Talk - The Commandments

I was asked to speak about The Commandments.  A lot of the information from my talk comes from lesson 4 in the missionary book called “Preach My Gospel.”  Since I will be able to go on a mission soon, it was good for me to study from this book.

Since the beginning of time, parents have been giving rules to their children. Rules like not playing in the street or not playing with matches. Sometimes the rules seemed like a burden to kids, like their parents must have invented them to keep them from doing the things they really wanted to do—the things they thought would make them happy. As we grow up we learn how important these rules are, how we could have been seriously injured or even killed if we had not obeyed.

Like our earthly parents, God gives us commandments to help keep us focused on what is most important and how to stay safe. All of His guidance is meant to keep us safe, help us stay close to Him and, in the end, to give us more freedom and happiness.

Sunday Ideas for Teenagers

Sunday Ideas for Teenagers

1. Play Games – Play all different games some ideas are: Jeopardy with Book of Mormon Categories, Questions? (A jar of questions and you answer the one you pick), Kings Court , Clue, Settlers of Catan, Catch Phrase, Rook, etc. I don’t think it matters what the game as long as you all play together and enjoy each others company.

2. Cook – This is one of my kid’s favorites! Sunday is kids cook day. They are in charge of dinner. We have a stress free meal. Cooking treats for friends and family is always fun and provides refreshments for your own family. (ex. BLT, Grilled Cheese, Waffles, Pancakes, French Toast, Spagetti)

3. Journal – Whether you write in your journal everyday or just on Sunday’s sometimes you can’t decide what to write so it is nice to have some Journal Starters (ideas of what to write about) to look at when you are stuck.

4. Study Strength for Youth, The Living Christ, The Family Proclamation and other church material – Everyday of the week we are asked to study the scriptures so on Sunday’s you could choose one other church resource and work through studying sections or paragraphs each week. (This is one our family has done with the Proclamation and Strength for Youth and it has been a fantastic experience)

5. Read and Study Scriptures – Take time to maybe go a little more in depth by teaching the kids how to research topics for themselves and find answers to questions they may have in the scriptures. Mark Scriptures referring to Christ.

6. Watch Old Family Movies – This helps keep memories alive and help build bonds as a family.

7. Personal Parent Interviews – Great time to focus one on one with your child and show them you care about their life and want to be involved in every area. We keep a book with all the Parent Interview Questionnaires filled out and it serves as a family yearbook or mini journal of our lives. It is a great time to set goals and hold them accountable for how they are doing.

8. Go on a walk – While you walk let the conversation flow. Whether you go with your whole family of with just once child get the conversation rolling and then really listen and see where it might take you. It never ceases to amaze how much comes out their mouths while their feet are moving.

9. Family Home Evening – We have found with school it is sometimes hard as the kids get older to have a great meaningful lesson and activity on the same night. We now divide and have the FHE lesson on Sunday and then the activity on Monday or Vice Versa. This gives us more quality time to really dig into a lesson and give it the attention it needs.

10. Family Council – When a family is prepared for the week and month life just flows better and more peacefully.

11. Read a Book together – My kids still love to be read to. There are so many good LDS fiction books that are entertaining, but still teach great principles or about fact in the scriptures and church history. Let the kids eat popcorn or other treats and make it a time to really look forward too.

12. Read Church Magazines – There are so many articles and ideas for families to take advantage of.

13. Watch a Good Movie as a Family – The libraries at church has a lot of great movies or just find an uplifting movie and just relax together enjoying one another’s company.

14. Play the Hymns or Primary Songs – Hearing and playing hymns is a great way to bring the spirit into your home.

15. Sing the Hymns or Primary Songs – How fun is sitting around the piano singing songs. Make fun memories either sitting around the piano singing Primary Songs or Hymns.

16. Set Goals or Evaluate your Goals – This is one of those things that are never done. Sunday is a great time to really ponder what you are doing now and how you need to improve then come up with a plan of action to make those things happen.

17. Work on Personal Progress –

18. Work on Duty to God –

19. Work on Scouting –

20. Take time to plan and ponder your life – With the busy world today sometimes it is hard to find quiet times to ponder. Take the time to sit and really give the spirit a chance to help guide and direct you in your life.

21. Visit the Sick, Family or a Neighbor – Sunday is a great time to build and develop relationships.

22. Do Missionary Work – Inviting a friend to church or dinner is a great idea. Take time to show genuine interest in those around you.

