F.H.E Friday {Keeping it Organized}

When I was growing up my mom started letting us teach Family Home Evening (or contributing a part of the lesson) at a young age.  I've tried to do the same with our family.  I think it works perfectly along side the youth's new Come Follow Me curriculum, where our Young Women and Young Men are encouraged and expected to teach in their Sunday classes. 

We use the system that my parents used, and it works. Each week we rotate who's "week" it is. Each kid gets a turn, well, the ones who can talk anyway. While my husband is always presiding over our family, it is the responsibility of one of our children to "conduct" each week.  During their week their job is to make sure we say our meal/family prayers and assigns who says it (although we had to stipulate that they say one family prayer or meal prayer a week themselves...sometimes they need the little push to say one instead of calling on someone else all the time...except my 9 year old Owen, who is happy to say every prayer).  They are also in charge of Family Home Evening for that week, they make the assignments & teach a lesson.  I teach the lesson when it's the 3 year old's turn and usually use that week to focus on what my husband and I think our family needs at the moment.

We are, of course, a work in progress.  But one thing that helps is Family Home Evening files.  When I was growing up I remember my mom having a specific file drawer in the office desk full of F.H.E. lesson materials, all organized by topic. So on the week we needed to teach, we went and browsed through, what seemed to me, any topic I could ever think of.  I don't have a drawer, but here's my F.H.E. files, and how you can do it yourself.

Start by sorting all the materials you have already collected.  If you haven't saved any lesson materials yet--start saving it now!  I know I have repeated the lessons over the years, and it's so much easier to have everything collected and done.  Save lesson plans, object lessons, posters, flannel board cutouts...you get the idea. 

I use a three-prong folder to hold stories & conference talks.  Coloring pages or activities we need to make copies of, along with other small odds and ends go into the pockets.  The folder is slid into a large manila envelope along with anything else that doesn't fit into the folder. 

Then each file is numbered and goes into a file box. 

I don't alphabetize the files or sort them by topic in the box. Two reasons: 1. It's just easier to put something away by number.  2. My collection is ever expanding & this way I don't have to worry about re-organizing it...as long as the kids put the file back where it belongs.  I also put together an alphabetized list for easy browsing.

What do you do to make F.H.E. just a little bit easier?

and Happy Halloween!

Visit my mom at Anna, Clo't and Me

F.H.E. Friday {testimony}

....A lesson of Friday to teach on Monday...

{source}

Over the past few weeks I've been studying this April's General Conference talks. And one of the distinct impressions that I have received is that we needed to share our testimonies more.  I decided put together a family home evening lesson to review just what a testimony is, how we gain our own testimony and how we keep our testimony growing.  This was a more "serious" lesson, without games and extra fun "stuff", but everyone stayed involved and it was a great experience, we all felt and recognized the spirit.  This lesson is geared toward the senior primary & youth age groups. Enjoy...

You Will Need:

• Scriptures for each family member
• A way to watch this short video.
• You may want to print of some of the quotes below, and hand them out to family members to participate.
• Scripture Challenge Sheet {see below}

Song Suggestions:

• I Am a Child of God {cs 2, hymn 301}
• I Know My Father Lives {cs 5}
• Search, Ponder and Pray {cs 109}
• I Believe in Christ {hymn 134}
• I Know My Father Lives {hymn 302}
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives {hymn 136}
• Testimony {hymn 137}

Lesson:

Read: "The quest for a testimony begins with a righteous, sincere desire. Speaking to a group of people who did not yet have testimonies of the gospel, Alma taught: 'If ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.' (Alma 32:27)" {True to the Faith, 178-80}

Ask: What is a testimony? {Sharing what you know and believe to be true, a confirmation from the Holy Ghost to know that something is right and true... NOTE: they don't have to have all the right answers right now, we will be reading some quotes to help explain more}

We are going to read some quotes that will help explain and help us understand even more just what a testimony is.  {Hand out quotes to family members to read, if desired.  After each discuss what each quote means or how it makes you feel}

#1: "A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost.  The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior's true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today.  With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel." {True to the Faith, 178-80}

#2: "A testimony is the spirit of prophecy (see Rev. 19:10).  It is a personal revelation from God, revealing the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  A testimony comes through the Holy Ghost; it makes a deep and lasting impression on the soul.

