FHE LessonsLessons and ideas for family home evening!

Scripture

Alma 56:47-48

47 – Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

48 – And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Hymn

Dearest Mother, I Love You – Primary Songbook #206 or Home Can Be a Heaven On Earth – Hymn #298

Dearest Mother, I Love You

Gentle words I hear you say.
Your kind hands help me each day.
You’re my mother kind and true;
Dearest mother, I love you.

Home Can Be a Heaven On Earth

1. Home can be a heav’n on earth
When we are filled with love,
Bringing happiness and joy,
Rich blessings from above—
Warmth and kindness, charity,
Safety and security—
Making home a part of heaven,
Where we want to be.

2. Drawing fam’ly near each week,
We’ll keep love burning bright.
Serving Him with cheerful hearts,
We’ll grow in truth and light.
Parents teach and lead the way,
Children honor and obey,
Reaching for our home in heaven,
Where we want to stay.

3. Praying daily in our home,
We’ll feel His love divine;
Searching scriptures faithfully,
We’ll nourish heart and mind.
Singing hymns of thanks, we’ll say,
“Father, help us find the way
Leading to our home in heaven,
Where we long to stay.”

The Most Important Job

I’m thankful for my mother’s hands, which help me every day.
With her hands she shows me how to work and how to play.
It seems that when I need some help, her hands are always there
To tie my shoes, or make my lunch, or comb my messy hair.
Her hands know how to fix my bike and how to make my bed,
And how to find a scripture verse to ease my worried head.

I want my hands, like Mother’s, to serve others every day.
I want my hands to know, like hers, how to work and play.
I know that when she needs some help, my hands can help her too.
Because she’s taught me well, they know exactly what to do.
I’ll thank my mother for her hands and hug her really tight
And promise her to use my hands to always do what’s right.

Make a list of things that each family member has learned from their mother. Discuss how we can take those things learned and use them to serve others.

Testify of the sacred role that mothers have.

(Recipes taken from www.KraftRecipes.com)

Scripture

Mosiah 2: 17

17- And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Hymn

I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus- Primary Song 78 or Lord, I Would Follow Thee Hymn 220

I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus

1. I’m trying to be like Jesus;
I’m following in his ways.
I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

2. I’m trying to love my neighbor;
I’m learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:

Chorus
“Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.”

Lord, I Would Follow Thee

1. Savior, may I learn to love thee,
Walk the path that thou hast shown,
Pause to help and lift another,
Finding strength beyond my own.
Savior, may I learn to love thee–

[Chorus]
Lord, I would follow thee.

2. Who am I to judge another
When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden
Sorrow that the eye can’t see.
Who am I to judge another?

3. I would be my brother’s keeper;
I would learn the healer’s art.
To the wounded and the weary
I would show a gentle heart.
I would be my brother’s keeper–

4. Savior, may I love my brother
As I know thou lovest me,
Find in thee my strength, my beacon,
For thy servant I would be.
Savior, may I love my brother–

Lesson

*For Younger Children* Read or tell “Straw for the Manger” (Friend Dec 2010). Testify that our service to others is a great gift for our Savior.

Michael gazed at the tiny, soft bed of straw. “I am glad that baby Jesus will have a soft, warm bed for Christmas Eve,” he thought.

For the past week Michael had carefully tucked little pieces of straw into this tiny manger, one piece at a time. Michael thought that it just might be the best Christmas he ever had because now he was old enough to understand what Christmas was all about.

A week ago Mom had given a family home evening lesson about the true meaning of Christmas. She said that Jesus Christ was the greatest gift Heavenly Father gave to the world. Then she presented each child in the family with a small, empty manger and a tiny figure of the baby Jesus.

“For the next week you will each have a chance to give a present back to Heavenly Father,” Mom said.

“How can we do that?” Michael asked.

“Your gift to Heavenly Father will be to serve others,” she said. “Each time you do a good deed or help another person, you may add a piece of straw to your manger. The more kindness you show to others, the softer the manger will be on Christmas Eve.”

“I hope I can get more straw in my manger than anybody else!” Michael thought.

The next day Michael started working to collect straw.

“Mom, can I help you sweep the floor?” Michael asked, when he saw her cleaning the kitchen.

“I’ll help you find your teddy bear,” he told his little brother when he cried for his lost toy.

“I want to shovel some snow too,” he said when his dad went outside to shovel the driveway.

Within a few days Michael’s little manger looked very different. It was stuffed full of straw! But Michael noticed a change in himself too. He started to enjoy doing kind things for others because he knew it was what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. Sometimes he even forgot to add a piece of straw to the manger when he helped.

Michael decided that doing nice things made him feel good inside. On Christmas Eve, as he stood by the soft lights of the Christmas tree, Michael gently laid his tiny baby Jesus in the manger, which was now overflowing with straw.

Michael knew he had done the best he could to show his love for Heavenly Father and Jesus. This was the best Christmas ever.

Discuss the following questions as a family:

1- What did they put in the manger?
2- How did they earn straw?
3- How did Micheal feel on Christmas Eve?

Testify that our service to others is a great gift for our Savior.

*For Teenagers or Adults* Watch the video of Thomas S Monson below and discuss the importance of service, especially this time of year. (You may want to share parts from Thomas S Monson’s talk: What Have I Done for Someone Today?)

Testify of the importance of helping and serving others.

Treat

Smiling Snowman Cake or Mock Fried Ice Cream

Smiling Snowman Cake

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups vanilla frosting
Shredded coconut (optional)
2 black licorice drops
1 large orange gumdrop
Red shoestring licorice
Red fruit leather
3 starlight mints
3 small gumdrops
2 sticks chocolate licorice

Instructions:

1- Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two ovenproof glass bowls, one slightly larger than the other. (Note: For our cake, we used one bowl with a 1-liter capacity and 6-inch diameter and the other with a 1 1/2-liter capacity and 7-inch diameter.)

2- To make the cake, mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Sift the ingredients onto waxed paper and return to the bowl.

3- In a separate bowl, blend the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

4- Alternately, add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter in thirds, combining well after each addition. Fill the bowls about two thirds full. Bake the smaller cake for about 50 minutes and the larger cake for about 65 minutes.

