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FHE Service Project: Write Letters to Sick Children

2011
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Letters to Sick Children Service Project

Purpose: Jesus taught us by His teachings and His perfect example to bless those that are sick and afflicted. There are many seriously ill children in hospitals all over the world that would love to have your letters of hope and inspiration.

Lesson:

Have you ever had an earache, sore throat or the flu and felt miserable for a day, two or maybe for a week? There are many children all over that suffer from more serious illnesses that leave them bound in hospitals. Many are to weak to play and are unable to go outside, jump in piles of leaves, smell the fresh air or even play in the park.

During this holiday season, you can serve other children that are similar ages to those in your family by performing acts of service. One way is to visit them, go caroling at the hospitals, donate toys and even write letters.

Discussion: What are ways in which you can serve someone daily? Weekly? Monthly? How have you felt as you’ve been served? Share an experience of being served.

Goal Setting: Have family, group or ward members write at least one goal to be more active in serving those who are in need– like the sick and afflicted.

Service Project: Write letters to ill children in hospitals

Each member of the family, group or ward can participate in this service activity.

Gather paper, markers, crayons, stickers, etc. to make greeting cards to send to sick children in hospitals all over the country. If you live outside of the U.S., you can send letters to children in your own area/country or surprise some of these children with letters from all over the world!

Visit: Make A Child Smile (click to link to Web site)

You’ll see a list of children who would love to have your letters! You can click on their names to read more about them.

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!
(recipe adapted from Keebler)

 

 

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Families With Children, Family Home Evening, FHE Lessons for All, Lessons, Service Project Ideas, Service Projects, Tweens & Teens

Sidewalk Service

2011
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Family Home Evening Service Lesson: 
Sidewalk Service
Purpose: If your summer days are dragging on and you’re wondering what adventure you can do next, then pack up your sidewalk chalk and go for a little service stroll.
Lesson: Service is a trademark attribute of the followers of Jesus Christ. There are many, many ways in which we can serve others. At times we may have the thought that someone could use a visit, but do we choose to go and visit them?
The Lord uses us to help his children here on earth. He has entrusted each of us to serve one another, as He would serve us as if He were here. 

“Service is an imperative for those who worship Jesus Christ.”(Elder Dallin H. Oaks)
Service helps us to set aside our selfish thoughts and desires by putting others first. Doing kind acts help each of us grow in character, as well as in testimony of the importance of serving and being served.
Discussion: Serving others doesn’t have to be a huge under-taking. Review these questions with your family, group or ward.

- How does it feel to serve others?

- Why is important to serve others?

- Have you ever received service from someone else? How did it feel to be served?

- What are some ways you can serve someone this week?
Activity:
Think of 2-3 people or families that you can create a “Sidewalk Service” to. Be sure that adults supervise and OK which homes you visit and where you draw your pictures. 
Create a happy message to let the family/individual know how much they are loved and appreciated. 
You can leave a note on their door so that they can find your drawing.  
Treat: 


1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
Preheat oven to 325-degrees.  Mix everything together until well blended.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll into 18 balls.  Place 2″ apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten each ball in a criss-cross pattern with a fork.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Cool.
  

 

Filed Under: Couples, Families With Children, FHE Lessons for All, Lessons, Newlyweds, Service Project Ideas, Service Projects

Scripture Reading Challenge

2010
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Scripture Reading Challenge Family Home Evening


Purpose: To challenge yourself and family members to read the scriptures on a daily basis and see the blessings that come to your lives from following this one simple principle. 


Scripture: Mosiah 1:6-7 

Lesson: 

We have been commanded to read the scriptures and we are taught beginning in the nursery that reading the scriptures is how we learn about our Savior. The scriptures are full of the doctrine and direction that we need to return to live with our Father in Heaven. But, did you also know that other power comes to us from reading the scriptures? When we read the scriptures we can receive revelation that we seek for our lives and families. We can also have the Holy Ghost more abundantly with us to lead and guide our lives and the choices we make here. When we read about our Savior and study His life, we can become more like Him, like we’ve been commanded to do. 

Here are a couple of personal experiences with the scriptures. After reading these, continue to the activity section of this lesson and find out how you can PRINT your own Scripture Reading Charts and challenge yourself and your family to read these sacred books daily and record the blessings that come to your life and to your families!

