“We have a family home evening program once a week [Monday night] across the Church in which parents sit down with their children. They study the scriptures. They talk about family problems. They plan family activities and things of that kind. I don’t hesitate to say if every family in the world practiced that one thing, you’d see a very great difference in the solidarity of the families of the world." --President Hinckley

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lose Yourself!

General Conference Talk:
God Loves and Helps All of His Children
Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

"For all these reasons and more, we need Heavenly Father’s help. An important source of this help comes through man’s service to his fellowman.4 The commandment is to “love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Another Good Resource:
Robert J. Whetten, “Strengthen Thy Brethren,” Ensign, May 2005
One of the good quotes from this article: "Every unselfish act of kindness and service increases your spirituality. God would use you to bless others. Your continued spiritual growth and eternal progress are very much wrapped up in your relationships—in how you treat others."

Scriptures:

  • Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
  • Mosiah 2:17
  • D&C 6:13, 33

Game: "Biggest Loser" This is a game to be played during the rest of the week. Challenge your family members to lose themselves in the service of others during the coming week. Give them a certain number of pennies, and have an empty jar, bowl, or other container somewhere noticeable during the week. Each time they serve someone during the week, they can drop a penny into the container (without having to tell anyone what they did.) The "Biggest Loser" is the one who loses their pennies by the end of the week, losing themselves in the service of others. You can have one biggest loser, or just set a deadline (Sat. night, etc.) so that everyone can win (or lose?!)

Treat: Something that can be shared with neighbors or ward members in need, of course! You can't talk about service and eat the treat all by yourselves!


Songs:

Ancestors

Honor the day that an ancestor(s) joined the Church, making it possible for your family to have the gospel. Make it a yearly tradition! Help your children learn the stories of their ancestors and the sacrifices they made for the gospel.

Scripture:

Game: Make a family tree puzzle - no need to be an artist, just draw a large tree with enough branches for as many generations back as you want to go. Write the starting name at the bottom of the tree (your name, your spouse's - depending on what side of the family the ancestor you are honoring came from.) Write your parents', grandparents', great-grandparents' (you get the picture) names on slips of paper and let your children place them in the correct spot.

General Conference Talk: Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis considers June 2, 1940, to be a very important day in the history of his family. On this day his father was baptized into this Church. He tells the story of the courage it took for his father to join the Church.

Treat Ideas:
  • old family recipe, or special family recipe
  • recipe from the country where your ancestors are from (search the internet!)
Song Ideas: