Today we went to the Louisville, KY Temple with our Primary. This was the first Primary Temple Trip I had been on and it was the first one that I have ever planned. I scowered the internet searching for easy ideas and already planned out activities. But I really didn't find any. So I thought it would be really nice of me, to write all about it in my own blog.
We made post card invitations and mailed them out to all of our Primary Families. I also emailed out the same invitation to all the members of the Ward. In case you didn't know, you can make your own postcards by printing 4 invitations on cardstock. All you have to do is fill out the blank, backside like a post card with a stamp.
Our basic Agenda went as follows:
- Opening Song: "I Love to See the Temple"
- Opening Prayer
- Words from Temple President (~8 minutes)
- Question Answer Session with Temple President
- Words from Our Bishop (~5 minutes on Eternal Families)
- Divide into Families for Walking the Temple Grounds
- Coloring Pages/Small Bubbles/LDS.org movies
- Closing Song "Families Can Be Together Forever"
- Closing Prayer
- Pass out Snacks for ride home Along with Souvenir
Family Walk Around the Temple:
I bought some white, paper lunch sacks from the birthday section of my local grocery. I numbered each sack with a large tag. Inside each sack I put an object and a printed Temple Fact that went along with the object. As the children walked around the grounds, they could search for the sacks and write down on their paper (passed out previously) what they found inside. There were 11 sacks in all. The parents of each group of children were required to ensure that their children remain respectful and reverent while walking around the Temple. This was the highlight of the trip. The families really enjoyed reading the quotes and Temple Facts.
I have listed the objects and Temple Facts at the bottom of this post.
Coloring Pages/Small Bubbles/LDS.org movies.
As the families finished their walk, they started to congregate at one location where we had some things for the kids to do, while the other families finished up. I printed out a coloring page from the Friend magazine for the kids to color. There are so many to choose from but this is the link for the one I decided on: (https://www.lds.org/friend/2011/07/coloring-page?lang=eng). I bought a box of small wedding bubbles for the kids to play with. I also downloaded two of the short Mormon Messages from LDS.org onto my laptop and had it playing. My older kids really enjoyed that. The two movies I used were:
The Blessings of the Temple: http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=temples#2009-03-10-the-blessings-of-the-temple
Temples are a Beacon: http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=temples#2012-01-002-temples-are-a-beacon
Once Every family was back, we gave them 5 more minutes to color and then we closed with a song and prayer.
My Councilor and I made Temple Blocks for each family to take home. I got the idea for the blocks from this website: http://lilluna.com/tutorial-tuesday-temple-block-im-going-there-someday/. This was a really in-expensive idea. We used a 4x4 beam, like what you'd make a porch or fence with. We cut in in 1in segments and sanded them down. I also took the picture of the temple and extended the black on the bottom and white at the top so that it was more square like our blocks. We found the same polka dot ribbon and wrapped it around a dow rod and cooked it in the oven at 250 for 15 minutes to make it curly. We made 20 blocks and one spool of ribbon was plenty. We also printed off a small piece for the back of the block that read: Louisville 4th Ward, Primary Temple Trip, October 20th, 2012.
As mentioned, here is a list of the objects and quotes I used from the Temple Walk:
1. Hammer:
The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build. It was dedicated 46 years after its announcement This just so happens to be the same length of time taken to erect the ancient Jerusalem Temple (John 2:20).
2. Rock/Rubble:
The Nauvoo Temple and Apia Samoa Temple are the only two modern-day temples to have been destroyed. Replacement buildings were constructed.
3. Ear Plugs
The Manhattan New York Temple is virtually a building within a building, which makes it completely soundproofed from the hustle and bustle of the noisy City. When you’re inside any temple, no outside temptations can get to you. Satan is not permitted in the temple.
4. Ruler:
The Washington D.C. Temple's 288-foot spire makes it the tallest of all Latter-day Saint temples. Can you find the Temple’s Spire. What is on top of the Spire?
