FHE by the Sea

When we realized that we were probably not going to be going to church on Sunday, Mary Jane said she would do a devotional in the morning and I said we would do the Family Home Evening in the evening.  I chose to discuss when Jesus and Peter walked on water.  Here is a copy of the notes I used:

We started by reading about it in Matthew 14:22-33.

Peter and the other disciples began their journey in response to their master’s request. We, too, began our journey through mortality in willing response to divine will. And, like the disciples on the ship, who were aware of the dangers of traveling on the Sea of Galilee, with its sudden storms, we began our journey with an understanding that there would be perils along the way.
Sometimes in the face of life’s tempests, the temporal things we depend on for support crumble – or sink. 
~What are some of the temporal things that we rely on for support?
We find that there are forces capable of upsetting our most careful plans. But we, like Peter, can discover that our Savior stands nearby, though perhaps dimly seen, ready to help us if we will but reach out to him and accept his divine assistance. We do not need to struggle alone.
Imagine Peter leaving the boat alone and walking by faith on the water. He is successful in this “impossible” endeavor because his eyes are fixed steadfastly upon Christ. If we want to come to Jesus, we need to be willing to let go of our worldly supports. We need to decide whether our best opportunity lies in the storm-tossed—though still floating—ship or whether it lies out on the waves with the Savior.
~Why do you think Peter chose to walk to the Savior?
Each step Peter took away from the ship was a trial of his faith; each step toward Jesus took him a step farther from his accustomed means of survival.
At one point Peter’s attention was drawn away from Jesus, the object of his faith, to the boisterous wind and waves around him. In a moment of confusion, fear overpowered his faith, and Peter started to fall.
~Can we relate to Peter?  How can this relate to our lives?
Now I want you to put yourself in Peter’s place…  As we learn more about the gospel and develop our faith, we reach the point where we feel strong enough to leave the boat; we choose to stand free from worldly supports and voluntarily walk by faith through the tempest toward our Savior. Each step for us may be a trial. The waves around us are as real in their way as Peter’s waves were to him. And, like Peter, we may slip! We may feel the awful descent toward destruction and, in confused desperation, consider going back to the safety of the ship.
But wait! The steps we’ve taken this far - our footsteps over life’s treacherous waters—have somehow redirected us, and we reach out for safety, not to the boat, as we would have done in earlier times, but to the outstretched hand of the Savior.  He grasps our hand, and we are pulled to the Master of wind and water. Now we are home; now the trial is over.
And Jesus calms the storm.
~What helps you turn to the Savior instead of worldly things?
"One of the wisest of the ancient Romans once spoke a great gospel truth and probably never realized he had done so. Speaking of Roman naval power and the absolute imperative to control the oceans, Cicero said to a military aide, 'He who commands the sea has command of everything.' (See W. Gurney Benham, Putnam’s Complete Book of Quotations, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1926, p. 505.) Of that I so testify." ~ Howard W. Hunter

Then I showed this video that I made:

We gave everyone a sand dollar to keep as a reminder of our beach trip and also of the Savior, and I read this poem:

The Legend of the Sand Dollar
There’s a lovely little legend
that I would like to tell,
of the birth and death of Jesus,
found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely,
you’ll see that you find here,
four nail holes and a fifth one,
made by a Roman’s spear.

On one side the Easter lily,
its center is the star,
that appeared unto the shepherds
and led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia
etched on the other side,
reminds us of His birthday,
our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open,
and here you will release,
the five white doves awaiting,
to spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me,
to help us spread His Gospel,
through all Eternity.

Finally, we ate Sand Dollar Cookies for refreshments.