Individual testimonies are the foundation and strength of the Church.  Our testimony provides a guiding light that leads to a commitment which directs our conduct and our way of life.  Our testimony is true north on a spiritual compass.  It is a moving force that cannot be seen but can truly be felt.  It is a burning within that tells us what is right.  It is when 'your heart tells you things that your mind doesn't know' (Harold B. Lee)" {Elder Robert D. Hales}

#3: "Our testimony is a measurement of our faith.  Faith is testimony; testimony is faith.  Having a strong testimony allows us to help others in their search for truth.  Our testimony is a gift from God.  It should be shared, but we do not have the authority to bestow a testimony upon someone else, because a personal testimony is granted by the Holy Ghost.  It can aid others in gaining knowledge for themselves-a knowledge abiding in the heart that leaves no room for doubt." {Elder Robert D. Hales}

#4: "Our testimony is a knowledge of who we are-a child of God, where we came from-the presence of our Heavenly Father, and where we are going eternally if we are faithful-back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.  We must each gain such a testimony if we are to withstand the trials and adversities of mortality and go to the glorious eternal future we all desire." {Elder Robert D. Hales}

Ask: What does "the Spirit" feel like? {The Spirit can feel different to different people.  Talk with your family about how they feel the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.  Some answers may include: warm feeling, peace, comfort, sometimes you cry}

Ask a family member to read: Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9

Watch the video "Increase Your Testimony"

Ask: How did you feel as you watched this video?

Ask: What things did the people in the video do to help gain or grow a testimony? {pray, study, fast, ask}

We did this portion as a scripture chase to make it a little more fun--whoever finds it first gets to read...but you can just assign scriptures if you like.  Read each scripture and talk about how each teaches us how to grow a testimony.

1 Nephi 2:16,  Ether 12:6,  Alma 32:7,  D&C 42:51, and John 8:32

It is important to remember that "Testimony grows gradually through experiences.  No one receives a complete testimony all at once.  It grows as individuals show willingness to serve in the church and to study, pray and learn.  It increases as individuals obey God's commandments...part of a testimony's development comes when it is shared." {True to the Faith}

President Marion G. Romney taught us: "It is obvious that the first step toward getting a testimony is to learn the will of the Father.  This can be done by studying the word of God and obeying his commandments as they are learned.  Study the scriptures.  Study the teachings of the prophets.  Study the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible.  Read the teachings of the modern prophets, the life of the Prophet Joseph.  Learn and obey the will of God.

There is no shortcut to a testimony.  There are no two ways; there is only one way.  The Lord revealed that sure and certain way when he said to Oliver Cowdery, 'Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge...Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.  Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation" (D&C 8:1-3)

Everyone who sincerely prays with real desire to know the truth concerning what he has learned about the gospel will receive a witness in his mind and in his heart, by the Holy Ghost..." {President Marion G. Romney}

Share these two experiences of how Sister Romney and President David O. McKay gained a testimony. You may want to add a personal story of your own. 

Elder Robert D. Hales tells us of an experience President David O. McKay had as a boy longing for a testimony: "President David O. McKay was the ninth President of the Church.  In his boyhood he desired to know, as Joseph Smith had know, of the reality of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.  One day while herding cattle in the foothills near his home, he sought a testimony through prayer.  He said:

'I dismounted, threw my reins over my horses head, and there under a serviceberry bush I prayed that God would declare to me the truth of his revelation to Joseph Smith.' (New Era, January 1972, p.56)

He prayed fervently and sincerely with as much faith as he could find within him.  When he finished his prayer, he waited for an answer.  Nothing seemed to happen.  Disappointed, he rode slowly on, saying to himself at the time 'no spiritual manifestation has come to me.  If I am a true to myself, I must say I am just the same 'old boy' that I was before I prayed'

A direct answer to this prayer was many years in coming.  While serving a mission in Scotland, Elder McKay received a powerful spiritual manifestation.  He later commented, 'Never before had I experienced such an emotion. ...It was a manifestation for which as a doubting youth I had secretly prayed most earnestly on hillside and in meadow.  It was an assurance to me that sincere prayer is answered 'sometime, somewhere.' " (Francis M. Gibbons, David O McKay, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986 p.50)" {Elder Robert D. Hales}

President Romney shared this experience of his wife's "At one time she was a member of a stake Sunday school board.  As such, it was her responsibility to instruct teachers in a union meeting class.  The lesson for a particular session was the Prophet's vision of the Father and the Son.  She was aware that in the class there would be a graduate from the University of Idaho who was not a Latter-day Saint and who did not believe the gospel.  It occurred to her that the account of the Father and the Son's coming to the Prophet Joseph Smith would not be accepted by this educated, refined, and lovely woman.  Thinking about it, she became greatly disturbed.  She was not sure that she herself knew it was true.  She was so distraught that she sought out her mother.  Weeping she said. 'Mother, I can't give the lesson.  I don't know that Joseph Smith had that vision.  That woman will laugh at me and ridicule me.'

