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I will prepare to be a missionary by being faithful and obedient.



Prepare for this sharing time by taking the batteries out of a flashlight and placing a piece of masking tape on each battery, write faithfulness on one battery and obedience on another. Put the batteries in your pocket but keep the flashlight in tact as if it is ready to use.  Come into the Primary room excitedly telling them that you got a new flashlight and you can't wait to show them how it works. Talk very quickly about how much you love your new flashlight because you JUST bought it and it's even your favorite color...etc. 

Just as you get ready to turn on the flashlight, ask the Primary if they are really ready to see your new flashlight in action. Turn it on and then act very dramatically upset that it didn't turn on. Have the children check the switch to make sure it is on. Talk a lot about why it may not work.  When someone mention batteries, take the batteries out of your pocket but do not show the labels yet. Insert the batteries. Turn on the flashlight, showing each child your cool new flashlight. Explain that your flashlight did not work because the source of power was not IN the flashlight.  Explain that this is true with ourselves.  Take out the batteries and show them that they say faithfulness and obedience. Tell them that our "lights" can shine when we are obedient and faithful and others will see this and want the same source in their lives. 

Hold up the following picture of the candle

Jesus Christ taught those who followed Him that they were “the light of the world.” He said that you don’t light candles and put them under baskets. When you light a candle, you put it on a candlestick so that it gives light to everyone in the room. He told us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Read Matt. 5:14–16.)

What does that mean? It means that if you are a good example, if you “let your light shine,” then when other people see your good example, they will know that you love Heavenly Father and they, too, will want to honor Him.

How can you let your light shine? One way is by keeping the commandments and choosing the right. When we are honest, when we keep the Sabbath holy, when we are kind, we are letting our lights shine. When we obey the Word of Wisdom, when we dress modestly, when we use the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ reverently, we are letting our lights shine. Each small light makes a big difference!

There is another way we can let our lights shine. Elder Henry B. Eyring’s friends call him “Hal.” He told a story in General Conference about a friend he once worked with. His friend was a good person who loved his family. Elder Eyring never told his friend about the gospel and how families can be together forever. One day, he heard that his friend had died. Elder Eyring said that he sometimes wonders if he will meet his friend in heaven and if his friend will say, “Hal, you knew—why didn’t you tell me?” Now Elder Eyring shares his testimony with people all over the world. When we share what we know about the gospel with others, we are letting our lights shine.
 
Call up various parents of children in both junior and senior Primary and ask them to share a time when (name) was faithful and obedient and let their light shine.  Share these examples with the children and have them guess "who" they think you are referring to.  Then say, "I didn't have the opportunity to call all of your parents, but I'm positive they would all give me "glowing" reports on each of you."  

SING: “Shine On” (page 144).  Teach this song to your children.  It's an easy song.  As they sing it, pass out a cut-out paper sun. When the music stops, the child holding the sun tells how he/she can be a good example (by going to church, being kind, helping Mother, telling the truth, inviting friends to Primary, etc.) or tells something he/she knows about the gospel (I love my family, my family love me, I like to hear the prophet speak, I love the stories in the Book of Mormon, etc.). You could even make a large picture - frame sun that you could put around a child’s face as he tells what he could do or what he knows. If a child has trouble thinking of something, you can say, “I especially appreciate (child’s name)’s example when he (smiles, sings in Primary, helps put away chairs, is reverent, etc.)”

SUMMARY: Ask the children if they've ever been afraid of the dark, or been in a deep, dark cave.  Then they know how welcome a ray of light can be. Even a small light makes a big difference in a dark place.  Some of your friends haven't got the gospel in their lives.  Say, "Your friends need your light.  They need your examples.  The greatest way for you to be a missionary is to be faithful and obedient to the gospel."  Share your testimony with the children.



SOURCES:


 October 1999 Sharing Time Suggestion

OTHER:

 The church has a video that shows church growth by stake.  It would be fun to relate that that growth happens by each person sharing their light with others and in turn, how it affects the big picture:  Click here to see and/or download the video...depending upon your connection speed, it may take a while to load.  (This video (as well as many others) can be found on the following page)

 PORTUGUESE - Michele Paiva has graciously translated this sharing time into Portuguese and shared it with all of us.  If you would like to open her file, click here.

Last Updated (Saturday, 26 July 2008 01:15)

 

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