Let Your Light Shine

Here is our FHE lesson for tonight and the scripture that we'll be ponderizing this week:

Suggested Opening Song: I am Like a Star

(I'll be having Cadi read the following quote and then explain it in her own words for Rori to understand.) From the First Presidency Message in the August 2015 Ensign, President Thomas S. Monson said:

“I would like all of the youth of the Church to know that they are children of light. As such, they have a responsibility to be “as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). They have a duty to share the truths of the gospel. They have a calling to stand as a temple beacon, reflecting gospel light to an increasingly dark world. They have a charge to keep their light aflame and burning brightly.

“In order for us to be “an example of the believers” (1 Timothy 4:12), we ourselves must believe. We must develop the faith necessary to survive spiritually and to project a light for others. We must nurture our testimony until it becomes an anchor to our lives.

“Among the most effective ways to gain and keep the faith we need today is to read and study the scriptures and to pray frequently and consistently. To the youth of the Church, I say, if you haven’t done so, develop now a habit of daily scripture study and prayer. Without these two essential practices, outside influences and the sometimes-harsh realities of life can dim or even extinguish your light.”

Pass out and have each person complete their age appropriate section in the Stand as a Light Handout 

Again, from President Monson: 

“As you follow the example of the Savior, yours will be the opportunity to be a light, as it were, in the lives of those around you. When you are a light to the world, people around you will feel a special spirit that will make them want to associate with you and follow your example.”

Hand out the Make Someone Smile Handout and challenge them to complete it.

Our scripture to Ponderize this week:

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

Questions to discuss to help us understand the scripture:

• What does it mean to be “the light of the world”?
• Discuss “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”
• If you cover up a light, what happens? When you're playing Minecraft and it's dark, what might happen? (Rori loves Minecraft)
• What do you do to keep it from being dark in the game?
• If you hold the light up or place it somewhere where it is not blocked, what happens?
• Imagine that you are somewhere that is dark and you're all alone. How do you think you would feel? Now imagine that you see someone off in the distance, and they have a light. Then how would you feel? What would you do?
• Many of our friends may be sitting right beside us in class or standing right beside us as we visit, but they may be in a kind of darkness. How might they be in darkness?
• Remind family members that even when we don't feel the darkness, sometimes others are feeling it. How do you think others who are in the dark would feel if they could see your light shining brightly?

This week, I would like our family to study and ponder Matthew 5:14-16. Think about what things you are doing to help make your light shine. Think of ways that you can improve to make your light brighter.  Think about ways that you can share your light with others.

Share testimonies.

Activity: Carve Pumpkins 

Take My Yoke Upon You

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

What does it mean to “Come unto Jesus”?

What is a yoke?

A yoke is:

Designed to carry burdens. Why drag the heavy weight of sin around (see Isaiah 5:18)? When we repent and come unto the Savior, He takes that burden away and gives us peace and healing.
 
Intended to help get work done. With the Lord’s yoke, we can help do His work (see Moses 1:39), and He will work with us (see Jacob 5:72). It’s still work, but in it we find rest to our souls.
 
Custom fitted. It’s His yoke we take upon us—the one best suited for us, because His ways help us live in harmony with our true nature, “the nature of happiness” (Alma 41:11), and because the Savior knows us and can succor us individually (see Alma 7:12).

“You come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Mission and Ministry of the Savior,”Ensign, June 2005, 18.

What are some ways that Christ can help you if you are yoked with Him?

One summer we visited a farm in Massachusetts. While there we took a hayride touring the farm and were introduced to two work horses that had been yoked together for many years. They were retired by this time, but still lived their lives side by side. They had spent so much of their time working together, relying on the other, that even when the yoke was removed, they remained close together and never left the other's side.

If we yoke ourselves with the Savior, not only will He help us through all of the things we face and need to do, but we will grow close to Him. We will be comfortable being with Him. He will always be with us to strengthen us.

What are some ways we can take his yoke upon us?

Challenge family members to ponder Matthew 11:28-30 and to choose to yoke themselves with the Savior each day.

I Will Go and Do

This week, our FHE lesson and scripture to "ponderize" will be 1 NE 3:7.

I have to admit, I have completely copied our lesson from a blogger online.  It was just perfect for what I was looking for.  Why reinvent the wheel, ya know?  So instead of retyping it here, and not giving them the credit they deserve, here is the link where you can find the outline yourself. :)

Family Home Evening in a Snap: I Will Go and Do

This is My Work and My Glory

This weekend was General Conference.  If you are not familiar with it, you should click here.  It happens twice a year and I love it!

One of the many wonderful and inspiring talks given this weekend, was that of Elder Devin Durrant who counseled us to 1) save some money each week, and 2) study a scripture each week.

In an effort to help my family follow the counsel to "ponderize" a scripture each week, I am planning to base our Family Home Evening lessons on a new scripture for us to study that week.  I'm starting with the Scripture Mastery scriptures... that will last us a couple of years. ;)

I'll share our scripture/FHE lessons here:

This lesson is taken mostly from a Conference talk given by Elder M. Russell Ballard in 2013 called “This Is My Work and Glory”.

Share the following story in your own words:

I am reminded of a sweet seven-year-old showing her grandfather a small tomato plant she had started from seed as part of a second-grade school project.

She explained that from one tiny seed would come a plant. And if the plant were cared for, it would grow many tomatoes that would each have many seeds.

She said, “And if all of those seeds were planted and grew more tomatoes, and you planted all of those seeds, in a few seasons you would have millions of tomatoes.”

“All,” she said in amazement, “from one little seed.”

But then she said, “I almost killed my plant. I left it in a dark room and forgot to water it. When I remembered the plant, it was all wilted and dead looking. I cried because I thought of all of those millions of tomatoes that would never grow.”

She was then excited to tell her grandfather about the “miracle” that happened.

She explained, “Momma said maybe the plant wasn’t dead. Maybe all it needed was some water and some light to bring life back.

“And she was right. I gave the plant some water, and I put it in the window for light. And guess what?” she asked. “It came back to life, and now it’s going to grow millions of tomatoes!”

Her small tomato plant, so full of potential but so weakened and wilted from unintentional neglect, was strengthened and revived through the simple ministration of water and light by the little girl’s loving and caring hands.

Introduce this week's scripture to study: Moses 1:39

Ask the following questions:

• Who is speaking?
• What does it mean when God says this is “my work and my glory”?
• What is the difference between “immortality” and “eternal life”?
• What is “immortality”?
• What is “eternal life”?

Ask someone to read John 17:3. Eternal life is to know God & Jesus Christ.

Elder Ballard said, “Brothers and sisters, as the literal spirit children of our loving Heavenly Father, we have unlimited, divine potential. But if we are not careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant. We can drift away from the true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living waters of the Savior’s eternal love and priesthood power.”

Jesus said:

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).

“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me … shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

If we feel that our faith or testimony is not as strong and healthy as it should be, then we need to turn back to the Savior's “light” and “living water”. As we care for our testimony with a little water and light each day, it will bring life to our faith and testimony, just like it did for the weakened tomato plant.

Share your testimony and challenge family members to study Moses 1:39 each day this week. Consider what the verse means to you. Ponder how we can help to bring about God's “work and glory”. Find ways that we can turn more fully to the Savior.