Help from The Friend – January 2010

This month's Friend is packed with ideas for leaders and teachers in the Primary.
Here are a few:

1. The "Sharing Time" page (p 40-41) no longer provides teaching ideas for Sunday Sharing Time. See the following note from FAQ on lds.org/pa:
   
   
   "Will sharing time ideas still be in the Friend magazine?
   Starting with the January 2010 issue of the Friend magazine, the sharing time ideas for leaders will no longer be included. These ideas are incorporated into the outline for sharing time. The sharing time for children will still be in the magazine". http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7701-1,00.html
   
   One possible way of using the "Sharing Time" pages this year could be in Activity Days for Girls and Scouting. Completing the Scripture Journal suggested for this year could be a great goal for Faith in God. This month focuses specifically on the first Article of Faith and its meaning.
   
   
2. "I Know that My Savior Loves Me", p 24-25 – Includes a teaching suggestion for Primary music leaders.
   
   
   
3. Primary is a time to prepare children to receive their first temple recommend. They will have the opportunity to do baptisms for the dead at age twelve. "A Year on Temple Square: The Salt Lake Temple", p 6-7 gives information about temples and provides a link to an online video that will show what it is like to go inside the temple to be baptized for the dead.
   
   
   
4. The Friend Magazine Resource page http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,8879-1,00.html is an index of "activities, songs, and stories . . . collected from the Friend magazine and arranged by topic. This resource can be used by Primary leaders, teachers, and parents as they plan sharing time, class lessons, and family home evening".
   

Teaching “I Know That My Savior Loves Me”

During January the children in Primary will be learning the song, "I Know That My Savior Loves Me", pages 28-29 of 2010 Outline for Sharing Time: I Know My Savior Lives. In the North American Southeast Area Training for Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society presidencies conducted on December 5, 2009, Sister Margaret S. Lifferth of the General Primary Presidency asked that Young Women, Relief Society, and Priesthood members be given the opportunity also to learn this song during the year. She suggested that it could be taught by the music leader of that organization or the Primary music leader could assist. The important message of this song could then be enjoyed in every home. Primary presidents can coordinate this effort through the ward/branch council.

The music can be listened to and downloaded at http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,8893-1,00.html . The knowledge that the Savior loves each of us personally can benefit everyone regardless of age, gender, or circumstance.

New Boy Scout Rank Requirements

Leaders of Eleven-year-old Scouts – make sure you have a copy of the new Boy Scout Handbook and begin using the requirements that go into effect on January 1, 2010. If you would like a tracking sheet for record keeping that has been updated with the new requirements contact joytuckett@sbcgolbal.net.

The following is from an article in Scouting, Nov-Dec 2009, p 11:

"Did You Know?

Rank Requirements Change

Along with the Year of Celebration marking Scouting's 100th anniversary comes a real collector's item: The centennial edition of The Boy Scout Handbook, which carries several rank requirement changes that go into effect Jan. 1, 2010:

• Tenderfoot
  A Scout must teach another person how to tie a square knot using the EDGE model (explain, demonstrate, guide, and enable). He also must be able to discuss four specific examples of how he lived the points of the Scout Law in his daily life.
  
• Second Class
  A Scout must discuss the principles of Leave No Trace and explain the factors to consider when choosing a patrol site and where to pitch a tent.
  He must explain what respect is due the flag of the United States.
  He must again discuss four examples of how he lived four different points of the Scout Law in his daily life.
  He must earn an amount of money agreed upon by the Scout and his parents and save at least 50 percent of it.
  
• First Class
  An additional requirement to the 10 separate troop/patrol activities states he must demonstrate the principles of Leave No Trace on these outings.
  He must discuss four more examples of how he lived the remaining four points of the Scout Law in his daily life.
  
• Life
  A Scout must use the EDGE model to teach a younger Scout a specified skill.
  
• Star, Life, and Eagle
  Troop Webmaster and Leave No Trace Trainer are two new leadership positions.
  

Note: If a Boy Scout is working out of the old edition of the handbook, he may continue using those requirements until he completes that rank. Then he must move to the new edition."

Blog note: Learn how to teach "EDGE" and "Leave No Trace" by requesting LDS/BSA Training for Leaders of Eleven-year-old Scouts from the Stake Primary Presidency.

2010 Outline for Sharing Time and Changes in Sharing Time

2010 Outline for Sharing Time

• The 2010 Outline for Sharing Time: I Know My Savior Lives has been posted at lds.org.
  
• The music for the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation and use during 2010 sharing times is available online. 
• A helpful introduction on How to Use and Teach from the newly formatted 2010 outline is also available.
  

Here are answers to frequently asked questions regarding this outline. (Frequently Asked Questions http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7701-1,00.html)

• What do we do for sharing time for the fifth Sunday of the month?
  "When there is a fifth Sunday, use this time to review previous lessons" (2010 Outline for Sharing Time, inside front cover).
  
• Do we still do class presentations during sharing time?
  Starting January 2010, there will be no class presentations. However, "occasionally you [the Primary presidency] may invite teachers and their classes to help you with parts of the gospel instruction" (2010 Outline for Sharing Time, inside front cover).
  
• How should we divide up sharing time and singing time?
  Fifteen minutes should be for gospel teaching and twenty minutes for teaching music (see 2010 Outline for Sharing Time, 1).
  
• Can we use pictures in the sacrament meeting presentation?
  "Visuals, costumes, and media presentations are not appropriate for sacrament meeting" (2010 Outline for Sharing Time, 1).
  
• Have class names been changed?
  The Primary class names have been aligned with the ages of the children on January 1. For example, the CTR 4 class is for children age four on January 1, the Valiant 8 class is for children age eight on January 1, and so forth (see 2010 Outline for Sharing Time, 1).
  
• Will sharing time ideas still be in the Friend magazine?
  Starting with the January 2010 issue of the Friend magazine, the sharing time ideas for leaders will no longer be included. These ideas are incorporated into the outline for sharing time. The sharing time for children will still be in the magazine.
  

Help from The Friend, December 2009

http://lds.org/gospellibrary/pdfmagazine/0,7779,594-7-1,00.html#

http://lds.org/churchmagazines/FR_2009_12_00___04272_000_000.pdf

The following are examples of a few ways you can use this month's Friend to enrich Primary.

Opening/Closing Exercises
Message from the Primary presidency or Priesthood leader – "The Reason for the Wonder", p 2; "Grandma's Gift", p 5

Decorating for Christmas in Primary
"A Gift for Jesus", p 18-19

Christmas Lesson Enrichment
Primary 1: Lesson 46 – "Jesus Is Born", p 19
Primary 2, CTR A: Lesson 46 - "Grandma's Gift", p 5; "Jesus Is Born", p 19

Activity Days for Girls
"Bundling Up for Christmas", p 22-23
Gathering Activity – "Song Scramble", p 30
"Memory Box", p 31

Music
"Matt and Mandy", p 27

Faith in God
My Gospel Standards – "Why is what I wear to church important?", p 32

Activity Day for All Children
"This Is God's House", p 40