2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for October Week 3: Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.

2016 Sharing Time Outline Theme: "I Know the Scriptures Are True"

October 2016 Sharing Time Topic: Prayer Is Reverent Communication between God and Me

October 2016 Scripture: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

October 2016 Song:  Your Choice

October Week 3 Topic: Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers.

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:

Picture can be found at LDS.ORG

Begin, sharing time by showing the primary children two pictures. First, show the picture of Christ, standing at a door with no door knob. Invite the primary children to share with you what they know about the picture. Then read, 3 Nephi 14:7, discuss with the children that our Father and Savior are standing there waiting to help us. But we need to first ask our Heavenly Father and open the door to those blessing.

Picture can be found at LDS.ORG

Next, show the picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the first vision. Invite the primary children to share with you what they know about this picture. Then read, James 1:5, explain that this is the scripture Joseph Smith as he was wrestling with what church was the right church. This scripture brought him to kneel in the grove and offer up a prayer to his Heavenly Father. He had a question and he in faith asked Heavenly Father. Did he receive and answer?  Yes, the Father and the Son appeared to him and told him that none of the churches that were on the earth at the time were right.

Explain to the primary children that just as Heavenly Father answered Joseph Smith's prayer, He hears and answers our prayers too.

Show the primary children the week's theme poster and invite the children to repeat, "Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers."

Explain that there are several ways our Heavenly Father answers our prayers. Explain that they are going to play a simple matching game to learn about these ways.  Beforehand printout the matching game printable (found in the Free Download link towards the top of the page). Place the matching cards face down on the board. Invite a primary child to come up and pick two of the cards. The goal is to match the scripture card with the correlating picture card.

 D&C 8:2 would match with the Picture of the Heart and Mind (Answers can come by thoughts and ideas in our minds or the Spirit touching our heart)

Mosiah 27:14 would match with the Picture of a Person (Answers can come by way of others. Sometimes a friend, family member, or stranger. In this instance it was an angel appearing to Alma)

2 Nephi 32:3 would match with the Picture of  the Scriptures (Answers can come from the word's of Christ found in the scriptures)

 D&C 1:38 would match with the Picture of the Prophet (Answers can come from the teachings of latter-day prophets)

If a match is not found then turn the cards back over. If the match is found then discuss in what way prayers are answered. Allow children to share experiences and if so inclined share your own experiences.

Continue util all of the cards have been matched and discussed.

Conclude with you testimony of prayer.

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:

1. 2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for October Week 1: I can pray to Heavenly Father.
2. 2016 LDS Sharing Time Ideas for October Week 2: The scriptures teach me how and when to pray.


ULTIMATE LIST OF SHARING TIME IDEAS

Want more ideas:

• Sharing Time: Heavenly Father Hears and Answers Prayers
• Lesson Seven: Heavenly Father Answers Our Prayers
• Prayer
• August 2013 Sharing Time: Answered Prayers

Click this link for past Sharing Time post: LDS Primary Sharing Time Ideas

***Basic ideas for this sharing time came from the 2016 Outline for Sharing Time, you can find a link here: 2016 Outline for Sharing Time