Scripture of the Week: Amos 3:7 (again)

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
Amos 3:7

We spent our Family Home Evening this week preparing for General Conference. We used this lesson again to talk about what a prophet is. Both girls had fun playing follow the leader, and then we played Where's the Prophet? To round out the evening we ate ice cream and watched our favorite Mormon Messages videos on YouTube.

Recently Read: River Secrets

River Secrets by Shannon Hale

As the third book in the Books of Bayern, River Secrets was a little more predictable. but I still enjoyed reading it!

Scripture of the Week: James 5:16

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed.”
James 5:16

Our Family Home Evening lesson tonight was on the theme of "I Will Say I'm Sorry". The lesson I used was a compilation from the following three sources:

Behold Your Little Ones, Lesson 16
Primary 1, Lesson 29
LDS Nursery Color Pages

Make mistakes—say I’m sorry
-drop something
-hold picture upside down
-call child the wrong name
-spill crayons/paper

Explain that as we are growing up and learning to choose the right, sometimes we make wrong choices. These are not just mistakes like putting a picture upside down; these are times when we do something that is wrong, something that Heavenly Father and Jesus and our parents do not want us to do. By making wrong choices, we may make ourselves and other people unhappy.

Show a picture of Jesus Christ (Nursery manual p.106). Jesus taught us how to be happy. Saying kind words can make us happy and it can make others happy; when we make a mistake or do something that isn’t nice, we need to use these kind words: “I’m sorry”. Invite the children to say “I’m sorry”.

Sometimes we make mistakes. Saying “I’m sorry” makes you feel better and makes the bad feeling go away.

Sometimes we do things that make other people feel sad. Saying “I’m sorry” makes them feel better.

Introduce scripture of the week (James 5:16).

Show the picture of Nephi building a ship (Nursery manual p. 70). Tell story of Nephi and his brothers building a ship.

Remind the children that when we say “I’m sorry”, we can be happy and help others be happy. Invite the children to say “I’m sorry.”

Use a smiley/frowny face puppet.
-You push somebody (frown). How do we make him smile? Say “I’m sorry” (smile)
-you take a toy away
-you hit your sister
-you spill your water
-you break a toy
-you won’t share

Have the kids color and then decorate the bear with “I’m sorry” band aids.

Recently Read: Uglies

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

This book is the pick of our book club this month. I thought the premise was interesting: a futuristic world where everybody is considered ugly until they reach age 16 and receive an operation that makes them dazzlingly beautiful. Eventually you discover that there is a little bit more to the operation.

It has a pretty abrupt ending, so now I'm left waiting for the sequel to come in at the library.

Scripture of the Week: Family Proclamation

"The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children."
The Family: A Proclamation to the World

For Family Home Evening tonight we talked about our family tree and ways that we can help our family to be strong. I used this file on Sugardoodle for our activity, which had two parts. I opened the file in Publisher and made three copies of the page. On one of the pages I removed all of the words from the fruit. On another page I removed the words from the fruit and instead added the names of our immediate family members and grandparents names. The other two pages I kept the same. After printing the four pages I cut out the fruit names and one set of the fruit activities, leaving me with two sheets of papers with trees on them. For our FHE we glued our family members onto the blank tree, and then played a matching game to glue the family strengthening activities on the other tree. It was an activity that kept little hands busy while we talked, and it went over well.

Recently Read: Enna Burning

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

This is a follow-up book to The Goose Girl, and just as enjoyable.

Recently Read: The Demigod Files

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

This book contains three short stories about Percy Jackson, as well as some other trivia information about characters in the series. If you've read the other books in this series than this will be an enjoyable quick read.

Caldecott Books in July and August

Here are the Caldecott Medal Winner books the Ant Bug and I read during the months of July and August.

1960: Nine Days to Christmas, illustrated by Marie Hall Ets; text: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida
1961: Baboushka and the Three Kings, illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov; text: Ruth Robbins
1976: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon
1978: Noah's Ark by Peter Spier
1979: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
1989: Song and Dance Man, illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Karen Ackerman
1997: Golem by David Wisniewski
1999: Snowflake Bentley, Illustrated by Mary Azarian; text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

The Ant Bug really enjoyed Song and Dance Man, and Noah's Ark is wonderfully illustrated (there are no words). The other books are meant for a more mature audience than my 4 year old, so she didn't have much interest in them.

Recently Read: The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

This is the second book I have read by Shannon Hale (the first was Austenland), and I found it quite enjoyable. It is a retelling of a Grimm's fairy tale, enhanced by the author's imagination. Written for a young adult audience, this is a fun quick read. I'll be looking for more books by this author!

My Gospel Study in August 2009

2009 Outline for Sharing Time and the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation
August Theme (and weekly gospel principles): Temple blessing unite families.

August Scripture: "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heave: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

Chapter 38: The Wentworth Letter
Chapter 39: Relief Society: Divine Organization of Women

General Conference Addresses April 2009

Allan F. Packer, “Finding Strength in Challenging Times!,” Ensign, May 2009, 17–19
"We need to be acquainted with the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and we need to practice and apply gospel teachings until they become natural and automatic. These promptings become the foundation of our testimonies. Then our testimonies will keep us happy and safe in troubled times."

Thomas S. Monson, “Be Your Best Self,” Ensign, May 2009, 67–70
"Although our journey through mortality will at times place us in harm’s way, may I offer you tonight three suggestions which, when observed and followed, will lead us to safety. They are:

1. Study diligently.

2. Pray fervently.

3. Live righteously.

These suggestions are not new; they have been taught and repeated again and again. If we incorporate them into our lives, however, we will have the strength to withstand the adversary. Should we ignore them, we will be opening the door for Satan to have influence and power over us."

"To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer."

Thomas S. Monson, “Until We Meet Again,” Ensign, May 2009, 112–14
"My brothers and sisters, may we strive to live closer to the Lord. May we remember to “pray always lest [we] enter into temptation.”2

"To you parents, express your love to your children. Pray for them that they may be able to withstand the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and testimony. Pray that they may pursue lives of goodness and of service to others.

"Children, let your parents know you love them. Let them know how much you appreciate all they have done and continue to do for you."

Elaine S. Dalton, “Come Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the Lord,” Ensign, May 2009, 120–23
"As you live a virtuous life, you will have the confidence, power, and strength necessary to climb. You will also be blessed with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Follow the promptings that you receive. Act upon them. Like the cairns on a trail less traveled, the Holy Ghost will show you all things you should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5). He will teach and testify of Christ, who has “marked the path and led the way” (“How Great the Wisdom and the Love,” Hymns, no. 195)."

The Friend, August 2009

The Ensign, August 2009