| Sharing Time
I Am a Child of God
Friend,
March 2003
By Vicki F. Matsumori
All of you are children of the most High
(Psalm
82:6).
Name some of your favorite Primary songs. Why did
you choose those particular songs? You probably enjoy them because they
have a good melody or an important message.
One song that is a favorite for Primary children
throughout the world is "I Am a Child of God." It was written
for a Primary conference in 1957 by Sister Naomi W. Randall and Sister
Mildred T. Pettit. Sister Randall prayed for help in writing the message.
She awoke in the middle of the night with the words of the song in mind.
She mailed the words, or lyrics, to Sister Pettit, who lived in California.
Sister Pettit put the words to music.
A few years later, President Spencer W. Kimball,
then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, suggested changing
"Teach me all that I must know" to "Teach me all that I
must do." He said that "to know isn't enough. . . . We
have to do something." (Friend,
Oct. 1984, 14.)
In Primary, you learn some important truths when
you sing this song. You learn that you really are a child of God. You
learn that Heavenly Father has sent you to a home with parents to help
you. And, especially, you learn that when you do what is right, you can
one day return to live with Heavenly Father.
Personalized Picture and Frame
Cut out the frame on the thick dark line and glue
it to heavy paper or lightweight cardboard. Fold under the strip at the
bottom as a stand for the frame. Decorate it by cutting out the items—or
drawing other items—that show things you like to do or want to do,
then gluing the items to the frame. Attach a picture—or draw one—of
yourself in the middle of the frame. Place it where it will remind you
that you are a child of God and have been blessed with many talents.
Click on the image below to view an enlargement.
When the image appears, click your browser's print button to print the
image.
[illustration]
Sharing Time Ideas
(Note: All songs are from Children's Songbook
(CS) unless otherwise indicated; GAK = Gospel Art Kit; TNGC = Teaching,
No Greater Call)
1. Display pictures of some of the children in your
Primary. Tell how each child is different—and special. Testify of
each child's divine nature.
Help the children memorize Articles
of Faith 1:7 by writing it on the chalkboard. Have the children repeat
it, then choose a child to erase one or two words. Continue the process
until no words remain on the chalkboard.
Discuss various talents and personality traits,
such as being good at athletics, music, or art; being friendly; being
kind. Have the children stand in a circle. Choose one child to be "It."
The child who is It tosses a beanbag or other item to someone standing
in the circle and calls out a talent such as "athletics," then
counts quickly to 10. The child who catches the beanbag must name an athletic
talent, such as "playing soccer," before It reaches 10; if not,
he or she becomes It. Sing "I
Am a Child of God" (pp. 2–3).
2. Have the children suggest people from the scriptures
whom they admire, such as Moses, Daniel, David, Esther, Paul, Nephi, Alma.
Write the list on the chalkboard. Divide the children into groups and
allow them to choose one of the people from the list and dramatize a story
from the life of that person (see TNGC,
166). As they take turns presenting their dramatization, allow the Primary
to guess which person's story is being portrayed. After each presentation,
discuss the qualities of nobleness and greatness shown by the scripture
person. Sing songs that talk about these qualities. Read Abr.
3:22–23. Bear testimony that all of these scripture people were
among those who were chosen in pre-earth life. Moreover, each child was
also "chosen before [he or she] wast born." Challenge the children
to live their lives like the noble and great people in the scriptures.
3. Review the stages of our lives in the plan of
salvation with the children. Make wordstrips of the various parts of the
plan, or make copies of the figures from Primary 6 manual, Lesson
1, p. 2. Place the wordstrips around the room. Have children locate a
wordstrip or figure, then stand in the correct order.
Use simple costumes to have additional children
represent a mother, father, and grandparent. Place this family in front
of the Earth Life sign. Choose another child to stand in front of the
Premortal Life sign. Sing "I
Lived in Heaven" (p. 4). Discuss the blessings of coming to an
earthly family. Have the child move from Premortal Life to the family
in front of Earth Life. Have the mother place a baby blanket around the
child to show the love that a family provides. Sing "A
Happy Family" (p. 198).
Explain that part of the plan is to leave earth
life. Move the grandparent from Earth Life to Spirit World and talk of
the sadness the family feels because the grandparent is no longer with
them, but of the peace they feel in knowing that his or her spirit lives
on. Sing "Families
Can Be Together Forever" (p. 188). Discuss the role the Savior
plays in the plan of salvation. Have a child hold a picture of Jesus Christ
in front of the Resurrection sign. Sing an Easter song. Discuss how each
child can qualify for the celestial kingdom as he or she chooses the right.
Sing v. 4 of "I
Am a Child of God" (pp. 2–3).
Bear testimony of your love and appreciation for
the Savior.
4. Help the children understand the qualities they
have because they are sons and daughters of God. Obtain two objects that
are similar, yet different, such as different-size balls, differently
colored books, and types of shoes. Also locate a picture of a child and
a picture of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, such as The First Vision
(GAK 403). Hide the objects and the pictures in the room before sharing
time. Have children take turns locating the objects and pictures and then
matching them. Discuss how the balls, although different in size or color
or purpose, also have similarities. They are round, they roll, they bounce,
etc. Discuss the other objects. Discuss the differences and similarities
the children have with Heavenly Father and the Savior.
Review some of the Savior's qualities and what each
child might do to develop these qualities. Divide the Primary into eight
groups and give each group one of the following GAK pictures representing
His teachings: 208, 212, 213, 216, 217, 218, 221, 226. Have the children
review the story on the back of the picture or read the scripture references
given there, then decide what quality Jesus taught or exhibited. Have
them think of a modern situation in which they could use the same quality.
Have the groups take turns presenting their modern situation to the Primary,
then showing their picture and telling the story of what Jesus taught
or did in that situation. Sing songs that reinforce the principles each
group teaches.
Use the same GAK pictures to sing the first verse
of "I'm
Trying to Be like Jesus" (pp. 78–79):
"I'm trying to be like Jesus; I'm following
in his ways. [208, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus]
"I'm trying to love as he did, in all that
I do and say. [226, Jesus Washing the Apostles' Feet]
"At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
[221, The Ten Lepers]
"But I try to listen as the still small voice
whispers, [217, Woman at the Well]
" 'Love one another as Jesus loves you. [216,
Christ and the Children]
" 'Try to show kindness in all that you do.
[218, The Good Samaritan]
" 'Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
[213, Jesus Healing the Blind]
" 'For these are the things Jesus taught.'
" [212, Sermon on the Mount]
Invite the children to share their favorite story
about Jesus Christ with their family in family home evening.
For younger children: Hide the GAK pictures
listed above in the Primary room before sharing time. Repeating the following
process for each picture, have a child locate a picture by giving a clue:
move your hands farther apart as he or she gets farther away from the
picture, and closer as he or she gets closer to it. Have the child retell
the story shown in the picture and discuss what quality Jesus showed or
taught. Just as it was easier to find the picture when the child watched
and followed your clue, it will be easier to develop qualities that help
us to return to Heavenly Father as we watch and follow the Savior's example.
Working with the class teachers, have the children think of a situation
in which they could exhibit that quality today. Invite a class to dramatize
that situation. Sing a song that reinforces the principle, such as "I'll
Walk with You" (pp. 140–141).
5. Help the children understand that as a child
of God, each can help his or her family by having an understanding heart.
Briefly share the story about Solomon, who desired to be a good king and
asked God for an understanding heart (see 1
Kings 3:5, 9–12). Discuss what it means to have an understanding
heart.
On paper hearts, write some case studies (see TNGC,
161–162) of family situations, such as 1) A younger brother hurt
his arm in an accident with your scooter. You have an understanding heart.
What can you do? 2) Your mother is late making dinner because she picked
up your sister from soccer practice. You have an understanding heart.
What can you do? 3) Your friend wants you to play. You see your father
working in the yard after a hard day at work. You have an understanding
heart. What can you do?
Put the paper hearts into a container. Have the
children take turns choosing a situation from the container and then answering
it. Sing "Where
Love Is" (pp. 138–139).
Have the children make coupons of acts of service
they will do for members of their family through the week. A coupon could
be given to each family member or placed in a booklet. Have the children
share some of their ideas for service, such as make one bed (in addition
to the child's own bed); do the dishes; set the table; baby-sit for an
hour; read to a younger child; help with homework.
Sing songs from the CS "Service"
listing in the Topics index.
Class presentation: Assign class members
to write the situations, find songs, and practice reading aloud 1
Kings 3:9–12 for this Idea. Also ask each class member to perform
an act of service for someone in his or her family before the presentation.
At the conclusion of sharing time, have the class members report on the
services they did for their families, what they learned, and how it made
them feel. Invite the entire Primary to do something during the week to
help a member of their families.
6. Song presentation: Enlarge a picture of
a family, then cut the picture into eight horizontal strips. Write one
line of each of the four verses of "I
Am a Child of God" (pp. 2–3) on the back of each strip.
Do not write out the chorus. Place the pieces in random order, with the
words facing outward, throughout the room.
Sing the song and have the children join you for
the parts they know. Have a child raise her or his hand when she or he
has located the correct line of the song, then place it on the front board
or wall. Continue singing the song, stopping to re-sing lines or verses
if the children are unsure of the words. When the lines are in order,
tape it together and reverse it to show the completed picture. Bear testimony
that the children are indeed children of God.
Invite members who speak other languages to sing
and teach the first verse of "I
Am a Child of God" in those languages.
7. Additional Friend resources: "God's
Power Within You," Jan. 2002, 2–3; "All
About Me!" Jan. 2002, 13; "Lacy's
Talent," Jan. 2002, 42–44; "Spiritual
Power of Our Baptism," Mar. 2000, IFC; "Love
at Home," June 1996, 44–45. Ensign resources: "Gifts
of the Spirit," Feb. 2002, 12–20; "Them
That Honour Me I Will Honour," May 2001, 45–47.
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