Jun 21 2012

Testimony: Activities & Games

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Growing a Testimony

Friend January 2019 “Seeds of Faith” The prophet Alma compared growing your faith to planting a seed (see Alma 32). When you pray, read the scriptures, and help others, your faith and testimony will grow! Try this experiment to watch a seed sprout.

Also, everyone’s testimony grows differently. Can you match each plant with its shadow?

Friend November 2018 “Building Blocks of Testimony” Use the four words on the right to fill in the blanks in the four building blocks of testimony.

Friend October 2017 “Elder Perry, Chickens, and Me” The pictures in this maze show things you can do to gain a testimony and keep it bright. Can you get to all five before you get to the end of the maze?

Friend May 2016
Friend May 2016
Friend July 2015
Friend July 2015 lesson ideas too
Friend June 2015
Friend June 2015
Friend June 2015
Friend June 2015 Story included
Friend April 2015
Friend April 2015
Jun 20 2012

A – L

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Music – Song List

A

B

C

D

F

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I

Jun 9 2012

Father’s Day Song

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 Grandmother/ Father:  pg 200

I changed the word “Grandmother” to the word “Father” so I could use this song for a Father’s Day song.  It worked great!

Preparation

Print the flipchart visuals.  (The images are from the church media library and from Microsoft Word clipart.)

Presentation

Post the flipchart pages for the first verse on the board. After singing the verse have the children think of actions they could do in to help remind them of the words. Have a child come up and take one of the pages off the board and demonstrate the action they chose for that page. Sing the song again. Continue in this manner until the verse is memorized.

After the children have the first verse memorized do the same activity with the other verses.

 

Jun 2 2012

Nephi’s Courage – Verse One and Two

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Nephi’s Courage – Verse One and Two (pg 120)

Preparation

  • Print and cut out the story figures. Print and cut out the chorus visuals. Glue each of the chorus visuals to a popsicle stick, one picture on the front and one on the back.
  • Items needed: four popsicle sticks, a display board to put the story figures on (a flannel board, cookie sheet, white board, etc) and something to make the figures stick to the board (sticky tack, felt, fusible interfacing, magnets, etc). (I used a carpet board and sticky back hook velcro)

Presentation

Put each figure on the display board as you tell the children the song words. (On the part that says “they believed it would not float” turn the boat sideways and slide it down the board to indicate sinking.) You may wish to have the children sing the song after every couple of lines that are presented.  After the words are presented have a child put the figures on the board as the children sing the song. (Have a new child do this each time you sing the song.) Go over any words they may have problems with before singing the song again.

Another option would be to provide simple items and props and have the children dress up and act out the song.

Chorus

There are several ways to use the popsicle sticks. One way is to have two children hold them and then lift them up at the appropriate times.  Another way is to have the children pass them from person to person, and the child who is holding the visual aid lifts it up when everyone is singing that part.  (That is why there are pictures on both sides of the popsicle sticks.

Visuals are from Microsoft Word Clipart and the Friend magazine.

 

May 26 2012

Mother, Tell Me the Story

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Mother, Tell Me the Story  – pg. 204

Singing in sacrament meeting for Mother’s Day we put two songs together. We sang the first part of “Mother I Love You“, and then we sang “Mother Tell Me the Story”.  At the end of that we sang the last part of “Mother I Love You” (Mother I love you, I love you, I do). I had the women teachers and primary leaders sing the mother’s part in the song, and I asked a violinist to play their part as they sang.  We also did the combination of the mother’s and the children’s parts. It was beautiful.

Teaching the Song:

I used a visual aid idea that I saw several places on the Internet – I made the song into a story book. The children sang the song a couple of times as I showed them each page, then we started our memorizing activity. I had put the words on the pages with double-sided removable tape so I could remove them. I put black ribbons as bookmarks in-between each page. I had a child come up and choose a bookmark from the closed book. We opened the book to that page and I took the words off that page. They sang the song again. We did this until they had the song memorized.

Assembly:

I used four half sheets of poster board folded in half to make the book. After attaching the printed words and pictures, I laid the pages flat and poked  two holes through the middle of all the pages, one towards the top of the pages and one towards the bottom. I put a shoe lace through the holes and tied the pages together.  I taped the ends of the six black bookmark ribbons to the last page (which was blank)  and then draped each ribbon bookmark in-between a page.

I gave copies of the song to the teachers after the children learned their part, and then we practiced everybody’s parts together. I let the teachers take the words home to memorize them.

Note: The pictures are from Microsoft Word Clipart and the Friend Magazine.

May 19 2012

When I Am Baptized – Verse Two

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 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.

May 19 2012

Family History: Activities & Games

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Table of Contents

Family Treasure Hunt

Friend January 2022 “Family Treasure Hunt” Make a treasure box, then go on a treasure hunt and learn about your family! Each month there will be a new challenge and a badge to add to your treasure box.