5- When done, the surface will spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Cool in the bowls for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a large, rectangular platter (about 17 by 12 inches) so the cakes resemble a snowman. Cool completely.

6- Ice the cakes with the vanilla frosting, then sprinkle with shredded coconut, if desired. Add licorice drop eyes, insert an orange gumdrop nose and fashion a broad smile with shoestring licorice.

7- For the scarf, cut two 2-inch-wide strips of fruit leather, notch the ends and wrap around the neck of the snowman. For the buttons, use starlight mints topped with gumdrops. Finish off the snowman with two chocolate licorice arms. Serves 10 to 12.

Mock Fried Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 pint ice cream (your favorite flavor)
3/4 cup almond cluster or granola cereal
1/3 cup mixed nuts, chopped fine
6 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup water

Instructions:

1- Thaw the ice cream slightly so that it’s easy to scoop out of the container but still firm enough to hold shape. Meanwhile, combine the cereal and nuts in a bowl and set an empty muffin tin nearby.

2- Working quickly, individually roll rounded scoops of ice cream in the cereal mixture and place them in the muffin tin (1 per cup). You should end up with 4 to 6 ice-cream balls. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for at least 1 hour so the ice cream will firm up.

3- For the chocolate gravy, combine the chocolate morsels and water in the top of a double boiler. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sauce is smooth. Makes 3/4 cup of sauce, which can be refrigerated in a sealed container up to a week.

4- Just before serving, drizzle warm chocolate gravy over each ice-ceam ball. Enjoy.

(Recipes taken from Familyfun.go.com)

Scripture

John 13:17

17- If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Hymn

If You’re Happy- Primary Song 266 or There is Sunshine in My Soul Today Hymn 227

If You’re Happy

1. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap).

There is Sunshine in My Soul Today

1. There is sunshine in my soul today,
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky,
For Jesus is my light.

[Chorus]
Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face,
There is sunshine in the soul.

2. There is music in my soul today,
A carol to my King,
And Jesus listening can hear
The songs I cannot sing.

3. There is springtime in my soul today,
For when the Lord is near,
The dove of peace sings in my heart,
The flow’rs of grace appear.

4. There is gladness in my soul today,
And hope and praise and love,
For blessings which he gives me now,
For joys “laid up” above.

Lesson

*For Younger Children* Read / tell the following story “The Do-Gooders Club” (March 2005 Friend). Testify that happiness can be found when serving others.

“Do you think we’ll ever finish?” I asked Lacey as we stared at my messy bedroom. “Mom says it looks like a tornado hit it.”

“My room’s been worse,” Lacey replied with a giggle.

I was glad Lacey was willing to help me. Not every friend would help clean up a room that looked like a disaster zone. But luckily Lacey thought that cleaning bedrooms was fun—as long as it wasn’t her own.

I grabbed a CD and stuck it in my pink CD player. Usually I played popular music while I did my chores, but this time I put in a CD of Primary music that my Primary teacher had given me.

In an instant, my bedroom was filled with a chorus of children singing songs like “I Am a Child of God,” “I Lived in Heaven,” and “The Church of Jesus Christ.”

As we placed stuffed animals in the closet, hung up my clothes, and listened to the music, a sweet, spiritual feeling filled the room. Lacey wasn’t a member of the Church, but I could tell that she felt it, too. I’d never felt the Holy Ghost this strongly before.

“What does your church believe in?” she asked.

It would have been impossible to tell her everything that I’d ever learned at home and in Primary, so I just explained that we believed in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the Book of Mormon. Then I recited the first and second articles of faith that I’d memorized for my Faith in God Award.

“I go to church, too,” Lacey said. “See?” She showed me her necklace, which had a gold cross on it.

I lifted the necklace up from my shirt. “We both have gold necklaces,” I said. “except mine says ‘CTR.’ That stands for ‘Choose the Right.’”

We smiled at each other. Suddenly I felt that we both needed to do something more important than just clean a room. We had to do something special.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s finish up quick so we can do something really good!”

“Maybe we could start a do-gooders club or something,” said Lacey excitedly.

“I know!” I said. “Let’s make a bunch of sugar cookies and give them to our neighbors.”

We raced downstairs and told my mom about our idea. “Can we do it?” we asked.

“Sure,” she said.

Mom helped us find a recipe and get out all the ingredients. Then Lacey and I mixed, rolled, and baked until we had six heaping plates of cookies. We decorated them with squiggly lines of green frosting.

“They smell wonderful!” Mom said.

And they tasted good, too! Lacey and I snatched a couple of cookies, then delivered the rest to the neighbors who lived on our street. It was fun to see the surprised looks on their faces when we handed them their own big plate of warm cookies.

Lacey and I practically skipped all the way back to my house.

“Well, I’ve got to go,” she said. “It’s getting late.”

“OK, I’ll see you later!” I replied.

It had been a great afternoon. Maybe Lacey could visit my church one day and sing the songs with me in Primary. But in the meantime, I was glad to know that we could have fun together doing nice things for people and that we could both feel close to Heavenly Father.

Discuss the following questions as a family:

1- What were the girls doing in the bedroom?
2- What CD was put in the CD player?
3- What does CTR mean?
4- What did the girls make in the kitchen?
5- What did they do with the cookies?
6- How did the girls feel? Why?

Testify that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. We can find happiness when we serve others.

*For Teenagers or Adults* Read and discuss parts from Elder Marlin K Jensen’s BYU devotional talk given Sept 1995. Testify of the importance of finding true happiness.

How to Be Happy:

Several years ago a Book of Mormon passage caught my attention. It’s in the first part of the Book of Mormon—the part our family specializes in—and concerns the period of time just after Nephi has separated from Laman and Lemuel and departed into the wilderness. There Nephi established a society founded on gospel truths. Of that society in 2 Nephi 5:27 [2 Ne. 5:27], he says, “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”

I pondered what it could mean to live “after the manner of happiness.” I knew it had to be related to the gospel and God’s plan for our lives. I wondered what the individual elements of a truly happy society and life might be, and I began to search Nephi’s writings for clues.

1- Family

I begin in 2 Nephi 5:6 [2 Ne. 5:6] with Nephi’s observation that as he journeyed into the wilderness, “I … did take my family … and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters.” Here is a significant key to happiness—one’s family.

