Church releases a new coloring book for children

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“Can you change the title to The Amazing Adventures of the Book of Mormon?” asked a young boy after coloring and engaging in the activities of the Book of Mormon scripture stories coloring book.

The first in an upcoming series of coloring books, the Scripture Stories Coloring Book: Book of Mormon is a new resource to help children gain a love for the people, stories, and teachings in the Book of Mormon.

“Helping our children to become familiar with these stories will build within them a lifelong love for the scriptures,” said Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the Seventy.

Designed to support family and individual scripture study, the 20-page coloring book includes look and find, dot-to-dot, mazes, and other fun activities. Each page also includes a search the scriptures challenge. For example, a coloring page about 1 Nephi 16 invites children to draw what the Liahona might look like and then asks, “How did the Liahona help Lehi’s family?”

Where to get the coloring book

The book is available on children.lds.org as a PDF, from which you can choose to print the entire book or individual pages. CLICK HERE to download a copy.

The 20‑page book includes coloring, dot‑to‑dot, mazes, and other fun activities for children ages 2–8. Each page also includes a challenge to search the scriptures.

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As children explore the activities and color the illustrations, they’ll learn for themselves the truths found in the scriptures.

Printed copies will be available for 85 cents at store.lds.org and Distribution Services centers, Deseret Book, and other LDS booksellers.

Gospel teaching

This convenient resource is an easy way to interest and engage younger children in scripture stories. Each page provides activities and opportunities to search the scriptures, providing parents natural opportunities to talk about the scriptures with their children. As children explore the activities and color the illustrations, they’ll learn for themselves the truths found in the scriptures.

2016-03-19_0757Following are a few examples of how individuals and families have already used the coloring book:

• Family scripture study. The coloring book helps younger children engage in the scriptures in ways appropriate for their ages and attention spans. For example, parents can give the book to younger children to color while they read from the scriptures with older children.

• Correlates perfectly with this year’s Primary Theme, “I know the scriptures are true.”

• Family home evening and one-on-one teaching.

Parents can use the coloring pages to help tell a story from the scriptures or as an activity following a lesson. Inviting children to share what they learned from the page they colored or asking them to retell a story in their own words helps them remember what was taught. Using the search the scriptures question found on each page can prompt further discussion.

• Sabbath day. Simply setting out crayons and the coloring book encourages children to choose a fun and meaningful Sabbath day activity. Parents can use the examples in the coloring book to spark additional ideas for helping the Sabbath be a delight for their children.

Available translations

To support scripture study around the globe, the coloring book will eventually be translated in languages that have LDS editions of the scriptures. It is anticipated that the coloring book in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Traditional), German, Russian, and Italian will be available on LDS.org near the end of March 2016, with copies of the printed book becoming available in May of 2016. Additional translations will follow in the coming years.

“The scriptures can be fun,” explained Elder Lawrence. “These activities teach them in their early years that they can find answers to their questions within the pages of the scriptures. After all, the scriptures are for everyone.”

 

#Hallelujah Day 1 of the Easter Advent Kit for Holy Week

All Photos by Amy Little

Day 1 Hosannablog-01Are you with me for the next 10 days?  The Easter Advent for Holy Week starts today!   Do not worry if everyday doesn’t follow the outline exactly, do what you feel your family needs.  For today, you’ll need your print out of the 5X7 Hosanna print and create your Hallelujah garland if you are choosing to display this piece.  The garland can take up to a couple of hours, so try to get some little hands to help you out with the cutting.  If you ordered the main kit from HERE, the leaves are printed on 8-1/2 X 11 yardstick, but keep in mind, the palm leaves and letters are also available in a larger kit sold separately HERE.  These are to be printed on 12X18″ cardstock.

The first day (today) outline shares the scriptures from the Easter story, a couple of online videos and 3 discussion questions to ponder.  Prepare in advance your own thoughts before you try to facilitate this.  After the devotional, decide as a family, a time each night and write it on the calendar for the next 10 days of when the family devotionals will start.  Whether it is the same time each day right before bedtime, or a different time each day alternating in the morning or evening, depending on the family’s schedule. Post the time in a visible place so everyone knows when the family will gather.  Maybe you put a sign on the fridge or pantry door, but make it easy to spot.  Just a reminder to tailor to your family’s schedule and needs.  I am going to combine a few lessons, because I won’t be starting our family advent until Monday, when my daughter returns home from her mission (squeal!)

