Sharing Time March 2014 Week 1: I can gain a testimony of Jesus Christ.

Preparation:
Prayerfully study and think about what the specific needs of your primary are and how you can teach them this doctrine.

Identify the doctrine:  I can gain a testimony of Jesus Christ. Prepare to ask the children, what a testimony is?

Help the Children Understand the Doctrine: Prepare to tell or show the story of President James E. Faust. Here is a link to the conference address where he shares the story. Print out the poster, printable below.

Help them apply the doctrine in their lives: Gather 15 blocks, if blocks are not available you could use cans or something else you can build with.  Print off the below word strips and place them on the blocks.  Prepare to discuss the word strips. 

Free Printables: (Printing Tip: Click on image to open and then save image to your computer.  You can then print the image from your computer.)

Theme Poster

Building Block Words Strips

(There are two different size of word strips on the printable.  The smaller square ones will fit on the one inch square block, the longer ones will fit on the 1X2 inch rectangle blocks)

Sharing Time Instruction:

Begin the sharing time by asking the primary children if they know what a testimony is.  Encourage them to raise their hands before giving the answer.  Thank everyone for their answers.  Explain that a testimony is, "A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost." (lds.org:Topics:Testimony) Explain to the children that the Holy Ghost is a Spirit, it communicates with our spirit, it gives us proof that things are true. We call that proof, a testimony. (Gaining a Testimony of Jesus Christ: BY ELDER BRUCE R. MCCONKIE, Dec 1980 Ensign)  

Hold up a picture of President James E Faust and share the following story with the primary children,  “When President James E. Faust was a child, he had a nightmare and woke up crying. His grandmother hugged him, comforted him, and told him they were safe because Jesus Christ was watching over them. He went peacefully back to bed, assured that Jesus does watch over us.”  (see “A Growing Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 53). Or you can show that clip of his conference address with the story, follow this link. Explain to the children that that experience helped President Faust gain a testimony of Jesus Christ.  Place the word poster on the board, "I can gain a testimony of Jesus Christ".  Have the children repeat those words with you.

Explain to the children that our testimony is always growing.  Ask them ways they can strengthen or help their testimony of Jesus Christ grow?  Bring a bag or box of 15 blocks. Explain that on the blocks are written either some things they can do to help their testimony grow or stories about Jesus that can help them gain a testimony.  Let one child come up and choose a block and read what it says.  Talk about what it says. Have the child place the block on the table or ground.  Ask another child to come up and pick another one. Have them read it and discuss it.  Have them place the block next to the first block.  Continue with the remaining blocks, building them upon each other. (If you have 15 blocks then you will have 5 on the bottom, 4 on the second row, 3 on the 3rd, 2 on the 2nd and 1 on the top. Explain to the children that as we continue to learn about Jesus Christ our testimony is strengthened and grows. That we are continually building upon our testimony.

Bear your testimony about Jesus Christ.

***Basic ideas for this sharing time came from the 2014 Sharing Time Outline, you can find a link here

Discussion of Word Strips that will be on the blocks:

Things we Can do:
Read the Scriptures:  Explain that when we read the scripture stories about Jesus, we can come to know him better and the spirit can testify to us that the stories are true.

Pray: We can pray to our Heavenly Father to gain a testimony of the Savior.

Using the Atonement: When we use the atonement of Christ our relationship with the Savior can be strengthened. We can know that he took those pains and sins that we have, upon his self, so we can be forgiven.

Living a Christ Centered Life:  When we pattern our lives after the Savior, by serving and loving others. Our love for the Savior will grow.  Another part of living a Christ centered life is to keep all of God's commandments.  When we keep the commandments we allow the spirit to dwell with us.

Listen to and Read Testimonies of the Savior:  When we hear or read testimonies of Jesus Christ the spirit will give us a confirmation that the things said and written are true.  Our testimonies can be strengthened by their witness.

Stories of Jesus Christs Life:
His Role in the Pre-Mortal Life: We read in the scriptures that Jesus was the first born spirit child of our Heavenly Father.  Jesus was chosen to be our Savior. We chose to follow him and our Father in Heaven.

The Creation: In Moses 2:26, we read that Jesus Christ under the direction of our Father in Heaven created the Earth and everything on it.  We can see his work in all things around us. 

His Birth:  We read of his birth in Matthew and Luke.  We read that he was the only begotten child of our Heavenly Father.  That he is indeed the Son of God.

His Baptism: In Matthew 3:13-17, we read about Christ being baptized by immersion.  He did this to be an example to us. 

The Miracles He Performed: In John 2:11 we read that because of the miracles Jesus preformed, his disciples believed in him. Their testimonies we strengthened that he was the son of God.  Ask the children to tell about some of the miracles. 

The Atonement: In Luke 22:39-44, we read of Christ's atonement for all men.  He suffered for every pain. He has felt what we feel.  He made it possible that we can overcome our sins and weaknesses and be forgiven. 

His Death: In Luke 23, we read about our Savior's death.  We learn of the mocking he went through and the great pain he must have suffered at he was nailed to the cross.  Why did he die?  He did it for us!

His Resurrection: In Luke 24, we read about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Our Savior overcame physical death. This is proof the he is the spiritual and physical son of God!  He appeared to both the people in Jerusalem and the people in the Americas with his resurrected body. 

The Restoration of the Gospel: God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared before Joseph Smith when he was only 14 years old, as he prayed for an answer.  In Joseph Smith-History Chapter 1:17 we read,  "...One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"  

The Second Coming: We know that our Savior will come to the earth again someday.  In Acts 1:10-11 it states: "10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." And in Job 19:25 we read, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:"