Day #14 He Has Risen

This is the same lesson we do every year the night before Easter – the children look forward to it every year. 

Resurrection Eggs
If you haven’t had a chance to do this with your family, the night before Easter is a great time.  Preparation:  you need 12 plastic eggs.  Number them 1 through 12.  Below I have the number and corresponding items and scriptures.  (you could also place a little treat in each one.)  Place them inside the eggs.   Hide the 12 eggs.

Have the children find the 12 eggs.  Open the egg and read each scripture beginning with egg #1.  This will take you through the Easter story.   There are pictures to go with just about every scripture.  Click HERE for the pictures.  The scriptures began with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.

Here are the Scripture references for the 12 eggs:
1. Ride on a Donkey – Matthew 21:1-9
2. Silver Coins – Matthew 26:14-16, 46-50; 27:1-5
3. Passover Cup – Matthew 26:17-19, 26-28
4. Praying Hands – Mark 14: 32-42
5. Leather Whip – John 19; 1-15 Matthew 27:26-31
6. Crown of Thorns – Matthew 27:29-31
7. Nails in the Cross – John 19: 16-22
8. Dice for Gambling – John 19: 23-25
9. Soldier’s Spear – John 19:31-37
10. Linen Wrapping – Matthew 27: 57-61
11. Stone of the Tomb – Matthew 28:1-3
12. Empty Tomb – Matthew 28:5-8

Activity
For the past 16 years it is a tradition in our family to make “Resurrection Rolls.”  I didn’t come up with this recipe – it’s one of those things that gets passed around.  I am still amazed how everyone marvels at how the marshmallow disappears!  Click here for instructions.

I hope your family enjoys making these.  This is my children’s favorite part of Easter.  We look forward to making these every year.  AND they are super delicious!!!
We also love to dye Easter Eggs.  Nothing fancy, nothing I’m going to “pin” – just good old fashioned eggs and dye!  It never gets old.  This is a good time to talk about the symbols of Easter.  Sometimes its hard for children to know what eggs and bunnies have to do with Easter.  While you are dying your eggs, you can have a little review:
Easter Bunny
There are many different theories…..Spring celebrates new life as did Jesus’ resurrection.  Rabbits are one of the many animals born in the spring and they also have lots of offspring during this time of year.  The rabbit burrows deep under ground and when he emerges from his burrow, it can represent Jesus leaving the tomb.
Eggs
In many cultures eggs are the symbol of life and Jesus gave everyone Eternal Life through His Atonement and Resurrection.  Eggs were died Red in memory of Christ’s blood, eggs are rolled symbolic of the stone being rolled from the tomb,
Lamb
This comes from the Jewish Passover where a lamb was sacrificed in each family.  Christ became the Passover Lamb for everyone and so the lamb became a symbol for His sacrifice.
New Clothes
This is a symbol of a new beginning.
We are having fun this year with all our cousins and Gramma and Papa here!


Handout:
I love this nest image from the Graphics Fairy.  I thought this would be nice to include in our journals and write what the nest and eggs represent.
Journal
Summarize the events that took place and the scriptures you read.  Which one stood out to you?  How do you feel knowing Jesus died for you and suffered all things for you that you may have eternal life?  
Thank you so much for joining me on this 14 day journey.  I hope you have been able to do a few of these lessons with your family and find yourself drawing closer to Christ.   Life gets pretty crazy, we missed a few days here and there, and we are looking forward to having the lessons for Family Home Evening.  Happy Easter and may God Bless 🙂

Amanda

Day #13, Jesus Christ, My Savior

Hi!  It’s Melanie from LDS Handouts.  I started my blog so I could share my handouts I was making for Young Women with others. Since then, it has expanded to a whole bunch of different free handouts. I live in Idaho with my awesome husband and 4 children, ages 11, 8, 5, and 2.  I’m excited to share another lesson with you!!


