Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Thinker
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Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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I believe strongly in having Family Home Evening (FHE) once a week. We rotate who’s in charge - and have helped when our kids were young - but still had them decide what to teach etc. Often it’s pretty short - less than 1/2 hour - we sing a couple songs, a couple prayers, a thought, scripture & sometimes a short video. If there’s time, we’ll play a game - like Charades etc.
  • Eg: Yesterday, I taught about GRATITUDE.
    We sang (just 1 verse) “There is Sunshine in my Soul Today” & “Count Your Many Blessings.” I shared this video: “My shoes” (4 min, about being grateful for what you have and not envying). https://youtu.be/_bXjf9257YQ We all shared some things we’re grateful for. I explained that just as we have growing pains physically, we can have them emotionally/spiritually - and how later I have been grateful even for difficult times. I told of tough times when I felt God especially powerfully, and asked them to think of tough times when they looked to God as they listen to this song: “Praise You in the Storm”... https://youtu.be/EjZBZv_771o
Sometimes life gets hectic, and it would be nice to have a lesson ready - so I thought we could give ideas for FHE. What are some short videos, stories or songs that would be good as part of a FHE?

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Here's one the Church put out in 1987, still relevant today: Family Home Evening Lessons for the Bicentennial of the Constitution

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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A fun one for me is asking the young ones if they have any questions about the gospel. Instead of simply teaching, I get to hear what needs to be taught. It may not be exactly a family home evening structure but it’s fun to do from time to time. Had an hour discussion today off an initial question of, “mom, what exactly are the rules of the gospel?” I thought I had been decent at telling those already but apparently not. So, to hear that question was a great opportunity to get feedback on what’s actually being understood.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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You could watch The Matrix with them. 8-)

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Brother B. wrote: November 12th, 2019, 6:07 pm Here's one the Church put out in 1987, still relevant today: Family Home Evening Lessons for the Bicentennial of the Constitution
Thanks, Bro. B! The link includes the lessons as well as the bill of rights, branches of government and constitution. This is very helpful!

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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MMbelieve wrote: November 12th, 2019, 6:57 pm A fun one for me is asking the young ones if they have any questions about the gospel. Instead of simply teaching, I get to hear what needs to be taught. It may not be exactly a family home evening structure but it’s fun to do from time to time. Had an hour discussion today off an initial question of, “mom, what exactly are the rules of the gospel?” I thought I had been decent at telling those already but apparently not. So, to hear that question was a great opportunity to get feedback on what’s actually being understood.
I like that. They can also teach us with their persistent “why” questions. :D

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Brother B. wrote: November 12th, 2019, 8:03 pm You could watch The Matrix with them. 8-)
Some of us did - just with my oldest, who I think, understood. We rarely watch rated R unless it’s exceptional. And I have to say, some scenes (of the later version) made me laugh at how cheezy they were. Still, the main message is powerful and meaningful.

What quotes do you like from The Matrix?

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas? 104

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A game, a game, it’s a game. :P

Hey, I resemble that remark, but likely few will ever see it.

gnbg was a game, that really went weird, as Siri knows an acronym that hits very close to home. Anyways, currently I’m maintaining 0.88 posts/day, but now I’m at 0.89/day. Oh well, is a deep subject as in dbnp, but it and the exact meaning of gbng is to had only in OD, soes not to spoil the game.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas? 104

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BeNotDeceived wrote: November 16th, 2019, 1:00 pmA game, a game, it’s a game. :P

Hey, I resemble that remark, but likely few will ever see it...
:lol: I think we all “resemble that remark”! Especially when you consider, “Life is a play/stage - and all the men and women merely players...”. We’re just down here on planet earth playing for heaven’s sake! :D

Games are a great idea! We often play a type of charades - everyone seems to like this quick & easy “Heads Up” App where one holds the iphone/word so they don’t see it but everyone else sees it & gives clues so they guess. You can record everyone frantically trying to give clues which can be funny to watch. We also have played UNO, Apples to Apples, Imagine If, Baulderdash, Scattegories, Monopoly, Clue, Jenga, Chinese Checkers, Hot Potato, Karaoke etc. For quality time with my kids, I sometimes play a version of Skipo (I used to play with my grandma), chess, Battleship, fish, catch, tennis, pool, hike/walks, Mad-libs, 20-questions, Read, etc.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Maybe for my next turn teaching FHE, it’ll be about the highest GOoD: getting the most out of life.

It’s said the typical person thinks and lives as if he had a huge mansion but only stayed in one little room. We are creatures of habit. Some habits are great and allow the energy to be better utilized without having to think through everything. But some habits hold us back, or prevent us from experiencing the best possible.

