Onward ...

We (the Spanish Fields 1st Ward) finished our Sacrament Meeting Presentation today.  The children were A.MAZ.ING!!  The spirit was so strong - those children sang with all of their hearts.  Having an incredibly organized and terrific Primary Presidency and Primary Teachers makes all of the difference too.

So, next week - I am going to try to teach the song "The Books in the Book of Mormon" as the Stake Primary Presidency requested several months back.  I'm excited for the scripture emphasis theme starting in January, and I know that the children will feel a huge boost of confidence in using their scriptures if they can find the books in the Book of Mormon.  I know this task will be very tricky for our 80+ junior primary (ages three, four, and five), but I'm still going to go for it.  Repitition, repitition, repitition, eh?

Here's my plan:

I'm going to use this "Pour Water Sideways" experiment from a Family Fun Magazine as an intro (I found this awesome idea from a blog called sofiasprimaryideas.blogspot.com).  

The article says,  "You can defy gravity with this aqua-batic stunt.  What to Do:  Wet a length of yarn (ours measures about 3 feet) and tie it to the handle of a liquid measuring cup. Fill the cup approximately two-thirds full of water. Position the yarn over the spout, then place the loose end in a drinking glass. Hold the measuring cup about 1 1/2 feet from the glass and use your free hand to pull the yarn taut over the center of the glass, as shown. Beginning slowly (you may spill a little), pour the water along the yarn. When the water begins "sticking", you can pour it more quickly. Make this trick even more drip defying by using a longer piece of yarn to see how far you can pour with no spills.

Why it Works: Water molecules like to stick together. In physics, this is called cohesion. By soaking the yarn first, you create a liquid surface for the stream of water to cling to."


I like that the article uses the word "cling".  I think this experiment is a great way to introduce the importance of holding to the iron rod ... clinging to the scriptures!  By really understanding and clinging to that iron rod (scriptures) we will be able to achieve eternal life.  The cup that the water travels to can be compared to the tree of life in Lehi's Dream:


1 Ne. 11: 25
25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.


What a fabulous way to introduce not only the importance of the scriptures in our lives ... but the FIRST book in the Book of Mormon!


I then am going to find (or have classes draw) a "story picture" that represents each book in the Book of Mormon.


1st Nephi - tree of life
2nd Nephi - Lord's promise to preserve writings (picture of brass plates)
Jacob - allegory of the tame/wild olive trees (ch. 5)
Enos - Enos prays all day long
Jarom - Keeping the commandments brings blessings (vs. 9)
Omni - writes about the Kings of the Nephites (Mosiah and Benjamin)
Words of Mormon - Mormon bids farewell
Mosiah - conversion of Alma the Younger
Alma - story of Ammon and King Lamoni
Helaman - story of Samuel the Lamanite
3rd Nephi - Christ appears to the Nephites
4th Nephi - The pride cycle
Mormon - Mormon buries the Brass Plates
Ether - the story of the Brother of Jared
Moroni - Moroni's promise (picture of prayer)


Whew!  I'm going to put each of these pictures in a protective cover and staple them together "accordian" style, so they can fold out into a long line as the children sing.  We can talk about/act out/re-tell the stories that go with each book throughout the year as we sing the song.  I'm excited!  Let me know your ideas/thoughts.  You can also email me at mbjenson@msn.com

Welcome

Hi all!  It's been a long time since I first started up a blog, so this is going to take some continual organizing.  :)  We need to all become "authors" of this blog, so we can each contribute our ideas for Singing Times and how they work for us.  Most of the ideas that I use I find on line anyway ... and then just tweak to fit my primary.  However, I'm not exactly sure how to have each of you become an author.  I believe I will need your e-mail addresses, and then I can put them in to customize this particular blog.  So - leave a comment with your e-mail address when you find this blog, or I will try to contact you within the next month.  I know we are all very busy getting ready for the Sacrament Meeting Presentations.  I hope all is going well with this exciting time.  Hearing the children polish and sing the songs they've been learning all year really invites the spirit to our meetings.  I'm so grateful to be the music leader in the primary!  What a fun, challenging, and uplifting calling!  Keep up the great work, and I'm looking forward to connecting with each of you.

Michelle Jenson (Spanish Fields 1st Ward)