Difference between revisions of "Faith in God Program"

Revision as of 11:28, 30 July 2008

The Faith in God Program is a program designed for children ages eight through eleven. The Mormon Church provides two booklets one for girls, and one for boys. To earn the Faith in God award, children are asked to pray daily, read the scriptures regularly, attend sacrament meeting and primary regularly, pay tithing and attend tithing settlement, and honor their parents and be kind to their families. They are also asked to write down their testimony of the Church, memorize the Articles of Faith, and complete two activities in four different areas:

• Learning and Living the Gospel
• Serving Others
• Developing Talents
• Preparing for the Priesthood (for the boys) or Preparing for Young Women (for the girls).

When they have completed all of these things, they must then be interviewed by a member of the Bishopric.

Elder M. Russell Ballard gave this counsel regarding children:

Our children do not grow to full physical stature suddenly. In like manner, their spiritual growth takes place over time. This development might be compared to erecting a block building. The walls are formed block by block with a strong mortar holding each block to the others. We could give these building blocks names, such as bedtime stories, listening to a child pray,... reading from the scriptures together, serving others, and saying I love you.... Other blocks could be ... singing together,... attending Primary, and honoring the Sabbath day. Even larger blocks are family home evening, respecting and honoring the priesthood, and family prayer ^[1]

Learning and Living the Gospel

Under the category of Learning and Living the Gospel some of the suggested activities include:

• Give a Family Home Evening lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20). Discuss how Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayers.
• Mark these verses about the Holy Ghost in your scriptures: John 14:16–17, 2 Nephi 32:5, and Moroni 10:5. Discuss ways the Holy Ghost helps you.
• Give an opening and a closing prayer in family home evening or at Primary. Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps us to stay close to Heavenly Father and the Savior.

Serving Others

In the Serving Others category some of the suggested activities are:

• Write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grandparents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them.
• Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal.
• Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.

Developing Talents

In the Developing Talents category suggested activities include:

• Learn how to budget and save money. Discuss why it is important to faithfully pay our tithing and how Heavenly Father blesses us when we do (see 3 Nephi 24:10–11).
• Make an item from wood, metal, fabric, or other material, or draw, paint, or sculpt a piece of art. Display your finished work for others to see.
• Plan a physical fitness program for yourself that may include learning to play a sport or game. Participate in the program for one month.

Preparing for the Priesthood/Young Women

For the boys under the Preparing for the Priesthood some activities are:

• Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:57–60 and "Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God" [Deacon], page 7. Discuss with a parent or leader the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood and what it means to do your duty to God.
• Talk with the deacons quorum presidency about the role of the deacons quorum. Write in your journal how you can serve the Lord as a member of a deacons quorum.
• Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:77–80, Doctrine and Covenants 88:118, and Doctrine and Covenants 130:19. Discuss with a parent or Primary leader how important a good education is and how it can help strengthen you as a priesthood holder in your home and family and in the Church.

And for the girls under the category of Preparing for Young Women, some of the activities are:

• After studying the thirteenth article of faith, make a list of things that are uplifting and virtuous. Discuss with a parent or leader how you can seek after these things.
• Talk with the Beehive class presidency or a member of the Young Women presidency about the purpose and importance of the Young Women program.
• Write in your journal how you can serve the Lord as you stand for truth and righteousness.

The children also have the option of coming up with their own activity for any of the categories, but must have it approved by their leader. This program is used in conjunction with the Scouting program for the boys, and their scout meetings should help them complete the Faith in God Award. In countries where this program is not in operation, the boys should have a leader appointed who will help them plan activity days to work on receiving the award. For the girls, activity days should be provided on a regular basis (weekly when possible).

References

Links

Honoring the Past, Fulfilling the Present, and Looking to the Future

Faith in God Program