Single Groups

Secret Server

2012

Purpose: To gain a testimony of the importance of serving, especially serving without seeking praise or recognition.

Materials:

Picture: Jesus Washing Apostles’ Feet
Clip art for the stories
1 copy of the Service Chart per person
several “You have been Served” calling cards per person

Lesson:
Attention getter:
As you are about to begin the lesson, drop a box of crayons or your papers on the ground with an exclamation such as “Oh no!” or “Oops!”. Wait and see if anyone offers to help you pick them up. If no one does, go ahead and ask for help.
Thank those who helped and explain that Heavenly Father wants us to help one another. This is called service. We can show we love our Heavenly Father by serving his children.

Display the quote on service:

“The Lord answers the prayers of the needy by prompting others to righteous deeds: God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another mortal that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” -Spencer W. Kimball

Show the picture of Jesus washing apostles’ feet.

Jesus set the example for us when he, the greatest of all, served his disciples by washing their feet.

Summarize the story.
John 13:4-5, 12-15

Story:

The Zucchini Bandit

Helping Mom (for very young children)

Discuss the story emphasizing that the service was given in secret. * If you have a personal experience in which someone served you anonymously or you helped someone else anonymously, this would be the perfect time to share it. Testify of the importance of serving others and the blessings that come from it.

Activity/Weekly Challenge:

Secret Server Week

You are going to be a SECRET SERVER for the week. Draw family members’ names out of a hat so that everyone has someone else’s name. Don’t tell anyone whose name you have (parents will help the very young ones). Each day of the week you will perform at least one secret act of service for your Receiver. You may leave a “You Have Been Served” calling card with your Receiver’s name on it (this helps the Receiver recognize that an act of service was done in their behalf). For each day you do a special, secret act of service, you will color in a heart on the Service Chart. Have fun and shhhhhhhh Don’t give yourself away!

Dessert: Zucchini Cobbler

*ideas of small acts of secret service that can be done at home

make the bed for your receiver
set his/her place at the breakfast table
draw or color a picture
leave a favorite treat on his/her pillow
put toothpaste on his/her toothbrush
do one of his/her chores
make a favorite meal or dessert with mom or dad’s help
straighten up his/her closet
decorate his/her bedroom
leave a surprise note or treat in a lunchbox

Filed Under: Couples, Families, Families With Children, FHE Lessons for All, Newlyweds, Service Project Ideas, Service Projects, Single Groups, Tweens & Teens

New Year Individual and Family Goals

2012

Leave a Comment

Purpose: Setting goals and establishing resolutions is the number one way people begin the New Year. The most important aspect is to plan according to what you really want to accomplish in realistic time frames. You can plan for one long-term goal(s), something to focus on throughout the year and you can also do smaller, short-term goals to work on for a few months at a time, or even shorter. The most important aspect is “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

This lesson is to help jump-start individuals and families to set goals to for the New Year.

Lesson:

Goals have multiple layers: first, you create a visual in your mind of the goal(s) you would like to accomplish. Once you have in mind what you want to do, you’ve already accomplished half your goal.

1. Visualize yourself at the end point of reaching that goal.

Create a detailed plan to reach that goal. Will this be reached in 3, 6, 9 or 12 months? When will you have accountability on how you’re doing on reaching these goals? How often will you have this accountability? You can invite family and/or friends to help keep you focused on the goal(s) that you create.

What type of goals are you wanting to create for the upcoming year?

Career (do you want to achieve a promotion, finish an important project, increase sales, etc), Financial (pay off one credit card, two credit cards, all debt, pay off car, learn how to coupon and use them weekly, etc), Education (go back to school- finish your degree or begin a degree program, learn a new language, take a community class, etc.), Family (plan a vacation and set a budget, create a budget for your family, etc), Volunteer Service (make goals to volunteer monthly or do toy/food drives, make 24 Hr. Survival Kits, etc.), Physical (make goals to work out, lose weight, run a race, etc.), Personal Enrichment (learn to play a musical instrument, paint, cut hair, etc.).

2. Write it down.

Keeping a written log, journal or even create a blog to keep a daily or weekly record of your experience working towards your goals. Blogging can be a powerful way to keep yourself accountable and to engage others which will help you stay focused.

3. Create the plan.

Use budget sheets, goal sheets, calendars and whatever other materials you can find to get a detailed break down of your goal.

Set SMART Goals (from mindtools.com):

S – Specific (or Significant).
M – Measurable (or Meaningful).
A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
R – Relevant (or Rewarding).
T – Time-bound (or Trackable).

Discussion:

1. Is goal setting important? Why or why not?

2. How can setting goals help you discover new things about yourself and help you live your best life?

Activity:

FREE Budget Tracking Sheets & other Financial Worksheets

FREE Blog Access (create a free blog to journal your progress in reaching your goals)

Why Set Goals? article

Treat:

Hot Chocolate & Marshmellows and No Bake Cookies

Hershey’s No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Couples, Families, Families With Children, FHE Lessons for All, Latter-day Saints, Newlyweds, Newlyweds, Single Groups, Tweens & Teens

Christmas Service Countdown Service

2011

Leave a Comment

“Christmas Service Countdown Family Home Evening“

Purpose: To reflect on serving one another in our families during the Christmas season. Often times we can focus on selfish thoughts during this gift-giving season. It’s important that we strive to keep the focus on being selfless as our Savior was as we celebrate His birth.

