This week's FHE lesson topic comes from the Come, Follow Me reading in Matthew 14-15, Mark 6-7, and John 5-6. Check out this week's Come, Follow Me study ideas on LDS Living for additional resources and suggestions.
Thought
“As spirit sons and daughters of God, each of us has the potential to become like the Father. To do so, we must worship the Father in the name of the Son. We do this by striving to be obedient to the will of the Father, as the Savior was, and by continually repenting. As we do these things, we ‘receive grace for grace’ until we receive of the Father’s fulness and are endowed with ‘his character, perfections, and attributes.’”
(Brian K. Ashton, “The Father,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019)
Scripture
“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise" (John 5:19).
Song
"Teach Me to Walk in the Light," Children's Songbook, no. 177
Lesson
Show your family a vase full of sunflowers or a picture of a sunflower. Tell everyone that the sunflower waits patiently through the night until the sun appears in the morning. Then the sunflower follows the course of the sun throughout the day, and at nightfall, it returns to its original position and once again waits for the sunrise.
Explain that we should be like the sunflower in our loyalty to and undeviating faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Discuss ways that we can stay focused on the Savior and remember him throughout the day. Consider the following answer ideas: prayer, scripture study, obedience, gospel covenants, and so forth.
(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Object Lessons Made Easy: Memorable Ideas for Gospel Teaching, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010])
Story
Read this story from Elder Robert C. Gay that demonstrates both God’s love for his children and what it means to be a literal child of God:
Joseph Smith said, “While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard,” for “His love [is] unfathomable.”
A few years ago my older sister passed away. She had a challenging life. She struggled with the gospel and was never really active. Her husband abandoned their marriage and left her with four young children to raise. On the evening of her passing, in a room with her children present, I gave her a blessing to peacefully return home. At that moment I realized I had too often defined my sister’s life in terms of her trials and inactivity. As I placed my hands on her head that evening, I received a severe rebuke from the Spirit. I was made acutely aware of her goodness and allowed to see her as God saw her—not as someone who struggled with the gospel and life but as someone who had to deal with difficult issues I did not have. I saw her as a magnificent mother who, despite great obstacles, had raised four beautiful, amazing children. I saw her as the friend to our mother who took time to watch over and be a companion to her after our father passed away.
During that final evening with my sister, I believe God was asking me, “Can’t you see that everyone around you is a sacred being?”
(Robert C. Gay, “Taking Upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018)
Lead image from Shutterstock