Jesus Christ, My Savior

Attention activity:  Spread the letters around the room and have your family find them and spell out the word Savior. Ask them what a Savior is and why we might need someone to save us. (Handouts are 4×6 inches)

Lesson: 
We needed a Savior because Heavenly Father knew that when we came to Earth we would sin. When we sin and don’t repent, we cannot live with Heavenly Father again. We needed someone to save us so we can live with Heavenly Father again. Jesus volunteered to be our Savior and come to Earth and teach us, atone for our sins, and be crucified so we can live with Heavenly Father again.

Cut this picture into puzzle pieces. (Picture is 8×10 inches)

On each piece, write a way that Jesus helped save us. These can include:
He went through the Atonement and saved us from our sins.
He was crucified and died to save us from death.
He taught us about the Sacrament.
He was a perfect example.
He taught us to be kind.
He taught us to serve.
He taught us to repent.
He taught us to forgive.

Put the puzzle together and talk about each way Jesus saves us.

Handout:
Print this handout to add to your journal or hang up.

 For another fun activity, write your testimonies down and bury in a bag or seal in an envelop and open again next Easter.

Parable of the Sower, Day #12

Hi! I’m Melanie from LDS Handouts.   I’m super excited to take part in the event. I started my blog so I could share my handouts I was making for Young Women with others. Since then, it has expanded to a whole bunch of different free handouts. I live in Idaho with my awesome husband and 4 children, ages 11, 8, 5, and 2.

I picked The Parable of the Sower because I love parables!! I love the way Jesus taught-by using things that were familiar to the people of the time. I have taken this parable and presented it in a way that I would do it for my family. Enjoy!

The Parable of the Sower

Attention Activity: 
Scripture: Read the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8: 4-15
Lesson: To reinforce the parable and the meanings, play memory with the cards provided. Match the object with the meaning.
Print out these cards and cut them in half (Card size is 4×6)

Activity: Plant seeds together. Talk about what you need to get a seed to grow in good soil. Talk about how we can make that soil good. Elder Faust gave an awesome talk entitled “Of Seeds and Soil” that shares ways we can make our soil good for our seeds to grow. You can tape this handout to each cup.

Refreshments: Make “dirt cups” by following this recipe from Kraft.

Resources:
Parable of the Sower coloring pages:
http://www.theclipartwizard.com/sower-coloring-pages.htm

Kids activities and lesson for the Parable of the Sower:
http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.com/2012/08/parable-of-sower.html

Day #11, Parable of the Ten Virgins

Sorry about the late posting, I selected the wrong time 🙁

Parable of the Ten Virgins, Day 11

To begin the lesson, watch this short video Christ Like Attributes – it’s also found HERE.  It is such a beautiful overview of what we have been learning these last 10 days.

Jesus often taught using familiar objects and situations to teach a spiritual truth; called parables.  The parable of the ten virgins teaches us about the second coming of Jesus Christ and how we can prepare.  
I thought both these lessons were perfect references to teach your children about this parable:
Lesson from Sugardoodle click HERE
Ten Virgins lesson click HERE
Once you’ve gone over the parable, have the family act out the story so it comes to life.  
Now talk about the hidden spiritual truth in this story.  Who are the 10 Virgins?  Who is the Bridegroom?  What is the oil?  What is the marriage?
I liked this music video on youtube depicting people living righteously and putting oil in their lamps.
Have the children cut out the drops of oil and a lamp. (I had to make them colorful, it’s Easter!!)  They can write on each drop of oil what they are doing to prepare for Jesus to come again.  Glue them in your journals.  In the Sugardoodle lesson, there are instructions on how to make this lamp out of a paper plate.

 

Download oil drops

Because of Him, Day #10

Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Because of Him, death is not the end, and life takes on new meaning. We can change, we can start over—and we can live again with God. This Easter, celebrate His life and discover all that’s possible because of Him.

Watch video

If you haven’t already, talk to your family about the #BecauseofHim challenge that’s going on this week.

Every day post a photo on your social media sites relating to the day’s topic and type the hashtag #BecauseofHim.

 Show your posts to your children so they can see the photos you post each day.

