Family Home Evening

Easter FHE Ideas

2012-04-07T09:11:00.000-06:00

Here are some ideas for an Easter-themed Family Home Evening—or just a quiet Sunday family learning time.

Symbolically leaving your sins at the cross
A scriptural summary of Christ's last week on Earth
Ideas for holding a Christian Passover celebration
A scriptural Easter egg activity

Do you know of any other Easter-themed FHE ideas? Please leave them in the comments.

Displaying the apostles before conference

2012-03-19T15:05:00.000-06:00


Image courtesy ldsapostles.org

I have a friend who displays pictures of the First Presidency and the apostles in the few weeks before conference every year. I stole the idea from her, and I hope it will help my kids be more interested in conference when it comes around. It is already working—my two-year-old has already chosen her personal favorite "bishop," Elder Anderson.

To get my five-year-old son more interested, I printed out a picture of the apostles in order and gave it to him. He got to put the pictures up on the wall in the right order.

Yesterday the kids each chose an apostle from the wall, and we used the information on the back to learn a few things about them. Tonight for Family Home Evening, we will each teach about an apostle, and we will learn a little bit about their titles (President/Elder) and about the organization of our church leadership.

If we do it again next week, we'll have covered 8 of the 15. Guess I need to get the pictures up a little earlier next conference!

Thank you to ldsapostles.org for sharing their picture. Feel free to click on the picture above and print it out for your own use. You can also click through to the site for lots of information on the apostles.

You can buy pictures of the General Authorities here. You can also read biographies about the General Authorities and print off high-quality pictures here.

Learning songs at home

2012-03-18T10:17:00.001-06:00

The part of Primary that has stuck with me the most over the years is the songs. If I am looking for answers or having a hard day, often I will receive comfort from a Primary song running through my head.

I want to give my children (ages 2 and 5) the same blessing. I want to get as many Primary songs and hymns into their heads as possible before they grow up and go their own ways.

This year in January, the idea came to me that we could focus on one song each month this year. We took a few minutes during a Family Home Evening to come up with a list of songs we'd like to focus on this year, with suggestions from everyone. The kids suggested a few songs that they already know, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to review them and learn additional verses. My two-year-old now knows three verses of "I Am a Child of God."

We sing the songs during Family Home Evenings, every night when we do scripture study and prayer, and before naps and bedtime. The kids soak up the songs like sponges and learn the words within a week.

Here are some resources to help you choose and teach songs in your home:

2012 Outline for Sharing Time (this would help you reinforce at home the songs being taught in Primary this year)
Interactive Church Music Player (see most of the Hymns and Primary songs; play them; transpose them; print them)
Download recordings of Church songs
Learn Primary songs in sign language
Download additional music published in Church magazines

New Family Home Evening Website

2011-01-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

The church has launched an updated Family Home Evening website.

You can find tips, suggestions, ideas and counsel about the importance of Family Home Evening. There is even a lovely feature where members from all over the world share memorable Family Home Evenings.

Check it out.

{Edible} Tower of Babel

2010-11-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

What you need:
Scriptures (Genesis 11 and Ether 1:33)
Tower of Babel coloring page
Sheet cake cut into approximately 3x3 pieces (any cake recipe or a box mix will work)
Frosting (again make your own or buy a tub)

We showed our kids the coloring page and gave them a brief intro to what the Tower of Babel was. They colored the picture while we told them more of the story, including about the Brother of Jared and a discussion about how we get to Heaven.
After that we had some real fun making our own Tower of Babel out of cake and frosting.
I handed everyone a piece of the cut up cake (bricks) and we all took turns adding frosting (morter) and stacking them together.

This was a lot of fun and of course the kids loved eating the tower after it collapsed.

Baptism

2010-07-22T17:59:00.000-06:00

Choose any or all of the following to share with your family for this lesson.

