What is Family Home Evening (FHE)

What is Family Home Evening?

Family home evening is a special time set aside each week that brings family members together and strengthens their love for each other, helps them draw closer to Heavenly Father, and encourages them to live righteously.

http://www.lds.org/hf/fhe/welcome/0,16785,4210-1,00.html

Emergency Preparedness Game

Emergency Preparedness Game

Windy L. Hasson, "Emergency Preparedness Game," Ensign, Sept. 2002, 73
Often when I watch the news on television, I see reports of natural disasters. With each new report, I am reminded of the counsel given by Church leaders to be prepared. Since our family did not have an emergency supply kit and preparing one seemed overwhelming, I wanted to find a doable solution. As my husband and I counseled together, we realized that we didn't have to accomplish the task alone—we could enlist our children's help.

To involve everyone and make preparing for an emergency seem fun instead of daunting or upsetting, we decided to have a scavenger hunt as part of family home evening. Together we could gather items for an emergency preparedness kit. Considering family members' individual needs, I made a list of supplies for our search. For starters, the baby would need a bottle, formula, and diapers, while my husband would need sturdy clothes and work gloves. I also found ideas from information I had saved from Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment lessons.

At the start of our family night, we discussed possible natural disaster situations and the importance of being prepared so we don't have to be afraid (see D&C 38:30). After our discussion, we divided our family into teams and gave each group an empty laundry basket and part of our list. Then we had our scavenger hunt throughout the house, collecting the needed supplies. The children had a great time gathering the items and choosing which clothing to include. Within an hour, we had items for a complete emergency kit—tailored for our family's needs. What once had seemed an overwhelming task became a fun activity for our family, and we now feel better prepared should an emergency arise.—Windy L. Hasson, Celeste Ward, Las Vegas Nevada Sandstone Stake

Reverence Begins at Home

Reverence Begins at Home

Ronald L. Petersen, "Reverence Begins at Home," Ensign,Mar. 2002, 73
While serving as a stake Sunday School president, I visited classrooms to observe the instruction and class participation. Most of the classes were well taught and well received. Yet in some cases I noticed that student conversation caused interruptions or that some students were reluctant to participate in class discussions. To help remedy these problems, I felt that family home evening might be a good place to start. Years ago I counseled one of my own sons to serve as a silent aid to improve the conduct of his peers in one of his classes. It was so successful that years later I prepared a lesson for my extended family and subsequently shared it with other ward Sunday School presidents. Following are ideas for creating your own family home evening lesson about showing reverence in Sunday School as well as other Church classes.

1. Role-play a distracting classroom situation.Choose two family members to read two different passages of the scriptures simultaneously. After the family has observed the confusion, ask if anyone has noticed similar background conversation during a lesson. What happens to our ability to learn and to feel the Spirit when an irreverent class situation occurs? Talk about appropriate behavior and what we hope to gain from attending a reverent, insightful class.

2. List ways to improve classroom experiences.Ask your children how they can be good examples and help others to participate appropriately in class. Emphasize that they can help their friends contribute positively to a spiritual classroom experience. Write down everyone's suggestions for improving classroom experiences. Our family discussed these ideas:

Encourage individual learning and self-improvement from every class.

Take scriptures and suggested study materials to class.

Show respect and kindness for the teacher and classmates.

Ask for meanings of difficult words.

Encourage others to participate meaningfully in class discussions.
Reverent participation in all Church classes is important for our spiritual edification. Above all, we can pray that the classroom situation will invite the Spirit, that the teacher will have the class's cooperation, and that the students will increase their understanding of the gospel and desire to live by righteous principles.—Ronald L. Petersen, Valley View Fifth Ward, Layton Utah Valley View Stake

New Year's Goals

Tracking New Year's Goals

Janalee Merrell Watkins, "Tracking New Year's Goals," Ensign,Jan. 2002, 69
Setting goals and striving to achieve them at times can seem to be an insurmountable task. Often we procrastinate setting goals until we feel we are more committed or "the time is right." But it doesn't have to be that way. Our family has discovered an easier way to set and achieve goals. We record our progress on a New Year's goal poster.

