For tonight's Family Home Evening the topic in which I have chosen is:
Recognizing and Expressing Thanksgiving/Gratitude
Preparation: 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.
Download and Print these, free printables:
Invite a member of the family member say the prayer
Discuss any family business
Follow-up with last weeks FHE.
Scripture: Read: D&C 78:17-19
Family Home Evening Instruction:
Show your family Timmy Turkey and tell the following story (Cut out the turkey beforehand and place the heart feathers on the back):
"There was once a little turkey, his name was Timmy. Timmy turkey had the most beautiful feathers, they were fluffy and colorful, like the beautiful leaves that turn in the fall. Everyone in town loved Timmy's feathers. One day, Timmy was walking through town, trying to make it back home for a family dinner when he saw his old school teacher, she looked very tired and needed somewhere to sit down. Timmy thought about his school teacher and all the time she spent teaching him the things he needed to know. He really wanted to show her how grateful he was for her. He quickly went over and plucked one of his fluffiest and prettiest feathers out and laid it on the ground so she would have somewhere comfortable to sit. He then told his teacher how grateful he was for that extra time she spent helping him practice his letters.
He then continued his walk through town, when he saw the old town doctor carrying some supplies to his car, he could tell the doctor had been working really hard that day, because he had beads of sweat resting on his forehead. Timmy thought about the time he was not feeling well and the doctor made a special visit to his home and gave him a lollipop to help him feel better. Timmy decided that he wanted to show the doctor how grateful he was for him, so he went over to the doctor and plucked out one of his fluffy feathers and gave it to the doctor to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He then told the doctor how grateful he was for the care that the doctor shows to his patience and for taking the time to make a special visit to his home when he was sick.
Timmy hurried on his way, he didn't get much further before he noticed one of his best friends, George, sitting on the ground crying and holding his foot. Timmy went over to see what was wrong, as he walked he thought about how when he first moved in and had no friends, George came over to his house and invited him to play. When he made it to George he noticed that he had a scrape on his foot. Timmy decided that he wanted to show George how grateful he was for his friendship. So he plucked one of his fluffy feathers out and gave it to George to wrap around his scrape. He then helped George up and told him how grateful he was for George's friendship and how it meant so much to him that he would include him when he was so lonely.
He looked up at the sun and saw that it was about to touch the mountains and realized that he did not have much time to return home. His house was insight and he was zoned into his front door. But before he could reach home he saw his Father out in the road working on their old car. Dad's hands were worn and covered in grease. Timmy looked at his father, he thought about the long hours his dad puts in each day to provide for his family. He thought about the time he was trying to learn how to ride his bike and the time and patience his dad spent in showing him how to balance. Timmy wanted to show his dad the immense gratitude he felt towards him. He walked over to dad, plucked out one of his feathers and handed it to him to wipe his greasy hands on. As he saw one of his last feathers covering his dad's greasy worn hands, he told his dad how grateful he was for the hard work he spends to make sure he is taken care of. He gave his dad a hug and hurried to the front door.
Timmy entered his home and saw his mother busily trying to finish dinner and his baby sister crying in he nest. Timmy thought of his mom and was filled with overflowing emotions of gratitude. Gratitude for the times she tucked him in bed at night, for the times she knew just what to say when he had a bad day at school, for all she did in taking care of him and his sister. He quickly walked over to his baby sister, how could he show his mom that he appreciated her. He plucked out his last feather, this feather was his favorite, it was so soft and fluffy. He placed the feather carefully under his baby sister's head. She quickly settled down and fell fast asleep. He noticed that mom had stopped fixing dinner and was standing there watching him. He ran over to his mom and gave her a big hug. He told his mother that he loved her and that he was so grateful for each and every thing that she did each day for him. Mom hugged him back. She asked Timmy where all of his feathers had gone. Timmy told her about each of the people he had stopped and showed gratitude to on the way home. As Timmy was telling his mom about the walk home, he looked up at her face, it shown with happiness, her eyes glistened and her smile beamed. She gave her son a hug. Timmy was filled with happiness." (Story by Kim Chase, Nov. 1. 2015)
Ask your family why was Timmy filled with happiness even though all of his beautiful feathers were gone? Discuss with your family, that having an attitude of gratitude can bring us great happiness.
Give each of your family member's one of the heart feathers, a card and an envelope. Invite your family to think about someone they would like to show appreciation to. Have them write or draw on the card a note of appreciation to that person. Place the card and the heart in the envelope and encourage them to give it to that person.
Read this quote:
"The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” (President Joseph F. Smith, Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 263.)
Explain that gratitude is a divine gift. Our Heavenly Father has asked us to show gratitude and to express it to him in all things. Our Heavenly Father has given us all! All that we have, all that we are comes from him. Invite your family to share ways they can recognize and express gratitude to their Father in Heaven. Why are people who are grateful more happy??? Because they focus on the good, they recognize and are appreciative for the things that they do have. They the express that appreciation. When we recognize that all comes from God, we will be filled with an overwhelming sense of appreciation, we will recognize all of the blessings he has given us and we will seek to bless others to show our appreciation to HIM. We will have a change of heart and our attitude will be one of gratitude, always.
Encourage your family to recognize each day, something they are grateful for to write it on the gratitude calendar or draw a small picture about it each day.
Close by sharing testimonies of gratitude.
Close with a Family Prayer.
Want a fun idea for a treat???
Decorate turkey cookies or Heart cookies. Take the cookies to someone you are grateful for.
Do you want more FHE about GRATITUDE??? Here you go:
- Family Home Evening on An Attitude of Gratitude based on a talk by President Monson
- LDS Sharing Time September 2014 Week 1: I show my gratitude by offering thanks for all my blessings.
- Becoming Prepared: Pursuit of Excellence: Learn to Be Grateful and Express Appreciation
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