Family Home Evening

FHE Service Project: Write Letters to Sick Children

2011

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

Christmas Service Countdown Service

2011

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“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

Baking Is Fun To Do!

2011

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This is an especially fun Family Home Evening!!!

Purpose: You can create some amazing memories in the kitchen! There’s so many fun experiences gained by spending the time teaching to cook, cooking together, meal planning and seeing (and experiencing) the benefits of your labor!

Lesson: We as parents are charged with the great responsibility to teach our children not only about being a good person, but also the gospel. You can use baking in the kitchen to teach them many of the gospel principles.

The recipe for instance is much like the scriptures. It’s a guideline to teach us how we should live our lives in accordance to the ways of the Lord. We also have a pathway to follow just as you begin by mixing ingredients one step at a time. The recipe won’t work if you throw everything together at once.

You can also teach them that each ingredient is like a commandment. You can’t follow have the correct recipe and end product if you leave an ingredient out. But if you follow the recipe closely, you will achieve the end with the desired product. For this you could talk about the plan of happiness, or achieving exhaltation, keeping the commandments, etc.

So hop into your kitchens, put on the aprons, and get baking!

Treat: Chocolate Tidbit Cake

Chocolate Tidbit Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon vinegar
5 tablespoons oil
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate bits

1. Using fork, combine first five ingredients in square baking pan.

2. Make well in middle, then stir in vanilla, vinegar, and oil.

3. Carefully pour water over all and stir well.

4. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate bits.

5. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Filed Under: Family Home Evening, Lessons

Time Capsule Series: What’s Going on Now

2010

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Family Home Evening Time Capsule Series: “What’s Going on Now?”

Purpose: As you continue with the FHE Time Capsule Series, your family can learn and talk about things that are going on in today’s world regarding news events, weather, music, fashion and also what are some things going on in the church today.

Song: “The Church of Jesus Christ”

Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 115: 4, 5

Lesson: The world that we live in is constantly changing. There are changes in music, fashion, world events and so on. We can see that as time goes on, some people can also change their ways of viewing what is appropriate and the destinction between right and wrong and good and bad can become a little confusing.

For this lesson, the activity will provide the discussion for talking as a couple, family or group what is going on in the world and the church today as you collect items to add to your time capsule.

Activity: (If you need to create your Time Capsule, click here)

1. Gather materials such as newspapers, magazines, TV Guides and so on that present what’s happening in the world today. Create a list of music artists, songs and movie stars that are popular and discuss what makes these events, people and music so accepted in your culture.

What are some things that are accepted as normal and OK in society that go against the teachings of the prophets?

2. Gather facts and news events regarding the church. You can get the latest number of members from our most recent conference address, you can get the number of temples that are in operation and currently being built. You can talk about how much the church is changing– for example, you can include a copy of the Personal Progress books used in Young Womens– talk about the new addition of the standard of Virtue and now YM can track their personal progress online.

You can also share about how you can go online to do your family history and to prepare names for doing temple work.

These types of exciting features can be added to your time capsule as something to look back on when you open the capsule several years down the road and see how much growth the church has undergone.

Treat:

Apple Bites

photo and recipe idea from familyfun.go.com

Filed Under: Family Home Evening, Lessons

Modesty

2010

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“Modesty”

Purpose: Teaching modesty to your children and practicing it as adults is something we need to have in check more often. Here’s helpful Family Home Evening to get you started.

Scripture:

Article of Faith 13–”We believe in being honest, true, chaste, ^benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Song: “Choose the Right”

Lesson: (from, Jan Pinborough, “Everything Good and Beautiful,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 62) “On a few special days, we pay particular attention to our children’s clothing. We carefully dress a precious infant to receive a name and a blessing. We prepare a treasured child to be baptized in white baptismal clothing. And on one of life’s crowning days, we may be privileged to watch a loved daughter or son make eternal covenants in beautiful temple robes. On each of these special days, we recognize that the way our children dress adds to the reverence and sacred significance of gospel ordinances.

