Week 7: Why are we here?

Song: Choose the Right (Hymn 239)

Thought:
Why are we here? Earth life is part of God's plan for our eternal happiness. That plan includes gaining a physical body and learning to choose between good and evil. Our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, has said: "How grateful we should be that a wise Creator fashioned an earth and placed us here, with a veil of forgetfulness of our previous existence so that we might experience a time of testing, an opportunity to prove ourselves in order to qualify for all that God has prepared for us to receive" ("The Race of Life," Ensign, May 2012, 91). (Taken from Feb 2013 New Era)

Object Lesson: We are lifted up
Fill a clear flat vase with water. Tell your family that this represents the world that we live in. Then pour a good bit of oil on top so that you have a nice layer on top of the water. Liken the oil to the gospel and righteous living. Then take a little bottle of food coloring and drop in a drop for each member of your family. The food coloring should stay on top of the oil in little round drops. Explain that the gospel of Jesus Christ buoys us up and keeps us safe from worldly things. After time a couple of the food coloring drops may fall through the oil...if this happens explain that the gospel of Jesus Christ never fails us. Sometimes we stop doing the right good things and we begin to "join" the world--perhaps we have stopped praying or studying scriptures. Discuss with your family that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will help us through whatever trials or adversity may come our way. This life is full of tests, but it is meant to be a time of learning and especially a time of experiencing joy.

Video: God Will Lift Us Up
Following this video discuss with your family what we can do when we are faced with adversity in this life. Point out that we always have our agency to choose--even in times of trial. God loves us and wants us to be happy and successful in this life. He will lift us up just like the drops of food coloring in the oil are safe from the water below.

Activity:
For the younger members of your family consider playing a game of "Chutes and Ladders," but changing it to "Adversities and Blessings." As they take turns find ways to integrate the idea that sometimes life knocks us down and we have set backs, but that if we persevere and keep going then there are also times that God and our Savior will lift us up and help us to get closer to our goal. Do not stop playing when the first person reaches the end. Consider playing until everyone has made it to the goal and then discuss how we will all face different growing experiences in this life, but despite the hard times we can all make it back to live with Heavenly Father again. Those who reach the goal first should be encouraged to cheer on the remaining players and support them as they strive to reach the end. (If this game is not available or time does not permit it consider having them color this page and then discuss the importance of having a testimony and trying our hardest to choose the right in all things.)

For the older members of your family have them read the four paragraphs of Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk "Trial of Your Faith," beginning with "These fiery trials are designed to make you stronger. Invite them to ponder the question "why do we have adversity?" as they read these paragraphs. Reiterate the ideas discussed earlier about what we should do when faced with adversity (lesson activity from here). Conclude with a discussion about what our purpose is in this earth. "Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy!" (2 Ne. 2:25) Encourage your family to focus on the blessings that come from choosing the right. Help them to remember that it is necessary for us to experience both the good and the bad. Consider having a small dish with some salt on it and another dish with some sugar on it. Tell your family members that one dish has salt and one has sugar. Ask them to identify which dish contains the sugar just from looking at them. When they cannot do this have them each taste the salt and the sugar so that they can tell which is which. Life may seem to be filled with many "salty" experiences, but there are plenty more "sweet" things in life that we have to enjoy if we choose to.

This week's challenge: Ask family members if they have had any opportunities to share the Plan of Salvation this week. Continue to pray for an opportunity to share this great Plan of Happiness with someone, especially that you may find someone to help understand why we are here.