children to guess. When a child answers correctly, have him or her find the matching picture in the room. Place the picture on the chalkboard, leading from the figure of the child to the picture of the Savior. Sing the chorus of “Follow the Prophet” after you place each picture on the chalkboard. Continue to act out clues and post the pictures on the chalkboard until they have all been guessed. Bear testimony of the blessings that come from following the prophet.

   For older children: Choose scriptures that go with the clues, and write the scripture reference on the clue. Ask the children to look up the reference and read the scripture before acting out the clue.

3. Song presentation: “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, no. 19). Hum or play the first line. Ask the children to raise their hands if they have heard this hymn before. Share the first five words: “We thank thee, O God,” and explain that this hymn describes blessings we have received from Heavenly Father, and when we sing this hymn, it is an opportunity to give thanks for His blessings. Invite the children to share what they know and feel about this hymn.

   Hold up a hymnbook, and show where the hymn is found. Point out that the word brightly is used to describe how it should be sung. Help the children feel the rhythm by clapping the steady beat of 4/4 time as the pianist plays the first line. Then have the children clap the rhythm of the first line. Divide the room in half. Have one side clap the steady beat and the other side clap the rhythm of the melody line. Change sides and repeat.

   As you teach the words of the hymn, invite the children to listen for blessings that Heavenly Father has given to them and how these blessings help us (for example: the gospel, a prophet to guide us, and so on). Help the children recognize the phrases that describe things they should do because they have been blessed (for example: “feel it a pleasure to serve” and “love to obey thy command”).

   Share Mosiah 2:41. Testify that we are blessed and happy when we do what the prophet asks of us.