1. Tell some interesting facts about John the Baptist
--ate locusts & honey
--lived in wilderness
--was Jesus' cousin
--baptized Jesus
--was later beheaded

2. Show some pictures from Gospel Art Book
--#35 John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus
--#76 Alma Baptizing in the Waters of Mormon
--#103 Young Man Being Baptized
--#104 Girl Being Baptized

3. Have other family members share remembrances of their baptisms.

4. Activity:
Baptism is the first ordinance that gets us on our way back to our heavenly home. This can be demonstrated using a ball of yarn. Before FHE designate a spot in your house as the final destination of Heavenly Home (you can make a sign saying so). Take a ball of yarn and create a trail throughout many rooms of your home. Leave one end at the heavenly home and one end for the starting point. When you do this activity, each person should follow the yarn trail until they reach their heavenly home. Along the way, talk about other ordinances or things that we need to do to keep following our way back home.

5. Ask some questions:

Why was Jesus baptized?

By what authority was Jesus baptized?

Why are we baptized?

How was Jesus baptized?

What does Immersion mean?

What is a covenant?

What are the promises made by Heavenly Father at baptism? (D&C33:11, D&C 20:37, 3 Ne 11:33)

What promises do we make?

What does born again mean?

What does the sacrament have to do with baptism?

What does it mean to stand as a witness?

When we take upon His name, what are we doing?

How many witnesses are needed at a baptism? Do they need any special qualifications?

Can a twelve year old baptize someone? What level of priesthood is needed to baptize?

6. Activity: How can we get ready for baptism?

{I got this idea from somewhere online and now I don't recall where. If you know, comment to leave the person credit, please.}

Cut out two giant steps from construction paper. Hold up the first one and ask, "What is the first thing that happens to us on earth?" The answer, of course, is birth.

Write birth on one giant footstep. Now write baptism on the other giant footstep. Place the two steps too far apart for someone to actually step from one to the other. Let family members take turns trying to get from one to the other. It isn't possible.

We need to take some more steps to make it from birth to baptism. Have family members name things that we can do to prepare. Have 8 (baptism age), or as many as you want, small footsteps cut out and write down the things that are named. After you write them down, place each small footstep between the two giant footsteps and then let each person take all the steps from birth to baptism and explain how it works much better with all the little steps in between.

Examples of steps to take between birth and baptism:

1. Pray about being baptized

2. Read scriptures daily

3. Have faith

4. Be honest

5. Go to church

6. Serve others

7. Learn Primary and other good songs

8. Know the law of tithing

7. Have a child nearing baptism age share a favorite story he/she read about baptism from the friend. My child chose this article by Mark E. Petersen.

8. For a John the Baptist FHE treat, serve honey stix--can often find them at farmers markets and health food stores. It simply looks like a straw that is sealed at both ends and is filled with honey. Sometimes you can find flavored ones. If you can't find this, fix a treat that has honey as a main ingredient.

Lesson recycling

2010-07-07T10:28:00.000-06:00

Our family home evening lessons lately have been coming from Primary lessons we've taught. We don't even have a class, but we substitute quite often, and usually we can find some little tidbit of the lesson that will apply and appeal to our family. It's too easy: the lesson plan is right there in our bag from yesterday, it's fresh in our minds, and all the props and papers and extra coloring sheets are still out.

Do you ever recycle lessons?

Reverence

2010-07-05T06:52:00.000-06:00

Cut out each of the objects from the picture at the bottom of this page and place in a paper bag.

Have your children draw out the objects one at a time and discuss what these parts of our bodies should be doing when we are reverent or when we are praying (ex.: arms folded, feet still, ears listening). Practice doing the appropriate things with your bodies as you discuss.

Discuss how being reverent is showing love and respect for Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Worth and outward appearance

2010-06-28T18:39:00.001-06:00

Lesson
Hold up a dirty coin and a shiny coin of the same denomination (dimes, for example). If necessary, explain the value of the coins (ten pennies each). Ask the children if one is worth more than the other. Discuss that even though one is prettier and shinier than the other, they're both still worth the same.

Explain that even though people look different and have different strengths and weaknesses, Heavenly Father loves us all very much. This might also be a good time to explain that as parents, you will always love your children for who they are, and not for what they do.

Related scriptures
D&C 18:10: Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.
1 Samuel 16:7: The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Related article
Canaries with Gray on Their Wings

Another year of primary-themed FHEs

2010-05-30T06:00:00.001-06:00

Earlier this year, Marika posted a year of FHE lessons themed for Primary. Here's another!

