We need to prepare for our first-ever Jewkes Cousin Camp in Georgia this summer. So, tonight for FHE our kids decided to sing cousin camp songs for their cousins so they can learn them and prepare for camp! We lit the courtyard fire to create the camp mood and unleashed a not-always on tune rendition of our favorites. Enjoy! (If you can
Tonight we decided to get a little creative with FHE and draw! That’s right. The challenge was very short and simple … ‘draw the gospel.’ Huh? What do you mean? I don’t know, you figure it out. Draw a picture that represents the gospel to you. They sat down at the dining room table and this is what they came up with …
I saw a video today that reminded me of my favorite FHE of all time. Instead of showing a homemade video by the kids, I’m sharing the FHE we did (pre-KFHE days) and showing the videos on the bottom that relate.
It happened during June of 2009 …
The lesson was based it on a 6 minute TED video that impressed me (see below). I had Caleb present the plan of salvation to the family, starting with the pre-mortal life … when he finished, I asked the kids if they knew what was needed to make it to the the celestial kingdom (heaven). They said baptism and temple marriage. “Yes, but incomplete,” I said. I told them I was about to teach them the secret to making it to heaven. And, that I was going to teach them with marshmallows!
I put them in separate rooms (living room, dining room, kitchen) and gave them each 1 marshmallow. I told them, “you can eat this marshmallow right now or anytime you want. But, if you wait and don’t eat the marshmallow during the next 15 minutes, then I’ll give you a second one and you’ll have 2 (when the 15 minutes is up).” They stared at their marshmallows. I heard this …
Caleb: “Madi, are you going to eat yours?”
Madi: “No.”
Caleb: “Me neither.”
When I came back to the kitchen, Lucy was crying.
Me: “Why are you crying sweetheart?”
Lucy: “I took a bite.” And then her tears really started to flow.
Me: “I said you could. So, why are you crying?”
Lucy: Because I knew I shouldn’t and now I don’t get the second marshmallow do I?”
Me: “No. You don’t. Go ahead and finish your marshmallow.”
Madi and Caleb heard Lucy cry and yelled out, “What’s wrong Lucy?! Did you eat it?!” Through the sobs, “Yes I did!” Almost in unison, “Oh Lucy you shouldn’t have!” “I know” (still crying). I went to check on Caleb and Madi. Caleb put his marshmallow in his pocket. “Caleb, where’s yours?” “I put it in my pocket so I won’t be tempted.” Madi put hers far away from her on the living room table and dove into a coffee table book on the couch. “I don’t want to smell it,” she said.
10 minutes into what turned out to be the Parable of the Marshmallow, I went back to Lucy who was sadly sitting at the kitchen table.
Me: “Lucy, if I gave you a second marshmallow right now would you promise me that you won’t eat it for another 15 minutes?”
Lucy: (looking at me hopefully) “Yes.”
Me: “OK, here’s another marshmallow. Don’t eat it until I tell you ok?”
Lucy: “OK.”
When the first 15 minutes were up I told Madi and Caleb to meet me in the kitchen (5 feet away from Lucy). They presented their uneaten marshmallows and I presented them with a second one (Lucy remained seated at the table, looking on). Caleb stuffed his face with both at the same time. Madi enjoyed both of hers with a bit more elegance. Then we talked about what we learned …
Caleb: “the marshmallow is temptation and we shouldn’t eat it.”
Madi: “the second marshmallow is the celestial kingdom and you have to have discipline to choose the right to make it there.”
We talked through both answers for a while and I was touched by their insights. Then we looked over at Lucy, still sitting somberly at the table. I asked Madi & Caleb if they thought that eating the marshmallow before the 15 minutes was up meant that Lucy couldn’t have a second one and, in essence, go to heaven. They sadly agreed that Lucy was disqualified. I then told them that that’s not necessarily true. In unison, “What!?” I told them that I had given her a second marshmallow (“What?!”) already and that she had it and had to promise to wait another 15 minutes. I compared that to the Gospel plan and how Heavenly Father knew that none of us would be perfect and that we would all ‘eat the marshmallow’ too soon. But, if we repent (what does that mean guys? Ask forgiveness. Pray. Promise to not do it again) we will be given second chances and have the same ability, because of Jesus’ suffering for our sins and his resurrection, to have the second marshmallow or make it to the celestial kingdom.
Me: Lucy, times up. Do you still have your marshmallow?
Lucy: Yes (she sheepishly removes the uneaten marshmallow from her pocket much to the surprise of her siblings).
Me: Go ahead an eat it.
Everyone in the family cheered as Lucy stuffed her mouth, worthily, with the second marshmallow!
Here’s the two videos I referenced:
1st … the inspiration:
2nd … from today:
Lastly, we all thought it was really cool to watch Pres. Uchtdorf give the same lesson at General Conference in April 2010:
Lucy teaches why she thinks service should be done in secret. After teaching how people have served her and how Jesus served others, she shows us how secret service is done …
This KFHE video was related to our FHE this week on Provident Living (Self-Reliance, Recycling, Not Wasting). When ‘disgusting’ apricots went missing, there was only one thing to do … call Detective Lucy. She helps find the missing apricots and discover how they are being used (not wasted). Fruit Leathers! Madi wraps things up with a quick lesson on Provident Living.
