Is the Faith in God Program that Important?

The First Presidency has said: 

“Earning the Faith in God Award will help you become the kind of person you would like to be and the person Heavenly Father knows you can become.”

Yes, the Faith in God Program is important!!  

And the new Cub Scout Program helps a boy earn his Faith in God Award and his Religious Knot.  With the changes made to the Cub Scouting this past year some of you may have wondered… How do these changes fit in with the our Faith in God program?  Well, If you watched the LDS webcasts The following slide was shown…

And the following statement was made also:

“… the new adventure program does an excellent job of correlating the requirements and rank adventures to the three areas that we want the boys to grow in… What that means is that you don’t need to plan separate Faith In God den meetings. When you run the new adventure program, your boys will have at least two experiences in these three different areas. So enjoy having fun with this new Cub Scouting program!”

Did you read that slide?  The new program covers the 2 required activities per area per year! How?  I've attached a form correlates the new Cub program with the Faith in God program so you can see how!!  

Please pass this attachment onto all of your Cub Leaders and the families. Our boys deserve every help we can give them to reach their potential!

 

Thanks,

Sis. Simbeck

Anchoring Children in the Scriptures

Anchoring Children in the Scriptures

This is a 6 minute video is worth watching. It is Elder Holland speaking and I love him greatly.

You have the opportunity as primary teachers and leaders to demonstrate how the scriptures help you get through life starting in January.  You have an opportunity to share how you love the scriptures an use them daily.  You can help children understand that the scriptures teach them to "Trust Jesus".  Be prepared with the spirit to help them gain a testimony of the scriptures.  

Isn't it wonderful to be in primary?  Our children say amazing things.  I have been to many of your primaries and have been so touched by things that the children say.  The spirit can be very great in primary.  In fact on occasion I have been so touched by the spirit that I have had to leave because I was blubbering so much.  They are little people with giant faith.  They want to trust and believe.  All we must do is teach the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.  Do this and the hearts of the children will be truly converted.  I testify of this.  

I love you for all the time and effort you put into teaching.  You do beautiful things in primary!!

Autumn McClellan

Arlington Stake Primary President

Smiles

I woke up thinking about a smile.  A smile that made my day.

Yesterday I ran around all day like a chicken with its head cut off.  I was a bit stressed.  Just a lot going and everyone in the family in different directions.  But, as I pulled into the parking lot of the Stake Center with my suburban full of food for the Stake Conference Priesthood dinner, there was a primary age child standing on the curb smiling.  My son who held the gravy around every corner so it wouldn't spill said, "Who is that." I looked at the boy on the curb and smiled back. I said, "Brian Simbeck".  For those of you who know Brian, you might say, "What ? Brian Simbeck was smiling?  Are you sure? Do you have the right kid?"  In fact, it was him and he has the best smile!!

He was there to serve.  Serve with a smile, his mother, the Stake Priesthood leaders, and I.   You see his mother had the flu, but made a sacrifice to bring all the items she was assigned.   He was waiting for me on that curb with a smile to help unload my car.  To help open cans in the kitchen.  He was ready with a smile to do anything we asked him to do.  

"When you are in the service of your fellow man, ye are in the service of your God." Primary children can serve. How can we give primary children opportunities to serve?  I have seen the senior primary boys put up chairs when primary is over.  Can the cub scouts put up chairs and put away chairs after pack meeting?  Can you ask a child to erase the chalkboard?  I know we have collected food for the food bank. Activity day girls made baby hats for preemie babies at the hospital.  What else can we do to get into the spirit of service? 

We need to give our children opportunities to serve.  To feel what it is like, to be like Jesus.  I remember Tanya Yancey who was our previous Stake Primary President.  She took her kids with her everywhere.  I wondered at times wouldn't it be easier to leave them at home.  I soon, saw what opportunities they had to serve as they traveled around with their dear mother.  I started thinking, I need to bring my kids more often.  Children learn by example.  If they see you serving with a smile.  If they see that you can make any situation better with your attitude, then they will too.  I know Elise Simbeck is a great example of service for her family.  She does so much and has many talents that we get to enjoy.  She always shows up when it is important.  I know that her children will look up to her and will call her name blessed.  

Thanks Brian.  You made my day.

Autumn McClellan

Arlington Stake Primary President

Seek Learning

As families are preparing their children for a new school year of learning and academic growth, shouldn’t we also commit ourselves to the same thing as well?

 “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”  Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 

Then you will be prepared to assist the primary children to pass of Faith in God requirement Developing Talents bullet point #6

• Read D&C 88:118. Discuss what it means to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Improve your personal study habits by doing such things as learning how to choose and read good books or being prepared for school each day.

