2017 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for January Week 1: Agency Is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves.

Ideas for January Week 1 LDS Primary Sharing Time, Agency Is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves.

2017 Sharing Time Outline Theme: Choose the Right

January 2017 Sharing Time Topic: Agency Is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves

January 2017 Scripture: “Wherefore, men are free … to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men” (2 Nephi 2:27).

January 2017 Song:  “As a Child of God”

January Week 1 Topic: Agency Is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves

Preparation:

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

Sharing Time Instruction:

Since, the Sharing Time topics for week 1 and 2 are the same, I thought that I would focus on what agency is and some generic choice and consequence scenarios. Then week two will focus on personal choices...

Ask the primary children, "How many of you lived in Heaven?" They should all raise their hands. We all lived in heaven right? So, "How many of you chose Agency?"  Explain that we all chose agency. We know this because we are here.

In heaven, there was a great war. There were two plans, the first plan was that of our Heavenly Father. Our Father, knew that it was important that we come to earth to experience our own choices.  He wanted us to choose for ourselves. With choosing for ourselves comes consequences.

On the other hand, Satan, wanted to take our agency away. He did not want us to choose for ourselves. Because we had agency in heaven we were able to choose for ourselves which plan we wanted to follow. We chose to follow our Heavenly Father's plan.

Show the primary children the week's theme poster and invite them to repeat, "Agency is the gift to choose for ourselves" It is a gift to be able to choose for ourselves. It is how we learn and grow. But with every choice made, there is a consequence.

Place the Good word strip on the board. Explain that "Good" choices will lead to Freedom and Happiness (Place this word strip under "GOOD") Then place the word strip "Bad" on the board. Explain that "Bad" choices lead to Captivity and Misery.

Place on the floor the Choice and Consequence Papers. Invite a primary child to come up and choose a paper. Invite them to read the paper (For younger children you can read the paper for them or have an older primary child read the paper) Read what the choice was they made, invite the primary child to place the paper under the Good Choice word strip or the Bad choice word strip.

Discuss with the primary children what the consequence would be.

Discuss with the children some examples of choices and consequences found in the scriptures. Such as the obedience of Noah to build a ship and gather the animals and the consequence of safety and happiness that came to him because of his choice to obey. Compared to those who did not listen and whose consequence was being swept up in the flood. (There are many examples in the scriptures. Invite the primary to share some or share some yourself)

Close by sharing your own testimony on the importance of agency and why it is a gift.

Choice Papers: (See download below)

1- Johnny turned eight years old and chose to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  (Consequence: GOOD; By making the choice to be baptized he will have the consequence of having the spirit with him.)

2- Mary saw a girl sitting by herself at lunch she chose to sit by her and be her friend. (Consequence: GOOD; By choosing to be a friend, She gained a friend and was happy.)

3- Billy wanted to play with his friends after school but he knew his mom wanted him to come home. So he came home.  (Consequences: GOOD; By Choosing to be obedient, his mom could trust him more. She would be more willing to let him do the things he wanted to do like play with friends.)

4- Carey really wanted to play with her sisters new doll so she went in her room, took it and played with it without asking. (Consequence: BAD; Because Carey made the choice to take the toy without asking she will have the consequence of her sister being mad at her and getting in trouble.)

5- Ron got angry at his brother and said a bad word. (Consequence: BAD; Because he chose to say a bad word he will probably get in trouble. And he also broke one of Heavenly Father's commandments. So he risks the Spirit not being with him.)

6- Sally didn't listen to her mom when she asked he to clean her room. (Consequence: BAD; Because she choose to not be obedient, her mom will not be happy and she wil1 most likely not get to do the things she wants to do.)

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Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope that these ideas were helpful. Below are the other topics for the months as well as more ideas and resources.  I'd love for you to check out my Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest pages and see if there's anything on there you like!

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

ULTIMATE LIST OF SHARING TIME IDEAS



Want more ideas:

• Sharing Time February 2014 Week 4: Agency is the gift to choose for myself.
• Agency
• Agency Is the Gift to Choose for Ourselves

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

***Basic ideas for this sharing time came from the 2017 Outline for Sharing Time, you can find a link here: 2017 Outline for Sharing Time