I Can Be Forgiven

Object Lesson: Poor some salt on a colored plate, explain to your children that when we leave our Heavenly Father's presence we are pure and clean. Throughout our life sometimes we do things that are not right and can leave specks of dirt on our pure spirit. (start to sprinkle pepper on the salt)

If we say we are truly sorry and ask for forgiveness, those speckles can disappear. (as you are talking to your children about forgiveness, take a plastic spoon and rub it back and forth over the carpet, slowly put it on top of the salt and the pepper speckles will start to stick to the spoon from the static.)

What are some ways we can ask for forgiveness? Is it easy to ask for forgiveness we we know we have done something wrong?

What is the way that each of us can return to live with our Heavenly Father? By repentance.

Bear your testimony to your children, give them examples of how repentance has blessed your life.

Picture from The Friend, www.lds.org

Getting Back Into the Groove

Hi everyone, I finally have figured out my password so I can have access to this blog again. Many of you have requested new lessons and giveaways. I will be posting as many lessons over the next few weeks to get caught up. Thank you again for your support of my little pet project!

Learning to Obey the Lord

FHE Lesson exchange, author unknown

Preparation:
1- Gather items to make banana splits (bananas, chocolate sauce, ice cream, ect)
2- Scriptures

Song:
Nephi's Courage

Lesson:
Turn to 1 Nephi 17-18

Tell the story of Nephi building the boat; One day the Lord told Nephi to build a boat to carry him and his family to the promised land. Nephi didn't know how to make a boat, but he made tools and trusted in the Lord that he would be able to do it.

His brothers Laman and Lemuel didn't believe the Lord told Nephi to build this boat, so they refused to help. Nephi told them that they should repent and obey Heavenly Father because he knew the Lord would help them if they were humble. This made Laman and Lemuel very angry, and they tried to throw Nephi into the sea, but the power of the Lord was with them. The Lord told Nephi to touch Laman and Lemuel, and when he touched them, the Lord shook them so they knew without a doubt, that the Lord was helping Nephi. Nephi then told them to repent and obey the Lord and their parents.

Because they were afraid, Laman and Lemuel repented and helped Nephi build the boat. When Nephi needed help, he asked the Lord, and the Lord helped him and taught him how to build the boat. Finally, the boat was finished.

The family loaded the boat and climbed aboard. For many days the wind blew them towards the promised land. The Laman and Lemuel and Ishmael's sons got angry with Nephi because Nephi told them once again to obey the Lord. They tied Nephi with roped and wouldn't let him go. Because Laman and Lemuel were so wicked, the Liahonna stopped working and they didn't know which way to go.

Lehi, Sariah and Nephi's wife and children begged Laman and Lemuel to untie Nephi, but they would not listen. Because of their wickedness, a storm blew the ship backwards for three days. On the fourth day the storm became very bad, and the ship almost sank. Laman and Lemuel were afraid for their lives, and they knew the Lord was angry with them, so they untied Nephi. Nephi picked up the Liahonna and it worked again, pointing the way towards the promised land.

Nephi prayed and the storm stopped. Then they were able to sail the ship to the promised land following the Liahonna.

Ask you children the following questions:

1- Why did Nephi build the boat?
2- How did Nephi build the boat?
3- What did Laman and Lemuel say to Nephi when they say him building the boat?
4- What happened when they tried to throw Nephi into the sea?
5- Does the Lord protect those who are doing good for him?
6- What did Laman and Lemuel do to Nephi on the ship?
7- What happened when they untied him?

Explain to your children that Heavenly Father blesses us when we do what we are supposed to. Just like he blessed and protected Nephi.

Activity:
Coloring page

Treat:
Make banana split "boats"

Picture The Friend, www.lds.org

Being Honest

FHE Lesson Swap, author unknown

Preparation:
1- Gather several mirrors of different sizes from around your home.

Objective: In order to be honest, you must first be honest with yourself.

Lesson:
Give each one of your family members a mirror. Ask the the following questions:

As you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see what I see? How would you like to look?

Read the following poem.
"When you get what you want in your struggle for gain,
and then the world make you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.
It isn't your father or mother or wife,
whose judgement upon you must pass,
the one whose verdict counts most in your life
is staring you back in the glass."

