Life's Journey To Perfection: LDS Sharing Time Ideas for May 2015 Week 2: I can repent.

2015 Sharing Time Outline Theme: "I Know My Savior Lives"

May 2015 Sharing Time Topic: Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel Lead Me to Jesus Christ

May 2015 Scripture: “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4).

May Week 2 Topic: I can repent.

Free Printables: (Printing Tip: Click on image to open and then save image to your computer. You can then print the image from your computer.)

Lots and lots of printables, see all of the links below, under Sharing Time Instruction!!!

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:

I've done a few different Family Home Evenings and Sharing Times on this topic. So I thought that I would list them here, so you could choose what will work best for your primary!

Some fun object lessons or attention getters:

Pour some salt on a plate. Explain that it is clean, white and pure. Sprinkle some pepper on top of the salt. Explain that sometimes we make mistakes, these mistakes make us not feel good. Show the children a plastic spoon. Explain that Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes and he loves us so much and wants us to return to him. So he provided a way for us to become clean again. Because He sent His son to atone for our sins, we can repent. Rub the spoon against some clothing to build up some static electricity. Explain that as we follow the steps of repentance and seek forgiveness from Heavenly Father we will be able to be forgiven for the mistakes we make and those unhappy feelings will be removed. Hover the spoon over the pepper, it will lift the pepper out of the salt. Leaving the salt clean and pure again.
Fill a see through container half full of water. Explain that the water is clean and pure. Same as above explain about mistakes. Drop a few drops of food coloring into the water. I like using yellow, because it is the easiest to turn clear again. The bleach will symbolize the cleansing power of the atonement and repentance. Pour some bleach in and stir until the water is clear again. Use caution when doing this one, that you do not spill any of the bleach. It might be a good idea to have a baking pan and place the container inside of the baking pan, in case of any spills.
Hard boiled egg. Discuss the pure whiteness of the shell of the egg. Using a marker start making marks on the egg, symbolizing the mistakes that one might make. Then discuss the atonement and repentance. Crack and peal the egg. Show the pure whiteness of the egg again.
Pebble in the shoe. Invite a couple primary children to place a pebble in their shoe. Ask them to walk around a little bit and to keep the pebble in their shoe throughout primary. Toward the end of sharing time. Discuss that when we make mistakes it is better to seek forgiveness through repentance as soon as we can. That if we do not then like the pebble we will have that uncomfortable feeling always there. But if we repent and take care of that mistake that uncomfortable feeling can be removed.
Chalk and chalk board or white board and marker: Show a clean board. Explain that sometimes we make mistakes. Invite the children to share some mistakes or sins that one might make, like: Telling a lie, Stealing, Cheating on a Test, Hitting a sibling, Not obeying a parent, Saying mean things about someone, Saying an inappropriate word, etc. Write these on the board. Have the children notice that the board is not clean any more. Invite the children to share how they can repent and be forgiven of each thing that has be written on the board, following the steps of repentance. For example: Cheating on a test. They would first need to feel bad about what they did. Then they would need to say sorry and tell their teacher and parents about what they did. They would need to try to make things right and accept any consequence they might have because of their bad choice. Then they would need to ask forgiveness from Heavenly Father and promise that they will not do it again. After talking through the steps, erase that mistake off of the board. Continue with each mistake that is listed on the board until the board is clean again.