I Will Follow Jesus Christ By Being Baptized and Confirmed and Keeping My Baptismal Covenants

Sooo sorry! I'm a sinner! lol But no, we were moving and I can't tell you how much I thought, oh no, I need to get a post done...and it never got to happen. But finally this weekend we got internet, so I can actually use the computer to start up again!

SONG: When I Am Baptized

If you didn't do the whole "dirty hands" when you sin, and clean them when you repent object lesson, do that  to show what happens at baptism. Or do it again, because they are young and forget!

After baptism, we're not done! To stay clean, we make and keep covenants, or promises to God.

So to help your young child understand what a promise is, or covenant (a two-way promise), have them do this activity:

I like role play. So take two puppets or figures, or even your hands with eyes drawn on them...and have one of them be the parent and the other, the child.

Mom: (Comes up to child) Hi there! Wow, look at this mess! Your room has toys everywhere. Tell you what. If you PROMISE to clean your room, I PROMISE you can play outside. That is called a covenant.

Scenario 1:
Mom: Did you clean your room? Let's go check.
Child: No, it's still a mess. I didn't put away my toys.
Mom: Ok, you didn't keep your PROMISE. That means you can't go outside and play because you PROMISED to clean your room and you didn't.

Scenario 2:
Mom: Did you clean your room? Let's go check.
Child: Yes! I put away all my toys, just like I PROMISED!
Mom: Great! Because you kept your PROMISE, I PROMISED you could play outside. You may go!

What are the PROMISES we make at baptism?
1. Take Christ's name upon us (become a member of His church).
2. Aways remember Jesus.
3. Keep His commandments.

What are the PROMISES God makes with us at baptism?
1. He will give us the Holy Ghost to be with us, 
2. forgive us when we repent, 
3. and let us live with Him again.  

After explaining a bit about each one, here is a board game you can play to help them think of ways to keep their baptismal covenants. Find the original link and instructions here.

 

But HONESTLY, I think it's too complicated STILL for my 3 year old. So I'm going to modify it. I will use the tiles in our hallway as "spaces" to a "human board game." My son will have to make it from one end of the hall (baptism) to the other (keeping his covenants to finish the game) and "make it back to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus."
Here are the spaces, modified (for my son, and things he needs to work on). I'm just going to put them on cards and have us pick a card for our turn. I'm hoping with enough turns (maybe going through the cards a few times during the game), we'll all reach the end of our hallway!

• I read the Book of Mormon every day. Move forward 2 spaces.
• After arguing with my friends, I say sorry, and ask for their forgiveness. Move forward 1 space.
• When we have family home evening, I don't listen. Move back 2 spaces.

  I don't fold my arms or close my eyes during someone else's prayer. Move back 1 space.
• I help my brother get water when we wants more. Move forward 1 space.
• I ignore my mom when she asks me to help put away laundry. Move back 1 space.
• I am happy to go to Primary and learn with my friends. Move ahead 2 spaces.
• I pick up something someone dropped on the floor and give it back to them. Move forward 1 space.
• I hang a picture of a temple in my room and make a goal to go there. Move ahead 1 space.
• I say my prayers in the morning and at night. Move forward 1 space.
• I sit still and am reverent during the sacrament. Move forward 1 space.
• It’s been a busy day, and I’m tired, so I don’t pray. Move back 2 spaces.
• I want come candy in the store and my mom says no, so I scream and cry. Move back 2 spaces.
• My friend asks me to play on Sunday. I invite him to Primary. Move forward 2 spaces.
• I follow the prophet. And I sing the song! ;) Move forward 2 spaces.
• I don’t listen when my dad reads the scriptures to me. Move back 2 spaces.
• I help my mom clean the table. Move forward 1 space.

  I help my dad in the garden. Move forward 1 space.
• I pushed my brother and made him cry. When mommy asks if I hurt him, I say no. Move back 2 spaces.
• I share my toys with a friend. Move ahead 2 spaces.
• My mom asks me to help my brother. I say no. Move back 2 spaces.
• I watch only church movies on Sunday. Move forward 2 spaces.

Sin and Forgiveness

Turns out, this week, the Primary did what they were supposed to do last week! So for my little ones, I am going to talk a little more about the story of Jesus. Maybe if by then they've heard it enough times, they will remember it or start putting the pieces together in their minds!

Tonight we are making resurrection rolls and tomorrow I will read out of the Picture Scriptures the story of Jesus.

I kind of like one of these ideas on how to teach your toddler about sin and forgiveness:
http://www.ehow.com/info_8274928_fun-crafts-lessons-gods-forgiveness.html

The ideas on the page that I like are:

God's Sheep
Scribble Game

I also like this option:

Puppet Show on Forgiveness

• A powerful way to teach preschoolers about forgiveness is by putting on a puppet show. Two puppets discuss how the first puppet is angry because a friend broke his toy. He is having trouble forgiving his friend. The other puppet tells him the story of Joseph from the Bible about how his brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph forgave and helped his brothers later on.

Read more: Preschool Lesson on Forgiveness | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_12053343_preschool-lesson-forgiveness.html#ixzz2P9oTEInu

I Can Be Clean Through Christ's Atonement

As I am learning to do this, and researching sources, I came across a great PDF file that you may choose to use for 2013 instead of coming to my blog every week! Though, and again, some of the lessons are for children that are older than 3 years. I just don't think my little son is going to get everything. We have to build up by starting with very basic stuff. So if you want to check it out, it is http://0e2adbce82be14fd6bcb-5584cc5742c63ca82c29a0709ec0b026.r46.cf2.rackcdn.com/2013%20Primary%20Themed%20FHE%20Lessons.pdf

Tomorrow's FHE lesson is going to come STRAIGHT from a blog called "Little LDS Ideas" and I just love this lesson because I think it is something my 3 year old can understand. He did REALLY well with last week's lesson, so we will build upon it by applying the atonement when we do things we shouldn't do.

She uses this idea for sharing time, but you can easily adapt it to your home setting with your family.

SONG: I Know When I am Baptized

'Clean Again' Object Lesson

This idea that you can use to begin your Sharing Time actually came from the 2011 Sharing Time Outline.

You will need something to use to get a child’s hands dirty {I used chocolate syrup when I did this}. You will also need a large bowl and towel to help with the mess.

Invite a child to come to the front of the room

Ask your helper to show all the children their clean hands. Then show the children the chocolate syrup, tell them that this represents sin. You could even make a cute label to put onto your chocolate syrup.

 Have your helper hold out their hands and squirt a little syrup onto their hands. Tell the children that the other day (child's name) lied to his/her parent's. Then a few days after that (child's name) cheated at school {add another glob of syrup}. 

Then ask the children if your helper's hands are clean anymore.

They should all say, NO.

Show the children the sentence with the missing words {from the outline}. Tell them that we need to figure out what this says so that (child’s name) can be clean again.

Have the children look under their chairs for the missing words and invite the 3 children up to the front once they have found the words.

Have them show the words to the rest of the Primary and read the words aloud. Then have everyone read the sentence aloud.

Have the children try to place the words in the correct spot.

Once the sentence is correct read it aloud to all the children.

‘Oh, so because of Christ’s atonement (child’s name) can repent and be made clean again, right?’

‘So, how does he repent?’

Have the children share their knowledge of repentance. Have a bottle of soap and some water and label it ‘Repentance’ and have the child wash his/her hands.