Today was our "Christmas Lesson" in Seminary. Every year I try to make it both meaningful and fun, this year went exceptionally well.
I started out making Mugs for the students (forgot to take pictures so just imagine....details for painting so they are dishwasher safe below) Each had the word SEEK on one side with the scripture reference Jeremiah 29:13 underneath. I filled the mug with little gifts one of them Nuggets wrapped like this from "My Computer is My Canvas" and This. A very small gift certificate to McDonalds (for hot chocolate) an envelope of Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate Mix and a Christmas Card with this quote inside :
I began class by asking them the last time they played Hide&Seek. I asked them what's the best hiding place you ever had...could be a really fun discussion huh?
Then I sent them "seeking" post it notes I had hidden around the building using rhyming clues (I got the idea here, used some of hers and some of my own) . At each hiding spot I had a post it note with a scripture reference on it. (I printed the post it notes using this template). I asked them to take their scriptures along, when they found the scripture reference they were to look it up and highlight it in their scriptures and come back to me for their next clue. (Highlighting kind of ensures that they will be reading the scripture as they highlight...sneaky!)
Here are the scriptures I used (all having to do with "Seeking The Lord" many with reference to Him coming to us in response to that seeking)
Deuteronomy 4:29
1 Chronicles 16:11
1 Chronicles 28:9
Ezra 8:22
Psalms 119:2
Proverbs 8:17
Isaiah 58:2
Lamentations 3:25
I made up a set of the eight clues for each student separated one clue to an envelope with the clue number on the outside of each (but you could do teams if you have a lot of students). As they returned they had to show me the highlighted scripture to get the next clue. At the LAST station I put their mugs and Christmas Cards with instructions to look up and mark the reference shown on their mug then return to class.
When they got back I asked them what they learned as they read and marked all the different scriptures. What a great experience as they discovered the many many times the Lord invites them to seek Him and his assurance that when they do they will find him.
(Note: After class it dawned on me that I should have pointed out that unlike our traditional game of hide and seek where we try NOT to be found, when we seek the Lord he immediately becomes easier to see....)
I told them there are many many many more scriptures in which we are told to Seek the Lord and what blessings will come into our lives as we do. I asked them to record in their journal a time when they felt the spirit and record where they were when it happened, what they were doing, describe the feeling and explain how they knew it was the spirit. We talked about learning to recognize the Savior and paying attention to the Spirit pointing Him out to us in our everyday life. We discussed how we often think of Him at this time of year but gradually as all the reminders (lights, trees, music, nativities, etc) disappear sometimes we let Him disappear as well.
Then we talked about what other things can serve as constant reminders of Him and how those reminders prompt us to seek him in our hearts and in our lives....daily prayer, daily scripture study, daily acts of service, daily magnification of our callings, weekly partaking of the sacrament.
We watched this short video (5 minutes) produced by another seminary class and found on YouTube (learn how to download youtube videos easily with this online converter downloader) based on Elder Uchtdorf's Christmas devotional talk from last year.
I asked them to record their impressions and share if they felt prompted to do so and then we sang a closing Hymn from the Children's Songbook "I'll Seek The Lord Early".
It was an awesome and spiritual experience hope it helps you in your efforts as well!
Directions for Mugs:
The trick to making hand decorated mugs dishwasher safe is to use the right markers and follow the directions on the back of the package...it takes about 24 hours total ...I've used this method and they are truly "Dishwasher safe, permanent forever!" You can get the markers on line or at Michaels or Hobby Lobby (I actually found mine at a local grocery store chain called Meijer in the Ball Jar Isle!) They come in lots of colors. Or Sharpie Oil Based markers I've heard work the same (haven't tried these yet but saw them at Walmart in the craft Aisle)
No comments:
Post a Comment