Sprouting Simple Seeds of Faith Ideas for Teenagers "...By small and simple things are great things brought to pass;" Alma 37:6 "In faith, we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming. Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the process. They would have the harvest before the planting" President Spencer W. Kimball Prayer: "With the influences of evil that surround our children, can we even imagine sending them out in the morning without kneeling and humbly asking together for the Lord's protection? Or closing the day without kneeling together and acknowledging our accountability before Him and our thankfulness for His blessings? Brothers and sisters, we need to have family prayer." --Neil L. Andersen, "Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 17 Family Prayer Be Consistent: morning and evening prayer Sing a hymn or primary song together before praying Encourage family members to pray for one another Personal Prayers: As a parent, pray to know specific ideas and needs of each one of your children and how best to reach them. Remember that Heavenly Father knows them better than you do. Scripture Study "Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." Gordon B. Hinckley "A Testimony Vibrant and True," Ensign, Aug. 2005, 5-6 Read each day as a family and individually Take turns reading the scriptures and discuss what is being taught
Family Home Evening: "We call upon parents to devote their BEST efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility. "We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities." The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust, emphasis added (letter, 11 Feb. 1999; printed in the Ensign, June 1999, 80). Each member of the family should have an assignment for FHE. These could include: Conducting, music, scripture, prayers, lesson, testimony, talent, activity/game, treat, etc. Family members can be invited to share their testimonies during FHE, regarding the lesson topic, or other topics they feel strongly about. This helps them develop their testimonies and helps them to feel comfortable sharing them Share a scripture with the family and have it posted in a visible area throughout the week. Memorize this scripture throughout the week. Incorporate a Mom s Manners Minute to teach appropriate social behavior. Have a Dad s How to Time where dad can teach quick skills, such as; turning off the water or gas to the house, changing a washer in a leaky faucet, changing a tire, changing the oil in the car or other basic repair jobs around the house. Include a scheduling session to work out the week s schedules for the entire family. Allow each family member the opportunity to share their favorite thing they did during the previous week. Have fun and be creative, take the opportunity to enjoy each other. Take the phone off the hook and turn off cell phones. Make it priority to be there. Remember, it s not Family Home Minute or Family Home Hour, but Family Home Evening. Use the time to be with each other. Use your resources. Glean ideas from family and friends that work well in their homes. Use the church s resources; the Friend, New Era, Ensign, web page, FHE Manual etc. Annual Father s Blessings. Taking the opportunity to have this be a part of your Family Home Evenings at the beginning of each school year makes it an easy time to remember to include this great experience with your family.
Temple Worship And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord s house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that it is thy house, a place of thy holiness. Joseph Smith, D&C 109:13 Make temple attendance a family affair For those living within close proximity to a temple, take walks with your families around the temple grounds and discuss the purpose of the temple Create a tradition to visit Temple Square in Salt Lake City once a year. Hang pictures of the temple in your home and in your children s rooms. Talk about when (not if) they will attend the temple Schedule temple attendance with the entire family present so they realize the importance of this event. Do baptisms for the dead together. Actively and appropriately teach about the temple. As a family, take time to learn historic information about temples and visit them if possible. Create a Temple Passport. If living near many temples, make it a goal to visit and do baptisms for the dead while signing off your passport. If you do not live near a temple, learn about as many different temples as possible and sign off your passport. Work together as a family to prepare names of deceased ancestors for temple work. Utilizing Extra Time Thou shalt not idle away thy time (D&C 60:13) Practice Articles of Faith in the car to and from school or other activities Memorize scriptures in the car or during meal times together
Creating Relationships of Trust and Love "Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves. That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships." Henry B. Eyring, "Our Perfect Example," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 70-73. As a parent, be available to talk at anytime. Prepare meals together Plan, organize and enjoy family vacations together Keep a scrapbook of family fun. Have a family magnet. Something fun to draw the family together (i.e. ski boat, 4-wheelers, camping traditions, cabin, snowmobiles, etc.). Go on bike rides, walks, or hikes together. Plant and care for a garden together. Each person hoes a row each day. Create a tradition of serving a family at least once a year (Christmas is always a great time to make this a priority). Create opportunities to talk Share stories from your life with your children. Have regular interviews with your children. Create specific questions to help them open up. Share meaningful daily hugs, before school, at betimes, etc. Continue this well into the teen years, because they continue to need and want this type of interaction with you. Express sincere love verbally each and every day. Make a point to praise correct choices and good jobs. Reward good behavior. This does not have to be a major undertaking; effective rewards can be praise or even a simple hug. Spend more time teaching children how they should act, and less time correcting behavior. Try to remember that discipline means love. Train yourself to react with love, rather than anger. Attend your children s events and activities as much as possible Coach your children s teams when possible. Invite your children s friends to your home and make them feel welcomed. Don t over schedule yourself or your children. It s about quality AND quantity. Become your children s biggest fan. Believe in them and encourage them always. Organize family reunions: Visit Church history sites, save and go to Disneyland or another fun place, visit local places of interest. Have a favorite camping tradition. Help at your children s school. Put away your cell phone when you are with your children.
Church Involvement Serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deut. 11:13.) Participate in ward service projects as a family, such as cleaning the church. Encourage mutual and seminary attendance. Share your favorite General Conference talks with your children Have a tradition of attending General Priesthood, General Relief Society Conference, or General Young Women's meetings, and then follow up with an ice cream social or other treats. Download or purchase the General Conference CD s and put them in the car. Listen to them with your children while you drive to teach your children how important this council really is. Create New Year s resolutions from General Conference talks. Encourage mission and school savings accounts Play church and uplifting and edifying music in your home. Attend and participate in family baptisms, priesthood ordinations, mission calls and settings apart. Follow these sacred ordinances with a family testimony meeting. Keep the Sabbath Day holy Teach openly the different ways the Spirit can speak, and then be prepared to help your children recognize the Spirit. Heed the Prophets council immediately. Participate in age appropriate awards programs, i.e. Faith in God, Young Women s Recognition Programs, Duty to God, and Scout advancement programs. Be an example by serving willingly and with a good attitude. Set a family goal that church activities come before other activities and then make the occasional exceptions on a prayerful basis. Attend church weekly as a family. Sit together during sacrament meeting After church, ask questions and share comments from talks and lessons with one another. Have children participate in preparing talks appropriate to their age level. Emphasize attendance at ALL meetings and set the example Subscribe to church magazines and have them available to be used
Family History The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead Joseph Smith (History of the Church, 6:313). Tell your children stories about their ancestors Put together a "grandparent" book for your children to become better acquainted with their grandparents. Include as many pictures and fun facts about their grandparent's growing up years as possible. Research ancestors together and attend the temple together to do baptisms for the dead and other ordinance work. Fasting Fasting is a principle of power. It changes lives. Shayne M. Bowen, Fasting with Power, Ensign, Apr 2009, 64 67 Always start your fast with a prayer and purpose, either personally or as a family. Share your testimony of the value of fasting often with family. Plan ahead to fast. Make it a priority and your children will see the fruits of the fast and have a greater desire to participate. Fast together as a family for special needs within the family.