FHE - Ideas

PLAN AHEAD....If you have the idea already in place it is much easier to implement the plan! When you involve the family in planning, they will have a vested interest in making it successful.

General Conference

• Develop a story to learn the names of the brethren   - a "picture" our family has developed to learn our leaders names, in the order of authority. 
• Quote the Quotes - Assign each person a talk and they pick out  every time a prophet quotes a prophet (if they think it is worth repeating we might want to listen) and then they read those to the family. 
• Find the Gem - Assign each person a talk and have them choose 2 "quotables" then read them to the family. 
• Set a Goal - the Monday after General Conference have each person come up with their own goal to achieve for the next 6 months.  (Awards for success are always fun.)
• Play a Match game of the name/picture of the prophet & apostles. 

Memorize Something

• All the words of a Hymn/ Primary Song
• Favorite scriptures
• Living Christ

Practice is Perfect

• Testimony night
• 2 1/2 min talk...each person gives a talk . It can not be read, just notes (except exact quotes can be read) allow 15 min for prep.
• Gospel object challenge -give each person a random item and they give a 1 minute parable. i.e. a light bulb can be us in the gospel, if we are screwed in to the power (scriptures, prayer, then you can light the way for yourself and those around you.    

Service

• Random Acts of Kindness day, or month - one lady did 35 acts of kindness in one day, i.e. girl scout cookies for the post lady with a thank you note, treats delivered to the librarian, spare change in ziplock taped to a vending machine. with a Random Act of Kindness note....
• Pay It Forward - leave gifts for perfect strangers in odd places with a pay it forward note. i.e. a new baby toy in a shopping cart (make sure it has a bow and a pay it forward note) Or leave a book you enjoyed for someone to find (again with a note) 
• Make and Deliver Freezer Dinners to give to needy families (ie new baby, illness) or to the RS Pres to distribute.
• Make "Blessing Bags" to use through out the year.  Make gallon size ziplocks filled with things that would be nice for a homeless person... granola bar,apple sauce, candy bar, gum, deodrant, toothpaste and brush... then keep one in the car and give it anytime you see someone begging or homeless.
• Hearts - make 5-6 hearts/person - they do secret acts of service throughout the week and leave a heart behind, showing they love each other. 
• Super Server - make each family member a cape they wear to go do kind acts... rake leaves, shovel snow, go weed for a busy ward member... 

Gratitude

• "Things I Love" list or board
• Gratitude book - leave it out in the open with a pen for the family to add to it
• Hearts - collect 5-6 hearts/person and they leave the heart anytime they notice service done for them.
• You are my favorite... Write each persons name on the bottom of a paper, each person writes a note to that person sincerely writes, "You are my favorite because... " then they fold it down, and pass it to the next family member until everyone has written to each person.
• Make a Thanksgiving tree/wreath/falling leaves - everyone write something they are thankful for on a paper/silk leaf and adds it to the tree.

FHE - Families Held-fast Eternally

This is what our Family Home Evening looks like.....

This is what I hope and pray it will look like in 10 more years...

Georges Seurat 

"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes." - David A Bednar "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" General Conference 2009. Click Here

Find Joy... Today!!

Give your child a compliment and a hug; say, “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.”   Click Here
-President Thomas S. Monson "Joy in the Journey" BYU Women's Conference May 2008

Scripture Study Ideas

"Do not merely QUOTE Scripture... LIVE IT!"

*The Wasp Story - Johnson's camping, "You need to be careful at what is on the other end of the stick."


*Mike's Video -  Homemade Book of Mormon videos


*Ore Story - "1 Ne 17:9


*Reading Ideas-

• Nugget Hunting read ahead - read ahead of the family and choose out the "Nuggets" and just read and discuss those. 
• Nugget Hunting as a family - have each person select their nugget from the scriptures that night.
• Tag (any time any place) - just read along until you feel like calling on someone.  Say their name, and they start reading
• If ... Then  - at the end of scriptures have each person find an if then statement in the scriptures.  Example:  3NE 17:8&9  If you have sufficient faith and it is the lords will you will be healed.
• If I Mess Up - read along, as soon as someone catches a mistake they start reading in place of you.
• Popcorn- read a set number of verses, then call on someone to read next. 
• Punctuation... at each punctuation mark the next person reads.  

*Teach like Pres. Eyring... Encourage, not preach.