There was good reason that Nephi took his more righteous siblings with him into the wilderness. He belonged to them and they belonged to him. There is no other organization that can so completely satisfy our need for belonging and provide the resulting happiness that a family can.

Sometimes after an enjoyable family home evening, or during a fervent family prayer, or when our entire family is at the dinner table on Sunday evening eating waffles and engaging in a session of lively, good-natured conversation, I quietly say to myself, “If heaven is nothing more than this, it will be good enough for me.”

2- Keeping the Commandments

In 2 Nephi 5:10 [2 Ne. 5:10] Nephi says, “And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things.”

Here is a simple but powerful truth: living righteously and keeping God’s commandments makes us happy. The very quotable Alma gave us the all-time best one-liner on this topic when he said, “Wickedness never washappiness” (Alma 41:10). That’s a sound bite worthy of the six o’clock news. Alma’s is as categorical a statement as can be made on the subject, and our chances of proving Alma wrong are about zero.

From the depths of my soul I testify that Satan wants us to believe we are an exception to God’s rules, that somehow our transgressions are more noble and justifiable than anyone’s have ever been. But that is a lie. And not only do we offend God by breaking His laws; we also offend ourselves and others, and thereby experience heartache, suffering, and misery—the exact opposites of happiness.

3- Scriptures

In 2 Nephi 5:12 [2 Ne. 5:12], Nephi mentions that he “had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass.”

Why would having access to the scriptures be a consideration in a happy lifestyle? Anyone who reads scripture regularly develops a clearer perspective, purer thoughts, and has more sincere and thoughtful prayers. Our lives are bound to be happier when we use the scriptures to answer our very personal questions and needs.

The scriptures can cleanse us from evil thoughts and fortify our resolve to resist temptation. They can give comfort in times of need such as the death of a loved one or other personal tragedy. Reading them can put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, and I testify that there is great constancy and happiness to be had from a daily study of the Bible and the restoration scriptures.

4- Work

Verse 17 of the fifth chapter of 2 Nephi says, “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.”

No matter what our life’s work turns out to be, I know we’ll be happier if we regularly labor with our hands. This can take many forms: yard work, sewing, quilting, cooking, baking, auto repair, home repair—the list is endless and so is the happiness and sense of accomplishment such activities produce.

5- The Temple

Nephi made another observation about his society that is most interesting. In 2 Nephi 5:16 [2 Ne. 5:16] it says, “And I, Nephi, did build a temple.” Nephi’s temple may have differed in some ways from our latter-day temples, but its central purpose was likely the same—to continually teach and orient God’s children concerning His plan for their happiness, and to provide the ordinances and covenants essential to the attainment of that happiness.

I can honestly say that the most spiritually mature and happy people I know are ardent temple attenders. There is good reason for that. It is in the temple that God’s program for us is told and retold, each telling bringing greater understanding and commitment to living life His way.

6- Church Service

The final element of Nephi’s society recorded in 2 Nephi 5 [2 Ne. 5] concerns the role our Church callings and service play in a happy life. Nephi notes in verse 26 that he “did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.”

Of course, true Christian service can’t be provided exclusively through institutional means. Random acts of personal service motivated by our feelings of charity are necessary for our salvation.

But the organized Church as established by God, in which we look after and serve others and are looked after and served by others, provides a wonderful source of happiness for all of us. Nephi himself epitomizes this ethic of caring and service. It is not by accident that in God’s plan for us we have been given a church that “hath need of every member” (D&C 84:110). Because we are needed and encouraged and enabled to serve, we are much happier.

7- Other

If we go beyond the fifth chapter of 2 Nephi, we discover even more about the patterns of life that allowed Nephi and his people to live so happily. We know he looked forward “with steadfastness unto Christ” (2 Ne. 25:24). The Savior and His teachings were the focus of Nephi’s energies. He knew and taught, as have all the prophets, that true peace and happiness can ultimately come only through a remission of our sins. The Savior’s teachings—in large doses—are the only sure antidote for unhappiness.

It is interesting to discover that the principles of happiness Nephi shares are found in all of the scriptures, old and modern. I often wonder why we wrestle over the meaning of obscure passages of scripture when what is really important for our happiness and salvation is stated by the Lord over and over in very plain terms.

Now I doubt that Nephi intended his list of ingredients in a happy society to be exhaustive. In fact, he probably didn’t intend to give us a list at all. I want to make it clear that I’m not a believer in “check-list happiness” either. There is no fool-proof formula for guaranteeing a consistently happy life, and there is evidence that God did not intend for every day to be entirely happy. There is eternal design and purpose to be seen in some suffering, sadness, and adversity.

But I invite you to look around and observe people you feel are genuinely happy. I think you will invariably see the principles discussed here at work in their lives. It is my prayer that we may all find this same happiness.

Testify of the importance of obtaining happiness through living righteously.

Treat

Cupples or Fruit Gobbler

Cupples

Ingredients:

FOR THE CUPPLE
apple
melon baller or spoon
lemon juice

FOR THE DRINK
cranberry juice
apple cider
seltzer water
cinnamon stick

Instructions:

1- Cupple: To make a cupple, slice off the top of an apple. Hollow it with a melon baller or spoon, leaving 1/4-inch-thick walls all around. To prevent browning, brush the cup’s edge with lemon juice.

2- Thanksgiving Thirst-Quencher: Combine 1 part cranberry juice, 1 part apple cider, and 1 part seltzer water. Garnish each drink with a cinnamon stick.

Fruit Gobbler

Ingredients:

Bosc pear (head)
Melon (body)
Cheese (beak and tail feathers)
Red pepper (snood, feet and side feathers)
Raisins (eyes)
Grapes (tail feathers)
Bamboo skewers
Toothpicks

Instructions:

1- Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon, as shown.

2- Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick.

3- Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers as shown. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks.

(Recipes taken from Familyfun.go.com)

Scripture

Mosiah 2:17

17- And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Hymn

When We’re Helping – Primary Song 198 or Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel Hymn 252

When We’re Helping

1. When we’re helping, we’re happy,
And we sing as we go;
And we like to help mother*,
For we all love her so.

2. Tra la la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la la,
Tra la la la la la.

* Alternate words: father, grandma, grandpa

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

1. The world has need of willing men
Who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Chorus]
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

2. The Church has need of helping hands,
And hearts that know and feel.
The work to do is here for you;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

3. Then don’t stand idly looking on;
The fight with sin is real.
It will be long but must go on;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

4. Then work and watch and fight and pray
With all your might and zeal.
Push ev’ry worthy work along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

Lesson

*For Younger Children* Read or tell the following story “One Wonderful Halloween” (Friend Oct 1989). Discuss the importance of service.

