Happiness in Family life is based on these principles part 2

Sing "I have a family here on earth"

Last week we went over ways we can have happiness in family life.
We read from the family proclamation.

Happiness in Family Life

is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

~ The Family: A Proclamation to the World ~

Lets talk about the last two items listed.
1. Work
2. Wholesome recreational activities.

What are some ways we can work together?
List the ways we can work together.
Talk about how Granma and Grandpa taught me to work when I was a little girl.
Ask dad his feelings on work and how it brings families closer together.
Come up with a project we can work on together as a family.

What a some wholesome recreational activities we can do as a family?
List the activites and make a goal to do them more often, at least once a week all as a family.

Happiness in family life is based on these principles part 1

How can we be happy in our family?
Have girls list different ways we can be happy.
Give different examples of ways to be happy and ways that would make us unhappy.
Have the girls do a thumbs up if that will make our family happy.
A thumbs down if it will make us unhappy.
1. Reading the scriptures as a family.
2. Going to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa.
3. Not sharing our toys.
4. Giving your sister a compliment.
5. Yelling
6. Helping your mom set the table.
7. Giving your dad a big hug when he comes home from work.
8. Being reverent during sacrament meeting.
9. Saying something mean to your sister.
10. Reading to your little sister or playing with her.

In the Family A Proclamation to the World it states

Happiness in Family Life

is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

~ The Family: A Proclamation to the World ~

Go over the first 7 ways. 
1. Faith
2. Prayer
3. Repentance
4. Forgiveness
5. Respect
6. Love
7. Compassion


 

We can have families and be happy

Ask the girls why they think Heavenly Father wants us to have families.
Heavenly Father told Adam and Eve to have children and to be happy.
The most happiness we can have in this life is within our families.
Show a family picture of our family.

Ask what some of their favorite memories are as a family.
Share what some of my favorite memories are as well.
Bear testimony of Heavenly Father's love for them, and of mine and their dads love for them, and how we love being in a family. 

Temple Marriage

Sing I love to see the temple

 Show a picture of Taylor and I in front of the temple on our wedding day.

Ask the girls what this is a picture of.
Ask questions to start a discussion.  Why does Heavenly Father want us to be married in the temple?  What's the difference between a temple marriage and a marriage done not in the temple.

Talk about that when a man and a woman are married in the temple it is forever.
Share our story of how my Grandpa Harry was our sealer in the temple.

 Share this story from the Friend magazine

A Wedding Dress and a Plan

By Jane McBride Choate

Based on a true story

---

“Marriage is ordained of God” (D&C 49:15).

Lori sat on her older sister’s bed as Karyn finished packing her temple bag. Karyn was getting married today.

Lori was excited to go to the wedding reception that evening, but she also felt sad. Her older brother, who had served a mission, could go inside the temple with Karyn. Her parents could go too. But Lori and her two younger brothers couldn’t go inside.

“I wish I could be in the temple with you,” Lori said.

Karyn looked up from her packing. “I do too, but you’ll be right outside. And someday I’ll go to the temple with you when you get married.”

Lori didn’t feel so sad anymore, but she wondered about something else. “How did you know you wanted to marry Matt?” she asked.

Karyn sat down beside Lori. “A long time ago I learned that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. When I met Matt, I realized we could fulfill that plan together.”

“Have you finished that plan?” Lori asked.

Karyn shook her head no. “Matt and I want to have children, finish our education, and much more.”

Lori looked at the beautiful white wedding dress hanging on Karyn’s closet door. “Your dress is so pretty,” she said.

Karyn smiled. “That’s another part of the plan,” she said. “I always wanted to be married in the temple, so my dress needs to be modest.”

A few hours later Lori watched Karyn and Matt come out of the temple. Their faces glowed.

Lori ran to Karyn and threw her arms around her.

Several weeks later Lori got a picture in the mail. It was a photo of Karyn and Matt standing in front of the temple. Karyn had written at the top, “Heavenly Father has a plan for you.”

Lori put the picture on her dresser. She promised herself that someday she would go to the temple and have the same glow that shone on her sister’s face.

A Wedding Dress and a plan

Have each girl stand up and share their feelings about temple marriage.

Covenants

Ask the girls if they have heard the word covenant.
Explain that covenants are promises that we make with our Heavenly Father, and he promises us things in return.
Talk about baptism, and when they are baptized they will make covenants. 
From lds.org "When we were baptized, we entered into a covenant with God. We promised to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, keep His commandments, and serve Him to the end. We renew this covenant each time we partake of the sacrament."

Read Mosiah 18:8-10 "

 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Have each girl make this mobile and discuss each picture.  Then have them hang them up in their rooms.