Sharing Time Idea from the 2018 Outline
Identify the doctrine (seeing a picture): Cover a picture of the First Vision with several smaller pieces of paper. Invite children to remove the pieces of paper one at a time. Ask the children to quietly raise their hands when they know what the picture is. After all the pieces of paper have been removed, ask the children to tell you what is happening in the picture.
Encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Show the children where in the scriptures we can read Joseph Smith’s description of his experience in the Sacred Grove (Joseph Smith—History 1:14–19). Read or ask some children to read several verses that describe what happened. You may want to ask younger children to do simple actions, such as standing and stretching their arms up like trees or folding their arms as if they are praying. Ask the children how they might have felt if they could have watched Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appear and talk to Joseph Smith. Discuss the importance of this event.
Encourage application (sharing testimonies): Have the children sing “The Sacred Grove” (CS, 87). Then bear your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. Invite a few children to share their testimonies of the First Vision.
Sharing Time Ideas from Little LDS Ideas
This week I have a great attention activity that would be perfect to begin your lesson, and an easy game that the children will enjoy. I have also included some printables to help make preparing even easier. I hope you enjoy my ideas for this week’s Sharing Time.
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Attention Activity
I found a great idea to begin your Sharing Time from the Primary 5 lesson manual, here. I think the children would really enjoy this activity and would help them learn why Joseph Smith prayed to know which church he should join. Here is the idea:
Before Primary get two containers, bags or boxes will do. Place an item into each container and close it. For your lesson, invite a child up to the front and ask them to leave the room for a moment. Show the two containers to the rest of the children without letting them see inside. Divide the primary into two groups (or invite a few children up if you have large Primary) and give each a container. Tell the children in each group that when the child who left the room returns, they are going to try to persuade them to choose their container. Invite the child to return to the room and explain that they need to choose one of the containers. This is when the other children will start begging the child to choose their container. After the child has chosen, ask the child, “Why did you choose that container?” and “How did you feel when others were trying to tell you what to do?”.
“Explain that when Joseph Smith was fourteen years old, he was confused about a choice he needed to make. He was trying to decide which church he should join. Other people tried to help him choose a church, but he only became more confused. He felt that he needed more information to make a wise decision: he wanted to know which church was true. Joseph’s situation was similar to that of the child who had to choose between the two containers. Everyone wanted him to choose their church, but he did not know which church was the right choice.”
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Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Appeared to Joseph Smith
For the next part of your lesson you will be going into more detail about Joseph Smith and the First Vision. To share this scripture story you could:
•Show the children GAK 402 & 403–The First Vision; Read the story on the back and then discuss the First Vision with the children.
•Read the story from the scriptures: Joseph Smith History 1:14-20
•Show the children a video of The First Vision
•Have a man from your ward/branch dress up as Joseph Smith and come and talk to the children about The First Vision.
Tic-Tac-Toe
Now it’s time for a game. You will be playing tic-tac-toe to quiz/review what you just read. On a chalkboard or poster-board, make a large tic-tac-toe grid. I have included some printable X’s and O’s that you can use for your game (link below). Just click the link at the bottom to print those out. The x’s and o’s are about 3″X3″ so make sure your squares on your grid are a little bigger.
How To Play
Split the primary into two teams (X’s and O’s) or you could do children vs. teachers. To play, the children are going to be answering a question in order to determine where there X or O will go.
Invite a child up to the front and have them pick a question out of a jar (I also included some questions that you can use). Have the child hand the question to you or have them read it aloud if they can read. If they answer correctly, they get to choose where to place their X or O. If they answer incorrectly, they lose a turn and the other team has a chance to answer. If the other team answers correctly they get to place their X or O and then get to go again.
Play until one of the teams gets 3 in a row. If you have time, play another round! To close, bear your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith.
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DOWNLOAD
Click the link below to print out my April 2018 Week 2 Sharing Time Idea Printables!
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I hope you enjoy my April 2018 Week 2 Sharing Time Idea and are able to use it for your lesson this week. I would love to hear if you do and how it goes, so be sure to leave a comment letting me know.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day and a great Sharing Time!
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These are great ideas that will work well with both age groups! I am definitely using them tomorrow. Thank you!