But we may not realize that the way our children dress on ordinary days also has great significance. Indeed, our children’s everyday dress can either bring them closer to or take them farther from the ordinances and blessings of the gospel. How can we help our children dress in ways that will lead them from the sacred moment of a blessing or a baptism to the sacred covenants of the house of the Lord?

Lessons alone are not the most effective way to teach modesty. Here are some ways we can create a family culture that supports our children in dressing modestly:

• Set a family standard by always dressing appropriately yourself. If you have been to the temple, wear clothing that completely covers the garment. Even if you have not yet been to the temple, wear clothing that is appropriate to wear once you have.

• Eliminate from your home any entertainment that dulls children’s sense of what is appropriate and what isn’t. Every visual medium—movies, computer games, television shows, music videos—carries a message about clothing. If a child’s favorite pop star dresses provocatively, a young child may want to copy him or her and may begin to think these styles are not so bad.

• If you cannot find appropriate clothing, sew or have someone else sew for your children if possible.

• Write to or visit stores to let them know that you want wholesome styles for your children.

• Even when you or your children are participating in athletics, your clothing can be modest and tasteful as well as appropriate for the activity. If your child is required to wear an immodest uniform or costume for a school or an extracurricular activity, work with the coach, teacher, or principal to find a more appropriate style. You may even need to help your child consider giving up an activity that requires inappropriate dress.

• Don’t buy clothing that looks unwholesome or “borderline” simply to help children fit in with or be popular with peers. Help them feel comfortable with looking different by explaining that this kind of “differentness” is one way they can affirm their faith and be a light to others.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) encouraged us to create a culture of modesty different from the one that may exist outside of our homes: “We can create a style of our own. … We must be different. We need not do anything we do not wish to do. We can create our own style and standards. We can influence the patterns among our own people, and we can also help to develop proper community patterns.

The Church’s basic guidelines on what not to wear are contained in For the Strength of Youth:

“Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. …

“… If you are not sure what is appropriate, ask your parents or leaders for help.”

The task of countering the world’s standards can be daunting—especially when children grow older and want to fit in with their peers. But by starting in their earliest years, we can give our children a firm foundation for dressing modestly throughout their lives. What key concepts will put this foundation in place? Consider the following gospel truths and how understanding them will affect the clothing choices we make:

• I am a child of God. He gave me the sacred gift of my body for a specific purpose—to do His work.

• God wants me to dress modestly. Dressing modestly reflects my divine origin and purpose.

• Dressing modestly helps me focus on God’s purpose for me, and it helps others treat me with respect.

Activity: Have a family fashion show of what is modest and immodest. You might get a good laugh out of this one. Also, teach the children to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they could stand next to the Savior in what they were wearing. Remind children that you can be modest and still be in fashion. There are many companies now that make modest clothing for a reasonable price.

Treat: Bake cutout gingerbread-shaped sugar cookies of boys and girls and decorate them with frosting in modest clothing. Judge who had the best design.

Photo: www.deseretnews.com

Filed Under: Family Home Evening, FHE Lessons for All

4 Steps of Prayer

2010

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“Miracles are wrought with Prayer”

Purpose: The four steps of prayer are taught in simple terms to young children as well as by missionaries to those who are learning about the gospel and church. Our Father in Heaven doesn’t require the most eloquent vocabulary, just the tender words from our hearts in a reverent and respectful manner.

Scripture: Alma 34:19

Song: “A Child’s Prayer”

Lesson: We are taught not only by commandment, but also by example as to the importance of prayer in our everyday lives and as a family.

Why is prayer important?

The Lord has given us 4 simple steps to help guide us through praying to our Father in Heaven. These four steps teach us the basic principles of communicating to our loving Heavenly Father.

Step 1: Open your prayer with “Our Father in Heaven” or something similar that in acknowledging our Father.

Step 2: “I am thankful for…” Remember to give gratitude for all that you have and enjoy.

