Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Another Conference FHE

Here is another Conference FHE. My sister Stacy and I have been trading off doing them each month. I will post my Conference FHE hopefully before next Monday!!! (Or soon after... thanks Stace!)


President Henry B. Eyring “O Remember, Remember” October Conference 2007


Opening Song: “Count your many blessings”

Scripture: Alma 34:38

“Live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessing which he doth bestow upon you”

Additional Scriptures (optional):

Mosiah 2:41; Alma 37:13; Helamon 5:9; Deuteronomy 4:9; John 14:25-26;

Helaman 12:1-2,5; D&C 20:77,79, Moroni 7:16-17, 19

Activity: Supplies needed: A pebble & small sucker for each member of the family.

Place a small pebble in the shoe or sock of each family member & give every person a sucker. Have each family member walk around the room for one or two minutes with the pebble in their shoe & the sucker in their mouth. You generally hear how miserable the pebble was in their shoe & not how sweet the sucker was. It is easy to allow the negative things in our life to overshadow the positive experiences we have & blessings we receive. We need to make an effort to recognize blessings given to us from the Lord & show him our gratitude.

Lesson: It is very important that we recognize & show gratitude for the blessings the Lord gives us.

*As a family, make a list of things you are thankful for.

*Read D&C 78:19 aloud and ask what this verse has to do with the list you made.

Why do you think it is important to show gratitude for our blessings?

What does Alma 34:38 and D&C 46:7 teach us about this principle?

What are some ways we can show more gratitude for our blessings?

Keep a list of the blessings listed during the FHE. Have each person place the list in a drawer or on a mirror where it can be seen often. Encourage them to add to the list as they recognize additional blessings.

Story:

I am going to tell you a story about Elder Eyring. One day Elder Eyring returned home late from one of his church assignments. It was dark outside & he was surprised to see his father in law, dressed in work clothes, carrying pipes over his shoulder. He knew he had been building a system to pump water from the stream to his property. Elder Eyring was grateful for what his father in law was doing. As he was walking into the house the Holy Ghost spoke to him in his mind, and said these words, “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.” He went inside & took out a piece of paper and began to write. He knew what the Holy Ghost was trying to tell him. He knew he needed to write down how he saw the hand of God blessing his family. He knew that someday his children would read it & they could also see how their family was blessed. Since that day Elder Eyring has written in his journal every day. He learned that sometimes he was so busy that he didn’t notice some of the blessings until he took the time to think about what had happened each day & allow the Holy Ghost to remind him of how he & his family were blessed. He became even more grateful for those blessings & his testimony grew. He was constantly reminded that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers, and grateful for the Savior’s atonement. We need to find ways to recognize & remember the wonderful blessings we receive from the Lord & our testimonies will grow.

Scripture Story:

The story of the grateful Samaritan has great meaning. As the Savior went through Samaria and Galilee, “He entered into a certain village, [and] there met him ten men that were lepers” and who “lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Jesus told them to go unto the priest. And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God & fell down . . . at his feet and gave thanks. He was a Samaritan. Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger: And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:11-19)

Those who had leprosy were not permitted under the law to come close to Jesus. Those who were suffering from this terrible disease were required to agonize together, sharing their common misery (see Leviticus 13:45-46). Their forlorn cry, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” touched the Savior’s heart. When they were healed and had received priestly approval that they were clean and acceptable in society, they must have been overcome with joy, having received so great a miracle. But they forgot to give thanks to their benefactor.

It is difficult to understand why nine lepers were so lacking in gratitude. When we are ungrateful we are full of pride. Let us offer gratitude daily for the blessings we receive. May we be grateful every day in our prayers, our thoughts, and our actions.

Elder Eyring concludes, “Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him. I testify that He loves us and blesses us, more than most of us have yet recognized. I know that is true, and it brings me joy to remember Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Closing Song: “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” or “Because I Have Been Given Much”

Refreshments:

Chocolate Brownie Pudding (Lion House Desserts,[Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2000] p.33)

2 Cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder

1½ cups sugar ¼ cup cocoa

1 tsp. salt 1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla ¼ cup butter, melted

1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped 1 ½ cups brown sugar

½ cup cocoa 3 ½ cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. Measure flour, baking powder, sugar, ¼ cup cocoa & salt into a bowl & mix together. Add milk, vanilla and melted butter & mix. Stir in the walnuts. Pour into prepared pan and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar & ½ cup cocoa. Pour hot water over sugar and cocoa mixture & mix together. When well blended, slowly pour over the flour mixture in baking pan. (The pan will be very full.) Bake for 35- 40 minutes. Makes approx. 15 squares.