Sharing Time - June Week 3 - Keeping Covenants

On lds dot org, there's a really great story about a 9 year old boy named Brian who learns about the importance of taking the sacrament.  I love how this story introduces the importance and blessing of the sacrament (plus, I have to admit, I remember thinking I would love to get baptized again as a kid and being so excited when I finally discovered I didn't need to, through the sacrament I could be forgiven every week!).

Follow up the story with a really good why question, WHY do we take the sacrament?

The reason we're going to focus on today is to renew our covenants.  For a quick review, ask for a volunteer to remind everyone what covenant means and then move on to ask what it means to renew. 

There are lots of different ways you could explain renewal, but I'd go with an everyday personal experience like this one.  My boys are always getting super dirty...really, really, dirty, but luckily when they take a bath, their bodies are renewed, refreshed and clean again!! 

Ask another review question, who remembers when we first made the covenants we renew during the sacrament?  Or will make them in the case of most of Junior Primary.

Then move into what, exactly, the covenants are.  This will be a partial review of the 1st week, but we all know that we need lots of re-enforcing with different methods, plus there are so many fun ideas out there!  Start with reading the sacrament prayers located in the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 77 & 79. 

As you read, ask the kids to listen for the promises and stand up when they hear one.  Then, before you move on ask them who makes that particular promise, us or Heavenly Father.  I also really like the idea from the Sharing Time Outline to have the kids come up with a sign to symbolize that promise.  Then, each time you come across another promise, have them repeat all the signs.

After going through the scriptures, take a few minutes to go a little more in depth about each promise (or you could do each set of activities before continuing reading the sacrament prayers).

Take Christ's Name Upon Me
To find out more about what that means, read Mosiah 18: verses 8-9

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the water of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear another's burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -

Then do the fun object lesson found on lds dot org (scroll down to #3).  Line up several rocks in the front of the room and ask the kids what sorts of things might be burdens in someones life.  As they answer, put the rocks one at a time into a backpack.  When you're finished, ask one child (smaller would work best) to come up and pick up the backpack.  As they struggle, ask the children to give ideas how you can help another person with their burdens and as they answer, have them come up and help the first child hold the backpack.

Always Remember Him
The family home evening from Chocolate on my Cranium has some really good questions about Christ that would start off this section great. 

Why is Jesus, who lived 2000 years ago so important that we're taught about Him today? 
Why is His death so significant? 
What are ways we can remember Him (praying each day, reading our scriptures, think about Him during the sacrament)? 

To emphasize how important it is to think of Christ during the sacrament, you could do another object lesson asking the kids to write down one good thing to do during the sacrament and one not so good thing.  Put all the ideas into jar and draw out one at a time, having the kids pick and decide if it's a good thing or not (I found this idea on a really great family night from Parenting in the Latter-days).

Always Keep His Commandments
Earlier in the year (in our primary), we talked about how we can't follow the commandments when we don't know them.  Ask the kids where they can learn about the commandments and then follow up by asking them if knowledge alone helps them.  If we know that fire burns, but stick our hand in the fire, it will still burn us.  We have to act on our knowledge.  First is always learn, but second ACT!!

We May Always Have His Spirit to be With Us
Do a quick review of last weeks lesson.  Why is this a great blessing?  What sorts of things can the Holy Ghost help us with?  Is it worth working hard to keep the commandments to have Him with us?  If you didn't have an opportunity to share a personal story about the Holy Ghost last week, one would fit here great (or if you did, do another!).  Bare your testimony of His importance in your life.

Review
If you have time left, do a racing quiz.  Choose two kids to come up front and race to see who can put the sacrament prayers in the right order first.  On pages 10 and 11 in the family night lesson from Parenting in the Latter-days, she's got them all typed up for you.  All you have to do is print them out and cut them into strips.

Send the kids home with this fun sacrament coloring sheet from the Friend found on lds dot org.

Have a wonderful week!