When I am baptized, I
covenant with Heavenly Father...
 that I will take upon myself the name of Jesus Christ,
always remember Him, and keep His commandments

 
 

Introduction - Have a child hold up a piece of an athletic uniform. Ask: “What do you promise when you become part of a team?” (You will come to practice, you will come to games, you will do your best, you will be a good sport.) Have an older child come up; role-play inviting her [or him] to baby-sit. Then ask: “What can I expect from her when she agrees to baby-sit for me?” (Promptness; care of children; following your rules regarding phone calls, eating your food, etc.) “What do I promise her?” (To get her home on time, provide a safe place to work, pay her.) Role-play contracting a lawn-mowing job (or a paper-delivery job) with another child. Discuss the implicit promises. Ask 2 eight-year-old Scouts to recite the Cub Scout promise.  Or you can ask 3 older children to stand and repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. Ask the children to show you other things they do to show that they have made a promise. (Shake hands to confirm a deal, say “I promise,” sign a check, raise the right hand to sustain someone in a calling, take an oath in a court of law, etc.)

Say: “We are going to talk about one of the most important promises, or covenants, you will ever make—the covenant of baptism. Hold up two magnets and show them to the children.  Ask them what magnets do...what is their purpose?  Ask them, "What is a covenant?"  Put the magnets together and tell them to covenant means to “come together,” or to be bound together by promises. Sometimes it is a promise that we make in our hearts. Even when we make a covenant in our hearts with Heavenly Father, there are things we do to show that we have made those promises.  The baptism covenant is the first gospel-ordinance covenant you make with Heavenly Father. When you make this sacred covenant, you show your love for Him. You also promise, or covenant, to take the name of Jesus Christ upon you, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments.  You should also be willing to bear testimony of Him, and to love and serve Him by loving and serving others.

Sing - I will seek the Lord early

Write on the chalkboard and ask: “What do we promise the Lord?” Give one of the following word strips cut up into words to each of 3 helpers:

1. Take upon us the name of His Son
2. Always remember Him
3. Keep His commandments which He has given us.

Have the helpers post the words in correct order under “What do we promise the Lord?” Now write and ask: “What does the Lord promise us?” Have a helper put the word strip (cut up into words) We may always have His spirit to be with us in order, and post them under “What does the Lord promise us?” Next, ask: “What do we promise when we are baptized?” “What does the Lord promise us?” “Why do these words sound familiar?” Every week when we take the sacrament, we renew our baptismal covenant. These words are familiar because they are part of the sacrament prayer. There are three other things the Lord promises us when we are baptized (post the wordstrips): Membership in His church, Forgiveness of our sins, and Salvation in His kingdom.
 
Attention Getter - On the chalkboard write the following...

1. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#1" on front)

2. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#2" on front)
3. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#3" on front)
4. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#4" on front)
5. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#5" on front)
6. __________________ (Tape an envelope with clue inside...Write "#6" on front)

(So you will tape an envelope next to each line with the clue inside)  Choose a child to come up and choose an envelope from the chalkboard.  Each clue gives as account of a person that made a covenant with the Lord in some way and kept it.  Help or have them read the clue and guess who it is referring to.  If they have a hard time answering it, give them clues like, "There are four letters in her name." Or fill in two of the letters on the chalkboard and see if they can guess it...etc.

1.  Clue 1 should read, "This person promised to stay with Naomi, her mother-in-law and care for her, even though her husband, Naomi's son had died.  They returned to the land of Naomi's people with nothing, but because of this persons covenant and kindness to Naomi, she was blessed to marry Boaz.  (Answer - Ruth) 

2.  Clue 2 should read, "This person honored his commitment to pray to Heavenly Father and his life was spared when he was thrown into the lion's den."  (Answer - Daniel)

3.  Clue 3 should read, "This person promised Nephi that he would stay with Lehi's family.  Nephi then promised him freedom.  This person kept his promise."  (Answer - Zoram)

4.  Clue 4 should read, "This person covenanted to serve the Lord.  He had a son named Isaac when and his wife were old.  This fulfilled the Lord's promise to him that he would have a great and blessed posterity."  (Answer - Abraham)

5.  Clue 5 should read, "This group of men honored their pledge to live the word of wisdom.  They refused to eat King Nebuchadnezzar's food and wine.  They received greater health, knowledge, and wisdom than all the wizards and astrologers in the land."  (Answers - Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego)

6.  Clue 6 should read, "This person covenanted to obeyed the Lord and his family is saved in the ark from the great flood."  (Answer - Noah)

Craft Idea - Give each child a few pieces of pipe cleaner and have each child make a person from the scriptures that kept their covenants with the Lord (refer to your answers on the board...like, Noah, Daniel, Ruth, etc.).  The wire can be formed into stick-figures by using different lengths of wire and twisting them together.  Give each teacher some scissors so they can help them children if they want their pipe cleaner cut into different sizes.  (You'll be amazed at their creativity.)

Summary - Share your witness of the importance of baptism.  Explain that the people we learned about today also took upon themselves Jesus' name and honored their covenants.  We too can be like them. 

OTHER OPTIONAL IDEAS:

Handout Idea - Baptism, My First Covenant Worksheet
Activity Idea - Write the name of each child on a separate strip of paper. On the opposite side, write something about that child’s name, such as why his or her parents named him/her that, what the meaning of the name is, or if anyone else in his/her family has that name. Number the strips on the information side, and place them around the room with the names down. Give each child a list of the names of all the Primary children. Have them walk around the room and guess which information goes with which name. Have them write the information - strip number by the name on their list. (Idea taken from May 1997 Friend Magazine Sharing Time)
 

SOURCES:

Baptism, My First Covenant - May 1997 Friend Magazine
I can keep my covenant - August 1999 Friend Magazine