Friend February 2022 Find something about music to put in your treasure box or on FamilySearch.org.

Friend March 2022 Find something that builds your testimony to put in your treasure box or on FamilySearch.org.

Friend April 2022 Add something to your treasure box that reminds you of a favorite place.

Friend May 2022 “Family Treasure Hunt” Find or make something to remind you of what is most important to your family.

Friend June 2022 “Family Treasure Hunt” Find something about food to put in your treasure box

Friend July 2022 “Family Treasure Hunt” Find something that shows where you are from.

Friend August 2022 “Family Treasure Hunt” Make something that shows why your name is special.

Friend September 2022 Find something that reminds you of a family member or ancestor. Or find something you want to give to your future family.

Friend October 2022 Find something that shows the talents you and your family members have.

Friend November 2022 Find something that reminds you of your family traditions.

Friend December 2022

Keep your treasures safe so you and your family can remember them.

  • Take pictures of each treasure. Then upload them to FamilySearch.org/memories.
  • Make a video of yourself showing the treasures and talking about them.

Memorabilia and Memories Help Us Feel Close to and Remember Our Families

Friend August 2022 “For Older Kids”

Friend August 2020 “Family History in Five Senses” (touch, sight, sound, smell, taste) Write or draw pictures of some things that remind you of your family.

Friend November 2021 “Interview a Family Member” Learning about your family helps you understand where you came from. So grab a recorder or a pen and paper and ask a relative some questions.

Present Family History

Friend May 2020 “Family History Time Machine” Make a time capsule. Take turns writing or recording your family’s answers to the questions. Then make a time capsule to keep the answers safe (see article for ideas on how to make a time capsule) When you read or listen to the answers in the future, it’ll be a blast from the past!

Friend September 2015
Friend September 2015

Friend December 2022 ” For Older Kids” Write down questions about your family members. Then give them a quiz! Who got the most questions right?

Friend March 2018 “A Family Timelime” On cups, put pictures that represent each year of the family. Mix the cups up and see if family members can put them in the right order.

Present & Past Family History

Friend March 2016
Friend March 2016
Friend Jan 2015
Friend Jan 2015 
Friend February 2015

Friend November 2021 “Family History Match-Up” Draw or print two pictures of each family member—one when they are younger and one when they are older. Glue the pictures on heavy paper. Now play a matching game!

Finding & Taking Family Names to the Temple

Friend October 2019 “The Temple Challenge” Temple Scramble: This girl has taken a family name to the temple. Can you put the pictures in order?

See  more “Family History Mystery” in each Friend in 2015- March, April,   May , June, July, Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

Friend January 2018 “Ready, Set, Go” Do the activity and earn a badge each month. First activity is to decorate a file, binder or box to put family history items in. Also, sign up for familysearch.org. This activity could be used for a Personal Progress or Faith in God project. Additional stamps and badge keepers can be found here,

Friend January 2018
Friend February 2018

Friend March 2018 “A Family Timeline”

Friend April 2018 “Create a Profile”

Friend May 2018 “Fill Your Family Tree”

Friend June 2018 “Watch and Listen” Write family names on Bingo board and then look at family pictures or videos and mark when you see that person. Try to get three in a row. Also, record a family member’s story and put it on familysearch.org.

Friend July 2018 “Find the people in your family tree who were pioneers, such as the first person to join the church or the first to graduate from college.

Friend August 2018 “Temple Tracker” Some of your ancestors might need ordinances done for them in the temple. Use the chart below to keep track.

Friend September 2018 “Learn To Index” Indexing is looking at handwritten records, like birth certificates, and typing the information into a computer program. Practice indexing by doing this activity.

Friend October 2018 “Temple Time” Look through your family tree on FamilySearch.org and find as many temples as you can in your family history! Also, make a temple puzzle.  (Activity Idea: For each temple you find in your family tree, put a piece of the puzzle together. Add more puzzle pieces by having family members (or friends) do the work for your ancestors in the temple.)

Friend November 2018 “Grow a Family Gratitude Tree” You know about a family tree, and maybe you’ve heard of a gratitude tree. This month, squish the two together and make a family gratitude tree! Put a paper tree trunk and branches on your wall. Then cut out lots of paper leaves. On each leaf, finish one of these sentences:

I’m grateful for my family because …
I’m grateful for family history because …
I’m grateful for temples because …
You can also add leaves throughout the month about anything else you’re grateful for!

Friend December 2018 “Quest Complete” Write down a favorite family recipe and add it to your folder. Afterwards, print the quest completion certificate and celebrate what you’ve learned this year.