For younger children who don’t have social media accounts, encourage or help them draw pictures relating to the day’s topic, or print out pictures and hang them up in your home.  I have made these little printables with the topic for each day and they can write something or draw a picture.  You could even take a picture of their picture and text it to Gramma and Grandpa!

Click HERE to download the PDF version

Journal:
Have each person list as many “Because of Him” statements they can think of.  Keep adding to the list throughout the week.
I sized the photos down and you can print this page and your children can choose one of the photos to put in their journals.  Click HERE for download

Amanda

Day #9, Service

Hi! I’m Heather Lynne from Raising Memories. I blog about fun things parents can do with and for their kids and like to throw in some photography posts, giveaways, and other fun things for moms.  I’m so happy to be visiting Amanda’s blog today to share a fun lesson idea with you!  (Thank you so much for having me, Amanda!)
Alright, enough about me (if you’re dying of curiosity and want to know more about me or get a glimpse of what kind of fun things I like to post about, just head over to my fun About Page 😉 Now, on to the lesson:

Day #9: Service

Preparation:
You’ll need 12 plastic Eggs & the items needed to create this Easter countdown. You can find a list here as well. – Prepare some small slips of paper and something to write or draw with for each family member. – Have an empty box or bowl ready. – Print the handouts and the “You’ve Been Egged” note.

Download “You’ve Been Egged” note HERE.
Preparation:
  As I Have Loved You would be a great song to start with. You can listen to it here.  You can also find lyrics and piano music at that link.

  Lesson:
Start by giving each member of the family a couple of slips of paper & something to write with. Ask them to write down something that someone could do for them that would help them. They should put their name on the paper, fold it, and put it into the box or bowl. (If children are too young to write, they can draw a picture of their thing and a parent can write an explanation by the picture) Read John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Explain that Jesus is our example. He loved and served others by doing things for them to help them. He healed people, He blessed people, and He helped people. He loves all people. Explain that when we do something for someone else it usually makes us love them more. Ask family members to share stories of times when someone did something for them that made them feel happy. Also ask for stories of times they did something nice for someone else and then felt more love for that person. Family members can now choose to draw as many slips of paper as they wish from the bowl or box and do that service idea for the person who wrote it down. You can follow up with them later to see how it made them feel to help someone else.

  Activity:
 For the activity, you’re going to do something nice for someone else! This is something that will help them to celebrate the real reason for Easter. Together, assemble the 12 eggs with the bible verses and items outlined in this post and then go to someone’s house and hide the eggs in their yard. Leave the “You’ve Been Egged” note on their door, ring the doorbell, and run! 🙂 You can talk about the real meaning behind Easter as you are assembling the eggs at home, too 🙂

  Handout: Download Here.

I hope this post helps you and your family to come closer to Christ as you prepare for Easter!  I would love for you to come and visit me on my blog or follow me in any of these places:

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Day # 8, Christ-like Attributes: Charity & Love

Hi friends! This is Amber from Crazy Little Projects! Crazy Little Projects  

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I’m happy to be here to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart-Jesus Christ and his example of Charity and Love. If there’s one topic that I get most excited about when talking about Christ, it’s that one. I love what he taught us about loving others and I love to teach my kids the same. I’ve put together a short and simple lesson to help your children learn more about Jesus Christ and his example of Charity to those he met. Do what works best for your family…and enjoy! Lesson: Start off by watching 1-2 of these Bible videos about the life of Jesus. I recommend:

  Then talk about the principles taught in those videos. Reread the scriptures and talk about what they mean and how you can apply them to life today. What does it mean that “ye have done it unto me?” How does that translate into the life of a 6 year old? A 10 year old? A teenage? Talk about how they can show love to others in their life. Talk about some specific examples of how they can show charity and Christlike love in their lives. Have them take a few minutes to write their ideas in their journal. If your family is like mine, one of the biggest areas to work on in showing love is in the home. Talk about how you can show love to each other better. For us, it all boils down to some simple words, which my boys hear out of my mouth every single day and in most of my prayers as well-Be Kind! To help them remember, I’ve made some cute little printable handouts for them. Click to open them, then right click and save and then print them and have each person place one somewhere that will remind them each day to be kind to others: (I made several colors so take your pick!) Bekindturquoiseandgreen Bekindturquoiseandgray Bekindpinkandpurple Bekindpinkandgray Bekindblueandgray
Share with your family WHY charity, love and kindness matter to you.   Activity (and Treat!): One thing my family loves to do together is to get out and spread the love. So, for an activity tonight, take your family and go do something nice for someone. Here are a few simple ideas to get you started thinking:

