Instead of combining two of the Sharing Time Outline ideas into one week (after General Conference, we're short one week), I decided to skip week 2 and go right on to week 3.
Choose one child before Sunday to bring in a family picture. If it's last minute and you're blessed to have children in primary, it would be easiest to grab one of your own family pictures and have them do it.
You can have the chosen child share what they think families should base their lives on or have them ask the other children and lead a short discussion. I love giving the children the opportunity to teach each other.
After the discussion, display the family picture along with a picture of Jesus Christ. He is our foundation.
A fun activity you might do here (especially with junior primary) is have them sing "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man." After singing, talk about what the song is telling us to do. Jesus has many names and one of them is The Rock. He is our sure foundation and when we build on Him/His teachings it will not matter how fierce the storms get in our lives.
In order to follow His teachings, we have to first learn about them. The Sharing Time Outline shares three scriptures illustrating three principles that Jesus taught.
The outline also suggests splitting the primary up and having them discuss the scriptures separately, but that's not the road I'm walking this week. Every time I try to split them up and have them work through something, they get rowdy. Rowdy enough that I walk out thinking, "Why in the world did I do that AGAIN." So, we'll talk about them together as a primary.
The key to doing it together is one I've mentioned before. Don't be afraid of silence OR if you are, pretend you're not. I promise they'll answer eventually. If the silence is killing you, try restating the question, calling on someone, or telling them you want a certain number of answers before you'll move on to motivate the shy and lethargic.
First: Call on someone to come up, read the scripture, and decide what Jesus is teaching us. For Senior Primary, I'll have them write it on the board and with Junior Primary, I'll grab a picture from the library that goes along with each scripture to stick on the board.
Second: Talk about how Jesus lived that scripture in His life. It may be because I'm already excited for next year's theme, but I really want to relate each to Jesus life. During conference, one of the speakers said while we cannot all walk where Jesus walked, we can all walk AS He walked which really spoke to me and relates fantastically to this weeks theme (I can't remember the speaker, although I did find another great talk while I was looking for it by Elder Gavarett).
Third: Discuss ways each family to do something during the next week to work on that specific instruction. What ACTION can they take? Can they encourage their siblings? Remind parents? Do a random act of kindness? Give ideas and if time permits, let each child have a turn telling you something they can do.
I'm going to close with a quote from Elder L. Tom Perry's fantastic talk in October's General Conference "Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families."
"Men and women are shaped partly by those among whom they choose to live. Those to whom they look up and try to emulate also shape them. Jesus is the great Exemplar. The only way to find lasting peace is to look to Him and live."
I might add or change the beginning to say boys and girls to help the kids relate it directly to them. I'll then bear my testimony of the great truth Elder Perry taught.
We are so very blessed.
Happy Sharing Time,
Leah
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