'I Know My Savior Lives' is 2010 Primary theme
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In an effort to help Primary presidencies and music leaders worldwide prepare lessons and teach children, the Church has released a "new and improved" outline for sharing time in 2010.
The booklet — titled "I Know My Savior Lives" — is a "resource to help leaders and parents know what to teach the children and how to teach the children in order to increase their faith and testimony in their Savior Jesus Christ," said Sister Cheryl C. Lant, Primary general president.
The booklet — complete with photographs, an improved reader-friendly format and teaching guides — is a "wonderful resource" for everyone, she said.
"It is also helpful in the international Church because in the growing Church many Primary leaders have never experienced Primary," said Sister Lant. "They don't have any idea what Primary looks like or feels like."
Produced in 44 languages, the booklet includes sharing time lessons that correspond with monthly themes. Members of the Primary presidency will present the themes, which are the backbone of the Primary sacrament meeting program, presented each fall by children around the globe.
"We didn't change sharing time at all," said Sister Lant, noting that additional resources for Primary leaders are all that is new. "This resource was designed to be everything in one place that a presidency needs," said Sister Lant.
Sister Lant and her counselors in the Primary general presidency, Sister Margaret S. Lifferth and Sister Vicki F. Matsumori, recently spoke to the Church News about the new outline.
Each said the new format and information is a tool to help Primary leaders not only know what to teach, but also how to teach it.
Sister Lifferth said she hopes that as Primary leaders prepare sharing time they will ask themselves two important questions: "What will the children do to learn? How can I help them feel the Spirit?"
"Involving the children in the learning and also helping them feel the Spirit are two really important things that they will build into their preparation," she said.
In order to help leaders meet that goal, they are invited to accomplish three things in each lesson: identify the doctrine they are teaching, encourage understanding of that doctrine and encourage application of the doctrine. Leaders can accomplish these things by using a variety of teaching methods described in the booklet such as object lessons, reading scriptures, memorizing an Article of Faith, playing a game, singing a song, drawing or participating in a physical activity.
The booklet gives every Primary leader "the flexibility to meet the needs of the children in their Primary," Sister Lant said.
And more helps are available onLDS.org. For example, if a lesson calls for word strips, the Primary leader can download and print them from the Church Web site.
In addition, Sister Matsumori said the booklet helps Primary leaders better utilize the Primary music leader.
"It is an opportunity to help the leaders, as well as the children," Sister Matsumori said.
In the end, everyone wins, the presidency explained. Leaders have the help they need and children learn more.
That is especially important this year as they study about their Savior, Sister Matsumori said.
Sister Lifferth said faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the Gospel. "Children are naturally full of faith. Youth is a natural time to teach that gospel principle."
Sister Lant said that while living on earth, the Savior directed that the children be brought to Him.
"We are under the same commitment today to bring the children to the Savior so that they might know Him."
Children today need to know that their Savior lives, she said. "If they can have that in their hearts they will be OK."
The 2010 Outline for Sharing Time booklets are now available at Church distribution centers. For more information about the booklet or the 2010 Primary theme visit LDS.org (follow the Serving in the Church — Primary link) or go to www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4647-1,00.html
