By Alison Palmer
Scripture:2 Timothy 1:7

Song:“I Will Be Valiant,” Children’s Songbook, 162

Preparation:Find a medium-sized pebble and use a magic marker to write the word “courage” on it. Write down a couple of brief scenarios for use in your attention activity, these should be situations that require courage to get through. Some can be silly, like being served a new food; some might be more serious such as resisting the offer of a cigarette.

Prayerfully read “May You Have Courage,” Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2009, 123-27 and consider which thoughts and passages you would like to share with your family.

Lesson:

Begin by playing a version of “Who’s got the Button.” Have one person who is “it” leave the room or close his eyes while you give the courage pebble to another member of the family. When the person who is “it” comes back in everyone should hold their hands as if they have the button. Read your scenario. The “it” child has three chances (or less as needed for your family situation) to find the person who will show true courage. He should ask the person he chooses, “Do you have courage?” If that person is holding the courage pebble she should give an appropriate courageous answer, such as, “I would tell them no.” If they do not have the pebble they should give a wrong or silly answer, such as, “I would feed my peas to the dog.”

If your family is younger, having the “it” child leave the room gives you a chance to discuss what types of answers each person can give. Repeat the challenge with a new “it” and a different family member holding the courage.

Discuss the fact that true courage is not something that they can hold, nor is it something someone else can give them. Just like faith, it is something that has to grow inside of them.
As they practice having courage, and plan for times when they may need extra courage, they will have more to draw on every time they need it.

Help the children understand the difference between having true courage and taking a dare or just acting out to get attention. Explain that courage is also different from anger or conflict. Discuss how Jesus Christ showed courage during His mortal ministry.

Explain that President Monson recently asked the youth to find more courage in three areas.

• First, the courage to refrain from judging others;

• Second, the courage to be chaste and virtuous; and

• Third, the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness (“May You Have Courage,” Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2009, 123-27).

Discuss as a family why President Monson might have felt these areas were so important.
What effect can courage in these three areas have on the rest of your life and activities? Using examples from President Monson’s talk and your own lives, discuss these areas with your family according to their needs.

Leave your family with the challenge to see how many times during the week their courage is required. Discuss these instances with each other at the next Family Home Evening.

Activity:

Young Children: Watch The Wizard of Oz and talk about all the different ways the Cowardly Lion shows courage, even before he knew he had any.

Older Children: Make a plan to befriend someone in your ward or community who may be misunderstood or left out.

Role play situations that your children need to make decisions about ahead of time, in ways to avoid gossip, resist peer pressure, and exhibit pride in their beliefs and convictions.

Treat:

Marshmallows dipped in white chocolate (coconut sprinkles optional)

For the sweetness of the fruit from the Tree of Life, and in celebration of moral courage and virtue.