When I Am Baptized – Verse Two

Preparation

• Print the regular visual aids or the crossword visual aids. Trim and glue together the baptismal font. Trim and glue together the arch. Trim the upper corners of the picture of heaven and glue it inside the arch.
• Cut the arch into a puzzle, but make sure that each piece will fit behind a water drop or a picture (the water drops and matching pictures can be found in the first verse visuals). (I covered the arch with the water drops and pictures and then drew the puzzle underneath using the pictures and raindrops as guides to how big each piece should be.) After cutting the puzzle out, tape each piece to the back of its water drop or picture using removable double-sided tape. (I taped them face forward and then put a magnet on the back of the puzzle piece. That way the magnet held the water drop (or picture) on the board, and when the water drop was removed and the puzzle piece was put on the board, the magnet held the puzzle piece on the board. )

Presentation

This activity works the same as the first verse activity. The water drops go under the baptismal font with just a little showing. A child pulls down the first water drop and finds a picture to match it on the walls. When all the water drops have been pulled down, and the matching pictures found, then the children sing the song.

Optional Activity: Use the visual aids with the crossword puzzle on it. The words represent some of the blessings we enjoy after baptism: the gift of the Holy Ghost, being clean of sin, being a member of the church of Jesus Christ, and being on the path towards eternal life. The words are: Holy Ghost, Clean, Member, and Path. Laminate the font, or cover the puzzle parts with pieces of clear packaging tape, or use page protector plastic and removable double-sided tape. Have the children write in the words with a dry erase marker. If a child gets a word right they get to pull down a water drop and find the matching picture.

Memorizing

Have a child choose a water drop to take off the board. Have the children sing the verse again. If the children can remember and sing the missing words, the child can take the puzzle piece off the back of the water drop and put it on the board. (The arched entry to the path to eternal life is supposed to remind the children of the symbolism of looking for rainbows after rain, or in other words the blessings we enjoy after baptism. Remind the children that after they are baptized they have entered the gate and are on the path that leads towards eternal life. See 2 Nephi 31:17-18 )

Have another child choose a water drop to take off the board. Continue doing the above memorizing activity until each of the water drops and pictures are off the board and the arched entry path to heaven is complete.

Have the children sing the chorus with the second verse and point out that the chorus tells them that if they can keep their life clean of sin after baptism (by repenting when they make mistakes) they can one day gain eternal life and live with God again.

Note: The picture of the baptismal font comes from the May 2011 Friend. The arch comes from the Book of Mormon seminary teacher manual, and the temple picture comes from lds.org media library.

Song – When I Am Baptized- Verse One (CS, pg. 103) 

•  Print the raindrops onto blue paper and cut them out.  Also print the pictures. Cut them out and trim them so they look similar to above pictures. (The pictures are from Microsoft Word clipart)
• Print eight clouds onto white cardstock and cut them out. Print two sets of the rainbow. Cut out the rainbow pieces. Each piece then needs to be cut into two puzzle pieces. Work on one rainbow at a time. The two end pieces need to be cut so that each piece will fit on the back of a raindrop. Each of the two middle pieces need to be cut so each piece will fit on the back of one of the pictures. (The first rainbow goes with the first verse and the second rainbow goes with the chorus.)
• After the rainbows are cut into puzzle pieces, attach them to the back of the raindrops and pictures. I attached them face down with removable double-sided tape, and then I attached a magnet to the back of each piece. (The magnet serves a dual purpose of holding a raindrop or picture on the board, and then later to attach the rainbow piece on the board. ) I also attached a magnet to the top, back of each of the clouds for easy set up.
• When setting up, put a raindrop under each cloud and attach them to the left side of the chalkboard (see above picture example).  Only set up four clouds and raindrops at a time. The raindrops should be sticking out of the bottom of the clouds so they children can pull them down. Tape each of the pictures on the walls around the room before primary starts.

Presentation

Choose a child to pull down the first raindrop. Have the child read the words and look around the room for a picture that matches it.  The other children can help by pointing to the picture if needed. Have the child put the picture under the raindrop. Choose another child to pull down the next raindrop and find its matching picture. Have junior primary sing these first two lines. After that continue with the activity until all four raindrops are pulled down and have matching pictures with them. Have junior primary sing the last two lines and then put all four together. Have senior primary sing all four lines.

Memorizing Activity

Have a child choose a raindrop to take off the board. That child will hold it so the other children can’t see the words. Have the children sing the verse again. If the children can remember and sing the missing words, the child can take the rainbow piece off the back of the raindrop and put it on the board above the clouds.

Explain to the children the following reason a rainbow is used in this activity: Remind the children that the song is about baptism, and the rain washing clean the earth in the song is used symbolically and reminds us of baptism and being washed clean of sin. And just like we enjoy rainbows after rain, there are many wonderful  things we enjoy after being baptized, such the gift of the Holy Ghost, being clean of sin (but remind them we have the sacrament and repentance to help us be clean again if we make a mistake), being members of the church of Jesus Christ, being on the path towards gaining eternal life, etc.

After explaining what the rainbow in the activity reminds us of, have another child choose a raindrop to take off the board. Continue doing the above memorizing activity until each of the raindrops and pictures are off the board and the rainbow is complete.

After the children learn the first four lines of the song, put up the clouds and raindrops for the chorus on the right side of the board, and do the same entire activity with the chorus.

Note: If the children in senior primary are already familiar with the first verse, this will just be a review. Have them tell you what the first line is. Have the child that quotes it correctly, or almost correctly, check it by pulling down the first raindrop. Have that child find the matching picture. Contiue in this manner. During the memorizing part have the children take off two raindrops at a time, and then do the same with the pictures.