A word about Easter baskets:  I spoke to Maria (MeckMom and a contributor here at SugarDoodle) the other day, and she shared with me that her family is doing Conference Baskets instead.  I loved that idea.  Her children can get their treats and treasures that first Saturday morning in April and watch conference with a firm grasp on the goodies. My youngest daughter was standing by me as the conversation with Maria was going on, and she panicked that I might not be giving baskets altogether.  Of course, it’s been one of her favorite tradition!   I explained to her that our family would have a different kind of Easter experience this year, and that I was not cutting out the springtime fun, just changing the time of when we do them.  And for the record,  June was totally fine when I explained to her she would still be getting a spring basket in April, so no big deal.  I just thought I might share this idea with you to consider in regards to the Easter basket dilemma.

Fee; free to join with us and share your Easter Advent activities that you are doing with your family on social media.  Share photos on our Facebook page if something works really well with your family.  We would love to see what you are doing.  Share on Instagram using the two hashtags:  #Hallelujah #SDEaster.

I have felt a pure peace with the activities outlined and the scriptures listed in this project, if only for the benefit of my own family.  But I know as you study the Savior in the days to follow, your family will gain a stronger testimony of His purpose and mission on the earth.  And in turn they will love Him more as their Savior and and accept Him as their Redeemer.

Hugs,

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AimeeFerre profile

This guest post was submitted by Aimee Ferre. She grew up in the desert of East Mesa in Arizona, but married a mountain loving Utah boy. She currently lives in Sandy, Utah and is a mom to 3 daughters. She owns a small crafting business where she creates holiday decor and specializes in hand-lettering. You can always find her creating new projects or planning gatherings for friends and family. Follow her on Instagram to see what is currently on her desk or find her at aimeeferre.com.

 

 

His Grace is Sufficient – Free Printable

GraceIsSufficientBlogPic-01Hi friends!
Today I have a beautiful printable for you. But we can be honest here, right? Okay…here goes. This was not what I was planning on sharing with you. In fact, I had a completely different printable ready to share, was about to hit publish and WHAM! Was hit with a full-blown melt down, panic attack. Yep. True story. Ugly cry and all.

What was the madness behind the tears? Well for starters, I was having computer issues, which always induces some form of panic. But I was also slammed in the face with this all-consuming, awful feeling of inadequacy. You know what I speak of, yes? This little (sometimes huge) voice in my head was telling me that what I have to offer isn’t good enough, that it won’t matter and that I am wasting my time. I wish I could say this is the first time this has ever happened to me, but I’ll be honest and say that this is a battle that I have fought many (many, many) times. When I was in my younger years, this little voice would nearly cripple me from accomplishing just about anything. However, I feel like I have come a long way in battling this demon, but once in a blue moon, it sneaks up on me and rears its ugly head. It frustrates me to no end when I have these feelings, because I swear its something that I have overcome or somehow conquered. But then it pops right back up, usually un-announced, un-invited, and definitely not welcomed. So what did I do? I slammed my computer shut, drew a bath and decided to call it a night.

Even though I really did not want to (honesty, right?) I knelt down for prayer. I was almost instantly reminded of this month’s Come Follow Me lesson on Grace and the scripture found in Ether 12:27 that speaks about Christ’s grace being sufficient to turn our weaknesses into strengths. I love what Elder Ucthdorf says about grace, “Another element of God’s grace is the opening of the windows of heaven, through which God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. Throughout our lives, God’s grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves.”  So not only can I apply grace in spiritual matters, but I can apply it in my day to day temporal needs.  I can use grace to get that voice out of my head tells me I’m not enough.  Grace can stretch what I have to offer into much more than I think I have to give.
GraceIsSufficient2-01I decided that I needed to create a printable to help me (and maybe you) remind me that His grace is sufficient to help me be the best version of myself. And as Brad Wilcox states, “The grace of Christ is sufficient—sufficient to cover our debt, sufficient to transform us, and sufficient to help us as long as that transformation process takes.”

Get this 8×10 and 5×7 printable here. This printable coordinates with the Come Follow Me lesson helps that is available here in the Sugardoodle Shop.

Heart,
Melanie B.

Watch the Hallelujah Easter video from mormon.org

Over the past several months we’ve been working with Mormon.org to introduce their new Easter video, Hallelujah, to the world. Yesterday, that beautiful video was launched.

