April 2016 Sharing Time Weeks 3 & 4

Since we had General Conference this month, it left us with only three weeks of Primary. Also, since I did my Easter sharing time last month on the Resurrection and the Atonement, I decided to do this week's sharing time on repentance, which goes perfectly along with the Atonement. Hope you have a blissful sharing time this week!

First, share this STORY about a little girl named Melodie who told a lie which got bigger and bigger and made her feel worse and worse until she finally came clean. (You might want to change the "Yahwehs" to "Heavenly Father")

Second, I saw an idea for an object lesson on repentance. Object lessons are my favorite because they give the children a physical example of what you are teaching and helps them understand it better. For this object lesson you will need:

A bowl of paint
A bowl of syrup
A bowl of  crackers
A bowl of dirt
A bucket of water

Have one of the kids come up (you may want to choose someone with short sleeves and put an apron on them, or just do it yourself!). Put your hand in paint, you are dirty from sin. If you don't repent, you keep getting dirtier and dirtier. Put your hand in syrup, then in crackers, then in dirt. You are covered in sin. The only way to get rid of it is by repenting and washing it away (wash in bucket). 
Explain that when we sin, it is easy for the sin to get worse and worse and pretty soon we are all covered in sins. BUT, no matter how dirty with sins we become, because of the Atonement, we can always be washed clean.

Third, ask the children to think of a time they have done something they weren't supposed to do. Explain that through Heavenly Father's plan, we can all be saved and return to live with our Heavenly Father. BUT, we need to make sure we are clean when we return to him. We don't want to return home all dirty with sin. We want to be as clean as when He sent us to Earth. So to become clean and free of sin, what do we need to do? Answer: REPENT! 

Fourth, explain that there are steps to repentance. Ask the children if they know what the steps are. As they name each step, put them up on the board. The steps are:

1. Know you did wrong
2. Feel sorry
3. Confess
4. Ask Forgiveness
5. Make wrong RIGHT
6. Never do it again

Click here to print out repentance steps. 

Fifth, review what we have been talking about this month. Heavenly Father had a plan for us to come to earth and be able to make choices. Nobody is perfect. We are so blessed to have the option of repentance so that when we do make mistakes, we can be forgiven.

Sixth, if there is time, go over the Third Article of Faith song.