This lesson on Choice & Accountability is the first in an 8-part FHE series featuring the Young Women's values. Get the other 7 lessons here.
Song: “Have I Done Any Good in the World Today” (Hymns, no. 233)
Focus: Value Experience #5
Color Meaning: Yellow is the color of sunshine. When we give service it makes us feel warm all over just as the sun makes us feel warm. We are always blessed by the service we give.
Lesson:
Read 3 Nephi 12:16 and the color meaning of Good Works. Why does service make us feel warm?
Have someone read the following story told by Steven E. Snow in October 2007 General Conference:
“My wife and I learned a valuable lesson during our time of service in Africa. We were assigned to a district conference in Jinja, Uganda. Early Saturday morning before our meetings began, we took the opportunity to tour a new chapel in the area. As we arrived at the building, we were greeted by a young boy of three to four years of age. He had come to the Church grounds to see what was going on. Struck by his broad smile, Sister Snow reached in her purse and handed him a wrapped piece of hard butterscotch candy. He was delighted.
We spent a few minutes touring the chapel before returning outside. We were met by more than a dozen smiling children, who each wanted to meet the new neighborhood candy lady.
Phyllis was heartbroken, as she had given the boy her last piece of candy. She disappointedly gestured to the children there was no more. The small boy who initially greeted us then handed the candy back to Sister Snow, gesturing for her to unwrap it. With a heavy heart, Phyllis did so, fully expecting the boy to pop the butterscotch candy into his mouth in full view of his envious friends.
Instead, to our great surprise, he went to each of his friends, who stuck out their tongues and received one delicious lick of the butterscotch candy. The young boy continued around the circle, occasionally taking his own lick, until the candy was gone.
Now, one can argue the lack of sanitation with this gesture of sharing, but no one can dispute the example set by this young boy. Unselfishness, sharing, and giving are essential to service. This child learned that lesson well.”
Read Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–28. What does it mean to be anxiously engaged?
Have each family member write down ways that they are “slothful and not wise servants.” Now have them write ways that they can be more “anxiously engaged” in serving at home, more unselfish acts that they can do, etc.. Have them each think of one person they don’t get along with very well in the family and quietly serve that person for a whole week using the ideas they already wrote down. Report the positive impact it had at your next family home evening
*For those completing the value experience, serve that family member for a month and record the results in your Personal Progress journal.