Heavenly Father hears us pray

2010-05-23T13:05:00.000-06:00

1. Review the structure of a prayer: opening, thanking, asking, and closing. Use this handout as a visual aid or to color, if you like. (My son doesn't enjoy coloring much so I think we will ask him what he's thankful for and write the items in the blank spots.)

2. Discuss that when we pray, we're talking to Heavenly Father, and he hears us every time we pray.

3. Ask or tell about a time you said a prayer and Heavenly Father answered it.

4. Talk about things we can do to show respect to Heavenly Father when we pray, such as kneel, fold our arms, and close our eyes. Practice.

5. Make a paper-bag prayer puppet.

Easter Lesson

2010-04-12T11:47:00.004-06:00

Even though it is beyond Easter for 2010, this might come in handy for someone sometime in the future. This FHE idea combines scriptures, songs and activity into one. I found and modified an idea I found online that I thought was cute (Sorry, can't remember original source).

Get up to 9 Easter eggs to hide before FHE. Words in bold are things to find while preparing each egg. In each egg is something to do with the true meaning of Easter, a song to sing and a scripture to read. Number 9 is probably a good one to end on. You can gather all the eggs and do them in order, or do them as found, or however you want. The songs included are either about Christ, Easter specific, or Springtime songs.

1. Matthew 26:26-28 a small piece of bread (stands for the sacrament bread) I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, 77

2. Luke 22:44 a band-aid (to stand for blood) He Died! The Great Redeemer Died—hymns 192

3. Mark 15:15 a picture of a whip Popcorn Popping—Primary song 242 (Spring a good reminder that life begins anew) p.s. when looking for a picture of a whip, you might try searching cat of nine tails instead. When I searched for whip, I got mostly food items with whip cream!

4. John 19:17 a cross made of two toothpicks He Died That We Might Live Again—Primary song 65

5. John 20:25 Nails He Sent His Son—Primary song 34

6. Luke 24:2 Rock Wise Man and Foolish Man, 281 (Jesus is the Rock upon which we should build our foundation and a stone was rolled away from the sepulchre.)

7. Mark 15:17 small picture of a crown of thorns Primary song--Did Jesus Really Live again, 64

8. Mark 15:17 piece of purple cloth for robe On a Golden Springtime—Primary song 88

9. Luke 24:6 Empty Christ the Lord is Risen Today—hymns 200

Allow for discussion about the pictures and scriptures with each egg opening.

If you want more ideas of things to put in eggs, see Mrs. Mordecai's post and the link that mentions Times & Seasons.

FHE ideas for Easter and Passover

2010-03-28T16:02:00.001-06:00

Just a quick little post with some ideas for Family Home Evening tomorrow (thanks to Mrs. V for the links). I want to do them both, but I'll probably go for the egg activity, because I think it will hold my three-year-old's attention better.

At Times and Seasons: Ideas for filling plastic Easter eggs with small, symbolic objects that teach about Christ's death and resurrection.

At The Voice: Ideas for holding a Christian Seder, or Passover dinner. My husband and I attended one of these in the past and really enjoyed it. We've been wanting to do our own ever since.

What ideas do you have for teaching our children about Easter?

Great idea for General Conference!

2010-03-25T10:27:00.003-06:00

My friend Ashlee told me about a great idea that they do with their kids for the Saturday morning session of general conference. They set up a dome tent in their family room and turn the door of the tent towards the television to watch the first session the Saturday general conference representing when the people of King Benjamin came to the temple with their tents to hear him speak. I thought this would be fun to try with my kids. We are going to read the account of this story found in Mosiah about 30 minutes before conference starts and then let them watch the first session of conference from the tent!

Scripture: Mosiah 2:1-22
Materials needed: Gospel Art Picture #307, King Benjamin Addresses his People

This would make a great family home evening idea for the younger kids too. I think even my 12 year old would have fun with it.

What are you thankful for?

2010-03-15T09:02:00.002-06:00

Song suggestions: Count Your Blessings, Children All Over the World

Treat suggestions: Popcorn or other movie theater favorites

Activity: As my family and I watched the above movie yesterday, I thought that it would be fun for a family with older kids to do something like this for Family Home Evening—to make their own movie of what they're thankful for. I imagine they would enjoy interviewing each other and then watching it together afterward.

