Life's Journey To Perfection: Family Home Evening on Developing Talents (passes off a Faith in God Requirement)

I hope and pray that you can use these ideas as a guideline and adjust them to the needs of your own specific family. Our prophet President Monson says, "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." On Lds.org there are resources available in helping to make your Family Home Evenings successful, here is a link to that site on Family Home Evenings.

For tonight's Family Home Evening the topic in which I have chosen is: Developing Talents (passes off a Faith in God Requirement)

Preparation: Read "Talents Are for Sharing" from the October 1993 Liahona magazine. Read "Idea List: Unearthing Your Talents" from Sept. 1998 New Era Magazine. Prepare the "Talent cards"(see printable below). Write talents on the cards. Prepare the "I will Develop and Share my talents printable"

Welcome everyone to Family Night

Sing: "Give, Said the Little Stream" Children's Song Book Pg 236

Have a member of the family member say the prayer

Discuss any family business

Follow-up with last weeks FHE.

Introduce this weeks Topic: Developing Talents (passes off a Faith in God Requirement)

Scripture: Read and Mark: D&C 82:18

Article of Faith: #6: "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."

Family Home Evening Instruction:

Begin family night by giving each family member a certain amount of "Talent Cards". For example: you might give one family member one and another family member 2 and another 5. (Before hand you should have written talents on the cards, I left them blank so if you had specif talents for a certain person you could do that) Have each family member read their cards and think about the talent they have been given. Then ask each family member if they would be willing to share that talent. If a family member decides to share their talent give them another talent. If they choose not to share that talent, take that talent away and give it to the person with the most talents.

Play the video "The Parable of the Talents".
Explain that Heavenly Father has given each of us talents. It is our choice to either hide the talents we have been given or to develop and share our talents with others. If we hide our talents then we will loose them. If we develop and share our talents then we will gain more talents and will be further blessed.

"We may look on our daily work merely as chores. However, when we perform these tasks in a spirit of loving service to husband, children, family, and friends, we bring joy to ourselves and others. To cook a tasteful meal, study for a class, cultivate a garden, write a letter, kindly encourage a friend or family member—all these efforts are improving talents.

God then grants an increase by blessing us with new talents. Often these are qualities of character. We learn to understand the needs of those we serve and to show patience, affection, tolerance, and generosity." ("Talents Are for Sharing" from the October 1993 Liahona magazine)

Share these ideas for developing talents:

Found in "Idea List: Unearthing Your Talents" from Sept. 1998 New Era Magazine.

• Spend some time each day perfecting a talent or skill you already have.
• Don’t be afraid to try new things.
• Read your patriarchal blessing to see what natural gifts are mentioned there.
• Expose yourself to new activities. If you generally excel in sports, try something in the arts, or vice versa.
• Read about the qualities the Savior possessed, such as charity, selflessness, and forgiveness. Since we all have the ability to eventually become like him, we should work diligently on developing these Christlike attributes.
• Pray that the Lord will help make your weakness into strength as he promised in Ether 12:27.
• Choose someone you admire to be your role model and find out what they did to develop their talents.
• Participate in the New Era contest this year.
• Choose a project in the Young Women, Duty to God Award, or Scouting programs that is different from the projects or values you usually choose. This is a great way to introduce yourself to new activities.
• Look to your roots to see what talents your ancestors had. This could give you clues as to what natural abilities you may have, since some talents are inherited.

• Plan to look semi-ridiculous while trying new things. It’s bound to happen. You may find you don’t have a natural knack for certain activities, but by trying new things, you’ll be gaining courage and the ability to laugh at yourself.

Explain that as a family we are going to learn a new talent together. Teach each family member how to lead and sing the song, "I am a Child of God" from the Children's Songbook.

Invite each family member to fill out the "I will Develop and Share my Talents" paper (see below printable).

Invite family members to bear their testimonies about how developing talents helps prepare us for service to Heavenly Father and others.

Close with a Family Prayer.

Free Printables:

Free Download