In Alma chapter 37 we read ". . .by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." There are many examples of this in the scriptures, such as the Israelites and the fiery serpents and the Nephites and the Liahona. As I think of my own experiences I can see the truth of it in my own life as well.
Emily Dickenson said, "Sometimes when I consider the tremendous consequences from little things. . .a chance word. . . a tap on the shoulder or a wink of an eye, I am tempted to think there are no little things."
We all know what a difference a smile or a kind word can make, and I thank all of you for all of those small and wonderful things you do to help and lift others. Helen Keller said, "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
I invite you to think about small things in your life that have brought about great things and share them with us by clicking on comments and writing.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
FHE Idea
Thoughts:
Obey the word of the Lord as it is given to you. His word will not only love and comfort but invariably instruct and correct. Do as He bids you to do, no matter how hard it may seem to you, and do it now. It is in doing the will of the Lord that knowledge of Him and love for Him accrue to your soul, which leads you to be ever more willing to lay down your own life and follow Him.
(James J. Hamula, "Winning the War against Evil," Ensign, Nov 2008, 50-53.)
Song:
"Keep the Commandments," Children's Songbook, p. 146.
Scripture:
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
(Mosiah 2:22)
Lesson:
Put each of the following clues on separate pieces of paper.
Begin with 3 Nephi 13:14. If this verse starts with the word for, turn to D&C 138:4, and use word seven. If not, turn to 1 Nephi 1:10 and use word three.
Begin with 1 Nephi 2:3. If this verse talks about baptism, go to D&C 88:126 and use word six. If not, turn to D&C 11:12 and use word sixteen.
Begin with D&C 28:3. If this verse ends with the word and, use word six. If not, go to 28:15 and use word three.
Begin with Jacob 2:4. If this verse ends with the word you, turn to D&C 132:24 and use word three. If it ends with the word hearts, use the seventh word.
Begin with D&C 130:19. If this verse ends with the word us, use word four. If come is the last word, use the word twelve. Working as individuals or groups, hand out the clues and a blank piece of paper.
Tell your family that they need to follow the instructions carefully, and when they have found the correct word they should write it on the paper.
If the correct word was used, give each person a small reward. Tell them they earned the reward because they followed the instructions.Gather the papers together and place them in random order. Have the family arrange them in the correct order. ("Obedience leadeth unto eternal life").
What is eternal life? (Life with Heavenly Father.)
What does it mean to be obedient? (To keep the commandments.)
Explain that the commandments are instructions Heavenly Father gives to us. When we follow the instructions, or obey. we earn a reward. What is that reward? (Eternal life with Heavenly Father.)
What are some commandments that Heavenly Father has given us? (Baptism, tithing, and so on.)
Where can we find these commandments? (Scriptures, listening to leaders, and so on.)
(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Sharing Time, Family Time, Anytime, Book Two, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 67.)
Story:
Joseph F. Smith
I recollect most vividly a circumstance that occurred in the days of my childhood. My mother was a widow, with a large family to provide for. One spring when we opened our potato pits she had her boys get a load of the best potatoes, and she took them to the tithing office; potatoes were scarce that season. I was a little boy at the time, and drove the team. When we drove up to the steps of the tithing office, ready to unload the potatoes, one of the clerks came out and said to my mother, "Widow Smith, it's a shame that you should have to pay tithing." He said a number of other things that I rememberwell, but they are not necessary for me to repeat here. The . . . name of that tithing clerk was William Thompson, and he chided my mother for paying her tithing, called her anything but wise or prudent; and said there were others who were strong and able to work that were supported from the tithing office. My mother turned upon him and said:
"William, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Would you deny me a blessing? If I did not pay my tithing, I should expect the Lord to withhold His blessings from me. I pay my tithing, not only becauseit is a law of God, but because I expect a blessing by doing it. By keeping this and other laws, I expect to prosper and to be able to provide for my family." Though she was a widow, you may turn to therecords of the Church from the beginning unto the day of her death, and you will find that she never received a farthing from the Church to help her support herself and her family; but she paid in thousands of dollars in wheat, potatoes, corn, vegetables, meat, etc. The tithes of her sheep and cattle, the tenth pound of her butter, her tenth chicken, the tenth of her eggs, the tenth pig, the tenth calf, the tenth colt—a tenth of everything she raised was paid. . . . . She prospered because she obeyed the laws of God. . . . That widow was entitled to the privileges of the house of God. No ordinance of the Gospel could be denied her, for she was obedient to the laws of God.
(Jack M. Lyon, Linda Ririe Gundry, Jay A. Parry, Best-Loved Stories of the LDS People, Vol. 1, [Salt Lake City: DeseretBook, 1997].)
Activity:
Instruct the group to close their eyes and each to hold both hands in front of the body, with the index fingers touching and pointing at each other, and about 12 inches from the nose. Announce that you are going to give them a coordination test. Tell them to raise the right hand six inches, lower the left hand six inches, more he right hand six inches away from the body and the left hand six inches toward the body. Continue this type of direction until each one’s fingers should be touching when the group opens their eyes. It is surprising how poorly some people follow instructions.
Gospel application: We should to follow (obey) the gospel teachings.
(Alma Heaton, The LDS Game Book [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968], p. 51.)