Please, take a minute today to enjoy its sacred message. If it touches you, as it did us, please share it. Post it to your walls, pin it, tweet it, email it, watch it with your family at FHE, show it in your classrooms…just share it! The hallelujah message will resonate with all who hear it and draw millions of hearts closer to Christ.

To see the series of blog posts and printable packages we coordinated to support the video, please visit our #hallelujah page. It’s loaded with dozens of free printables designed by expert bloggers to help make your family’s Easter more meaningful. Happy Easter, everyone!

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Preparation: Easter Advent for Holy Week #HALLELUJAH

Day 1 MantleR

Photo Credit: Amy Little Photography, Utah

If you are following along with me this week with the Easter Advent for Holy Week kit , let’s get the artwork printed and get ready to go!  You won’t actually start the advent with your family until this Friday (that is 10 days before Easter) if you are going to do the whole 10 days of devotionals.  You can print the kit out on a home color printer, or you can choose to go to a commercial color printer such as a Fed Ex Kinkos or The UPS Store, just make sure you either email it to them in advance or download it onto a flash drive before heading to the printers.

There are ten palm leaf branches you need to print from the kit, it only has one showing in the file, so you will need to print 9 more of the one page, and hand cut them out.  If your family helps in your effort, it might take only 30 minutes, depending on how many hands you have.  It took me about 10 minutes per leaf for the 12X18″ size, (This larger size is not included in the kit, only the 8X10 size is included in the kit, but you can purchase a separate file HERE  if you want it bigger.  My mantel is fairly large, so I wanted larger leaves).   It would probably take half that time to cut out the 8X10 size in the kit.  I didn’t cut exactly on the lines.  There was plenty of white border around the leaf on mine, and I still loved it.  Then cut out each individual letter from the watercolored letters that spell H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H.  I did not cut too carefully on these lines either, I just cut around the black outline leaving a border of white once again.  Glue these cut out letters to the palm leaves.  I used a 1-1/2″ wide satin ribbon in a mint green to clip the palm branches on to. Then, use small clothespins or binder clips to attach them on the ribbon, spaced evenly.  Hang across a window, drape on the mantle, or hang on a soffit or wall in your home.  See photo above.

In addition to the palm leaves and letters,  print off everything else included in the kit.  I went to a second hand store and found most of the sizes of frames I needed for each print listed below for less than a couple of dollars each.  I strongly suggest using a nice color digital print cardstock like a Hammermill 80 lb or 100 lb, it makes a difference in the color quality of your prints.

10 PAGES of LESSON PLANS – Read over lesson plans and gather items you may need for the enrichment activities listed in the “DO” tab at the end of each lesson.  They are optional, so decide now which ones you want your family to do.

HAND-LETTERED AND HAND-PAINTED ARTWORK to be printed off from the kit:

  1. Palm Leaf (Print 10 pages and cut out branches for garland.  Offered HERE in a larger size with H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H letters below ).
  2. H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H watercolored letters
  3. Hosanna 5X7 print
  4. Amazing Grace 8X10 print
  5. House of Prayer family checklist 8X10
  6. I know That My Redeemer Lives 8X10
  7. Charades Game Pieces
  8. Fear Not, He is Risen (Matt 28:5-6) 8X10 (offered in a larger size HERE)
  9. Passover Introduction 8X8
  10. Love One Another 8X10 print
  11. “You’ve Been Egged!” neighbor’s door poster 8X10
  12. I Believe in Christ 8X10 (offered in a larger size HERE)
  13. Crimson Red Greek Easter Eggs 5X7 recipe card
  14. I Stand All Amazed 8X10 (offered in a larger size HERE)
  15. There is a Green Hill Far Away 8X10
  16. Abide With Me; Tis Eventide 8X10
  17. Resurrection Rolls 5×7 recipe card
  18. Hallelujah! Easter 4-up dinner place cards (print off as many as you have guests coming to your Easter dinner with 4 on each page.)
  19. Christ the Lord is Risen Today 8X10 (offered in a larger size HERE)

I’ll see you back here tomorrow for Day 1 instructions, remember you won’t start until Friday!

Hugs,

AimeeFerreSignature vector-tiny

This guest post was submitted by Aimee Ferre. She grew up in the desert of East Mesa in Arizona, but married a mountain loving Utah boy. She currently lives in Sandy, Utah and is a mom to 3 daughters. She owns a small crafting business where she creates holiday decor and specializes in hand-lettering. You can always find her creating new projects or planning gatherings for friends and family. Follow her on Instagram to see what is currently on her desk or find her at aimeeferre.com.