FHE Lesson: I Am Thankful For My Blessings

Nov 2007 Issue

By Alison Palmer

Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 59:7

Song: “Count Your Blessings,” Hymn #241

Preparation: Find a Mason jar or other sturdy container and label it “Thankfulness Pennies.” Collect enough pennies to equal the age of every family member added together, and pencil and paper for each family member.

Lesson: Have each family member number their paper, counting up from one until they reach their age. Instruct each person that they must take the next few minutes to write down that number of things that they are thankful for. For those with an (ahem) advanced number of items to write down, they should write as many as they can think of in the given time frame, then continue to add items throughout the lesson and the coming week.

Talk about how we decide what is important to us and how we can show gratitude and respect for those things we value.

Next, count out and give each person a number of pennies also equal to their age. Present the “Thankfulness Jar” and ask each person to deposit one penny for each item on their list, saying the item out loud as the coins are added to the jar.

Help your family understand that thinking of and sharing our blessings helps us feel happier and more content with our lives. It helps us recognize how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have done for us.

Explain that your family will continue to add pennies (at least one per person each day) to your jar for the next several weeks. Choose a time when the whole family comes together, perhaps a meal or prayer time, when each person can drop in their penny and state something good that happened to them that day.

The week before Christmas the money collected in your “Thankfulness Jar” will be donated to a charity or cause of the family’s choosing, or used to buy a small gift for someone that you personally know who is in need. The amount of money collected may seem small, but help your family recognize what it represents: a large of amount of blessings within your own family and a little bit of help to someone whose needs are far greater than your own.
Note: If your family is small and/or financially able, consider increasing the denomination of coin used to accumulate a larger fund.

Activity:
Young children: “What Matters Most Race”

Pretend there is an emergency and your family needs to evacuate their home. Assume that your emergency supplies are ready and available. Explain that each person will have five minutes to go through the house and gather the five things that they can carry that mean the most to them. Set a timer and race.

When everyone returns, examine the items they brought. Talk about what they mean to the person and what other items they thought of that they were unable to bring. Encourage each person to include thankfulness for their chosen items, their home and safety in their prayers during the coming week.

Note: If you have children who are easily scared or worried, you may change the scenario to a spontaneous vacation.

Older children: “Thankfulness Scripture Chase”

Write each of the following scriptures in its entirety on index cards: Psalm 100:5, Proverbs 3:5, Matthew 13:16, John 3:16, Ephesians 5:20, 1 Nephi 17:3, Mosiah 18:27, D&C 59:7, D&C 98:1, and D&C 136:28.

To play, randomly read each of the scriptures out loud without giving the reference.
Once it has been read in full, the rest of the family must race to look up the scripture reference. The one who reaches the scripture first wins. Participants may use the index to find the references but they still have to be the first to reach it in their scriptures and confirm it is the scripture you were reading.

Refreshments: “Penny” cookies (gingersnaps) and milk.

Now available: Look for Sharing Through Primary Songs: I Am a Child of God, all new music and sharing time material for 2008, and Sharing Through Primary Songs: Special Occasions by Alison Palmer.