1. We reserve the first family home evening of the year for setting goals.It helps to teach the importance of prayer in selecting goals. By taking time to pray and ponder about our goals, we are able to focus on what will most benefit our family. Then we have a short lesson on the importance of goals, types of goals, how to choose a goal by focusing on what is realistic and most important, and how to achieve goals.

2. We list our goals on a poster.To establish the goals we want to achieve, we list them on posters made of construction paper. Posterboard, cardstock, and other materials work well too. Then we spread magazines that we have saved, including Church magazines, on the table. With scissors and glue handy, we cut out pictures and words that represent the goals we are planning to work on throughout the year and paste them on the poster. Each poster is labeled with a family member's name and the year. Then we help our children understand the importance of choosing goals in four different categories: spiritual, educational, physical, and temporal.

3. We display our posters in a prominent area.After we finish the posters, we take turns showing them to each other. Then we hang the posters in a prominent place in our rooms. The posted goals are a daily visual reminder of what we plan to achieve. As we reach our goals, we cross them off. The first year we made goal posters, we were surprised when we reached all our goals.

Each December we review the goals we have accomplished for that year and save the posters in our books of remembrance. My husband and I began this goal-setting tradition during our first year of marriage. When we saw the successful results of our efforts, we decided to continue the tradition, especially when children came into our home.

Listing our goals on a poster allows us to review our commitment on a daily or weekly basis. Making goal posters at the beginning of every new year is an eagerly anticipated event for our family that has helped us successfully set and achieve worthwhile goals.—Janalee Merrell Watkins, Maeser First Ward, Vernal Utah Maeser Stake

Debt Free Family

A Debt-Free Family

Serena Kugath, "A Debt-Free Family," Ensign, Oct. 2002, 73
For decades prophets have warned us about incurring debt. To heed their counsel, we held a series of family home evenings, wherein we discussed with our children ways we could all change our spending habits.

For one lesson the children used pretend money to "pay" monthly bills. After paying priority expenses first, they soon saw that little money was left over, and no one wanted to sacrifice needs for short-lived pleasures. I knew this lesson had made an impact when one day our eight-year-old daughter approached us about buying something but changed her mind, saying, "Forget it; we can't afford it."

Using pieces of candy to represent money, I also taught a lesson about compound interest and its effect on debt. I started by offering my children jobs to earn three candies a day. Then I let them borrow more candy from me if they committed to pay me back the next day with three times what they had borrowed. We continued this activity for a month, and by the end they were hundreds of candies short. They soon realized it would take them a long time to earn enough candy to repay just one month of indulgence. A version of this activity could also be used to encourage savings and to show how interest accrued can help ensure financial stability.

For another lesson on debt, we made a "financial freedom meter"—a paper thermometer that we could color to chart our progress in paying off our credit card bill. We also brainstormed as a family to see how we could reduce the amount we spent on needs. We came up with a list of many options, including eating at home more and buying secondhand items. Since we felt it was important that I continue to be a stay-at-home mom, we decided together how to pay for our needs with my husband's income.

FHE Quick Tips

 The "Hot Seat"

This simple activity gives us a chance to focus on one another's positive attributes. We simply invite a family member to sit on a chair (the hot seat), and we take turns saying nice things about him or her. Since we have a large family, it takes some time for everyone to be spotlighted, but we love boosting each other's confidence.  (Teresa Shaw, "Family Home Evening Helps: Two Fun Family Traditions," Ensign, Aug. 2005, 73)
 

Award-Winning Family Home Evenings

(Carolyn Staley, "Family Home Evening Helps: Award-Winning Family Home Evenings," Ensign, July 2004, 67)
A few years ago our daughter started working on what was then the Gospel in Action Award. To help her achieve one of her goals, we began family night by reciting the Articles of Faith [A of F 1], focusing on one each month. Then when our son became a Cub Scout, we started integrating some of his requirements into our lessons and activities. We soon realized that several of our children's goals could be accomplished concurrently, yet still result from their own efforts. Together we have achieved a variety of goals, such as serving others, preparing for emergencies, and discussing finances.

The current Faith in God Award, for children ages 8 through 11, continues to offer flexibility for working on goals individually, in groups, or as a family. Awards for the Young Women and Young Men programs can also be worked on together. Parental involvement is key to your children's success. As you become familiar with their goals, you'll soon discover a variety of ideas to enhance their efforts as well as your family's home evenings.

