May Sharing Time - The Prophets in the Scriptures are Examples to my Family

Image courtesy of bulldogza/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Elder Waldo P. Call of the Seventy said, "My dear brothers and sisters and family, can't you see what we need to do?  Be submissive - do not murmur - endure to the end.  If we will do this, the Lord will show us the way, if we will but follow his prophets and Apostles."

I used this quote while writing about last weeks sharing time, but I couldn't help using it again this week.  It's simple and profound.

We need to follow the prophets, to learn from their teachings AND their lives. 

This week we get to focus on the lives of several prophets from the scriptures.  We get to talk about what their example teaches us and how we can use those teachings in our lives.

After introducing the topic with the clapping exercise found in the Sharing Time Outline (you could really have them follow you doing anything and it would work exactly the same), move on to the individual prophets we'll be learning about. 

I was thinking it would be fun to have each of the prophets pictures up on a board so all the children can see them (the library has pictures of all the prophets, while you can print them out, you can save yourself some ink by getting to church a little early and giving your helpful librarians a copy of who you need portraits of).  Then, using some reusable poster putty, attach the scripture reference to the bottom. 

I want to kids to read the scripture and GUESS which prophet it's talking about.  I figured, if I had them look it up, they'd be able to know which prophet purely from the reference (especially in senior primary).  That's why I typed up the scriptures, sans reference, and stuck the reference on the pictures.

After reading the scripture, attach it below the prophets picture, and spend a minute letting them tell you what they can learn about that prophet's example from the scripture.  How can they apply the lesson in their own lives?

While you can move to the next prophet after the discussion, I have another idea.  Well, I suppose it's actually the Sharing Time Outline that has another idea, although I did tweak it just a smidge.

Teach the kids a made up verse to Follow the Prophet that goes along with that teaching. 

Did anyone else see that and think, huh, if only I was a little more quippy, quick, good at writing song lyrics, I could totally help the kids come up with a verse DURING sharing time? 

Luckily, I was able to find verses for almost half of the prophets.  They are pretty great.

Unfortunately, that still left me with a little more than half. 

Even more unfortunately, I decided to take a stab at writing a few verses.  So, if you'd like to use them, you can.  If you just want a good laugh, they'll work pretty well for that, too. 

Lehi was a prophet, sailed across the sea

From Jerusalem the Lord told him to flee

Coming off the boat, he knelt down in the sand

Thanked the Lord for leading them to the promised land.

Nephi was a prophet, he chose to obey

All of the commandments that the Lord did say

Nephi was courageous, valiant, true

What the Lord commanded, he would go and do.

Once there was a prophet, king of all the land,

Gathered all his people, taught them the Lord’s plan.

All the people listened; joy filled every heart.

Then King Benjamin said, “Go serve and do your part.”

Joshua was a prophet, he taught us to be strong,

If we use our courage, we just can’t go wrong.

His challenge was to choose each and every day

How our house can follow God in every way.

Prophet John the Baptist paved the way for God,

He got people ready with a gentle prod.

Baptizing with water all who held desire,

So they would be ready to be filled with fire.

Alma the Younger didn’t choose the right,

So his father prayed, pled with all his might.

An angel came to Alma, showing he’d been sent,

Alma saw his sins and hurried to repent.

A prophet followed God by building 8 great boats,

So across the ocean their families they could tote.

Jared’s brother showed great faith and then he saw

Our Savior Jesus Christ which filled him with awe.

Pres’dent Monson is our prophet, he teaches us through God

To follow the commandments and hold the iron rod

We watch at General Conference; the words he speaks are true

And even though we’re small, there’s so much we can do

 


I included a verse about President Monson in case you have extra time (ha), want to take extra time or fit it into another weeks sharing time.  I think it would fit pretty great with week 4.

After going through as many prophets as your time allows (I'm pretty sure the 15 minutes allotted for sharing time go faster than regular 15 minutes most Sundays), take the time to bear your testimony.

Elder Neil L. Andersen said,

"This is the kingdom of God upon the earth.  You and I are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the Son of God.  He lives.  He directs this work.  President Hinckley is His Prophet, and with him are 14 ohers who hold the Apostolic keys.  They are watchmen on the tower, messengers of the warning voice, Prophets, Seers, and Revelators.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15).

"And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey" (Josh. 24:24).

That these words may be written in our hearts is my prayer..."

Leah

If you'd like to download the scriptures, references and new verses to Follow the Prophet, I've uploaded them to Google Docs.