2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for February Week 3: Families are central to Heavenly Father’s plan.

2016 Sharing Time Outline Theme: "I Know the Scriptures Are True"

February 2016 Sharing Time Topic: The Scriptures Teach of Heavenly Father’s Plan

February 2016 Scripture: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

February Week 3 Topic: Families are central to Heavenly Father’s plan.

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Preparation:

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

Sharing Time Instruction:

Bring to primary a loaf of banana bread and some bananas.  Begin sharing time by explaining that the loaf of bread is banana bread.  Ask the children, What they think the essential ingredient of banana bread would be? What makes banana bread banana bread and not just plain bread or pumpkin bread?  It is bananas right?!?  So, that would mean that bananas are essential or central to making banana bread.

Explain that throughout this month we have been learning that because Heavenly Father loves us so much, He has a plan for us.  Show the primary children the week's theme poster and invite them to repeat, "Families are central to Heavenly Father’s plan." Invite the primary children to share with you what they believe that means?  Explain that families are so important that Heavenly Father's whole plan is about families.

Draw a large circle on the board an in the center write the word, "Families".  Place the bags you have prepared before primary either on the floor or on the table.  Before primary place numbers 1-6  underneath some of the primary children's chairs.  At this time invite the primary children to look under their chairs and see if they have a number.  Invite number one to come up and pick the number one bag (paste the scripture w/# onto the front of the bag) and open it up and pull the picture out that is inside. Draw a line from the circle and place the picture on the board. Invite the primary child to read the scripture (If they are unable, you can read the scripture for them).  Invite the primary children to share with you what they have learned about the importance of families from the picture and the scripture. (See below explanation and things to discuss) Continue with each bag.

Here are the items, scriptures and ideas of discussion for each bag:

Number 1: Picture {Pre-Existence} Scripture: Romans 8:16 Discussion: We learn that we are spirit children of our Heavenly Father. That we are a family with the rest of His spirit children. Families are important in the pre-mortal world also.

Number 2: Picture {Adam and Eve and family} Scripture: Moses 5:2  Discussion: Adam and Eve were the first family here on earth. We can see the importance of families to Heavenly Father's plan, because every person is born into a family ever since the creation of the word.

Number 3:  Picture {Lehi's Family Leaving Jerusalem} Scripture: 1 Nephi 2:2-4 Discussion: We learn how important family is from Lehi and his family. The Lord commanded Lehi to take his family, not his riches and precious things, but solely his family.

Number 4: Picture {Young Couple Going to the Temple}Scripture: D&C 132:19 Discussion: Heavenly Father has given us a way for our families to be bound together eternally. Because of the sealing ordinance and covenants we make in the temple we are able to be with our families forever.

Number 5: Picture {Young Man Being Baptized (for the dead)} Scripture: D&C 138:48  Discussion: Temple work and Family History work!!! Families are so important that our Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to do work for our deceased ancestors. 

Number 6: The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  Discussion: Invite some of the children who can read, to come up and take turns reading a paragraph of the proclamation. Discuss that our families are so important to our Heavenly Father's plan that he gives us instruction from our prophets specific for our time and the challenges our families face. 

Close by sharing your testimony of the importance of families to Heavenly Father's plan.

Other Sharing Time ideas that could be used this week: 

• LDS Sharing Time October 2014 Week 2: Marriage between a man and a woman is essential to God’s plan
• LDS Sharing Time October 2014 Week 1: “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” came from God to help my family.
• Sharing Time April 2014 Week 1: The family is central to God’s plan. AND Week 2: Parents have important responsibilities in families.

What else have the primary children learned this month? Here are links to this month's past sharing times:

1. 2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas For February Week 1: Heavenly Father has a plan for me.
2. 2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for February Week 2: Jesus Christ created the earth for me.

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

***Basic ideas for this sharing time came from the 2016 Outline for Sharing Time, you can find a link here: 2016 Outline for Sharing Time