June 2008 Sharing Time—Temple Links
by Shauna Gibby
| This sharing time will teach the children about the blessings of temple covenants. |
Preparation
Cut out eight strips of paper (approximately 11-inches long by 2-inches wide.) Write one of the questions or songs found below on each strip. Obtain a stapler and staples or tape. Obtain a picture of a temple.
Presentation
Invite a child to come to the front of the room. Ask them if they are someone’s child. When they say yes, tell the other children that this person will represent a CHILD. Then ask if anyone has a parent, choose one of the children. Have them come stand next to the child and link arms. Tell the other children that this person represents a PARENT. Ask if anyone has a grandmother or grandfather, choose one of the children. Have them come stand next to the parent and link arms. Tell the other children that this person represents a GRANDPARENT. Ask if anyone has a great-grandmother or great-grandfather, choose a child. Have them come up and stand next to the grandparent and link arms. Tell the other children that this person represents a GREAT-GRANDPARENT.
Ask if any of the children are someone’s grandchild, choose one of the children. Have them come up and stand on the other side of the child and link arms. Tell the other children that this person represents a GRANDCHILD. Ask if anyone is a great-grandchild, choose one of the children. Have them come up and stand next to the grandchild and link arms. Tell the other children that this person represents a GREAT-GRANDCHILD.
Have all the children help you count how many generations you have linked together. Ask if they know how we can be linked with our family members that are older than us and with family members that are not yet born.
Show the picture of the temple. Explain that Heavenly Father has made a way for us to be linked to our families forever. This is done by participating in ordinances in the temple. Sometimes this is called sealing. Just like you seal an envelope, you can seal family members together. Have the children return to their seats.
Show the children the strips of paper. Tell them you want to link the papers together to make a chain, just like the family was linked together. Ask a child to come and choose a paper. Have them answer the question on the paper or have everyone sing the song indicated. When they have completed the question or song, tape or staple the strip into a circle. Repeat with each strip, adding each circle to the previous one to make a chain.
Chain links—Questions and songs
1. Name one ordinance that can be performed in the temple. (Baptism, confirmation, priesthood ordination, marriage, sealing of children to parents.)
2. Read the first part of 2 Nephi 5:16. “And I Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon.” Who’s temple did Nephi make his look like?
3. Sing “I Love to See the Temple,” Children’s Songbook, p. 95.
4. What can you do now to prepare to go to the temple when you are older?
5. How old do you have to be to do baptisms for the dead? (12)
6. Why would you want to be with your family forever?
7. Sing “Families Can Be Together Forever,” Children’s Songbook, p. 188.
8. What color do people wear inside the temple? Why? (White, to symbolize cleanliness)
Bear your testimony about the temple. Explain how important your family is to you and how grateful you are to be able to be together forever. Help the children understand that if they don’t have the blessings of the temple in their family right now, that they can set that as a goal. Challenge the children to set a goal finding someone among their ancestors who needs temple ordinances done for them.
If you choose, you can have each child make a chain. Give them each six strips of paper with the words GREAT-GRANDCHILD, GRANDCHILD, CHILD, PARENT, GRANDPARENT, and GREAT-GRANDPARENT on them. Help them tape or staple the strips into a chain or let them take the strips home to put together.
Deseret Book
Posted by Dolly
from SLC
I think this is a great idea but I'm changing it just a bit. I'm going to give each child 10 strips of paper then ask them to "pay tithing". Then together we'll write the names on the papers--we'll include Aunt and Uncle to round out the titles with the number of strips the children have. Then we'll discuss how when everyone pays their tithing, we can build a temple where everyone can be sealed. We'll build a chain (hopefully a big one with the one strip donated from each child) and then loop it around as many children as we can, then those children can "seal" their chains with the stapler. We'll repeat the process until everyone has sealed their families together. Thanks for this idea, I was hitting a wall!
|
Posted by Cindy
from Redcliff, Alberta, Canada
The article was great, but was for June not September. If you have the one for September would you please send it.I would love to see more articles on sharing times that really involve the children. Thanks for the help you have given to date.
|
