I will keep the commandments and live
now to be worthy to go to the temple
by Melanie Day


 

You'll need to print off these files for this sharing time:

Cards for Suitcase (Adobe file)
Wordstrips (Word Document)
 

 
Have you ever seen a temple lighted at night or walked on the temple grounds during the day? Do you have a picture of a temple in your home? Do you have a happy, peaceful feeling when you see a temple? Why are temples such special places? Other buildings are also built with the finest materials and landscaped with beautiful flowers. But temples are places where Heavenly Father and His Spirit may dwell. Each is a house of the Lord.

All of Heavenly Father’s children who are worthy and old enough can enter the temple to learn more about His plan of happiness. In a temple, worthy members of the Church covenant with (make promises to) Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father, in turn, makes promises to them.

Today we're going to go on a little trip.  Before we leave, we better pack a few things. 

(Preparation:  Draw the following on the chalkboard.....(if you don't have a chalkboard, you could get a piece of posterboard...cut it in half and in the shape of a suitcase, like this:

                           
On one side of the suitcase write "Physical" and on the opposite side of the suitcase write at the top "Spiritual".   Print out the following cards to be used in packing your suitcase. 

Put all the items that are to go in the suitcase into a small box or container.  Have one child at a time come forward and draw one out of the container.  Help or have them read what kind of physical things we can do to prepare to enter the Lord's house.  Explain how much better we feel when we are prepared.  Whether they realize it or not, they are preparing now by coming to church today and by doing the things listed on the physical side. 

SING - “Keep the Commandments” (pp. 146–147).
 

FIELD TRIP - I liked the following activity idea from the Friend as it will help children know "what" is in the temple and how it is similar to our meeting houses.  Check with your priesthood advisor first to see if this activity will work in your meetinghouse without disrupting others in the building. If not, designate areas of the children’s meeting room to represent the rooms mentioned. Divide the children into groups and take them on a tour of the meetinghouse, much as they might go on a tour of a temple during an open house. (See Friend, Feb. 1993, pp. 2–4 and Jan. 2001, p. 22.) Ask them to be reverent and listen to the guides who will explain how a temple is similar to and different from a meetinghouse. Have an adult accompany each group, as well as a guide at each of the following stops:
 

Chapel—a gathering place in both buildings.
 

Classroom—similar to an ordinance room because it is where we are taught what Heavenly Father wants us to know and do.
 

Baptismal font (if there is not one in your building, use a picture)—in a meetinghouse baptisms are performed for the living; in the temple baptisms are performed for the dead.
 

Kitchen—in a meetinghouse, a place to serve food for ward or stake activities; in some temples there are cafeterias where food is served.
 

Bishop or branch president’s office—the bishop or branch president is responsible for his ward or branch; each temple has a temple president’s office. The temple president is responsible for the temple and the work done there. If time permits, have the bishop or branch president explain what a temple recommend is at this stop.
 

Return to the Primary room and have the children post the wordstrips on the "Spiritual" side until they are gone.  Discuss if time permits. 

SING: “I Love to See the Temple” (p. 95)
 

SUMMARY: Temples are places of love and beauty. Heavenly Father wants all of us, His children, to have the opportunity to go to His temples and receive all that is necessary to be with our families forever and to return to live with Him someday. In temples, we are taught Heavenly Father’s plan for us.  You can begin preparing now to go to the temple.  Share your testimony.
 

OTHER Optional Activities:

Game: Play a game that reinforces these ideas by having the children take turns saying the following phrase using words from the list or other appropriate words. The first child begins by saying, “I am going to the temple, and I will be _______.” Have the child fill in the blank with a word beginning with the letter a. The second child repeats the phrase and the first word, then adds a second word that begins with b. For example: “I am going to the temple and I will be alert and brave.” Continue playing until you have completed the alphabet or until all the children have had an opportunity to play.  A child may choose to pass on his or her turn. If he or she passes or is unable to complete the list, everyone sings a song that describes a way to follow Jesus Christ, such as “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” (pp. 78–79), “Kindness Begins with Me” (p. 145), or “I Will Be Valiant” (p. 162). The next child then begins a new list starting with a word that begins with the letter following the one that was passed.

Guest: Invite a member of the bishopric or branch presidency to talk to the children about the standards necessary to enter the temple. Have him explain how following the prophet’s counsel can bless them now and also prepare them to enter the temple.
 

SOURCES:

“Sharing Time: A House of God,” Friend, Mar. 2002, 46
“Sharing Time: A Place of Love and Beauty,” Friend, Jan. 2002, 30