—Gospel Standard: I will live now to be worthy to go to the temple, serve a mission, and do my part to have an eternal family (Faith in God guidebooks, back cover).
Thought: It would be the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church be temple worthy. If we can pattern our life after the Master, and take His teaching and example as the supreme pattern for our own, we will not find it difficult to be temple worthy (Howard W. Hunter, "The Great Symbol of Our Membership," Ensign, Oct 1994, 2).
Song: "I Love to See the Temple" Children's Songbook, p. 95.
Lesson: Have your family imagine that they have been invited to the home of someone they have always admired and looked up to. Explain that they live in a magnificent home, and you have been invited to a special dinner with them. What things would you do to prepare? (Discuss dress, grooming, being prepared for conversation, and so on.) Ask how you would feel to go there unprepared. How would those feelings be different if you had made the effort to prepare? Like this to preparing to go to the temple. What things do we need to do to prepare to go to the temple? What things should we do to truly be in tune spiritually? How will this preparation affect your experience at the temple? (Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Building Blocks for Better Lessons, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1998], p. 71.)
Stories:
I Love to See the Temple (Fiona Howell)
When my son Jonathan was 4 years old, he loved singing. He would sing to me and my husband all the time. He often put on performances for us on his bed, on chairs, anywhere he felt he could provide his entertainment. One night he was standing on our coffee table in the living room asking for requests. We requested a family favorite, "I Love to See the Temple." At the top of his voice, he sang, "For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty. I'll `repair' myself while I am young . . ." At the time we thought it was funny how he mixed up the word repair for prepare, but my mother reminded me that not only do we need to prepare ourselves to enter the house of the Lord, in some cases we also need to repair ourselves. The Lord has given us the law of repentance to do just that, repair ourselves so we may receive his blessings, including those of the temple. (Sunshine from the Latter-day Saint Child's Soul, [Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2001], p. 149.)
Preparing for the Temple (Chad Hawkins): As the youngest of four children, I was not old enough to attend any of my siblings' temple marriages. I remember feeling sad because I couldn't be more involved in those special events, but I am grateful for the wonderful example my brothers and sister set for me. While my sister was being married in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, I sat outside on the temple steps, thinking that temples were for adults only and no place for a young boy like me. I have since learned that I was wrong. Though children can't participate in all the ordinances of the temple, the temple remains a special place for every one of Heavenly Father's worthy children—the young, middle-aged, and elderly. A person is never too young or too old to become acquainted with the Lord. . . . Although your first trip to the temple may seem far off, you should begin preparing now. (Chad Hawkins, Youth and the Temple, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 2002], p. 69.)
Activity:
1. Place 10 short pieces of masking tape on the floor approximately two feet apart. (some other material, such as string or books, could be used if tape is not available.)
2. One family member is chosen as the leader. Each member of the family stands even with the most distant piece of tape and the leader stands in front, facing the rest of the family.
3. The leader, while holding hands behind his back, clenches a penny in one hand. He then holds both clenched hands in front of him and each family member guesses which hand holds the penny.
4. After all of the players have made a guess, the leader opens his hands and reveals the penny. Those who guessed correctly move up one step to the next piece of tape. Those who guessed incorrectly have to stay where they are. 5.The leader then hides the penny again and the same process is repeated. The family member who reaches the end tape first is the winner and can become the leader if another game is played. The application of this game is very simple. Those who make right choices in life progress faster and farther than those who don't. When proper choices are made in our growing-up years we progress to the point at which we are worthy to go to the temple. This is one of the greatest blessings that can come to us. (Luckily when we are making choices in life we don't have to "guess," we have scriptures, leaders, and parents that can help us choose right.) (Max H. Molgard and Allan K. Burgess, The Best of Fun for Family Night, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003], p. 90.)
Refreshment:
Fruit Salsa with Sugar Cinnamon Chips Fruit Salsa
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 1 Bartlett pear
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 mango
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- Cinnamon Chips
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
To make salsa, peel, core, and chop apples. Wash and chop pear, strawberries, and mango. Place fruit in medium bowl and stir in lemon juice and brown sugar to coat. Chill in refrigerator. You can mix and match any of your favorite fruits to make this salsa. To make cinnamon chips, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine cinnamon and sugar in small bowl. Using water spray bottle, lightly spray tortillas and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mix. Using pizza cutter, cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Place tortilla wedges on baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and cool. Serves 6. (Contributed by Chad Hawkins. Elaine Cannon, compiler, Five Star Recipes from Well-Known Latter-day Saints, [Salt Lake: Eagle Gate, 2002].)