FHE Lesson {Strong Families}

Opening Song: Here We are Together #261

Opening Prayer: Child


Lesson:

This lesson inspired by October 2014 Friend Magazine pg 41

Decorate a can with a label that says "I CAN" { or print from here }
Have slips of paper prepared that say I CAN strengthen my family by......

alternatives suggestions for use:
I can strengthen my life by...
I can be an example by...


Tell the children that they are special.
They have a lot of power.
Children can be such a force for good.

What things do you do already as a force for good?

Families are central to Heavenly Fathers Plan. We are all part of a family.
We can decide how our family runs, the happiness experienced, how much love is shared.

Have children fill in strips or draw pictures about how they CAN strengthen their family. eg

I CAN strengthen my family by saying nice things
I CAN strengthen my family by helping others
I CAN strengthen my family by remembering to have family prayers
I CAN strengthen my family by giving daily hugs and kisses
I CAN strengthen my family by doing my chores

Place strips, family photos, drawings into the can.

Leave around for the week to remind children of all the things THEY CAN DO!

Get children to show you how strong they are. Comment that just as they are strong and healthy we want our family to be like that too. Families need constant care and nourishment just like them to stay healthy. We want to have the happiest family we CAN.

Thank them for all that they already do and how much you love having them in your family.


Closing Song: Families Can be Together Forever #188

Closing Prayer: Child

Treat: Canned Fruit :) or something else from a can :)

FHE Lesson {Obedience}

This lesson inspired by The blessings of Obeying July 2014 Friend Magazine pg 2
Why do we need to obey the Commandments Sept 2014 Friend Magazine pg 11




Opening Song: Quickly I'll Obey #197

Opening Prayer: Child


Lesson:

Why is it important to be obedient?

How do we learn obedience?

Who/what should we be obedient to?
Our parents, Heavenly Father, the commandments, scriptures, The Holy Ghost, teachers

We do not need to travel this life, alone without direction.
Obedience can be like a map, guiding us and ensuring our safety.

What are some ways obedience keeps us safe?
How are the commandments like a map?
{show a variety of maps if interested}


Activity:

Draw out a map {or written instructions} for places around your home with directions to follow and end with a prize, treat or picture of Heavenly Father at the end.

Make a treasure map with dots and X marks the spot


Thank the children for being obedient and following the directions.


Knowledge we seek, answers for which we yearn, and strength we need in hard times can all be ours when we willingly obey the commandments and be obedient to God's law and our parents.


Closing Song:  I will follow God's Plan #164

Closing Prayer: Child

Treat

Camping - Somerset Park Campground

I can't believe it - but its been a year since we've been camping!


Once again not very organised and madly ringing places to find somewhere to camp.

All the places we rang said they were full.

So my dad took it into his own hands and drove off in his mobile home till he found a place.
The minute they found one they rang me and I packed up the kids to join them.


This was my first time camping without the MR!

I felt so brave driving the car full to the brim through the bush on my own! {I'm such wimp I know!}

This time we camped at Somerset Park Campground

It was a lovely couple of days and the kids were great.

Maybe I've reached the magical age of where it is pretty easy to take kids camping.

No injuries, all sleeping through the night, well behaved and fairly helpful around camp!

The only problem was a blow up mattress problem.
The bed I was sharing with two kids refused to stay inflated :(

After initially being told the campground didn't allow fires we were so happy to find every second camp had a metal drum fire. Lucky for the kid that insisted I bring marshmallows regardless!

Animals spotted : Lots of cows, horses, 5 Kangaroo's, Kookaburras, lots of birds

 

 

 

The camp ground was very neat, FLAT {yay}, clean toilets/showers {but needed gold coins for hot showers} quiet and small very near the dam wall, only 1km from the spit/boat ramp which meant there were lots of people with boats at our campground.

Overall I had a very enjoyable few days.

Thanks to my parents for organizing, dad for washing dishes every meal and mum for cooking on her stove in the mobile home. Makes camping a treat :)



Previous Camping Trips:

Neurum creek
Flanagans Reserve
Elanda Point

An Ode to all those I've met

My girls paddleboarding the Brisbane River

The nature of where we live and who we are lends us to making lots of friends.

Friends that don't stay.

Every best friend my daughters made each year at school ~  gone the next year.
Back to Sri Lanka, Quebec, Africa, New Zealand, China, Germany. Friends from church to India, USA, Canada. Others arrive in Brisbane for a short time to relocate elsewhere in Australia. Strangers and friends met in our local park, this inner city community of ever moving migrants.


We have people tumble in and out of our lives at a much too quick rate.
Some we've lost contact with.

Knowing people who relocate overseas a lot means my house has become a testament to those who've flown in with the wind and reluctantly back out again.

I'm often thinking of the owners when :

I set my table with their tablecloth
Iron my clothes on their ironing board
Bring out the plastic chairs for extra guests
Curl my hair
Bake a cake in that square pan
Drive my Car.
Wear their clothes
Use the blender
Eat from their casserole dishes
Use the cleaning products left with me
The kids use their beach toys
I finally use unusual cupboard ingredients they didn't get to use up


I smile when using these items. These things warm my heart.

I've got the ghosts of friends long left inhabiting my home.

I hope they are happy to know that a little piece of them still lives on in Brisbane.