If I Listen With My Heart – Verse One
Preparation:
- Items needed: a lamp or lantern, and a large display board (dry erase board, or poster/foam board). Optional item: a recording of the song from http://lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,7206-1,00.html
- Print all the verse one pictures and words, pictures of Jesus with the children, and a child reading the scriptures. Note: Be sure to print the three black-and-white pictures, and the large picture of the Savior onto light weight paper. Put all the pictures in page protectors, and slide the picture of the Savior behind the picture of the scriptures. Cut out the two sets of the song words, and cut out the round song notes. Tape the three pictures from the flipchart onto the display board and a set of the cut out words next to their corresponding picture
- Tape one set of the song words, in random order, under the children’s chairs before Primary starts. Put a few in each row. Count how many rows there are, then put a number in a container for each row you have.
- (Optional idea is to put the words that go under the chairs on hearts, and put magnets on the back of each one to make them easier to attach to the chairs.)
Introduce the name of the song, and then tell the children that the song has three verses and a short chorus. Post the two chorus picture pages on the board. Explain that each of the three verses of the song tells a way we can hear the Savior’s words if we listen with our hearts (with the spirit and with love in our hearts). Verse one tells us that even though we weren’t on the earth when Jesus was, we can still hear his words through the scriptures. (Put the picture of the scriptures on the board.) The second verse explains that the living prophet tells us what the Savior wants us to know. (Put the picture of the prophet on the board.) In the third verse we learn that the Holy Ghost also tells us what the Savior wants us to know. (Put the words “Whisperings of the Holy Ghost” on the board.)
Tell the children that when we read the scriptures, listen to the prophet, or listen to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost we can imagine that the Savior himself is telling us those words because they are his words and what he wants us to know. (Put the picture of the scriptures in front of a lamp so the picture of the Savior can be seen through the scriptures.) Explain to the children that they are going to learn the first verse of the song which is about the scriptures being a way we can hear the Savior’s voice. (Take down the other two black and white pictures from the board.) Show the display board, or put it to the left of the chorus pages on the board.
Go over each line of the verse with the children and explain the words “search” and the word “peace”. Also tell the children that the word peace is in each verse. Play a recording of the first verse for the children, or sing the verse for them so they can hear how it sounds. Have the senior children sing the verse (you may have to review and sing one line at a time with junior primary). Point out that the melody in the third phrase builds up to emphasize the word peace. Also point out to the children that there are a lot of words in the song where they have to slide their voices up or down a note. (Put the eighth notes under or above the words that do this. Angle them up or down slightly for more emphasis.) (Personal note: I do realize that some of the notes are backward. I didn’t have time to make new ones. Sorry.) Have the children sing the song again, and have them pay attention to how their voice slides up or down as they sing those words.
Senior Primary – Explain to the children that they are going to start memorizing the verse. Tell them that the words of the verse are under some of their chairs, but they can’t get them yet. Number off each row, and then have a child reach into the container of numbers and pull one out. Have all the children in that row look under the chairs and find the words. Have the children take their words off the display board. Go over the words of the song again, and see if the children can remember what words are missing. Sing the song again. Have another child pick a number from the container, and do the activity again. Continue in this manner until all the words are gone and the children have the song memorized.
To review the song the following week, show the bulletin board with the words. Cover the first line and give a child the magnet words of the first line to put in order on the board as everyone sings the song. Tell the child that he/she has until the song is finished to put the words in the right order. Do the same with the other lines in the song until you feel they have reviewed the song sufficiently.
Junior Primary – Use the following actions to help teach the song: If I (point to self) had been a little child (put hand out, palm down, as if to measure the height of a small child) when Jesus (point to a picture of Jesus) lived on earth (point down as if pointing to the earth), I (point to self) would have liked (smile and nod) to walk with him (walk in place) and listen (hand cupped around edge of ear) to his words (point to mouth). But as I (point to self) search the scriptures (one hand stretched out with palm up, like a book, and the other hand pretending to turn the pages) I can hear (hand to ear) his words (point to mouth) of peace (wrap arms around self and have a contented, peaceful expression on face). And if I (point to self) listen (hand to ear) with my heart (hands over heart) I can hear (hand to ear) the Savior’s voice (point to picture of Savior).
Have the children do the actions as they sing the song. Review by saying the words of the verse and stop at the words with actions and just do the action. See if children know what that word is.
