February 2011 Sharing Time—Using the Plan

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This sharing time will involve the children in an activity that teaches them more about Heavenly Father’s plan that is contained in the scriptures.

Preparation: Gather the following items: a map, a textbook, a recipe card, house plans, an instruction booklet (such as one that comes with electronic equipment or an appliance), a set of scriptures. On a large poster paper draw a simple maze (see photo gallery for an example), add these scripture references along the path of the maze: John 13:34, Doctrine and Covenants 119:4, Exodus 20:8, Doctrine and Covenants 19:38, 2 Nephi 31:10.
 
Presentation: Place the textbook, recipe, house plans, instruction booklet, map, and scriptures on the table at the front of the room. Show each item to the children, explain that each of these items is useful in helping guide or teach you in certain ways.
 
Tell the children to raise their hand when they know the answer to your questions. (Tailor your questions to match the actual items you have.) Ask which item you would use if you wanted to make cookies (recipe). Call on a child to answer. Repeat with the other items. What would you use if you wanted to learn math (textbook). What would you use if you wanted to know how to use your camera (instruction booklet). Which would you use to help you build a home (house plans), What would you use if you wanted to find your way to a different city (map). What will help you know Heavenly Father’s plan for you (the scriptures).
 
Post the maze at on the front board. Explain that you need to find your way through the maze. Have a child trace a route through the maze until they get to a scripture reference. Have all the children look up that scripture and read it together. Discuss what the scripture tells us we should do and how that will help us in our lives. Repeat with additional children tracing a route through the maze until all the scriptures have been read and the maze is completed.

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Tell the children that the maze is like our life. The scriptures can help us know Heavenly Father’s plan for us as we go through our lives. Bear your testimony of that following His plan helps us be happy in this life and return to live with him after we die.
 
Sing songs that will reinforce the messages being taught, such as “I Will Follow God’s Plan,” Children’s Songbook, p. 164; “A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook, p. 12; “Love One Another,” Children’s Songbook, p. 136; and “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,” Children’s Songbook, p. 110.