"H" For Happiness

Gospel Art Book Jesus Blesses the Nephite Children

Question: What do you think makes our Savior happy?

Scripture: 3 Nephi 17:5-25 (Jesus heals and blesses Nephite children)
Emphasize verse 20 "And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full."

Song: (Adaptation from Donovan Leitch that we used to sing at girl's camp)
Happiness runs in a circular motion
Life is like a little boat upon the sea
Everybody is a part of everyone, anyways
You can be happy if you let yourself be.

Activity: Your boat is your couch. Dump a bunch of balloons on the ground and have fun! While you are playing, write things you are happy about on the balloons with marker.

Scripture: Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Bear Testimony

Christmas should not be a time, but a state of mind.

GAK 239 The Resurrected Christ

Read the following quotes:

"To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world." ~ Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), American president. Presidential message (December 25, 1927)

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." ~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From 'A Christmas Carol'.

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" ~ Bob Hope, American film actor and comedian.

Sing your favorite hymns. Take the time to bear testimonies as a family of the divinity of Christ. There is no better place to bear testimony than in the walls of your own home to those with whom you’ll spend eternity!!

Christmas is a time to reflect on the atonement.

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by spacepotato 10/24/2007

Sing He Sent His Son Children’s Songbook pg. 34-35

Look at a CANDY CANE, what do you see? Stripes that are RED like the BLOOD shed for me! WHITE for my Savior, Who's sinless and pure! "J" is for JESUS, My Lord that's for sure! Turn it around And a staff you will see --- Jesus, my SHEPHERD, Is coming for me! (this poem was found on dltk-kids.com and had no author quoted)

Display a picture of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Review what happened pertaining to the atonement, crucifixion and resurrection. Enjoy some candy canes while you read the following:

"During His brief ministry, He healed the sick, caused the blind to see, raised the dead, and rebuked the scribes and Pharisees. He was the only perfect man ever to walk the earth. All of this was part of His Father’s plan. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He suffered so greatly that he sweat drops of blood as He pleaded with His Father. But this was all a part of His great atoning sacrifice. He was taken by the mob, appeared before Pilate with the mob crying for His death. He carried the cross, the instrument of His death. On Golgotha He gave His life, crying out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

His body was tenderly laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea. But three days later, on that first Easter morning, the tomb was emptied. Mary of Magdala spoke to Him, and He spoke to her. He appeared to His Apostles. He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. And, we are told, He was seen by some 500 others (see 1 Corinthians 15:6).
He had said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Accordingly, He appeared to those assembled in the land Bountiful in the Western Hemisphere.

Here, He taught the people as He had taught them in the Old World. This is all recorded in detail in the Book of Mormon, which stands as a second witness of the divinity of our Lord.
And to repeat, both He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph, the Father introducing the Son, saying: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).
Now, the next thing of which I am certain, and of which I bear witness, is the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without it life is meaningless. It is the keystone in the arch of our existence. It affirms that we lived before we were born in mortality. Mortality is but a stepping-stone to a more glorious existence in the future. The sorrow of death is softened with the promise of the Resurrection. There would be no Christmas if there were no Easter. "

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Things of Which I Know,” Ensign, May 2007, 83–85

Christmas is a time of good cheer.

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by carrie 12/2007

Sing Smiles Children’s Songbook page 267 (at the top)

Have a row of 5 stuffed animals and tape on frowny faces to them. Tell your children the animals are stressed out about Christmas. They want to get just the right expensive gift, go to fancy parties and eat wine and cheese! Eeeww! Wine! No thank you, that’s against the word of wisdom! They are such bah-humbugs, they need to learn that Christmas is a time of good cheer (happiness) because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have 5 smiley faces nearby, let the children choose one. For each back of the smiley faces you can have the following references:

John 16: 33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

D&C 68: 6 “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. “

D&C 61: 36 “And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you;”

D&C 78: 18 “And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours."

2 Cor. 9: 7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

As you read the scripture let them change out the frowny faces for smiley faces.

Christmas is a time for our souls to be still.

If it happens to be snowing, watch the snow or go outside to feel your surroundings.
If you have a delicious smelling candle, sit in the dark and watch it burn for a few seconds. If you have a fireplace, light a fire and take a moment to be still.

Watch the following together as a family.

(Found on youtube.com by snotface7)

How does Jesus help those that suffer? How does Jesus bring our hearts calm and happiness?

Read 4 Nephi 1:16-18 " And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings;"

Without Christ there would be no Christmas.

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by midiman 1/23/06

Go through your home and label things minus the word "Christ". That is go to the Christmas tree and put a sign that says Mas Tree. Take away baby Jesus from the mangers, put a sign on gifts as Mas Gifts, Mas Cards, Mas Decorations, Mas ornaments, Mas lights… etc. Try to block out anything with a picture of Christ. Make a sign that says Christmas so your children can see the difference in the words and spelling.

Then ask your children what is going on? What word is missing? This is terrible!! Does this feel wrong to anyone? Does it feel like something is missing in our home?
Read them the quote by President Ezra Taft Benson:
“Keeping Christ in Christmas,” Ensign, Dec 1993, 2

“Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there can be no fullness of joy.”

Fix all your signs by adding the word Christ. Say the letters together. Fix all the mangers and pictures. Stress again that without Christ, there is no fullness of joy or happiness!! We need our Savior!!!