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FHE lesson Plan "A Yearning for Home" by Dieter F. Uchtodorf

FHE lesson Plan "A Yearning for Home" by Dieter F. Uchtodorf

A Yearning For Home

October 16, 2017 by Stephanie Miller

Family Home Evening Lesson

“A Yearning for Home”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Lesson plan by Stephanie Miller

 

Objective:

God wants us to draw closer to him each day. We each have a light inside of us drawing us to him like the instincts in an animal. As we reach for God our lives will be better and we will be able to bless others around us.

Preparation:

  • Read “A Yearning For Home” by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
  • Print Mother Make's lesson Plan
  • Have your kids color the little characters 
  • Cut out around the people and cut the slits along the dotted line
  • Have tape and three feet of string ready for your lesson. 

 

Song: “I lived in Heaven” Children’s Song Book, Page 4

Lesson

Explain:

Tell the story of Bobbie the Wonder Dog in your own words.

Explain how animals have “baffled scientists with an amazing sense of direction and instinct for home.”

Examples:

  • “Some monarch butterfly populations migrate 3,000 miles (4,800 km) each year to climes better suited for their survival.
  • “Leatherback turtles travel across the Pacific Ocean from Indonesia to the coasts of California.
  • “Humpback whales swim from the cold waters of the North and South Poles toward the equator and back.
  • “Perhaps even more incredibly, the arctic tern flies from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica and back every year, some 60,000 miles (97,000 km).”

Ask:

“How do they know where to go?” and “How does each successive generation learn this behavior?”

Teach:

Each of us wants to go home.

Uchtdorf said, “I believe that every man, woman, and child has felt the call of heaven at some point in his or her life. Deep within us is a longing to somehow reach past the veil and embrace Heavenly Parents we once knew and cherished.”

There is a path home. Uchtdorf teaches, “God is our Father, …He cares about us, and…there is a way to return to Him. God calls to you.”

He knows how we feel and wants to help us.

Ask:

Why do you want to go back to your Heavenly Father? 

Here are Two reasons WHY we should listen to God’s voice and begin our journey home.

1. Your Life Will Be Better

Ask:

How will your life be better by following the Gospel plan?

Follow up question: Will you still have trials?

Teach:

Uchtdorf said, “Following the Savior will not remove all of your trials. However, it will remove the barriers between you and the help your Heavenly Father wants to give you. God will be with you. He will direct your steps. He will walk beside you and even carry you when your need is greatest.”

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Visual lesson:

Following Christ will create a direct line or path to our Heavenly Father and you can use this line to guide you back home to him.

  • Show the picture of Heavenly Father and tape him high on a wall. Say, “Heavenly Father is in Heaven.”
  • Show the illustration of the child and place the illustration on the ground under the God illustration and say, “Here we are down on earth.”  
  • Tape the string directly under Heavenly Father and let it drop to the ground. Say, “This String is the path back to Heavenly Father.”
  • First thread the string through the cuts on Christ, then through the Child. Say, “Christ leads us on this path back to our Heavenly Father.”

Ask:

How do you hold onto this line? 

Example answers: Pray, repent, read scriptures, fast, go to temple, go to church, ponder

Teach:

Uchtdorf taught: “Those who heed the inner call and seek God, those who pray, believe, and walk the path the Savior has prepared—even if they stumble along the path at times—receive the consoling assurance that “all things shall work together for [their] good.”

 

2. God Will Use You

Teach:

The second reason to follow this path is because we are not the only ones on this path. Others are also on this journey and as you follow God’s path you can help others follow Christ too.

Uchtdorf said, “This path inevitably leads you to become a blessing in the lives of God’s other children—your brothers and sisters.”

Ask:

 How can you help your Brothers and Sister? How can you help your friends and neighbors?

Explain:

In your own words talk about how maybe you, or others, have felt like they can’t be a big help to anyone else.

Uchtdorf said, “We might think we have to be “more” of something for God to use us—more intelligent, more wealthy, more charismatic, more talented, more spiritual. Blessings will come not so much because of your abilities but because of your choices. And the God of the universe will work within and through you, magnifying your humble efforts for His purposes.”

The scriptures teach:

“Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.” D&C64:3

“God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”  1 Corinthians 1:27

Blessing:

 “As you care for and help your fellowmen, you will see great progress in your own life, in ways you could never imagine.”

Ask/Visual lesson:

What are some blessing from helping others come closer to Christ?

  • For each blessing listed add an extra person to the string and move all the members up the string.

Examples of blessings: We become more like our Savior. We feel more happiness. Our testimony strengthens. We see God’s Hand in our lives. We become more confident. The pain of sin is swallowed up in Christ.

