Week 9: Honesty and Integrity

Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness.

Exodus 20:15–16

CLICK HERE for this week's lesson from LDS.org

Ideas from Lindsey:
Play 2 truths and a lie
Share a story with your family about a time you chose to be honest
Study the 10 commandments together, focussing on not stealing and not bearing false witness. Remind your family members that the reason we do that is because its all about the first two commandments.
Watch the video "Stay Within the Lines"

Ideas from Bishop:
Watch Video:
https://www.lds.org/youth/video/honesty-you-better-believe-it?lang=eng

Story from Elder Faust:

“A friend related this experience her husband had while attending medical school. ‘Getting into medical school is pretty competitive, and the desire to do well and be successful puts a great deal of pressure on the new incoming freshmen. My husband had worked hard on his studies and went to attend his first examination. The honor system was expected behavior at the medical school. The professor passed out the examination and left the room. Within a short time, students started to pull little cheat papers out from under their papers or from their pockets. My husband recalled his heart beginning to pound as he realized it is pretty hard to compete against cheaters. About that time a tall, lanky student stood up in the back of the room and stated: ‘I left my hometown and put my wife and three little babies in an upstairs apartment and worked very hard to get into medical school. And I’ll turn in the first one of you who cheats, and you better believe it!’ They believed it. There were many sheepish expressions, and those cheat papers started to disappear as fast as they had appeared. He set a standard for the class which eventually graduated the largest group in the school’s history.’”⁴

Quote from President Howard W. Hunter:

"Do you think you can be alone when you commit a dishonest act? Do you think you can be unobserved when you cheat in an examination, even though you are the only person in the room? We must be honest with ourselves. If we would have the companionship of the Master and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, we must be honest with ourselves, honest with God, and with our fellowmen. This results in true joy. Think of what an act of dishonesty will do to you. It does not make any difference whether it is great or small. First, it may affect your whole life. You will have a hard time living it down. It will be difficult for you to forget about it because it will be engraved upon your conscience. Secondly, it will affect others in many ways. The injury is far-reaching. Its malignancy extends to your friends, your relatives, your loved ones, and persons you may never see. Thirdly, it affects your relationship to the Savior. It closes the channel of communication and shuts out light from your life."

Activity for kids:

Make some puppets with paper sacks. Act out situations where someone has a choice between being honest and being dishonest. Use the examples below or create some of your own:

· You broke a dish and your mother asks who did it.

· You are helping pick up some money that has spilled, and you are tempted to take some.

· You ate two cookies after your father told you not to. Your father asks if you ate the cookies.

· Have the children take turns using the puppets and telling what they should do in each situation.

3. Use simple puppets, such as sock or paper bag puppets, to act out situations where someone has a choice between being honest and being dishonest. Use the examples below or create some of your own:

• • You broke a dish and your mother asks who did it.
• • You are helping pick up some money that has spilled, and you are tempted to take some.
• • You ate two cookies after your father told you not to. Your father asks if you ate the cookies.
• Have the children take turns using the puppets and telling what they should do in each situation.

Week 8: Gratitude

He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

CLICK HERE for this week's lesson from LDS.org

Ideas from Lindsey:
Write Thank You cards
Make an "I'm Thankful For..." Jar. Write down things you are thankful for on little pieces of paper and put them in a jar. Write a tag on the jar that says "I have so much to be thankful for". Make one for the family, or one for each member. Set in a place where it will be a reminder of all the blessings in your life.
In your opening prayer consider only offering a prayer of thanksgiving for all the things you are thankful for.
Watch President Monson's video called "Consider the Blessings"
Discuss Humanitarian needs around you. Talk about how fortunate we are. Make a plan with your family as to how you can do a family humanitarian aid project. Set a date, make a plan, and invite other families to join you.

Please comment to share your ideas. You're also welcome to email me your ideas. Also, I'd love to have your family be our featured family.


Next Week's Lesson: Honesty and Integrity

Week 7: Friends

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:40

CLICK HERE for this week's lesson from LDS.org

Ideas from Lindsey:
Make a "recipe" for a good friend. Include all the ingredients and directions. Be creative.
Share with your children (or spouse) a story about a best friend from your childhood. Share how they molded your life for the better.
List the top 10 ways you can be a good friend.
Write thank you letters to friends.
Read two descriptions of friends to your little children. One example could be about a bully, the other a good friend. Have them choose which one they want to be.
Discuss with your teens the severity of bullying and make an action plan of how they can stop bullying. (Here is an excellentLDS.org VIDEO on bullying from priesthood session)




Ideas from Elder's Quorum:

-Turn off all the lights in the house and any appliance that makes noise.
-Light some candles and pause for 60 seconds of silence before you start FHE
-Opening song can be "Keep The Commandments"
-By the candle light read the 115th section of D&C, paying particular attention to versus 5 and 6.
-When do reading listen to the Holy Ghost and ask your family who you would reach out to in the Hilliard ward if there was a disaster in your family.
-Pick this family and do something special for them in the week; ding-dong ditch some cookies or something like that.
-Closing song can be "A Childs Prayer"

Week 6: Family

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. … Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”

CLICK HERE for this week's lesson from LDS.org

Ideas from Lindsey:
Have a family testimony meeting
Write a family mission statement
Write letters to each member of your family
Each member shares a favorite family memory
Mold your family out of play dough/clay...or paint family photos
Talent show
Read children's book about family
Give children a small puzzle that is missing one piece. Ask a child to put it together. When they notice a piece is missing, talk about the importance of families doing their part in the family. You may also discuss how we don't want any missing pieces in heaven.
Team building exercises
Bury a time capsule in your back yard (or create it and bury it once you live in your final destination!)



Next week's lesson: Friends