General Conference

General Conference Review Family Home Evening

2012

2 Comments

“General Conference Review Family Home Evening”

Purpose: To reinforce some of the topics that each person learned from watching/attending General Conference.

Hymn: “Teach me to Walk in the Light”

Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 19:23

Lesson: Twice each year we are able to gather as a world-wide church and listen to the prophet of the Lord and his Holy Apostles. In each conference session we are filled with knowledge, help and inspiration to make better choices, live better lives, be kinder people and to be true followers of Christ.

We have been taught to study the teachings of the church leaders often. They are indeed our living scriptures today. We are likewise counseled to continually to study from the ancient prophets in the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon and of course the latter-day revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.

The teachings and principles that we learn during conference help each of us in our day. How are we taking these teachings into our lives? Who are these men and women giving these talks?

Activity:

1– Take a few minutes and talk about some of the things that were taught in this past conference that stuck out to you. If you didn’t have the opportunity to view conference, choose a session and talk online here! Each session (including Relief Society General/Young Women meeting and the Priesthood session) are all available online.

2- Name all those in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. If available, use or print individual photos of each leader, then write their names on other pieces of paper, tear individually and play a name/face matching game.

3- Write down 2-3 goals that you want to improve on from something you learned during General Conference. Post these goals somewhere where you can see them every day. Remember– it’s not a goal if it isn’t written down— it’s just a thought.

Treat:

Eyeball Cupcakes

Family Home Evening Announcement:

We are excited to be releasing our lessons in Spanish! Please look for the link in the group section! We look forward to adding more languages soon!!

**Be sure to follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook!!!

180th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
172nd Annual General Conference Mormon Latter-Day Saint LDS April 2002 (CDs) (172nd Annual General Conference April 2002)

Filed Under: Family Home Evening, FHE Lessons for All, General Conference, Latter-day Saints

General Conference FHE: The Three R’s of Choice

2010

Leave a Comment

General Conference Family Home Evening: “The Three Rs of Choice”

Nov. 2003 New Era Magazine, pg. 45

Purpose: On the second Monday of the month, we prepare a Family Home Evening lesson from the most current General Conference address. This month, the lesson is from President Thomas S. Monson’s talk “The Three Rs of Choice” from the Oct. 2010 General Conference meetings.

Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 8:2

Song: “The Still Small Voice”

Lesson: (Quotes from President Monson’s talk are in BLUE)

1. Right~ One of the greatest gifts our Father in Heaven gave to us was the gift of agency– our own ability to choose right from wrong. It was Lucifer’s plan to take that agency away from us. Without being able to make our own choices, we wouldn’t be able to learn, grow and experience all that we need to in order to become like our Father in Heaven.

“Within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose.”

2. Responsibility~ With every choice or decision comes a consequence. President Monson teaches us that, “by choosing our path, we choose our destination.”

Making everyday decisions based on what clothes to wear will not effect us eternally; however, choices that we make daily to obey the commandments, stay away from immoral photos or Web sites, and so forth do carry eternal consequences.

“With the right of choice comes the responsibility to choose. We cannot be neutral; there is no middle ground. The Lord knows this; Lucifer knows this. As long as we live upon this earth, Lucifer and his hosts will never abandon the hope of claiming our souls.

Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal journey without providing the means whereby we could receive from Him God-given guidance to assist in our safe return at the end of mortal life. I speak of prayer. I speak too of the whisperings from that still, small voice within each of us, and I do not overlook the holy scriptures, written by mariners who successfully sailed the seas we too must cross.

Each of us has come to this earth with all the tools necessary to make correct choices. The prophet Mormon tells us, “The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.”

The Lord didn’t leave us alone– after baptism we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost which can and will help us make the correct choices and have proper control of our responsibilities.

“Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed—the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny.”

3. Results~

“All of our choices have consequences, some of which have little or nothing to do with our eternal salvation and others of which have everything to do with it.”

