This week's FHE lesson topic comes from the Come, Follow Me reading in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20–21. Check out this week's Come, Follow Me study ideas on LDS Livingfor additional resources and suggestions.
Thought
“Sometimes progress in spiritual things can seem slow or intermittent. Sometimes we may feel that we have lost ground, that we have made mistakes, or that our best efforts to find the Savior are not working. If you feel this way, please do not give up—ever. Go right on believing in Him and in His gospel and His Church. Align your actions with that belief. In those moments when the light of your faith has dimmed, let your hope for the Savior’s love and grace, found in His gospel and His Church, overcome your doubt. I promise that He stands ready to receive you. Over time you will come to see that you have made the best choice you could possibly have made. Your courageous decision to believe in Him will bless you immeasurably and forever.”
(L. Whitney Clayton, “Choose to Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015)
Scripture
“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Lesson
Read John 20:24-29. Ask your family, “Would you believe the disciples if they said they saw Christ?” Discuss the different ways people respond when others bear their testimony of Christ. Then discuss, “What does it mean to believe without seeing?”
Have all your family members close their eyes. Ask half of your family members to hold out their hand. Put an ice cube in the palm of those whose hands are extended. Remind everyone not to open their eyes and then have the family members with ice in their hands describe what they are feeling. For example, they might describe that the thing in their hand is cold, that it is shaped like a cube, and that it is melting. Then ask, “What do you think is in your hand?” When they respond that it is ice, ask, “How do you know what it is if you can’t see it?” Discuss. Then ask the family members who don’t have ice if they believe their family members, even though they don’t feel the ice themselves.
After taking away the ice and having everyone open their eyes, discuss how knowing it was ice when they couldn’t see it is like knowing Jesus is the Christ even if they haven’t seen Him. Talk about how before this life we all knew and walked with Christ. Even though a veil has been placed over our eyes, we can believe in Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost, which testifies of Jesus Christ. Explain that sometimes, for whatever reason, we may not feel the Spirit testify of Christ, and during those times we might have to rely on the testimony of others, just like family members had to rely on those who had the ice in their hands to describe what they were experiencing. Of course, many might testify of false truths. Ask family members, “Who can you turn to and trust is giving you truth?” Then discuss ways your family members can invite the Spirit into their lives, that they may each receive their own personal testimony of Christ.