Service

This week we are going to talk about service. First I will start out telling this story from the friend:

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=a37a925cf971c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

and then I found this cute teaching idea from sophia again http://sofiasprimaryideas.blogspot.com/

Have a box with miscellaneous objects inside (scriptures, garden shovel, fork, toy, sweater, book, drinking straw, envelope, shoe, etc.). Have children come up and choose an item then decide how they could use that item to serve someone. See how many different ideas you can get with each item. Have a scripture or song attached to some of the items to do after they have thought about a way to serve.
** Have the children draw pictures and write letters to some widows or sick people in the ward. Have them come up with some scriptures on service to add to the envelope.
** Bring in a toy train- the type where you can add a car and build on the train to make it longer. As the children answer questions on service, read scriptures and sing- link a car. Watch it grow. When all the cars are on, have a child drive it to a picture of Christ. Service links us together and brings us closer to Jesus and Heavenly Father. Have paper with the words, "We choo-choo-choose to serve others! Challenge them to take the paper home and fill it up as a family with activities they will do to help others.


and then to finish it all off we have Halloween treats and pumpkin carving!

keeping the sabbath day holy

thanks to sophia for this idea! www.sophiasprimaryideas.blogspot.com

There has been some debate among our children (ok, Colin) as to what is appropriate to do on the Sabbath, so we will spend our next fhe learning about it. I found this wonderful idea on Sophia's blog that I think will really hit home for my kids:

I will serve God by doing things on the Sabbath that will help me feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

** Play a game of Sabbath Day Charades. The children can come up and choose paper with activities to act out. The children will have to decide if that activity keeps the sabbath day holy or not. Activities to act out can include (these were taken from a primary manual):"Write letters to missionaries, Make cards of appreciation for family members, Write in your journal, Play or listen to sacred music, Study the scriptures, Read or tell a scripture story to a younger brother or sister, Visit relatives, Give a family home evening lesson, Work on your Gospel in Action award, Visit someone who is ill or lonely, Play quiet games with your brothers and sisters, read from your baby journal or family history, Look at family photographs, going swimming, playing basketball games, doing chores, watching lots and lots of TV, shopping at the grocery store, taking a 4 hour nap, etc.

** Bring in an ice pack and a hot pack. Have the kids feel the difference. The things we choose to do on the sabbath can either make us feel warm and close to Heavenly Father or cold and distant from Him. Hide a bunch of word paper strips around the room. As the child gets close to an activity say "warmer, warmer", as they are further away say "colder, colder". The paper strips can include activities that are appropriate for Sunday or Sabbath scriptures!

We are going to make dirt cups for our treat (chocolate pudding layered with crushed oreos and gummy worms on top)

Articles of Faith in Home Evening

Elizabeth Martinsen, “Articles of Faith in Home Evening,” Ensign, Aug. 1984, 70
We had long had a problem planning spiritual, enriching family home evenings for our young children, ages two, three, and five. Then my husband suggested basing our weekly lessons on the Articles of Faith. He drew a picture chart of the first article of faith and helped the children “read” it, going over it each evening before family prayers. Within a week they had it memorized, even the two-year-old. Then, each family home evening that month focused on the concepts in that article of faith. Each month we learn a new article of faith. This approach allows us to easily plan our home evenings a month in advance, and the children really enjoy memorizing the Articles of Faith and learning the principles of the gospel.Elizabeth Martinsen, Provo, Utah

What a great theme for our next 13 weeks of fhe!

resources:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=281757b60090c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=7f559633afcab010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

http://www.sugardoodle.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=624&Itemid=429

http://deseretbook.com/mormon-life/curric/story?story_id=2661

a new blog

i want to make our fhe's more effective for our children, and so hence this new blog as a place to prepare and keep track of our fhe's