Which Way Does a Tree Fall?

(Image Source)

For family home evening tonight, we used the Lorax and Truffala trees to teach an important lesson. We watched the clip from the movie The Lorax, where the Once-ler's family joins him to start making Thneeds. The Lorax cautions Once-ler that he is making the wrong choice. He asks, "Which way does a tree fall?" The answer, "It falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean."  We related this to the prophet George Albert Smith's counsel. “There is a line of demarcation well defined between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s territory. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of that line one inch you are in the tempter’s power and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord.”

I made a Truffala tree pencil for each person. (Simply a piece of feather boa glued to the top of pencil.) I used these trees to demonstrate President Smith's counsel. If we are on the Lord's side and striving to do good which way will we "fall?" On the Lord's side. If we are on Satan's side, which way will we fall? For Satan. If we are planted on the Lord's side but are thinking about doing wrong or even disobeying a few commandments, which way are we leaning? Which way will we fall? For Satan. However, if we have made bad choices in the past and we're stuck on Satan's side, but we want to repent and be on the Lord's side, we are leaning to the Lord's side and he will help us to come back to his side.

We closed with more of President Smith's counsel, “When I have been tempted sometimes to do a certain thing, I have asked myself, ‘Which side of the line am I on?’ If I determined to be on the safe side, the Lord’s side, I would do the right thing every time. So when temptation comes think prayerfully about your problem and the influence of the Lord will aid you to decide wisely. There is safety for us only on the Lord’s side of the line.” I reminded them the Lorax's warning. "Be careful which way you lean."

 

I'm hoping that we will be able to use this as a reminder later on. "Whose side are you on?'' or "Which way are you leaning?" As well as seeing the fuzzy Truffala tree pencils around the house. This should help the kid's to think about the choices they are making and which side it places them.

It was a great lesson and we finished up by eating Deep Dish Chocolate Pumpkin Pizookie. Thanks to Stephanie Ferrera for the R.S. lesson and Truffala tree that prompted this and to my sister Emily for suggesting the recipe. (Although next time I make it, I don't think I'll make it deep dish. It was really rich and very filling.)

I love to see the temple

"I love to see the temple I'm going there someday.

To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty.

I'll prepare myself while I am young; This is my sacred duty."

The words of this children's song put in simplest words how special temples are to the LDS faith.  (If you would like to know more about what temples are and why they are special to Mormons, follow this link to a wonderful article all about LDS temples.)

Today, I wanted to remind our kids of that specialness and help them feel the spirit. So, we took an impromptu trip to the temple. We are lucky that the Houston temple is within a half-hour drive of our home. So after church this morning, we grabbed a quick picnic lunch and the camera and headed to the temple. The temple itself is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but the temple grounds are open to visitors to visit and walk around. So we sat down by one of the fountains and enjoyed the beautiful day and the peace we felt. I remembered hearing somewhere the idea that if we want our children to grow up and live worthy of entering the temple we need to have it as a daily reminder and goal. What better than a personal picture of the temple to see on a daily basis and be reminded of that goal. So, I took a picture of each of us with the temple. I edited them online with Picnik (which I love), and I want to hang them in our bedrooms.

Later for Family Home Evening, (which we do on Sunday because Aaron has a late night class on Monday) we talked some more about temples and why they are special. I used this lesson for FHE and bore my testimony about temples. Seth told me that he loved being at the temple this afternoon and wanted to go back. That is so great that even at a young age, he can feel the spirit there and wants to return often. We just might have to make this a more frequent family tradition.

It was really neat that Saturday night's session of  Stake Conference was all about temples and temple service. It is probably what sparked the desire to take my family to the temple today. For anyone who wasn't there Saturday, this article sums up what was shared at the adult session at Stake Conference.

Let me finish with a quote by President Howard W. Hunter (from the article). “Let us be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship....If we can pattern our life after the Master, and take His teaching and example as the supreme pattern for our own, we will not find it difficult to be temple worthy."

‘Tis the Season!

Just wanted to share this video with everyone. I’ll probably also add it to the bottom of the page on the blog. It is so sweet. It made me smile and get teary-eyed, to hear what Christmas means to children. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM8XoT7qnxY&feature=player_embedded

I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Most everyone who reads our blog knows that our family is Mormon, so let me explain the reasoning behind this post. After church (and choir practice) I was reading an article in The Ensign (our church magazine), about sharing the gospel through our blogs. (It also included some tips about blog safety and courtesy. Check it out.) It got me thinking and inspired me. What's a better way to bear my testimony about the restored gospel than how it blesses my life everyday?! So, my goal, as I continue to blog, is to share with you some of the things that I know, that I'm learning, and that I'm blessed with. Hopefully, you will be inspired and uplifted and maybe even learn something.

So, first I'd like to bear my testimony. I feel so blessed to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because of this gospel, I have been blessed with many truths that bring happiness to my life. I know that I am a child of God and as such, I have a Heavenly Father who loves me. I feel his love for me whenever I pray and I know that I can receive personal revelation from him through prayer and the Holy Ghost. I know that Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and through him the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored in its fullness. I know that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon only by the power of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and it is another witness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through the Bible and the Book of Mormon, we can learn of Christ and his teachings and our Heavenly Father's commandments and plan for us. I have felt the power and sweetness of these scriptures in my heart and in my home. My family is continuely blessed because we are striving to live by the principles found in these great works. I know that our church is lead by a prophet of God today, Thomas S. Monson, and through him God continues to reveal his commandments and guidance for us. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he lives. He lives! How glorious that our Redeemer has suffered for our sins, died for us, and broke the bonds of death through resurrection's power. He lives! What joy that sentences brings! He has led the way for us to return to our Heavenly Father. He has made it possible through the atonement. Our sins and weaknesses can be forgiven, when we repent, are baptized, and strive to be obedient. I have felt my Savior's love and I know that he loves and cares for me. I have been blessed by these truths. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

P.S. You can go to www.mormon.org to learn more about the church, but did you know that they now have a new feature where you can talk to a missionary about our church. Check it out at chat.mormon.org.