  • Take treats to someone. You can even ding dong ditch them if you want to make it really fun!
  • Go through a drive thru and pay for the person behind you. (When we did this the lady at the drive thru said someone earlier had done the same thing and then one car after another paid for the person behind them and it lasted for about 10 cars. So cool.)
  • Take a treat and a thank you card to the local fire station or police station
  • Leave quarters on vending machines
  • Leave dollars in the dollar spot at Target or at the dollar store
  • Take flowers to a nursing home
  • Make lunches and hand them out to homeless people
  • Find a beggar on a corner and give him money
  • Serve a meal at a food bank
  • Send money to someone in need
  • Put together a package for service men and women
  • Write thank you notes to people who make a difference in your life
  • Make a meal for someone in need (just had a baby, someone’s been sick, etc.)
RAKcards

There’s tons of things you can do! Just pick some simple acts of kindness and do them. I’ve also created a printable tag that you can leave if it fits with your service. Kind of a pay it forward idea:
 One idea we do a lot is simply to make cookies and take them to a friend, a new neighbor, someone with a birthday, etc. It’s simple, but it makes people happy! Here is our favorite cookie recipe. This will also make a great treat for your family night:

Chocolate peppermint cookie recipe

Christ-like Attributes: Patience


Today is Day 7 of the 14 Day Walk With Christ.  I hope you are enjoying the lessons, my family is loving them!  Even if you don’t get to all of them, you can use them for Family Home Evening lessons.  

Lesson # 7 Christ-like Attributes: Patience
Preparation:  Purchase a large bag of candy (M&Ms, Skittles, Gumi Bears, etc.)  Put a few in a bowl and set them out at the beginning of the lesson.  Tell your family if they wait and don’t eat the candy in the bowl, they can have a better reward later.  Wrap or tie a bow on the large bag and reward it at the end of the lesson.

 
I love this saying, “Patience is not about how long you can wait, but how you behave while waiting.

Scriptures:
Psalms 27:14 When I wait you strengthen my heart.

James 1: 3-4  
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may beaperfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Lesson:
What is Patience?
Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious.  It is the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing.  Patience is related to Hope and faith; you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled; Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best – better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. Either way we are questioning the reality of God’s omniscience.

    Show a picture of Jesus

    The Lord, Jesus Christ, is our perfect example of patience. Though absolutely unyielding in adherence to the truth, he exemplified patiencerepeatedly during his mortal ministry. He was patient with his disciples, including the Twelve, despite their lack of faith and their slowness to recognize and understand his divine mission. He was patient with the multitudes as they pressed about him, with the woman taken in sin, with those who sought his healing power, and with little children. Finally, he remained patient through the sufferings of his mock trials and his crucifixion. – Joseph B. Wirthlin

    Testify to your family that patience is one way we come to be more Christlike. Remind your family that patience gives us the hope that Christ’s Atonement will save us.

    Role play, charades, or scenarios
    Brainstorm with your family situations in which it might be easy to “loose their patience”.  My children love playing charades, each child will come up with a scenario and act it out.  You can also role play, or just discuss situations that make them feel impatient.

    Show the videoContinuing in Patience” by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
    Talk about the dish of candy – was it hard to wait?  Was it hard not to sneak just one piece?  Give the children the large bag of candy and explain that it is always worth waiting patiently for something better.  
    Game:  Play Chutes & Ladders or Candyland or a similar type board games (don’t you agree, these games strengthen patience!!!)
    Handout:  Download HERE

    Amanda

    Day #6, Christ-Like Attributes: Faith

    Hi! I’m Marci Coombs and I’ve been writing my own little lifestyle blog over HERE
    for quite some time now.