Explain to your children that being truthful with others comes from being honest and truthful with themselves. Tell a personal story of how being honest with yourself made a difference in your life.

Treat:
Mini Turtles
1 package of Rollo's unwrapped
1 bag of mini pretzels
pecan or walnut pieces

Place a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet, lay out pretzels and add a unwrapped Rollo on top. Bake @ 200 degrees in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Immediately take out and press a pecan or walnut piece into the chocolate. Let cool, until set-up and serve.

Trying to Get to Heaven

Preparation:
1- A bag of marshmellows, large ones
2- Scriptures

Opening Song:
I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

Scripture:
Ether 1:33

Lesson:
(As you read this story or tell in your own words, begin making a tower out of marshmellows, eventually when it gets tall enough it will fall)

Jared and his brother lived in a place called Babel. Many people who did not worship Heavenly Father and did things that were bad lived there as well. Those people decided that they wanted to get to heaven and the best way for them to do this was to build a tower.

The people began to build this tower one brick at a time. As they built the tower, it made the Lord very angry. The Lord changed the language of every person who worked on the tower. This way they could not understand each other or finish the tower. The tower eventually fell apart b ecause it wasn't finished.

Jared and his brother were good and obeyed the teachings of the Lord. Because of this the Lord spared Jared and his brother and did not change their language.

1- Why was the tower built?
2- How did the Lord feel about this?
3- What happened to those who built the tower?

Heavenly Father blesses his children when we do what we are supposed to and obey him. In order to get to heaven and see Him again, we must obey him.

Treat:
Marshmallow Taffy
1- Wash your hands.
2- Get 2-3 large marshmallows. Small ones work also, but you need to use more and they are harder to work with.
3- Put the marshmallows into your hand and begin to rip them up and push them together.
4- Keep working them in motions that mix and mash at the same time.
5- Keep working it until it is smooth and free of any little lumps from the marshmallows original form.
6- After your mixture is smooth, you can eat it right of your hand

And The Winner Is......

By a very complex method (drawing names out of a hat) the winners are:

1. "Book of Mormon Family Night" - Amber

2. "Bright Impressions Where the Dinosaurs Roam" - Taunya

3. "52 Weeks of Family Night" - Rhett and Leena

Thank you to all those who entered. Keep looking for future giveaways! :D

CONTEST UPDATE

I am a little bit behind this week with school starting for myself and my kiddos. Please be patient the drawing will be done this week and the list of winners and prizes will be posted. Sorry for the delay!

My Eternal Family

Preparation:
Gather Lego's or building blocks, label them with some ways your child can help build an eternal family

service
show love
kind words
learning
help
family prayer
scripture study
church attendance

Scripture:
Moses 1:39

Song:
My Eternal Family
Lesson: Adam and Eve established the first family on this earth. Heavenly Father commanded them to have children and to worship Him. As children were born to Adam and Eve, they taught them the gospel. This is Heavenly Father’s plan for families—He has sent us to earth so that we can learn from our parents and, someday, teach our own children.

Elder Richard G. Scott said, “Through the restored gospel we learn there is an ideal family. It is a family composed of a righteous Melchizedek Priesthood bearer with a righteous wife sealed to him and children born in the covenant or sealed to them” (Ensign, May 2001, 7). When families are sealed in the temple and live worthily, they can be eternal families in the celestial kingdom.

Not all of us have been sealed to our families yet, but we can work toward having an eternal family by doing our best. Elder Scott said, “Do the best you can. We cannot say whether that blessing [temple sealing] will be obtained on this side of the veil [in this life] or beyond it, but the Lord will keep His promises. In His infinite wisdom, He will make possible all you qualify in worthiness to receive” (Ensign, May 2001, 7).

We can do our best to have an eternal family by living worthy of temple blessings and loving, serving, and praying for our families.

Activity:
Using the building blocks help your children to create a strong foundation and build a building upon it. As you build this, ask your children what would happen if one of these blocks were missing or taken away. (It would fall over.) The same can be said if we don't do everything we can to build our strong eternal family. If we are not constantly trying, we can't reach our full potential as a family.

