Anger

Opening Song: Tyler "Choose the Right"

Opening Prayer: Dad
Scripture: Dylan

Lesson: Mom

We have had a few problems with anger this week and I really liked this idea from The Family Home Evening Spot.


Sometimes we are mean to those we should love the most. Do you sometimes get angry or sad at Mommy or Daddy or your brothers and sisters? Why should we try our hardest to Love our family and not get angry at them?

Using This Idea from FHE in a Snap
Using a can of cream, squeeze cheese or a travel size toothpaste - Have a member of your family squeeze some cheese or toothpaste out. Then ask him/her to put the cheese/toothpaste/cream back into the can. Of course, this is impossible. Angry words, name calling, mean comments, or hitting siblings are very easy to say/do. But it is difficult and maybe impossible to fix the damage done by angry words.

We must all try better to be happy and kind and have less anger.


Activity:

Introduce The Magic Heart Idea found at Unplug Your Kids.

When someone is angry (or sad, playing up, having a tantrum) The Magic Heart goes to whoever needs it most to remind them that they are loved. That person must keep the heart in a safe place. The recipient keeps the heart until another family member is overcome with sadness or anger, then that person passes it along to the new person in need.

Make a banging place (a safe place for the person to be able to hit things together like pillows, pots and pans or something else). Talk about how sometimes we need some time out when we get angry. We need some space to cool off and when we are calm we can join the family again. Or if BEFORE we get angry we can remember the Banging Place and go there for some alone time and make some noisefor stress relief. When someone is angry or not behaving the right way to their family - suggest some time at the Banging Place.

Closing Song: Dylan Families can be Together Forever
Prayer: Tyler

Jesus Walks on the Water

Song: Families Can Be Together Forever
Prayer: Tyler

Scripture: Dylan

Lesson: Tyler
Tyler read the story of Jesus Walking on the Water from the Friend

We talked about what miracles are and how Peter had to have Faith to be able to walk with Jesus. If we have faith, we can do whatever we are asked to do.

Song: I am a Child of God
Prayer: Arthur

Fire Safety

Song: Do as I'm Doing
Prayer: Dylan
Scripture: Arthur
Exodus 19:18

Lesson: I borrowed many ideas from Sugardoodle's lesson on Fire Safety

What is Fire?
Can Fire be good? Cooking, keeping us warm
Can Fire be dangerous? Can burn us, our home, mountains and forests
What do we have in our house that can warn us about fires? Smoke Alarm
Show pictures of firefighters in full gear. Sometimes they can be scary to kids. Teach the kids that they should not be afraid of firefighters.
What should we do in case of a fire in the house?

• Get out of house as quickly as possible (don't stop for toys or anything)
• Stay low on the ground
• In bedroom - open window and jump out of window. If you can't get around the house to the front yard, go to the bottom of the yard near the fence. If you can get around the house, go to Carlos house
• Upstairs, if safe, go outside and walk to Carlos house. If you can't make it out the front of the house, open a window, put a towel outside the window and wait for help. Do not jump out the window.
  
• We will all meet at Carlos' house or at the bottom of our backyard.
• If you catch fire, stop drop and roll

How can we prevent fires? Never play with candles, matches or lighters. Stay away from the stove
Activities: Practice escape route, practice Stop Drop and Roll

Song: Families Can Be Together Forever
Prayer: Tyler

Service

Song: Love One Another
Prayer: Tyler
Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: Service
Do you know what it means to serve someone? It means to help someone.

Read: A Prophet's Love (Friend Magazine, October, 2009)

How did the Prophet Serve?
Was it easy for him to serve?
What challenges made service hard for him?
Who was blessed by his service?

Activity: Cut up strips of paper. On each paper strip, list one idea of how we can serve each other. Make one strip for each step. Have the children put the paper strips on the stairs. When finished, walk up the steps reading the examples of service.

Song: The Helping Song
Prayer: Dylan

Nephi is Commanded to Build a Ship

Song: Book of Mormon Stories
Prayer: Dylan

Scripture: Tyler 1 Nephi 17:7-8

Lesson: Kerri

Nephi is Commanded to Build a Ship
(This lesson is a modified version of the one found here on LDSfamilyfun.com)

We reviewed the story of how Nephi is commanded by the Lord to build a ship. We emphasized that Nephi did not have any prior knowlege of how to build a ship before he was given this commandment. Because of his faith in the Lord, he accepted the calling and followed the Lord's council. Laman and Lemuel mocked their brother. They were not faithful and could not understand how Nephi would be able to complete this huge task. They confronted Nephi, so he put out his hands and shocked his brothers. They repented and then helped Nephi build the ship.

