PLAY

We know it's important to work together as a family. Do you think it's important for your family to play together, too? Why? How do you feel when you look at these pictures? Do you remember doing some of these things?

Mikah bike riding with his family.

Sam playing with his dad with a toy his dad made for him.

                                               

Lily helped her mom catch a fish.

Lily goes on lots of hikes with her family.

Sam loves to go to the library with his mom.

Sam and his dad like to make rockets.

Clara likes to dance with her daddy.

Mikah and Andrew made cars with their mom.

This is Aunt Caroline and Jane when the whole
family went to Mexico together. That was fun!

Sometimes Lily's mom or dad would
carry her on their hikes. Now she
can hike all on her own.

               

Andrew and Mikah go swimming with their family a lot
because it's really hot in San Antonio.

Mikah's dad is teaching him how to swim.
Andrew is having fun watching.

Mikah, do you remember this? You were
pretty little. You had a fun day with
your family.

Mikah and Andrew had fun at their family Mario Kart party.

Lily makes art wherever she is. She told
her dad that this creation is a pterodactyl.

After their family read the first Harry Potter book together,
they had a Harry Potter party and watched the first movie
together and had fun treats.

Clara goes on picnics with her family and friends.

Clara's family has a tradition to go look at Christmas lights
in their pj's and drink hot chocolate.

Lily likes to do outdoor things with her family.

Sam likes to play outside with his family.

This is Lily and her mom when they lived in California.

The San Antonio Potter families go to the zoo often. This picture
was taken when they took Granddaddy, Nana, and Uncle Joseph.
Mikah guessed correctly what animal Nana would like the best.

Sam and Jane live almost next door, so they get to
play together often.

This is Jane and Sam at Sam's birthday party.

Playing with your family helps you to have good feelings for your the members of your family. Working together and playing together makes good memories and builds love in your family. You need both work and play. Leaders of the Church say we need to be involved in wholesome recreational activities with our families. You are doing some of those things in the pictures. Other things you could do together (I know you already do some of these things) are:

1. Make cookies and take some to a neighbor or someone that needs cheering up.
2. Write letters to a family member, missionary, or friend. 
3. Play board games.
4. Put a puzzle together.
5. Pick your favorite scripture story and act it out.
6. Write a skit and make a video (Your mom, dad, aunts, and uncles were really good at this.)
7. Practice skills in a sport; play catch, bat, shoot baskets, hit tennis balls, etc.
8. Make art for Nana's craft room. She will frame and hang at least one piece for each grandchild. (Something that will fit in an 8x10 frame preferably) :)
9. Play "night games" during the late day-light hours of summer. Ask your parents what night games are. (kick the can, hide and go seek, sardines, etc.)
10. Play yard games and run through the sprinklers when you’re done.

Can you think of other things to do as a family? I think you can think of 100 more things. Maybe you can all think of things together as a family. Someone can write down your ideas, and you can take turns picking them. The most important thing is that you are enjoying time together. Remember to be a good sport when you're playing games, because someone is going to win and someone is going to lose, but as long as you're having fun together EVERYONE WINS!

WORK

When you hear the word work, what do you think?

Which of the pictures below have anything to do with work?

Aunt Alyssa playing softball

Aunt Caroline on a mission

 

Sam climbing

 Railing Uncle Joseph made for the cabin

 A game Aunt Anna made 

Before and....

 after of Granddaddy and Nana's playground

 Aunt Caroline singing in a choir at BYU

 Waffles that Uncle KC made

Aunt Caroline and her friends and seminary graduation

 Mikah carrying his Aunt McKenzie's suitcase

 Aunt Anna right after Juniper was born

 Aunt Anna taking Lily for a hike

Clara picking a pumpkin

Granddaddy in his garden

If you said that all the pictures have something to do with work, then you are right. Let's look at the pictures of Aunt Caroline. She's at seminary graduation, serving a mission, and singing in a choir. It takes work to graduate from seminary. You need to attend seminary, participate while you're there, and read your scriptures every day. To be part of the choir, she first had to try out and get in, then she had to practice, practice, practice. And you know that serving a mission is a lot of work. What do you think she would say if you asked her if all the work was worth it?

What about Aunt Alyssa playing softball? That doesn't look like work, does it? Guess how many hours she had to work practicing pitching to be able to play in a game like the one in the picture?