Safety Note: Use only battery powered lanterns. If you use a lamp, put the paper on the lamp shade using a straight pin. Do not put the paper near the hot light bulbs.
This is a great help – thank you for sharing!
This is the most wonderful, beautiful compilation of ideas to teach a song I have ever seen. I’m being released this Sunday as chorister and so I’m preparing my last singing time. I’ve been in tears as I’ve only now just discovered your wonderful site and I feel the Spirit so strongly in the way you’ve prepared this song. I so badly want to keep my calling. I have loved being chorister. Thank you for preparing such a beautiful and wonderful masterpiece with this song!
Thank you, Thank You!!! I’m so excited to use some of your ideas! They are wonderful!
Thanks!! These are wonderful ideas!!
Thank you so much for your helpful insite to teaching our new Primary song for this next year. My Primary has asked that we not use words to teach song because the little ones can’t read and the older kids rely to heavily on them but I am still going to use a lot of your thoughts and ideas. I am always sceptical about the new year and new music but my kids always prove to me that I don’t give them enough credit and they learn the songs beautifully. Thank you for people like you who help me feel the spirit just a little bit more as I teach the songs to the children.
hi, this looks great! Do you have a copy of the words from the verse on the blue background with the black letters?
I printed the words onto blue cardstock to get that background color.
Thank you so much! Very clever idea and a great help.
Thank you so much for this help. I can’t wait to play…I mean, teach the children this song!!! 😀
Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea. Are you going to post the words for the other two verses? If not, what font did you use and how did you get them into boxes?
I believe the boxes are just the paper. She cut them out.
Thank you so much for sharing this idea. I did it today and the kids loved when I showed the picture of Jesus through the picture of the scriptures. Thanks again!!!
Thank you sooo much. This went over so well in my music time today!
I just found your wonderful website this past week and used your ideas to teach “If I Listen with my Heart.” It worked very well. I also showed a wonderful short video from the ordinary adventures of a primary chorister’s blog to let the kids hear the song (I don’t sing well). It was great. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for your great ideas. Singing time went great on Sunday. The kids had a blast and they learned the 1st verse easily. I can’t wait for next week to teach the 2nd verse.
I think your site is amazing! Thank you so much for the great ideas. I was wondering if you have the words printed for the second and third verse. I would love a copy. Thanks Again!
Just wanted to say thanks again for the wonderful idea of presenting this new song to my primary kids. They absolutely loved the object lesson of seeing Christ through the scriptures, and the idea that you could see Him through the Prophet and the Whisperings of the Holy Ghost. I will look forward to more ideas in the future (I hope). Thank you many times over. My kids love our new song and so do I.
I did the lamp pictures yesterday and the kids loved it. The senior primary was extraordinarily pleased. And by the time I got to the Holy Ghost paper, several were saying “I know how you did that!” (so proud of themselves for being so smart) I encouraged them to make their own magic papers at home with their printer. Thanks so much, I’m going to be checking back here for sure, you have some great ideas!
I was just called as our primary chorister. The chorister before me was amazing and has been a wonderful help. But your web site is just perfect for those of us who have never been in primary! Thank you!
I just wanted to thank you for sharing all your hard work. I live in a small branch, but we have quite a few children. I didn’t even know how to lead music when I received the calling as primary chorister. I am just learning how to teach children music. This is a great help, thank you so much!!
i thank you for this wonderful idea. my 7 yr old loves to sing and as i am not in primary i am so thankful that he is learning this beautiful song about our Saviour and how listening to the spirit can help him in his personal life.
thank you
Wow! I thought I was creative coming up with ideas for teaching the music in Primary, but your music plan is truly at the next level! I am indeed grateful to have found your blog and your willingness to share what you’ve developed. I was searching for some pictures to use to help my primary children learn the second and third verses of If I Listen with My Heart when I found your site, an answer to an silent prayer. Your ideas are WONDERFUL!!! Thank you so much! -Jennifer
I’ve used both ideas and it worked very well. Truly amazing!! The children have understnding the meaning of the song and memorized the words.
REally thanks for sharing!!!!
The best ideas I’ve seen – you have been truly inspired. Thank you so much for sharing with us all as we struggle to do our best in our stewardships.
These wonderful songs show up years later as we see. I’m using this great idea next week to kick off 2016 and the new Primary music.
This is so wonderful! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
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