2017 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for July Week 1: Fasting and prayer can strengthen my testimony.

Ideas for July Week 1 LDS Primary Sharing Time, 

2017 Sharing Time Outline Theme: Choose the Right

July 2017 Sharing Time Topic: I Choose the Right by Living Gospel Principles

July 2017 Scripture: “Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord” (1 Nephi 3:16).

July 2017 Song: “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (CS, 281)

July Week 1 Topic: Fasting and prayer can strengthen my testimony.

Preparation:

Prayerfully study and think about what the specific needs of your primary are and how you can teach them this doctrine. The most important thing is to love those you teach and to teach them by the Spirit!! Focus on building their testimonies and helping them come unto Christ!

Sharing Time Instruction:

Show the primary children a plant (either an actual plant or a picture of one). Ask the primary children what the plant needs to grow and be strong? Answer: It needs water and Sunlight, Air, and good soil. It needs constant care.

Explain that like this plant our testimonies also need constant care, to help them grow and to strengthen them.

Show the primary the week's theme poster and invite them to repeat, "Fasting and prayer can strengthen my testimony."

Explain to the primary children that one way we can nurture, grow and strengthen our testimonies is through fasting and prayer.

Explain to the primary children that we are going to do a little activity to help them learn a little be more about fasting and prayer.

On the board place some questions (see printable below)

In a flower pot place the answers to the questions (see printable below). Invite a primary child to come up and choose a one of the papers. Read it and invite the primary children to figure out which question the answer goes to.  Discuss the question and answer.

Continue with each of the answers/questions.

To close, share your testimony of how fasting and prayer can strengthen our testimonies.

Questions and Answers: 

What is Fasting?

"To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time. Fasting combined with sincere prayer can help you prepare yourself and others to receive God’s blessings." (True to the Faith: Fasting and Fast Offerings)

How can Fasting and Prayer help Strengthen my Testimony?

"Testimony comes through the quiet influence of the Holy Ghost. The results of a testimony can be miraculous and life changing, but the gift of testimony usually comes as a quiet assurance, without spectacular displays of God’s power. Even Alma, who had been visited by an angel and had seen God sitting on His throne, needed to fast and pray so he could receive a testimony through the power of the Holy Ghost (see Alma 5:45–46; 36:8, 22)." (Testimony)

What are some purposes you can fast for?

Fasting is one way of worshiping God and expressing gratitude to Him (see Luke 2:37; Alma 45:1). 
You can fast as you ask Heavenly Father to bless the sick or afflicted (see Matthew 17:14–21). 
Fasting may help you and those you love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth (see Alma 5:46; 6:6). 
Through fasting you can gain strength to resist temptation (see Isaiah 58:6). 
You can fast as you strive to humble yourself before God and exercise faith in Jesus Christ (see Omni 1:26; Helaman 3:35). 
You may fast to receive guidance in sharing the gospel and magnifying Church callings (see Acts 13:2–3; Alma 17:3, 9; 3 Nephi 27:1–2). 
Fasting may accompany righteous sorrow or mourning (see Alma 28:4–6; 30:1–2).
 (True to the Faith: Fasting and Fast Offerings)

Why should we pray when we fast?
"Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught: “Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it’s simply going hungry. If we want our fasting to be more than just going without eating, we must lift our hearts, our minds, and our voices in communion with our Heavenly Father. Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit. It can strengthen us against times of temptation” (“The Law of the Fast,” April 2001 general conference)." (Fast and Fast Offerings)

What is Fast Sunday?
"The Church designates one Sunday each month, usually the first Sunday, as a day of fasting. Proper observance of fast Sunday includes going without food and drink for two consecutive meals, attending fast and testimony meeting, and giving a fast offering to help care for those in need." (True to the Faith: Fasting and Fast Offerings)

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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: Fasting and Prayer
• Increasing Our Spirituality through Fasting and Prayer
• Fasting and Fast Offerings
• Fasting

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