Coloring Page

Treat:
No Bake Cookies I bought jelly beans and other small candies so our could build their own treat
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.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

Author: Ivy Bonhurst

SONG: Families Can Be Together Forever

A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife
opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a rat trap.

Retreating to the farmyard the rat proclaimed the warning;
“There is a rat trap in the house. A Rat Trap in the HOUSE”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,
“Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell that this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The Rat turned to the pig and told him. “ There is rat trap in the house”
“I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “ but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.”

The Rat turned to the cow. She said “ Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap. Like that really scared big old me.”

So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's rat trap alone.

That very night a sound was heard thoughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it as a venomous snake whose take the trap had caught.

The Snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever.

Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her round the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came to her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.

SCRIPTURE: "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9)

MORAL: The Hand You Pull Up, May be the Hand That Saves You !


ACTIVITY:
Balancing Act
Have someone get down on his or her hands and knees on a towel. Place a glass of water on the person's back, between the shoulder blades so that it will balance by itself. Then, ask the person to remove the glass without spilling it. After thirty seconds, ask someone else if they will help. Sometimes we are placed in a position to help someone who cannot complete a task alone. By being aware of the needs of those around us, we can be instruments in the Lord's hands. --LDS Living, November/December 2007

We Are Here To Accomplish Something

Scripture: D&C 68.6
"Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you."

Song:
For Thy Bounteous Blessing, Children Song Book pg21

Lesson:
President Hinkley has told us, "We are here to accomplish something, to bless society with our talents and our learning." Sometimes we are unsure of what our talents maybe.

Read the story Smiles to Share by C.J. Gudmundson, June 2009, Friend.

Ask your children if they have any special talents. Using a piece of posterboard or butcher paper, help your children write or draw pictures of their talents. Explain to them that Heavenly Father gave them these special talents to share with others. Encourage them to use their talents over the next week to bless someone else.

Treat:
Ice cream sundaes

50,000 GIVEAWAY

In honor of the 50,000 visit to this site, I have decided to give out some FHE FREEBIES! Who doesn't love a freebie?

If you want to be entered into this drawing, please leave your name and e-mail in the comments. The drawings will take place on August 1st, 2009. All winners will be notified by e-mail.

Thank you so much for making my pet project a success!

Jesus Christ Our Savior

Author: Annalisa Hall
http://ifthouknewest.blogspot.com

Family Activity: (Prepare the word stripes and hid them in the room for the family to find and search the life of Jesus Christ, or paste them around the home in order to follow, optional put a picture from the Gospel Art Kit for each one to teach the children about the Life of Jesus Christ.) Adapted from "Walking Where Jesus Walked," Friend, Feb. 2003, 24

Explain: While Jesus Christ was on the earth, He did many important things. He taught His gospel and showed us how we can return to live with Him and Heavenly Father again. The most important things Jesus did for us were the Atonement and the Resurrection. As you play the game, you will see many of the things that happened in His life.
(1) The shepherds believed the sign of Jesus' birth and went to see Him in Bethlehem.

(See Luke 2:820.)

(2) King Herod sent soldiers to kill all boys two years old or younger. Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus fled to Egypt.

(See Matt. 2:1318.)

(3) Mary and Joseph found young Jesus teaching at the temple in Jerusalem.

(See Luke 2:4152.)

(4) He was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.

(See Matt. 3:1317.)

(5) Jesus overcame Satan's temptations.

(See Matt. 4:111.)

(6) Jesus was cast out of Nazareth, the city where He grew up.

(See Luke 4:1430.)

(7) Jesus Christ called the Twelve Apostles. They all answered the call and were given the priesthood.

(See Mark 3:1319.)

(8) The Pharisees tried to trick Jesus.

(See Matt. 22:1522.)

(9) He raised Jairus's daughter from the dead.

(See Mark 5:3543.)

(10) He fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes.

(See Mark 6:3046.)

(11) He calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee.

(See Mark 4:3541.)

(12) He taught the Sermon on the Mount.

(See Matt. 57.)

(13) He walked on the Sea of Galilee.

(See Matt. 14:2233.)

(14) Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

(See John 11:145.)

(15) Jesus cleansed the temple.

(See John 2:1317.)

(16) He performed many miracles.

(See Matt. 9:2735.)

(17) He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.

