FHE on DVD

A Treat is Always Welcome!

maryann — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 01:16:15 +0000

Recently, I’ve been scouring the internet for good recipes for family home evening treats, and I think I found the tip top super dooper best one of all (at least, until I find one better…):

http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2009/12/rolo-pretzel-turtles-easy-turtle.html

They’re called Rolo Pretzel Turtles, and they are the most amazing desert I’ve found yet. I’ve made them twice (they’re not that hard to make) and both times, they’ve turned out fantastic. Now, this may seem a little trivial, but I’ve always thought that one of the best parts of fhe is the treats, because it helps bring everyone else just a little bit closer right after the lesson has finished, and kind of helps it to all sink in, usually in a nice gooey, chocolatey mess.

Now, one interesting thing I’ve found is that the treats need to be just that: treats. If you have them all the time, it takes away the kind of special place they hold as a Monday night mainstay. The other part of that is that they shouldn’t be viewed as rewards for suffering though another FHE lesson, but rather a part of the whole experience, and something to be looked forward to on terms equal to the lesson and activity.

So, what are some of your favorite tasty treats?

Great ideas for an FHE activity!

maryann — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:15:01 +0000

I was just tooling around on the net last night, checking some of my favorite blogs, and I came across this:

http://theprovidenthomemaker.com/1/post/2012/07/dish-towel-apron.html

What an absolutely darling apron, and a great idea for an activity. See, I have a young daughter who loves to help out in the kitchen, but in her enthusiasm, she tends to get as much of the ingredients on her clothes as she does in the food being prepared. And she’s got some darling outfits that I’d love to keep cleaner. So I thought for the next family home evening that the two of us together could make these aprons, and then she’d be better prepared to help out when we make dinner, or family home evening treats.

Now I just have to think of a good fhe lesson to go along with it. Maybe it’s time for another service lesson, or a lesson about the importance of knowing basic things, like how to cook, sew, and clean up properly. A lesson my little boy could definitely use.

So, what are some of your favorite family home evening activities, treats, and lessons? Come on, don’t be shy! Share!

I Hope They Call Me on a Mission!

maryann — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 05:13:49 +0000

So, it seems like the big news out of the latest semi annual conference was the adjusting of the age requirements for missionaries from 19 to 18 for young men and 21 to 19 for young women. Well, maybe not the biggest news, but the most noticeable and talked about from the perspective of an outsider. We’ve already had a family home evening lesson on this topic where we arrived at the conclusion that it’s overall a good move. Here’s our thinking:

It’s a great point in a young man and young woman’s life to transition from high school to a more responsible part of their life. And it’s a great way to prepare for that life. There’s church, home teaching, fhe, youth firesides, and other activities to help along the way, but spending two years learning how to live with people you’ve just met, and approach strangers to talk about deep and meaningful subjects is great preparation for college, the workplace, marriage, and being better equipped to raise a family. We all need to grow up, so why not a little bit sooner?

After my husband and I discussed our missionary experiences with our children, read some scriptures on the topic, and asked what they thought about the new age requirement, we closed family home evening with ‘I Hope They Call Me on a Mission’. And then, of course, we had mission themed cupcakes with different countries frosted onto the cupcakes. My son liked the Brazil cupcake the most.

I think it’s important to help your children understand the importance and purpose of a mission, so that when they get to the that age, they are able to make the decision because they want to go, not because they’re feeling any kind of pressure. FHE is a great way to teach gospel lessons and spend time with the family searching the scriptures for answers to their questions.

182nd Semiannual General Conference

maryann — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:32:30 +0000

This upcoming October 2012, on the 6th and 7th, is the 182nd Semiannual General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It’s a day when we, as members of the Latter Day Saint faith, will come together to hear our leaders talk to us about the state of the church, our place in the modern world, and some of the issues we may be facing. It’s a time to explore our lives spiritually, decide what aspects of ourselves we can better and rededicate ourselves to it, and learn from the power of our leaders words.

It’s also the perfect time for us to hold some preliminary family home evenings during which we can focus on why these conferences are so important, and how we can best prepare to benefit from them. For example, one great idea for an FHE lesson would be ‘Why is it important to have a modern day prophet that receives divine inspiration?’ As a side lesson, it may be interesting to help your children understand what ‘divine inspiration’ means.

Start planning now so that you’re family will have time set aside to enjoy all four general sessions on Saturday and Sunday. And the following Monday is a great time to discuss with your family what you heard, and how you feel about it! At FHE on DVD, we’re excited for the upcoming conference, and we hope you are too!

FHE on DVD wants your feedback!

maryann — Mon, 28 May 2012 21:48:58 +0000

FHE on DVD is excited with everyone’s response to our DVDs, so we’d like to ask you a question:

What other topics would you like to see developed as lessons for future FHE DVDs?

There are so many topics to consider, but if you have a great idea, let us know in the comments section below! And please, let us know why you feel strongly about that particular subject. We’re interested in what you think!

As a side note, if you think the FHE DVD topics already covered could be expanded on, let us know! A sequel could be a great idea. These topics are so vast, and there’s always more to consider. Thanks for any support and feedback, and we hope to keep bringing you great gospel lessons for your FHE for years to come.

The First Presidency message about FHE

maryann — Sun, 27 May 2012 18:35:07 +0000

I just wanted to share a link to the first presidency message on FHE, and then talk about it a little.

