Sharing Time on: I will prepare now to go to the temple

I guess I will start with posting some of the sharing times that I have done. This one was done today for my sharing time.

Put your temple recommend in a package of sorts. Have the children try to guess what is inside. Hints could include: It's something money can't buy and more precious than anything money could buy. It's smaller than my shoe. I need it as much as I need water. I have to prepare diligently to receive it. Once they guess, ask them the following questions:

A person comes to your door all dirty and smelly, speaks using bad words, and you don’t know them. Would you or your parents let them into your house?

A person comes to your door looking nice, dressed well, speaks very well, and you don’t know them. Would you or your parents let them into your house?

A person comes to your house, they are dressed in clean clothes, speaks nicely and you know and trust the person. Would you and your parents let them come into your house?

Just like your parents and family, not every person who comes to your door is allowed into your house. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the same way when it comes to their house here on earth.

Share with the children the following quote: "I urge our people everywhere … to live worthy to hold a temple recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the house of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein” (Gordon B. Hinkley“Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 53).

What do we have to do to prepare ourselves to enter the House of the Lord? Take out a large bag with several objects. Each object will give a clue to things we need to do to prepare to go to the temple. (Most are based from temple recommend interview). Have them pick an object out of the bag and guess what it is that we need to do.

Objects for Bag
Picture of prophet (Thomas S. Monson) - We need to follow the Prophet
CTR ring - We need to be honest and choose the right.
Picture of a Family - We need to treat our family members with love and respect.
Tie - We need to attend church.
Coin - We need to pay our tithing
Fruit/Vegetable - We need to obey the word of wisdom.
Soap - We need to repent of our sins.

Also put in small pictures of mouth, eye, ear, hand, and foot: When a child picks one of these out of the bag then he/she needs to name one thing his or her _______ can do now to help him or her prepare to go to the temple. (For example: mouth – pray, speak kindly, tell the truth, keep the Word of Wisdom, etc.)

When all objects have been drawn discuss the fact that when the time comes to enter the temple, the bishop makes sure that we are ready. He explains what we need to know about going to the temple for the first time, and he answers questions. Most importantly, he interviews us for our temple recommend. Everyone must show a recommend at the temple before being allowed inside.