Lesson 26

GOD PLANNED FOR US TO COME TO A FAMILY

Objective: To help us understand the purpose of a family and what we can do to strengthen it.

Lesson ideas:

* The first people on earth were Adam and Eve. (Review the story) They were married by God and eventually had a family. (Genesis 1: 28)

* Jesus came to a family

* Families can be together forever: temple marriage sealed forever.

1. Treasure your spouse and children.

2. Make a genealogy chart.

3. Have family reunions.

4. Have family prayers, family home evenings and family scripture time together.

5. Family fun together.

* Genealogy:  Talk about how your family came to be and also grandparents and their family.

1.  Grandparents to be a second witness of truths and bear their testimonies.

2.  Tell why each person in your family is special.

* Service to each other brings us closer together.

* Attend to your family duties.  This makes being together in a family enjoyable for all.

* Our Homes:  Whether we live in a large home, small apartment or tents (Lehi’s family lived in a tent (1 Nephi 2: 15), we need to make our home a loving home, and do our part to keep it clean.

* Show gratitude for the things provided for us; home, food, and clothing.

* Tell why your home is an UP home (the movie). (Look at activities in this lesson.)

Scriptures:

Bible

Genesis 18:19 children – keep the way of the Lord

Genesis 1:26 make man in our image

Deuteronomy 4:9 teach them thy son’s

Proverbs 22:6 train up a child in the way he

LDS Scriptures

D&C 83:4 have claim upon parents

2 Nephi 25:26 children may know

3 Nephi 18:21  pray in your family

2 Nephi 4:5 brought up in the way

                                                                 

Activities:

* Turn your home into an UP home.  Decorate the home with balloons.  We are an up home because.

1. We enjoy each other’s company.

2. We value each other’s gifts and talents

3. We show great acts of service.

4. We have our own adventure book with the different activities we have done.  See if we can make our book full of wonderful adventures.

a. Song:  “The People on the Bus Go UP and Down,” only say the people in our home go Up, Up, Up all through the years)

b. Make a new adventure book starting with this year and the things you do as a family.

* Play Mother May I

Have one person be the mother on one side of the room and the rest of the children on   the opposite side of the room.  The mother tells a child something like; you can take a giant step or two baby steps.  The child has to say, “Mother, May I” and the mother says, “Yes you may.” The child then takes the steps he was told he could take.  If the child forgets to say, “Mother May I” that child has to go back to the beginning.  The  child who gets to the mother first wins and is allowed to be the mother next. 

* Put paper figures on a stick, one for each member of the family

* Play, “hide and seek” to find the people in your family

* Do a surprise act of kindness for someone in your family.

* The three bears.  We can set aside a day to honor Mama Bear with the story of the 2000 stripling warriors.  Papa Bear when Alma the younger remembers the words his father told him when he is racked with so much pain.  And Baby Bear, who like Nephi, was obedient to his father.

* Write a note for everyone in the family telling what makes that person so special and place it in a box with a lid and have everyone take a note.  The family will read the note and maybe add something else they think makes that person so special.

* Obstacle course.  Have an obstacle course with chairs and tables in the room.  Have a person blindfolded and have a parent tell the child how to get around the obstacle.  (By being obedient the child can move away from the obstacle and be on track.)

* Look at family pictures or movies.

* Genealogy:  Pass out a Genealogy sheet on your family.  Draw a picture of your family or your grandparent’s family.  If a relative is buried nearby, the family can go to their grave site.  Tell a story of a relative that has passed away.

* Pioneers: If your family has pioneer heritage, tell a pioneer story.  A pioneer wagon can be made from a square milk carton and yogurt lids for wheels and pip cleaner for the shape of the wagon top covered with paper or cloth.

* Bean Bag Game (a good family builder as well as a remember game.

1. Take one bean bag and toss it to someone in the circle. That person tosses it to another until everyone in the circle has tossed it to someone.  The game continues with the bean bag being tossed to the same person that it was tossed it to.  See how many times you can go around before the bean bag is dropped.  To make it a little more challenging add a second bean bag and then a third. It becomes a little more challenging to remember whom you tossed it to.

* Name game:  Someone starts the game by going to a person in the circle.  Say the first and second name of the person and say, “I would like your spot.” Have everyone have a turn.  If playing with cousins it’s a good way to remember their whole name.

* Read the poem “Which Loved Best.”

Which Loved Best

By Joy Allison

“I Love you Mother” said little John;

Then forgetting his work, his cap went on

And he was off to the garden swing,

Leaving his mother the wood to bring.

“I love you Mother” said rosy Nell.

“I love you better than tongue can tell.”

Then she teased and pouted full half the day.

Till her mother was glad when she went to play.

“I love you, Mother,” said little Fan;

“Today I’ll help you all that I can;

How glad I am that school doesn’t keep!”

So she rocked the babe till it fell asleep.

Then stepping softly, she took the broom,

And swept the floor, and dusted the room.

Busy and happy all day was she;

Helpful and happy as a child could be.

“I love you, Mother,” again they said,

Three little children going to bed;

How do you think that mother guessed

Which of them really loved her best?

Songs:

Hymns

# 301 I Am I Child of God

# 300 Families Can Be Together Forever

# 291 Turn Your Hearts

# 298 Homes Can Be a Heaven on Earth

Children’s Songbook

# 198 A Happy Family

# 261 Here We Are Together

# 188 Families Can Be Together Forever

# 198 When We’re Helping We’re Happy