FHE: 4th Article of Faith

I loosely used the lesson from here.  I had my 4-year old and 2-year old put on boots, a coat, a hat and mittens as suggested, but it totally went over their heads.  They were much too concerned with what they were wearing to listen to me.  I completely thought it would have been a great idea, but I guess they need to be older.  They loved the video, though (and I do too...) and they watched it 4 times while eating their treat.

FHE: Fathers

This would have been a better FHE last week, and we could have talked about the upcoming father's day and about appreciating our father.

It ended up being pretty bad... We watched a movie from the mormon channel about fathers (that I hadn't made time to see yet) and it was a good movie, but not at all interesting to my 4-year old, and though my 2-year old claimed to have liked it, I know it was waaaay over her head.  My husband was not here tonight and things were quite chaotic and my 4-year old was evidently exhausted and grumpy and I just called it quits, though I would have liked to have talked about fathers and what our daddy does for us and how we can show him we appreciate him.  In the future, maybe write letters or write on hearts or something things we love about our daddy.  I bed that would have gone over much better.

Scripture Spotlight- Jacob 4:6-7

6.  "Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea."
7. "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."

The power of faith is incredible!  Yet, we must humble ourselves or we will have the unfortunate experience of being reminded of why we should be humble.

FHE: Joseph F. Smith

I confess, last Monday we skipped FHE for our yearly neighborhood BBQ....  which is really throwing a wrench in my topic plans (I planned them out for the whole year...) I'm not sure which topic to drop!

Anyway, this month, the inside back cover of the friend's "Portrait of a Prophet" is about Joseph F. Smith.  I used that for the visual, but I didn't really read much from it.  Instead, I read a few blurbs from this, making sure to point out President Smith's relationship to Joseph Smith, talked about his father dying at the same age of my son (4), driving the oxen at age 7, serving several missions- his first at 16, and that he is the first prophet to encourage Family Home Evening!

It was short, but the kids seemed to be listening.

Scripture Spotlight- 2 Nephi 10:16

There are always a lot of questions about who "the great and abominable church" that is "the whore of all the Earth" might be.  In this verse it says that anyone who "fighteth against Zion"... "are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me"

Perhaps it's not a particular church/religion, just anyone against God.  I always hate specific accusations.  Next time I hear one, I'll bring up this verse.

Scripture Spotlight- 2 Ne 9:28-29

This happens to be a scripture mastery.  I know myself and my tendencies, and this is a good one for me to keep in the forefront of my thoughts:
28. "O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men!  When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.  And they shall perish."
29. "But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels fo God."

Scripture Spotlight- 2 Ne 9:23-24

To be saved all men must:
1) repent
2) be baptized in his name,
3) have perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel (Christ)
4) endure to the end

Scripture Spotlight- 2 Nephi 9

I just want to remember for myself, that for information about the Plan of Salvation (why we're here, where we came from, where we're going...) it's all in 2 Nephi, chapter 9.

Scripture Spotlight: 1 Ne 15:8-9

I'm noticing a pattern in 1 Ne (and I know I'm not the first).  Something hard happens, Lamen and Lemuel murmur/become stiff-necked/try to kill Nephi, but then are compelled to be humble by a long sermon from Nephi or some kind of miracle (angel visits, the power of God manifest through Nephi).

You'd think after witnessing miracles, there would be no doubting, but that is not enough.  They had not developed the habit of gaining a testimony through "Inquiring of the Lord" and perhaps had not tried to gain personal testimonies, but are riding on those of their father and brother.

We know, eventually, they fall away.

Note to self: help my children and others in my stewardship gain a desire to have a  personal testimony.

Scripture Spotlight 1 Ne 15:3

About Lehi telling of his visions to Laman and Lemuel:

For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord;

I think this can be generally true, but isn't it so great that we can personally inquire of the Lord and get answers for ourselves?  (As Nephi did concerning the teachings of his father)

Scripture Spotlight: 1 Ne 10:21

"Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever."

I'm hoping this means that even if you only "sought" to do righteously, you've got a chance :)

Scripture Spotlight: 1 Ne 10:19

For He that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost....

I will share this scripture on Sunday for our first "Scripture Spotlight" and encouraged the girls in Young Women to read with a question they desire to have answered, because I know the scriptures can answer any life question.

Scripture Spotlight 1 Ne 9:6

But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.