 

Taking Care of "Family Business"

Cecelie Costley, "Taking Care of 'Family Business,' " Ensign, Oct. 2003, 73
Throughout the years, our family home evenings have changed to meet our growing family's needs. One practice that has helped us accommodate change has been what we call "family business." After the opening prayer and song, we take time to discuss the week's schedule: Who needs to be where and when? Who is taking the car? Sister Smith needs help; could we help her on Thursday? We also discuss family policies: Could we change the way we are doing the dishes? I don't agree with the 10-minute phone rule. Could we discuss it?

"Family business" is an important part of our family home evenings. It is often the best time to listen, compromise, and enforce where needed, instead of during the heat of a debate. During the week I sometimes find myself saying, "Let's think about that and discuss it at home evening," giving me the time needed to seek insight and inspiration. Of course, not every issue will wait for a Monday-night discussion. But if your family has already practiced problem-solving skills together, it will be much easier to resolve conflicts whenever they arise.

  Birthday Spotlights

Thelissa Zollinger, "Family Home Evening Helps: Birthday Spotlights," Ensign, June 2004, 73
Our family loves the special birthday spotlights we periodically do for family night. Since birthdays often occur on weekdays when it's difficult for all of us to gather, we celebrate on the Monday night closest to the actual birth date. In addition to traditional festivities, we spotlight the birthday guest by reading selections from his or her baby book, which contains information through age 12. Based on what we read, the birthday person tries to guess how old he or she was when the event occurred. This tradition helps all of us recall past family events. If you don't have a scrapbook or baby book, you can easily create similar birthday spotlights using yearbooks or family photos or by simply retelling favorite past events from memory.

Next, we dim the lights to watch family slides or video clips featuring the guest of honor. With these fun memories fresh on our minds, we then take a moment to individually express our sentiments about that person. It has been very heartwarming to hear my family's expressions of love and gratitude for one another. We've generally done this activity for our immediate family, but at times we've also invited grandparents and others. In our home, birthday celebrations involve more than presents, cake, and ice cream. We celebrate wonderful memories and strong family ties.

 

Picture a Song

Mark and Cindy Smith, "Family Home Evening Helps: Picture a Song," Ensign, July 2005, 73
When our children were small, we often taught them songs from the Children's Songbookfor family home evening. We would first explain a song, then invite the children to illustrate the lyrics. After learning several songs this way, our children soon had their own illustrated versions of the songbook. Even our smallest children who couldn't yet read could easily follow and understand the songs because of the pictures they'd made. As a family, we enjoyed singing the songs around the house or while traveling. When our children hum or sing Church songs, we feel blessed that they are choosing to "seek the Lord early while in [their] youth." Our hope is that as they grow older, "He will help [them] to know the truth" ("Seek the Lord Early," Children's Songbook, 108).

 

Make it fun

Our children love to play games, so we created our own versions of popular television game shows. For instance, it's easy to jot down four subject categories and make up increasingly difficult questions for each category. I have used topics such as prophets from the Book of Mormon, Jesus' baptism, or scripture stories we have read. Much to my children's delight, I have also included categories with questions about them. (Lori Mortensen, "Four Tips for Family Home Evening," Ensign, Aug. 2003, 69)

Look for ideas everywhere

 Church magazines and the Family Home Evening Resource Book (item no. 31106; U.S. $5) are excellent sources for family home evening ideas. Many New Era, Ensign, and Liahona articles can provide a base for family home evening discussions. For young children, the Friend has stories and activities coinciding with each month's Primary theme and family home evening activities and lesson ideas.

Family Brainstorm

What about those Mondays when you don't have specific plans? Be consistent and hold family home evening anyway. Use the time to brainstorm new ideas together. Some of these planning sessions turned up ideas for memorizing the Articles of Faith, sharing favorite Bible and Book of Mormon stories, and reading aloud journal entries. Also, as I observed my children throughout the week, I discovered needed lesson topics such as respecting others' property, telling the truth, and being a good friend.

Helps for Young Children

Julie Partington, "Family Home Evening Helps: Helps for Young Children," Ensign, Mar. 2006, 71
Is it a challenge for your young children to sit quietly and listen during family home evening? It was for our family. Our children would frequently run around or interrupt the lesson to share an off-the-topic comment or story. So we decided to provide a constructive outlet for their comments and include music whenever possible.