Eg: A poll was taken to determine the best songs, and under Classical, Fur Elise was listed. Some disagreed, saying there were much better classical songs than that. Yet, most people are familiar with few classical pieces and that’s probably most known. This also brings up the idea that we crave familiarity - in music, and other aspects. I would guess that most would be more inspired by a familiar song associated with good memories than an unknown musical piece with superior theoretical quality. Yet, it could be that higher quality music, once familiar, could be much more inspiring! Ideally, to continue growing, we find inspiration and motivation through both the familiar, and the new. The familiar tends to be well established as the path of least resistance, but the novel & potentially better - likely requires more conscious effort.

Goals ought to be ongoing - making them, reviewing and adjusting them.
  • Consider expanding your actions in each goal area:
1) physical: incorporate new types of exercise and food.
2) intellectual: study new ideas, places, languages etc
3) emotional: pay attention to new feelings & other interpretations.
4) spiritual: try new types of meditation (listening to God): heart centered/processing thoughts & feelings, mindfulness, breath focus, visualizing etc
5) financial: consider new ways to earn and save money
6) practical: learn something new - like cooking, repairs etc
7) social: reach out to people you usually don’t, listen more

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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My advice is don't push it. Just do something natural. The most important thing about Family Home Evening is being together as a family and enjoying each other's company.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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harakim wrote: February 13th, 2020, 11:22 pm My advice is don't push it. Just do something natural. The most important thing about Family Home Evening is being together as a family and enjoying each other's company.
That’s true, and I think it needs to be fun - so everyone likes it and wants to do it. We play games etc. Still, I see a spiritual battle going on and FHE is a good way to help put on “spiritual armor.” We take turns - so my kids teach too & usually we keep the lesson short and sweet.

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harakim
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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Thinker wrote: February 14th, 2020, 4:16 pm
harakim wrote: February 13th, 2020, 11:22 pm My advice is don't push it. Just do something natural. The most important thing about Family Home Evening is being together as a family and enjoying each other's company.
That’s true, and I think it needs to be fun - so everyone likes it and wants to do it. We play games etc. Still, I see a spiritual battle going on and FHE is a good way to help put on “spiritual armor.” We take turns - so my kids teach too & usually we keep the lesson short and sweet.
That seems good. Stick to subjects you feel strongly about. Your kids will ignore most of your lessons no matter what until they are older. Then they will just remember who you are if those lessons relate, maybe they will come to mind. Also, object lessons are good. I wish I had a book full of object lessons...

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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harakim wrote: February 18th, 2020, 8:55 pm ...Also, object lessons are good. I wish I had a book full of object lessons...
Me too! A good percentage of people are primarily visual learners and I think generally the more different ways something is taught, the more it seeps in.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Last Sunday, I taught a class and might borrow from it for my next turn in FHE. Basically it was trusting in God, not anything or anyone else. After explaining that in this week’s reading, (2Nephi 6-10) the OT book of Isaiah was mentioned & how the 4 OT books Jesus mentioned most were Exodus, Deuteronomy, Psalms & Isaiah. We read:
*Isaiah 55:8-9 (God’s ways are higher)

I asked them which direction Canada & Mexico were. They knew north and south but not which direction from where we were. So I taught them how to find the North Star.

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As I showed them an atlas of the world map, I explained how God sees the bigger picture - God’s ways are higher so just as we refer to maps or the North Star, we can refer to God to help guide us.

We read other scriptures:
*Isaiah 41:10 (Fear not, I am with you)
*2 Nephi 8:7,9,12 (don’t fear men, put on strength, God comforts you)
*2 Nephi 9:52 (Pray continually, give thanks)
*Summarized Matthew 22:36-40 (Greatest commandments)
*Matthew 7:24-27 (Wise man builds his house on rock)

I had a little figure of a boy praying & tried putting it on a paper towel over my lap, but it fell. Then I put it on a paper and cloth but it fell - each representing putting trust in people or things. Finally I put it on a firm foundation, representing God and it stayed.

I asked them to guess a song that goes with that last scripture & they sang a verse.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Today was the 1st Sunday in my life, in which church was cancelled for all. As a family, we did our own short Sacrament Meeting. I shared more of an interactive discussion than a talk - about following the straight & narrow way.

We read: 2Nephi 31:9 (narrow gate, following Christ)
I showed a map of the US & explained how if we were driving from SoCa home to Utah, we could not just go any which way to get home. We’d have to go certain ways. And if we wanted to get a job in a certain field, we may have to get a certain degree by completing certain classes by fulfilling certain projects. Each specific goal has specific requirements to be attained.

