Elder Henry B. Eyring gave a wonderful talk on gratitude in the October 2007 General Conference entitled, “O Remember, Remember.” This family home evening lesson is based off of that talk and was compiled by .
Here is a portion of the lesson so you know what you are getting. Download the pdf file above to get the full lesson.
Preparation: Read Exodus 16:16-24 and Exodus 32:1-8 in to refresh yourself with the scripture stories.
Objective: The objective is for each family member to “recognize and remember God’s kindnesses.”
Opening Song: Count Your Many Blessings, Hymn #241
Opening Prayer:
Scriptures: Exodus 16:16-24, Exodus 32:1-8
Object Lesson: Tell the family, “Look around the room and find all the things you can that are red.” After they have a few minutes to do so, have them close their eyes. Then say, “Okay, now tell me all the things you saw that were yellow.” Explain that they cannot do it because they had focused so intently on the red that they didn’t even notice the yellow things. . .” When we focus on what we don’t have, pretty soon that’s all we can see, so we become discontented, and whiny, and unsatisfied. But when we focus on our many amazing blessings, we become more and more aware of them, and thus more and more content and humble and grateful. And I might add, happier. And more peaceful. (Mary Ellen Edmunds, You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don’t Need, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 153.)
STORY – President Henry B. Eyring shared the following story:
“I came home late from a Church assignment. It was after dark. My father-in-law, who lived near us, surprised me as I walked toward the front door of my house. He was carrying a load of pipes over his shoulder, walking very fast and dressed in his work clothes. I knew that he had been building a system to pump water from a stream below us up to our property.
He smiled, spoke softly, and then rushed past me into the darkness to go on with his work. I took a few steps toward the house, thinking of what he was doing for us, and just as I got to the door, I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”
I went inside. I didn’t go to bed. Although I was tired, I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. Grandpa didn’t have to do what he was doing for us. He could have had someone else do it or not have done it at all. But he was serving us, his family, in the way covenant disciples of Jesus Christ always do. I knew that was true. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it. story is continued in the pdf file
I remember when he gave this talk his talks always touch me, he always seems like he is talking right at me! thankyou for reminding me of this. I am glad I found your site and some new homeschooling resources
The chicken enchiladas look fabulous. I’m making them tonight!
Cocoa, Hi! This is your long lost childhood friend from next door on Lin…. St! Kim told me about your blog in Sept when I was visiting UT, but I lost it and then a med school friend of mine posted it on her blog (she loves your stuff). As soon as I saw the name and the pictures of your beautiful children I knew I was in the right spot! What a small world! Send me an e-mail to emilyandderek@yahoo.com and I will send you an invite to my blog. I have been thinking about you a lot lately. We really need to catch up!
We took on the FHE lesson Sunday night. We drew the alphabet cards, but I cut out fall leaves and wrote every blessing down on them and then painted a tree in the window to decorate with those leaves. We then put the “Count Your Blessings” title on too! Love it! I also shared your blog with family and friends. You just have some wonderful ideas….you’re amazing!
This talk still speaks to me. I think I will have to do this FHE lesson with my kids!