Step 3: Ask for blessings~

“As we pray to our Heavenly Father, we should tell Him what we really feel in our hearts, confide in Him, ask Him for forgiveness, plead with Him, thank Him, express our love for Him.” ~ Gospel Principles manual

Step 4: Close the prayer by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

Jesus taught, “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name”~ Gospel Principles manual

You can pray anytime, anywhere, in your heart or out loud. We have been commanded to pray with our families both in the morning and at night. We should pray daily, as individual sons and daughters, to our Heavenly Father the same. We also should pray over our meals and thank the Lord for those blessings we enjoy.

“Prayer is one of the greatest blessings we have while we are here on earth. Through prayer we can communicate with our Heavenly Father and seek His guidance daily.

Prayer is a sincere, heartfelt talk with our Heavenly Father. We should pray to God and to no one else.” ~ Gospel Principles manual

Why are some of your experiences with prayer?

Activity:

Young Children: 4 Steps of Prayer Coloring page from the Nursery manual (click on the link and print the page)

Older Children/Teens: Write down 5 things you know about 3 people (write down five things per person). They could be a family member, teacher, best friend, etc.

Ex.: Mom- loves to cook, reads a lot, has brown hair, loves country music and doesn’t know how to whistle

Discuss the lists everyone created.

Discussion: Even if we could make the lists longer, we still won’t know everything about everybody. However, our Father in Heaven knows us all– our favorite songs, our favorite ice-cream flavor and He wants us to communicate to him about our innermost thoughts and feelings. We do this through sincere prayer.

Video: “Prayer”

Treat: Broiler Smores

Click HERE to view photo from Church Web site.

Filed Under: Family Home Evening, Lessons

FHE: Mini Lesson

2010

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FHE Mini Lesson

What is a Mini-Lesson: These lessons are to help jump-start more couple, family and ward discussion and planning. These are generally used to introduce new ideas with more complete lessons to follow on similar topics.

Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 38:30

Hymn: “As Zion’s Youth in Latter Days”

Lesson: Becoming Self-Reliant

“We become self-reliant,” explains Julie Beck, president of the Church’s organization for women, “through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being.”

Church leader Elder Robert D. Hales outlines ways we can become self-reliant:

Be ready for rainy-day emergencies
Avoid excessive debt; be content with what we have
Use the resources of the earth wisely; don´t be wasteful
Prepare for the future by making spending and savings plans
Keep a family or personal budget
Teach children wise spending habits and help them save for the future
Obtain an education or vocational training
Find gainful employment

As we become self-reliant, we will be prepared to face challenges with confidence and peace of mind.

From the Web site: Self Reliance- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Discussion Topics:

What areas are you or your family weakest?

From the list above, list the item that needs to most attention first and so on.

How can you become self-reliant in this area?

Goal Setting: Make a goal to actively work on 1-2 of these areas over the next three months. Write down specific things you will do to achieve this goal towards becoming more self-reliant. Post this paper of your goals in an area you will see if EVERY DAY.

Activity: Make a goal board and cut and paste pictures out to emphasize your goals for this New Year.

Examples include: Cut out photos of wheat, rice, etc. if you’re wanting to start or increase your food storage. Cut out pictures of a house if you’re wanting to pay off debt to own your own home. Cut out job titles you’d like to have and photos of the schooling or training it will take you to get there.

More Help From Family Home Evening:

We currently have FHE lessons to help with some of these areas. Please use these in follow-up FHE lessons to see how to you can better work on these goals to becoming more self-reliant.

Creating A House of Order

Obtaining An Education

Family Finances

*Be sure to check out all the great FHE lessons available. Tip: Use the search bar at the top of the page and type in keywords for topics you’re looking for. Don’t see a lesson on a topic you’d like to see covered? Contact Us!

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Filed Under: Family Home Evening, Lessons, Store

Welcoming a New Baby

2009

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Song: I Am A Child of God

Scripture: D&C 68:28 “They shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.”

Items needed: Box with bottle, baby food, diaper, and any other baby items Baby doll Chalk and chalkboard, or large paper and marker Adapted from the Family Home Evening Resource book:

Look at 1st Verse:

What does being a child of God mean?
Why would Heavenly Father want us to have parents kind and dear?