Our main, eternal goal is to be happy & fulfilled spiritually.
Christ, through his life, gave us a sort of map to find the way.
How do we follow Christ?
By keeping his commandments - especially those that are above “all the law and the prophets”... to
1) Love God
2) Love others
3) Love oneself
*Matthew 22:36-40

I showed a display of pictures spread out on the floor, using blocks to indicate wide gates that led to destruction where most crowds go, and then a narrow gate to a sunny tree of life.

We read:
  • Matthew 7:13-15:
    ”Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
    Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
    Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
I explained a study that showed most people tend to go along with answers they know to be wrong, if most around them are. Similarly “many are called but few are chosen” because they seek praises of men - even false prophets - over God.

One of the 1st things Christ said as he began his ministry is that like John the Baptist, his primary purpose was to preach repentance. Sometimes we get off track from the narrow way of what’s of God. It’s ok - just correct our aim/repent.

2Nephi 31:20 Press forward
Pray always watch: Mark 13:37
2Nephi 32:5: Enter in the way and the HG will show you.
Trust God above all men.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Since we're home-churching, these ideas can apply to that too. :)

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Similar to how Joseph Smith suggested we "search the scriptures and find what belongs to you,"
I have searched the hymnbook for songs that resonate most...

Non-lds Common Christian Hymns:
#62 All Creatures of Our God and King
#86 How Great Thou Art
#92 For the Beauty of the Earth
#100 Nearer my God to Thee
#108 The Lord is my Shepherd
#124 Be Still my Soul

LDS:
#26 Joseph Smith's 1st Prayer
#29 A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
#30 Come, Come Ye Saints
#87 God is Love
#96 Dearest children God is Near You
#97 Lead Kindly Light
#98 I Need Thee Every Hour
#129 Where Can I Turn For Peace?
#140 Did You Think to Pray?
#165 Abide With Me; 'Tis Eventide
#219 Because I Have Been Given Much
#220 Lord I Would Follow Thee
#227 Sunshine in the Soul
#228 If There's Sunshine in Your Heart
(You can make the pathway bright)
#241 Count Your Blessings
#252 Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
#292 O My Father
#294 Love At Home
#301 I am a child of God
#304 Teach Me to Walk in the Light
#308 Love One Another

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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John (on this forum) inspired me to teach in our home church about worshipping God, and nobody else. (Thanks, John! ;) )


#62 🎵 All Creatures of our God & King

Love God... love others as yourself
Worship God... Prioritize truth & GOoD

Who is God? Spirit, Presence, Creator, Power... “God is not a man that he should lie” (Num 23:19). Many have projected their own human weakness into God, but God is above all that. A strong temptation is to have other gods before God. Even Christ warned against worshipping him as God: “Why callest thou me GOoD? None is good, save 1, that is God” (-Matt 19:17).

Why make the effort to understand God?
*For peace. “The peace of God passeth all understanding” (-Phil 4:7).
*For strength, courage and hope. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (-Rom 8:31).
*For love we all crave: “God is love” (-1John 4:8).

How do we learn about God? “Be still and know that I AM God” (-Psalm 46:10). “God is Spirit, worship Him in Spirit” (-John 4:24). And Christ said, “The kingdom of God is within you” (-Luke 17:21).
Mainly God is:
1) Intelligence
2) Love
3) Active Faith - courage.
Wizard of Oz symbols reflect these main aspects (except re heart: we are not commanded to BE loved, but to love others as ourselves).
https://youtu.be/9HUvCF-UPnk

Brain: Intelligent Design
(Nature by #’s https://youtu.be/kkGeOWYOFoA)
Heart: LOVE/HF & HM
(Where Love is, there God is also https://youtu.be/Qge3SQbZowM)
Courage: free agency to CTR or not (Prioritize truth & progress over lies & stagnation, What is courage: https://youtu.be/lnWcd4FEzz8)

Have courage to choose the right - the highest GOoD. When you miss feeling love - LOVE. Let challenges remind you to look to God. When even your faith in God is weak, look around and within you at the abundant evidence of God’s Intelligent Design. Consider the Sun - just because you don’t see or feel it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The sun doesn’t change, but the earth turns away from it. Similarly God is always there - it’s a question of turning toward God. Look within to feel God’s Spirit. Remember that you are known and deeply loved unconditionally by a perfect Heavenly Father & Mother.

