Faith (CS p. 96)

Simple actions to teach this song:

Verse 1:
Faith is knowing the sun will rise
(Start on the ground in a ball; rise slowly with your arms rounded above your head like the sun)

Lighting each new day (on the word lighting, have your sun arms slowly open)

Faith is knowing the Lord will hear (hand to your ear)
My prayers (fold arms as if in prayer) each time I pray

Faith is like a little seed (pinch your thumb and pointer finger together as if holding a small seed)

If planted (make a pot with your other hand and pretend to plant the seed)

it will grow (from underneath the pot hand, push the other hand's fingers up and through like a bud, then open the fingers as it grows taller)

Faith is a swelling (continue the growing motion into both arms being raised and opening wide)
within my heart (cover your heart with both hands)

When I do right (thumbs up)
I know (point to your head)


Verse 2:
I have the kids imagine a line stretching from one end of the room to the other. Then I put my right hand sideways, close to my body, as if it's making a notch on the line. This is birth. Look at all the space on the imaginary line that comes before birth. Where were you before your mortal birth?  You lived with God. Then do the same thing with your left hand being death, or when your life ends on earth.  What will happen then?  You can return to God. So your whole mortal life is just the width of your body, while there's all this space on either side of you where you still existed and will exist.

Faith is knowing I lived with God (point that direction on the timeline)
before my mortal birth (place your "birth" hand back on the timeline, making an exaggerated notch on the word birth)
Faith is knowing I can return (point that direction on the timeline)
when my life ends on earth (place your "death" hand back on the timeline, making an exaggerated notch on the word earth)

Faith is trust in God above (ASL for father, then same hand goes up to heaven)
In Christ (ASL for Jesus)
who showed the way (make a straight path with your hands and push it forward)

Faith is strengthened (show arm muscle)
I feel it grow (other arm outlines a bigger muscle)
Whenever I obey (ASL for obey -- one hand on head, the other on the heart, then offering them both)

To Be a Pioneer (CS p. 218)

What do you think of when you hear the word "pioneer"?
Do you think of pushing handcarts?
Leaving family and friends to go to a distant land?
Walking thousands of miles?

What would you say if I told you that YOU can be a pioneer?
Would you have to do those things too?

Let's sing the first verse (with actions for younger kids):
     You don't have to push a handcart (pretend to push)
     Leave your family dear (wave goodbye)
     Or walk a thousand miles or more (walk in place)
     To be a pioneer!

The things the pioneers did aren't as important as the inner qualities they possessed that helped them to do those things.  What character traits did they have?  (Optional: you can tell some pioneer stories that illustrate these characteristics: courage, faith, hard work)

Let's sing the second verse
     You DO need to have great courage (fist over your heart)
     Faith to conquer fear (pointer finger at side of head, then throw away the fear)
     And work with might (show your muscles) for a cause that's right (pump right fist into the air)
     To be a pioneer!

Discussion:  (use specific examples personalized to their stage of life)
When would you need to have great courage?

"In order for us to make the correct decisions, courage is needed -- the courage to say no when we should, the courage to say yes when that is appropriate, the courage to do the right thing because it is right... Inner courage also includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status." -- Thomas S Monson (Ensign May 2014)

How does faith conquer fear? (see D&C 6:36; 68:6)

Is there a cause that you are willing to work hard in defending?

Quote by M. Russell Ballard (Oct 2008): "The Lord isn’t asking us to load up a handcart; He’s asking us to fortify our faith. He isn’t asking us to walk across a continent; He’s asking us to walk across the street to visit our neighbor. He isn’t asking us to give all of our worldly possessions to build a temple; He’s asking us to give of our means and our time despite the pressures of modern living to continue to build temples and then to attend regularly the temples already built. He isn’t asking us to die a martyr’s death; He’s asking us to live a disciple’s life."

Conclusion:
Bear testimony that we CAN be pioneers in courage, faith, and standing for what is right.

Optional:
Learn the "we are marching" descant.  Then sing the verses and descant together.  This is a really fun activity.