President Spencer W. Kimball’s Personal Experience:  Once I heard a forceful appeal by a woman from the Mutual. … She gave a rousing talk on the reading of the scriptures and making them our own; then she stopped her dissertation to ask this mixed congregation, about a thousand of us, “How many of you have read the Bible through?”

I think I was about fourteen years old at the time. An accusing guilt complex spread over me. I had read many books by that time, the funny papers, and light books, but my accusing heart said to me, “You, Spencer Kimball, you have never read that holy book. Why?” I looked around me at the people in front and on both sides of the hall to see if I was alone in my failure to read the sacred book. Of the thousand people, there were perhaps a half dozen who proudly raised their hands. I slumped down in my seat. I had no thought for the others who had also failed, but only a deep accusing thought for myself. I don’t know what other people were doing and thinking, but I heard no more of the sermon. It had accomplished its work. When the meeting closed, I sought the large double exit door and rushed to my home a block east of the chapel; and I was gritting my teeth and saying to myself, “I will. I will. I will.”

Entering the back door of our family home, I went to the kitchen shelf where we kept the coal oil lamps, selected one that was full of oil and had a newly trimmed wick, and climbed the stairs to my attic room. There I opened my Bible and began on Genesis, first chapter and first verse, and I read well into the night with Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, and Enoch and Noah and through the flood even to Abraham.


My Own Book of Mormon

By Hillary Holbrook
Hillary Holbrook, “My Own Book of Mormon,” Liahona, Sept. 2010, 6

In August 2005, when President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) issued a challenge to Church members to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year, I promised myself I would read the entire book. I was familiar with stories in the Book of Mormon but had never read it all the way through. Now I meant to keep my promise.

I had been taught to apply the scriptures to my life and make them my very own. So as I read, I wrote in the margins of the page what I thought the main idea of the passage was. I also underlined repeated words and phrases to show emphasis.

I placed my name next to names in the scriptures to help me remember that the word of God spoken to others can also be the word spoken to me. For example, in 2 Nephi 2:28 I wrote my name: “And now, [Hillary], I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments.” The more I made the Book of Mormon my own, the more excited I became about reading it every day.

As I read daily, my prayers became heartfelt and personal. I was also able to focus on my classes and follow promptings of the Spirit to befriend others. On the last night of the year, I finished the Book of Mormon.

I then understood the importance of reading the whole Book of Mormon, along with other scriptures, and want to do so many more times in my life.


Discussion:

Why is reading the scriptures important? 

Why do we need to do it daily?

What blessings have been promised to us if we read the scriptures? (Refer to the scripture used for this lesson)

What can we do to make sure we stick to this challenge? How do you think your lives and family will improve?

Activity:  

Childen: Click HERE to go to Scripture 4 Kids and help your little readers (Levels 1-4) start reading scriptures! It’s never to early to get them in this habit and these online scriptures, with photos and audio are some amazing tools to jump-start their love and confidence in reading the scriptures. 

Older Children & Adults: Scripture Reading Charts

*Powered by: Scripture4Kids.com 

Easy Reading Charts, 30- Day Challenge, 60-Day Challenge, Book of Mormon Reading Challenge (read the entire BOM!) and reading charts available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, German, French, Dutch and many other languages. 

                               Scripture Reading Charts–click here 

Treat:  

Ingredients

  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package dark chocolate cake mix
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package low calorie chocolate cake mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  •  
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the dark and light chocolate cake mix. Add the eggs and oil, mix until well blended. Roll dough into 2 inch balls, and place them onto the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten the balls slightly with the back of a spoon.
  3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
  4. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and confectioner’ sugar together until smooth. Spread between two cooled cookies.


Recipe from allrecipes.com
Filed Under: FHE Lessons for All, Latter-day Saints

Service Auction FHE

2010
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Service Auction Family Home Evening
Purpose: This is a family home evening lesson that I used as an FHE leader in my Single Adult Ward in college. This lesson is perfect for a ward activity, single adult FHE, FHE group lesson or just a fun multi-family activity.
Scripture: Mosiah 2:17
Brief Lesson: Service can be defined as the act of helpful activity. Our Savior taught us by his perfect example of service as well as in His teachings, the importance of serving others. 

In the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah, King Benjamin teaches that when we are in the service of others, we are actually serving our Father in Heaven and Jesus. 

