FHE-Kindness
by Shauna Gibby

I know that each of you bears a concern for a loved one. Give encouragement, service, and support to them. Love them. Be kind to them.

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Conference Talk:

For more information on this topic read “Concern for the One,” by Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 2008, 17–20.

Thought:

I know that each of you bears a concern for a loved one. Give encouragement, service, and support to them. Love them. Be kind to them. (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Concern for the One,” Ensign, May 2008, 17–20.)

Song:

“I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” Children’s Songbook, p. 78.

Scripture:

Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token. (Joshua 2:12)

Lesson:

Show your family a seed and a fruit that comes from a different seed. Tell them that you are planning to plant the seed in one hand so you can eat a lot of the fruit in the other hand. Ask your family what they think of your plan.

Ask one family member to read Galatians 6:7–8 and another to read Matthew 7:12. Ask:

• What does Paul teach us in Galatians about seeds and fruit? (You reap what you plant.)
• What is the popular name for the truth taught in Matthew 7:12?
• Why do you suppose it is called the “Golden Rule”?

Read together Alma 41:11–15 and invite your family to pick out what they think are the most important reasons for doing good to others. Invite each person to share what they chose.

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon, p. 215.)

Story:

My, we had fun together—best fathers’ and sons’ outing yet! Gymnastics, wrestling matches, hot dog’s and orangeade, and a movie. The works!

In the middle of the movie my four-year-old, Michael Sean, fell asleep in his seat. His older brother, Stephen (age 6), and I enjoyed the rest of the movie and then I put Sean in my arms, carried him out to the car, and laid him in the back seat. It was cold that night—very cold—so I took off my coat and gently arranged it over and around him.

On arriving home I quickly carried Sean in and tucked him into bed. After Stephen put on his “jammies” and brushed his teeth, I lay down next to him to discuss the night out together.

“How’d you like it, Stephen?”

“Fine,” he answered.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes.”

“What did you like most?”

“I don’t know. The trampoline, I guess.”

“That was quite a thing, wasn’t it—doing those somersaults and tricks in the air like that.”

Not much response on his part. I found myself making conversation. I wondered why Stephen wouldn’t open up more. He usually did when exciting things happened. I was a little disappointed. I sensed something was wrong; he was so quiet on the way home and while getting ready for bed.

Suddenly Stephen turned over on his left side, facing the wall. I wondered why and lifted myself up just enough to see his eyes welling up with tears.

“What’s wrong, honey? What is it?”

He turned back, and I could sense he was feeling some embarrassment for the tears and his quivering lips and chin.

“Daddy, if I were cold, would you put your coat around me too?”

Of all the events of that special night out together, the most important was a little act of kindness, a momentary, unconscious showing of love to his little brother.

What a powerful, personal lesson that experience was to me then and is even now.

(Stephen R. Covey, Spiritual Roots of Human Relations, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971], pp. 108-109.)

Activity:

Play “Candy Hunt.”

1. Hide several dozen pieces of wrapped candy in a room.
2. Divide the family into two teams and choose a captain for each.
3. Have the teams search for the hidden candy. When someone sees a piece of candy, only his team captain may pick it up.
4. After all the pieces have been found, each team divides up the candy and eats it.

(George and Jeane Chipman, Games! Games! Games!, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 1983], p. 7.)

Refreshment:

Scotch Shortbread Cookies

2 cups (1 pound) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour

Cream butter and add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix well. Chill several hours. Roll out about 1/4-inch thick on floured board. Cut into 2x2-inch squares and place on ungreased baking sheet. Prick each cookie several times with fork. Bake at 325 degrees about 30 minutes, until cookies are delicately brown. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Makes about 40 cookies.

(Lion House Classics, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 2004], p. 108.)

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Deseret Book

Comments on this article	ADD COMMENT
kindness Posted by jym from palmer, alaska the short story brought tears to my eyes as i recalled how true acts of kindness are. i have resolved to do more random acts. God Bless