May we keep our eyes, our hearts, and our determination focused on that goal which is eternal and worth any price we will have to pay, regardless of the sacrifice we must make to reach it.

Discussion: Read the following story President Monson shares in this talk to discuss the the 3 Rs of Choice:

I speak of Brother Clayton M. Christensen, a member of the Church who is a professor of business administration in the business school at Harvard University.

When he was 16 years old, Brother Christensen decided, among other things, that he would not play sports on Sunday. Years later, when he attended Oxford University in England, he played center on the basketball team. That year they had an undefeated season and went through to the British equivalent of what in the United States would be the NCAA basketball tournament.

They won their games fairly easily in the tournament, making it to the final four. It was then that Brother Christensen looked at the schedule and, to his absolute horror, saw that the final basketball game was scheduled to be played on a Sunday. He and the team had worked so hard to get where they were, and he was the starting center. He went to his coach with his dilemma. His coach was unsympathetic and told Brother Christensen he expected him to play in the game.

Prior to the final game, however, there was a semifinal game. Unfortunately, the backup center dislocated his shoulder, which increased the pressure on Brother Christensen to play in the final game. He went to his hotel room. He knelt down. He asked his Heavenly Father if it would be all right, just this once, if he played that game on Sunday. He said that before he had finished praying, he received the answer: “Clayton, what are you even asking me for? You know the answer.”

He went to his coach, telling him how sorry he was that he wouldn’t be playing in the final game. Then he went to the Sunday meetings in the local ward while his team played without him. He prayed mightily for their success. They did win.

That fateful, difficult decision was made more than 30 years ago. Brother Christensen has said that as time has passed, he considers it one of the most important decisions he ever made. It would have been very easy to have said, “You know, in general, keeping the Sabbath day holy is the right commandment, but in my particular extenuating circumstance, it’s okay, just this once, if I don’t do it.” However, he says his entire life has turned out to be an unending stream of extenuating circumstances, and had he crossed the line just that once, then the next time something came up that was so demanding and critical, it would have been so much easier to cross the line again. The lesson he learned is that it is easier to keep the commandments 100 percent of the time than it is 98 percent of the time.

General Conference Talk: “The Three Rs of Choice”

Activity:

Gather in one room where the children can walk safely from one side to the other. On one wall, put up a poster/sign that says “Good Choice” and the other wall “Bad Choice.”

Read the following sentences and have the children go to the correct wall for their choice in doing the following:

I come to Primary.
I thank my teacher.
I poke my friend instead of folding my arms.
I sing when asked to sing in Primary.
I say, “excuse” me.
I keep my eyes open when the prayer is said.
I bring a friend to Primary.
I yell in the chapel.
I whisper to my friend during the sacrament.
I push a friend away from the drinking fountain.
I walk quietly going to my classroom.
I laugh when another child falls down.
I raise my hand in class before talking.
I make noises during class or during Family Home Evening.
I help the teacher with an activity.
I fold my arms.
I laugh and make fun of someone in class.
I say “please” when I need help.
I listen quietly when my teacher tells a story.
I choose the right.
I help at home.
I don’t make my bed.
I feed the dog.

(Idea sentences from SugarDoodle.net)

Treat:

5-minute Brownie in a Mug

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1/3 teaspoon vanilla
small handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Whisk together dry ingredients in a coffee mug, standard size (11 oz.) or larger. Add oil, water, and vanilla and mix thoroughly–making sure to scrape the bottom and sides so that it’s all incorporated. If you’d like, mix in chocolate chips.

Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The finished product will be soft-ish and chewy.

Cool for a minute. Eat right out of the mug!

Filed Under: General Conference, Latter-day Saints

General Conference FHE: "Two Lines of Communication"

2010

3 Comments

Family Home Evening: “Two Lines of Communication”

Purpose: On the second Monday of the month, we prepare a Family Home Evening lesson from the most current General Conference address. This month, the lesson is from Elder Dallin H. Oaks address called, “Two Lines of Communication.” Elder Oaks teaches us the importance of having a personal line and a priesthood line of communication to achieve our potential in this mortal life.

Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 1:38

Song: “Teach Me to Walk in the Light”

Lesson: (Quotes from Elder Oaks’ talk are in blue italic)

There are two lines of communication with our Father in Heaven; the personal line– our own individual line of communication through prayer and revelation that has no interference from any other mortal and the priesthood line which “has the additional and necessary intermediaries of our Savior, Jesus Christ; His Church; and His appointed leaders.” These lines of communication work together, not independently.

We must maintain our worthiness to keep the line of communication open:

“The direct, personal channel of communication to our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost is based on worthiness and is so essential that we are commanded to renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament each Sabbath day. In this way we qualify for the promise that we may always have His Spirit to be with us, to guide us.”

The priesthood line has existed to help establish the church in Christ’s time as well as the function and establishment of the church in the Latter-days:

The priesthood line is the channel by which God has spoken to His children through the scriptures in times past. And it is this line through which He currently speaks through the teachings and counsel of living prophets and apostles and other inspired leaders. This is the way we receive the required ordinances. This is the way we receive calls to service in His Church. His Church is the way and His priesthood is the power through which we are privileged to participate in those cooperative activities that are essential to accomplishing the Lord’s work.

Elder Oaks gives two more cautions in relying on the priesthood line of communication~

~The priesthood line does not supersede the need for the personal line.

~The priesthood line cannot function fully and properly in our behalf unless we are worthy and obedient.

The need of both lines of communication are vital. There must be a personal line of communication to receive your own personal witness of the gospel truths and to build your own testimonies and to guide you through this mortal life. There must also be the priesthood line of communication to help have the saving ordinances here on earth to help us progress in this life and the life to come.

“Our missionary work is another example of the need for both lines. The men and women who are called to be missionaries are worthy and willing because of the teachings they have received through the priesthood line and the testimony they have received through the personal line. They are called through the priesthood line. Then, as representatives of the Lord and under the direction of His priesthood line, they teach investigators. Sincere seekers after truth listen, and the missionaries encourage them to pray to know the truth of the message for themselves through the personal line.”

General Conference Talk: “Two Lines of Communication” ~ Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Discussion:

What are the two lines of communication Elder Oaks talked about?

How are these lines different?

How are having both of these lines of communication vital to us?

Activity:

Phone Game~

Have members of your family or group sit in a circle. One person starts the game by whispering a sentence in the person to their left’s ear. Each person then tells the next person what they heard (as best they can–only tell them once). Continue this until the last person is told the sentence.

The last person reveals what they were told and then the person who started the conversation tells what the original sentence really was.

~ How does having people involved in your communication effect the message you’re trying to send?

~ How does it make you feel knowing that there’s no one who can get involved in messing up your communication with Heavenly Father? He can hear you directly and answer you directly.

Treat:

German Pancake

4 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
favorite jam

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Pour melted butter into aseparate container for use later, leaving a coating of butter on the inside of the skillet. Beat eggs withflour until smooth. Add salt and milk, mixing again until smooth. Pour batter into skillet and drizzlemelted butter on batter, covering center area but not the edge. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. (Besure oven is to temperature. The heat makes the pancake rise.) Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake foran additional 10 minutes. Slice into wedges, serve with warm jam.

(Hollee Eckman and Heather Higgins, All That Jam, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 2003], p. 5.)

Filed Under: General Conference, Latter-day Saints

FHE: General Conference Preparation

2010

General Conference FHE: "Mothers & Daughters"

2010

2 Comments

“Mothers and Daughters”

Purpose: In the April 2010 General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “In these last days it is essential—even critical—that parents and children listen to and learn from one another. I understand that some of you young women do not have mothers with whom you can discuss these issues. And many of you women do not presently have daughters in your lives. But because all women have within their divine nature both the inherent talent and the stewardship to mother, most of what I will say applies equally to grandmothers, aunts, sisters, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, leaders, and other mentors who sometimes fill the gaps for these significant mother-daughter relationships.”

