Still Small Voice - Choose and Review

The August 2005 issue of The Friend has a great Funstuf activity on page 23 that would work readily as a singing time Choose and Review. Since next month’s theme is about the Holy Ghost the content of this activity makes it perfect for June. I’ll need to choose appropriate review songs. I can usually get through six or eight, depending on the length of the song. Then I’ll choose that many of the sentences in the Funstuf activity. I’ll make word cards to post on the board with the review songs on the back. I’ll write the sentences on paper slips and put them into a can or basket to choose. The children can choose a sentence, match the correct word to fill in the blank, and then we will sing the song.

The content of this activity can be adapted to fit just about any theme so this idea lives on my master list under the title "Definitions” Choose and Review.

Fishing for Phrases - Song Review

Back in February when I read that month’s Friend magazine, I was struck (this post) by what a great story Elder Jose A. Teixeira told about learning to listen to the Holy Ghost.

After I teach “The Holy Ghost” I’ll use this brief story on a subsequent week as an attention getter to introduce a fishing activity to review the song. Following the story, I’ll dump out the fish onto a blue cloth or paper. Depending on how well they learn the song the first week, I can use the fish in one of three different ways.

If they still are unsure of the song, I’ll write half of a phrase on the fish. I’ll divide into 2 groups, perhaps boys and girls, and then invite a child from one of the groups to fish. I’ll sing the first half of the phrase to the group and they will need to sing the second half of the phrase back to me. If they can then sing the whole phrase with me they can “keep” the fish. If they don’t remember or can’t sing the phrase well, then the fish gets thrown back to be chosen again.

If they learned the song pretty well the first week, then I’ll number the fish and correlate that number to a phrase in the song. (Be sure to help the pianist mark the music.) As the fish are drawn, the pianist plays that phrase. If the children correctly guess the phrase and sing it well then they keep the fish. If not, then the fish gets thrown back to be chosen again.

If the kids learned the song really well the first week we won’t divide into groups. I’ll put directions on how to sing the song (such as boys/girls sing, stand to sing, etc.) on a few of the fish along with several other review songs on the rest of the fish for variety.

Monday Mornings

Monday mornings feel like a gift to me. On this day I truly feel the scripture in Lamentations “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (3:21-23) I am always grateful on Monday mornings for another chance to do better, to be better. I look at the week ahead and try to judge the hot spots and convince myself that I am up to the task of dealing with them. I look even closer at the monotony of everyday tasks and resolve again to face them with a better attitude, to consecrate my everyday work. I want to remember not to be consumed in the everyday stuff, but to rely on the compassion the Lord offers me. On Monday morning I feel energized.

By about Friday I just feel consumed. I feel wilted. I sometimes feel like I have sunk into a mire of mediocrity and I am just slogging through life. But then along comes the Sabbath and the Sacrament and the Savior and by Monday morning I feel renewed again. This is my life cycle. I know that I should probably feel this energy on Sunday. I have studied and pondered and understand the concept of Sabbath. But, I am often exhausted on Sunday, especially by the time Primary is over. I can usually feel a kind of warm comfort that comes from having tried--from having made an acceptable offering. But, sometimes, I have to admit, I feel only a kind of cold comfort that the past week is finally over and I survived.

But, at some point through the night, the blessing of Sabbath finally seeps into me and there is Monday morning - a new week with a new chance and new mercies. I experience what David wrote in Psalm 40. “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth.”

A new song in my mouth. Every week he does this for me -- over and over again. My life cycle. Thank you Jesus.

Song Presentation - "The Holy Ghost"

This is one of my favorite Primary Songs. Musically it is just so much fun. My childhood home had a long staircase and we used to play on the stairs, skipping up and jumping down. In my mind this song is a musical version of playing on the stairs.

The melody naturally breaks into two distinct musical patterns. This divides the song in half. So the two verses really become four verses in my mind. I think of them sort of like the stanzas in a poem. Especially so, because the words at the end of each pattern rhyme. So I plan on teaching the song as if it has four verses instead of two.

I’ll use discovery questions to teach each section, encouraging the kids to listen. As they answer the questions I’ll have them sing that phrase. Once they can attempt the whole song, I’ll introduce 4 pictures to help them remember the 4 sections.

These are the questions that I’m using: What did Christ promise he would send? What two words describe what kind of a friend the Holy Ghost is? Who will comfort us? Can you name two words that rhyme? What will the Holy Ghost do for us? Who whispers with a still, small voice? What does the Holy Spirit testify of? How will our hearts feel as we listen to the Holy Ghost? By what power are we confirmed? Why is the Holy Ghost given to us? What so I want to listen to? What will I do each time I make a choice?