    I blog about everything from: church ideas and recipes to craft tutorials and party details.  

    I love my life!  And I love the people I share it with EVEN MORE!
    I’m addicted to:  Diet Dr. Pepper, the color purple and all things polka dots!
    I was SUPER excited to be asked from the Jedi Craft Girl to be apart of the 14 Day Walk with Christ.  
    Is this not the BEST IDEA EVER for families to take part in?
    Kuddos to Amanda for creating and organizing it all!
    The topic I was given was:
    Christ-Like Attributes – Faith

    Start the lesson out by asking your children the question: 
    “What is faith?”

    Answers may include – –
    * Confidence in something or someone
    * A hope for things which are not seen, but which are true.
    Have everyone turn to Alma 32:21.
    “And now as I said concerning faith – faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”
    Attention Activity: Gather a plastic Easter egg, a few pebbles or grains of rice, and a small picture of the Savior. I printed mine out and just changed the sizing HERE.
    Roll up the picture so that it fits inside the egg and cannot be seen when shut.
    Shake the egg {with the rice in it} and ask the kids if they think anything is INSIDE of the egg?
    They will answer YES and then you can follow up with
     “But you can’t SEE anything in there…so how do you KNOW?”  
    Have the kids open up the egg to discover the picture.
    Explain that even though we have not seen Jesus Christ, we know He is there. We have had living prophets testify of the Savior, the scriptures are written ABOUT the Savior, and we can see His existence and all of His creations in the natural beauty of the earth everyday.
    “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

    Which indeed is the least of all the seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”
    Ask the kids if they know how big a mustard seed is?
    A mustard seed is about 1/20th of an inch in size.  It is one of the smallest seeds in the world.  Follow up by showing them this picture.
    Image
    Ask the kids: Do you think that it took great FAITH on the farmer’s part, to plant that teeny tiny seed – – and trust that it would grow into something large and bountiful?
    Ask the kids:

    What things are necessary to help a seed grow? Sunshine, water and air.
    If we stop watering our seeds or place it in a dark room, will it continue to grow? No.
    IF we continue to take care of our litte seed, doing everything that is necessary, our seed will staret to blossom and turn into something beautiful.
    Let’s compare our FAITH to a SEED.
    In order for faith to work, we need to plant it in our hearts.  
    Then we have to nourish it with: reading the scriptures, saying our prayers, going to church – all of these Gospel principles will help our own faith grow – – just like sunlight and water do with any type of seed.
    Read Alma 33:23.
    “And now, my brethern, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell, even so nourish it by faith.  And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.”
    Activity: Let the kids plant their OWN seeds….literally!
    Purchase little clay pots {white styrofoam cups do the trick as well for this!} and have them decorate their pots however they’d like!
    Show them the correct way to plant a seed — while discussing the necessities for the seed to grow.
    Explain to them that faith is something that will continue to grow within us throughout our entire lives.  As long as we constantly NOURISH our faith, in doing what is righ, our lives will be blessed.
    Dessert: Serve ‘Dirt Cups’.
    This easy treat is always a hit with kiddos!
    All you’ll need is:

    Place your pudding into a cup of any kind, and top with crushed Oreos, gummy worms and gummy flowers.

    Thanks again for having me here and taking the time to read this post.  I hope that in some way, it can help your family come closer to our Savior, during this Easter season!
    For a copy of my Faith Printable for your journal you can click HERE.
    P.S.
    I’d love for you to follow me along at some of my very favorite places here:
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    Day #5, Christ-Like Attributes: Obedience

    Today’s lesson is from Jessica who writes the Latter-day Chatter blog.  Jessica writes and designs fabulous lessons and hand-outs.  This is an overview of the Obedience lesson, scroll down for the link to download the PDF.
     Click HERE to download the entire Obedience Lesson PDF