August Sharing Time - Week 4

Nope, it isn't a mistake.  Just in case you didn't notice when you were looking at the outline for last week, this week is the same topic. 

I usually groan a little when I see that, although just as usually, I find there is so much information I want to share the extra week ends up being a blessing.  I'm sure that's just a coincidence.  :)

This time, though, I had a hard time figuring out exactly what to do.  I thought about it, had an idea, and then just as quickly discarded it.

Until one evening when I sat down and picked up this months Friend magazine.  Every time I do that I think, "I really need to read this more often."  There are so many wonderful ideas that go right along with our theme and so many other ideas that are so great for my family (I really love the scripture study ideas from this months Friend!). 

In the Friend there is a section called Bringing Primary Home and this months theme is Heavenly Father Hears and Answers Prayers.  In it there is a three way matching activity where you have to match a person with both their prayer and the answer they received. 

Viola!  Talk about a light bulb going off.

So that's what I did.  I used the four they had and added in another six of my own.  I found pictures for each person on lds dot org and put them together in a pdf for easier download (I actually did two sets, one with names and one without.  You can pick which ones work best for your primary.). 

Here's what it looks like.

They're pretty self explanatory, but just in case I included a cheat sheet in the beginning so you don't have any doubts who goes with which descriptions.

Matching Game
Prophet Pictures with Names
Prophet Pictures
List of Prophets

You can play this a number of different ways.  I was thinking I'd put the pictures around a board and put the prayers and answers in two different groups in the middle (all turned over so you are looking at the blank back).  Have them try to match, Memory style, one prayer (blue) with one answer (green).  When they find a match, figure out which picture it is and if you are using the pictures without names, have them name them also.

I love that each of these examples had a different experience.  As you go through you could talk about what made each one unique and what we can learn from their experiences.  For example:

1. Joseph Smith didn't just run to the grove, he went to different churches, he asked questions and he SEARCHED the scriptures.  Only then did he pray.

2. Daniel had the courage to follow God's commandments even when he knew he might die.  He prayed and was saved, but do you think he would have went into the den even if he knew he wasn't going to be saved?

3. Nephi had to listen to most of his family make fun of him.  Tell him over and over that he couldn't do what God asked, but he did it anyway.  Would that be easy or hard?  Is it worth it?

4. Esther could have been killed just for walking into the King's presence.  It took great courage and even greater faith just to walk into a room.  Where might you need courage in your life?

Try to make a connection between the children and these examples.  Maybe not for every single example (it might take too long), but pick out your favorites, the stories that touch you the most and try to show that to the kids.

Bare your testimony of how important it is to KNOW that Heavenly Father will answer your prayer every single time you pray.  It might not be right away, or the answer that you want, but if you listen hard enough, you will hear His answer. 

We are so very blessed to have this knowledge in our lives and even more blessed to get to teach it to others!

Have a wonderful Sharing Time,
Leah

If you're looking for a little more inspiration about this months theme, check out this post where I give some ideas.