Friend March 1982
Friend March 1982
Friend April 1980
Friend April 1980
Friend
Friend November 1983 
Friend June 1983
Friend June 1983

Friend January 2021 “Find It” These Primary children in Germany had a family history day! Find 5 old photos and 10 pairs of scissors. Then find the other hidden objects.

May 17 2012

Lesson 28 – Nephi and Lehi in Prison

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Lesson 28

 Nephi and Lehi in Prison

Preparation
• Items needed: a lamp or battery powered lantern, a clear page protector, a half sheet of poster board, double-sided removable tape, a picture of Jesus , scriptures for each child, a table easel, chalk and eraser, a small piece of thick dark paper, a piece of cooking wax paper, and a Pringles potato chip canister with plastic lid (or some other type of container that won’t let light in but is thin enough to cut holes in such as a shoe box.)
• Print the signs. Cut out the sign that says “I am the light of the world” and tape it to the top of the picture of Jesus. Also cut out the direction card that says “Look behind the picture of Jesus.” Tape the direction card to the inside bottom of the canister. Cut out a circle of wax paper and a circle of dark paper using the plastic lid as a guide. Put a hole in the middle of each paper about the size of a pea. Tape the wax paper inside the clear plastic lid. Tape the dark paper under the wax paper. Put the lid on the canister. Optional: glue decorative paper onto the outside of the canister. (If using a shoe box for this activity, poke an eye hole in the tall end of the box about the size of a pea and put the direction card on the opposite end. Cut a golf ball sized hole in the side of the box and tape a piece of thick dark paper over the hole.)
• Print the activity visual aids. Cover the back of the cloud page with glue (Scotch permanent glue stick works well), and adhere it to the front of the picture of Jesus. Cut the combined page into 12 puzzle pieces using the puzzle outline as a guide. Tape a page protector to the middle of the half sheet of poster board. Attach the puzzle pieces around it with double-sided removable tape (see above picture). Press the pieces on lightly so the tape will remain on the puzzle pieces when moving them to the page protector. Have extra tape available in class just in case.
• Print the handouts; one cloud handout will be needed per child. Glue the cloud page on top of the pictures of Jesus (just like the activity page). Cut the page into four sections so one cloud is on each cut section. Put the handouts in a Ziploc baggie. Place the Ziploc baggie on the easel and then put the picture of Jesus in front of it. Display the picture of Jesus on a table in class.
• Print the scripture story visual aids. Cut each page in half so one picture is on each half. Number the back of each picture in the order printed.

 

Attention Activity
Show the children the canister and explain that there are directions inside the canister that will lead them to a special handout. Have them take turns looking through the eye hole to try and read the directions. Ask the children if any of them can see the directions. Take the dark cover off the lid and ask them to try again. (Tell the children to wait to follow the directions. Explain that they will retrieve the items towards the end of the lesson.)

• Why were the directions visible the second time? Because light was let into the canister.

Ask a child to read the caption on the picture of Jesus. Explain that the full scripture is found in John 8:12 and it says: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

• What does the “light of life” mean? (The guiding light that leads to eternal life.) How is Jesus the guiding light of the world? Jesus lights the way to eternal life through His example and teachings.

• What might happen if a person didn’t have a light when walking in a dark area such as in a forest on a dark, cloudy night? (They might trip and fall over obstacles and get hurt.) Could the person find their desired destination? It would be difficult.

Just as we would need a light to help us find our way in the dark, we also need a light to help us find our way through the dark clouds of Satan’s lies and temptations on earth and see the way to eternal life.

Scripture Account
Remind the children of last week’s lesson concerning Helaman and the stripling warriors. Explain that after the war with the Lamanites, Helaman once again began to preach the gospel and build up the church. After Helaman died, the records he had kept were eventually given to his son who was also named Helaman. His son Helaman became a chief judge and served righteously. He had two sons by the names of Nephi and Lehi. He taught them many things

• Why do you think Helaman named his sons after Nephi and Lehi? (See Helaman 5:6.) He named them after righteous men hoping his sons would be reminded of their deeds and try to be like them.

• Ask the children if any of them are named after a person with praiseworthy characteristics.  Ask them how they feel when they hear about the characteristics of the person they are named after. Does it inspire them? Do they want to strive to be like that person?

• Remind the children that they took on a special name at baptism. What name is that? (See 2 Nephi 31:13 & Mosiah 6:1-2) The name of Jesus Christ. Explain that in today’s lesson they are going to discuss ways they can become more like Jesus Christ.

Scripture Story Continued
After Helaman died, his son Nephi served as chief judge for a time, but when the people began to become wicked and prideful he gave up the judgment seat to go and preach among them with his brother Lehi.

