Change in Format

I have asked some amazing women to contribute to this blog. So the FHE formats will no longer be listed in weekly posts, but rather I will list all of the Talks and as we do a FHE for that talk we will post a link for the lesson.

The lesson will be accessible through our facebook group LDS Ensign Topics and PDF's in Google Docs.

Enjoy!

"Welcome to Conference" and "The Reason for Our Hope".

 "Welcome to Conference" and "The Reason for Our Hope".

This week will be a little different as I discovered we would need to cover 2 this week. We listened/read "Welcome to Conference" last night and we will be listening and having a lesson on "The Reason for Our Hope." tonight.



We read last night as a family

 "Welcome to Conference".

 One of the points of discussion was 

"As I mentioned in April, when all the previously announced temples are constructed and dedicated, we will have 170 operating temples throughout the world. Because we are concentrating our efforts on completing temples which were previously announced, we are not at the present time announcing any new temples. However, in the future, as we identify needs and locate properties, announcements of additional temples will be made."

We talked about how the church "lives within it's means" and that maybe the demand is high but funds are low. 

We also talked about how maybe in our lives we need to concentrate on completing things in our lives before we take on more so that we aren't spread too thin. 

You could use the following...

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/what-is-general-conference
General conference talks vary in length from about 5 to 20 minutes. Topics are not assigned; each speaker chooses his or her own subject matter. Talks usually cover basic gospel principles or address significant issues of the day, with speakers encouraging individuals and families in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ.

Preparing for Conference and the Benefits of it..

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/prepare-for?lang=eng

Strengthening Faith and Testimony

By Elder Robert D. Hales
Oh, how we need general conference! Through conferences our faith is fortified and our testimonies deepened.... (watch or read more)

Individual Impact of Conference

“If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.” –Jeffrey R. Holland (watch video & read more)

Why We Need Prophets Today?

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Today is not different from ages past. The Lord does not love the people of our day any less than in past times. One of the glorious messages... (read more)

Tonight we will be reading and doing FHE on

 "The Reason for Our Hope"

Materials:

Dry Erase Board (or mirror)

WET Erase Marker (Dry will not work)

Spray Bottle

Rag

Picture of Christ

 

LESSON

Opening Song: Hymn 193: I Stand All Amazed (its a song from the Primary program this year, so it's also great practice!)

ATTENTION QUESTION: Have you ever done or said something that you wish you could undo or take back?

Pres. Packer said. "We may not live perfect lives, and there are penalties for our mistakes, but before we came to earth, we agreed to be subject to His laws and to accept the punishment for violating those laws."

Explain that we did know before we came to earth that we would make mistakes and that we would have to have punishments when we did.

QUESTION: What mistakes do we sometimes make? (write these on the board)

"It would be a difficult world to live in if we could never be forgiven for our mistakes, if we could never purify ourselves and move on."

QUESTION : How would you feel if we could never erase the mistakes that we made? (have one child try and erase the mistakes with the dry towel)

Tell the children:
"The Savior wrought the Atonement, which provides a way for us to become clean."

Show the bottle of water and the picture of Christ. Tell them that we cannot erase our mistake all on our own. We need the cleansing power of the atonement. 

Spray the water on the board, but don't erase yet. 

QUESTION:  Are our sins washed away now? How come? 

Tell the children that the Atonement makes it possible for our sins to be washed away, but we have to do our part to wash them away. We have to go through the repentance process. We have to"Repent and forsake sin" "Listen to and heed His words and the words of His chosen servants" THEN we "will find peace and understanding" we will be forgiven

Those who will repent and forsake sin will find that His merciful arm is outstretched still. Those who listen to and heed His words and the words of His chosen servants will find peace and understanding even in the midst of great heartache and sorrow. The result of His sacrifice is to free us from the effects of sin, that all may have guilt erased and feel hope.

"If we are not aware of what the Savior’s sacrifice can do for us, we may go through life carrying regrets that we have done something that was not right or offended someone. The guilt that accompanies mistakes can be washed away. If we seek to understand His Atonement, we will come to a deep reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ, His earthly ministry, and His divine mission as our Savior."

Bare your testimony about the Atonement. Tell them that they can gain a testimony as they try this in their lives. 

Closing song: Testimony

Conference Family Home Evenings

As a family we started last Conference reading one talk a week, trying to get through all of the talks (except Priesthood and Women's Sessions). We did pretty good, but were short about 6 talks. 

We purchased a Conference edition Ensign for each of our children and gave them a highlighter and a pen.

 Each Sunday we would listen to a talk and encourage them to underline in pen things they did not understand and Highlight things they really liked.

 After we listened to the talk we would discuss the questions and let them share the things they liked. Even our 5-year-old enjoyed highlighting things. He would sometimes surprise us with the things he "accidentally" highlights. We would always read something he "liked". With our 12-year-old Daughter, we sometimes would have to say "OK, only one per page this time"

I have loved the review of the principles within the talks. I have enjoyed hearing the questions and thoughts of my children and husband. 

The men and women who give these talks, pray and ponder and as President Monson said " They have sought heaven’s help concerning the messages which they will present, and they have felt inspiration regarding what will be said. All who have been asked to speak feel a great responsibility in doing so. " I know that they were inspired by God to prepare and share their specific topics. I have been pondering on how to further increase our knowledge, understanding and application of the principles within these talks. So I've have decided that the next 6 months, I will be basing our Family Home Evening off of the talks from the October 2014 LDS General Conference.

“Conference messages … are deserving of our careful review and study.”

—President Thomas S. Monson, “Until We Meet Again,” April 2014 general conference

My goal is to go through all 28 talks (not the priesthood and Women sessions) in 25 weeks. We will be listening and marking on Sunday, then discussing and applying on Monday. I hope to make the lessons fun and intersting. 

So if you'd like join with me in incorporating Conference into your weekly FHE's! 

I'd love to hear any thoughts you had or inspirations for conversation or lessons as you have prayerfully considered what your family needs!