Sharing Time on: The Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost will prompt me to repent and live righteously after I am baptized and confirmed.

Junior Primary
Ask: Who knows what’s special about turning eight?
Children will answer being baptized.
Explain that when we are baptized we become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is one of the most important days of our lives. On that wonderful occasion, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give us a precious gift.

Show gift bag and have the children draw a clue out of the bag: **Ask them to not give any answers until all the clues have been read.**

I cannot be bought with money
I speak with a still, small voice
I teach the truth
I am a guide
I give comfort
Ask all who know what the gift is to raise their hands.
What is this gift? (The gift of the Holy Ghost.)

**Ask children questions about the Holy Ghost, such as:
Is the Holy Ghost a person? (No) Explain that he has a body of spirit rather than of flesh and bones. Because He is a spirit, you cannot see Him. But you can feel Him with you. The Holy Ghost has many names. Some of them are the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, and the Comforter.

Ask: How can he help us?
He can bring a feeling of comfort and peace when you are sad, lonely, or frightened
He can bring a warm, sweet feeling into your heart when you think about Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
He can help teach you right and wrong.
He can encourage you to do good deeds for others.
He can help you understand and remember the scriptures.

Explain that although lots of the children have not been baptized there have probably been times when they’ve maybe felt the Holy Ghost. However explain that, when they are baptized, they have the opportunity to have the Holy Ghost with them at all times. But we must always remember to live righteously and to do things that will invite the Spirit to be with us.

Activity:
Play Invites the Spirit/Turns the Spirit Away game- Children draw a strip out of Ziploc bag that has good or bad things listed on them that will either invite the Spirit or turn the Spirit away. Child draws a strip then decides which it does. Discuss one’s that the kids may not understand very well. (This is a game that is found on one of the Primary Partners Sharing Time Treasures C.D's)

Senior Primary

Ask how many children have been baptized: Then cont. with the following questions:
· What valuable gift did you receive after you were baptized? (The gift of the Holy Ghost.)
· Who is the Holy Ghost? (A being who helps Jesus and Heavenly Father; a spirit; someone who can comfort and help us.)
· Where can we feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost? (In our hearts and minds. Answers such as “at home,” “at church,” or “wherever we are when we choose the right” are also acceptable.)

Object Lesson: Before Sharing Time begins, take 3 long tube socks and place one small item in each sock. Have all the tube socks on a table. Choose a child to come forward and put their arm in the sock. Have them tell everyone what it is, without looking...they can only feel the object. If the child cannot name the object, ask them to describe how it feels. Compare this with recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost. When we are familiar with the Spirit, we know what it feels like and can easily recognize it. However, when we have not had many experiences with the Spirit, we might not easily recognize it.

• Why did Heavenly Father send the Holy Ghost to be with us? (To help and comfort us; to guide and warn us; to tell us what is true; to give us feelings of love and peace.)

Lesson: Explain that as members of Jesus Christ’s Church, we have the same privilege the Apostles did of having the Holy Ghost to help and comfort us. Emphasize that the companionship of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest gifts that we can enjoy in this life. We can always have his companionship if we are worthy and live righteously.

Activity: Explain that choosing righteous ideas over unrighteous ideas is like a light bulb going on in our mind. The Light that Comes from God is a bright light that brings warm happy feelings. The Light that Comes Not from God is a dim light that brings a cold, sad feeling.
Read the following scriptures and decide what it is teaching us and if it is a Comes from God or Comes Not from God
*D&C 9:8 (warm feeling inside)
*D&C 9:9 (confusion)
*Moroni 7:13 (you want to do good) (you want to love and serve God)
*Mornoni 7:17 (you want to do wrong, you do not want to follow Jesus, you doubt Jesus Christ)
*D&C 6:23 and John 14:27 (peace in your mind)