A Primary Idea

I did Sharing Time in Primary on Sunday. I thought I would share an idea I used to teach the Atonement just in case it might be helpful if you are teaching Primary also or need an idea for FHE. I thought this went really well.

I had them repeat the Third Article of Faith with me several times, taking away a line as we went so that they could learn it. Then I started asking questions about it - What is the Atonement of Christ? Who is Mankind? What are we saved from? etc.

So I taught them what the Atonement was by telling them the story of Christ praying in Gethsemane and being crucified. I used a basket of objects and each object that they pulled out had a scripture to read on it that told the story - 30 pieces of silver, soap, scarlet cloth, nails, rocks, linen cloth, picture of the tomb.

This is the fun idea - I wanted to show them what the atonement does for them. I handed each of them a hard boiled egg. I told the Junior primary that it was like a brand new born baby that was just born and was so white, clean and pure. I told the Senior Primary it was like when they had just been baptized and were still so white, clean and pure. Then I told them that although we would like to stay clean and pure, we all do things that are naughty. We all sin. I had them tell me what we do that is naughty - punch our brother, don't obey, lie, bite our mom (?), sneak candy (Brie), etc. With each one that was said they used crayons to color a mark of sin on the egg. Soon their eggs were all colored. I asked what we could do to become clean again. We repent. We peeled the eggs to show a clean, white, pure egg again. That is what the Atonement of Christ can do for us.

The room was stinky, but I think the message came through.