Now what about Clara in the pumpkin patch, Sam climbing at the park, Mikah carrying the suitcase, Granddaddy in his garden, and Lily taking a hike. Are those things really work? In the dictionary, one of the definitions of work is putting forth effort to accomplish something. Clara is trying to accomplish something; helping her family pick the perfect pumpkin. Sam is trying to accomplish something; climb higher than he did the time before. Mikah is trying to accomplish something: help his aunt. Granddaddy is trying to accomplish something; grow vegetables that he can share with his family and friends. Lily is trying to accomplish something; make it to the end of the trail.

Now look at the pictures of the cabin railing, the corn hole game, the playground, and the waffles. These are pictures of things that someone has made through hard work. Uncle Joseph worked for many hours making railings for the cabin before he went on his mission. Aunt Anna worked hard to make Nana and Granddaddy the corn hole game, so we could have fun at our tailgate parties. Granddaddy, Uncle Josh and Aunt Cari worked hard on the playground so all of you could have a nice place to play when you come to visit. (Mikah and I worked on the "dome climber," didn't we, Mikah?) Uncle KC worked to make waffles for a nice surprise for Aunt Alyssa and me.

Then there's the picture of Aunt Anna and Juniper. What does that have to do with work? Being a mom is hard work. I want you to find your mom right now (she's probably reading this to you), and give her a big hug and thank her for all the work she does for you!

The first thing I asked you today was "When you hear the word 'work,' what do you think?" After looking at these pictures do you have any different answers?

Why do you think it's important we work in our families? Is work always fun? How can we have a better attitude about work? Let's say you know you have to pick up your toys before you can go outside to play. You can do it quickly and go outside or you can put it off because you just don't want to pick up your toys. You can whine about it and be unhappy, and make everyone around you feel unhappy; or you can decide to make it fun. You can sing or listen to music while you work. You can see how fast you can do it. You can pretend that if you get it done in five minutes you are the champion of the world. I know that sounds silly, but it's much less silly than whining, right?

What do you think would happen if your dad decided to stop going to work and stop helping around the house and your mom decided to stop working around the house or helping you with your homework or other things? You wouldn't have any money for food, clothes, or a house. If you did have a house it would be a total mess. Are you thankful that your mom and dad know how to work hard? Do you want to learn how to work hard and learn to enjoy it?

Working and accomplishing something can help you feel good inside. Have you ever helped someone and really felt good? Have you ever worked really hard on something and felt really good? Granddaddy would tell you working in the garden is fun! In fact, he would probably tell you most work is fun. I wonder why he would say that. Do you think it makes him feel good inside to accomplish something and to help other people? Can you think of some work that has been fun?

Families need to learn to work together to keep their homes in order. Everyone needs to help. The people that help to do the work will be the happiest! Why do you think working helps us to be happy?

I found these two pictures when I was looking for pictures for the next post about "play." Why do you think I added them? Is Sam really mowing the lawn? No, but he is learning how to work from his dad. Is Sam really fixing the truck? No, but he is watching his dad fix the truck and learning from him. You can all learn a lot from your parents as you help them in and around your homes. Your parents also do kind things for other people. Watch them carefully. See if you can catch them working to do kind things for others. What can you learn from your parents?

Repentance

What does it mean to repent? Watch this video with your mom and dad and talk to them about it.

I Can Say I’m Sorry

By Hilary Watkins Lemon

·        When I say an unkind word, I can say I’m sorry.

Aunt Anna and Uncle Jordan

“I’m sorry I yelled at you. I’ll try not to do it again.”

“That’s OK. Would you like to play?”

·        When I break something, I can say I’m sorry.

Uncle Josh, Uncle Jordan, and Uncle Jacob

“I’m sorry I broke your toy car. 

Would you like to play with mine?”

“Thanks! Let’s play together.”

·        When I forget to do my chores, I can say I’m sorry.

Lily

“Did you remember to clean your room?”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I forgot. I’ll do it right now.”

·        When I take something that isn’t mine, I can say I’m sorry.

Aunt Alyssa

“I used your crayons without asking. Here they are. 

I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

“Yes, I will. Thanks for returning them.”

·        When I make a mess, I can say I’m sorry.

Uncle Jordan and Andrew

“Dad, I’m sorry I spilled. 

Will you please help me clean it up?”

“Of course. Thank you for telling me right away.”




When you do something unkind, or you forget to do something you are supposed to do...even if you didn't mean to...remember to say "I'm sorry," and do whatever you can to make things better. Remember to pray to ask Heavenly Father to help you make good decisions. Also, remember no matter what mistakes you make, your mom and dad and Heavenly Father and Jesus love you and will be there to help you.

I love you, too...no matter what! :)

I'm sorry. I forgive you.