Print and prepare the Ship Activity Sheets found in the Activity Section Here - I would recommend printing this in color. It is also a lot more intricate than previously thought. We ended up having Arthur put the ships together, while the boys colored the coloring sheets. As they colored, I reviewed the following questions with them:

1. What was Nephi Commanded to build (A ship) - Fold A to inside
2. Who showed Nephi how to build the ship? (The Lord) - Fold B toward inside
3. What did Nephi need to make tools to build the ship? (Ore) - Fold C toward inside
4. Had Nephi ever built a ship before (No) - Fold D toward inside
5. Who mocked Nephi? (Laman & Lemuel) - Insert E into F. Fold flat and tape to hold
6. What happened to Laman & Lemuel when they mocked Nephi for building the ship? (Nephi streteched out his hand and the Lord shocked them) - Fold G toward inside
7. Did Laman and Lemuel repent and help Nephi build the ship? (Yes) - Fold H toward inside
8. Why did the Lord want Nephi to build a ship? (So they could cross the water to the Promised Land) - Insert I into J. Point on bow whould point away from boat. Tape to hold
9. Why did Nephi know he could build a ship? (He had trust in the Lord) - With printed sides facing out - tape sales together at mast

Closing Prayer: Arthur

The Brass Plates

Song: Book of Mormon Stories
Prayer: Dylan

Lesson: Tyler

The Brass Plates

Tyler told the story about how Lehi asked Nephi and his brothers to return to Jerusalem to retrieve the Brass Plates. He emphasized how Nephi listened to his father and was happy to do what he asked. His brothers, on the other hand, were not good listeners and complained quite a bit. Then we talked about how Lehi was proud of Nephi for following the commandment to get the Brass Plates. Thanks to his diligence, we are able to read their stories in the Book of Mormon.

Song: Jingle Bells (Dylan's choice)
Prayer: Tyler

Sacrament Helps me Remember Jesus

Song: Reverently, Quietly (#26)
Prayer: Tyler

Scripture: Arthur
Luke 22:19-20

Lesson: What was the scripture about? Sacrament

(This lesson came from the Nursery Manual Lesson 27)

Story: Right before Jesus was going to return to his Father, he sat with his Apostles and taught them about the Sacrament. Because they would not see him, he asked them to take the Sacrament and to remember Him. After Christ was crucified and Resurrected, he visited with the Nephites. He taught them about the Sacrament as well. He wanted them to take the Sacrament and always remember Him. So, this is something that we do as well. When we take the Sacrament, we remember Jesus.

What are we supposed to think about when we take the Sacrament? Jesus
Hold up a picture of Jesus
What are we supposed to think about when we eat the bread? Jesus' Body
What are we supposed to think about when we drink the water? Jesus' Blood

Hold up picture of Family taking the Sacrament
What do you notice about the family? Are the kids playing, screaming, or fighting when they take the Sacrament? Are they under the bench playing? No, they are sitting reverently.
What are the Mom and Dad doing in the picture? Sitting Reverently
What do you think the family is thinking about? Jesus
When we sit reverently, we can think about Jesus.

Activity - we cut out the pictures of the kids taking the Sacrament and colored them. I then compiled them into a book. We will take these books to church to remind the family how to behave during the Sacrament.

Prayer: Dylan

Work

Song: Families Can Be Together Forever
Prayer: Arthur
Scripture: Dylan

Lesson: Kerri

Work (from http://www.ldssplash.com/fhe/fhe_lessons/work/work.htm)

What is work? Where does Daddy go everyday? (work) How does his work bless us? (he earns money to support us as a family). Do we work here at home? How do we work at home?

How do you feel when you have done your chores?

Heavenly Father wants us to learn how to work because it helps us be more like Him.

Read and talk about each line of the song "Put your Shoulder to the Wheel"

The world has need of willing men
Who wear the workers seal
Come, help the good work move along
Put you shoulder to the wheel

Put your shoulder to the wheel push along.
Do your duty with a heart full of song.
We all have work, let no one shirk
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

Younger children:
Memorize the song "Put your Shoulder to the Wheel" Put tape on the back of the visual aids and tape them on the wall as needed.

The world has need of willing men (Blue suited worker)
Who wear the workers seal (tape seal on workers shirt)
Come, help the good work move along (man yelling HELP!)
Put you shoulder to the wheel (put shoulder on wheel)

Put your shoulder to the wheel push along. (point at shoulder on wheel, then put up people pushing boulder)
Do your duty with a heart full of song. (heart with music)
We all have work, let no one shirk (two hands working, kid watching T.V.)
Put your shoulder to the wheel. (point to shoulder and wheel again)

Song: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

Prayer: Tyler

Activity: Yogurtland

Disneyland

Today was Arthur's Birthday, so we celebrated by going to California Adventure.

Love One Another

Song: Love at Home
Prayer: Dylan
Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: Love One Another

We are using this lesson from Stephanie Hawkins that I found on the SugerDoodle website.

Activity: Hide and Seek

Song: Families can be Together Forever
Prayer: Tyler

Mini Golf

This week for FHE, we went over to a local Miniature Golf course to play golf.