Obey the word of the Lord as it is given to you. His word will not only love and comfort but invariably instruct and correct. Do as He bids you to do, no matter how hard it may seem to you, and do it now. It is in doing the will of the Lord that knowledge of Him and love for Him accrue to your soul, which leads you to be ever more willing to lay down your own life and follow Him.
(James J. Hamula, "Winning the War against Evil," Ensign, Nov 2008, 50-53.)
Song:
"Keep the Commandments," Children's Songbook, p. 146.
Scripture:
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
(Mosiah 2:22)
Lesson:
Put each of the following clues on separate pieces of paper.
Begin with 3 Nephi 13:14. If this verse starts with the word for, turn to D&C 138:4, and use word seven. If not, turn to 1 Nephi 1:10 and use word three.
Begin with 1 Nephi 2:3. If this verse talks about baptism, go to D&C 88:126 and use word six. If not, turn to D&C 11:12 and use word sixteen.
Begin with D&C 28:3. If this verse ends with the word and, use word six. If not, go to 28:15 and use word three.
Begin with Jacob 2:4. If this verse ends with the word you, turn to D&C 132:24 and use word three. If it ends with the word hearts, use the seventh word.
Begin with D&C 130:19. If this verse ends with the word us, use word four. If come is the last word, use the word twelve. Working as individuals or groups, hand out the clues and a blank piece of paper.
Tell your family that they need to follow the instructions carefully, and when they have found the correct word they should write it on the paper.
If the correct word was used, give each person a small reward. Tell them they earned the reward because they followed the instructions.Gather the papers together and place them in random order. Have the family arrange them in the correct order. ("Obedience leadeth unto eternal life").
What is eternal life? (Life with Heavenly Father.)
What does it mean to be obedient? (To keep the commandments.)
Explain that the commandments are instructions Heavenly Father gives to us. When we follow the instructions, or obey. we earn a reward. What is that reward? (Eternal life with Heavenly Father.)
What are some commandments that Heavenly Father has given us? (Baptism, tithing, and so on.)
Where can we find these commandments? (Scriptures, listening to leaders, and so on.)
(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Sharing Time, Family Time, Anytime, Book Two, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 67.)
Story:
Joseph F. Smith
I recollect most vividly a circumstance that occurred in the days of my childhood. My mother was a widow, with a large family to provide for. One spring when we opened our potato pits she had her boys get a load of the best potatoes, and she took them to the tithing office; potatoes were scarce that season. I was a little boy at the time, and drove the team. When we drove up to the steps of the tithing office, ready to unload the potatoes, one of the clerks came out and said to my mother, "Widow Smith, it's a shame that you should have to pay tithing." He said a number of other things that I rememberwell, but they are not necessary for me to repeat here. The . . . name of that tithing clerk was William Thompson, and he chided my mother for paying her tithing, called her anything but wise or prudent; and said there were others who were strong and able to work that were supported from the tithing office. My mother turned upon him and said:
"William, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Would you deny me a blessing? If I did not pay my tithing, I should expect the Lord to withhold His blessings from me. I pay my tithing, not only becauseit is a law of God, but because I expect a blessing by doing it. By keeping this and other laws, I expect to prosper and to be able to provide for my family." Though she was a widow, you may turn to therecords of the Church from the beginning unto the day of her death, and you will find that she never received a farthing from the Church to help her support herself and her family; but she paid in thousands of dollars in wheat, potatoes, corn, vegetables, meat, etc. The tithes of her sheep and cattle, the tenth pound of her butter, her tenth chicken, the tenth of her eggs, the tenth pig, the tenth calf, the tenth colt—a tenth of everything she raised was paid. . . . . She prospered because she obeyed the laws of God. . . . That widow was entitled to the privileges of the house of God. No ordinance of the Gospel could be denied her, for she was obedient to the laws of God.
(Jack M. Lyon, Linda Ririe Gundry, Jay A. Parry, Best-Loved Stories of the LDS People, Vol. 1, [Salt Lake City: DeseretBook, 1997].)
Activity:
Instruct the group to close their eyes and each to hold both hands in front of the body, with the index fingers touching and pointing at each other, and about 12 inches from the nose. Announce that you are going to give them a coordination test. Tell them to raise the right hand six inches, lower the left hand six inches, more he right hand six inches away from the body and the left hand six inches toward the body. Continue this type of direction until each one’s fingers should be touching when the group opens their eyes. It is surprising how poorly some people follow instructions.
Gospel application: We should to follow (obey) the gospel teachings.
(Alma Heaton, The LDS Game Book [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968], p. 51.)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Recipe List
"...a merry heart hath a continual feast."
Proverbs 15:15
Main Dishes
Mexican Pork
Italian Spinach Torta
Mexican Lasagna
Desserts
Lemon-Cornmeal Cake
Proverbs 15:15
Main Dishes
Mexican Pork
Italian Spinach Torta
Mexican Lasagna
Desserts
Lemon-Cornmeal Cake
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Family Home Evening
"The First Presidency stated in 1976:
“Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. …
“Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings." I testify that this is as true today as it was almost 30 years ago.
If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched, our wards and branches will grow and prosper, our lives will be purified, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us."
-Pres. Faust
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