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2043-1-2102-1,00.html

I feel like sometimes, people don’t understand the importance of Family Home Evening. Yeah, it can be a little stressful to make the time every week, but it’s absolutely worth it. Last week, my precious little girl came up to me, and told me that Family Home Evening was her second favorite thing every week, and she liked how the house seems to light up every time we get together as a family and learn new gospel lessons.

I asked her why she liked it so much, and she told me that it was because she always knows that we’ll spend some time every week together, and that she’ll be able to ask about anything that she needs help with in her life, and get some answers. She’s even started taking an interest in helping out on the lessons.

Promoting curiosity about their faith while still young, and showing my kids each week how important my family is to me has done a lot to bring us together. I look forward to FHE every week, and am touched to know how much it’s been meaning to my little girl. Next time you feel like you don’t have enough time, just remember how much good it can do for your family. And don’t forget your FHE on DVD set either! It’s a great tool for making FHE go smooth!

(Her favorite thing each week was going to primary each week and singing. So cute!)

An FHE Org Chart is your best friend!

maryann — Sat, 26 May 2012 20:17:23 +0000

Preparing, keeping track of, and effectively running Family Home Evening is no easy task. Who did what last week? Who’s turn is it this week? What’s the lesson this week? Well, and organizational chart is a great way to help you keep on top of these questions, and run a successful FHE.

There are many ways to create one, from the basic (a whiteboard with names, tasks, and checkmarks) to the the handcrafted, beautiful wonders that you see in many homes, but it’s a definite necessity. Below, I’ll share some of my favorite designs I’ve found.

One more thing to consider: creating the chart as a Family Home Evening activity is a great way to involve the whole family in the design, and make the process a lot less time consuming and stressful for one person. Now, onto the links:

www.lyssa-beth.com/2012/03/diy-family-home-evening-board.html

http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/03/chalkboard-family-home-evening-board.html

http://easyascutandpaste.blogspot.com/2012/05/family-home-evening-charts.html

Family Home Evening Outdoors?

maryann — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:38:37 +0000

Family Home Evening doesn’t always have to stay completely in the home. Sometimes, the funnest activities, lessons, and family nights are spent outside! For example, a few weeks ago, my family had a wonderful FHE in the outdoors.

We drove to a nearby hiking trail, had a prayer, song, and then set off. Our lesson for that particular FHE was respecting and being reverent of the Earth, and the process God went through creating it. We talked about the many plants, flowers, and trees we saw; the animals, including deer, birds, and even a rabbit; and the hills all around us.

The entire hike was a full of gospel lessons, and the kids loved it. Not only did they learn a lot, they had fun, and they got some great exercise. AS part of the lesson, we collected ten different plant samples so we could identify them, and learn more about them when we got back. (And even use them to create a great scrapbooking page.)

If you’re committed to holding regular FHE’s with your family, there are going to be a lot of great family nights in your future, and a little variety doesn’t hurt.

Involve your children in Family Home Evening

maryann — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:01:14 +0000

This may sound obvious, but involving the whole family in Family Home Evening is a very important part of the process. It’s good that they’re there, but it’s even better if they’re helping out.

The opening and closing prayer are a great way for young children to help out. It’s never to early to learn about the importance of prayer. Similarly, helping pick and conduct the opening and closing hymn is also another great way to involve young children. This also affords you the opportunity to talk about the selected hymn, and why it’s appropriate for FHE.

Challenging one of your kids to prepare a lesson is also a great way to involve them, help them grow spiritually, and push them to learn. You may be surprised how much they understand, and how often their simple and direct view can help you understand gospel lessons even better. As part of the lesson, you can even involve others by having them supply a supporting scripture, and their thoughts about why that scripture is important to them.

One area that is often overlooked is the activity. Children know what they like doing, and one of the few things they like more than doing what they like, is doing it with more people. Let them plan an activity. You’ll be surprised how much you can have.

Making treats is another surefire way to involve your children. Who doesn’t love making cookies, or brownies, or lemon squares? This is a great way to teach them how the kitchen works too, and develop little helpers when dinner time rolls around. Also, you can have them pick a neighbor that they’d like to take a plate of cookies too, and brighten up another’s family home evening.

To help you keep track of this, of course, an organizational chart is a necessity. Rotate the roles every week, so your children get a chance to always be helping in all aspects of FHE. Years from now, the memories and bonds you build every family night will continue to hold you together through all of life’s trials.

Let us hear your great FHE Stories!

maryann — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:20:23 +0000

At FHE on DVD, we love hearing your personal stories about great Family Home Evenings. So let’s hear them!

…

Well? Start commenting! I can’t hang around forever. Ok, ok, I guess I’ll start things out. This happened many, many years ago, as a wee child.

*flashback effect* < sepia tone >

My father was late getting home from work. It had been a stressful day, and he was tired. But as soon as he came through the door, and saw us all there, ready for family home evening, his face lit up, and it seemed like his bad day melted away. In just a few moments, the connection our family shared through Family Home Evening cheered him up and helped hm end the day on a positive note. The best thing about it was simply the smile we gave him as he came through the door. It’s the small things you remember the most.

*end flashback* < / sepia tone >

Well, who’s next? Anyone?