Just as you promised God to become charitable, you promised to be His witness wherever you may be throughout your life. Again, the Book of Mormon is the best guide I know to help us keep that promise...
Parents who struggle to get a witness of the Savior into the heart of a child will be helped as they seek for a way to bring the words and the spirit of the Book of Mormon into the home and all the lives in their family. That has proven true for us.
 - Pres. Henry B Eyring  "A Witness"  General Conference October 2011 

Like Mother Like Heavenly Father

"Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior. As President Joseph F. Smith said, “The love of a true mother comes nearer [to] being like the love of God than any other kind of love” (“The Love of Mother,” Improvement Era,Jan. 1910, 278)." 
- Elder Bradley D. Foster, "Mother Told Me"  General Conference April 2010  Click Here 

"Mother Told Me" Story (Elder Foster)

One of the fun conversations we have had over the dinner table is "My mom always says..."  As a mom it is eye-opening to hear what the kids think I always say.  As a daughter it is enlightening what I feel my mom always said, and as a grand-daughter I love when my mom talks about her mom.  I sometimes feel we need to be aware of the power of our words, and influence.  I love the story Elder Foster told in General Conference a few years ago.


"One night his four-year-old son asked him to read a bedtime story. Eric had picked out his favorite book: The Ballooning Adventures of Paddy Pork, a story about a family who lived on the isles of the sea and traveled from island to island by hot-air balloon. It was a picture book that had no words, so Brother Pearson made up words to the story.

“Paddy is in a hot-air balloon. He is landing on an island now. He is dropping a line over the side of the balloon.”

Eric stopped him. “Dad, that is not a line. It’s a rope.”

Brother Pearson looked at Eric and back at the picture book, and then he continued: “Paddy is getting out of the balloon and climbing down the tree. Oh no! His coat is caught on a limb!”

Again Eric stopped him. “Dad, that’s not a coat. It’s a jacket.”

By now Brother Pearson was somewhat perplexed. He said, “Eric, there are no words in this book, just pictures. Why do you insist that it’s a jacket?”

Eric answered, “Because Mother told me.”

His father closed the book and said, “Eric, who do you think is the last word, the ultimate authority in this house?”

This time Eric thought carefully before he answered, “You are, Dad.”

Brother Pearson beamed at his son. What an exceptional answer! “How did you know that?”

Eric quickly responded, “Mother told me.”"

- Elder Bradley D. Foster, "Mother Told Me"  General Conference April 2010  Click Here 

Time to Family - Survey,

I am happy to say I was not at all surprised at the results. The prophets have been telling us this for years!

#1 Favorite Thing about Family Growing Up  - Top 5 Answers
     30% Together time (family dinner, family games, FHE)
     20% Regular Family Trips (does this count at time too?)
     15% Relationship with Siblings
      5% Taught to Work
      5% Support
#2  Favorite Thing about Your Family Now - Top 5 Answers
     40% Time Together / Being Together
     12% Communicate Together
     12% Love
      5% Trips
      3% Support
#3 What We Want From Our Family That We Are Not Getting - Top 5
     28% Time
     15% Appreciation / Support (young parents)
     10% Nothing (On all of these the previous answer was Time Together.)
      5% Trips
     5% Better Communication


It was summarized well by a married 30 year old woman:
"Impossible questions! 
 I think the answer to all 3 is spending time 
but to  #1 I would also add having parents that are proud of you.  #2 - snuggling by the fire."

Bottom line?
All of us need to spend more time with our family.
The teens wanted more time (well except one).
The young adults wanted more time and communication - how do we communicate with out spending time???
Parents wanted more time.

The now famous Oct. 2007 Conference Talk by Elder Oaks entitled "Good, Better, Best" confirms that the prophets of God say the same thing.
The First Presidency has called on parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles. … The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place … in … this God-given responsibility.” The First Presidency has declared that “however worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.”
"Individual family members - especially parents - (must) vigorously act to increase family togetherness and one-on-one time." 
-Dallin H. Oaks Click Here

I once had a friend teach me to listen for prophets quoting prophets in general conference.  If it was important for the prophet to say it once, how much more important is it for the prophet to repeat it again, and what about again and again.  Here is the same quote by Robert D. Hales - again in General Conference.

"The First Presidency issued a call to all parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility.”

In the February letter, the First Presidency taught that by teaching and rearing children in gospel principles, parents can protect their families from corrosive elements. They further counseled parents and children “to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform” (First Presidency letter, 11 Feb. 1999; cited in Church News, 27 Feb. 1999, 3)."  Click Here