• The judgment seat was the top political office among the Nephites. It was influential like being a president or a prime minister. Why would Nephi give up a position where he could influence many people for good? The laws of the land were established by the voice of the people, and because of the wickedness of the people the laws had become corrupted and had little influence for good. Nephi felt he would have more influence and do more good by preaching the word of God.

Nephi and Lehi went from city to city preaching the word of God with great power, convincing many to repent. After they had gone among all the people of Nehi in the land southward, they went among the Lamanites and preached to them. Many of the Lamanites and the Nephite dissenters who lived among them were baptized unto repentance.

Scripture Story Activity
Put the scripture story visuals on the right side of the board in random order using tape or magnets. Read the story below to the children in numerical order. After reading each numbered section, stop and have a child choose a visual aid that goes with that part of the story. Have them turn over the card to see if it is right. The number on the back should match the number on the paragraph you read. If it is correct have the child move it to the left side of the board. The pictures on the left should be kept in the correct order.

1. Nephi and Lehi then went to the Land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites and Nephite dissenters who resided there. In the Land of Nephi the Lamanites cast Nephi and Lehi into prison. They were given no food.

2. After several days the Lamanites came to the prison to slay them. When the Lamanites entered the prison, Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire. The Lamanites dared not lay their hands on them fearing they would be burned.

3. Nephi and Lehi were not burned by the fire. They told the Lamanites that God was demonstrating his marvelous power by protecting them with the fire.

4. Then the earth and the walls of the prison shook as if they might tumble down. The Lamanites were overshadowed by a cloud of darkness and they were afraid.

5. As they stood there in the darkness they heard a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness saying, “Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.” It was not a voice of thunder but a still voice of perfect mildness, and it did pierce them to their souls.

6. The walls and earth shook and the voice spoke to them two more times. The Lamanites were frozen with fear.

7. There was a Nephite among them who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented. He saw through the cloud of darkness and saw that Nephi and Lehi’s faces were shining with light.

8. Their eyes were lifted up to heaven, and they were in the attitude of talking to some being that they beheld.

9. The Nephite man did cry unto the multitude to turn and look. The Lamanites asked the man what it all meant and who Nephi and Lehi were conversing with. The Nephite, whose name was Aminadab, said that they do converse with the angels of God. The Lamanites asked Aminadab what they could do to make the cloud of darkness disperse. Aminadab told them they must repent and pray to God until they gained faith in Christ.

10. They did as Aminadab said and the cloud of darkness dispersed.

11. When they looked about and saw the cloud of darkness had dispersed, they also saw they were encircled by a pillar of fire. It did not hurt them and they were filled with unspeakable joy. The Spirit of God did enter into their hearts. They saw and heard many marvelous things.

12. There were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things, and they did go forth and minister to the people declaring all the things they had heard and seen.

13. The more part of the Lamanites were convinced of the truth of the matter because of the great amount of evidence. All those who were convinced did lay down their weapons of war, and they let go of their hatred and the traditions of their fathers.

The Lamanites had been living their lives in darkness by believing Satan’s lies, following the incorrect traditions of their fathers, and filling their lives with hatred for the Nephites.

• What did the Lamanites do to escape the darkness? They prayed for forgiveness and for faith in Jesus Christ. Afterwards they changed their lives and followed the teachings of Jesus.

Activity
Put the puzzle and page protector on the board and explain that the children are going to do an activity that will help show them ways they can follow Jesus and fill their lives with light. Have them work in groups of two. Explain that you want them to think of some things that Jesus taught or some examples he set (if they need help they can look in the chapter headlines of the book of Luke in the New Testament for ideas.) Ideas might include the following: ministered to the sick and afflicted, prayed, fasted, kept the Sabbath Day holy, taught the gospel, knew the scriptures, served others, was baptized, was meek and humble, loved others, forgave. (Remind the children that one way to know and remember what Jesus did and taught is to read their scriptures daily. His teachings are found in all the books of scripture.)

Have the groups take turns telling an answer. After they give an answer have them write it on the board and then put a puzzle piece on the page protector. Continue in this manner until all the puzzle pieces are in the correct order on the page protector. When all the pieces are in the correct order, tape or pin the page protector on a lamp (or lantern) and turn on the lamp. The picture of Jesus should shine through. Explain that when we learn and do the things Jesus taught, then we are filling our lives with light: the knowledge, understanding, and truths that lead to eternal life.

Have one of the children now follow the directions they read in the canister. Once the child has retrieved the items from behind the picture of Jesus, explain that the items are miniature copies of the picture on the lamp. Tell them to each take one home and pin or tape it to the outside of a lamp shade (preferably a lamp in their room, and with permission from parents). Explain that every time the lamp is turned on they will see the picture of Jesus, and it will be a reminder for them to follow Jesus because he is the light that leads to eternal life.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Remind the children to do their scripture reading assignment for this week: Helaman 5:14-52