Her mother was not an educated woman, but she did have a testimony.  She said to her daughter, 'You know how the Prophet got the vision, don't you?'

'Yes,' answered her daughter, 'he got it by praying to God for wisdom.'

'Why don't you try that?' said the mother to the daughter.

The daughter went to her room and tried it; she 'wrestled' with God, as did Enos.  The result was that she went to that union meeting and gave the lesson convincingly, with power beyond her natural abilities.  How could she do it? Well, the Holy Spirit came to her in response to her inquiry.  She received a burning within her soul.  She knew that Joseph Smith had seen the vision, as well as he knew it.  She had not seen the exact same things with her eyes that the prophet saw, but she had the same knowledge.  She knew from Joseph Smith's description what he had seen, and she had a witness from the Holy Ghost that his account was true." {President Marion G. Romney} 

We gave each of our children a challenge {well, the ones that can read} to read the Book of Mormon, then to pray about it to gain a testimony of their own.  I created a chart to help them stay on task.  It breaks the Book of Mormon down into daily reading assignments, each with a place to put the date and some quick thoughts about what they read that day.  The reading starts out light, about 2 pages a day until about the halfway point {Alma 24}, when it doubles to 4 pages a day.  You can download it below.

Share your testimony.

Printable version here.

***
I thought I would share my testimony with you too.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can imagine.  I know that we have a loving Savior who atoned for our sins and makes it possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the influence it has had in my life.  I am thankful for the knowledge of eternal families, and for the peace it brings to know I will be with my family forever.  I know the Book of Mormon is true, that it testifies of Christ and is a wonderful influence in my life.  I know that we have living Prophets today to teach, lead and guide us.  I am thankful for all the blessings that have come into my life through the gospel.  I am so thankful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

To learn more, visit Mormon.org

Book of Mormon Scripture Chart

F.H.E. Friday {Temple Quiz Game} +a quick reusable game board

...A lesson of Friday to teach on Monday...

 **scroll down for temple trivia categories and questions**

We love a good quiz game {aka 'Jeopardy'} for family home evening.  Not only is it fun, it's an easy way to learn.  After realizing this was going to be in our permanent  F.H.E. rotation, I decided to make a reusable game board.  Here's how to make your own....

You will need:

• 1 poster board
• 25 flat fold 5x8-inch brown paper bags, cut 2 1/2 inches from the bottom to create a 2 1/2 x 5-inch pocket (bags like this)
• decorative paper
• glue
• clear packing tape (optional)
• 30 3x5-inch index cards

1. Arrange your cut paper bag "pockets" on your poster board in five columns of five pockets.  Then, glue each onto the poster board.

2. Decorate as desired.  I then "laminated" mine with packing tape for durability, which is optional, just be sure to not tape over your pocket openings.

3. Reserve 5 index cards for your categories, the rest write the score along the top of the card, the question near the bottom.  Then slip one into each pocket.  Write out your categories and attach to the top of the poster board with paper clips, clothes pins or tape.

**We like to have a different noise maker for each child to "buzz in" with.  Some examples: baby rattles, toy instruments, a small plastic container filled with rice, dried beans, or pasta...just make sure they make different sounds so you can tell who is buzzing in.**

**Make up rules that work for your family.  We follow the classic "jeopardy" rules, except we don't deduct points.**

**This is great for almost any topic. We've done manners & Christmas as themes, and also played just random categories.  Don't feel like you have to always use all five category spaces, it can take some time to play this game.**

Now onto some categories & questions for you {with a 'temple' theme}

1. NAME THAT TEMPLE...this category is easy, just choose 5 temple pictures {find printable images here} to be identified.

2. NAME THAT TUNE...either have someone play a few notes on the piano, hum or play a short clip {see link with each song} to identify the song, then sing the song together.

