Sharing Time - June Week 1 - Baptism & Covenants

This weeks sharing time focuses not just on baptism, but more specifically on keeping our baptismal covenants. 

Example
To introduce the topic of baptism, ask the kids whose example they follow.  There are lots of good answers: friends, teachers, parents, older siblings...  When they answer, ask who that person follows and so on until you get the answer Christ.  Why do we follow Christ's example (I love why questions!)? 

Then ask what one BIG thing we do when we're 8 to follow Christ's example?  Did you know that both Christ and each of us are or will be baptized for the very same reason?  Does anyone know what it is?  John 3:5 says, "And Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee.  Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."  Then discuss that this means to be baptized and confirmed so that we can live with Heavenly Father again.

Preparing for Baptism
In Junior Primary, it's important to talk about how to get ready for baptism and I really love the steps and questions listed on A Year of FHE (I also found these same questions as part of a larger Sharing Time Lesson on lds dot org).

1. Believe in and learn about Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Why?  Where can we learn about them?
2. Pray to Heavenly Father.  How can praying help us to prepare for baptism?
3. Be forgiving and love others.  What happens when we forgive? How can we show our love for others?
4. Choose the right everyday.  How?
5. Read or listen to the scriptures/scripture stories.  How has/does this help you prepare?

I also like this picture story that teaches the kids exactly what happens once they turn eight found in the family home evening packet on Parenting in the Latter-days.  You could have a recently baptized child come up and tell the story with the pictures (or help you tell the story) and tell the other kids how they felt about being baptized.

Covenant Keeping
Once we've been baptized, we aren't done.  In fact, our journey has just begun.  We made promises when we were baptized.  Promises with a special name, who knows that they're called?  We make 3 covenants, who knows what they are?

1. Take Christ's name upon us (become a member of His church).
2. Aways remember Jesus.
3. Keep His commandments.

To help the kids learn how to keep their covenants in everyday little things, have them play this board game from the Friend magazine.  You could split the room into 2 or 3 teams and have them take turns rolling the die to progress around the board, landing on decisions that have been made.  Each decision teaches about a good or poor choice and the consequences that come from them.  It's simple to print out and pin or tape up in your room!

To teach how covenants are a protection to us, use this fun object lesson I found on Give 'em Heaven (along with a TON of other great ideas) using water, pepper and dish soap.  Ask the kids about things that are hard in the world (mistakes we make) and with each answer, sprinkle a dash of pepper into your water (if you put the water in a clear baking dish, it would be easiest for everyone to see).  Then ask them what's one thing that makes a covenant different than a promise?  It's a two way promise, when we keep our end, Heavenly Father will bless us in certain ways. 

1. He will give us the Holy Ghost to be with us,
2. forgive us when we repent,
3. and let us live with Him again. 

As you give each answer (or have the kids complete the promises with pictures found in the baptism packet from Parenting in the Latter-days), add a small drop of soap and watch what happens to the pepper (if you've never seen it, the soap repels the pepper, it's really pretty cool).  Our covenants protect us from the influence of the world.

I also found a fun idea on the Desert Saints Magazine website that you can use throughout the next few weeks.  As you discuss each of the 3 covenants we make, show them a piece of yarn for each, talk about how each promise is small and simple, but when you braid them together, they get stronger, just like when you keep your covenants, your testimony and faith grow stronger.  You'll have another 3 strands to weave together symbolizing things we need to do to keep the Holy Ghost and a final 3 for the covenant renewal that can happen each time we partake of the sacrament.  After you make your final braid, you will braid all three strands together, showing how they all work together to make you even stronger.

Testimony Challenge
Ask the kids either, what's one way they can get ready for baptism or, what's one way they can keep their baptismal covenants and have them commit to work on it throughout the next week. 

Testimonies only grow through living the commandments every day with faith (if you are doing the Armor of God guy, point to the newly added shield).  Don't forget to bear your testimony of the covenants in your own life!  I've often heard it said that while the kids might not remember what you taught, they will remember how they felt.  Get them feeling the Holy Ghost as often as possible!

Have a wonderful week!