Great-Grandpa telling The Three Bears in Spanish

Great-Grandpa Richardson went on a mission to Argentina. He learned to speak Spanish while he was there. Back then (1954) they didn't have the MTC (Missionary Training Center), instead missionaries went on foreign-speaking missions for 2 1/2 years...six extra months to learn the language. When he got home from his mission, his nieces and nephews wanted him to tell them a story in Spanish. He told The Three Bears. He used some English words and actions so they would understand it. He told that story for the rest of his life, making people laugh every time he told it.



Watch the video with your family. Ask your parents if they remember seeing Great-Grandpa telling that story. What do they remember about him? The best thing I remember about my dad is that he was kind to everyone. I never heard him raise his voice in anger. What do your parents remember about other ancestors? 

Great-Grandpa Richardson loved to entertain...

My dad was an elementary school principal. He loved to sing and play his guitar for the students. He played his guitar at home for family night. At Christmastime we would go Christmas caroling as a family...he always had his guitar. Who do you know in our family that plays the guitar like Great-Grandpa Richardson? Do you have the same talents as anyone else in our family? Do you have talents that no one in our family has? Where do you think those talents come from?



Watch this video with your family. Ask your parents if they remember hearing Grandpa Richardson sing and play his guitar. What stories will you tell your kids about your parents and grandparents?

When I was 11 years old, my parents had a divorce. That was kind of scary. I remember my grandparents taking me to their cabin for special trips. We would take walks together, play games, and make pine cone flowers. They helped me feel special when I really needed them.

After my grandpa died, my grandma came and lived with our family. We helped her take care of her garden, sang for her, and visited with her. We made her feel special when she needed us.

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

I watched this video about a year ago. I watched it about 10 times in one day. It makes me think about how much my Heavenly Father loves me, how much my dad loved me, how much granddaddy and I love our children and grandchildren (all of you!), and how much your parents love you.

I would love for you to watch this video with your mom and dad and then talk about it. Then watch it again. I love you all so much!



So, what did you think? Now for a couple of fun videos. This is my dad, your great-grandpa. Watch these with your mom and dad. After you watch them, ask your mom or dad if they can tell you any stories about great-grandpa or any of your other ancestors!

The other videos are going to be in two separate posts. If I had one of you here, you could probably show me how to get them into this post! :)

Why do we have mothers and fathers?

What does your mom do during the day?

What does your dad do during the day?

What do they do at night? 

What does your family do together?

Here are some pictures of your families.

Josh (Dad, Uncle Josh), Cari (Mom, Aunt Cari), and Sam

Jacob (Daddy, Uncle Jake), Anna (Mama, Aunt Anna) and Clara

Jordan (Dad, Uncle Jordan), Mandy (Mom, Aunt Mandy),

Mikah, Andrew, Jane, and Bella

Robbie (Dad, Uncle Robbie), Anna (Mom, Aunt Anna),

Kiffyn and Lily. 

(Not pictured...Juniper. I'll add her below. Anna you guys need a family picture!)

Juniper! :)

So, did you answer the questions I asked above the pictures? All of your dads go to work during the day. Well, Sam, your dad works from home sometimes. You're pretty lucky! What do your dads do at work? You should ask them. They work really hard to earn money so you can have a nice home, clothes, and good food to eat. They also earn money so you can do fun things together like go to Disney World, the zoo, skiing and go to Mexico with Nana and Granddaddy!

And all of your moms stay home during the day and take care of you, your homes, make your meals, go to the grocery store and run other errands, and play with you. They read you stories at nap time, put bandages on your knees when you fall down, and hug you when you're happy and when you're sad.

So the real answer to the question, "What do your mom and dad do during the day?" is they work really hard...for you! Why do you think your moms and dads keep working to help your family even when it's hard?

What do your mom and dad do at night? I've been at your houses on some nights. I've seen you play games with your moms and dads. I've seen you read stories with your moms and dads. I've seen you read scriptures with your moms and dads. I've seen the older boys wrestle with their dad and the girls do their nails with their moms. I've seen your moms and dad help you get ready for bed and help you say your prayers. What else do you do? 

Sometimes brothers and sisters gets into arguments. Do your mom and dad like that? What do they do? I know they teach you to love each other. Why is it important to be kind to each other? Why do your parents work so hard to help you learn to be kind to each other?

Your mom and dad have different responsibilities in your families. Do you think one of them is more important than the other or are they both really important?  Why do you think you need a mom AND a dad? How do they work as a team?