“Yuck,” I said, grimacing at the reflection of my silver braces. My friend Rachelle sighed. “You aren’t feeling sorry for yourself again, are you? Braces aren’t the end of the world.”

“But, Rachelle,” I exclaimed, “you heard what my dad said about Halloween. Since I got these stupid braces, he’s not letting me near candy. He says that I’ll just have to stay home tonight and help Mom pass it out to everyone else.”

Rachelle thought for a moment. “Why don’t you see if he’ll let you just dress up and come with us for the fun of it.”

“No thanks,” I replied. “It wouldn’t be the same. I guess it’ll be OK handing out goodies to the little kids. Some of them are really cute.”

“I’m going to the grocery store,” Mom called as she walked out the door. “Your dad is in the garage if you
need anything.”

“OK,” I replied. Just then the phone in the kitchen rang. I hopped up and ran full tilt down the hallway. Just as I rounded the corner, I crashed into my little brother, Nathan, who was carrying Mom’s coupon box. Up in the air flew the box, and down on the floor we fell. It didn’t hurt us, but the once-organized coupons were scattered everywhere. “Oh no, Marta!” my brother exclaimed. “Mom’s going to be mad at you!”

“Well,” I retorted as the phone stopped ringing, “don’t just stand there looking at them. Help me get them back into the box.”

Quickly we gathered up the coupons. One for a free jewelry-cleaning at a local store caught my eye. “I have it!” I shouted. “I have it!” I stuffed the remaining coupons into the box and herded Nathan out the door. By this time Rachelle had joined me in the hallway. “Come on,” I said as I hurried into the kitchen for a pencil and paper. “I have the greatest idea for trick or treat.”

That evening everyone was dressed in their costumes. Nathan had chosen to be a pirate with a green face; Dad wore his usual scarecrow costume, and Mom was dressed as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. They were really surprised when I entered the room as Little Red Riding Hood.

“Where are you going?” Dad asked. I opened my trick-or-treat bag, and he looked inside. “So that’s what’s been keeping you so busy. It looks like you’re going to have an interesting Halloween.”

Rachelle and I picked up our friends Bobbie and Linda and started out. I was so excited that I could hardly walk.

“I didn’t think that your parents would let you go,” Linda remarked.

Rachelle laughed. “Well, they changed their minds after Marta spilled the coupons all over the floor.”

There was no time for further explanation right then because we were already at the first house. Mrs. Perry, an elderly widow, lived there. “Oh my, what do we have here?” she exclaimed. When we shouted, “Trick or treat!” Mrs. Perry smiled and handed us each a small candy bar. Instead of taking mine, though, I gave her a small, hand-printed card. “What’s this?” she questioned. “A coupon good for one free lawn mowing? Is this some sort of trick?” “No,” I laughed. “Instead of tricking tonight, I’m treating. I’ll see you and your lawn next summer.”

Brother and Sister Marker lived next door to Mrs. Perry. Again, when we rang the doorbell and the Markers tried to give me a treat, I pulled a card from my sack and gave it to Sister Marker. She looked at it and laughed. “You have to be kidding! An evening of free baby-sitting all six of our children?” My friends chimed in, “Well, we’ll help her. Just give us a call when you need us.” Sister Marker laughed and waved as we went on.

That evening we delivered coupons for free bread, baby-sitting, and car and window washing. I say “we,” because my friends were really getting into it too. They even started turning down candy that they were offered! It was a lot of fun, and before we knew it, we were at the last house. I had saved a very special coupon for this one. The people who lived there had moved in just before school started. “Trick or treat!” we shouted when Mrs. Bybee answered our knock.

“Well, let me see if I can find any candy for you scary creatures,” she laughed, starting back into the house.

“No—wait,” I said. “We’re treating tonight. Is Crystal home?”

Mrs. Bybee looked at us hard. I knew that she was wondering why we wanted to see her daughter. You see, Crystal was born blind and with several other birth defects. Although she’s a year older than we are, she still has a hard time, and kids sometimes make fun of her. Slowly Crystal emerged from the room where she had been sitting. “Who is it, Mom?” she asked shyly.

“It’s Marta,” I told her. “And my friends Rachelle, Linda, and Bobbie are with me. We’re treating instead of tricking tonight, and we have something for you.”

I reached into my sack for the very last card and handed it to her. She felt it and asked, “What does it say?”

Rachelle spoke up this time. “It says, Crystal, that if you don’t mind, we’d like to come to your house every week and read with you.”

“Wouldn’t you like that?” asked Bobbie anxiously when Crystal didn’t answer right away. “We want to be your friends.”

“Oh yes!” she said. “Oh, please come!” She turned to her mother and said, “They really are my friends, aren’t they?”

“Yes, we are,” we exclaimed together. “And we’ll see you every week.”

Crystal and her mother stood on the steps of their porch and waved good-bye until we were out of sight.

Testify of the importance of serving others.

*For Teenagers or Adults* You may want to read the following story above and brainstorm of ways you can help out this Halloween, such as helping a little kid go trick or treating, or handing out candy for your parents, etc. Enjoy the History of the Pumpkin below.

Testify of the importance of serving during the holidays, including Halloween.

(Taken from History.com)

Treat

Scrumptious Skeletons or Banana Ghosts

Scrumptious Skeletons

Ingredients:

Chocolate-frosted cupcakes
Mini marshmallows
Black decorators’ gel
White icing
Icing bag fitted with a small round tip

Instructions:

1- Start with a batch of chocolate-frosted cupcakes. Top each with a mini marshmallow head, using black decorators’ gel to create eyes and a mouth.

2- Use an icing bag fitted with a small round tip to pipe on a stick figure, adding a couple of short horizontal lines for ribs.

Banana Ghosts

Ingredients:

Bananas
White Chocolate
Black Candies or currnats

Instructions:

1- Remove any stringy fibers from the peeled banana, then cut it in half widthwise. Push a Popsicle stick into each half through the cut end, then cover each pop with plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).

