{Sharing Time} Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, All Mankind May be Saved (part 1)
Sharing Time Idea from the 2015 Outline
Introduce the doctrine:Write the third article of faith on the board and invite the children to repeat it with you a few times. Briefly explain any words the children do not understand. (For example, the Atonement is what Jesus did to make it possible for us to repent and return to God.) Erase one or two words and say it together again. Repeat to help the children memorize it.
Encourage understanding:Tell the following story and invite the children to stand and act it out with you. “A man was walking along a road (walk in place). He fell into a deep hole (sit down). He tried and tried but could not get out (pretend to try to get out). He called for help (quietly call for help). Another man was walking on the same road. He heard the man cry for help (quietly cry for help again). He lowered a ladder down into the hole. The man climbed the ladder out of the hole (pretend to climb up a ladder). The man was saved.” Discuss how the man might have felt when he was in the hole and then when he was rescued. Tell the children that when we do wrong or sin, it is like falling into a deep hole that we cannot get out of by ourselves. Show a picture of Jesus and tell the children that just as someone helped the man out of the hole, Jesus Christ can help and save us so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again.
Begin your Sharing Time by telling the children the story from the outline (man falling into the hole). Ask the children how the man felt when he was in the hole and how he felt when he was rescued.
Begin your Sharing Time by telling the children the story from the outline (man falling into the hole). Ask the children how the man felt when he was in the hole and how he felt when he was rescued.
Sharing Time Idea from Little LDS Ideas
I decided to split the idea in the outline into 2 separate posts, one for this week and one for next week (I will post in the next day or so). Here is my idea for the first half for this week. Enjoy!
Begin your Sharing Time by telling the children the story from the outline (man falling into the hole). Ask the children how the man felt when he was in the hole and how he felt when he was rescued
Show the children a poster/sign of the 3rd Article of Faith and read it together.
Explain that when we do wrong/sin, it is like falling into a deep hole that we cannot get out by ourselves.
Forgiving Feet
Object Lesson:
At the front of the room have several pairs of shoes. Inside each of the shoes place some small pebbles. On the toe of each shoe have a scenario
Example: Your Mother asked you to take out the garbage. You didn’t want to, so you ignored her. She asked you again and you yelled at her.
Invite a child up to the front and have them pick a pair of shoes. Have the child put the shoes on and walk around a little bit. Ask them how the shoes feel. They may say it hurts and isn’t very comfortable. Explain that when we make a mistake or sin it’s like the pebble in the shoe. Next, read the scenario aloud.
After you have read the scenario ask the child if there is someone that could help us remove the pebble/repent and be forgiven of our sin.
Show a picture of Jesus Christ. Just like the man in the story that helped the other man out of the hole in the story we heard before, Jesus Christ can help and save us so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again.
Have them remove the pebble, and explain that repenting and receiving Heavenly Father’s forgiveness is like removing the pebble from our shoe. Explain that because of Jesus Christ, we can repent and receive forgiveness of our sins.
Another Idea:
Instead of having several pairs of shoes just have one pair of shoes at the front of the room. Invite a child up to the front and have them put the shoes on (this time without pebbles). Have them share how the shoes feel.
Then have them take the shoes off and share a scenario of a time that they did wrong and add a few pebbles into the shoes. Have the child put the shoes on and walk around and share how it feels. Then have them take the shoes off again.
Once again share another scenario and add a few more pebbles.
Repeat as many times as you would like.
After you have shared several scenarios ask the child(ren) how or who can help get the ‘pebbles’ out of your shoes. Show the picture of Christ and explain that through Jesus Christ we are able to repent and be forgiven.
Have an empty jar and have the child pour the pebbles into it.
Show the children the jar of pebbles from the shoes. Bear testimony of the importance of the atonement and repentance. Tell the children if they don’t want to walk around with pebbles in their shoes, then they need to remember to repent.
Thanks so much for stopping by for this week’s Sharing Time. I should have the second half for week 3 posted in the next day or so.
Have a wonderful day & a great Sharing Time!