After the opening song and prayer, we invite the children to each take turns sitting in a designated chair and share anything they want without interruption. Sometimes it's something exciting they did or learned that day. Other times the children share thoughts and feelings. Once they've had a chance to talk, they are more respectful during the lesson.

Our children also seem to enjoy family night more when we include singing practice. We either learn a new hymn or Primary song or practice one we already know. Usually, we choose a seasonal song, one that addresses the lesson topic, or something that the Primary is learning for the sacrament program.

By considering our children's needs and desires, we are easily able to adapt our home evenings to include the entire family—even the youngest.

 

 

Primary Theme Home Evening

Pamela Richardson, "Family Home Evening Helps: Primary Theme Home Evening," Ensign, Feb. 2005, 73
Did you know that a lesson outline for teaching your Primary-age children at home is available? Your local Primary leaders do! It's the annual Primary program outline, available at Church distribution centers or from your local Primary leaders. Each year a main theme is selected, along with supporting monthly themes, pertinent scriptures, and song selections. Also included are Sharing Time ideas, which can easily be adapted for use in family home evenings. And there's little concern of duplicating what your children learn in Primary, since the outline suggests more ideas than leaders can use. Conversing with your children each Sunday about what they learned in Primary, specifically Sharing Time, should give you a pretty good idea of what outline suggestions have been used. But some repetition can be an effective teaching method.

Each issue of the Friend magazine also supports the monthly Primary themes. Of course, families may choose other topics pertaining to their needs, but many lesson ideas are already provided in these great resources.

We have found that preparing for our home evenings has been much easier since we started using the Primary outline. More important, our young children have been blessed to have the principles that are taught at Church reinforced in our home.

Involving Teens

Darlene Young, "Involving Teens," Ensign, Sept. 2003, 73
When your children were younger, you faithfully held family home evening, and all seemed fine. Suddenly your children entered the teenage years, and things seemed to fall apart. What went wrong? Part of the problem is simply the age: teenagers begin to separate themselves in identity from their parents, and they are inclined to test and sometimes resist family time and traditions.

Knowing this, how can you continue to make family home evening a positive experience that involves everyone? Below are a few ideas to try:

1. Let your teenagers prepare and teach the lesson. They will care more about the topic when they feel responsible for it. Suggest that the lesson come from appropriate sources such as the Family Home Evening Resource Book, Church magazines, or the scriptures.

2. Ask an older brother or sister to assist a younger child in giving the lesson.

3. Choose a topic and invite all the children to share something on that topic. They could use skits, video clips, real-life experiences, stories from the scriptures, songs—anything appropriate that interests them.

4. Invite teen family members to pose a question about life or from their own gospel study. Then ask the family to study the scriptures throughout the week to find possible solutions; discuss their ideas at the next family home evening.

5. Study your adult Gospel Doctrine reading assignment with your teenagers. Include institute manuals and other resources for youth.

6. Study the missionary discussions together. Look up and memorize accompanying scriptures. Talk about how the discussions are organized to create an effective overview of the gospel.

7. Select a Church book to read as a family. Read sections aloud each Monday night or assign individual portions to be read individually in advance and then discuss them together during family home evening.

8. Select a book from great literature to read together. Great books can lead to many discussions of gospel principles.

9. Choose a new skill to learn together as a family. Consider many options—furniture refinishing, computer software programs, or racquetball, for example. Or take a class together to learn a new language, and practice it together.

Whatever you share in family home evening, try to include everyone. Do whatever you can to keep this evening a positive influence, and your children will come to value your time together.

Family Night Themes

Anita Wells, "Family Home Evening Helps: Family Night Themes," Ensign, June 2005, 69
With our young children, we have found that short, repetitive lessons provide our most successful family home evenings. One year we devoted 13 weeks to learning the Articles of Faith. Each Monday night we'd discuss the meaning of a particular article of faith. Then the following week we'd practice reciting it every day at breakfast. During the subsequent family night we'd repeat all the Articles of Faith we knew and add the new one. Our Primary-age children soon learned all 13, and our one-year-old even chimed in on "We believe."