And Faith in God Requirement Preparing for the Priesthood or Young Women bullet point #4

• Read D&C 88:77–80, 118 and D&C 130:19. Discuss with a parent or Primary leader how important a good education is and how it can help strengthen you as a priesthood holder in your home and family and in the Church.
• Read D&C 88:77–80, 118 and D&C 130:19. Discuss with a parent or Primary leader how important a good education is and how it can help strengthen your home and family and in the Church.

If you need some guidance on how to encouraging our youth to seek learning, read this article from Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley:

https://www.lds.org/youth/article/words-of-the-prophet-seek-learning?lang=eng

Sister Elise Simbeck

Arlington Stake Primary

First Counselor

Help Me Teach with Inpiration

In Doctrine and Covenants 80: 77-78, 80 we read:

“And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom…Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;…That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.”

 

Heavenly Father has a work for us each of us to do.  We have been called and set apart for our specific callings.  All the tools we need to accomplish our work have been given.  We have leaders, lesson manuals, and online resources. We have faith, prayer, scriptures and revelation.  We have our own personal experiences, strengths and talents. And as we read above, if you study and prepare "His grace will attend you...to instruct you more perfectly...that you will be prepared...to magnify the calling" you've been called to.  You have everything you need to accomplish your mission…to teach His little ones!

 

Help Me Teach with Inspiration (Hymn #281)

Help me teach with inspiration; Grant this blessing, Lord, I pray. Help me lift a soul's ambition To a higher, nobler way.

Help me reach a friend in darkness; Help me guide him thru the night. Help me show thy path to glory By the Spirit's holy light.

Fill my mind with understanding; Tune my voice to echo thine. Touch my hand with gentle friendship; Warm my heart with love divine.

Help me find thy lambs who wander; Help me bring them to thy keep. Teach me, Lord, to be a shepherd; Father, help me feed thy sheep.

https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/help-me-teach-with-inspiration?lang=eng

Elise Simbeck

Arlington Stake Primary

First Counselor

Nursery Resources

I have a calling in Nursery and I am going to give weekly lessons.  Are there any other resources besides the lesson manual “Behold My Little Ones”?

 

The answer is YES!

 

LDS.org Media Library

• Nursery Manual (Symbols for Lessons 1-30)

A collection of symbols from the Primary Nursery Manual for Lessons 1-30.  Each lesson has one full page of symbols for teaching the lesson. Individual images can also be downloaded separately.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/primary-symbols/nursery-manual-symbols?lang=eng

 

• Nursery Schedule
  A collection of symbols that can be posted to help children know what to expect during Nursery.
  https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/primary-symbols/nursery-schedule-child-communication-cards?lang=eng 
   

LDS.org Resources by Topic

Are you teaching a certain topic and need a little something to add to your lesson?  Look up your topic here and

https://www.lds.org/children/resources/topics?lang=eng

 

Teaching No Greater Call- this is a great resource for

• Teaching suggestions & methods
• Age characteristics of youth.
• How to teaching with variety

Elise Simbeck

Arlington Stake Primary

First Counselor

A Nursery Lesson

Okay.  I’m here is nursery and its chaos.  The children just want to eat snack and play with the toys.  If one isn’t crying, the other is throwing the toys.  And I’m supposed to give a lesson?!  Yeah, right!  Like they would even know that they are missing it.  I’m pretty sure they don’t learn from it either. WRONG! 

President Thomas S. Monson has quoted a prominent medical authority who said that the most receptive age in human life is that of two or three years.    

“Children of this age can begin to understand simple, yet profound, gospel principles such as the reality and love of Heavenly Father and Jesus, the love of family, the strength of prayer, the truth of the First Vision, and the beauty of God’s creations.  They are active, need love and affection, have short attention spans, are acquiring language skills, and enjoy a variety of activities. They are always learning.  (Teaching in the Nursery, Teaching at Home By Margaret S. Lifferth)

 

The purpose of the nursery class is to help children learn the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The nursery class should help the children increase their understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a Church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth.

(Behold My Little Ones Manual page 1)

In His loving-kindness, our Father in Heaven has provided teachers to help His children learn what they must do to receive eternal life. (Teaching No Greater Call Lesson 1) 

You are that teacher for the Nursery aged children!!!  Prepare a lesson AND give it to the children in Nursery each week.  Heavenly Father needs you to teach His little ones!

http://weeklyteachingmoments.blogspot.com/

Elise Simbeck

Arlington Stake Primary First Counselor