See full-sized movie here.

Make Brass Plates

2010-02-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

A quick activity that will go with just about any lesson about the Book of Mormon is making Brass Plates.

Just cover some pieces of cardboard with some foil and give your kids some toothpicks to write with.

From the trenches: I thought this would be a really fun activity but in all honesty my kids spent maybe a minute on this before declaring they were done. Maybe they were too young for this or just not in the mood. My daughter did come back to me later asking for a toothpick to write with again though. If you try it with your kids let us know how it went.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Love Me

2010-01-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

This lesson was adapted from the Behold Your Little Ones manual pages 20-23.
Song: I Feel My Savior's Love (Children's Songbook, 74-75)
Scripture: 3 Nephi 17:11-12, 21-24
Read the scripture and discuss the story it tells. Talk to your children about all the people who love them, including Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
For an activity I showed the kids several pictures of things that Heavenly Father has blessed us with to show love for us.

The pictures I used came from the Behold Your Little Ones Manual or The Friend.

After letting them look at all the pictures I had them leave the room and then I hid the pictures. They came back in and searched for the pictures until they found them all. After that they colored the pictures. It was a simple activity but my toddler and even my preschooler really had fun looking for the pictures.

One Year of 2010 Primary Themed FHE Lessons

2009-12-30T11:11:00.003-07:00

I participated in a group project to compile a year's worth of lessons based on the 2010 Primary themes. The idea was to enhance what is being taught on Sundays in church by holding FHE on similar topics each week. If anyone is interested in downloading this project, you can get it here for free:

One Year of FHE (Family Home Evening) Lessons :: YouPublish

Songs for 2010

2009-12-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

With my son going into Primary next year, I thought he might enjoy it more if he's already familiar with some of the songs he'll be singing in Sharing Time. We're going to use songs from the 2010 Music for Sharing Time list for Family Home Evening in preparation.

What do you do at home to reinforce what is taught in Primary?

Talking about Primary

2009-11-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

Last week for Family Home Evening, we talked about Primary with our three-year-old son. We started out going over our usual Sunday routine, with sacrament meeting followed by nursery. Then we told him what will be different about church next year ("after Christmas," which is a milestone he can better relate to)—going to Sharing Time, singing songs, and going to class. Just talking about things usually helps with transitions for our son, so we will continue to talk about it.

We also tried to get him to sit in a chair for all of Family Home Evening. It only lasted ten minutes or so, but it was a challenge! This is another thing we will continue to practice.

Gratitude

2009-11-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

From the Friend Magazine Facebook Page yesterday:

Read “My Gratitude List” (pages 6–7). On a piece of paper write “GRRRRR” and on a second paper write “ATTITUDE.” When we are unhappy, how can gratitude help us to be happier? Slide the second paper over the first so that all the letters are covered except “GR.” What word do you read? Talk about how having gratitude can make our bad attitudes go away.

Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer (Plan of Salvation)

2009-10-19T19:49:00.005-06:00

Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer

For this lesson, do not try to do or use everything listed. Pick and choose what will work for your family. All the ideas listed below will be able to reinforce the lesson topic.

Songs

1. John 3:16 a)Sheet Music b) Audio

2. John 14:6 a)Sheet Music & Audio

3. God Loved Us So He Sent His Son #187 HS

4. I Lived in Heaven #4 PS

5. He Sent His Son #34 PS

6. The Third Article of Faith #123 PS

PS = Primary songbook FS = Traditional familiar children’s song HS = Hymns

Scripture Quotes & Stories

1. John 14:6 The only way to return to live with Heavenly Father is through Christ.

2. John 3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

3. 1 Peter 2:21 Christ suffered for our sins.

4. Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus in the Garden

5. D&C 19:16-18 Jesus suffered so we don’t have to if we repent.

Stories

1. Abraham & Isaac Genesis 22

2. The Drawbridge Keeper (an allegory written by a Baptist man that helps us to visualize to some degree how much God loves us.)

Outings

1. Go to a forested area and kneel together in prayer as a family. Talk about what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane.