Discussion:

What are some ways in which you have been served in your life?
How has serving others changed you?
What impact has service had on your life and character building?
Activity: *This activity requires LOTS of pre-planning.
Service Auction
The service auction is a super fun activity. You will need to make sure you’ve prepared in advance to have this auction run properly. 
The Idea: Those in your FHE group, ward, etc. will bring items of service that they will donate to be auctioned off. For example, items that can be donated are a car wash and detail, a free babysitting night, one homemade dinner for 4, two weeks of mowing the lawn and on and on. You can get as creative as you want— just be sure that the services people donate are services they can and will actually perform. 
All of the items donated for auction should be service-oriented. This is a complete “service auction.”
Gather all the items for bidding and create an “Item List” to provide everyone who will attend the auction. 
You can also make paddles for bidding by using construction paper and Popsicle sticks. Again, you can get as creative with this project as you wish. 
Items to be Auctioned: Services provided by individuals/families
Money used for purchasing services: CANS OF FOOD!! 
Each can of food= $1. So if you purchase a service that sells for $20— you will actually be donating 20 cans of food. You will need to have someone track all of your purchases, you purchased them and for what price. 
***Also, prepare slips of paper with each service listed separately. When someone wins that auction, write the number of cans they will need to donate and give that to them. They will have that record of the service they purchased as well as what they owe for it.  
All the “proceeds” (meaning cans of food) will be donated to your local food bank—which are all in need of food!

The Auction:
Set a date (Monday night) and time for your auction to be held. Use the above scripture, song and brief lesson and discussion to start the FHE. 
*If you can find an actual auction caller who will “donate” his time for this event, even better! We had a real caller and it made the event that much more fun!

This event, if done well, will become an annual event for you and your group/ward.
 
Treat:
Ice cream Sundays
Filed Under: FHE Lessons for All

"Schools In" Service Project

2010
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“School Service Project”

Purpose of Lesson: It’s always exciting as a child/teen to go “back to school” shopping. New shoes, pants, shirts, back pack and supplies– starting a new year. However, there are many who are unable to purchase these new items and basic school supplies for themselves. This lesson is centered on a family, group or individual service project.

Opening Song: “Give, said the Little Stream”

Scripture: Mosiah 2:17~

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the bservice of your cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

Lesson:

From dispensation to dispensation, the prophets of the Lord have been teaching us by word or example the importance of serving one another. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was our greatest Teacher of this principle.

From President Spenser W. Kimball’s message, “Small Acts of Service;”

George MacDonald observed that “it is by loving and not by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.” (George MacDonald Anthology, Geoffrey Bles, London, 1970.) Of course, we all need to be loved, but we must be giving and not always receiving if we want to have wholeness in our lives and a reinforced sense of purpose.

We will receive great blessings as we seek first to serve others.

From Elder Russell C. Taylor, “The Joy of Service:”

It has been wisely said, “Service is the rent we pay for our own room on earth.” We should know that the rent is due on a daily basis and know that the receipt is never stamped “paid in full,” because the rent, service in God’s kingdom, is again due today and due tomorrow.

Some mistakenly think that a commitment to service comes after a great spiritual experience. This is like the man who is cold, standing before the stove, and saying, “Give me heat, and then I will put in some wood.” The joy and blessings of service follow the rendering of service. The missionary who renders eighteen months of faithful missionary service then has a lifetime to think about it, while perfecting a life of service to others. Some would want and expect the windows of heaven to open before they pay their tithing, even though the prophet Malachi so plainly teaches:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse … and prove me now … saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Mal. 3:10; italics added.) 

Activity:

Check your local stores for back to school specials on basic school supplies such as notepads (15 cents at our local Wal-mart store), rulers, glue, crayons, folders and so on. Plan a family budget for this service project and plan your shopping trip. You can assign each person $1 or $2 and so on according to your budget and have them find supplies within that budget.

Imagine all the notebooks you could get for $2!

Be sure to include everyone in the process. The feeling you get from serving someone else can’t be duplicated by watching Mom and Dad fill the shopping cart.

FHE Challenge: It is tough times for all of us. Stretch your faith and participate in this service project as much as possible for your family’s situation. There may other ways to serve your local schools. Contact your school district for ideas on how to do additional service such a cleaning, painting and so on.

Treat:

Rice Krispey Treats– they’re fast and easy to make and completely transportable as you go out on your service expodition.




Filed Under: FHE Lessons for All, Service Project Ideas
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