Family Home Evening

"We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest.”

-President Thomas S. Monson

In our church, Monday nights are set aside from other activities to spend time with our families and to learn more about the gospel. We call it Family Home Evening, or F.H.E. 

Our family loves it!! We have two young boys with a very tiny attention span, so we keep our lessons simple. 

I also have lessons ready...you know, for those nights when I can't get it together! (Which happens more often than I would like to admit!!)

I keep them, in alphabetical order, in a file box with a handle. 

LOVE it! So easy to find a topic we want to work on!

Then, we always do something together! Whether it's playing a board game or feeding the ducks!

It's such a treasured night and the blessings that it brings is worth all the greatest efforts!!

Atonement 101

I am the first couselor in our branches Primary which allows me the privlege of teaching music every Sunday and sharing time every other Sunday. So this past Sunday I taught a lesson on the Atonement. I was trying to be creative and decided to do a little Atonement 101 lesson. First, I made a "clean slate" which represents being baptized. On the back of the "clean slate" it reads,"When we are baptized, we are given a 'clean slate'. We are sinless and need to obey Heavenly Father's commandments in order to stay clean."

Second, I made the same "slate" and put added rip marks and dark spots representing the sins in our life. On the back of the "dirty slate" it reads," When we sin, we allow our 'clean slate' to become spotted. We let our sins 'dirty' our clean slate and need to repent to 'erase' our sins." I then asked how we are able to clean our slate once it is dirty. Most of the kids said by repenting, and I asked who died for us so we can repent. They said Jesus and I asked what this service was called and they said the Atonement.

Then I showed this pencil and had the 4 steps of repentence on the front. It's hard to see in the pic but the steps are:

1. Feel sorry

2. Ask forgiveness

3. right the wrong

4. don't do it again!

Then on the back of the pencil it reads," Heavenly Father sent His Son to sacrifice Himself for our sins. By doing that, we can repent and our Heavenly Father can "erase" our sins."

It was an awesome lesson and the kids may have even learned something along the way! =)

I made each of the kids their very own Atonement 101 kits and they got to take them home and use them to teach FHE for their families. They were very excited!

When I teach, I always try to make something we can reuse for FHE. The kids like the idea of being in charge of a lesson and to be able to teach about what they are learning in church!

I am truly grateful for my calling in Primary. I didn't join the church until I was 18 so I missed all of the good fun that comes from Primary. I am blessed to be a part of these kids lives and I hope they learn as much from me as I learn from them!