Thanks, Tina. I hope your lesson went well. 🙂
This is a great idea!! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m going to try it out tomorrow. Thanks again
Yay! Hope your lesson went well. 🙂
Thank you sooooo much for your help with these i wish i could do this or be more fast at being creative fast to help others out because sometime we just dnt have the time. any who i just want to really thank you for your help at this little service you provide to those of us that need it with out a charge it is really appreciated from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you, Christina, for the kind comment. I know how crazy life is and how crazy it can be trying to put together a Sharing Time idea. I love coming up with ideas and being able to share them with others. It brings me so much joy to know that I am helping others in small ways. *hugs*
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful ideas!!! I have been searching all over for a fun way to present this sharing time lesson. Thank you thank you!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you found an idea. I hope it went well and that the children enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you so much for these ideas! I was kind of stumped for this one! You’re very generous to share so much! Thank you! Thank you!
You are welcome, Emilee. I truly love sharing these ideas and knowing that I’m helping others in small ways by making their life, and calling, a little easier. Everyone needs a little help sometimes, and I am so glad that I can do that. 🙂 Hope your lesson went well.
You’re ideas are always amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing your talents with others! I can’t even count the number of times that I have used your idea for sharing time! Thank you a million times!
Michelle, you are so kind and just made my day. Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to comment. I am so happy to hear that people enjoy the ideas that I share and use them and that it has helped make their life (and calling) a little easier. Thank you! *hugs*
Thanks for sharing! Great activity ideas!
Thanks, Maria. Glad you like the ideas. 🙂
Thank you so much I loved this lesson.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the idea. Hope it went well.
Thank you so much. Truly appreciate all your ideas. Amazing.
Thank you, Tania. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the ideas. I hope the primary children did as well.
This is a great idea for this week! Thank you so much for taking the time to make great content. I really appriciate your efforts to make it fun but stay close to the lesson manual.
You are so very welcome, Anne. I know the leaders are inspired with the ideas and messages they share, but I also know that sometimes you need a little something else added in there. 😉 I’m glad you liked the ideas. I hope your Sharing Time went well. Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas! It makes planning sharing time so much easier!
You are so welcome, Leah. I am so happy to hear that it makes life a little easier. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with me and other primary leaders. I absolutely love your ideas to help Sharing Time be more interesting and fun for the primary children. Thank you again!
Thank you for your sweet comment, Leslie. It fills me with joy to hear that the lessons that I share are helpful and enjoyed. Thank you! *HUGS*
I often use your ideas for sharing time and the kids LOVE them! I also get lots of positive feedback from teachers and other leaders. Thank you so much for posting fun and interesting ways to teach gospel truths!
You are so very welcome, Erin. I truly enjoy sharing these ideas. I am glad you like the ideas and that the Primary children do as well. Thank you. 🙂
I have a degree in teaching, and taught 1st grade, so I always assume that I can plan my sharing times in 2 minutes, and they’ll be awesome. Reality: I end up searching the internet for far too long, wasting too much time, and then end up buying some package late Saturday night. I FINALLY came across your page, and it is so perfect. Thank you for sharing your great ideas, having the flow of the lesson already prepared, and for even including your downloads. I am so impressed, and so thankful. It’s only 1:30 on Saturday afternoon, and I’m all done. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Hi Lizzy! I’m finally replying to your comment after months. You are so sweet. I love sharing ideas and hopefully helping others make their life and calling a little easier. I am so happy to hear that you like the ideas and were able to plan your Sharing Time using them. I hope it went well. *HUGS*
I want to thank you for all your ideas and printables. I use them a lot. It is not one of my strengths….. Thank you for sharing yours!!
Thank you, Mer, for the sweet comment. I love that I am able to share ideas and printables with others. It truly brings so much joy to my life.
we played this today in primary and the kids had a blast!!! It was especially a big hit in senior primary!! Thank you so much!
Thanks for coming back and letting me know how it went! So glad the children enjoyed it. 🙂
I think you are awesome! Everything I have used from your website has been helpful, uplifting and a wonderful blessing! Thanks for your time and effort!
Thank you so much, Aubrie. Your comment seriously made my day. I am so glad to hear that you enjoy the ideas and that they help make life a little easier. Thanks! *hugs*