2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for July Week 1: God has commanded His people to build temples.

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

July 2016 Sharing Time Topic: The Temple Is a House of God

July 2016 Scripture: 
“Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” paragraph 3).

July 2016 Song:  “I Love to See the Temple” (CS 95)

July Week 1 Topic: God has commanded His people to build temples.

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:

Begin sharing time by showing the primary children a picture of a temple. Here is a link to temple pictures. Write the following words on the board, "The temple is ______." Invite the primary children to share with you what they would fill in the blank with.  Possible answers the primary children might say are, "The house of the Lord"; "A sacred place", "A holy place", etc. Write  some of the primary children's answers on the board. Invite the children to listen carefully as you read the following quote,

"A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness." (Temple, lds.org)

Invite them to tell you what that quote says that the temple is. Fill in the blank with, "A house of the Lord". Discuss with the children that, that is why the temple is so sacred and why we are to be so reverent and respectful at the temple.

Explain to the primary children that since Adam, whenever there have been people on the earth that obey Heavenly Father's words, he has COMMANDED them to build temples.

Show the primary children the week's theme poster and invite them to repeat, "God has commanded His people to build temples."  Ask the primary children why they think Heavenly Father wants us to build temples?

Using the temple printable, explain that "the Lord has commanded His people to build temples-sacred structures where He could teach, guide, and bless them." (Why Latter-day Saints Build Temples) Place the three pieces of the temple onto the board. Explain that Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to return to live with him. Temples make this possible. We attend the temple to be taught, guided, and receive sacred covenants, all these things bless our lives.

Place the following pictures on the board,



Adam and Eve Kneeling at an Alter



Solomon's Temple



Moses' Tabernacle in the Wilderness



Kirtland Temple



Salt Lake City, Utah Temple

Here are the following clues with their coordinating temple (see printable for Tool Clues)

- Hammer: "We built an alter to our Heavenly Father, where we could pray to him, make sacrifices unto him and make covenants with him. The sacrifices we made were "a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten” (Moses 5:6–7)." = Adam and Eve

- Screwdriver: "I built this temple unto the Lord out of the finest materials and dedicated it unto the Lord. The Lord accepted the temple as a place He could dwell among our people as long as they remained faithful" (Kings 1-10) = King Solomon's Temple

- Hand Saw:  “Our temple was called a tabernacle, and we moved it as we traveled” (2016 Sharing Time Outline) = Moses' Tabernacle in the Wilderness

-Measuring Tape: "The Lord commanded us that we were to build this temple. In so doing we would receive,  “endowment from on high” (D&C 105:33). The first temple to be built in the Latter-days." = Kirtland Temple

-Pliers: "We built the magnificent temple over a time period of 40 years. It is a temple of God and one that is recognized throughout the world." (The Salt Lake Temple) = The Salt Lake Temple

Show the children your tool  box (This could be a tool box or a shoe box, what ever you have handy), explain that inside of the tool box are some tools that give clues to the temples. There job is going to  read the clue and then place that clue next to the temple it would go to. If you have a construction hat it might be fun to have them wear one. Invite a new primary child to come up each time and choose a tool out of the tool box and match that tool clue with the correct picture. If you need to give them further clues, they can also receive help from their friends aka co-builders.

Close by singing "I love to see the Temple" and if time allows invite the primary children to share how they can prepare to enter the temple and make the temple a part of their life now.

Want more ideas:

• LDS Sharing Time June 2014 Week 2: Temples make it possible for families to be together forever.
• Why Latter-day Saints Build Temples
• Sharing Time: The Lord Commands His People to Build Temples
• Why Mormons Build Temples (Video)

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