The Church of Jesus Christ

"The Church of Jesus Christ," p. 77, helps children understand what it means to be a member of His church.  There are 8 statements and phrases that tell what it means to belong the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

• Write on the board 1 through 8.
• Tell the children that there are 8 things that we know or do as members of His church.
• Ask them to listen as you sing the song and listen for the 8 things.
• Sing the song
• List as many things as the children can remember. List them in order so they know if they missed any, then sing it again. (Use one or or two words in each phrase as prompts.)
• Invite the children to sing with you.  
• Sing one or two phrases at a time until they can sing the whole song.
• Repetition is key to learning.

When He Comes Again

"When He Comes Again," p. 82, is one of the songs to go along with what the children are learning in Primary.

If possible, ask a few children to make/draw pictures of the following:

• angels singing
• snow scene
• spring scene
• star
• sun
• bird in a nest
• children sitting around Jesus

I like to use children's art where possible because it helps the children be apart of teaching and there is an ownership to the song.  You can always find or draw your own pictures.

• Put the pictures on the board randomly.
• sing the song as the children look at the pictures
• ask the children to help you put them in order as they sing.
• stop after each phrase to find the picture.
• Once they are in order sing it again, two or three times

If time permits, begin teaching the 2nd verse.  I teach it by rote - I sing a phrase then they sing it three times.  I sing the next phrase then they sing it twice and the third time we add the previous phrase. Continue in this way until the whole 2nd verse is learned.

Remember to review songs regularly.

Review

The goal of a review is to "refresh" the song so it "sticks" in the children's minds.

Gather several of the pictures that you have used for each song you would like to review.  This month we have learned "When We're Helping," "A Child's Prayer" and "I know That My Redeemer Lives."

• Write the titles of the songs you will be reviewing on the board.
• Place the pictures in random order on the board.  Ask a child to choose a picture. 
• Ask what song it belongs to.
• Place the picture under its title
• Sing the song or verse that the picture reminds us of
• Choose another child and follow the same procedure

You could also write the titles on paper and tape each to a stick and tape the stick to a large paper bag or basket.  Put the picture that belong to the song in the bag or basket.

When We're Helping

Service is or should be the very heart of our religion.  It's wonderful to see a group of youth cleaning up and elderly person's yard or sorting can goods at the food bank, or young children along side a parent helping rake leaves or shoveling walks.  When we are helping and serving others, we are happy!

"When We're Helping," p. 198, is a great song to sing when helping others.  Most children are familiar with this song. As you sing it, ask the children to suggest ways we help or serve others and encourage them to report back next week on things that they have done.  Suggest that they sing this song as they help or serve.

Ways to serve/help:

• pick up toys
• clean room without being asked
• help in the kitchen - preparing or cleaning up
• folding laundry
• vacuuming, mopping, dusting
• picking fruit or vegetables for someone
• racking leaves
• plus many more . . .

A Child's Prayer

"A Child's Prayer," p. 12, will become one of your primary's all time favorite - if they don't already know it.  The duet is wonderful and fairly easy to learn and sing.

1st verse: I teach this in 2 parts - the question and feeling part and the teaching part.

• 1st phrase - draw a question mark (?) on the board or paper (large enough for the children to recognize)
• 2nd phrase - picture of a child praying
• 3rd phrase - picture of Jesus teaching the disciples
• 4th phrase - picture of Jesus with children

2nd verse: Make word prompts for each phrase. Several pictures of a child praying helps the non-readers stay focused.

• "Pray"
• "Speak"
• "You are His Child"
• "Love"
• "Hears"
• "Loves"
• "Kingdom"

Repetition is key to learning. Sing phrases several time, then the entire verse.

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives," Hymn # 136, is a favorite of many.  It was included in the first hymnbook compiled by Emma Smith.

The first three lines are sung in unison (melody only).  Each verse states the many blessing of having a resurrected Christ.

The last three lines of the hymn are a bold declaration of the fact that Jesus Christ lives.

If possible, challenge yourself and the children to learn all 4 verses.  Pictures and word prompts will help.

Read through each verse and make note of pictures and words you can use to help the children.  Suggestions:

1st verse

• Picture of Christ
• "comfort" use a word prompt or use a small blanket, a hug
• Picture of Christ by the tomb
• explain what "ever-living head" means - head of the church, etc.

Sing these first 3 lines several times.

The last three lines repeats "He lives . . ." 4 times.

• "bless" word strip or picture of Christ blessing the children
• "to plead"  word strip or picture of Christ in Gethsemane
• "my hungry soul to feed"  word strip or picture of Christ feeding the 5000
• "to bless . . . need"  word strip or picture of Christ healing someone

Sing this section several times then the whole hymn.

This may take two weeks to accomplish but reviewing it each week will help the children memorize it.

The Lord Gave Me a Temple

This month, August 2019, the theme in The Friend, as well as The New Era and Ensign, is the importance of our mortal body.  In the song,"The Lord Gave Me a Temple," p. 153, it compares our body to the temple.  Use theses publications as a resource in teaching the song.

Choose a picture of a Temple - line drawing or of a temple near you.
Use a picture of children or a boy and a girl or a child dressed in white before baptism.  A bride and groom in front of a temple could also be used.

Display the pictures that you have chosen.

Tell the children that inside the temple everything is clean and beautiful and there is a reverent atmosphere there as well.  Our bodies are the "temple" of our spirit.  Heavenly Father wanted our bodies to be clean so our spirits could live there- both our minds and physical bodies.

How can we keep our bodies healthy, clean and pure for our spirits?
(Let the children give suggestions on keeping their bodies clean and healthy.)

Sing "The Lord Gave Me a Temple" or use a recording of it.  Ask them to listen for rhymes in the song.

• Sing the first 2 1/2 lines.
• point out the rhyming words
• Ask the children to sing with you (3 times)
• Where did we live before our birth?  Heaven
• Why do we call our body a "temple?"
• Sing the last 2 1/2 lines
• Ask the children to sing with you (3 times)
• What can we do to keep our bodies "bright?"
• sing the whole first verse

Second verse - Sing the second verse.

• What ways can we protect our bodies?  Listen to the second verse. (keep it clean, pure and habit-free)
• sing the last 2 1/2 lines
• What does heavenly father promise us if we keep our bodies clean and pure? (I'll live in celestial glory and live in heaven.)
• Sing the last 2 1/2 lines - 3 times with the children

Review this song again next week.