Since we like to choose themes for family night, we have also studied the missionary discussions, the Ten Commandments, President Hinckley's Six Bs, and the 15 latter-day prophets. The Gospel Art Picture Kit (item no. 34730; U.S. $30.00) makes this last idea particularly easy to implement since the back of each picture contains information about each prophet. The pictures could also be checked out from your meetinghouse library.

Successful family home evenings don't necessarily require a lot of advance preparation. Your family may want to add more activities, but we have found that starting with simple lessons helps us to gather consistently each Monday night.

Step by Step- Climbing Mt. Everest Blind

Erik Weihenmayer, a 33-year old man dreamed of climbing Mount Everest.  A feat that defies many of the world's most expert climbers.  In fact, nearly ninety percent of those who attempt the climb never reach the summit.  temperatures sink lower than 30 degrees below zero.  Besides extreme cold, 100-mile-per-hour winds, deadly creavsses, and avalanches, the climbers must overcome the challenges of high altitude, lack of oxygen, and perhaps unsanitary food and water.   Since 1953, at least 165 climbers have died in the attempt to scale the 29,000-foot-high summit.
In spite of the risks, hundreds line up each year to attempt the ascent, Erik among them.  But there is an important difference between Erik and every other climber who had attempted to ascend before: Erik is totally blind. 
When Erik was thirteen years of age, he lost his sight as a result of a hereditary disease of the retina.  Although he could no longer do many of the things he wanted to, he was determined not to waste his life feeling depressed and useless.  he then began to stretch his limits. 
At age sixteen he discovered rock climbing.  By feeling the faces of the rock, he found handholds and footholds that allowed him to climb.  Sixteen years later, he began his ascent up Mount Everest.  The story of his climb, as you might imagine, was filled with many harrowing and life-threatening challenges.  But Erik eventually scaled the south summit and took his place with those who had gone before him, one of the few to stand on top of the highest mountain on the face of the earth. 
When asked how he did it, Erik said, "I just kept thinking... keep your mind focused.  don't let all that doubt and fear and frustration sort of get in the way."  Then, most importantly, he said, "Just take each day step by step."  (Everest Grueling for Blind Man,"  Deseret News, 5 June 2001, A12: see also Karl Taro Greenfield, "Blind to Failure," Time, 18 June 2001). 
Yes, Erik conquered Everest by simply putting one foot in front of the the other.  And he continued to do this until he reached the top.  Like Erik, we may have obstacles that would hold us back in our own journeys.  We may even make excuses for why we can't do what we want to do.  Perhaps when we are tempted to justify our own lack of achievement, we can remember Erik, who, in spite of having lost his sight, accomplished what many thought was impossible simply by continuing to put one foot in front of the other. 

Caterpillar struggles to become a butterfly

Wrapped tightly in its cocoon, the developing chrysalis must struggle with all its might to break its confinement.  The butterfly might think, "Why must I suffer so?  Why cannot I simply, in the twinkling of an eye, become a butterfly?" 
Such thoughts would be contrary to the Creator's design.  The struggle to break out of the cocoon develops the butterfly so it can fly.  Without that adversity, the butterfly would never develop the strength to achieve its destiny.  It would never develop the strength to become something extraordinary. 
President James E. Faust has observed that "into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting.  There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those whe earnestly seek to do right and be faithful."  But President Faust explains, the adversity we experience allows our souls ot become like clay in the hands of the Master.  "Trials and adversity can be preparatory to becoming born anew". 

Polynesian Pilots-guiding stars in our lifes

Hundreds of years ago, Polynesian sailors traveled vast distances using only the stars to navigate.  To be able to launch a craft not much larger than a canoe, travel thousands of miles through often treacherous waters, and find a tiny pinprick of an island in the midst of a vast ocean is a remarkable feat to say the least.  That such thing is possible was demonstrated by a group from Hawaii in the late 1970s.  Having enlisted the help of one of the last remaning Polynesian pilots they set out from Hawaii.  Thirty days and 2,500 miles later, they arrived at their destination- a group of islands near Tahiti (http://pvs.kcchawaii.edu/nainoa80tahiti.html). 
How did they accomplish this remarkable feat? 
These navigators spent their lives learning about the stars and their paths through the heavens.  They had memorized them so carefully, that they were able to use them as reference points througout their voyage.  Whenever they drifted off course, they looked to the starts and adjusted their sails.  As long as they followed the starts, they knew they would reach their destination. 
History is filled with examples of righteous men and women who can serve as guiding stars for us.  Although they may have lived in different times and faced different trials, fundamentally, their challenges are ours: the problems we face were theirs.  The more we learn of them- the more we use them as a guide for us- the more certain it is that we will reach a final destination worthy of sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.