Lesson:
“Over the years, many people, especially youth, have asked me, “Elder Cuthbert, how can I become more spiritual?” My reply has always been the same: “You need to give more service.
Service changes people. It refines, purifies, gives a finer perspective, and brings out the best in each one of us. It gets us looking outward instead of inward. It prompts us to consider others’ needs ahead of our own. Righteous service is the expression of true charity, such as the Savior showed.” – Elder Derek A. Cuthbert, Ensign May 1990

Here are a list of ways service helps us become more spiritual:

1. Helps us see true value in material things vs. things of the eternal value

2. Service establishes a righteous tradition. Start serving when you’re young and that will lead to more willingness to serve throughout your life in the community and church.

3. Service helps us overcome selfishness and sin.

4. Service helps us generate love and appreciation.

5. Service is the principle in which we show gratitude to our Savior.

Discussion:

~ What ways have you been served? How did it make you feel?

~ What are some ways that you’ve served others?

~ How did it make you feel when you’ve served someone else?

~ Why should we focus on service during the Christmas season?

Activity Ideas: *This activity requires prep work*

Prep work for countdown chain: Count down the days from FHE night until Christmas Day. Cut out equal sized strips of red and green construction paper to make the countdown chain.

1. Pick one of the ways stated below to use each section of your chain. Remember that the service continues and includes Christmas Day.

W 1. With each section of the chain you can write an act of service to perform as a family.

2. 2. Each night at dinner you can take a piece of the chain off and describe what acts of service each family member did during that day.

Treat:

5-Minute Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:1 Ready Graham Cracker Pie Crust 1 1/4 C. cold milk 2 pkg. (4- serving size) chocolate instant pie pudding mix 1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping (thawed) 1. Beat milk, pudding and half the whipped topping together in medium bowl with a wire whisk for one minute. The mixture will thicken. 2. Pour into ready-made crust. 3. Top with remaining whipped cream. You can eat it right away or chill until ready to eat!

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Couples, Families, Families With Children, Family Home Evening, Lessons, Newlyweds, Newlyweds, Service Project Ideas, Service Projects, Single Groups, Tweens & Teens

FHE Service Project: Family History Work

2010

Leave a Comment

Family Home Evening Service Project: Indexing

Purpose: This month’s service project is centered on the family and genealogical research. One of the great ways each of us can help in this great work is by extracting names through indexing. The church has made it so simple to do and we can do it in the comfort of our homes!

Scripture: Malachi. 4:5,6

Song: “Who’s on the Lord’s Side?

Lesson: One of the missions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to redeem the dead. We participate in genealogical research to help bind families for eternity. The Lord has provided us with many tools in order to find missing links in our families so that everyone’s work may be completed.

One of the tools we’ve been given is the use of the Internet. The church has created a way for us to be able to log-in and access records to do indexing from our homes.

What is Indexing?

Family history indexing is the simple process of extracting names from digital images of historical documents and creating online searchable indexes from the previously gathered information.

How is it done? First click on this link: Family Search Indexing

If you have not registered for an LDS account, you can do so on this Web site. You will need to your membership number to create this account and you will be able to use this same username and password on the Family Search Web site for family history.

If you have a previous username and password (LDS account) from doing family history online, use the same password.

If you are not a member of the LDS church or want to help others begin indexing, then you can create a Family Search account for the general public.

How to start? There is a helpful “How To” video that will begin once you log in to begin using the program for the first time. It is recommended that you watch this short video or have a family history representative from your ward help you learn the steps.

Additional Resources: Need additional help or want to learn more about expanding your skills?

Visit, Family Search Online Classes, for FREE help.

Activity:

Young children: (this activity, photo and idea are from SugarDoodle)

Hand Tree

Items needed: Fabric Paint, Paintbrush, paper plates, 1/2 yard of white cotton fabric for tree, markers, scissors, fabric glue, 1 yard of fabric (white or colored for background)

Have your family members pick out their favorite colors of paint and spread a little of each color on a paper plate. Working from the biggest hands to the littlest ones, have each person dip their hands in her chosen paint and print them on the cotton fabric, overlapping the hand prints slightly as the group moves up the tree (practice on paper first). Use a paintbrush to add a tree trunk, let all the paint dry and then identify each set of hand prints with a permanent marker.

Older children:

Older children can participate in doing the indexing online. You can set a indexing goal as a family– make your first goal an easy one for the first week as you learn how to do indexing. Each family member can take turns doing a name or completing one record until each person has had a turn.

Discussion:

How does doing this indexing help others?

What was your experience doing the indexing?

Treat:

Delicious Healthy Cupcakes

For this simple recipe, all you need is one cake mix and one can of soda. If you want to use a chocolate cake mix, use a dark diet can of soda. If you want to use a light cake mix, use a can of Diet Sprite (or Fresca).

Simply mix the can of soda into the cake mix and stir.

Bake as directed for cupcakes.

You can also use some Sugar Free Cool Whip for icing to make a perfectly healthy and super yummy treat!

Filed Under: Couples, Families, FHE Lessons for All, Newlyweds, Service Project Ideas, Single Groups

FHE Service Project: Health Care Kits

2010

Leave a Comment

Health Care Kits: Family Humanitarian Service Project

Purpose: This month’s family service project is focused on preparing and sending much needed health care kits to those affected by devastating events throughout the world or to prepare for future use.

Song: “Have I Done Any Good in the World Today”

Lesson: While you are discussing what happened in Haiti and why it is so devastating, you can begin to discuss how these events can help us draw closer to our brothers and sisters all over the world by doing small acts of kindness. Although we can’t see what our efforts do exactly, we can feel of the love we have for those in need and rejoice in the feeling of serving others.

Health Kit Items:

Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

1 hand towel (15″ x 25″ up to 17″ x 27″, No kitchen towels)
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

Important Kit Assembly Information

All items included in kits must be NEW items.
All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.