(See Luke 19:2838.)

(18) He and the Apostles had the Last Supper.

(See Matt. 26:1730.)

(19) He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and began to suffer for our sins.

(See Matt. 26:3646.)

(20) Jesus was crucified.

(See John 19.)

(21) He is resurrected!

(See Mark 16.)

Showing Family Love

FHE Lesson Exchange, Author: Margaret in Sandy, UT

Lesson:
Hugs Poem
Author: Shel Silverstein
I will not play at tug o'war.
I'd rather play at hug o'war.
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug.
Where everyone kisses.
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

Story about a hug
A few years ago, twin girls Brielle and Kyrie were born prematurely to the Jackson family. They were placed in separate incubators to reduce the risk of infection. Kyrie, the larger sister at two pounds three ounces, quickly began gaining weight and calmly slept. But Brielle, who weighed only two pounds at birth, could not keep up with her. Suddenly one day Brielle's condition became critical. The nurse tried everything she could think of to stabilize Brielle. Still Brielle squirmed and fussed as her oxygen intake plummeted and her heart rate soared. Then the nurse remembered a procedure she had heard about. She said to the worried parents, "Let me just try putting Brielle in with her sister to see if that helps." The parents consented, and the nurse slipped the squirming baby into the incubator with the bigger sister. No sooner had the door of the incubator closed than Brielle snuggled up to Kyrie and calmed right down. Within minutes Brielle's blood-oxygen readings were the best they had been since she was born. As she dozed, Kyrie wrapped her tiny arm around her smaller sibling (see Nancy Sheehan, "A Sister's Helping Hand," Reader's Digest, May 1996, 155–56).

The doctors and nurses had tried every medical and scientific device available to help the baby and nothing worked. Nothing could do for the struggling baby what her own sister could do for her. This is what sisters can do for each other. This is what family members can do for each other.

Facts about Hugs
Hugging is good medicine. It transfers energy, and gives the person hugged an emotional boost. You need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth. A hug makes you feel good. The skin is the largest organ we have and it needs a great deal of care. A hug can cover a lot of skin and gives the message that you care. It is also a form of communication. It can say things you don't have words for. The nicest thing about a hug is that you usually can't give one without getting one.

---Author Unknown

"Hugging is healthy: it helps the body's immunity system, it keeps you healthier, it cures depression, it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant side effects, and hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug.

Hugging is all natural: it is organic, naturally sweet, it has no pesticides, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and is 100% wholesome.

Hugging is practically perfect: there are no movable parts, no batteries to replace, no periodic check-ups, has low energy consumption, high energy yield, is inflation-proof, non-fattening, has no monthly payments, no insurance requirements, is theft-proof, non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable."

---Sharon Lindsey

Activity
Act out the Hugs poem with the whole family. It is sure to make everyone smile!

Treats
Cookies with Hershey's Hugs on top!

Avoiding Evil

Author: Marika @ www.completeleeblog.blogspot.com

Object Lesson Games

You will need a spice container (I used a jar of poppy seeds.) and a smooth table for this game. Give each person as many turns as you desire. The object is to slide the jar across the table and get it as close to the edge as possible without it falling off. Next, you need a magnet (I used some from our magnetix toy.) and a small metal object, such as a metal ball, or another magnetix piece. Place the magnet on the table. Give the person the metal object. The goal is to roll or slide the metal object as close as possible to the magnet without getting caught in the magnetic pull and sucked in to the magnet.

The Lesson Learned
In the first game, teach that it is easiest to keep from falling off the table by staying towards the center of the table, just like it is easiest to keep from sin if we keep the Savior as the center of our lives.

The second game demonstrates the way in which Satan works. He will entice you to come a little closer, come a little closer, until you are caught in his magnetic pull and he ensares you. Again the best choice is to draw near to Jesus and stay there. The closer you get to the sin that Satan wants you to do, the easier it is for him to entice you further away from the Lord.

Story
Here's an outline of a little story that demonstrates this principle well. You can add a few embellishments using your own words to make the story a little more realistic and fun. This summary was taken from here. "A stagecoach company owner who was looking for a new driver. He asked how they would approach a dangerous curve. The first two applicants said they would get as close to the edge as possible without toppling over. The final driver said, "I'm going to stay as far from the edge as I can." This man was hired, because the owner trusted him to carry the precious cargo of his wife and children around the curve safely."