President Hinckley's wife passed away

In one of his interviews with Larry King, President Hinckley was asked how he was doing since his beloved wife, Marjorie, passed away.  He said that he felt pretty lonely at times.  Mr. King asked, "How do you get over that?"  President Hinckley's response was as touching as it was profound.  "You never get over it... the best thing you can do is just keep busy," he said.  "Keep working hard, so you're not dwelling on it all the time.  Work is the best antidote for sorrow."

You never have to little to share or give service

 A Widow's Faith-
There are those who can teach us regarding a faith if we will but open our hearts and our minds.  One such perosn is a woman whose husband had died.  Left alone to raise her son, she had tried to find ways of supporting herself, but she lived in a time of terrible famine.  Food was scarce and many were perishing because of hunger.
As available food diminshed, so did the woman's hope of surviving.  Every day, she watched helplessly as her meager supply of food decreased.  Hoping for relief but finding none, the woman fnally realized the day had come when she had only enough food for one last meal. 
[Does this story sound familiar?]

It was then that a stranger approached and asked the unthinkable.  "Bring me, I pray thee," he said to her, "a morsel of bread."
The woman turned to the man and said, "as the Lord thy god liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil ina cruse."  She told him she was about to prepare it as a last meal for herself and her son, "that we may eat it, and die."
She did not know that the man before her was the prophet Elijah, sent to her by the Lord.  What this prophet told her next may seem surprising to those today who do not understand the principle of faith.  "Fear not," he said to her, "but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for the son."
Can you imagine what he must have thought?  What she must have felt?  She harldy had time to reply when the man continued, "For thus saith t eh Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."
The woman, after hearng this prophetic promise, went in faith and did as Elijah had directed.  "And she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah" (1 Kings17:11-16).
In the wisdom of our day, the prophet's request may seem unfair and selfish.  In the wisdom of our day, the widow's response may appear foolish and unwise.  That is largely because we often learn to make decisions based upon what we see.  We make decisions based on the evidence before us and what appears to be in our immediate, best interest. 
"Press On" by Joseph B. Wirthlin

Warren M. Johnson lost 5 of his children while serving the Lord

One inspiring example is from an early Saint of the nineteenth century, Warren M. Johnson.  he was assigned by Church leaders to perate Lee's Ferry, an important crossing over the Colorado River in the desert of Northern Arizon.  Brother Johnson endured great challenges yet remained faithful his entire life.  Listen to Brother Johnson explain his family tragedy in a letter to President Wilford Woodruff: 
In May 1891 a family.... came here to [Lee's Ferry] from Richfield Utah, where they... spent the winter visiting friends.  At Panguitch they buried a child, ... without disinfecting the wagon or themselves...  They came to our house, and remained overnight, mingling with my little children. 
We knew nothing of the nature of the disease [diphtheria], but had faith in God, as we were here on a very hard mission, and had tried as hard as we knew how to obey the [commandments]... that our children would be spared.  But alas, in four and a half days [the oldest boy died] in my arms.  Two more were taken down with the disease and we fasted and prayed as much as we thought it wisdom as we had many duties to perform here.  we fasted [for] twenty-four hours and once I fasted [for] forty hours, but to no avail, for both my little girls died also.  About a week after their death my  fifteen year old daughter Melinda was alsot stricken down and we did all we could for her but she soon followed the others...  Three of my dear girls and one boy have been taken from us, and the end is not yet.  My oldest girl nineteen years old is now prostrated from the disease, and we are fasting and praying in her behalf today... I would ask for your faith and prayers in our behalf however.
"Press On" by Joseph B. Wirthlin

Fear and Faith

President Boyd K. Packer reminds us: "We need not live in fear of the future.  We have every reason to rejoice and little reason to fear.  If we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we will be safe, whatever the future holds.  We will be shown what to do."  Ensign, May 2000 8

The amount of light and energy of sun

Have you ever thought about the amount of light and energy generated by our sun?  The quantity is almost beyond comprehension.  yet the heat and light that we receive come as a free gift from God.  This is another proof of the goodness of our Heavenly Father.  (Experts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration estimate that "the total energy radiated by the Sun adverages 383 billion trillion kilowatts, [which is] equivalent to the energy generated by 100 billion tons of TNT exploding each......second"

The light of Christ is greater than that of the Sun.