Let's start by reading a story from The Friend magazine (June 2009):

Let It Go

By Mara Sundwall

(Based on a true story)

Emily burst through the front door in tears. She dropped her bag on the floor and ran to her room. Mom followed her and knocked on the bedroom door. “Em, can I come in?” she asked.

Emily answered with a quiet “yes,” and Mom opened the door.

“Is everything OK, honey?” Mom asked.

“Nothing is OK!” Emily said. “You won’t believe what happened today. Jenny handed out her birthday party invitations after school, and I was the only girl in our class who wasn’t invited. I feel horrible. I am so mad at Jenny.”

“I can imagine how that would feel,” Mom said. “What do you think you should do?”

“I’m never speaking to her again. Not in a million years,” Emily sobbed.

Mom put her arms around Emily and stroked her hair. “Do you think that is the best thing to do?” she asked.

“I don’t care,” Emily moaned. “Jenny is so mean.”

The next morning at breakfast, Emily slumped into her seat at the table. She pushed her food around the plate with her fork.

“Emily, Mom told me you didn’t get an invitation to Jenny’s party. Is that what’s bothering you?” Dad asked.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Emily said.

“Try me,” Dad said.

“It’s just that my feelings are hurt. It’s embarrassing to be left out.”

“I do understand, Em,” Dad said. “But remember that we can feel better when we forgive others. Jesus forgave everyone who offended Him. Try to forgive, and then let it go. It’s what Jesus would want you to do.”

Emily walked to school with her friend Lucy. Lucy talked about Jenny’s upcoming party all the way to school. Emily listened quietly, too embarrassed to tell her friend that she hadn’t been invited. At recess, all of the girls in Emily’s class huddled together and talked excitedly about the party. Emily wandered away from the group and sat by herself on the swings. She glared at everyone. She felt very alone.

During gym class, Emily’s friend Gina, who usually picked her first when choosing teams, chose Jenny first instead. Emily was the last to be picked. She could hardly hold back the tears, and her stomach began to hurt. She asked the teacher if she could be excused from class to go to the nurse’s office.

Later, as Emily waited for her mother to pick her up from school, she thought about what her father had said about forgiveness, and about how Jesus had forgiven everyone who had hurt or offended Him. But Emily couldn’t do that. She couldn’t forgive Jenny for making her feel this way.

Emily and Mom rode home in silence. When Mom pulled into the garage, Emily jumped out of the car and ran to her room. She stared out the window until Mom called her for dinner.

At dinner, Emily’s brother Jack talked eagerly about his day at preschool. Emily’s dad told a funny story he heard at work. Emily sat in silence, staring down at her plate. After dinner, Mom announced, “We’ll be having family home evening now.”

“But, Mom, it’s Thursday. We had family home evening on Monday,” Emily said.

“It’s an emergency session to help you with what’s been bothering you,” Mom said, smiling.

The family gathered in the living room. They sang “Help Me, Dear Father,” and Jack said the opening prayer. 

Help Me, Dear Father

"Help me, dear Father, to freely forgive

All who may seem unkind to me.

Help me each day, Father, I pray,

Help me live nearer, nearer to thee."

(Children's Songbook, Frances K. Taylor)

Then Mom left the room and returned with four helium-filled balloons. Each balloon was attached to a colorful ribbon. Mom handed a balloon and a marker to each member of the family.

“Tonight we’re going to learn about letting go of hurt feelings,” Mom said. “I want each of you to write on your balloon things that others have done that hurt your feelings. Write down anything that is keeping you from feeling love for someone.”

After thinking for a minute, Dad began writing. Mom helped Jack write on his balloon, and then began working on her own.

Emily wrote things that were easy for her to forgive: Jack jumping on her bed, Gina losing her favorite pen. Then Emily paused. There was one thing that seemed too hard to forgive. Could she really forgive Jenny and still be her friend? Emily thought about the words of the song they had just sung: “Help me, dear Father, to freely forgive, all who may seem unkind to me.”

Emily sat quietly for a moment. Then she slowly wrote on her balloon, “Jenny didn’t invite me to her party.”

When everyone had finished, Mom said, “Now let’s say a prayer in our hearts asking Heavenly Father to help us forgive the people who have hurt our feelings. Let’s also ask Him to forgive us for things we have done that hurt others.”

As Emily finished her prayer, a feeling of warmth washed over her.

Emily smiled as they all let go of their balloons. The balloons drifted upward and bounced gently against the ceiling. Emily laughed and joked with her family as they shared a dessert and cleaned up together.

