Lesson Helps

FHE: Change

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Conference Talk:

For more information on this topic read "Get On with Our Lives," by Steven E. Snow, Ensign, May 2009, 81-83.

Thought:

By listening to the prophets, keeping an eternal perspective, having faith, and being of good cheer, we can face life's unexpected challenges.

(Steven E. Snow, "Get On with Our Lives," Ensign, May 2009, 81-83.)

Song:

"Seek the Lord Early," Children's Songbook, p. 108.

Scripture:

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, . . . righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad (2 Nephi 2:11).

Object Lesson:

Start this object lesson by holding up a sheet of paper and telling the family that it represents our lives. We'll have many problems and changes in our lives; for example, having a flat tire in the middle of the desert, having to care for a sick relative, missing an airplane or bus, or losing a father or mother. Be specific about some of the problems and changes that you have or will face. As you name each problem, tear a small piece of paper off. Do this until the entire sheet has been torn into pieces.

Now point out that some people would look at this pile of scraps and say, "Look at this. My whole life has been nothing but problems." Yet others would look at this pile of paper, pick up the paper, and toss it in the air as confetti to celebrate the gift of their lives and the experiences they have had. (If you'd like, you can actually throw the confetti in the air.) Share your desire for them that they might find joy in the experiences they have in their lives. Explain that these experiences can strengthen them and bring blessings.

(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Power Tools for Teaching, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], p. 4.)

Story:

Let me share with you three approaches to handling growth and change and our tomorrows. To illustrate the first, do you remember the famous book Gone with the Wind? Scarlett O'Hara, in times of great stress, uses a phrase that is characteristic of her approach to facing difficult challenges. "I won't think about that now," she says. "I'll think of it all tomorrow. . . . After all, tomorrow is another day."

We see another approach in the popular play Annie. Annie, an orphan child, is mistreated, abandoned, and neglected, with no real evidence of having a brighter future. But in Annie's mind she has hope; she has faith. As she sings those famous words, "The sun will come out tomorrow," she lifts and leads herself and others out of the darkness of their despair into the sunshine of hope. Annie doesn't know what tomorrow will bring, but there is no question of her unwavering optimism.

The third approach is found in the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown. We see Molly at the beginning as a backwoods girl with few opportunities, no education, and no refinement. While wrestling with her adopted brothers she is pinned down, and one of them yells, "You're down, Molly! You're down!" Molly responds, "I ain't down! And even if I was, you'd sure never hear it from me 'cause I hate the word down, but I love the word up 'cause that means hope. And that's what I got. Hope for someplace prettier and someplace cleaner. And if I gotta eat catfish heads all my life, can't I eat them off a plate and in a red silk dress?"

Scarlett O'Hara tells us something about waiting for another day if we cannot handle anymore today, and that is an important lesson. We can live with the hope and maybe a promise that tomorrow will be better, since it may seem at times that it can't possibly get any worse. Annie has great faith, knowing that as bad as things are, the sun will shine tomorrow. And that's only a day away. But Molly Brown won't wait until tomorrow. She believes that the promise of tomorrow rests in her hands today. She refuses to be down for even a day—and even if she were down, no one would know it. Molly realizes that if happiness is dependent on tomorrow, then when tomorrow comes she can still be living in expectation of a better day. She plans for tomorrow by taking care of today.

(Ardeth Greene Kapp, My Neighbor, My Sister, My Friend, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1990].)

Activity:

Give each person a long sheet of paper. Have them write the title of a book, movie, or song at the top of the paper. Pass the papers to the next person.

The next person draws a picture depicting the title as best as he can, then folds over the title so it can't be seen. The paper is handed to the next person.

The next person looks at the drawing and writes below the picture what he thinks the title is. He folds over the picture so only the last title shows.

This process of guessing the title from the last picture or drawing a picture from the last title continues until it makes it completely around the family (or as many turns as you determine).

Read aloud the last title and the original title on each sheet. Unfold the papers so everyone can see the graphic evolution.

(George and Jeane Chipman, Games! Games! Games!, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 1983], p. 20.)

Lead photo from Getty Images.
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