Draw near unto Christ
How do we do this? One way is through making the scriptures a strong part of our lives. Here's a scripture trivia game to play. Use masking tape to mark off 3 sections on the floor or table. The first section is worth 2 points, the second 4 points, and the third 6 points. Divide the family into two teams. Team members can choose easy questions or hard questions. Young family members earn 3 points for easy questions. Other family members earn 1 point for easy, 5 points for hard. Once the team member has answered the question, they can earn additional points for their team by tossing a pom pom into one of the marked off sections. (You get to do this even if you miss the question answer.) Play to a certain point amount, certain number of questions, or until you are tired of the game. Here is a site to get some harder questions. Type Book of Mormon trivia questions in to a google or yahoo search and you will get a lot of sites to find more questions. Here are a few easier questions.

The Gadianton ________?
Nephi’s Mother?
The tree of _________?
What were Nephi & Bros supposed to do the first time they went back to Jerusalem?
The B.o.M. contains writings of prophets T/F
What’s the Liahona
Who translated B.o.M.
Jesus visited the Americas T/F
Who cut off arms of Lamanites while tending sheep?
Name one person who got his head cut off?
What is the title of liberty?
What is something that happened in America when Jesus was born?
Name a wicked king
Name a righteous king
Who really took the Lamanites daughters that were dancing?
Tell the story of the brother of Jared
Name the second book in the book of mormon
Name the last book in the book of mormon
Lehi’s youngest son?
4 sons of Mosiah?
Scriptures
Alma 28:13
2 Nephi 28:19-22
Songs
John 14:6 Scripture Song
Teach Me to Walk in the Light

Feast Upon the Word

Author: Marika @ www.completeleeblog.blogspot.com

Using this recipe, you can have your lesson and treat all in one! Look up the scriptures to fill in the ingredient blanks.

Feast Upon the Word Cookies

3/4 cup _________“The words of his mouth were smoother than ____” (Ps. 55:21)
1/3 cup _________“Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy ____ and honey” (2 Ne. 26:25)
1 1/2 cups _________“To what purpose cometh there to me … the ____ ____ from a far country?” (Jer. 6:20)
2 _________“As one gathereth ____ that are left, have I gathered all the earth” (Isa. 10:14)
2 cups _________“And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine ____” (1 Kgs. 4:22)
1 teaspoon _________“Take thou also unto thee principal spices … and of sweet ____ half so much” (Ex. 30:23)
1 teaspoon _________“Ye are the ____ of the earth” (Matt. 5:13)
1/2 teaspoon _________“The kingdom of heaven is like unto ____ (Matt. 13:33)
3 cups _________“Nevertheless … ____ for the horse” (D&C 89:17)
1 cup _________“And they gave him … two clusters of ____” (1 Sam. 30:12)

To start, beat the first four ingredients together. Next, mix in the remaining ingredients. Then, drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Finally, bake at 350° F for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Putting Good Things in Our Minds

Author: Marika @ www.completeleeblog.blogspot.com

Things that are repeated to us over and over again tend to stick with us. For instance, have family members see if they can complete several ad slogans, like these:

Melts in your mouth, not in your hands........................M&M's
Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce.................McDonalds Big Mac
Yo Quiero......................................................Taco Bell
Mmm, mmm, good.............................................Campbell's Soup
Just do it.....................................................Nike
With a name like _____....it has to be good.................Smuckers
Be all that you can be.......................................U.S. Army
Breakfast of champions............................................Wheaties
It keeps going, and going, and going..............................Energizer

Teach that you must be careful about what goes in to your mind. You should always be prepared to have something good to put in to your mind in case something bad pops in. Music is a good way to do this.

There is a talk by Boyd K. Packer (April 2008) that mentions how the mind is like a stage and how to get rid of bad thoughts. He also suggests music as a means to help. Great article to draw from for this lesson.

Demonstrate the idea of the mind being like a stage by using a small, simply constructed stage and finger puppets. Visually show the family Boyd K. Packer's words by acting it out as you share the idea. Have some puppets designated as bad thoughts, others as pure thoughts. Show how the pure thoughts can oust the bad ones.

