September Sharing Time Week 1: I show my gratitude by offering thanks for all my blessings
Outline:
IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (listening to a story and reading a scripture): Briefly tell the story of the ten lepers (see Luke 17:11–19). Ask the children who in the story showed gratitude. Read Doctrine and Covenants 59:7, and ask the children who we should show gratitude to and what we should thank Him for.
ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION (playing a game): Display pictures of blessings such as family, friends, food, home, the earth, animals, and temples. Ask the children to close their eyes and sing “Thanks to Our Father” (CS, 20) as you remove one of the pictures. When they finish the song, ask them to open their eyes and see if they can discover which picture is missing. Toss a beanbag to a child and ask him or her to share how they can show gratitude for that blessing. Repeat as time allows.
Ideas:
- Play the "What would you feel without it" Game: Ask how they would feel without certain things. Electricity, A warm house, A soft bed, shoes. Give them a chance to express how they would feel. Maybe for senior primary, explain how some people do live without these things.
- Make a list about family Members: Hand out a paper to each child and have them draw a picture of how they are grateful for each member of their family. For senior Primary have them list three things about each family member that they are grateful for.
- Have them make a collage: Bring a bunch of magazines, scissors, glue, and a poster board. Have them go through the magazines and find things they are grateful for and glue it to the poster board. You can also print some pictures from the lds media library.
- Write Thank you notes: Have them think of someone they are grateful for and hand out a paper for them to write a cute note to them.
- Instead of Telling the story show them this video of the Ten Lepers:
Printables
September Sharing Time Week 2: By Giving Service to Others I give service to God.
Outline:
IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (reading a scripture): Write the following phrase on the board: By giving _________ to others, I give _________ to God. Read Mosiah 2:17 together, and ask the children what word goes in the blanks (service). Invite the children to repeat the phrase together.
ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (listening to a story): Share the following story: “President Heber J. Grant’s father died when he was just nine days old. His mother was very poor and earned money by sewing for other people. Sometimes she sewed for so many hours without resting that she could hardly push the pedal of her sewing machine. Heber would often crawl under the sewing machine and push the pedal for her. The winters were very cold, and Heber had only a thin, worn coat to keep him warm. He longed to have a warm coat but knew that they barely had enough money for food. He was delighted on his birthday when his mother gave him a warm coat that she had sewn. It was his most prized possession. A few weeks later, Heber saw a boy shivering with cold and he remembered how it felt. He took off his new coat and gave it to the boy.” You may also want to consider showing the video “The Coat.” Discuss how Heber served others, and invite a few children and teachers to share experiences they have had with service. Discuss that when we serve others we are serving God. (See TNGC, 68–70 for ideas on how to ask questions that will facilitate good discussions.
Ideas:
- Puppets: Check out this FHE we did with our toddler. Use the scenarios to have them act out the different ways we can serve. You could make sock puppets or paper bag puppets like we did
- Matching Game: Use pictures of people that need service. Place on board and have children try to find the matches. When a match is found have them explain how they could serve that person... and how that would be a service to god as well. (images from lds.org on service)
- Memorization: Help the kids memorize Mosiah 2:17 by writing it on the board and erasing a word or letter then repeating it. Or use a sign for each word and have one child hold each sign. As they repeat the scripture have the kids hold up their signs. After each repeat have one child sit down or hide their sign. (Printable Pdf Here)
- Secret Service: This is a great idea from the friend. Brainstorm service ideas in class. Leave them with a secret service planning sheet. Have them write on the planning sheet people they would like to serve and one way they could serve them. Challenge them to serve these people during the week without them knowing. Have them mark it off when they have completed their service. Hand out "you've been served" notes that they can leave when they perform a service.
Printables:
Memorization printables or print off the pdf here
September Sharing Time Week 3: We Believe in Being Honest
Outline:
IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (hearing a story and reciting a scripture): Tell a story about a child who tells another child about his fishing trip and greatly exaggerates the size of the fish he caught. Ask the children what the child did wrong and what he should have done. Invite the children to think of one of the Articles of Faith that would help them remember to tell the truth. Repeat together the beginning of the thirteenth article of faith (“We believe in being honest”).
ENCOURAGE APPLICATION (responding to situations): Present a situation in which the children may be tempted to be dishonest, such as when a parent asks who left toys on the floor. Invite the children to stand when they know what they could do to be honest. Have a few children share their answers. Repeat with different situations as time allows. Encourage the children to think, “We believe in being honest” when they are tempted to do otherwise.
Ideas:
- Play the telephone game (where you whisper in one persons ear and you pass it around the room and see if it ends up the same at the end) and either tell one or two of the teachers to be dishonest (change the story) during the game. Afterward discuss why that was a problem and how it applies to being honest.
- Salt on ice cream: Dish up some ice cream. explain that sometimes we make mistakes. Sprinkle some salt on the ice cream. (this can be like lying). explain that after we make a mistake sometimes we try to cover it up. Add some chocolate syrup to the ice cream. Ask if they can smell or see the salt. Can they tell it's there? have a couple of children taste the ice cream. (just skim some off the top so it tastes really salty). Explain that even though we can't see the salt (the lie) it still there. even though we try to cover up our mistakes they are still there. Get another bowl of ice cream. Explain that sometimes we can make it right when we make a mistake. Add some salt to the ice cream and have one of the children wipe it off. (this is like telling the truth after we have lied and making it better).
- Pennies making ripples: object lesson. I found this one here. Basically you get a bowl of water, a quarter, and some pennies. Drop the quarter into the water (that is the lie) observe what it does to the water and compare with what a lie can do. (make ripples, sink, maybe rust) talk about how we sometimes try to cover up lies. Have the kids each drop a penny from above into the water to try to cover the quarter. (discuss how it can be difficult and that even if we cover it the lie/quarter is still there.
- LDS sharing time ideas: I believe in being honest, Honest and truthful at all times
September Sharing Time Week 4: By Living the Gospel I set a good Example for others to follow.
Outline:
IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (acting out a story): Tell the following story, and invite the children to act it out with you: “You were camping in the mountains with your family when a huge snowstorm hit (shiver). You couldn’t see the trail back to your campsite (hold hand over eyes, searching). Then your father came, wearing big, heavy boots (walk in place). He said, ‘I know the way! Follow me!’ Father made big footprints in the snow for you to follow.” Explain that just as we could follow the father’s footprints, others can see and follow the good example we set when we live the gospel. Ask the children to repeat after you, “By living the gospel I set a good example for others to follow.”
ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION (reading a scripture and discussing standards): Have the children read 1 Timothy 4:12. Write some statements from For the Strength of Youth that you feel are appropriate for the children on separate pieces of paper, and put them in a container. Invite a child to pick one statement and share a personal experience with that standard or tell how living that standard sets a good example for others to follow. Repeat with the other statements. Sing “I Want to Live the Gospel” (CS, 148).
Ideas:
- Play a copy game: Instruct the children to do as you say...not necessarily what you do. Hold your hands out in front of you and tell then when you say go to clap their hands together....say one...two....three... then clap your hands together first...and then say go. (many kids will clap when you clap and not wait till you say go). Explain how this can relate to us needing to be a good example. People are more likely to follow what we do than what we say. That is one reason it is important to do good things and be the example.
Printables
