Sharing Time Idea from the 2015 Outline - Forgiving Feet
At the front of the room display several pairs of shoes. Inside each of the shoes place some small pebbles. On the toe of each shoe have a scenario
Example: Your Mother asked you to take out the garbage. You didn’t want to, so you ignored her. She asked you again and you yelled at her.
Invite a child up to the front and have them pick a pair of shoes. Have the child put the shoes on and walk around a little bit. Ask them how the shoes feel. They may say it hurts and isn’t very comfortable. Explain that when we sin it’s like the pebble in the shoe. Next, read the scenario aloud.
After you have read the scenario ask the child if there is someone that could help us remove the pebble/repent and be forgiven of our sin.
Show a picture of Jesus Christ. Just like the man in the story that helped the other man out of the hole in the story we heard before, Jesus Christ can help and save us so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again.
Have them remove the pebble, and explain that repenting and receiving Heavenly Father's forgiveness is like removing the pebble from our shoe. Explain that because of Jesus Christ, we can repent and receive forgiveness of our sins.
Another Idea:
Instead of having several pairs of shoes just have one pair of shoes at the front of the room. Invite a child up to the front and have them put the shoes on (this time without pebbles). Have them share how the shoes feel.
Then have them take the shoes off and share a scenario of a time that they did wrong and add a few pebbles into the shoes. Have the child put the shoes on and walk around and share how it feels. Then have them take the shoes off again.
Once again share another scenario and add a few more pebbles.
Repeat as many times as you would like.
After you have shared several scenarios ask the child(ren) how or who can help get the 'pebbles' out of your shoes. Show the picture of Christ and explain that through Jesus Christ we are able to repent and be forgiven.
Have an empty jar and have the child pour the pebbles into it.
Show the children the jar of pebbles from the shoes. Bear testimony of the importance of the atonement and repentance. Tell the children if they don't want to walk around with pebbles in their shoes, then they need to remember to repent.
