Reverence in Primary

Reverence is sometimes a hard thing to find in Primary.  Primary should be fun, but not crazy and chaotic.  There needs to be a balance.  It is important for the kids to learn how to be reverent so that they can feel the Holy Ghost.

Here are two ideas to help kids understand the importance of this concept.

"TO CATCH A BUTTERFLY" METHOD

When I was Primary President, we told a story about reverence, using butterflies as the object lesson.  Then I attached a realistic (but fake) butterfly to the end of a dowel and would have the butterfly land on each reverent child while we were waiting to start Sharing Time.  This worked especially well in Junior Primary but the older kids liked it more than I thought they would.

I read a story called "To Catch a Butterfly" from the May 2001 Children's Friend magazine (click HERE to read it).   In this story a pair of rambunctious twins learn the secret of catching a butterly.

“Reverence is a lot like these butterflies. You don’t catch a butterfly. You let it come to you. You don’t catch a reverent feeling, either. It just comes to you when you are quiet. It’s the warm feeling you are feeling right now. You can also feel it when you think about Jesus Christ or anything else wonderful. When you are in Primary next Sunday, think about how quiet you had to be to have these butterflies in your hands. Then think about Jesus, and see if you get that same reverent feeling.”

Click HERE for an action rhyme describing what butterflies can teach us about reverence.  (Good for younger children)

"EVEN THE PRESIDENT MONSON HAD THE WIGGLES" LESSON

This is a picture of President Monson when he was 10 years old.

Click HERE to read about how President Monson's childhood Primary President enlisted him to help solve the reverence problem in their ward.  I think it is good for the kids to know that even our prophet had a hard time being reverent sometimes.  (Hey, I'll admit it that I am even tempted to talk too much at church!)