5. Feather Duster:
Many people come to pray at the Temple. Why do you think that is?
The temple is a very clean place. “Like the Temple, we must not allow the ways of the world to clutter our lives. The Savior said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Too often, worldly things keep us from our prayers, scripture reading, and Church duties. President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has said: “Sometimes our minds are so beset with problems, and there are so many things clamoring for attention at once that we just cannot think clearly and see clearly.
When we are in the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can ‘see’ things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.” “Worthy to Enter”BY ELDER DARYL H. GARN Of the Seventy Ensign, Oct 2007
6. White Cloth:
When we do temple ordinances we wear white clothing. Wearing all white reminds us that we should not have any dark places in our lives. The Savior has invited all to come unto Him through repentance. “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them” (D&C 58:42–43).
White is a pure and clean color. It reminds us to keep ourselves pure and clean.- “Worthy to Enter”BY ELDER DARYL H. GARN Of the Seventy Ensign, Oct 2007
7. Handkerchiefs:
The Louisville, KY Temple was dedicated in four sessions by President Thomas S. Monson on March 19, 2000, with 8,012 attending. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to be present at the dedication of the Louisville Temple. I sat in the waiting room with a large group of members. The dedication was broadcasted through each room of the temple. Everyone present was required to bring with them a White Handkerchief. At the end of the Dedication Ceremony, every one raised their White Handkerchief in the air and cried out: “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna!”
When the ceremony was over, I could watch the presidency members exit the building. My father was a door usher, he held the door open for Thomas S. Monson, who at the time was the First Counselor to Gordon B.Hinkley.. President Monson, stopped and shook hands with my father. I was so proud and happy for my father.
- Jami Leckie
8. Statue of Moroni
Can you see the Gold Statue on top of the Temple Spire? Why do we put a statue of the Angel Moroni on the top of the Temple?
First, the Angel Moroni was the first of the Angels to appear to Joseph Smith. He told Joseph where he could find the Golden Plates. But not only is angel Moroni a messenger of the restoration of the gospel but he is also a herald of the Second Coming: "for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds" (JS-M 1:37).
For this reason he is depicted with his horn, sounding out his announcement that the Lord, our Savior, is coming.
9. Crown:
Do you see the inscription on the Temple wall that reads: “Holiness to the Lord, the House of the Lord?” These words are a dedication to the World explaining that the Temple is the Lord’s House.
How blessed we are to have temples! The holy temple is “the place of [the Lord’s] throne” on the earth (Ezekiel 43:7). President Gordon B. Hinckley has told Church members: “Until you have received the sacred [temple] ordinances of the gospel, you have not received all of the wonderful blessings which this Church has to offer. The great and crowning blessings of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are those blessings which come to us in the house of the Lord."
Inside the Temple we make covenants and promises that last beyond death and into eternity. We can get married and be sealed for time and all eternity, and we can do baptisms for the dead by proxy.
How is the Temple the “Lord’s Thrown?”
For starters, because this is the Lord’s house, Satan can not enter. Because of that, the promptings of the Holy Ghost are loud and clear when in the Temple.
10. Mirror:
You are a child of God. You are a royal prince or princess of Heaven. Heavenly Father loves you and waits for your safe return to live in his presence. Prepare now to be worthy to go to the Temple, so that you can feel the spirit within. So that you can make important promises which will help guide you back to Heaven. By following your Gospel Standards you can be a righteous son or daughter of God.
11. Eraser:
When you turn 12 years old you can go inside the Temple to do Baptisms for your ancestors that have passed away. Heavenly Father commanded everyone to be baptized, even Jesus Christ was baptized. The Priesthood keys that allow us to do baptisms for the dead are a very special gift from Heavenly Father.
Obviously a few of these need to be in select locations, but most of them can be placed anywhere around the Temple. I hope this is a help to anyone else out there that is planning a Primary Temple Trip.
1 comment:
That is awesome, Jami! You put a lot of work into that!
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