By Alison Palmer

Scripture: Mosiah 2:17

Song: “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,” Children’s Songbook, 78

Preparation:
Gather: butter, mini marshmallows, Cheerios®, mini M&M’s®, colored sprinkles, a bear shaped cookie cutter, and cellophane

Lesson:
Show your gathered supplies. Explain that as a family you will learn more about service and work together to create some of the sweetness associated with it.
Read and discuss each listed scripture. Identify each ingredient associated with the scriptures, and then use these materials to create a “Service Sweet.”

Scriptures:
Luke 10:33-35 “pouring in wine and oil” (butter)
Moroni 7:45-47 “is not puffed up, . . . the pure love of Christ” (marshmallows)
Isaiah 58:7-11 “deal thy bread to the hungry” (cereal)
D&C 4:2-3 “with all your heart, (M)ight, (M)ind and (S)trength” (M&M’s®, candy sprinkles)
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens” (bear cookie cutter)
Matthew 25:36 “Naked, and ye clothed me” (cellophane)

Recipe:
Note: ingredient portions listed will be doubled during the lesson.
3 Tablespoons of butter or margarine
1 Bag of mini marshmallows
5 Cups of Cheerios®
1 Cup of mini M&M’s
Candy sprinkles

Have your family members help prepare the needed ingredients with an added challenge. Read Matthew 5:41 with your family. Then explain that when we help others we should give our best effort and extend ourselves beyond the minimum need. In this manner, whatever amount of an ingredient you ask for should be measured out in a doubled quantity (i.e. when you ask for 5 cups of cereal, 10 cups should be measured out) by your family.

To create your “Service Sweet” melt the butter in a large microwave safe bowl.
Coat the marshmallows with the melted butter. Return the bowl to the microwave heating in 1 minute intervals, stirring in between, until the marshmallows are melted.

Quickly stir in the cereal and M&M’s®.

Firmly flatten the mixture out onto a greased cookie sheet and top lightly with the candy sprinkles.

Place the treats in the fridge to cool during the rest of the lesson time (about 45 minutes).

Activity:
While waiting for the treats to set up ask your family members to share a story about a time when someone helped them. Discuss the feelings and actions associated with being helped when you have a need. Compare these events to times when the role has been reversed and you have been the one providing the help.

Talk about the role of the Savior in your lives. What has He done for you?

Discuss the blessings of the Atonement and His righteous example. Recall a few stories from the scriptures where Jesus showed examples of loving service.

Read and discuss Matthew 25:35-40 as a family. Testify of the joys that can be experienced by sharing our love of the Savior by serving those around us. Help your family understand that when we provide service we are learning to be more like the Savior and gaining greater understanding of His love for each of us. Talk about ways you can become more aware of opportunities to serve others every day.

Write notes of love and appreciation to family and friends.

Remove the treats from the refrigerator and cut the cereal bars out with the bear-shaped cookie cutter. Wrap each bear in cellophane.

Choose a few of the notes your family has written and attach them to the bears.

Deliver the bears to your friends and neighbors as a family. Treat them to a Primary song serenade before moving on.

Refreshments:
Eat the left over pieces of the cereal treats and continue to talk about your experiences providing service.