2. Visit the temple visitors center, view statues, pictures and movies about Christ.

Activities

1. Get a large piece of poster board and draw out the Plan of Salvation, or use the sheet provided. (http://www.youpublish.com/files/26605/Plan-of-Salvation-Chart) Explain each step in the process.

a. Before we came to earth, there was a war in Heaven where two plans were presented. Lucifer wanted to have glory unto himself. He wanted to make everyone come back to heaven. Jesus gave glory to His Father. Because Jesus’ plan allowed for us to choose, we also needed a Savior. Jesus was willing to die that we might live again.

b. Those who chose to follow Satan were cast into outer darkness.

c. Those who chose to follow Christ were given the opportunity to pass through the veil of forgetfulness and come to earth to gain a body and be tested.

d. After death, spirits wait in Paradise until they will be resurrected.

e. There are three kingdoms that God has prepared for us.

2. Go to www.mormon.org and watch videos and read scripts of what we believe regarding Christ and His role as Redeemer.

3. Visit http://jesuschrist.lds.org/ . This site is dedicated solely to what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes about our Savior.

Refreshment Ideas

1.Make a pure and simple treat, like Raspberry Pears.

1. Wash and cut pear in half.

2. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller.

3. Add a teaspoon of raspberry jam to the hole created.

4. Make enough halves for each person to have at least one.

5. Enjoy.

2. Make a pretty fruit salad.

Possible Discussion Questions

1. Why was Jesus’ plan better than Lucifer’s plan?

2. What are the qualifications for getting into the highest realms of the Celestial Kingdom?

3. How do we know that God loves us?

4. Can any of the people on earth still go to Outer Darkness?

5. What happens in Paradise?

6. What is a Savior?

7. Is there anything besides sins that Jesus paid a price for through the atonement?

8. What do we need to do to be able to be resurrected? Anything? Or is it a free gift?

9. Why do we need to repent of sins?

10. What if I didn’t know I was sinning?

11. What about young children?

Reference List

1. See internet links on each section.

2. www.snopes.com

3. www.lds.org

4. Go here for more song possibilities. (More songs on this topic may be added over time.)

5. Refer to www.completelee.com for more information.

6. Email publish@completelee.com with questions

Staying healthy

2009-10-12T16:59:00.001-06:00

Image courtesy magazineart.org

Tonight for family home evening, we're going to talk about ways we can prevent disease and stay healthy this season. Since we have a new baby, I'd like to be especially careful this winter.

Hand washing—Use soap and water; wash for 15–20 seconds, paying attention to all parts of the hand, including backs and between fingers.
Hand sanitizer—Use about 1/2 teaspoon, rub well until evaporated. Use soap and water instead if hands are visibly dirty.
Meals—We're good about washing hands after meals, but not before. We need to remember to wash before we eat.
Dishes—Don't share dishes, food, and drinks.
Sleep—Try not to get behind!
Nutrition—Try to eat regular, healthy meals and snacks.
Sneezing and Coughing—Discuss and demonstrate proper ways of sneezing and coughing in public (our three-year-old needs this one!)
Preparedness—Keep some useful supplies on hand in case of illness, such as canned soups, electrolyte solutions, freezer dinners, and medications.

Useful information:

Peanut butter bars

2009-09-22T13:58:00.000-06:00

I received this recipe from a church youth leader when I was a teenager. It reminds me of the peanut butter bars the lunch ladies used to pack in our sack lunches for field trips in elementary school. I have to make it every few months or else I miss it.

Peanut Butter Bars

Cookie Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
3 cups flour (whole wheat works well)
3 cups rolled oats (regular or quick)

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa
5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Cookie Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla, eggs, salt, baking soda, and peanut butter.
Add flour and oats.
Spread in 1 ungreased cookie sheet (jelly roll size) and 1 9x13 pan, or in 3 9x13 pans. Bake 20 minutes; let cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

Melt butter. Add cocoa and powdered sugar.
Add vanilla and milk. Add more powdered sugar or milk if necessary.

---

Originally posted at Be It Ever So Humble.

Prepared?

2009-09-15T10:44:00.000-06:00

iPrepared came up with a detailed emergency scenario for her family for Family Home Evening. What a great way to find out what you know, what you need, and whether you're prepared. Read more here.