{"id":2378,"date":"2018-04-23T21:47:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-23T21:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thefhguide.com\/blog\/?p=2378"},"modified":"2019-01-16T20:04:03","modified_gmt":"2019-01-16T20:04:03","slug":"introducing-the-family-history-guide-lds-family-home-evening-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefhguide.com\/blog\/introducing-the-family-history-guide-lds-family-home-evening-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing The Family History Guide — LDS Family Home Evening Fun!"},"content":{"rendered":"
Planning a Family home Evening centered on family history has never been easier! With minimum preparation, you can introduce The Family History Guide to a group or family using the following information and suggestions at a moment’s notice. Look at the options, and tailor your lesson to fit the needs of those who will be attending. Enjoy!<\/div>\n
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Family Home Evening prep: <\/strong>Copy, print, and place in a basket the activities (printed and cut into sections) you would like to use for the “Family History Fun Basket”<\/strong> game found on\u00a0this blog post.<\/a>\u00a0Select the ones that are appropriate for your family or group. Have a bean bag<\/strong> ready for the game.<\/div>\n
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If you would like \"\"to use the Internet and media, have your computer, IPad, and\/or smartphone ready.\u00a0 Prepare by opening the following tabs: The Family History Guide, FamilySearch (login), and Elder Renlund’s April General Conference Address<\/strong> (2018)\u00a0Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing<\/a> if you would like to watch a portion of it.<\/div>\n
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It will also be helpful to have a computer tab open to any of the apps from FamilySearch you may want to use for the lesson or as activities in the Family History Fun Basket (see below).<\/div>\n
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After the opening prayer and song (or whatever opening you choose), one idea to start off with a fun, short activity such as The Beanbag Game:<\/div>\n
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The Beanbag Game<\/strong><\/div>\n
Begin by having everyone in the circle select their name or a nickname for the evening. Go around the circle a few times until everyone knows what name the others wish to use.This is a good way to help remember names if you don’t know them. A person stands in the middle with a beanbag and throws it to a person while stating his or her name. The middle person counts to three while the person who caught the beanbag states another person’s name and throws the beanbag to him or her. If this does not happen before the middle person has counted, that person goes to the middle.<\/div>\n
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Options for Lesson Content<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Talk about why each person (or a select few for large groups) was named his or her name, and include any stories about the names of your ancestors if you are having family home evening with your family. A name is a gift given selected for you–usually by your parents.<\/div>\n
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What are some other gifts parents want to give their children? (discuss)<\/strong><\/div>\n
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What do you think of this list (which is only a partial list according to Elder Renlund)? Are these gifts that you would want for your loved ones (and yourself)?<\/div>\n
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Elder Renlund<\/div>\n
April General Conference Address 2018\"\"<\/div>\n
Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing<\/a><\/div>\n
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    Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased influence of the Holy Ghost\u00a0to feel strength and direction for our own lives;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased ability and motivation to learn and repent\u00a0because of an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and a clearer vision of where we are going;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased refining, sanctifying, and moderating influences in our hearts;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased joy through an increased ability to feel the love of the Lord;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past, or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased love and appreciation for ancestors and living relatives, so we no longer feel alone;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased power to discern that which needs healing and thus, with the Lord\u2019s help, serve others;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Increased protection from temptations and the intensifying influence of the adversary; and<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    How do we receive these gifts? Elder Renlund tells us:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    “…as we participate in family history and temple work today, we also lay claim to \u201chealing\u201d blessings promised by prophets and apostles. These blessings are also breathtakingly amazing<\/strong> because of their scope, specificity, and consequence in mortality…If you have prayed for any of these blessings, participate in family history and temple work. As you do so, your prayers will be answered. When ordinances are performed on behalf of the deceased, God\u2019s children on earth are healed. No wonder President Russell\u00a0M. Nelson, in his first message as President of the Church, declared, \u201cYour worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path.\u201d<\/p>\n

    When you think about family history, what do you think of? (Old people? Boring? Difficult? Times taking? Your great Aunt Betty has done it all?)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Bear witness of living prophets, promises, and the blessings in your own life of doing temple and family history work.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Introduce The Family History Guide<\/a>\u00a0–your tool for help with every aspect of temple and family history work.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Mission Statement (Introduction on the homepage)<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

    “Our mission is to greatly increase the number of people actively involved in family history worldwide, and to make everyone’s family history journey\u00a0easier<\/i>, more\u00a0efficient<\/i>, and more\u00a0enjoyable<\/i>.”<\/p>\n

    Perhaps you would like to show\u00a0“Amber’s Journey,” <\/strong>or another video on our YouTube Channel.<\/p>\n