Families Can Be Together Forever

FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER

“The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”- The Family: A Proclamation to theWorld

Opening Song: “Families Can Be Together Forever” Hymn 300

Mormon Message: The Blessings of the Temple

“Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the church point to the Lord and His Holy House.”- Elder Nelson

Read: Prepare for the Blessings ofthe Temple by Elder Nelson

• Ask for other’s insights from the talk by Elder Nelson

• “Ordinances of the temple provide for reconciliation with the Lord and seal families together forever. Obedience to the sacred covenants made in temples qualifies us for eternal life—the greatest gift of God to man.”

o   We must go to the temple and perform the ordinances and make the covenants in order to have eternal life.

• Elder Nelson talks about preparing for the temple. Everything we do and teach our children and youth in the church should be pointing them towards the temple. We must be worthy to enter into His house to be sealed to our families forever. This applies not only to children and youth, but to parents and leaders. They must remain faithful to the covenants made in the temple.

I always had a strong desire to go to the temple since I was a young child. I remember singing the primary song, “I Love to See the Temple”, and really looking forward to the day when I would get to go inside someday. In my youth, I tried my hardest to remain faithful and worthy to have a temple recommend to perform Baptisms for the dead. All my projects I completed for Personal Progress were geared towards helping me get to the temple. I always dressed modestly, kept the law of chastity, strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ, and kept the word of wisdom. I maintained my worthiness and was eventually able to receive my own endowment and be sealed to my eternal companion. It was well worth the wait, and I am so glad I was prepared to make those covenants with God. Now, I am already in the habit of being temple worthy, and my husband and I are able to attend the temple to do work for the dead together. Nothing can compare to the temple, and I am grateful that I have the knowledge that I will be with my husband and future children forever.

Closing Song: “I Love To See the Temple” (Children’sSongbook)

Helping Out

HELPING OUT

“Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

-The Family: AProclamation to the World

Opening song: Have I Done Any Good in the World Today? Hymn 223

Mormon Message: Have I Done Any Good In the World Today?

Ask:

• How can we relate President Monson’s message to our families?
• Do you give service in your family and homes?
• Do you have chores you do together?

Importance of family work:

• Read Moses 5:1-3

o   What example was set by our first parents, Adam and Eve?

o   Did they labor alone, or did the children help them?

o   They had to leave the ease of the Garden of Eden in order to receive the blessings of work and to follow the Savior.

• Family work provides opportunities to recognize and fill others’ needs and teaches us to be more like the Savior by serving others.

o   Mormon message: Unselfish Service 

• Working as a family helps us learn and grow together 
• “We are so thoroughly convinced that the relationship itself, abstract and apart from life, is what matters that, a relationship free from lasting obligations--to marriage, children, or family labor--is fast becoming the ideal. At every turn, we are encouraged to seek an Eden-like bliss where we enjoy life's bounties without working for them and where we don't have to have children, at least not interrupting whatever we're doing. However, back to Eden is not onward to Zion” – Family work

• We need to be careful not to believe that a life away from work and obligations is ideal. Work is the way we come closer and grow together.

• Family work links us together

o   “Some people dislike family work because, they say, it is mindless. Yet chores that can be done with a minimum of concentration leave our minds free to focus on one another as we work together. We can talk, sing, or tell stories as we work. Working side by side tends to dissolve feelings of hierarchy, making it easier for children to discuss topics of concern with their parents. Unlike play, which usually requires mental concentration as well as physical involvement, family work invites intimate conversation between parent and child”- FamilyWork

o   When I graduated high school, I was able to take a trip to Africa with my sister, Mandi. We went with a group called Mother’s Without Borders. While we were there we had the opportunity to give service for the people there, and helped to build an orphanage for some children without a place to life. It was an amazing experience. My sister and I become so close on that trip. We painted together, we sang together, we had opportunities to talk and understand each other better, and we learned important life lessons together. Because we worked together and served together, we will always have a special connection unlike the relationships I have with my 4 other siblings.

Closing Song: “When We’re Helping” (Children's Songbook)

What is in Our Home?

What is in Our Home?

“Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

-The Family: A Proclamation to the World (Link to Proclamation) 

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

Articles of Faith 1:13

Opening Song: Choose The Right (hymn 239)

Read the Entertainment and Media section in “For the Strength of Youth” and each person write down things that stick out to you. (Entertainment and Media )

• Have others share their thoughts
• “Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you.” we can’t just think that things aren’t affecting us or that we are “immune” to them.
• “Satan uses media to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal, humorous, or exciting.” He is good at what he does. We can see Satan’s work in advertisements on TV for alcohol and other things that would harm our Spirits.
• “Have the courage to walk out of a movie, change your music, or turn off a computer, television, or mobile device if what you see or hear drives away the Spirit.” We have the Spirit with us to help protect us from the world. If we put ourselves in situations where the Spirit can’t reside, we are letting ourselves become vulnerable and subject to Satan.
• “Take care that your use of media does not dull your sensitivity to the Spirit or interfere with your personal relationships with others… Be careful that your use of social media does not replace spending time with your family and friends.” While the media can be good and useful to us, it can also be overused and harm our personal relationships. Keeping in touch with people through the internet or texting can be good, but spending time with your family is better.

What are some things we can do as a family to make sure the entertainment in our home is uplifting? (make a list)

·         Suggestions:

o   Look at video games and movies you own- get rid of those that don’t invite the Spirit

o   Discuss time limits on the internet and other entertainment

o   Talk about ways the family can spend more quality time together without the need for technology/media

o   Talk about internet safety- make sure kids know how to be safe online and on their phones

Personal Experience:

In my family, we discussed what we could do better in our lives to keep the things that don't invite the Spirit out of our home. We decided to go through our video games and get rid of the ones that are not uplifting. We had a few that had an M rating for violence. We decided we didn't want that in our home, especially with our children being exposed to it. It felt nice to rid ourselves of those games, and we have found that we really don't miss them at all. They weren't making us better, and they were actually harming the Spirit in our home.

Read and discuss Elder Bednar’s fireside talk, “Things as They Really Are” June 2010

And/or watch this video 

Closing Song: Let the Holy Spirit Guide (hymn 143)

Forgiveness in our Families

Forgiveness in Families

“Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

-The Family: A Proclamation to the World (Link to the Proclamation) 

Opening Song: Help Me, Dear Father (Children’s Songbook) 

Who has ever been offended? How did you feel in that situation?

Have you ever forgiven someone? How did that feel?

Doesn’t it feel better to forgive than to hold onto things that have offended us? 

Scriptures on Forgiveness:

•  D&C 64:10- we are commanded to forgive others
• Moroni 6:8- God forgives us as often as we need. To forgive others is divine. 
•  D&C 89:39-40- we should forgive our enemies. Whether or not they come asking for our forgiveness.

How Do We Forgive? (taken from “Successful Marriages and Families" by Hawkins, Dollahite, and Draper)

1.       Recall the hurt- Sometimes we try to just forget, but to forgive we have to be clear about the wrongdoing.

2.       Empathize- We need to understand the offender’s feelings to forgive.

3.       Offer the altruistic gift of forgiveness- This is easier when you are humble and aware of your own shortcomings.

4.       Commit publicly to forgive- Making the forgiveness formal by telling someone about it gives you a better chance of really forgiving.

5.       Hold on to forgiveness- Move forward. Don’t dwell on the offense but remember you have chosen to forgive. 

More Thoughts on Forgiveness

• “To forgive is good, but to forgo -- to not take offense in the first place such that we need to forgive something -- is better, higher, and holier.”- Bonds That Make Us Free

•  Forgoing is not only better, but easier! Make your life easier and choose not to be offended.

•  “It ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.” –Elder Bednar (And Nothing Shall Offend Them) 

• Prayer helps to heal relationships. Pray and ask Heavenly Father to help you forgive and to restore harmony to your relationships.

·         Additional readings on forgiveness

o   Forgiveness talk by Gordon B. Hinckley October 2005

o   DivineForgiveness talk by Ronald E. Poelman October 1993

o   Peace ofConscience and Peace of Mind talk by Richard G. Scott October 2004

o   AndNothing Shall Offend Them talk by David A. Bednar October 2006

Watch this video on forgiveness:

Closing Song: “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook)