Here is an overview of a gospel study method (system) for teaching children in the home. It works!  And...it is so fun end effective...and easy!!

“…we should build a consistent, planned program of introducing the principles of the gospel [to our children]…Of course there are other organizations that can help, but we should want to be certain that we know what they are learning, and that we take the time and have the patience to determine carefully and in a planned, organized way, that they are growing up with a sure foundation on which to build their lives.”                

                                                                                                        Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign Nov. l988

      A PLAN FOR TEACHING THE GOSPEL IN OUR HOMES

“Do not be discouraged because you cannot learn all at once; learn one thing at a time, learn it well, and treasure it up, then learn another truth and treasure that up, and in a few years you will have a great store of useful knowledge which will not only be a great blessing to yourselves and your children, but to your fellow men.”        
                                               G. Homer Durham, Discourses of Wilfred Woodruff, Bookcraft, l969)

1.      Plan to focus on a gospel principle each month. Discuss and pray what and how to teach, what resources are available, and what you want to have happen each month. 

1·         Select a theme ( Jan. ORDER  Feb. LOVE  June COVENANTS Nov. GRATITUDE) and focus (specific gospel principle: ORDER home organization  LOVE in the family  COVENANTS of baptism GRATITUDE for our bodies) for each month of this year. What do you want your family to know and feel? (2 Nephi 25:26) Consider General Conference talks (as Pres. Hinckley asked), YM, YW and Primary themes, the Seminary standard work for the year, and family and cultural events.             

2.       Prepare: Post the theme and focus for the month, along with a supporting scripture,   

      hymn, and quote from the Prophet or an Apostle (On the fridge? A table easel?). One  

      idea is to memorize the scripture by repeating it before meals, and to learn the hymn by

      singing it together (accompaniment CD’s are available from church distribution or can be

      accessed on line). See the preface of the hymnbook for motivation and inspiration.Click here to read from the preface.   The children’s Songbook can also be used. You could also make a scripture glue-in with the

      quote on the front and personal notes on the back. Click here for information on scripture glue-ins.

·         Weave the month’s focus into your plans for Monday night family home  

   evenings, Sunday instruction with your family, daily scripture study, and

   activities.  Most church resources have a topical index, and now many (including the  

   scriptures, church  magazines, manuals, hymns and primary songs, Preach My 

   Gospel, and selections from the Family Home Evening Resource Book and the Gospel

   Art Picture Kit) are available on line at lds.org.                        

·         Organize and schedule a “wrap-up” wholesome recreational activity for the end of the month to make a fun, family memory, pull together the theme and focus, bear testimony of its truthfulness, and create a setting where the spirit can be felt. See "The Nephi Experience" on this post and other ideas written at the end of this post.  Click here to view the "Plan of Salvation" activity.

3.     Proceed with your plans. Enjoy learning the principles of the gospel as a family!

 Be persistent, yet flexible with your plan. You may not teach and do all you hope to each day, but your efforts add up to weeks, months, and years of diligence! (Mosiah 4:27)

·         Seize teaching moments to testify of the truthfulness of the month’s principle––meal time, travel time, bed time, prayer time, family home evening, scripture study, parent-child interviews, family council, family activities, etc. In the Book of Mormon, Enos relates that the words that he had often heard his father speak concerning eternal life and the joy of the saints were what brought him to his knees to pray and repent.

“And these words… shall be in thy heart; And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when  thou  sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.”     Deut. 6:6-7

Theme and Focus Ideas

Month	Theme	Some Related Areas and Principles            *focus on one each month
January	Order	Home organization/church organization family organization/the creation/plan of salvation/goals
February	Love	Love in the family/loving our neighbors/morality/ chastity/brotherhood/dating/courtship/marriage/loving ourselves/YW theme and values/covenants
March	Unity	Family unity/teamwork/wholesome family recreation/. Christ-like communication/world-wide brotherhood/Zion
April	Spirituality	Victory over self/the Sacrament/prayer/faith scripture study/testimony/repentance/baptism/honesty/ integrity/the Sabbath day/the Holy Ghost
May	Talents/Gifts	The arts/journals/testimony/spiritual treasures/ the armor of God/our talents/sharing our talents/ gifts of the spirit/education
June	Joy	Plan of salvation/the temple/choosing the right/ being happy/internalizing the gospel/ the joy of work/covenants/eternal marriage/relationships
July	Heritage	Family heritage/pioneer heritage/family history and temple work/family reunions/freedom/ family traditions/wholesome family recreation
August	Light	Light of example/gaining knowledge light and truth/happiness/prayer/faith/education/ missionary work/the light of Christ
September	Purpose	Being the Lord’s instrument/patriarchal blessings/priesthood blessings/the Book of Mormon/ plan of salvation/families are forever/YW personal progress/obedience/covenants/purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood
October	Harvest	Missionary work/gardens/work/follow the Prophet family preparedness/the plan of salvation/repentance
November	Gratitude	Gratitude attitude/memories/records/repentance/ the life of Christ/the Atonement/thanksgiving/prayer/ true religion
December	Charity	Charitable service/follow the Savior/Christmas/ brotherly love/the pure love of Christ/gifts and giving/ family traditions

One idea is to use  the current Primary sharing time themes for the year for your monthly themes.

  They are available here.

End-of-the-month idea for the topic of "Obedience"- have an activity entitled "The Nephi Experience."  See 1 Nephi 2 - 5 

(more ideas for activities to "wrap-up" a month are written after these pics)

Lehi explaining that the family would be going into the wilderness.

The wilderness (notice the sign)

. 

drawing straws...

Getting the brass plates...

The "Liahona"...definitely of curious workmanship!

Following the "Liahona" in your hearts brings you to even better food...spiritual food!

                                                                                        We did it!

pictures from the "Nephi Experience", an end-of-the-month activity for the topic of "Obedience."

Please do not copy slides.

Some of the Slides from Marriage Workshops

click here for an overview of 

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail 

... And How You Can Make Yours Last 

by John Gottman, Ph.D 

Copyright © 1994 by John Gottman 

Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc., N.Y. 

click here for a short article about Gottman's reasearch

by Hara Estroff Marano, published on March 16, 2004 

in Psychology Today

So how do we change the patterns that allow differences to push us apart?  Let’s just try and experiment -   Try folding your hands, now unfold them and fold them again with the other thumb on top. How does that feel. Now try folding your arms – now fold them again with the other arm on top. Next time you try putting on a coat –don’t put it on your normal way -  try putting in your opposite arm in first, or more difficult (and please sit down before you try this) next time you are putting on a pair of pants – try putting in the other leg first. Please be careful not to fall over! Do you sit in a certain place at church? Do you have a typical seat at the dinner table? We are creatures of habit and trying to change our habits can feel unusual and sometimes even uncomfortable.
When we find a habit or trait that we want to change, how can we do all we can to make sure we are as successful as possible?
President Uchdorf shared with the Church the story of the 4 year olds that were placed one by one in a room with a nice big marshmallow. They were told if they could wait for 15 minutes to eat the marshmallow that they would get to have two marshmallows. Only 30 percent of the 4 year olds were able to wait.
 Recently a group of researchers replicated this study and found exactly the same result. Then they took another group of 4 year olds, gave them the same challenge but also taught them two simple skills that would allow them to wait. They were simply taught to distance themselves from the marshmallow and to distract themselves by focusing on something else. When these two simple skills were used 70 percent of the 4 year olds were successful. Sometimes we deeply want to change and make things different in our lives but need a few simple skills that might help us to succeed.
What do you think? Can this be applied to marriage success?


One of the most well known scriptures in the standard works gives us a pattern of skills that can help us deal with issues in our marriage and family. It is in fact the very scripture that the Lord used to teach us how to love and serve.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:5
5 Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.
6.  Thou shalt alove thy bneighbor as thyself.

Is it interesting that the Lord always starts with the heart - use in resolving differences in a healthy way. Is my heart right?

                                 

Elder Marlin K Jensen
Nevertheless, despite our best intentions and efforts, our ideal began to collide with reality shortly after our brief, inexpensive honeymoon. I cannot speak for Kathy, but I soon began to feel a small sense of disillusionment, a feeling that there was something more to marriage than I seemed capable of producing.
One small example from those early days of our marriage will illustrate the challenges we faced. We were living in Salt Lake City, where I was attending law school and Kathy was teaching first grade. Under the stress of being new to the city, our respective schools, and each other, our relationship became a bit testy. One night at about dinnertime, we had a quarrel that convinced me that I need not hope for nourishment at home. So I left our modest apartment and walked to the nearest fast-food restaurant, a block away. As I entered the north door of the establishment, I looked to my right—and much to my surprise, I saw Kathy entering through the south door! We exchanged angry glances and advanced to opposing cash registers to place our orders. We continued to ignore each other as we sat alone on opposite ends of the restaurant, sullenly eating our evening meals. We then left as we had entered and took our separate routes home. It wasn’t until later that we reconciled and laughed together about how infantile we had been.
I realize now that such little tiffs are not uncommon in the early stages of most marriages. However, I believe they are representative of the many obstacles that can frequently interfere with the tremendous potential for fulfillment and happiness that exists in an eternal marriage, potential that too often goes unrealized.
Ensign OCT. 1994 A UNION OF LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING MARLIN K. JENSEN

                                 

We started tonight by mentioning two things we lost when we came through the veil – a remembrance of who we are and a beautiful feeling of fulfilling love and security that came from our relationship with our perfect Father. We have tried to explore how these play out in our relationships especially in marriage. We yearn for that replenishment and it helps to drive us to deepen our relationships. There is a final element that we would like to present to make this search complete. The Savior prayed that he might be able to be one with us and the Father and He are one. He also prayed that we might learn to be one with each other. When we are, it brings Him the greatest joy, when we are not He weeps at our distance from Him and from each other. (Ether 7:32-33) A significant part of His gift of At-One-Ment is His willingness to help us grow closer in our relationships.

Click here or here to view a Mormon Message:  Elder Holland "How Do I Love Thee"
Click here to read an article condensed from a BYU  devotional address by the same title.