2- Next, place a 1.5-ounce piece of white chocolate candy in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high until melted (it generally takes about 1 minute). With a butter knife, spread the melted white chocolate on the frozen banana halves.

3- Set the pops on a waxed-paper-covered dish. Press on candies or currants for eyes and mouths and return the pops to the freezer until ready to serve. Makes 2.

(Recipes taken from Familyfun.go.com)

Scripture

Matthew 25:40
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Hymn

Silent Night or O Holy Night

Silent Night Hymn 204

1. Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace;
Sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!

3. Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth;
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Lesson

*For Younger Children: Read this story*

Doyle pushed the runny eggs across his plate with a fork. They were so different from the eggs his mother cooked.

“Better eat up,” his aunt called from the bedroom. “It’s a long time until lunch.”

Doyle eyed his breakfast again and decided he could wait. Pulling on his worn coat, he plopped a hat on his head and slipped out the back door.

The snow squeaked beneath his feet as he walked up the path to his uncle’s store and service station. Doyle shivered. He couldn’t remember the air ever being this cold back home in Kansas. How he wished he were there now.

Christmas bells jingled as Doyle opened the service station door. “Morning, Uncle Claude,” he said quietly.

“Morning back to you,” his uncle replied cheerily. “Probably won’t be many customers today. Too cold for anyone to be out and about.” Behind his uncle’s desk hung the last page of a 1935 calendar.

Doyle grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor. He thought about the huge dust storms that had swept across his family’s farm in Kansas, and he remembered his mother’s constant sweeping. Mom and Dad had sent him to live with his aunt and uncle so there would be enough food for his brothers and sisters.

“How about making a deal?” Uncle Claude said.

“What kind of deal?” Doyle asked.

“If you sweep the entire station, I’ll pay you a small sack of candy.”

“OK,” Doyle agreed. His uncle had recently received an order of Christmas candy—boxes filled with colorful hard candy, chocolates, and peanut clusters.

After the sweeping was done, Doyle slid open the glass door of the candy case and inhaled the rich, chocolaty smell. He filled a small sack with candy and popped a raspberry-filled piece into his mouth.

Out the front window, two cars laden with people and belongings slowed to a stop in front of the station. One car had a mattress strapped on top. Doyle watched as a small hand made circular motions on the car window until a peephole in the frost framed a boy’s face.

The drivers climbed out and walked toward the store. Then Christmas bells jingled and Uncle Claude stood up from his desk. “Hello, folks. What can we do for you?”

One of the men rubbed his forehead and stared down at his rough hands. “Sir, we’re on our way from Oklahoma to Oregon,” he said.

They were Dust Bowlers too! Doyle and his uncle had watched many cars drive past the station last summer and fall, abandoning the dry prairie lands.

“If you could spare some gas, we’d be much obliged,” the man continued.

“It’s awfully late in the season to be moving west with a family,” Uncle Claude said. “Wyoming winters are plenty mean.”

Sliding closer to his uncle, Doyle gripped his uncle’s arm and gave him a pleading look.

Uncle Claude paused. “Well, it’s nearly Christmas,” he said. Then he took two big paper bags from under the counter and began handing Doyle groceries from around the store. Together they filled the sacks with cans of pork and beans, loaves of sliced bread, and a generous slab of bologna cut at the meat counter.

Then his uncle said, “If you men will pull your cars up to the hose, we’ll pump you a little gas.”

Clearing his throat several times, one of the men coughed, then choked out, “This is the best Christmas I ever had.”

While the men shook hands, Doyle reached into his pocket, pulled out the sack of candy, and ran out the door toward the boy inside the car.

As the two cars pulled away, Doyle and his uncle watched from the frozen driveway. Somehow, the icy temperatures didn’t seem quite so icy.

(Taken from: Kathy Coats, “The Christmas Thaw”, Friend, Dec. 2010, 28–29)

*Help Younger Children remember this story by asking questions, such as:

What did Doyle have for breakfast?
What did Doyle get for sweeping the floor?
What did Doyle’s uncle give the men who came to the store?
What did Doyle give the boy before they drove away?

*For Teenagers: Read this Article from the Ensign*

Rushing to scribble a message on the last Christmas card, I quickly licked the envelope and stuffed the cards into my bag. I arrived at church just in time to join the other young men and young women in a holiday service activity.

This particular Christmas season we had decided to go to a local nursing home to sing hymns and Christmas carols as we strolled up and down the halls. I had decided that I would also bring along Christmas cards to hand out and to visit with people as we sang. I was looking forward to that evening, mostly because I love to sing Christmas carols. And it was a lot better to sing indoors rather than outside in the bitter cold!

We gathered in the foyer and began with a few Christmas classics like “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.” Then we opened our hymnbooks and began to sing as we wandered up and down the halls. Our voices soared and filled the air with the beautiful spirit of Christmas. Each doorway was overflowing with smiling faces, “Merry Christmas” greetings, and even several hugs.

But there was one man in a wheelchair who followed our every move for two hours. When we were done singing, he motioned for me to come to him. I leaned down to hear his frail voice.

“Can you please sing ‘O Holy Night’?” he asked softly.

Looking into his warm and hopeful eyes, I knew that he felt the Spirit and that hearing this song would help him feel closer to the Savior.

“Sure,” I replied. “We would love to.”

This song was not in our hymnbook, and I did not know all of the words, but I was sure that with close to 75 people there, someone was bound to know the lyrics. But as I gathered everyone to sing this request, I could not find anyone who knew the lyrics.

Slightly discouraged, I stood there staring at that man in his chair, desperately wishing to sing his simple Christmas request. Then I heard a girl in our group begin the song. One by one we all began to sing. The words flowed from my mouth with such ease, it was as if I had written the song myself. Our voices created an angelic chorus and echoed through the lonely halls. I knew that Heavenly Father was using our group to bring His Spirit to this man and the others in the nursing home.

After the song, everyone in the group and in the foyer stood in silence for a few minutes with tears running down our faces, full of the spirit of Christmas. I looked in my hand and noticed that I had one Christmas card left. I knelt down by the man in his wheelchair and handed him the card. Before I could say anything, he flung his arms around my neck.