• I Love To See The Temple (cs. 95)
• Families Can Be Together Forever (cs. 188)
• High On The Mountain Top (h. 5)
• How Beautiful Thy Temples, Lord (h. 288)
• Truth From Elijah (cs. 90)

3. IN  THE LATTER DAYS

• The first temple completed after the restoration was dedicated on March 27, 1836, name that temple. {Kirkland, OH} 
• At what age can we first attend the temple and what ordinances can we perform starting at that age? {12, baptisms for the dead, confirmation}
• In the temple we can preform ordinances for ourselves and for our relatives that have died.  Name these ordinances. {Baptism, Confirmation, Endowment, Sealing}
• How many temples are in operation today? {142, this will change, check here for updates}
• We do this work before attending the temple to find names of ancestors that need work completed. {genealogy, family history}

4.  SCRIPTURE CHASE...the first to find the scripture earns the points & reads it aloud.

• Isaiah 2:2-3
• Doctrine and Covenants 138:47-48
• Doctrine and Covenants 97:15-16
• Doctrine and Covenants 109:13-16
• Doctrine and Covenants 132: 46

5.  MY GOSPEL STANDARDS...fill in the blank (all are taken from "My Gospel Standards" in the Faith in God Pamphlet)

• I will follow ________ ________ plan for me. {Heavenly Father's}
• I will remember my baptismal _________ and listen to the Holy Ghost. {covenant}
• I will choose the right.  I know I can _______ when I make a mistake. {repent}
• I will keep my mind and body ________ and ______, and I will not partake of things that are harmful to me. {sacred and pure}
• I will live now to be _______ to go to the _______ and do my part to have an eternal family. {worthy, temple}

F.H.E. Friday {Personal History}

...A lesson on Friday to teach on Monday...

{My Grandma, Peggy K Butler}

On of our kids favorite things to do is watch old family videos and look through our scrapbooks & photos.  They love seeing the funny things they did, how much they have grown up, and how things have changed.  We took the opportunity to talk to the kids about the importance of keeping our personal histories this past Monday, and then as a fun activity we watched some of our home videos.  We had a lot of fun, I hope you will too...

You will need:

• A computer ready to go to Family Search {if you haven't set up an account, do so before your lesson}
• Family videos, scrapbooks or pictures
• A copy of the Old Testament
• I took inspiration from this article from the Friend magazine, you may want to read it too...It also has a fun craft you may want to consider making.
• A journal for each family member, can be as simple as a composition book or notebook (optional)

Song Suggestions:

• Families Can Be Together Forever (cs. 188)
• I Have A Family Tree (cs. 199)
• The Hearts of the Children (cs. 92)
• Truth From Elijah (cs. 90)

Lesson:

Tonight we are going to talk about our personal history.

Ask: Do you know what a personal history is? {A record of things we do, think, and/or experience saved for future generations.}

President Spencer W. Kimball said this about family & personal history: "I urge all the people of the church to give serious attention to their family histories....and let no family go into eternity without having left their memoirs (an account of their family) for their children,  their grandchildren, and their posterity....I urge every person to start the children out writing a personal history and journal." {Ensign, May 1978, page 4}

Ask: What are some ways we can keep a personal history? {journals, scrapbooks, family blogs, photo albums, videos, family newsletters, letter writing, even Facebook, Twitter and Instagram...}

Have a family member read:  Malachi 4:6

Ask: Why is important to keep a family history? {It helps do exactly what Malachi says, turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.}

Keeping a personal history leaves clues about our lives for our future generations.  It gives important information, like birth dates, marriage dates, spouses, siblings and parents, which are needed when we work on genealogy and prepare names for temple work. 

President Gordon B. Hinkley has taught us that "All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work.  There is no other purpose for it.  The temple ordinances become the crowning blessings the Church has to offer."

When we go the extra mile and keep other records, like journals, of what we did that day or what is important to us, our future generations will get an extra glimpse of what our life was really like.  It helps us to emotionally connect and form a bond across the generations.  Even the smallest detail may be interesting to your children and grandchildren. It is also important that we take good care of our pictures, documents and letters, so that they will be around for many years.

I want to show you an example of  how this works.  Family Search now lets us post pictures, stories and documents so that we can see what our ancestors' lives were like. {open Family Search, hover over "memories" on the menu bar at the top of the page.  From there you can explore pictures and stories about your ancestors that have been uploaded, or you can upload some of your own.  Take a little time to explore and talk about what you find} 

Bear your testimony of the importance of  personal and family history. You may want to provide each family member with a journal and challenge them to keep their own personal history.

Activities: 

• Watch family videos, look through scrapbooks or pictures.  Have fun reminiscing.
• Create the heart mobile found here.

Treat ideas: 

• Make a special dessert you (or another family member) enjoyed while growing up.
• Find and use a family heirloom recipe.  Make sure you tell everyone where it came from!