I am Blessed when I choose to Follow the Prophet Sharing time

Prophets and anchors sharing time-

Taken from Diane Nichols, “Sharing Time: Obedience Brings Blessings,” Friend, May 2001, 35

Use Storyboard (show picture of boat anchored in water)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Motor_Boat_anchored_on_beach_in_Kenya.jpg

“Have you ever been by a lake or an ocean during a bad storm? One night a family watched a terrible storm from the window of their home near a beach. Huge waves crashed against the shore. They battered the family’s wooden boat dock, breaking it apart. The next morning they found pieces of the dock all over. But their boat was floating peacefully and unharmed in the water. It was held in place by the strong anchor they had tied it to the night before. The anchor had held the boat and kept it from crashing into the shore and being destroyed.


“Just as the boat was safe in the storm because it was held by an anchor, we can be kept safe when we listen to and follow the prophet. Listening to and obeying his counsel is like an anchor in our lives.


Taken from Sharing time Outline, Choose the Right, p. 7  (Show picture of widow and prophet Elijah, Ensign Sept 2006)

http://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/magazine/en06sep43a_young.jpg

 For example, Do you remember the story of the Prophet Elijah and the widow. “He asked for a drink and a piece of bread. The woman told him that she only had a little flour and oil to make bread for her son. Elijah told her to make some bread for him first and God would give her more flour and oil. She followed the prophet and she had enough flour and oil for many days.”

(Show picture Of President Monson)

http://www.thomassmonson.org/monson/_assets/images/photos/recent-st.jpg


 Just as prophets of old helped people anchor themsleves to God, Our prophet today, President Monson also helps keep us(boats) safe by following him. 

So today we have this ship that is missing its anchor. (ship was enlarged from http://www.rtumarketing.com/GraphicsMonster/image/Cruise_Ship_16.gif

It might float right off to the Relief Society room if we don’t anchor it quick! So we are going to use this boat with anchor to help retrieve the links that will build our anchor.

On each link is a number http://laurampaulson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/anchor-text.png

that matches an anchor on the board

Source: Thomas S. Monson, “In Harm’s Way”, Ensign, May 1998(For the chain linksand pictures, I incorporated his 6 suggestions to keep you safe and out of harm’s way- 1. Choose good friends, 2. Study gospel, 3. Obey Parents, 4. Obey the Commandments, 5. Serve with Love, 6. Pray

 On the back of the anchor is a picture. This picture helps us discover one way that we can follow the prophet and help us anchor ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There are even special clue quotes from the prophet on some of the pictures. Then we will link the chain to the ship and help anchor ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Chain links and matching pictures- numbers on wrapped tin foil strips with paper clips attached to them. Numbers 1-8 written on each. Numbers match numbers on the anchors with pictures taped on back.

I cut out the anchor and inserted tinfoil to make it shiny. Anytime you can add shiny stuff to a sharing time adds Sunbeam focus!!haha!

Scriptures- (Scriptures picture in life preserver) from Ensign May 1993, p. 10.
Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal journey without providing the means whereby we could receive from Him God-given guidance to assist in our safe return at the end of mortal life…. I do not overlook the holy scriptures, written by mariners who successfully sailed the seas we too must cross. Thomas S. Monson “The Three R’s of Choice”, October 2010 General Conference

Prayer- Primary 1-9 (girl saying morning prayer)
-…communication with our Father in Heaven—including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us—is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life. Thomas S. Monson. “Stand in Holy Places”, General Conference Oct 2011

Obey Parents-(picture of Parents with child)- Example Ensign October 2008, p. 33
"Our mothers and our fathers bestowed this marvelous gift(of birth) on us. Ours is the responsibility to show our gratitude by the actions of our lives.” Thomas S. Monson, “Gifts” General Conference April 1993

Church attendance/Sabbath Day Holy-(picture of family taking sacrament) Primary 3-59
Years ago, a father asked Elder ElRay L. Christiansen what name he could suggest for his newly acquired boat. Brother Christiansen suggested, “Why not call it The Sabbath Breaker?” I’m confident the would-be sailor pondered whether his pride and joy would be a Sabbath breaker or a Sabbath keeper.” Thomas S. Monson, “Becoming your Best Selves”, General Conference, October 1999- Does your boat drift off to a birthday party on Sunday? By going to church and thinking of Jesus , you help your boat stay safe and you too.


General Conference-(picture of family watching General Conference) Ensign April 2008, p.24
We can watch General Conference to help us learn new ways(commandments) to keep our boats better anchored. We should keep those commandments that we hear from the prophet to stay safe.

Good friends and heroes-picture from cover of  Friend, September 2009 (boy dressed as Captain Moroni)or Friend July 2010, p. 27 (Boy with CTR shield dress up)
For Senior Primary-“At times television and movies portray worldly and immoral heroes and heroines and attempt to hold up as role models some actors and actresses whose lives are anything but exemplary.” Thomas S. Monson, Constant Truths for Changing Times, General Conference, April, 2005  President Monson speaking about the scriptures…“What makes of these men{in the scriptures} heroes and these women heroines?” I answer, unwavering trust in an all-wise Heavenly Father and an abiding testimony concerning the mission of a divine Savior.” President Monson, “My Personal Hall of Fame” October General Conference 1974 So we need to choose friends and people that we admire that help strengthen our testimonies and bring us closer to God, and keep us good.

Love Others- Picture of Jesus with heart taped on it-  Jesus the Christ,Gospel Art Kit, 240 or any Primary picture packet!

“May our families and homes be filled with love: love of each other, love of the gospel, love of our fellowman, and love of our Savior. As a result, heaven will be a little closer here on earth.” Thomas S. Monson, Love at Home- Counsel from our Prophet, August 2011 First Presidency message

Prepare/Remember Baptism and Keep commandments- picture of Baptism with small commandments in the corner.  http://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/images/4/4b/Bautismo2.jpg 
We should be preparing to enter into the waters of baptism worthily and stay worthy and then keep those promises and commandments throughout our life journey.

(I may eliminate some quotes on certain pictures depending on time, I will have to work out the timing)

“Listen to the prophet. He speaks for Heavenly Father. If we are obedient, we will feel peace. And like the boat tied to the anchor, even though there are storms all around us, we will be safe.”
 if time- He taught in the last General Conference from “Stand in Holy Places, President Thomas Monson, October 2011 General Conference “In this world where nearly everything seems to be changing, His constancy is something on which we can rely, an anchor to which we can hold fast and be safe, lest we be swept away into uncharted waters.”
 I hope we all will work on anchoring ourselves to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and that our boats will stay strong and safe. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.