Exercises for the Soul

My "FHM' is turning into a "FHA" (Family Home Afternoon) but thanks to a little encouragement, I'm going to keep trying.

This week's lesson, again, has ideas borrowed from the Family Home Evening Resource Book. It's Title is:

Keeping God's Commandments

Start by telling each child about your feelings the day they were born. Explain to them that because you love them so much, you want them to be safe and happy. First, you follow rules that will ensure their physical safety. Have members of the family suggest rules that ensure physical safety. (e.g. Don't touch a hot stove.) You also want them to be happy. Have members of the family suggest some family rules designed for happiness. (e.g. Take turns.)
Heavenly Father also has rules. They are called commandments. Ask, "What are some commandments that will ensure our physical safety?" (e.g. The Word of Wisdom.) Ask, "What are some commandments designed for our happiness?" (e.g. Serve Others.)
Stories;
Even animal parents want their children to be safe. When I was a teen-ager I was walking in the woods with my Dad. Suddenly he put out his arm indicating I should stop. In silence we watched a mother bear get her two cubs to the top of a tree where they were safe while she remained on a lower branch to be "guard".

An experience disobeying: Also when I was a teen-ager, the whole family came home from church one Fast Sunday starving hungry. My mother was hurrying to fix us a good Sunday dinner. She had just taken some steaming dinner rolls out of the oven. I couldn't wait until the family gathered for prayers and broke our fast, so I stole a roll and took it into the front yard to eat it alone where nobody could see me. The warm, delicious smelling roll did not taste as good as I thought it would and I have had to spend my whole life remembering that Fast Sunday.

Activity: Have family go on a Treasure Hunt with clues you have prepared ahead of time. (e.g. a picture of a bed where you have hidden the next clue.) The treasure can be a favorite family treat. Remind family members that not following the clues is like not following the Commandments to find our "eternal treasure".

Hymn suggestions: "How Gentle God's Commands" or "Keep the Commandments".

Person of the Week: Blake Manwaring who gets the children ready Sunday morning while Josie has YW meetings and has a good attitude about it.