Spend time memorizing Church hymns and children's songs here. Memorize scriptures using songs here. (all scripture songs are free)

Sweet Sabbath Day

FHE lesson exchange, author unknown

Preparation:
1~ Print and color the Sabbath Day Chart.

Scripture:
Mosiah 13:16 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."

Opening Song:
The Commandments pg 112

Lesson:
The Sabbath day is a special day that we can use to become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus. We have been asked to keep it holy. It can be "sweet" if we use our time to worship Heavenly Father and spend time together as a family. If we remember to keep the Sabbath day holy Heavenly Father will bless us.

During the week we should remember each day to prepare for the Sabbath. We want to think ahead on what we are doing on the Sabbath and what we need to do to prepare. What are some things we can do to prepare for the Sabbath?

*Get a good night's sleep
*Take a bath to be clean
*Get any work that needs to be done ahead of time
*Read and prepare for church lessons
*Run errands and do any shopping that needs to be done

Activity:
For the next 14 weeks as a family use the chart included to try a different activity each Sunday. Read the instructions on the word strip and tear them off as they are completed. Remind your family, "It's sweet to honor the Sabbath day!" Keep a bag of candy near the chart and as each activity is included, pick a treat from the bag and tear a strip off of the chart. Once completed talk with your family about the experiences they had with the activities and how it helped them to honor the Sabbath day.

Treat:
Purchase or bake bread on Saturday to serve n Sunday. The Israelites were told not to gather mana (bread) on Sunday but gather enough on Saturday for that day and Sunday (Exodus 16:19-20) What happened when they gathered mana on Sunday (Exodus 16:22-25). How can this teach us to prepare for the Sabbath day?

Testimony Rootbeer Floats

FHE Lesson Exchange, author unknown.

President Ezra Taft Benson gave a powerful message about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon. Share it with your family, them liken what he said to the root beer floats. The ice cream is you, the root beer is the Book of Mormon. The more you read or immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, the more your testimony (the foam) will grow.

Lesson:
President Ezra Taft Benson said:
[The Book of Mormon] helps us draw nearer to God. Is there nor something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like Him in our daily walk, to feel His presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book.

It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path. The scriptures are called "the words of life" (see D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. (Ensign, Nov. 1986)

Discussion Topics:

1~ What is a testimony?
2~ How do we feel it? What does it feel like?
3~ What are some things that might make a testimony get weak?
4~ How can we help our testimonies to grow?

Treat:
Root beer floats
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
6 to 8 cups root beer

Put ice cream in a glass. Pour root beer on the top and see the foam rise!

Devour The Book of Mormon

FHE Lesson Exchange, author unknown

Preparation:
1~ Print out clip art, making enough copies for each of your children.

Opening Song:
Book of Mormon Stories

Scripture:
Moroni 10:1,10:4

Lesson:
Many years passed, and Mormon grew old. He hid most of the gold plates in the Hill Cumorah so the Lamanites wouldn't find them and destroy them. He gave a few plates to his son, Moroni so he could finish the record.

There was a great battle, and all of the Nephites were killed except Moroni. Moroni hid so he wouldn't be killed, and he wrote on the gold plates what had happened to his people. He also wrote about things Jesus had taught them- how we should bless the sacrament, baptize and confirm people, and many other things.

Moroni also wrote a promise to the Lamanites and everyone who reads the book. He said that we should read the Book of Mormon and pray to know it is true. He promised us that if we have faith, the Holy Ghost will tell us the Book of Mormon is true. (Read the promise in Moroni 10:3-4)

After Moroni finished writing on the plates, he hid them in a stone box on a hill and covered the box with a big rock. Hundreds of years later, Moroni appeared as an angel to Joseph Smith and showed him where to find the plates.

Questions to discuss:

1~ Who was Moroni?
2~ What did Moroni write on the plates?
3~ What did Moroni do with he plates?
4~ What was the promise he made about the Book of Mormon?
5~ After you read the Book of Mormon, will you try the promise?