Tell each child about when they were born and what was special about their birth.

Ask each child how they feel about the new baby.

Look at the 2nd Verse:

What things do we need for the baby’s physical needs?

Show the items from the box to help.

What do we all have that we can give? (Love)

One way to show that is by holding the baby. Let each child practice holding the baby doll.

Look at 3rd Verse:

In what ways can we receive blessings with the new baby?

Look at Chorus:

How can our family lead, guide, and walk beside the new baby?

Use the chalkboard or large paper to make a list with the family.

Filed Under: Family Home Evening

Power Prayers

2009

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Attention activity :

Prayer Puzzles

Cut out all of the pieces and put the puzzles together. For bigger kids, mix up all the pieces of the different puzzles. For younger children, do each puzzle separately.

What do all these pictures have in common?
Answer: The people are all praying.

*all artwork from the Prayer Puzzles came from the lesson manual “Behold Your Little Ones”

Song: “A Child’s Prayer”

Scripture: Doc & Cov 112:10

Lesson/Discussion:

Prayer is a gift from Heavenly Father. It is our way of communicating with Him.
What are some things we might talk about in our prayers each day?
Our prayers become Power Prayers when we express the feelings of our hearts with sincerity.

Quote:

Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries–we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 1:18). That is the invitation. Believe in the power of prayer–it is real, it is wonderful, it is tremendous.”

Stories about the power of prayer:

“The Lifeline of Prayer” by James E. Faust

“A Wildflower and a Prayer” by Gayle M. Clegg

How can we turn our prayers into Power Prayers?

Suggestions from the Friend, March 2008:

How can I improve my prayers?

Activity:

Prayer List

Fill out the Prayer List together thinking about those things that are important in your life. Think about things and people you want to remember to pray about and for.

Weekly Challenge:

*Place your personal prayer list on or by your bed. Look at it and ponder it before you say your prayers. Remember to include those important things in your prayers each morning and night. Add to your list as you think of additional things you can pray about.

*You may also wish to try and pray out loud this week. When we pray vocally, we think more about the words we use and our prayers tend to be more thoughtful.
*Don’t forget that you can pray any time and any place, whenever you have need

Treat:

“Cheese Fingers”

Filed Under: Family Home Evening

Caretakers of the Earth

2009

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Objective: To be aware and grateful for the Earth the Lord created and our responsibilities to it.

Hymns: “For the beauty of the Earth” pg #92, “Beauty Everywhere” pg 232 (Children’s)

Resources: (include activities) “Earth – A Gift of Gladness” by G. Michael Alder, Ensign, Jul 1991

“The Wonder of the Creation” by Mark J. Nielsen, Ensign, March 2004

“Reverence for Creation” by Karen Ashton, Friend, Sept. 1996

Lesson: After reading any one or all articles, together or before hand, talk about all the things you enjoy that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created for us on this Earth. From the sun to the moon, bugs, animals, trees, ocean and mountains. Look at things from a scientific perspective. Spiders eat bugs. Trees create oxygen. Plants bloom flowers and flowers grow to fruits and vegetables, etc. Think of the blessings each of these things bring into your life. Whether it be the food on the table, to the smell of the flowers or the clouds that bring rain.

What role do we play on this Earth as it’s main inhabitants? Where do we fit in the “Circle of Life”. Discuss why Heavenly Father created all that he did and not just Man and Woman?

Activity: Set goals that as family, friends, and individuals can do to ensure that the Earth continues to bloom and grow. You may use the examples given to you in the articles or make your own. Keep track of your progress through out the next week, month or year.

Fill two glasses or small bowls with water. Set them somewhere they can be easily seen everyday. For one, set rule the “Do not drink, Keep clean”. For the second, “Drink and refill”. Observe them for a week and take notes as the days go by.

Does anyone drink from the glass? Does the glass get refilled? Does dust gather on top of either one?

Heavenly Father created a perfect world. It’s up to us to ensure that it continues that way. Keep it clean, use it wisely and replenish the earth.