Life's Journey To Perfection: Family Home Evening on Loving All of Heavenly Father's Children

I hope and pray that you can use these ideas as a guideline and adjust them to the needs of your own specific family. Our prophet President Monson says, "We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest." On Lds.org there are resources available in helping to make your Family Home Evenings successful, here is a link to that site on Family Home Evenings.

For tonight's Family Home Evening the topic in which I have chosen is: Focusing on Loving All of Heavenly Father's Children.

Preparation: Make preparations to show all of the videos and read the stories. Gather the below pictures of Jesus.

Welcome everyone to Family Night

Sing: "Jesus Said Love Everyone" Children's Song Book Pg 61

Have a member of the family member say the prayer

Discuss any family business

Follow-up with last weeks FHE.

Introduce this weeks Topic: Focusing on Loving All of Heavenly Father's Children.

Scripture: Read and Mark: John 13:34-35

Article of Faith: # 4- "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Family Home Evening Instruction:

Begin the Lesson portion of Family Home Evening by Showing the video:
"Sermon on the Mount: The Higher Law"
After the movie ask your family, what was it that Jesus taught? Discuss with your family that Jesus taught us to love each other, even our enemies.

Show them the following pictures of Jesus showing love towards others and discuss each picture and ways each family member could follow his example:

Sermon on the Mount- Discussion might include that he taught other's the gospel. We can share the gospel with other's also. We have an amazing blessing of having the Gospel in our lives, shouldn't we want that for other's also.

Healing the Blind Man: Discussion might include that he healed and comforted the sick and afflicted. We can follow his example by caring for and comforting those who are in need. Those who are sick or those who are in need of help.

Washing the Apostles Feet: Discussion might include that Jesus washed his disciples feet and taught them the importance of serving each other. We can follow this example by serving our family members, friends, neighbors, and all others. Discuss ways you can serve others.

The Crucifixion: Discussion might include that Jesus forgave those who crucified him, saying, "...forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34). This is an example of what he taught at the Sermon on the Mount, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44) We can follow his example by freely forgiving others and treating even those who are not kind to us, with love and kindness.

Read the following story: One Grumpy Neighbor: BY RON KNOWLTON

After the story discuss what can happen when we show kindness to others, even those who are not kind to us.

Show video: How Do I Love Thee?

Have every family member close their eyes and think about their Heavenly Father. Think about being in heaven, seeing Heavenly Father surrounded by all of his spirit children. Have them think about how he loved each one of these spirit children, the same and unconditionally. Now think about all of the people of this earth. Think about the people at school, at work, at church and the other people that you might pass by in a store or at the park. They are those same spirit children that were with you and Heavenly Father in heaven. He loves each one of them unconditionally and wants you to do the same. Each of them are your spirit brother or sister.

How Do We Love? That question was answered in the video: We love as Jesus did. Elder Holland stated that true love, "Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (1 Cor 13:7)

Ask your family members how they can "beareth all things"? Answers might include that we can help cary or bear each other's burdens. By having empathy, which means we are able to understand how someone else if feeling, we will have the desire to focus more on them, rather then ourselves. This is where true happiness comes from. Read the following story: The Most Surprising Gift: BY COLLEEN HANSEN

Ask your family members how they can "believeth all things"? Answers might include that when we believe that others are God's children with divine potential, then we may treat them with more love and kindness. When we believe in them and their ability to be good and do good, then we can help to strengthen them and help them to understand their divine potential. Believeth all things also refers to believing in the gospel and our Heavenly Father's plan. When we have this belief then we know why we are here on earth and what our Heavenly Father desires of us. What he desires for all of his children is to return to his presents, we are his servants, his hands, he requires us to help all of his children reach their divine potential.

Ask your family members how they can "hopeth all things"? Answers might include: When we have hope we aspire or have a desire for something to be a certain way. In our relationships we can have hope that the relationship can be a happy one, full of love, loyalty and trust.

Ask your family members how they can "endureth all things"? Answers might include: True Love Endureth ALL Things!! When we have this kind of love, it is an unconditional love. It is the same kind of love that our Heavenly Father and Savior have for each one of us. With this love, it does not matter what the other person does, it does not matter the circumstances, this love is strong, it is forgiving, it will be their through thick and thin and is unwavering. This is the kind of love that our Heavenly Father desires us to have for all of his children! When we rely on our Heavenly Father and trust in him we will be able to endure anything this world tosses at us.

Bear testimonies on Loving All of Heavenly Father's Children. Allow family member's to record their feelings and thoughts into their Family Home Evening Journal.

Close with a Family Prayer.

Free Printables: Best way to print printables is to click on the image and save it to your computer. You will then be able to print the image from your computer.