23. PJ Day or Sunday Best – When my kids were young we changed in PJ’s right after church to remind them it wasn’t a day to play with friends or outside. As they have gotten older some of my children have started staying in Sunday clothes to help them remember how to behave. I don’t think it matters what you do as long as you prayerfully make a decision that will help your family better observe the Sabbath.

24. Act out a Scripture Story – This can be tons of fun. Sometimes you can spend more time and plan and prepare for the skit and other times you can simply improvise. Name a story, give each person a character and then just let it begin and see what happens.

25. Write the Missionaries – This is great opportunity to talk about missions and their importance in our lives.

26. Make a movie of a Scripture Story then watch it – Film your family acting out stories or making your own church movvies then sit as a family and enjoy.

27. Share memories with each other – My kids love hearing stories from when I was their age. Be open to letting the kids ask questions. Sometimes this will open up communications doors that needed to be opened.

28. Make up a rap about a Scripture Story – Divide in groups and give them a story and time to prepare then rejoin each other and take turns performing.

29. Family Time – No matter what you do on Sunday the most important part is to do it as a family and make it a day the children look forward to and enjoy doing the Lord’s work.


Thanks Michelle for these great ideas!

Sunday Ideas for Younger Children

Sunday Ideas for Younger Children

1. Go for a walk as a family, or invite one child to go alone with one parent. Talk about the beauty of nature, but also listen to whatever the child wants to discuss. This is a quiet bonding activity, but still has physical aspects for the restless child.

2. Doing crafts as a family is a lot of fun and is also a good bonding time. A few examples are: decorate special jars for tithing, mission funds or for a special service project (sub for Santa), decorate brown paper bags into a puppet of your favorite scripture character

3. One of my kid’s favorite Sunday traditions is for me to read books while they eat a great big bowl of popcorn. Long after the popcorn is gone they still want me to keep reading. As they have gotten older the books have changed but they still enjoy me reading to them.

4. Have family scripture study. Have younger children draw pictures of the stories they are learning.

5. Decorate a Sunday "Things to Do" box and fill it with ideas. Draw one out each Sunday to do.

6. Let your children listen to primary music and encourage them to sing.

7. Use salt dough or playdough and construct a nativity scene, Liahona, or other Church artifacts. Use your imagination.

8. Make a picture book for each family member. Include pictures of themselves at different ages, other family members, and special events.

9. Make your own family movie with your video camera and then watch it together.

10. Help children write in their journals. If they are too little to write you can jot down a few of their thoughts and then have them draw a picture to illustrate. If they have a hard time thinking of things to write you can give them a topic like “Things I am grateful for”.

11. Keep a box of special books, file folder games and toys just for Sunday. This helps them to look forward to Sunday.

12. Play games, games and more games. Church games or regular games they are a really great way to get your family to associate “fun” with the Sunday and being together.

13. Make puppets and flannel board stories based on scriptures. You can find patterns in the church magazines. Bring these out only on Sundays and begin by reading the story to your child. Then let your child recreate the story with flannelboard pictures.

14. Start teaching your children to cook by letting them help make a special “Sunday Treat”. Then sit down and enjoy it together.

15. Tell children stories of when you were their age and what you were like.

16. Put on a puppet show depicting a historical Church event be sure to let your children participate.

Reclaiming the Sabbath

Our Church leaders have urged us to strengthen our families by RECLAIMING THE SABBATH. They also urged us to have as few extra meetings as possible on Sunday so that families could spend time together. Here are some ideas that we have come up with of things to do on Sunday.

SABBATH DAY IDEAS
Attend Church and take the Sacrament
Think about the Savior and His Atonement and Resurrection
Pray & Fast
Write in your journal & write in family history
PIE Dates (Personal Interview Evaluation dates with dad and you eat pie or a treat)
Read the scriptures
Work on your Faith in God or Duty to God goals
Talk with your family about what you learned at church
Read from good books & the church magazines
Visit people or those who are sick or lonely or less-active
Sing with your family and listen to uplifting music
Write letters
Prepare a Family Night lesson
Watch Church movies
Do artwork or activities from the Friend
Use a flannel board and figures to tell Gospel stories
Work on researching family history
Prepare lessons or work on church assignments
Missionary Work