Scripture:

Song: “Mother, Tell Me the Story”

Lesson: (adapted from the GC talk, “Mothers & Daughters.” Quotes from Elder Ballard’s talk appear in red)

In today’s world, the role of a woman has become increasingly skewed. Satan’s true ammunition to destroy humankind is to destroy the value of a woman. If he destroys and decays women, he destroys and decays families.

Mothers and daughters play a critical role in helping each other explore their infinite possibilities, despite the undermining influences of a world in which womanhood and motherhood are being corrupted and manipulated.

Speaking to the women of the Church nearly a century ago, President Joseph F. Smith said: “It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the . . . women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and . . . purifying to the children of men” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 184).

It is, unfortunately, all too easy to illustrate the confusion and distortion of womanhood in contemporary society. Immodest, immoral, intemperate women jam the airwaves, monopolize magazines, and slink across movie screens—all while being celebrated by the world.

he Apostle Paul spoke prophetically of “perilous times” that will come in the last days and specifically referenced something that may have seemed particularly perilous to him: “silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts” (2 Timothy 3:1, 6). Popular culture today often makes women look silly, inconsequential, mindless, and powerless. It objectifies them and disrespects them and then suggests that they are able to leave their mark on mankind only by seduction—easily the most pervasively dangerous message the adversary sends to women about themselves.

Actions speak louder than words…what are your Motherly actions “teaching” your daughters?

Look to your mother. Learn from her strengths, her courage, and her faithfulness. Listen to her. She may not be a whiz at texting; she may not even have a Facebook page. But when it comes to matters of the heart and the things of the Lord, she has a wealth of knowledge.

Mothers, you are the protection your daughters need. If you are immodest, you’re teaching your daughter to be the same. If you’re dishonest, gossip, be judgmental or do not keep the Sabbath Day holy, your daughters will follow your example. Likewise, your examples of temple attendance, Visiting Teaching, helping the sick and so forth can teach more than any lectures could.

Today our society is bombarded with messages about womanhood and motherhood that are dangerously and wickedly wrong. Following these messages can put your daughters on the path to sin and self-destruction. Your daughters may not understand that unless you tell them or, better, unless you show them how to make good choices. As mothers in Israel, you are your daughters’ first line of defense against the wiles of the world.

In today’s world this means talking to your daughters about sexual matters. Your daughters as well as your sons are coming of age in a world that openly embraces early, casual, and thoughtless promiscuity. Immodest, unchaste women are glamorized and all too often celebrated and emulated. While there are steps that we can take in our homes and families to minimize our exposure to these unsavory elements of contemporary living, your daughters cannot entirely avoid the blatant sexual messages and enticements that surround them. You need to have frequent, open discussions during which you teach your daughters the truth about these issues.

For example, they need to understand that when they wear clothing that is too tight, too short, or too low cut, they not only can send the wrong message to young men with whom they associate, but they also perpetuate in their own minds the fallacy that a woman’s value is dependent solely upon her sensual appeal. This never has been nor will it ever be within the righteous definition of a faithful daughter of God. They need to hear this—clearly and repeatedly—from your lips, and they need to see it modeled correctly and consistently in your own personal standards of dress, grooming, and modest living.

Discussion:

What are some ways you can improve your image to better portray your divine role as a daughter of God?

What are some good examples of women in your life? What are some bad examples of women?

How can we help be better leaders to other women? (“It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the . . . women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and . . . purifying to the children of men.”)

LDS Video: “Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership”

Activity:

Mother & Daughter(s), Aunt/Nieces, etc Date Night— go out for an ice cream and have conversations about life, school, boys, challenges they face, life goals, whatever else comes up! Enjoy the time together!

Treat: On the date, go get an ice cream, or some other yummy treat!

Filed Under: General Conference