Teach:

Uchtdorf said, “Those who love and serve God and fellowmen and humbly and actively participate in His work will see wondrous things happen in their lives and in the lives of those they love.”

Conclusion:

Ask:   

What do you do now?

Answer:

“You cannot just float in the waters of life and trust that the current will take you wherever you hope to be one day. Discipleship requires our willingness to swim upstream when needed.”

Ask:   

Is swimming upstream hard?

Answer:

Sometimes following the path of the Savior can be hard. (Look at what Christ had to do.)

Uchtdorf concludes, “No one else is responsible for your personal journey. The Savior will help you and prepare the way before you, but the commitment to follow Him and keep His commandments must come from you. That is your sole burden, your sole privilege. This is your great adventure. Please heed the call of your Savior.

“Follow Him.”

 

Print Lesson Plan Here

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October 16, 2017 /Stephanie Miller
1 Comment
FHELight the torch.jpg

Turn On Your Light

October 02, 2017 by Stephanie Miller

Family Home Evening Lesson

"Turn On Your Light"

By Sharon Eubank

FHE Lesson prepared by Stephanie Miller

 

Prepare:

  • Read Sharon Eubank’s Talk “Turn On Your Light” from October 2017 General Women’s Session of General Conference.
  • Print the Flame Handouts on different colors of paper or white and color the paper with crayons or marker.
  • Cut torch and tape in cylinder.
  • Cut flames to place in Torch during lesson.

Song:

Teach me to walk in the Light

Objective:

How can you be a light to others and help them want to come closer to Christ? God wants to use you in his work. Here are five ways you can be a light to others.

The prophets have given us a torch and ask us to be a light.

President Kimball said in a talk to women: “Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world … will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world.”

 

How will you light the flame of this Torch?

The Torch is a symbol of your responsibility to God.

 

Here are some of the flames you can fill your torch with:

(Talk about each flame as you put it in the torch. You can involve children by having individuals hold the torch and having them, or other children hold each flame as you talk about the idea, then have the child place the flame in the torch until torch is complete and you can pass the torch down the human chain.)

1. Be Righteous

ASK: What does it mean to be Righteous? 

“Being righteous doesn’t mean being perfect or never making mistakes. It means developing an inner connection with God, repenting of our sins and mistakes, and freely helping others.”

You aren’t perfect, but keep learning how to repent and to keep trying.

How can you help others who are trying to be better?

 

2 Be Articulate. 

ASK: What does it mean to be Articulate?  

“Being articulate means to clearly express how you feel about something and why.” You can use your voice and your power to articulate what you know and feel by telling others, “why you believe, what it feels like, if you ever doubted, how you got through it, and what Jesus Christ means to you.”

How do you feel about the Christ? Where can you express how you feel?

 

3 Be Different

ASK: What does it mean to be Different? 

“We aren’t always going to fit in with the world, but being different in positive ways can be a lifeline to others who are struggling.”

Tell the Story of the human chain to struggling swimmers.

“When we keep our covenants, it may make us different from others in our culture and society, but it gives us access to inspiration so we can think of different solutions, different approaches, different applications.”

How can you be different?

 

4 Be Distinct. 

ASK: What does it mean to be Distinct? 

“Distinct means to be recognizably well defined.” 

“The restored gospel is recognizably well defined. But we have to be distinct about how we follow it.”

“We need to practice living the gospel before the emergency so that, unafraid, we will be strong enough to help when others.” {Just like the couple had swimming skills}

In what ways are you distinct? 

(What talents and gifts make you different? What talents can you develop? Go around the room and have every person identify one of their talents. 

 

5 Live in happy ways. 

ASK: What does it mean to be Happy? 

“Being happy doesn’t mean to slap a plastic smile on your face no matter what is going on. But it does mean keeping the laws of God and building and lifting others.8When we build, when we lift the burden of others, it blesses our lives in ways our trials cannot take away.”

“There is an energy that comes from happiness and optimism that doesn’t just bless us—it builds everyone around us.”

What small ways can you be happy?

 

Conclusion:

“Any small thing you do to light real happiness in others shows that you are already carrying the torch that will trigger much of the major growth coming to the Church in the years ahead.”

This is your personal call: Read D&C49:26-28

 “Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you; repent of all your sins; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you.

“Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded.

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly.”

Activity: Have everyone in the room make a large human chain like in the story from the talk. Then pass the torch from one person to the next. 

Sharon Eubank reminds us, “The prophets are calling on us. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith? Can you bear being distinct and different? Will your happiness in spite of your trials draw others who are good and noble and who need your friendship? Will you turn on your light? I testify the Lord Jesus Christ will go before us and be in our midst.”

hold the torch.jpg

Download and print a free copy of the torch and flames here.

October 02, 2017 /Stephanie Miller

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