#292 🎵 O My Father

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Identity & Faith

🎶O My Father v1 & 3

Do you know for sure who you are?
If someone called you a “mean idiot,” would you think that’s who you are? Even if lots of people said, “You’re a dinosaur!” or “You’re a unicorn!” - as a human being, you would know that’s not who you are. Likewise, when you receive lies that you are this or that label - remember that you are a loved child of God. THAT is who you are.
  • ”You are a child of God. Once you know who you are, the enemy can’t deceive you into believing anything differently about yourself.”
Image

A firm foundation of knowing who you are can help you when attacks come. Also, as life changes or societal pressures come, it helps to realize we are more than our race, job, money, age, nationality, physical abilities, education, religion & other affiliations. “We ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS having earthly experiences.” You spiritually existed before life and will exist after life. Consciousness is part of energy which isn’t created nor destroyed but changes form.
  • ”Faith includes a hope for things which are not seen, but which are true.” - Heb. 11:1
We can place faith in all kinds of things that are not seen. What would be those true things in which would be best to place our faith?
Have faith in God’s love, guidance & power... & our choices to do God’s will above all.

Strengthen faith in:
1) God’s love for us. Remember that God is GOoD - the means by which good is brought about...Heavenly Father & Mother are like the most noble King & Queen. And we are sons & daughter’s of the king of kings & queen of queens!

Image

*Seeing ourselves & others as God sees :56-2:02
https://youtu.be/15VyUrZHxbQ

*:27- We are children of the greatest King & Queen - HF & HM let us go to live life - to be lights in a world of darkness
https://youtu.be/8SzT8ZJQjtw

* Remind me who I am: https://youtu.be/QSIVjjY8Ou8

Remember who you are. Store in an accessible mental place thoughts & images that remind you that you are a child of God and you are so very loved!
  • ”The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” - Romans 8:16-17
  • ”The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy. Rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” - Zephaniah 3:17
2) (Also direct faith in...) Spiritual guidance: God sees everything, so God’s guidance is best above all. When we ask God for help, God can gives us spiritual guidance. Learn to pay attention to & be grateful for the Spirit & discern it from your desires or fears.
  • ”Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” - Philippeans 1:6
3) God’s power. God is the creative intelligence of this entire world! That’s powerful!! God is a ready source of strength & power!
  • ”Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” - Ephesians 3:7
With God we can do great things!

4) Our will to love God and do God’s will. God has given us practically everything. The only thing we can give God is our will, to humbly correct course -repent- & choose to turn back to God over other distractions.
  • ”Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
    Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” -
    D&C 121:34-35
  • ”Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” Ephesians 5:17
Seek God’s will above all.

🎶I am a child of God

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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1/31/21
Gratitude
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day which the Lord has made;Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

1 Chronicles 16:34
“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“in everything give thanks”

There’s a tendency to focus on the negative. To survive, we’re designed to focus on potential threats. Some awareness of threats is important but we have to be careful not to over do it. We need to make an asserted effort to focus on the good - on what’s going well.

Story: shiny nickels
https://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/ ... ny-nickels

Each say something they appreciate about each.
Hot Potato to https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P1eE330FiAM: say something you’re grateful for.

Thankful, josh groban
https://youtu.be/YpVz9dFN88M

🎶Count your many blessings

=

1/3/21 (some of us had covid/flu so just watched this BYU devotional. CruiserDude shared this & then I did - many liked it.)
Wrestling with comparisons
https://youtu.be/1RR9v7u1unM

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Thinker wrote: November 12th, 2019, 5:09 pm…as we have growing pains physically, we can have them emotionally/spiritually… later I have been grateful even for difficult times… tough times when I felt God especially powerfully…
“Praise You in the Storm”... https://youtu.be/EjZBZv_771o[/list]
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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

Post by Robin Hood »

I believe if you have to set aside an evening a week to spend with your family... you're doing it wrong.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

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Robin Hood wrote: October 9th, 2021, 4:14 pm I believe if you have to set aside an evening a week to spend with your family... you're doing it wrong.
How so?
What would be ideal, to you?

NewEliza
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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

Post by NewEliza »

Robin Hood wrote: October 9th, 2021, 4:14 pm I believe if you have to set aside an evening a week to spend with your family... you're doing it wrong.
There is nothing wrong with setting aside extra time for a formal devotional. That’s silly, that’s literally what church is.


But I agree, it should also be natural and constant.

Brigham young had family devotional every night at 7 pm sharp and he never missed it. But surely that’s not all the gospel talk his kids got.

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Re: Family Home Evening (FHE) Ideas?

Post by onefour1 »

Have a lesson on the threats to our freedoms in today's world. Lots of material on LDSFF and the web.

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