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Jun 2008 Issue
By Alison Palmer
Scripture: D&C 124:40
Song: “I Love to See the Temple,” Children’s Songbook, 95
Preparation: Gather a stack of index cards and 2 different colored pens or markers.
Lesson: Talk to your family about their favorite places to be. Allow each member to share the place they love best and why. Next, ask them to think about what these three words have in common: house, church, and temple.
These three areas are all places where the God can be close to us while we’re still on earth. They represent the best things in life and the best things about every place we like to be. Though it’s sometimes easy to forget, these places bring peace, love, and joy.
Discuss what makes homes, chapels and temples places where Heavenly Father can send His spirit and presence. What things can you do as a family to better recognize the blessings of these sanctuaries?
In houses and chapels, people invite Heavenly Father to be there with them. In temples, Heavenly Father invites you into His home. Temples are special because they require Heavenly Father’s children to be their best selves in order to enter; temples are literally houses of God on the earth. Just as you get ready for church or to go visit a neighbor, Heavenly Father asks you to get ready to come see Him. To enter His house you need to be living a good, clean life and following His commandments. Discuss the types of things the bishop asks about before giving a member of the church a recommend for the temple.
Homes and churches are where you practice and get ready to visit Heavenly Father.
It is important to remember that the bible dictionary says homes should be just as sacred as temples. Read D&C 88:119-126 together. Show the family the index cards. Explain that they will help you identify special attributes from these scriptures that He asks His children to build into their homes. Write each thing on a separate note card with one color pen. After each trait from the scriptures is identified, use an additional index card and the other pen to write one idea about how the family can practice this quality within your home. Try to give each item a different answer. Next, shuffle the index cards together and then lay them out face down. Play memory with the cards, matching scripture phrases to your family’s ideas. As you play discuss any other ideas that come up about ways to practice these attributes within your own home. Remind the family that your goal is to create a home where Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father would like to visit.
Everything that families do to improve the atmosphere of their home and work toward temple blessing of eternity also makes their family happier now.
End with your testimony of the importance of families and the blessings of the temple.
Activity:
Younger children— Play a version of “I’m Going on a Trip and in My Suitcase I’ll Pack…” Replace this common phrase with, “I’m going to meet Heavenly Father and in my spirit I’ll pack:” Go around the group, starting with A (or the first letter of their name), have each person name an item that they would like to have as part of their spirit when they see Heavenly Father or visit His temple. The next person in line should repeat the entire phrase, including everyone else’s choices of what to pack, before stating their own choice. Talk about ways you can develop these traits while on earth and practice getting to know Heavenly Father by attending the temple.
Older children— Work together to construct a playing card house. As you experiment and work on the project talk about the impact little things can have on your progression: a nudge in the wrong place, a cough, or slip of the fingers. Discuss ways to be mindful of the little things that can lead you away from Christ and make lives unstable. Emphasize the importance of support from loving families and repentance to help everyone live worthy of the temple and reach their greatest potential.
Refreshments: “Gingerbread” temples made with graham crackers, pretzels, vanilla icing, mini-marshmallows and white chocolate chips. Consider crushed butterscotch candies for gold accents.
Talk about ways family members can help build and support real temples by attending often, helping clean them, and paying tithing.
Alison Palmer is the author of the popular Sharing Through Primary Songs series, including the new Special Occasions.
