"I Will Serve God with All My Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength"
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him” (D&C 59:5).
Week 1: Jesus Christ taught us how to serve others.
Week 2: Prophets and apostles show us how to serve.
Weeks 3 and 4: When I serve others, I serve God.
Here's an idea for teaching the children how to understand that service is a key to their own happiness. We're happiest when we serve others.
Give a 1/2 sheet piece of paper to each child with crayons. Have them think of a family member or friend and what makes them unique. Have them picture that person in their mind. Then have them draw that person on their paper. When everyone is done, have them fold their papers up as tiny as they can possibly fold them and put them in their shoe (or pocket or scriptures if they are wearing sandals). Tell the children to think of some special service they can do for that person but it has to be a secret. Have them brink back their picture next week with their secret act of service written on it and they can share how they think that person felt and also how doing the secret service made them feel.
July Sharing Time Theme
"Families Are Part of Heavenly Father’s Plan"
“The family is ordained of God” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” paragraph 7).
Week 1: Heavenly Father planned for me to come to a family.
Week 2: Family prayer, family scripture study, and family home evening can strengthen my family.
Week 3: The priesthood can bless and strengthen my family.
Week 4: Heavenly Father wants me to marry in the temple and have an eternal family.
Here are some ideas for teaching this month's theme:
Sharingtime #1: The ties that bind families together
Bring props: Father--hat, tie, suitcoat, briefcase, etc.
Mother--apron, grocery bag, feather duster, diaper bag, etc.
Child--baseball mit or hat, soccer ball, swimming goggles, etc.
A long piece of rope or yarn
Choose three children and dress them in the props to be a father, mother, and child.
Give the end of the rope to the father. Have the child stand next to the father and have him also hold onto the rope. As you do this, ask the children, "What is a thing a father can do to help a child?" Let someone list one thing. Then ask, "How does that strengthen a family?" Then bring the mother in and have her hold onto the rope. As she does, point to the child holding the rope as you hand the rope to the mother ask, "What is a thing a child can do to help a mother?" Let someone list one thing then ask, "How does that strengthen a family?"
Continue doing this and wrapping the rope around all three children. In the end, they will be all tied together and have several thicknesses of rope in their hands. The point being made is that every member of the family has specific ways they can help every other member. This kindness and thoughtfulness and helpfulness ties a family together.
Sharingtime #2: Have different children report on their progress with the Puff Ball Jar in their families. They can tell ways they've encouraged their parents and siblings to have family prayer or family scripture study. They can tell lessons they've given in FHE. When a child reports, give them a puff ball (any color or size) to add to their jar at home.
June Sharing Time Theme
I Will Follow Heavenly Father’s Plan by Being Baptized and Confirmed
“Come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 30:2).
Week 1: I will follow Jesus Christ by being baptized and confirmed and keeping my baptismal covenants.
Week 2: If I live worthily, the Holy Ghost will help me choose the right.
Week 3: When I take the sacrament, I renew my baptismal covenants.
Week 4: When I repent, I can be forgiven.
Here are some ideas for teaching this month's theme.
Week 2: From the Sharing Time Outline: Explain that we have to learn to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost by paying attention to thoughts in our minds and feelings in our hearts (see D&C 8:2). Have a child place a coin in a glass jar and shake it. Let the children observe how clearly they can hear the sound. Have children add spoonfuls of dirt, rice, sand, or cotton balls to the jar. After each spoonful, have a child shake the jar again, and let the children comment on how this affects the sound. Continue adding spoonfuls until the children cannot hear the coin.
Liken this to the difficulty of listening to the Holy Ghost when our lives are filled with distractions or sin. Empty the jar and demonstrate how clearly the coin can be heard again. Testify that keeping the commandments and repenting of our sins help us hear the Holy Ghost.
Week 3: Here is a fun one from Sofia's Primary Ideas blog
Is the world sometimes a grimy, dirty place full of wickedness and sin? Have a shirt with brown or black paper polka dots taped on it. How can we keep ourselves "unspotted from the world"?
The scriptures can always answer our questions!! Have a primary friend read D&C 59:9 "That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day".
Have the children come up front and pick a spot to take off the clean shirt. Prepare questions for them to answer about baptismal covenants and sacrament. After they can crumple up the spots and toss into a garbage can!
May Sharing Time Theme
"Prophets Teach Us to Live the Restored Gospel"
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
Weeks 1 and 2: The living prophet leads the Church under the direction of Jesus Christ.
Week 3: Prophets teach me to pay tithing.
Week 4: Prophets teach me to live the Word of Wisdom.
Check out Sofia's Primary Ideas for some great sharing time ideas for the month of May.
And here is a fantastic sharing time idea from Pergler's Primary Place on paying tithing. It will take some time and work to recreate this game, but it looks like it is one you can use many times and one that the kids will really love! Try out and let us know how it goes!
When I Pay my Tithing, Heavenly Father will Bless Me
Also, if you'd like to share any ideas that you came up with for this month, please leave us a comment and we will publish it!
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