If I Live Worthily, the Holy Ghost Will Help Me Choose the Right

SONG: "The Still Small Voice" http://broadcast.lds.org/churchmusic/MP3/1/2/words/106.mp3

We've been talking about baptism lately. So remind your child of what that is, and explain afterwards how we receive a gift from Heavenly Father. Children love presents, right? Ask if your child remembers Christmas and getting presents. Heavenly Father gives us the BEST present ever when we are baptized-the Holy Ghost!

I found this from Bean Burrito, No Onions, and I think it's one of the best definitions for a young child of the Holy Ghost:

The Holy Ghost is the best friend we could ever have. You can't see Him, but your can feel Him. He will never lead us astray. He can never lie to us. He will only help us to make good choices. But if we choose to not live the commandments, he cannot stay. 

Explain that the Holy Ghost helps us choose the right.

(Assuming your child is not colorblind) get together some play blocks, or any assortment of colorful objects.

Have your child pick one. Let's say he picks green.
Ask, what color did you pick?
He will respond, Green.
Say, no you picked red!
He'll be confused and say, no, I picked green!
Explain that the Holy Ghost won't try to confuse you or convince you something wrong. The Holy Ghost would say it is green because he tells the truth!

Use page 6 and 7 of http://0e2adbce82be14fd6bcb-5584cc5742c63ca82c29a0709ec0b026.r46.cf2.rackcdn.com/June_week2_holy_ghost.pdf
and have your child help read the scripture, D&C 8:2.

The Holy Ghost will be your best friend and stay with you when you are doing things to invite him into your life. Use the printables from here:

If you want to write on pieces of paper, a variety of things that invite the spirit and things that don't then go ahead. My child can't read, so I'll use pictures:
http://www.askthejudge.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Smoking.Valentin.Ottone-300x199.jpg
http://bornangels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/brothers-fight-300x200.jpg
http://ldsblogs.com/files/2008/04/mormon-primary2.jpg
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31400000/Praying-for-my-angel-sister-yorkshire_rose-31451820-2550-2557.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDDd1215yjx4UT-E4useL_3IIKcQQfbX0pyKqGGfa7PY1XL0PF
http://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/magazines/new-era/2012/10/ne12oct10-ALL-6-tips-for-scripture-study-AV120530_cah0001alt.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTk1ytV5Gz6APlQtp-oRvWDQY7XfexH7YPuIVdeBrEacUH_cE2m

Let your child put the ones that invite the Spirit under the sign. The things that don't invite the Spirit, throw away in the trash (or something like it!)

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.

Jesus' Example for Us

This week our children learned about the gospel taught through Jesus Christ. They read these scriptures: 3 Nephi 18:19 (about prayer), 3 Nephi 11:37 (about baptism), 16:15 (about preaching the gospel), and John 13:34 (about loving one another). 

Song: I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

Lesson: I have 4 pictures to go along with the scriptures. I'm going to cut them up into easy puzzles for us to assemble together. And then we can talk about each picture and how Jesus led by example and how He wants us to do those things too.

And then I will present some pictures that are the opposites (child with messy room/child cleaning room, child yelling/child talking nicely, child grabbing/child sharing)...you know, all the things my own 3 year old needs to work on! And we will sort them into 2 piles. The one Jesus wants us to do and the one Jesus doesn't want us to do.

Keep the Commandments

Learning by doing...learning by doing... So, the ideas are coming from the church's 2013 Primary Manual. Sugardoodle posts them and other ideas to help.

Here's what they learned and did in Primary this week: http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8936

So it looks like they talked about a couple of the commandments. I thought for FHE, we would expand and visit all of the 10 Commandments. There are various things you can do for various ages on someones's Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/momof4girlz/the-ten-commandments/

So here's our family's lesson plan for tomorrow:

Sing: "Keep the Commandments"

Opening Prayer

Talk a little but about why we have rules and introduce that God has given us rules too. They are called commandments. Some of the commandments are found in the 10 Commandments Moses brought down from the Mountain to the children of Israel. 

Then we will play the 10 Commandments Memory Game and each match, we discuss what it means. I found a decent one here.

Then we'll have a closing prayer. If my husband allows and if I have time, it would be fun to have little sugar cooking in the shape of the tablets Moses brought down from the mountain for refreshments after the lesson!