Look at this picture of Nana and Uncle Jake, Uncle Jordan, and Uncle Josh.

Did you know that Aunt Anna loved to hug Uncle Jordan?

Can you tell which one is your mom or dad?

Your mom and your dad are part of Heavenly Father's plan. He wants us to live and grow, love and serve in our families. In Heavenly Father's plan families start out with a husband and a wife. They love each other and have children. They love and teach, provide for and protect their children. The children grow up and start families of their own. You can see from the pictures that your parents were once little like you. I can tell you lots of stories about them! Granddaddy and I worked as a team to take care of them. We love them very much; just like your parents love you. 

We love you, too!

Love is Spoken Here

I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.

Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,

And I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where every hour 

Is blessed by the strength of priesthood power,

With father and mother leading the way,

Teaching me how to trust and obey;

And the things they teach are crystal clear,

For love is spoken here.

I can often feel the Savior near

When love is spoken here.
(Children's Songbook, Janice Kapp Perry, 1980)

Multiply and Replenish the Earth

Heavenly Father commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth. Today, the prophets have told us that this commandment "remains in force" (The First Presidency, 1995) What does it mean to "multiply and replenish the earth"? I usually think of math when I hear the word "multiply." Is that what you think? 3x2=6 or 3 multiplied by 2 equals 6. Those numbers get bigger when you multiply them.

Let's think about multiplying our family. Let's see, if we start with Granddaddy and Nana, how many people is that? Two. That's easy. When they got married it was just them. They were commanded to "multiply and replenish" the earth. They had seven children. So how many people is that now? 2+7=9

Did Granddaddy and Nana multiply? Who are their children? They are your moms and dads and aunts and uncles. How many people do we have altogether in our family?

Granddaddy, Nana, Joseph, and Caroline

Joshua, Cari, Sam, and new baby boy.

Jacob, Anna, Clara, and new baby boy.

Jordan, Mandy, Mikah, Andrew, Jane, and Bella

Anna, Robbie, Kiffyn, Lily, and Juniper

Alyssa and KC

After the babies are born this year, we will have 25 people in our family. Will it keep multiplying? More babies will be born. Joseph and Caroline will get married and have children, and one day you will get married and have your own children. Can you imagine how many people will be in our family when all of you have children? Wow!!!

This picture was taken a year and a half ago.
 How many babies have been born in our family since then?
Why do you think Heavenly Father has commanded us to multiply and replenish the earth?

Did you know there are a lot of people in the world that don't want to have any children or only want one child? What do you think would happen to the world if everyone only had one child or no children at all? With less children in the world and more older people, can you think of problems that might occur?

Without brothers and sisters, do  you think it would be hard for the children to learn how to get along with others? It also means children wouldn't have aunts and uncles or cousins. Do you think children need aunts, uncles, and cousins? Do you think as those few children grew up they would be able to take care of so many older people? (Because if adults only have one child or no children there will be a lot more old people in "old folks homes" than the number of young people to take care of them.

As a mom and a grandma, do you know what I think the biggest problem would be if I only had one child? There would be a lot less joy in my life. I love being a mom and a grandma. It's a hard job to be a mom or a dad, but they are the best jobs ever...go ask your mom and dad! Heavenly Father loves us. He wants us to be happy, so he gives us families and the opportunity to be together forever.

I Lived in Heaven...

I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true; 

Lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you. 

Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan, 

All about earth and eternal salvation for man. 

(Children's Songbook, 1987 Janeen Brady) 

 Before we came to earth we were spirit children of our Heavenly Father and Mother. They loved us very much. Heavenly Father told us about a wonderful plan where we would come to earth and gain bodies and be part of families. He told us He would send a Savior to earth, so we could repent of our sins and one day return to live with Him. You were sent to a family that loves you very much. You have a mom and dad. You have at least one sibling. (A sibling is a brother or sister.) You have aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents. You even have great grandparents that you have never met who love you very much. We are all part of a family that can be together forever.

WHAT LASTS?

 By Rachelle F. A. Dow 

Ice cream melts, 

Flowers wilt, 

The leaves of autumn fall. 

Sunsets fade, 

Seasons change, 

And children don’t stay small. 

Balloons pop, 

Snowfalls stop— 

Do summers last? Never! 

Weekends fly, 

Today will die, But … 

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER! 

(The Friend Magazine, October 2000)

What does that poem mean to you?

What can you do to help your mom and dad?

What is something kind you can do for your brother or sister?