Because of the up and down movement of the melody, I’ll probably use my wiggle worm puppet to do pitch-level conducting as we review the song. The little ones especially like to follow the puppet.

You can also find suggestions for teaching "The Holy Ghost" in the Sharing Time Ideas on page 16 of the August 2005 issue of The Friend magazine.

Making Connections to Gospel Principles

In the last several posts I’ve explained some activities that I use to help the children make connections to principles of the gospel during singing time. I also want to emphasize that this process doesn’t have to be formalized in an activity with a title such as “Pick My Pocket,” or “Man the Lifeboats” to be helpful to the children. Just spend some time studying the words and indentifying the principles taught in the songs you are planning to use in singing time. Then you’ll be in a great position to help the children make connections in an informal way also.

You can do this easily just by directing their listening. If you are teaching a song and singing it for the umpteenth time, just say something like “As we sing the song this time, see if you can hear the words that teach us what faith is.” Or, during closing exercises say, “While we sing the prayer song listen for the words in the song that remind us how much our Heavenly Father loves us.” You don’t have to invite responses, just let them think about it.

Whether we design a formal activity or informally direct attention, our efforts to strengthen children with the doctrines of the gospel will bring the spirit into singing time.

"One Happy Girl"

Woops! While I was drafting "One Happy Girl", I accidently posted it. Arrrgh! So I removed it. Believe me, the post will be more useful when it is finished! I am sorry for that mistake. :o/

Just Shabby, No Chic?

Have you ever pondered the blessing in the concept of renewal? Something old can be made as new. Something stale can be refreshed. If you have been in this calling very long you have probably already discovered that the shine wears off after a while, maybe faster that you expected. Dings appear from unkind remarks about your methods or ability. Self-doubt scratches as a constant irritant. The physical effort of being warm, cheerful and, above all, perpetually creative can dull what once felt shiny and beautiful. We start to feel used instead of useful, shabby without any chic.

Where do you go to find the treatment that will restore the shine? How do you find the supplies to cleanse, repair, rebuild or renovate an attitude? When we think we can’t do this calling for even one more week, what can we do?

Because the outward appearance is so obvious we think at first that what we need are better, cuter ideas. Maybe a new dress would perk us up. But the fun ideas don’t fit us or work as well as we thought they would. The kids might even roll their eyes and mutter. The new dress makes us look great, but after a few weeks we’re back to that same unsettled, unsatisfied feeling. So we buy another book of ideas and a cute new Primary tote bag. We scour the Internet for even more ideas and try a new haircut. And then we finally decide that what we really need is a new calling. Then we could attend Relief Society where they give a beautiful, spiritual lesson complete with a lovely book mark and insightful adult comments instead of “our dog threw up this morning”. We just know that we would feel pampered and rejuvenated. We imagine Relief Society as a kind of spiritual spa for the overworked, under appreciated, slightly flabby Primary worker.

I have gone through several cycles of this experience. I finally recognize that when I am unsettled and unsatisfied the hunger I feel is for the bread of life and I need to locate the source of supply. When I am thirsty for the approval of others I remind myself that this kind of thirst can only be quenched with water from wells of everlasting life. I am sure that you know as well as I do that the ultimate “home improvement” treatment is furnished not by an outside decorator, but is a do-it-yourself project. We will never be happy in a calling until we fill the calling and not expect the calling to fill us. The satisfaction we crave in our service comes from within, not from without.

The stock is found in our covenants and in the renewing of them. There is true power in Israel and her people because of covenants. When I focus on the fact that I am in a relationship with a covenant God and that my humble efforts to serve him keeps me in this relationship, I find that thoughtless remarks from either children or adults don’t change this truth. The routine doesn't seem so monotonous. I find ample supply for my hunger in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the principles and doctrine that correct mistakes and guide my thought and behavior. I can make time for personal gospel study and when I ponder the principles of the gospel found in the music we sing each week, I am satisfied and renewed in my mind. I can find abundance when I sincerely pray for that which I need. I can exercise faith and truly rest in what I know about the character and promises of God. Doing these things makes it easier to offer myself to God as a Primary worker, as a visiting teacher, or as a mother. My offering becomes beautiful again.

When we find ourselves unhappy, frustrated, tired, and uninspired we have to take control of our situation and do something to bring back the sparkle. By all means, choose some new fabric and paint and pick out some new colors. Just remember that you have to supply the polish and elbow grease as well. You have to schedule the time to work, find the tools and finance the project with your own funds. And don’t just hope that your visiting teachers will bring by a casserole. God will bring you a feast.