2011 Primary Program

Goal: To use the scriptures for every song and testify more, use the scriptures as much as possible to teach the children that what we learn in our songs is what is found in the scriptures.


After much discusion with the Primary Presidency in our ward and taking into consideration the council given us from the Stake (and were directed that this was from the General Board) that our optional songs should not be from the Hymn book but from the Primary Songbook. Here are the songs we have chosen for 2011 (along with being assigned).


Jan: "If I Listen With My heart" refere to the 2011 Primary Program manual, "I know that the Scriptures are true"
Feb:  "I will Follow God's Plan" CSB pg164
Mar:  "Stand for the Right" CSB pg 159
April:  our choice "I'm trying to be like Jesus" CSB pg 78
May: "Praise to the Man" Hymn 27
June: our choices we are doing two songs-
 "4th Article of Faith" CSB pg 124
"Scripture Power"  Found in the Oct 1987 Friend
July: "I love to See the Temple" CSB pg 95
Aug: "The Lord Game me a Temple" pg 153


Thoughts: Our choice to do "Scripture Power" came about a day where a young man in SR while doing our Thanks-giving activity in Singing Time, choice that he was thankful for scriptures and wanted to sing "Scripture Power". The pianist actually had a copy and we sang it. For a song that came out over 20 years ago I was amazed at how many of the children knew it and were singing with such enthusiastic. I was already out of Primary when this song came out and I've never actually learned it. The song is so old, yet still so loved by the children. Can you think of a song that is the same but not in the hymn book or Primary Songbook? I have been told that "To Bring the World His Truth" (Army of Heleman song, CSB 172) was not originally in the CSB but was later added because it was so loved. I don't know by my own knowledge if that is true but that is what I have been told. 
After singing time that day I went in the back and talking to the Primary President and 1st Councilor I told them that while singing I had a thought that maybe this should be our 'our choice' song. They both agreed and said that they had had the same impression while the children where singing that song. The subject of this year is "I Know that the Scriptures are True" to know that they are true you must have a testimony that the scriptures posses a power that can be used in your life. "Scripture Power" teaches them that and stays with them. 
I know doing an "extra" song is hard. It makes learning all your songs even harder. But I would like to invite you to do "Scripture Power" with your Primary this year. To infuse in a new generation of children that the scriptures have power that can be used in your life. Even if you chose not to do it for your program, teach it to them as just a song to learn this year.


last note- We do a number of musical numbers by small groups of children in our program. This year we are thinking that we are going to use songs that are about people in the scriptures ie: "Follow the Prophet", "Nephi's Courage", "Tell me the Stories of  Jesus", "Samuel tells of Baby Jesus", "Book of Mormon Stories", "A Young Man Prepared", there are more and we don't know which ones we are going to do, but we feel that there is teaching in having the children relate to the people in the scriptures to learn about how they can use the scriptures in their lives and have testimonies of their truth.
Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to hear thoughts about your plans for 2011, what songs you've chosen and why.