Family Home Evening Lesson #68: WHEN WE SERVE OTHERS, WE SERVE GOD

1. Opening Prayer

2. Sing "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" Children's Songbook pg. 78

3. Read Mosiah 2:17  And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

4. Read and discuss the following from the November, 2010 Friend:

I could tell Mom was upset by the look on her face as she hung up the phone.

“Who was it?” I asked.

“That was Tim’s mom,” Mom said.

Tim was a friendly boy from my class in school last year. He was a good basketball player, and once he brought his pet lizard to class.

Mom sat down next to me on the couch. “Tim’s mom said the doctors just found out that Tim has cancer,” she said.

Mom explained that cancer is a sickness, but not like a cold or the flu. She said Tim would have to stay in the hospital for a long time. It would be so expensive that Tim’s family might have to sell their home.

That night during family prayer, Mom asked Heavenly Father to bless and comfort Tim’s family. Then she said, “And please help us to know how we can help Tim.”

As I lay in bed a little while later, I thought about Mom’s prayer. But what could I do to help? I said a short prayer. “Heavenly Father, please let me know what I can do to help Tim.”

When I opened my eyes, I looked around my darkened room. I noticed a dump truck that I hadn’t used in months and a puzzle that was too easy for me now. Suddenly, my heart started to get warm.

The next morning I burst into the kitchen and announced, “I want to sell my old toys and give the money to Tim.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Mom said.

We found a big box and filled it with toys and games I no longer played with.

“I’ll bet Grandma has some old toys,” Mom said.

“Maybe our neighbors do too,” I said.

We drove to Grandma’s house, and she helped us round up toys from her basement. Then we walked around our neighborhood and collected more. By the end of the day we had quite a few boxes full of toys and games. My heart pounded when I looked at them and thought about Tim.

On Saturday, we had a yard sale. A table in our front yard overflowed with dolls, trucks, stuffed animals, and board games. I put a picture of Tim on a large can. I told people that all of the money from our yard sale would go to help Tim and his family.

By afternoon, almost all of the toys were gone, and our can was filled with dollar bills and change.

That night I wrote a letter to Tim telling him that we were thinking of him and praying for him. I told him about our yard sale and put the letter and the money in the envelope. My heart felt warm, and I knew that I was doing a good thing for Tim and his family.

About a week later, I got a letter from Tim and his mom. They said they were filled with gratitude that I had thought to do such a thing. I knew it was Heavenly Father who helped me know how I could help. All I had to do was ask, listen, and then do it.

5. Closing Prayer

Additional Resources: When We Serve Others, We Serve God (Friend, November 2010)
Sharing Our Blessings (FHE Resource Book, Lesson 25)
What Have I Done For Someone Today? (Ensign, October 2009)

Family Home Evening Lesson #67: THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS TO INVITE ALL TO COME UNTO CHRIST

1. Opening Prayer

2. Sing "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission" Children's Songbook pg. 169

3. Read Moroni 10:32   Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

4. Read and discuss the following from the October, 2010 Friend:

In the October 2009 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson taught us about serving others. He said, “Each of us can do something to help someone . . . we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.”

One way we can help others is to share the gospel with them. When we teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are serving others because we show them the way to return to Heavenly Father. We show them how to feel the love of Jesus Christ in their lives. We share with them how to make and keep sacred covenants that bless their lives. We help them to know the blessings that come from keeping the commandments.

When we teach others the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are being missionaries. We are being witnesses that the Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth today. This is an important service to others that will bless their lives forever and fill us with joy too. 

5. Closing Prayer

Additional Resources: Sharing Our Blessings (FHE Resource Book, Lesson 25)
What Have I Done For Someone Today? (Ensign, October 2009)
Invite All to Come Unto Christ (Friend, October 2010)