The Abundant Life- Snowman, the jumping horse

Harry de Leyer was late to the auction on that snowy day in 1956, and all of the good horses had already been sold.  The few that remained were old and spent and had been bought by a company that would turn them into dog food.
Harry, the riding master at a girl's school in Pennsylvania, was about to leave when one of the horses that had been marked for slaughter caught his eye.  The horse was a dirty, gray  gelding with ugly-looking sores on its legs.  The marks left by a heavy work harness gave evidence to the hard life it had led.  But something about him captured Harry's attentnion and so he offered $80 for it. 
It was snowing whe Harry's children saw the horse for the first time and, because of the coat of snow on the horse's back, the children name it "Snowman."
Harry took good care of the horse.  He was a gentle and reliable animal- a  horse the girls liked to ride because he was steady and didn't startle likd some of the others.  In fact, Snowman made such rapid improvement that a neighbor purchased him for twice what Harry had originally paid.
But snowman kept disappearing from the neighbor's pasture- sometimes ending up in adjoing potato fields, other times back at Harry's place.  How Snowman got out of the pasture was something of a mystery.  It appeared that the horse must have jumped over the fences between properties, but that seemed impossible- Harry had never seen Snowman jump over anything much higher than a fall log. 
But eventually, the neighbor's patience came to an end, and he insisted Harry buy the horse back.
For years, Harry's great dream had been to produce a champion jumping horse.  He had had moderate success in the past, but in order to compete at the highest levels, he knew he would have to buy a pedigreed horse that had been specifically bred to jump.  And that kind of pedigree would cost far more tha what he could afford. 
Snowman was already getting old- he was eight when Harry had purchased him- and he had been badly treated.  But, apparently, Snowman wanted to jump and so Harry decided to see what the horse could do.  What Harry saw made him think that maybe his horse had a chance to compete. 
In 1958, Harry entered Snowman in his frist jumping competition.  Snowman stood among the beautifully bred, champion horses, looking very much out of place.  Other horse breeders called Snowman "flea-bitten gray."
But a wonderful, unbelievable thing happened that day.  Snowman won!
Harry continued to enter Snowman in other competitions, and Snowman continued to win.
Audiences cheered madly every time Snowman mad a jump.  He became a symbol of how extraordinary an ordinary horse could be.  he appeared on televeison.  Stories and books were written about him. 
As Snowman continued to win, one buyer offered $100,000 for the old plow horse, but Harry would not sell.  In 1958 and 1959, Snowman was named "Horse of the Year."  Eventually, the gray gelding- who had once been marked for slaughter- was inducted into the show jumping hall of fame. For millions of people, Snowman was much more than a horse.  He was a symbol of the hidden, untapped potential that lies within each of us. 
We may not be gifted artists, sculptors, or musicians, but the greatest art of all is the art of living.  We can take the clay of time and create from it a materpiece of an abundant life.  Love the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength.  Enlist in great and noble causes.   Create of your homes sanctuaries of holiness and strentght.  Magnify your callings in the Church.  Fill your minds with learning.  Strengthen your testimonies.  Reach out to others.  Creat of your life a masterpiece.  The abundant life isn't something we arrive at.  Rather, it is a magnificent journey that began long, long ages ago, and will  never, never end.  The story of an old, discarded horse sold at auction for scrap is not so different fromt he sotry of our own lives.  There is within each of us a divine spark of greatness.  Who knows of what we are capable if we only try?  The abundant life is within our reach if we will drink deeply of living water, fill our hearts with love, and creat of our one lives a masterpiece.  
"Press On"  messages of Faith, Hope, and Charity from Joseph B. Wirthlin