Treat:
2 pkgs Lemon Jello (4 serving size)
1 pkg cream cheese
1/2 bag minimarshmallows
Container of Cool Whip
1 can crushed pineapple
1/2 c coconut

Mix 1 box of the Jello with hot and cold water as directed on the package. Pour into 13X9 pan. Pinch of small dobs of cream cheese and drop all over the unset Jello. Drop marshmallows onto the Jello. Chill until set. In a mixing bowl, gently mix whipped topping with pineapple and coconut. Spread this mixture on top of set Jello. Cut into squares, so that they look like little golden plates.

Being An Example

FHE Lesson Exchange, author unknown

Preparation:
1~ Print out the list of activities from below and cut them into strips. Place them in a zip-lock baggie for the game.

Song:
Come Follow Me CS 114

Scripture:
John 8:12
Mathew 5:16

Lesson:
Read the Story, My Sister, My Example

Based on a true story

When I was about eight years old, I lived in Jamaica. Jamaica can be very hot. I was so excited one day when my aunt invited me to go with her and my cousin to the house of a friend who had a swimming pool. A cool pool on a sunny day sounded great.

My mother said I could go but that I couldn’t swim since she didn’t know who would be there to watch us. I told her I would just put my feet in the pool to get cool.

When I got to the house, my cousin immediately jumped in the pool. Some of our other friends came over and started to swim too. Everyone kept begging me to come in the pool, and finally I gave in. It was so hot outside, and I thought my mom wouldn’t know because my aunt said she wouldn’t tell her.

I knew my aunt was wrong to keep secrets from my mother, but I played with my friends for a while in the pool anyway. I was so scared the whole time about what would happen if my mother knew I had disobeyed her. When we got home, my hair was a little wet, even though I had tried to keep it out of the water. My mom asked me if I had gone swimming, and I lied. I told her no. I felt really bad about it for a really long time, but I didn’t want to get in trouble.

A few years later, when my sister, Briélan, was seven, she was invited to go to the beach with some friends and their parents. My mom told her the same thing she had told me: go and have fun, but don’t go swimming. When my sister got to the beach, her friends’ parents told her she could go ahead and swim. They wouldn’t tell her mother, so it would be OK.

Even though my sister thought my mom would never know, she told her friends’ parents that she would not go swimming because her mother had asked her not to, and she wanted to be obedient. The grown-ups tried to convince her it was OK, but she still said no because she knew she should do what was right, and they were trying to get her to do something wrong.

My sister’s day at the beach was just as hot as mine at the pool, and she wanted to swim just as badly as I did. But my little sister became my big example when she chose to honor our parents by obeying them.

When my mom told me this story about my sister, I told her how I had lied to her. She was thankful that I finally told her the truth. She was very proud of my little sister, who had chosen to obey her, and so was I.

Talk with your children about being a good example to others. Explain what the blessings can be when you do what is right.

Activity:
Play the game "Drama or Draw".
To play: divide into two teams, sitting across from each other. Take turns drawing a word strip from the bad and read it silently. Option One~ DRAMA. Act out the activity. Option Two~ DRAW. Draw the activity. The first team to guess wins a point for their team. Play until the wordstrips run out.

Drama or Draw List
Go to church
Drive reckless
Read the scriptures
Rollerblade across your neighbors yard
Spend tithing money
Do the dishes
Swear
Eat healthy foods
Pay extra on parent’s fast offerings
Be nice to everyone
Share a candy bar
Shovel snow for your neighbor
Pay tithing
Share your testimony
Contribute to the missionary fund
Keep your room clean
Gossip
Read to children
Borrow a pair of sunglasses and won’t return them
Be kind to others
Walk the dog
Do homework
Visit the sick
Watching a bad television show
Dress immodestly
Skip School
Study for a hard test
Smoke
Dress modestly

Treat:
Flap Jacks ~Alisha's recipe~
1 cup Butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 Tablespoons Golden Syrup or Honey
2 cups oats

Melt the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup or honey together. Add oats and pour into an 8x8" pan bake at 350 for 50 - 55 minutes. Let cool for at least an hour before serving as it will be extremely hot! I sometimes melt chocolate and pour it over the top. Or alot of times I will chop up some of my favorite nuts and add them as well as some dried fruit. Berries are the best in my opinion! Plus with the fruit and nuts it is definitely more healthy. These are delish!!