That night, as Emily climbed into bed, Mom and Dad sat down next to her. She smiled up at her parents.

“It looks like you’re feeling better,” Dad said.

“I feel good,” Emily said. “I’m still sad that I won’t be at the party with all of my friends, but I’m not angry at Jenny anymore. I know that Heavenly Father loves her just like He loves me, even though we both sometimes do things that hurt others. I think forgiveness is Heavenly Father’s way of helping us learn to love each other the way He loves us.”

Have you ever had your feelings hurt like Emily did? Was it hard to forgive the person that hurt you? Have you ever hurt someone's feelings like Jenny did? Jenny may not have even realized she didn't give an invitation to Emily. What if Jenny lost the invitation on the way to school? How do you think Jenny would feel if she found out how badly she hurt Emily? Do you think it would be hard for Jenny to say she was sorry? Why do you think Emily felt better when she forgave Jenny?

Jesus wants us to forgive everyone. In the Doctrine and Covenants 64:10 it says, "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."

Do you know who this is? They fought sometimes, but they also said they were sorry and gave each other lots of hugs. That's Aunt Anna and Uncle Jordan.

Pray for each other...

I Love to Pray

In the morning when I wake,

Before I work or play,

Always I remember

To kneel and softly pray.

When I go to bed at night,

I love to kneel and say,

“Thank Thee, Heavenly Father,

For blessings of the day.”

(Children’s Songbook, Moiselle Renstrum)

Sam kneeling to pray

Think about when you say your prayers in the morning and before you go to bed at night. What do you talk to Heavenly Father about?

I remember one time when I was about 12 years old. I was with my grandma and grandpa at their cabin in California. While we were there a big fire started several miles down the mountain. I was really scared because my mom and dad and sisters were going to be coming up in a day or two. I was so worried about them getting caught in the fire. Now that I'm older, I know that fire fighters would have closed the road if it was too dangerous for them. My grandparents told me that my family would be alright, but I was still nervous. The only thing I could do to help me feel peace was to pray. Why do you think praying gave me peace?

The prophets since I was a little girl have asked us to pray morning and night individually (that means by yourself) and with our families. The scriptures also tell us to pray always. Why do you think it's important to pray?

Have you ever prayed for someone who was sick or having a problem? How did it make you feel? Did you think more about that person during the day? Did you think of ways you could help them? Did you know sometimes you can be the answer to someone's prayer?

I have found when I pray for another person, I think about them more. When granddaddy is sick and I pray for him, I don't pray for him and stop thinking about him. I think about what I can do to help him feel better. I might help him make a doctor's appointment. I might be really quiet while he takes a nap. I might make sure he takes his medicine. How do you think I might act differently if I didn't pray for him?

I want you to do an experiment. Pick someone in your family to pray for every morning and every night. Don't just say, "Please bless so-and-so." Talk to Heavenly Father about something specific. For example, "I'm thankful for my brother. Sometimes he makes me mad. What can I do when I feel angry with him? I want to show him love instead. Please help me find ways to show him love today." Do that for one week. See if your relationship with that person is better. Keep up the good work, and pray for someone else! :)

How are you going to remember to pray every morning and every night? Maybe you already remember. Maybe your parents remind you. If you need help, maybe you could find a "prayer rock." It doesn't have to be big. You can have your mom help you paint "prayer" or "Did you think to pray?" or something like that on it. Then you put the rock under you pillow every morning after you say your prayers. When you get in bed that night you'll feel the rock and it will remind you to get out of bed and say your prayers. After you say your prayers, put the rock on the floor where you'll see it or step on it to remind you to say your prayers in the morning. 

Here's another family's "prayer rocks."

You could do the same thing with a prayer pillow. Decorate a white pillowcase to remind you to pray. Put it on a cheap pillow. Kneel on it at night. Say your prayers. Leave it on the floor where you'll see it to remind you to pray in the morning. Kneel on it in the morning, and say your prayers. Put it on your bed. It will remind you to say your prayers. Put it on the floor. Kneel on it...continue.

This little girl is decorating her "prayer pillowcase."

How do you think family prayer helps your family? Does it make you feel good when you hear someone thank Heavenly Father for you? Does it help you feel loved when you hear someone ask Heavenly Father to help you with something? Next time you say the family prayer really think about what you are saying. Think about what your family needs. Has anyone done anything special? Is anyone sick? What does your family have to be thankful for?

Heavenly Father loves you. He wants to hear from you. He wants to bless you. Talk to Him as often as you can. You can pray wherever you are, whenever you need Him.