Priesthood

Song: Love is Spoken Here (Children's Songbook #190)
Prayer: Dylan
Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: The Priesthood Blesses Our Family

I used a Lesson 28 from the Nursery Manual to teach about the Priesthood:

Tell the children that the priesthood is God’s power; God gives the priesthood to older boys and men so that they can bless their families and others.

Blessing Babies:
Show the picture on page 118 and invite the children to pretend to hold a baby. Explain that babies can be blessed and given a name by men who have the priesthood.

Blessing the Sick:
Show the illustration on page 119 of a blessing for the sick. Tell the children that a person who has the priesthood can bless those who are sick so that they can feel better. Turn to the picture on page 26. Point to Jesus and explain that in this picture Jesus is blessing someone who is blind.

Sacrament:
Show the picture on page 114. Remind the children that we take the sacrament each Sunday. Explain that it is prepared, blessed, and passed by those who have the priesthood.
Activity: Put together the Priesthood FlipBook to reinforce what we use the Priesthood for:


Additional Activity: Play Robot - from LDS Living Magazine
Have Dad be the robot. Little children sit on his shoulders, larger ones control him standing beside him. Two taps on his head tell him to go forward. One tap means to stop. A tug on the right ear means to go to the right, and a tug on the left ear means turn left. Let everyone have a turn “controlling” Dad. Remind the family that Dad holds the priesthood and that gives him the authority to act in God’s name. When he is using the priesthood, he needs to listen to God and follow His commands.

Song: Tyler's Choice
Prayer: Tyler

Easter Eggs

Song: Tell me the Stories of Jesus
Prayer: Dylan
Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: Easter Eggs

We had 13 Easter Eggs filled with items to represent the story of Easter. As the kids opened the eggs, we would tell how the item represented a part of the story.

Song: Do As I'm Doing
Prayer: Tyler

Easter Shoes

Song: Did Jesus Really Live Again (p.64)
Prayer: Dylan

Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: I used this lesson from the Friend (April 2007 Sharing Time Idea #2)

Display three shoe boxes, and ask the children to raise their hands if they like to try on new shoes. Explain that you want them to imagine trying on some other people's shoes, but more important you want them to imagine what it would be like to actually be that person. One by one, take out a pair of shoes from each box. (You can also display pictures or drawings of shoes.)

Boots: Show a pair of boots to represent the soldiers who guarded Jesus's tomb. Use detail to tell the story in such a way that the children can imagine being there when Jesus Christ was laid in the tomb.

Sandals: Use a pair of sandals to tell the story of Mary Magdalene. Ask the children how it might have felt to have been at the garden tomb when the resurrected Savior appeared.

Church Shoes: Last, show a pair of shoes that children in your area commonly wear. Ask how it feels to be a member of the Church and to have the knowledge that you will be resurrected because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Bear testimony that the Easter story is the most glorious story in the world. Testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died and was resurrected.

Song: Children's Choice

Prayer: Tyler

Easter - Atonement

Song: Did Jesus Really Live Again
Prayer: Dylan

Scripture: Arthur

Lesson: We did this lesson again to teach about the Atonement

Song: I am a Child of God
Prayer: Tyler

My Family

Song: I have a Family Tree
Prayer: Dylan

Lesson: Arthur

My Family

We used this lesson from the Friend to teach about our family.

We used representations for our Grandparents, parents, 2 boys, and a baby (for the baby soon-to-be born).

We took turns by saying something that we love about each family member. Once we finished talking about that family member, we put them next to the home.

We emphasized that our home is a place where our family can feel loved.

Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Prayer: Tyler

Gospel Bingo

Today we played Gospel Bingo with M&M's. This is a favorite game for the kids and they learn a little about gospel principles.

See this post for a full description.

Chinese New Year

Since today is Chinese New Year, we will be celebrating!

On Saturday, we went to eat some Dim Sum with some good friends at Empress Pavillion in China Town.

Tonight, we will order some good Chinese food, and make Chinese Lanterns, and Glitter Fireworks.

Following in Jesus Footsteps

Song: Tell me the Stories of Jesus
Prayer: Arthur

Lesson: Jesus lived on Earth to teach us how to live. We needed someone to show us and teach us the things that are most important in this life. Jesus was that perfect teacher. Even though he lived a long time ago, we still follow in his footsteps by doing the things that he did.

Activity: Footstep Activity

I used an activity I found online (see the link above). I printed off pictures from Christ's life and footsteps. Each picture had a pair of footsteps to go with it. The pictures were then taped to the floor all around our house. The boys took turns "following" in Jesus' footsteps by walking around the room and placing their feet on the footstep. We then talked about each part of Christ's life and whether or not we would do those things in our lives. At the end of the path was a plate of cookies for all of use to enjoy.

Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Prayer: Tyler

New Baby

Song: Families Can be Together Forever
Prayer: Dylan

Lesson: We discussed that we would soon have a new baby in the family and how excited and blessed we are. Then we watched the video of the ultrasound to show the kids what the baby looks like right now.

Song: I am a Child of God
Prayer: Tyler