LDS Sharing Time June 2014 Week 2: Temples make it possible for families to be together forever.

June 2014 Sharing Time Topic: Priesthood Ordinances and Temple Work Bless My Family

June 2014 Scripture: “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

June 2014 Week 2 Topic:  Temples make it possible for families to be together forever. 

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:  Gather Pictures of Temples.  Here is a link to some pictures of temples: LDS Church Temples

Help the Children Understand the Doctrine: Prepare to sing and discuss, "I Love to See The Temple" Children's Song Book Pg. 95

Help them apply the doctrine in their lives: Give each child the Preparing For The Temple printable. Discuss the ways they can prepare right now to attend the temple.

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.

Sharing Time Instruction:

Begin the Sharing Time by showing the primary children some pictures of  temples. Ask them what the pictures are of?  Then ask them, What kind of blessing do we receive from the temple?  (Answers could include: Our families can be sealed together forever. We are able to do ordinances for the dead.)

Write on the chalk board, "Temples make it possible for families to be together forever."

Invite the primary children to sing both verses of, "I Love to See The Temple".

Using the printable above, place the word strips of the first verse on the board. (The word strips could be attached to pictures of temples) Read the first line, "I Love to see the temple." Ask the children why they love to see the temple? (Answers might include, because it is beautiful, because it is a sacred place, because it is a place that families can be sealed together forever, etc.)

Read the second line, "I'm going there someday" Ask the children why they want to go to the temple someday? (Answers might include, To make covenants, to be a forever family, etc.)

Read the third and fourth line, "To feel the Holy Spirit, To listen and to pray"  Ask the children what these two lines say about some things they can do at the temple?

Read the fifth and sixth lines, "For the temple is a house of God, A place of love and beauty." Ask the children what these two lines teach us about the temple?

Read the seventh and  eighth lines, "I'll prepare myself while I am young;  This is my sacred duty." Ask the children how they can prepare themselves to attend the temple?  (Answers might include: Attending church, Reading scriptures, Saying daily prayers, Partaking of the sacrament each Sunday, Being baptized and confirmed, Keeping self clean and modest, Obeying the word of wisdom, Keeping the commandments, etc.)  Explain that the songs says, "This is my sacred duty". Ask they children what that line means? (It is our responsibility, something we are asked to do.)

Second Verse:

Using the printable above, place the word strips of the second verse on the board. Read the first, second, third and fourth verse, "I love to see the temple. I'll go inside someday. I'll cov'nant with my Father; I'll promise to obey."  Discuss these lines with the children.  Explaining that in the temple we make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father. Ask the children if they remember what a covenant is?  Explain that it is a two way promise. It is important that we obey and keep our covenants, so Heavenly Father can bless us.

Read the fifth and sixth lines, "For the temple is a holy place  Where we are sealed together."  Discuss these lines with the children. Some things to discuss might be why the temple is a holy place (that is is the house of God, where sacred ordinances are performed and sacred covenants made).  That families are sealed together  forever by priesthood power and authority. They are bound on earth and in heaven for all eternity.

Read the seventh and eighth lines, "As a child of God, I've learned this truth: A fam'ly is forever." Discuss these lines with the children. Discussion might include that each of us is a daughter or son of God. Ask them what is the truth that we have learned?  Answer, A FAMILY IS FOREVER!

Invite the children to sing, "I Love to See The Temple", one more time.

Give each child a paper (see Preparing For The Temple printable above) that they can take home and discuss with their family.  Invite them to draw their family members holding hands around the temple. Explain to them that on the paper it explains ways they can prepare right now, so they can go to the temple someday. Encourage them to do these things so they can each go inside the temple and make sacred covenants with Heavenly Father someday.

Close by sharing your testimony on the weeks topic.

Click this link for past Sharing Time post: LDS Primary Sharing Time Ideas 

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

All words in italics in this post are from, "I Love to See The Temple", Children's Songbook pg 95.