“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much.”

As we finished giving hugs and Christmas wishes, we decided to walk around the neighborhood to continue our caroling. We had all been messengers that night, sharing our feelings of the Savior and His love. We strolled through the cold night air singing hymns, warmed by our testimonies of the Savior, whose birth we celebrated.

(Amy Rhoads, “The Last Carol”, New Era, Dec. 2010, 44–45)

Discuss various things you can do as a family to help those around you (neighbors or relatives–especially widows and elderly couples) to feel the Christmas spirit. Christmas is a great time of year to show selfless service and love!

Treat

Red-Nosed Reindeer Lollipops or Mm-moose

Red-Nosed Reindeer Lollipops

Ingredients:
Large round lollipop
Plastic wrap
Clear and double-sided tapes
Brown pipe cleaner
Tiny bell
Red ribbon
Self-adhesive googly eyes
Red pom-pom

Instructions:
1- Unwrap the lollipop and cover it again with plastic wrap. Secure it at the base with clear tape.

2- Bend the pipe cleaner in half around the base of the pop and shape the ends into antlers.

3- Thread the bell onto a 10-inch length of red ribbon and tie it around the reindeer’s neck.

4- Stick on the googly eyes and attach the pom-pom nose with double-sided tape.

Mm-moose

Ingredients:
2 chocolate wafer cookies
Royal icing
Toothpicks
2 orange circus peanuts, halved
2 caramel squares
3 pretzel pieces
1 brown mini M&M

Instructions:
1- For the body, glue together the wafer cookies with icing. Poke four toothpick legs into the body and add a circus peanut half for each foot.

2- With a toothpick, attach the two caramels together as shown, then affix them with icing to the body.

3- Poke two pretzel pieces into the caramels for antlers. Using icing, glue on an M&M nose and a pretzel tail.

(Recipes taken from Familyfun.go.com)

Scripture

Moroni 7:13

13- But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

Hymn

Away in a Manger Childrens Songbook 42 OR Away in a Manger Hymn 206

1. Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Lesson

*For Younger Children: Read this story*

Michael gazed at the tiny, soft bed of straw. “I am glad that baby Jesus will have a soft, warm bed for Christmas Eve,” he thought.

For the past week Michael had carefully tucked little pieces of straw into this tiny manger, one piece at a time. Michael thought that it just might be the best Christmas he ever had because now he was old enough to understand what Christmas was all about.

A week ago Mom had given a family home evening lesson about the true meaning of Christmas. She said that Jesus Christ was the greatest gift Heavenly Father gave to the world. Then she presented each child in the family with a small, empty manger and a tiny figure of the baby Jesus.

“For the next week you will each have a chance to give a present back to Heavenly Father,” Mom said.

“How can we do that?” Michael asked.

“Your gift to Heavenly Father will be to serve others,” she said. “Each time you do a good deed or help another person, you may add a piece of straw to your manger. The more kindness you show to others, the softer the manger will be on Christmas Eve.”

“I hope I can get more straw in my manger than anybody else!” Michael thought.

The next day Michael started working to collect straw.

“Mom, can I help you sweep the floor?” Michael asked, when he saw her cleaning the kitchen.

“I’ll help you find your teddy bear,” he told his little brother when he cried for his lost toy.

“I want to shovel some snow too,” he said when his dad went outside to shovel the driveway.

Within a few days Michael’s little manger looked very different. It was stuffed full of straw! But Michael noticed a change in himself too. He started to enjoy doing kind things for others because he knew it was what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. Sometimes he even forgot to add a piece of straw to the manger when he helped.

Michael decided that doing nice things made him feel good inside. On Christmas Eve, as he stood by the soft lights of the Christmas tree, Michael gently laid his tiny baby Jesus in the manger, which was now overflowing with straw.

Michael knew he had done the best he could to show his love for Heavenly Father and Jesus. This was the best Christmas ever.

(Taken from: Jacob F. Frandsen, “Straw for the Manger”, Friend, Dec. 2010, 36–37)

*Help Younger Children remember this story by asking questions, such as:

What did Michael have to do in order to add a piece of straw to his manger?
What did Michael help his mom do?
What did Michael help his little brother find?
What did Michael help his Dad with?
How did Michael feel on Christmas Ever?

*For Teenagers: Read this Article from the Ensign*

One of my favorite Christmas carols is “For unto Us a Child Is Born” from Handel’s Messiah. It is a reminder of what Christmas is all about. I often wonder what Mary felt when she was told by the angel Gabriel, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

Mary was troubled by this, and the angel continued:

“Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

“And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30–33).

What a wondrous experience this must have been! Mary’s promised son was to be Heavenly Father’s Only Begotten Son in the flesh. She had been chosen to bring into the world the greatest gift of all: our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father gave this gift to all of us, young or old, rich or poor. We did not have to search the shops for it. It did not cost us a single penny. It did not come wrapped in shiny wrapping paper. The most treasured gift of all was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. It was sent to all of us with love from our Heavenly Father.

(Joan M. Olenycz, “The Gift”, Ensign, Dec. 2010, 10)

Discuss and Brainstorm gifts that you can give Heavenly Father and Jesus this year for Christmas. Discuss them as a family. (Any act of service is a gift to our Heavenly Father and to Jesus.) Christmas is a great time of year to serve!

Treat

Crunchy Snowman or Pine-Tree Fruit Kabobs

Crunchy the Snowman

Ingredients:
bag of 8-inch pretzel rods
1 cup white chocolate chips
mini chocolate chips
orange decorators’ gel
fruit leather (various colors)
gummy rings
gumdrops

Instructions:
1- To make a batch, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler.

2- One at a time, dip one end of an 8-inch pretzel rod in the melted chocolate and use a plastic spoon or knife to spread the chocolate two thirds of the way down the rod.

3- Set the pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper and press on mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons. Use orange decorators’ gel to add a carrot nose.

4- When the chocolate has hardened, stand the pretzels in a mug or glass and tie on strips of fruit leather for scarves. For each hat, stretch a gummy ring over the narrow end of a gumdrop and secure it on the pretzel rod with a dab of melted chocolate.

