FHE: My Hands

Dec 2010 Issue

By Alison Palmer
Scripture: D&C 81:5

Song: “I Have Two Little Hands,” Children’s Songbook, 272

Preparation: Prior to family home evening, take close-up pictures of each family member’s hand, as well as a close up of a picture of the Savior’s hands from a favorite illustration. Print out these pictures for use in the lesson. Gather a large piece of paper or poster board as well as a few markers. If available, also have on hand two $20 bills- one new and crisp, one old and well-used.
Prayerfully read “You Are My Hands,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, May 2010, 68-75, and choose those elements you would like to discuss with your family.

Lesson: Begin by showing your family the pictures of their hands. Take time to identify each person’s hand and what qualities make it different from the other pictures. End with the picture of the Savior’s hand and see if they can identify who it belongs to. Discuss what makes His hand the same as everyone else’s.
Remind the children that Jesus’ hand was once as small as theirs. He had the same types of things to learn to do with His hands, such as feeding Himself, tying His shoes and learning to write. He also had the same types of decisions to make about the kinds of things His hands would do, such as helping or hurting those around Him. What decisions did He make? What did Jesus use His hands for while He was on earth?

Next, discuss the decisions each one of us gets to make about what our hands will do each day- tie our shoes, do our schoolwork, hold open the door for a stranger, or shake the hand of a new friend. Also discuss choices we could make that might not be good for us, or those around us. What happens if we choose to use our hands to shove a sibling or break a toy?

Remind the family that while we are trying to be like Jesus, He has asked us to use our hands to do the types of things he would do. Read the opening two paragraphs of President Uchtdorf’s talk to the family. Ask them to think about the types of things we could do with our hands if we wanted to be the Savior’s hands here on earth.

Pull out your poster board and write “You Are My Hands” on the top. Write each topic heading from President Uchtdorf’s talk down one side of the page, leaving room between each one: Embrace, Comfort, Serve, Love. As you discuss each area of the talk, pull out the examples that are most appropriate for your family, then direct their attention to the poster. Brainstorm and make a list of possible actions that someone could complete that would fit the description President Uchtdorf gave of what our hands can do for Jesus Christ.

During the discussion of the woman who compares herself to a 20-dollar bill, use your two examples, talk about the part different hands have in deciding whether a dollar bill is kept nice or whether it’s true value is not observed by actions that can wear it out faster, such as wadding it up, tearing it, forgetting it and letting it go through the washer. How does that compare to the way we choose to treat individuals? Do our view and our actions contribute to how they view themselves? Do they change Heavenly Father’s view of their worth? How would our actions change if we held everyone in that same value and respect?

At the end of the lesson, trace every family member’s hand around the outside of your poster board. Then, ask each person to consider what action from the ones listed that they feel they could complete during the coming week. Allow them to draw a connecting line between their hand and the chosen task. Display the poster in a prominent place for the coming week to encourage the family to remember the importance of the choices they make with their hands.

Activity:

Younger children: Make construction paper cut outs of the family’s hands. Use a hole punch to tie a ribbon through the palm and decorate. Place the hands beside your Christmas tree. As family members complete acts of service and charity during the holiday season they can write the deed on one of their hands and hang it on the tree.

Older children: Plan a trip to your local Bishop’s Storehouse to help pack holiday food orders, or volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen.

Treat:

Canned peaches and cottage cheese or thumbprint cookies.