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Mar 2010 Issue
By Alison Palmer
Scripture: John 14:26-27
Song: “The Still Small Voice,” Children’s Songbook, 106
Preparation:
Place a copy of the above scripture in an envelope for use during the lesson. Gather a stack of index cards, 5 or 6 sheets of blank paper, pens and tape. Write situations that are pertinent to your family on the pieces of paper. These should include decisions to be made, difficult situations being faced, times where protection or comfort may be needed. (Studying for a test, making a choice, avoiding danger, etc.)
Prayerfully read “Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit,” Vicki F. Matsumori, Ensign, November 2009, 10-12 and consider which thoughts and passages you would like to share with your family.
Lesson:
Choose two family members to help you introduce the lesson. Ask one child to
leave the room while the other hides the prepared scripture envelope. Invite the first child back in and instruct her to listen as her partner whispers to help her locate the hidden object. This is done as a version of “Hot and Cold.” The one who hid the card cannot move from an assigned spot. The other child must listen carefully for his whispers of warm, hot or cold as she moves around the room looking for the object until it is found.
When the envelope has been retrieved, ask the family to share their thoughts on what you will be discussing in Family Home Evening. Have someone read the scripture from the envelope to confirm the subject matter.
Ask the family to share what they already know about the Holy Ghost and His role in our lives. Discuss why He is sometimes referred to as the “still small voice” as well as other names He is given in the scriptures. Why is His influence important? Expand your discussion using information from the section of Sister Matsumori’s talk entitled,
“Understanding the Doctrine” and the entry for the Holy Ghost in your Bible Dictionary.
Next, ask the family their thoughts on why we have been instructed to share our testimonies and spiritual experiences with each other. How can hearing these things help us identify and strengthen our own spiritual connections to the gospel, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ? Explain that while many elements of these testimonies might be the same, the feelings and thoughts associated with them are personal and unique to that individual. Not everyone will describe the workings of the Spirit in the same way, but understanding how the Holy Ghost works with others helps us understand how He works with us as well.
Take out the index cards and brainstorm as a family to list as many different thoughts, emotions, and feelings as you can that might be used to describe the presence of the Holy Ghost. Remember that negative emotions such as anger, hatred, and fear are not from the Spirit.
Share the situations you wrote on the papers. Work together to decide which types of feelings and promptings might be most appropriate for each and place them with the situation. Discuss personal experiences with the promptings of the Spirit and help the family identify and describe their own experiences. Challenge them to find ways to increase their awareness of the many ways the Spirit communicates to them in different situations. Encourage a reflective moment before their evening prayers in order to process that day’s level of spiritual connection.
Activity:
Young Children: Experiment with making tin can or plastic cup “telephones.” Observe that the best connections are made when the line is stretched tight. A gentle touch to the string might even be able to feel the vibrations. Compare your experiences to the practice and firm commitment it takes to make the best connections with the Holy Ghost.
Older Children: Give each person a brown paper lunch sack and tell them to secretly find an item to place in their sack. When everyone has returned, they should take turns presenting their sack. Another family member should come forward and feel inside the sack without looking at its contents. He must then find ways to describe what he feels, without naming the object, until the rest of the family has guessed what it is. Remind them that everyone’s object, and the words used to describe it, was different. Sharing our experiences and paying attention to the experiences of those around us is how we train ourselves to more fully recognize the Spirit influence in our lives.
Treat:
Warm chocolate chip cookies or other traditional family treat. Talk about why the sensory experience surrounding the treat creates feelings of warmth, security and love within us. Remind the family that these are the feelings Heavenly Father wants us to carry all the time. Providing this peace and comfort in ways we can understand is one important role of the Holy Ghost.
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