Introduction Week--I Know that My Savior Loves Me

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to our brand new year. Hard to believe we're starting over again on a new program, hu? I did do a few games over the Christmas Season with my primary, but I absolutely had no time at all to post. So, If anyone wants to know...perhaps I'll post it for future reference.

Keep in mind a couple of things before you launch into this Sunday...Remember that for most of us, children will change classes this Sunday. This in and of itself will deplete the time you have to present just because of the mild confusion and such. Also keep in mind that this is a brand new song and your goal will be to have the children familiar with the melody and rhythm. Don't worry so much if you don't get past the first verse. Anyhow, here's how I'm going to introduce our beautiful new song, I Know that My Savior Loves Me.


Preparation:

1. 12 page (homemade) story book telling the story of Jesus appearing to the children in the America's. Only have it be a Picture book for the first six pages. You can fill in the story for them. On the last six pages, show the same pictures with the lines of the song below each corresponding picture. Such as, the first picture would be of a beautiful landscape and the words below would read...."A long time ago in a beautiful place children were gathered round Jesus" etc. (Each of the pages of my book will be on half a poster board and then bound together with rings. I want it to be able to be easily seen by all the children. You can make it whatever size you wish)

Arrange the primary room by putting all teacher chairs in a semi circle. Put some blankets on the ground and have a child's size chair that you can sit in. Do not have your backs to anyone...make sure everyone is in front of you. (Check with your presidency member that will be doing sharing time to make sure they feel comfortable with this set up for their part.)

If you would like, bring a few articles of clothing you can easily put on before primary that would suggest you are from Book of Mormon times.

Presentation:

Invite the children to sit in a semi circle around your chair. Have the pianist play the melody of the song as they arrange themselves. Begin by asking the children how they would feel if I told them that the Savior Himself would walk through our Primary doors today to be with them. Let a few of the children answer this question.

Tell them that a long time ago, children just like themselves had that experience. Bring out your story book. Tell them the story of Jesus visiting the children in the Americas (You need not give every single detail...in fact, be brief and tell main points to the story . )

Tell them that for our new year and theme we also have a new song. Point to the title of your book(it should be the title of the song). Flip to the first picture that describes the first line of the song. Have the pianist play it. Have the children say and sing the line with you. Move on to the next. etc. Come back and review. When you get to the chorus, tell the children that we are going to stand and sing those lines. Help them to see that this part of the song is where they get to sing their testimony (which is very powerful).

Close by baring your testimony on how much you know the Savior loves little children, that He knows them personally, that He hears and answers their prayers.

PS... I just found an incredible flip chart that you could use for this song on Primary Singing Time Ideas..those gals are amazing! (the link is to the right of this post.)


**Thecrazychorister

Hear what they say to you....

Merry Christmas! This activity is meant to help bring in the Christmas season by reminding all our precious primary children that their Savior lives and loves them, and that Christmas is just as alive today as it was over 2000 years ago....we just have to open our ears and hearts to hear its message.

Preparation:

(Please do not feel like you need to buy things for these costumes...just use what you have at home...it doesn't have to be "authentic" looking)

1 Samuel the Laminate outfit
1 Card board box painted to look like a wall
1 Joseph outfit with a block of wood and a fake wood workers tool (out of cardboard)
1 Mary outfit and a rocking chair
3 Shepherd outfits (bathrobes and a head band) with staffs
3 Angle outfits (Simply some scarves will do)
1 large star
A set of bells

Place all of the outfits around the primary room with numbers above the spot (#1-#5) Have 1 bell at each spot. Sing Christmas Bells (pg 54). Ring a bell at the beginning and end of every sentence of the song while the children are singing. Ask the children what the Christmas bell said to them in the song. Tell them that the Christmas bell is going to help us learn a little more about the Christmas story. Tell them that when they hear your bell, they should be as reverent as possible so you can pick someone to help you.

1. Ring the bell. Choose a reverent boy to go to spot #1. Help him quickly dress like Samuel. Have him stand on the "wall". Ask the children if they know why Samuel the Laminite is a part of the Christmas story. Sing "Samuel foretells of Baby Jesus" pg. 36 Have the child bring the bell to the front of the room. Have him ring the bell so the children get reverent. Have him place the bell next to your bell and sit down.

2. Pick another boy to to find spot #2. Help him dress as Joseph and have him hold his wood and tool so everyone can see. Tell them that Joseph provided for his family by creating beautiful and useful things out of wood. Tell them there is a song about Joseph's role as the provider and protector of the Christ Child. Sing "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem" pg 38 Have him ring his bell and place it next to the other bells.

3. Pick a Girl to find #3. Help her dress as Mary. Tell them of the love Mary had for Jesus. Sing "Once within a lowly stable" pg. 41 vs 1. Have her ring her bell and place it next to the others.

4. Choose 3 children (boys or girls) to be shepherds. As they get dressed, tell of how blessed they were to hear from angles of the Christ Child's birth. Sing "There was Starlight on the Hillside" pg 40 second vs only. Have one of them ring their bell

5. Choose 3 children (boys or girls) to be angels. As they get dressed, tell how amazing a choir of Heavenly Hosts must a have been to behold. That the announcement of the royal birth came with music and Heavenly praise. Have one child hold the star. Sing "Stars were Gleaming" vs 1.
Have one child ring their bell and place it with the others.

Have 5 children come to the front (five who haven't yet participated). Sing "Christmas Bells" again, but this time have all five bells join. After you have sung the song, explain that each part of the Christmas story is special and can fill our hearts with joy. Tell them that each time they hear a bell this season to think of the little babe in Bethlehem who was born so they might have eternal joy.


(If your primary, like my primary, is not familiar with all these songs...you might want to make a poster with the words on it so they can sing along the best they can. Don't worry if they don't know all the words....the spirit will teach the message anyway..and its a great way to introduce the music too them. You could also provide a copy of the songs to your teachers so they will sing with you and help the children.)


*the crazy chorister