Pine-Tree Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

Large pineapple
Small skewers (we used 50 6-inch bamboo skewers)
Assorted fresh fruit (we used grapes, strawberries, star fruit, and honeydew)

Instructions:
1- To make the tree trunk, remove the top and cut 1 inch off of the bottom of a large pineapple, then peel it (all a parent’s job).

2- On the skewers, thread three to five pieces of assorted fresh fruits.

3- Starting at the bottom, insert the skewers into the pineapple at a slight angle. Top the tree with skewered slices of star fruit. After the branches are eaten, don’t forget to slice up the tree trunk.

(Recipes taken from Familyfun.go.com)

Scripture

Matthew 10:8
“…freely ye have received, freely give.”

Mosiah 2:17
And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Hymn

“I’m Trying to be Like Jesus” Primary Songbook pg 78

1. I’m trying to be like Jesus;
I’m following in his ways.
I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

2. I’m trying to love my neighbor;
I’m learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:

Chorus
“Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.”

“Have I Done Any Good?” Hymn 223

1. Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

[Chorus]
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.

2. There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.
’Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.

Lesson

This weeks lesson has a story for younger children, a story for teenagers and an object lesson for all ages.

*For Younger Children: (Share this story)*

Melissa ran her fingernails over the frosted bus window, making designs. It was so cold outside that the window soon frosted over again.

Camille poked Melissa. “Look what Kathy is wearing today,” she whispered, giggling.

Melissa’s eyes followed Camille’s pointing finger. Kathy sat by herself, her tangled hair sticking out of an old wool hat. Her coat was too short in the sleeves. Her canvas shoes had holes in the toes, and she wasn’t wearing socks. Kathy’s eyes were downcast.

“We shouldn’t be mean,” Melissa said. “I think her family must be really poor.”

“You don’t have to be rich to brush your hair,” Camille said.

“Shh!” Melissa warned.

When the bus stopped, Melissa watched Kathy get off the bus and walk with her little brother toward a small house. No Christmas decorations were visible. No lights. No tree. When Melissa got home, Kathy’s sad face wouldn’t leave her mind. It didn’t seem fair that some people had so much and others so little.

After dinner, Melissa went to their Christmas tree and picked up each of her presents—one from Grandma, one from her best friend, and one from her little brother.

Melissa took her presents over to the table where her parents were talking. “I want to give these away,” she blurted out, before she could change her mind.

Mom and Dad looked surprised. “Why?” Dad asked.

Melissa told them about Kathy.

“I know her family,” Dad said. “Their father died a few years ago, and there are four children in the family.”

“May I give her my presents?” Melissa asked.

“We can do even better than that,” Dad said.

Mom smiled and nodded. “We certainly can.”

Melissa’s family spent the next two days in a frenzy. They cut and decorated another tree, baked more Christmas goodies, and bought food for another Christmas dinner. They gathered clothes for the children—socks, shoes, hats, coats, gloves, shirts, pants, and dresses.

Then Melissa and her brothers opened their presents and rewrapped the ones they wanted to give away. Melissa’s present from her brother was a doll she had been wanting since September. She thought about giving Kathy one of her other presents instead. Then, thinking how happy it would make Kathy, she wrapped the doll in the prettiest paper she could find and put a big red bow on top.

On Christmas Eve, the family loaded all of the presents into the van. Dad drove slowly past Kathy’s house and stopped the van behind a big bush.

Melissa and her older brother, Trent, loaded their arms with presents and followed Dad up the walk. Melissa heard the snow crunching loudly under her boots.

“Please don’t hear us,” she thought.

When they reached the front step, Dad set down the tree in its stand and a big box filled with food. Melissa and Trent hurried to set down their armloads too.

Dad rang the bell and whispered, “Run!”

Everyone ran to hide behind the bush. Melissa tried to quiet her loud breathing as she watched to see what would happen.

When Kathy’s little brother opened the door, he looked around, his eyes huge. Then he yelled, “Mom, Kathy, look! It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas!”

Then Kathy came to the door, looking astonished and happy. Melissa had never seen her smile like that before.

On the way home, Melissa felt like she was going to explode with joy. “This is the best Christmas ever!” she said.

(Taken from: Lisa Harvey, “Christmas Eve Drop-Off”, Friend, Dec. 2010, 4–5)

Here are a few questions you can ask throughout the story or at the end of the story:

Why was Kathy sad?
What did present did Melissa wrap with a big red bow for Kathy?
Who rang the doorbell at Melissa’s house?
Who came to the door at Melissa’s house?
How do you think Melissa and her family felt?
How do you think Kathy and her family felt?

Kathy’s family chose to serve Melissa’s family. Christmas time is a great time of service. Service is doing things for others.

*For Teenagers*

(share this story from the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, December 6, 2009.)

Recently as I have reminisced concerning past Christmases I’ve realized that probably no other time of the year yields as many poignant memories as does Christmas. The Christmases we remember best generally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love, and with compassion and caring. …

Many years ago I read of an experience at Christmastime which took place when thousands of weary travelers were stranded in the congested Atlanta, Georgia, airport. An ice storm had seriously delayed air travel as these people were trying to get wherever they most wanted to be for Christmas—most likely home.

It happened in December of 1970. As the midnight hour tolled, unhappy passengers clustered around the ticket counters conferring anxiously with agents whose cheerfulness had long since evaporated. They too wanted to be home. A few people managed to doze in uncomfortable seats. Others gathered at the newsstands to thumb silently through paperback books. If there was a common bond among this diverse throng it was loneliness: pervasive, inescapable, suffocating loneliness. …

The fact of the matter was that there were more passengers than there were available seats on any of the planes. When an occasional plane managed to break out, more passengers stayed behind than made it aboard. …

Gate 67 in Atlanta was a microcosm of the whole cavernous airport. Scarcely more than a glassed-in cubicle, it was jammed with travelers hoping to fly to New Orleans, Dallas, and points west. Except for the fortunate few traveling in pairs, there was little conversation at gate 67. A salesman stared absently into space as if resigned. A young mother cradled an infant in her arms, gently rocking in a vain effort to soothe the soft whimpering.

Then there was a man in a finely-tailored gray flannel suit, who somehow seemed impervious to the collective suffering. There was a certain indifference about his manner. He was absorbed in paperwork: figuring the year-end corporate profits perhaps. A nerve-frayed traveler sitting nearby observing this busy man might have identified him as an Ebenezer Scrooge.

