This week's FHE lesson topic comes from the Come, Follow Me reading in Matthew 10-12, Mark 2, and Luke 7 and 11. Check out this week's Come, Follow Me study ideas on LDS Living for additional resources and suggestions.
Thought
“My reassurance is this: the loving God who allowed these tests for you also designed a sure way to pass through them. Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent His Beloved Son to help us. His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us. Jesus Christ bore in Gethsemane and on the cross the weight of all our sins. He experienced all the sorrows, the pains, and the effects of our sins so that He could comfort and strengthen us through every test in life.”
(Henry B. Eyring, “Try, Try, Try,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018)
Scripture
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Song
“I Feel My Savior’s Love,” Children’s Songbook, no. 74
Lesson
Have the strongest member of the family hold his or her arm straight out, lock their elbow, and place a weight (such as a large book) in their hand. Ask this person how long he or she might be able to hold up the weight. While one family member is holding the weight, have another family member read Matthew 11:28–30. Ask:
- How can Jesus give us rest from our burdens? - According to Isaiah 53:4, what would the Savior do to lighten our burdens?
Invite a shorter member of the family to stand near the one holding the weight. Allow the one with the weight to rest the burden on the assistant’s shoulder. Ask the person holding the burden how long he or she could continue to carry the weight now. Let them sit down and then ask: How was the heavy burden made light?
Ask your family to list some things that may seem to be a burden that we are asked to bear. Some of their answers may include:
- Church callings - Service - Ministering - Family scripture study - Family home evening - Prayer - Sabbath day observance - Word of Wisdom - Tithing - Honesty
Ask:
- Why are these burdens not always easy to bear? - How can they make life much easier to bear in the long run? - Why does Jesus want us to bear these burdens? (To help us grow and bring us happiness.) - What are some burdens Satan and the world would have us bear? (For example, addictions, grudges, dishonesty, pride, or guilt.) - Why would Satan want us to bear these burdens? (To damn us, or stop our progression and bring us misery.) - In what ways are the Lord’s burdens much lighter in comparison to Satan’s burdens?
Testify to your family that the Lord’s burdens will help us avoid Satan’s burdens and will bring joy and satisfaction.
(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The New Testament, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006])
Story
Read this excerpt from Elder Eyring’s talk “Try, Try, Try”:
As you help children of God in their troubles, your own troubles will seem lighter. Your faith and your hope will be strengthened. I am an eyewitness of that truth. Over a lifetime, my wife has spoken for the Lord and served people for Him. As I’ve mentioned before, one of our bishops once said to me: “I’m amazed. Every time I hear of a person in the ward who is in trouble, I hurry to help. Yet by the time I arrive, it seems that your wife has always already been there.” That has been true in all the places we have lived for 56 years. Now she can speak only a few words a day. She is visited by people she loved for the Lord. Every night and morning I sing hymns with her and we pray. I have to be voice in the prayers and in the songs. Sometimes I can see her mouthing the words of the hymns. She prefers children’s songs. The sentiment she seems to like best is summarized in the song “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus.” The other day, after singing the words of the chorus: “Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do,” she said softly, but clearly, “Try, try, try.” I think that she will find, when she sees Him, that our Savior has put His name into her heart and that she has become like Him. He is carrying her through her troubles now, as He will carry you through yours. (Henry B. Eyring, “Try, Try, Try,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018)
Lead image from Shutterstock
