Many see Faith in God as just a fun activity, something to keep the girls occupied while the boys are in Cubs or to keep the Cub program spiritual. However, if we look at it from that perspective, we miss out on a wonderful teaching opportunity for our children.
Sunday Primary is quiet, and essentially non-participatory. The children learn the doctrines, but they often still don’t quite know how all of that applies to their weekday lives. Yes, they learn not to hit a sibling or how to avoid peer pressure, but there are many hours for children to fill where specific doctrine might not seem to apply.
The gospel is twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Every minute should be gospel-focused, even when we’re doing seemingly secular things like chores, homework, or playing soccer. When we have free moments to fill, the gospel should show us the best ways to do that.
As Faith in God leaders, we are in a position to do that. We can teach the children to find joy in serving, in fulfilling responsibilities, and in making appropriate choices for our free time. Many of the requirements can give us an opportunity to teach the girls new hobbies, which can help them spend their time appropriately. I recently taught a class on handsewing and we discussed the ways this new skill could be used—to provide inexpensive gifts or service and to decorate a bedroom very inexpensively. One girl noted that it was relaxing, and that it could be a way to unwind or de-stress.
Some children who are new converts or recently reactivated find the LDS lifestyle a bit tame or dull. These more “sophisticated” girls need help learning ways to have fun appropriately. Faith in God is the place for that teaching. Here we have a chance to really help the children select appropriate music and television, find good books to read, and fill their hours with worthwhile fun. We can help them find good activities that aren’t “corny” or even help them discover that what they thought was corny, really isn’t after all.
Faith in God often lets us show children how to make the secular spiritual. Is doing your homework a spiritual activity? Is cleaning your room a gospel event? What about playing checkers? When the activities are used as part of a gospel principle, the children learn that all things are spiritual unto the Lord.
Faith in God Activities