Suddenly the relative silence was broken by a commotion. A young man in military uniform, no more than 19 years old, was in animated conversation with the desk agent. The boy held a low-priority ticket. He pleaded with the agent to help him get to New Orleans so that he could take the bus to the obscure Louisiana village he called home.

The agent wearily told him that prospects were poor for the next 24 hours, maybe longer. The boy grew frantic. Immediately after Christmas, his unit was to be sent to Vietnam—where at that time war was raging—and if he didn’t make this flight, he might never again spend Christmas at home. Even the businessman looked up from his cryptic computations to show a guarded interest. The agent clearly was moved, even a bit embarrassed. But he could only offer sympathy, not hope. The boy stood at the departure desk casting anxious looks around the crowded room, as if seeking just one friendly face.

Finally the agent announced that the flight was ready for boarding. The travelers who had been waiting long hours heaved themselves up, gathered their belongings, and shuffled down the small corridor to the waiting aircraft: 20, 30, 100, until there were no more seats. The agent turned to the frantic young soldier and shrugged.

Inexplicably, the businessman had lingered behind. Now he stepped forward. “I have a confirmed ticket,” he quietly told the agent. “I’d like to give my seat to this young man.” The agent stared incredulously; then he motioned to the soldier. Unable to speak, tears streaming down his face, the boy in olive drab shook hands with the man in the gray flannel suit, who simply murmured, “Good luck. Have a fine Christmas. Good luck.”

As the plane door closed and the engines began their rising whine, the businessman turned away, clutching his briefcase and trudged toward the all-night restaurant.

No more than a few among the thousands stranded there at the Atlanta airport witnessed the drama at gate 67. But for those who did, the sullenness, the frustration, the hostility all dissolved into a glow. That act of love and kindness between strangers had brought the spirit of Christmas into their hearts.

The lights of the departing plane blinked starlike as the craft moved off into the darkness. The infant slept silently, now in the lap of the young mother. Perhaps another flight would be leaving before many more hours. But those who witnessed the interchange were less impatient. The glow lingered gently, pervasively in that small glass and plastic stable at gate 67.

My brothers and sisters, finding the real joy of the season comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done or in the purchasing of obligatory gifts. Really, joy comes as we show the love and compassion inspired by the Savior of the world, who said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”

As we contemplate how we are going to spend our money to buy gifts this holiday season let us plan also for how we will spend our time in order to help bring the true spirit of Christmas into the lives of others.

The Savior gave freely to all. And His gifts were of value beyond measure. Throughout His ministry, He blessed the sick, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear, and the halt and the lame to walk. He gave cleanliness to the unclean. He restored breath to the lifeless. He gave hope to the despairing, and He sowed light in the darkness.

He gave us His love, His service, and His life.

What is the spirit we feel at Christmastime? It is His spirit—the spirit of Christ.

The Christmases we remember best generally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love, and with compassion and caring.

The Savior gave freely to all. And His gifts were of value beyond measure

(Thomas S. Monson, “The Spirit We Feel at Christmastime”, New Era, Dec. 2010, 2–4)

OBJECT LESSON ~ For all ages

Dominoes: Stack the dominoes up in a row and have someone push over the first domino. Explain that the one domino falling affects all of the other dominoes (one by one). Relate this to service (One good act of service usually results and is proceeded by another).

(If you read the story Christmas Drop-Off, explain how the first domino is like Kathy and her family. When we do one good thing, it results in many other people serving others–especially during Christmas time)

Treat

Caramel Crisp Bars or Holiday Pretzel Treats

Caramel Crisp Bars

Ingredients:

4 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
14 caramel candy squares
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 1/2 cups crisped-rice cereal
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1- Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with a piece of foil that extends at least 2 inches over each end. Grease the foil; set the pan aside. Melt the marshmallows, butter, and caramels in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously until smooth, approximately 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Add the cereal and chocolate chips; mix well. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Let it cool completely, about 45 minutes.

2- Transfer the mixture to a cutting board by lifting up the foil. Carefully peel off the foil. Using a sharp knife, cut the mixture into 12 large bars, as shown above, or 24 small bars. Store in an airtight container.

Holiday Pretzel Treats

Ingredients:

Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hershey’s Kiss or Hershey’s Hug
M&M’s candy

Directions:
1- Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss or Hershey’s Hug.

2- Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M’s candy into the center of each Kiss.

3- Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

(Recipes taken from Family.go.com)

Scripture

I Timothy 6:19
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

D & C 4:4
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

Hymn

“Come Ye Thankful People” Hymn 94

1. Come, ye thankful people, come;
Raise the song of harvest home.
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin.
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied.
Come to God’s own temple, come;
Raise the song of harvest home.

2. All the world is God’s own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield,
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade, and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear.
Lord of harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.

Lesson

Read or tell the story of Joseph in Egypt Genesis 41-43 (can also include Genesis 37, 39-40)

*(Joseph in Egypt Clip-art for younger children can be found at LDS-Clipart.com)*

Discuss why Egypt did not have to worry during the time of famine.

Why did they not have to worry?

Talk about farms, gardens and harvesting. People today (just like Joseph in Egypt) set aside some of their crops for later.  The prophets have commanded us to be self-reliant and to set things aside for later. We have been commanded to start and maintain a food storage.

What is food storage?

What foods are important to have in food storage?

Briefly discuss and set goals for your family’s food storage. (ie. What are you doing good? What can you do better?)

*Please note and discuss that it is important to build and maintain a food storage, however, we are advised to be prudent. Do not go into debt in order to obtain a food storage all at once*

*For Teenagers* You may consider going over the church pamphlet: All is Safely Gathered In.

Some great Ensign Articles you may want to read or use to add to your lesson:

Home Storage–How to Begin April 1986 Ensign, pg 64-66

Food Storage: Where and How Aug 1981 Ensign, pg 53-55

Spicing up Your Food Storage June 1990, Ensign, pg 72

Mmmmmm! This Couldn’t Be Food Storage March 1990 Ensign, pg 71-73

Treat

2- Cut a sugar wafer in half. Add a dollop of frosting to the top edge of thecookie and stick a wafer half to it for a hat top, as shown.

3 oval shortbread cookies

Scripture

Hymn

Lesson

Treat

Activity