Family Home Evening: Gratitude

by Miriam Caldwell | More from this Blogger

29 Apr 2006 12:40 PM

This week's family home evening lesson is on gratitude. This is the second topic found in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. Gratitude is an excellent principle to teach to your family. It helps to put things into perspective, and can bring peace and happiness to the home.

You can begin your lesson by reading Doctrine and Covenants 78:19. After that you can read the section from the For the Strength of Youth booklet as a family. As a family read the story of the ten lepers, which can be found in Luke 17:12-19. After you have read the story talk about how the one leper turned back and gave thanks. It is important that we remember to give thanks as well. You may want to list one reason that you are grateful to have each member of your family. You may also want to have your children list one thing that they are grateful for and why. Remind your children to remember to thank their Heavenly Father for the blessings that they have. You may want to have a gratitude poster on which family members can write additional things that they are grateful for each week. You can have each member of the family list a new thing at the dinner table every night.

If you have Primary age children you can summarize the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet and then share the story of the ten lepers. You can read it out of the New Testament Reader or use the pictures found here from "The Friend." There is an activity that involves listing things that you are grateful for. It is found in "Sharing Time: I Am Grateful for Many Things" If you have older primary age children here is a word puzzle and coloring sheet about the story of the ten lepers. Be sure that you still have each child list something that they are grateful for. Remind your children to thank their Heavenly Father every time that they pray.

If you have a family home evening group that is composed of adults you may want to read "An Attitude of Gratitude" by Thomas S. Monson, and "Gratitude as a Saving Principle" by James E. Faust. You can discuss the principles related in these articles. It is still a good idea to keep a gratitude poster or journal together as a couple.

"Count Your Blessings" p 241 and "Because I Have Been Given Much" p 219 are excellent hymns to use as an opening and closing song. "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" p 228 and "I Thank Thee, Dear Father" p 7 are two songs you can use from the "Children's Songbook." Remember to cover the areas that you feel are most important for your family.

Learn more about Miriam Caldwell

Miriam is a SAHM mom of three children. She has a daughter who is seven, and two sons, four and two. She loves being a parent and spending time with her children.

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