I started with Junior sharing time by preparing to play a matching game with the 13 gospel standards found in the June 2006 Friend magazine.

We made 11x14 papers each with one standard on them.  Then we posted those on the wall across the front of the room. We also put up pictures of some of our hero's from the scriptures.

 

We began by talking about why those hero's (like Nephi and Daniel) were remembered.  Was it because they were smart or handsome or skillful or athletic?  No - it was because they were extremely faithful to the commandments even when it was tough. We talked about how if the kids are faithful to the gospel standards they will be heros and how special that is as the world of evil is growing. We talked about how lucky they are to have the church and each other in the gospel to streanthen each other in righteousness.

 

We then picked a child that could read to come up and read one of the standards.  Then he picked a smaller child who could not read to help

him find a match.

 

The pictures they were matching were not actually pictures at all.  I took real objects and taped them to a piece of colored 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Using real objects helps them to pay attention and helps the younger kids to be able to understand better. So for each of the standards they would find the one that matched and tape it to the bottom of the paper with the standard written on it. Here is what I used on the smaller colored papers to represent the standard. 

1. Obeying Mother and Father we used scotch tape to tape a little plastic mother and father to the paper.
2. Honesty - a taped on a childs wallet and a piece of play money.
3. Following Heavenly Fathers plan for me -I taped a state map to the paper.
4. Keep mind and body sacred and pure-  actually brought a bowl of fruit. You could print a food pyramid off the internet, or many other pictures would do.
5. Modesty - stapled modest barbie clothes to the paper.
6. Baptism -picture of the boy being baptised.
7. The choose the right - the green CTR shield or the ring itself
8. Seek good friends - picture of kids playing
9. Use Heavenly Fathers name reverently and not swear - picture of lips
10. Sabbath day - picture of the church
11. Prepare to go the temple - picture of the temple
12. Good music - taped cd's to paper (very carefully)
13. Read & Tv pleasing to Heavenly Father - a book and picture of TV

The little kids had fun with that and it made them more aware of what the standards are.  It opened the conversation about how we apply these standards and for some that are challenges how we could deal with those challenges daily. We joked that Barbie (from the modesty standard) could really use some missionaries to teach her the gospel because she had not been blessed to have been taught about modesty. They thought that was funny.

 

So after the matching game with the juniors we left the game up on the wall.

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Sr. Primary:

We began by talking about the heros just as in junior primary.  

(about Daniel and one of the kids told the story).  We then compared that story with a modern day situation so the kids could understand how much courage it took and how major it was for Daniel to refuse the kings meat and wine.

 

Then we talked about how we can deal with challenges in following these standards.  We talked some more about how wicked the world is becoming and how important it is for us to be heros and follow the standards and be faithful so we can streanthen each other and be good examples to one another.  

We read the quote by the President Hinkley:
"...Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us.” (They Spoke to Us Friend June 2006, pg. 42)

 

These kids are so awesome!   I don't know if they always know that.  I took this opportunity to tell them that.  They are strong willed and that is good.  That is what will make them great leaders and teachers in these latter days.