Family Home Evening
Faith
I. Songs
- #96, “Faith”, Children’s Songbook
- #134, “I Believe in Christ”, Hymns
- #85, “How Firm A Foundation”, Hymns
II. Scriptures
- Hebrews 11:1, Ether 12
- Alma 32:28, 42-43
- 1 Nephi 7:12
- 2 Nephi 9:23, 25:23
- Moroni 7:33-34, 10:7
- James 2:17-26
- Ephesians 2:8
- D&C 130:20-21
III. Stories/Sermons
a) Bishop Edgley, “ Because of the conflicts and challenges we face in today’s world, I wish to suggest a single choice—a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is appropriate for all. That choice is faith. Be aware that faith is not a free gift given without thought, desire, or effort. It does not come as the dew falls from heaven. The Savior said, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28) and “Knock, and it shall be [given] you” (Matthew 7:7). These are action verbs—come, knock. They are choices. So I say, choose faith. Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism.” Oct. 2010 G.C.
b) President Hinckley, “Long ago I worked for one of the railroads whose tracks threaded the passes through these western mountains. I frequently rode the trains. It was in the days when there were steam locomotives. Those great monsters of the rails were huge and fast and dangerous. I often wondered how the engineer dared the long journey through the night. Then I came to realize that it was not one long journey, but rather a constant continuation of a short journey. The engine had a powerful headlight that made bright the way for a distance of 400 or 500 yards (350 to 450 m). The engineer saw only that distance, and that was enough, because it was constantly before him all through the night into the dawn of the new day.The Lord has spoken of this process. He said: “That which doth not edify [teach] is not of God, and is darkness. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:23–24).And so it is with our eternal journey. We take one step at a time. In doing so we reach toward the unknown, but faith lights the way. If we will cultivate that faith, we shall never walk in darkness.”
c) Pres. Monson, “Wherever we may be, our Heavenly Father can hear and answer the prayer offered in faith. Many years ago, on my first visit to the village of Sauniatu in Samoa, my wife and I met with a large gathering of small children—nearly 200 in number. At the conclusion of our messages to these shy yet beautiful youngsters, I suggested to the native Samoan teacher that we go forward with the closing exercises. As he announced the final hymn, I suddenly felt compelled to greet personally each of these children. My watch revealed that the time was too short for such a privilege, for we were scheduled on a flight out of the country, so I discounted the impression. Before the benediction was to be spoken, I again felt that I should shake the hand of each child. I made the desire known to the instructor, who displayed a broad and beautiful Samoan smile. In Samoan, he announced this to the children. They beamed their approval. The instructor then revealed to me the reason for his and their joy. He said, “When we learned that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was to visit us here in Samoa, so far away from Church headquarters, I told the children if they would earnestly and sincerely pray and exert faith like the Bible accounts of old, that the Apostle would visit our tiny village at Sauniatu and through their faith he would be impressed to greet each child with a personal handclasp.” Tears could not be restrained as the precious boys and girls walked shyly by and whispered softly to us the sweet Samoan greeting “talofa lava.” A profound expression of faith had been evidenced.”
IV. Something To Do
a) Faith “Floatie” object lesson- show a picture of a body builder and ask what they notice about him. Focus on how he had to exercise to be strong.“Faith is like the muscle of my arm. If I use it, if I nurture it, it grows strong; it will do many things. But if I put it in a sling and do nothing with it, it will grow weak and useless.” Put a swimming floatie on the arms and compare it to faith and how we need to exercise it. Ask for examples of how we can put air into our faith- obey, pray, read scriptures, go to church, etc.
b) Put two tablespoons of the vinegar into the plastic bottle and one teaspoon of the baking soda into the balloon. Show the children the bottle and tell them that it contains vinegar. Allow them to smell it. Show the children the balloon and tell them it contains baking soda. Inform the children that if you were to put the balloon on the bottle and combine the vinegar and baking soda it would produce a gas that would inflate the balloon. Ask the children if they believe you. Ask the children how they could find out for themselves if what you told them is true. (They would have to try it out to see if it works.) Allow a volunteer to try the experiment. Direct the volunteer to stretch the opening of the balloon over the opening of the bottle without spilling the contents of the balloon into the bottle. After the balloon is attached, direct the child to lift up the balloon and empty its contents into the bottle. After the balloon inflates, point out that they were able to discover the truth of what you told them by trying it out. Ask how they could use that same method to find out if a gospel principle is true? (Read Alma 32:27)
c) Faith is like a seed. Read Alma 32. Give each child a seed and ask how can we get the seed to grow into a flower or a tree? What does it need (sun, water, soil)? Compare that to prayer, scriptures, and going to church. Help them plant the seeds in cups of soil and watch them over several weeks. Follow up on if they nurture the plant or let it die.
V. Snacks- Make cookies or a cake together, explaining that if we don’t put all the ingredients together, it won’t turn out right or taste very good. OR, “seed” and “plant” cookies.
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