Armor of God Sharing Time

by Leslee
 

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I did this sharing time today.  It was a huge success, but also took a lot of preparation.  The ideas came from various sources; however, it took the entire 40 minutes and I had to cut out a couple of the songs.  Hope you can use something from this.

   

Preparation:  Make an armor using cardboard and tinfoil or draw the different pieces on paper:  body, helmet, breastplate, shield, sword, shoes (2),skirt (divided into 5 sections), and arm guards (I made these up in order to have enough armor to cover each of the gospel standards).  Each shoe and arm guard were separate.  This made 13 pieces.

 

In the scriptures when people were going to battle what did they wear? (Armor)
 

Story:  Captain Moroni preparing his soldiers with armor to go against Zerahemnah.  The Lamanites were afraid and ran away when they saw the armor even though there was more of them.

  SONG:  Latter-day warriors  (we learned this song last year and it worked perfectly, but you could also sing 2nd verse of Scripture Power).

 

We are latter-day warriors and we need to put on spiritual armor.  Who are we fighting against?  (Satan)

Ephesians 6:11

Talk about how the armor we are going to use today is the gospel standards.  They all begin "I Will".  They are things we must be doing if we want to be protected in battle.

 

[I had the armor turned over on the board and as they chose a piece we briefly talked about each one and put it on the body]

 

1.  I will follow Heavenly Father's plan for me.

Activity:  Doing what's right, getting a body, having faith and following Jesus' example will help us follow the plan.

SONG:  I will follow God's plan

 

2.  I will remember my baptismal covenants and listen to the Holy Ghost.

Activity:  I had five objects representing ways the Holy Ghost can speak to us.  [I had used these in a sharing time last year so it was just a review].  Whistle--warn, flashlight--enlighten, helps understand; blanket--comfort; compass--guides, helmet--protect.

SONG: The Holy Ghost

 

3.   I will choose the right.  I know I can repent when I make a mistake.

Activity:  Show a CTR symbol or ring.  Ask what it means.  It is to remind us to choose the right.  

Story: [I found it in the Friend but I don't remember the reference]  A boy from New Zealand was playing with some friends when they found a package of cigarettes and decided to go and smoke them.  Just before they were about to light up the boy noticed his CTR ring and it reminded him to choose the right.  He didn't smoke the cigarette and was grateful for the reminder his CTR ring gave him.

SONG:  Choose the right way.

 

4.  I will be honest with Heavenly Father, others, and myself.

Activity:  Ask what is honesty?  It is more than not lying, not cheating, and not stealing.  It is telling the truth, truth living, and truth loving.  

Story:  Friend Nov. 2001 "Honesty: a moral compass"  p. 2.

SONG:  I believe in Being Honest.

 

5.  I will use the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus reverently.   I will not swear or use crude words.

Activity: Ask if each child's name is special to them.  If they were named for someone.  Ask one child to come to the front and tell why their name is special.  Ask how he feels when you say his name.  [Say his name using different tones]  Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus have special names also and when we say their name in anger and not reverently, they also feel sad just as you do when someone calls you names or says your name angrily.

SONG:  Hum your favorite hymn

 

6.  I will do things on the Sabbath that will help me feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Activity:  List Sabbath day activities.  If time permits have a couple people come up and charade an activity.

SONG:  The Chapel Doors

 

7.  I will honor my parents and do my part to strengthen my family. 

Activity:  I just reviewed what we talked about last week.

SONG:  Quickly I'll Obey

 

8.  I will keep my mind and body sacred and pure, and I will not partake of things that are harmful to me.

Activity:  Show pictures or objects and have the children choose whether good or bad for body.

SONG:  Word of wisdom.

 

9.  I will dress modestly to show respect for Heavenly Father and myself.

Activity:  Read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.  Quote from "My Body is a Temple"  May 2002 Friend.

SONG:  The Lord gave me a temple.

 

10.  I will only read and watch things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Activity:  Paper bag containing scriptures and beautifully wrapped present containing garbage.  Ask which would they choose.  Open them.  Explain that sometimes people who make movies, and write books make them look tempting and good on the outside, but we need to be careful because there might be "garbage" on the inside.

SONG:  Search, Ponder, and pray

 

11.  I will only listen to music that is pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Activity:  Have piano player play a song really off key.  How does it make you feel?  Songs can make us sad, happy, angry.  We'll now sing a song that makes up happy

SONG:  Lift up your voice

 

12.  I will seek good friends and  treat others kindly.

Activity:  Story-- The Good Samaritan (visuals May 1999 Friend).

SONG:  Kindness begins with me.

 

13.  I will live worthy to go to the temple, serve a mission, and do my part to have an eternal family.

Activity:  show picture of temple--How does it make you feel?  

Ways to prepare:  Show pictures have them say what they can do--baptism (be baptized), tithing envelope (pay tithing), Daniel refusing king's meat (Live word of wisdom), Jesus (testimony of Savior), Gordon B. Hinckley (sustain and follow the prophet), family (treat family members kindly) from January ST 2002].

 

Close with testimony of importance of having the armor of God on at all times.